The Real Influencers Project

Craig "gOrk" Barette has been on the bmx scene for decades. In this episode, he shares with them the big news behind USABMX's move to Oklahoma, updates on the BMX Hall of Fame, and more. 

NASCAR Xfinity Crew Chief Chris Gayle joins me to talk about the influences that helped him become one of the best crew chiefs in auto racing, what it's like to work for Joe Gibbs, and his goals for the future. 

Todd Hicks joins me for part 2 to show more gratitude and talk about the infamous jump into the San Francisco Bay by Travis Pastrana. 

Todd Hicks has been a Team Manger to some of the most talented atheltes in the world of motocross, bmx, surfing, wake boarding, and mountain biking. In this episode he talks about how it all got started for him, some of his greatest accomplishements, and some of his greatest influences. 

Salma Khalil, co-founder of the post production studio Feather Creative, joins me to talk about growing up in Egypt, moving to the states to further her education, and how her darkroom skills prepared her for digital editing. All that and more! Enjoy!

John Ker is one of the most well respected and liked photographers in the bmx and mountain biking world. He has, for decades, captured some of the best in the sport. His images are timeless and when you see one, you know he shot it. His skills are unmatched and he even gives us some photography tips in this episode.

BMX industry insider Mike Carruth has spent decades racing, documenting and helping to grow the sport. In this episode he discusses that plus the influences behind his love of bikes and media. 

Scott Avett, joins me to discuss the influences behind his love of art, music and sports. We also touch on how he stays creative when he's not on stage. 

Chad found his love of bmx bikes at an early age, vowed to become a champion, and did it. Today, he took that skill set and applies it to clay shooting, another area where he intends to become a champion. In this episode he shares with me the start of his career, his time at Shimano, and what the future holds for him.

Rory Karpf is a director, producer, and amateur boxer. Rory took a leap of faith to go out on his own, and it's paid off in a big way. Producing documentaries for ESPN, NASCAR and partnering with Dana White and the MMA, he shares with me the influences behind his journey and the one man that believed in him from the start. 

Meg Seitz, owner of Toth Shop, joins me this episode to discuss career longevity, business school, entrepruenership and the importance of consistent branding and who helped her get to where she is. 

Michael Ardelean has never been afraid to reinvent himself. Starting out in the bmx world he's grown and been successful in the fashion world, design and now as an author. Today he shares with me how he got there. 

Charles Townsend is one of the greatest bmx champions the sport has ever seen. Not just because of his talents on the bike, but also because of his character off the bike. In this episode he discusses the influences behind the early stages of his career, his list of sponsors and how they happend, and his gratitude for it all. 

Eddy King's presence in the BMX world is well documented. From his championships, to his days as one of the top professionals. In this episode he joins me to talk about how he got started, what he's doing now and speaks about the crash that almost ended his ability to walk. 

Roni Zulu started out, like many kids do, coloring and drawing on anything he could, but for Roni it wasn't just a phase. His desire to be an artist was too strong to deny. With the support of family and friends, it became his life. Today he joins me to talk about just that, how he became a tattoo artis, and his newest venture, writing and illustrating children's books.

When one thinks of selfless, kind and genuinely nice people, not many think of Barry McManus. But that's where they are wrong. One of the greatest to ever race a bmx bike, Barry took the time to chat with me about his early years in the sport, his influences and where he is today.

Jennifer Goodrich was leading a successful career in the corporate world when, after a series of events, she realized that her mental health and wellbeing was more important than anything she was getting working for someone else. So she took matters into her own hands and, not only helped herself, but is helping others as well.

Mikey King had a cycling career most dream of. Successful in every discipline he competed in, he's now seeing the same success in his post-racing career. In this episode he talks about that and so much more. 

Dale Holmes chased his BMX racing career from England all the way to Southern California, leaving a trail of wins and championships. His historical knowledge of the sport has helped to keep the memories alive, and his drive to get more kids involved has led him to a business venture that has proven results of introducing and keeping kids coming back to BMX racing. 

You can't think of the early years of BMX racing without thinking about Greg Hill, one of the sports premier athletes for decades. His dedication and drive propelled him to the top of the sport where he resided for years before retiring to coach and train other athletes. In this episode, Greg talks to me about his entry into BMX and what he does today that fills his soul.

Olympic Coach and former professional BMX racer Greg Romero joins me to discuss his career, his early influencers and the importance of giving back. 

Darrell Young started his career in the Pacific Northwest. His rise to stardom was fast and earned himself a ride on one of the greatest teams, JMC Racing, the sport has ever seen. Today he discusses his career and how the legendary Darrell Young Design Pro Model came to be. 

Tommy Brackens is one of the most well known and well liked riders in the BMX racing community. He's a pioneer of the sport and has been inducted into the BMX Hall of Fame. His legendary career, however short, was one to be admired. In this episode he talks about the influences behind it, and how achieved such a high level of success in such a short time.

Host, reporter and athlete Shannon Spake joins me to talk about growing up in Florida, moving to NYC to chase her television dreams, and how becoming a triathlete has helped her give back to the community. 

Renaissance man William Wilson joins me to discuss his Military career, his entry into NASCAR, his construction company and switching careers to the fashion industry. 

Justin Kosman's creative drive started at an early age, creating and designing padsets for his bike and grew into photography and video production. He's worked for brands such as Red Bull, Vans, Cobra Golf and more. He joins me to discuss how it all got started and what it takes to be successful. 

Alan Foster never dreamed of becoming one of the top and most respected bmx pro racers, but that's exactly what happened. Growing up on the east coast transitioned into a move to the west coast, leading to a 10 year career that helped him invest in many properties. In this episode he shares those stories and influencers that helped him along the way. 

This week Tony Donaldson, photographer, editor, author and videographer joins me to talk his early years riding and photographing Freestyle bmx, his love of the movie RAD and how he helped shape the photography world. 

Matt Hawkins suffered a serious accident that left him in the hospital, wondering if he'd live. That influence pushed him to create a product that helps others avoid the same fate he dealt with. 

Kevin Jackson was one of the pioneers of bmx racing. He parlayed a successful amateur career into a pro deal with some of the most iconic bmx brands in history. Following that he migrated into the corporate world before the curiosity of movie stunts took him away. In this episode, he explains how it all happened.

Dr. Grant Campbell grew up in rural North Carolina, unaware of his humble beginnings. But with expectations of excellence in school from his mother, he attended UNC Chapel Hill, studied medicine and became a Doctor. His drive to serve led him to the military where he found himself deployed three times, all while his wife was at home tending to their two young children. His influences are vast and from a variety of places. But where he ended up, is exactly where he was suppose to.

2B Homecooked Garments was a small clothing brand in the early 1990's, run by two creatives who's main goal was to have fun and sell shirts. And they did just that. Traveling the globe to various freestyle and bmx racing events, they were able to build the brand until they branched off to do different projects, ending their partnership, and 2B. 

Dr. Jason Richardson is a BMX World Champion, father, husband and Olympic athlete coach. His education combined with his experience has proven to be a successful combination. Today he speaks about his transition from athlete, to Doctor, and how he helps others do the same thing. 

Ryan Yarborough is a NCAA football record holder. He was one of the very few who went on to play in the NFL. In this episode, Ryan tells me how his upbringing in the south suburbs of Chicago paved the way for success, and how those lessons learned led him to mentor players who have come after him. 

Scott Town grew up in the midwest riding and racing his bmx bike. An injury altered the course of his bmx racing career, but it never stopped the love he has for bikes. A journalism career brought him to California for a short spell, but the midwest called him back, where he resides now. Still riding his bike daily, Scott joins me in sharing his stories and influences behind his success. 

Justin Oppman is a master of all things production, yet he's got bikes in his blood. In this episode of The Real Influencers Project, Justin shares with me how he got his start in production and how his true love has never been far from his heart. 

Kyle Petty knew from a young age that he wanted to be a race car driver. It wasn't the fame, the money, or the people he'd get to meet. He just wanted to race. In this episode of The Real Influencers Project, Kyle shares that memory with me and the transition he made to broadcast television. He also speaks of his successful charities, Victory Junction and The Kyle Petty Charity Ride. 

Connor Fields is the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist in BMX. In this episode, we discuss his early years and how he got involved, the chase for Olympic Gold, and the plans for retirement. 

Colleen Odegaard joins me this week on The Real Influencers Project. She shares with me her beginnings in broadcast journalism and her recent calling to become a life coach.  "We get the life we tolerate" - Colleen Odegaard Listen in, and maybe you don't have to. 

Al Cayne has a unique approach to life. Do it all and be great at it, yet still bring it all back to his first love, BMX. In this episode Al shares how his love of bikes continues to drive him in all aspects of his life, from music to acting to riding, it's a blurry line and that's exactly how he likes it!

Erin Ducharme Waters found her calling through tragedy, a freak accident. As her brother lay in the hospital bed unable to move, she watched his healing and progress, and she knew then that health and wellness was what she was suppose to do. This week on The Real Influencers Project, her story sheds light on the fact that influence comes in all shapes and sizes. 

Ellie McKinney, wedding photographer and mentor, joins me in this episode and talks about her rapid ascent in the field, the importance of family life, and the future of her brand, Ellie McKinney Photography. 

Hall of Fame inductee Rick Moliterno has established himself as one of the greatest all-around talents on a 20" bmx bike. He's done it all, and won in every discipline. Riding for some of the most iconic brands in the sport, he also created one, Standard Bykes. In this episode of The Real Influencers Project, he talks about all of that and more. 

Motocross coach Joe DeGano was an early adopter of mindset strategies and how they play a major role in athletics. In this episode of The Real Influencers Project, Joe talks about how he coaches his athletes to not settle for anything less than what they really want, how he created his own self-help tapes as a teen, and the influencers that stood up for him on his path. 

Fabi Preslar, owner of Spark Publications, joins me and talks about owning multiple businesses and what she learned, why she decided that shortly after giving birth to her first child, and how a close family friend became one of her biggest influencers. 

Lenny Batycki began his BMX racing career in South Florida, moving through the national ranks to as high as number 3 in his age category. But soon the microphone was calling his name and he moved into the announcers booth, a move that would take him from the BMX world, and into the NASCAR world. 

Jake Keaton is my guest this week on The Real Influencers Project and he shares with me what it's like to work for NASA, why he chose Star Trek over Star Wars and if he really believes that there is life on other planets.

Erick Bartoldus set the bar for what a BMX team manager should be. Not only did he provide support, but he also coached his riders to get the best out of them. He also taught them the importance of what it meant to be a member of his team. But before that, he was an accomplished racer, cutting his teeth in the ultra competitive Florida BMX scene. 

JJ Zachariason's love of Fantasy Football was too great of a pull to ignore, so he left his unfulfilling job at an advertising agency to pursue his true calling. Today he's helping to guide many to their best Fantasy season and he explains how it all came about in this episode. 

Joe Moore, host of Dead People's Money, joins me and shares stories about his journey from a little town in South Carolina, to traveling Europe, becoming an author and, at one time, owning 30 properties. 

Tracer Finn began his BMX racing career in the early years of the sport. His style and charisma was equalled only by his legendary Las Vegas performing family. He learned that hard work and dedication was the key to being a winner in BMX, that he could use those skills to succeed in any arena outside of the sport, and that's exactly what he's done.