Society & CulturePhilosophy

The Breaking Normal Podcast

Daniel Eisenman

Breaking Normal: Exploration of memetics, language, & mystery, and applying it to an everyday lifestyle

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20 episodes
Avg 1 hr 9 min
English

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August 18 · 1 hr 10 min
Plucking Apart Beef vs. Bison vs. Elk Organs with Celebrity Chef James Barry
James Barry went from cooking for Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Gerard Butler and Barbra Streisand to sneaking liver, heart, kidney, pancreas and spleen into everyday food as the founder of Pluck. We get into beef vs. bison vs. elk organs, grass-fed vs. grain-finished, which organs actually taste best, culinary applications for the weirdest parts of the animal, fatherhood, leaving Portland, his first impressions of Boulder - and whether Pluck might someday involve bison or elk. I also loaded James up with Tribe Vitamins samples: bison liver, heart, kidney, pancreas and spleen, elk liver + heart, elk velvet antler, Femur Creamer and more. Tribe Vitamins currently specializes in 100% grass-fed bison organs and North American elk products. And apparently morning sun is still the best sunscreen. ☀️😂 Links: James: https://eatpluck.com Daniel: https://tribevitamins.com Breaking Normal with James Barry: where celebrity chef meets ancestral nutrition, and beef finally has to defend itself against bison.
August 4 · 1 hr 6 min
Sunrise, Synchronicity & Becoming Your Own Doctor | Caden Zrubek
After being brought to a health reset by Lyme disease and mold exposure, Caden Zrubek wasn’t sure he’d have the bandwidth to coherently share his story. I’m grateful he did. What unfolded wasn’t just a conversation about health—it became a conversation about synchronicity, resilience, intuition, and learning to design a life that’s aligned with nature instead of constantly fighting against it. Caden and I retrace the unlikely chain of events that brought us together—from meeting at the Boulder Creek sauna, to me renting his truck, to my old #YoUberTube interviews years before we really knew each other, to a string of synchronicities that neither of us can fully explain. Today, Caden wakes up with the sunrise, structures his life around circadian biology, and helps others reconnect with their health by focusing on light, movement, environment, and the body’s innate ability to heal. In this episode we explore: Recovering from Lyme disease and mold exposure Why conventional medicine wasn’t enough for his healing journey Becoming your own doctor—and where modern medicine, personal responsibility, and God each fit into the healing process Whether “God as the doctor” and nature as medicine offer something modern healthcare often overlooks The hidden impact of artificial light and our modern environment Why morning sunlight may be one of the most powerful forms of medicine The surprising synchronicities that shaped both of our lives Building a truly “dialed” lifestyle Why health begins with your environment long before it begins with supplements Follow Caden: Instagram: @caden_zrubek Dialed Lifestyle: dialedlifestyle.com BioSpectral Systems: biospectralsystems.com If you want to “get your hunt on” like Caden, check out the 100% grass-fed bison organs and bison tallow balm from Tribe Vitamins: tribevitamins.com
July 31 · 1 hr 12 min
Breakups, Boners & Becoming | Adam Roa on Crazy Love
Adam Roa returns to The Breaking Normal Podcast to celebrate the release of his new book, Crazy Love, but this conversation quickly goes far beyond poetry. We dive into modern dating, "heartbreak", vulnerability, masculinity, authenticity, and one surprisingly memorable question: Can you have a boner… and cry at the same time? From the illusion of choice created by dating apps to why heartbreak can become one of life’s greatest teachers, this episode explores what happens when we stop performing and start telling the truth. We also discuss: Why every breakup might actually be a gift. The one question everyone should ask on a first date. The biggest problem with modern dating. Why creating emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual safety is the foundation of both healthy relationships and raising healthy children. How Adam’s daily practice keeps him grounded. The difference between chasing approval and becoming addicted to authenticity. Why what’s most personal often becomes the most universal. The tension between living from your history versus living toward mystery. Following your biology instead of your conditioning. Why I stopped showering… and why Adam thought I was taking tanning peptides. Why Adam is now officially a fan of edible bison tallow—and yes, we also talk about freeze-dried bison testicles and optimizing fertility before having children. Whether you’re healing from a breakup, questioning modern relationships, or simply trying to become more authentically yourself, this conversation is full of laughter, honesty, funcomfortable questions, and moments that may completely change the way you think about love. Connect with Adam Roa: 🌐 Website: adamroa.com 📖 Crazy Love — available now 📷 Instagram: @adam.roa Support the podcast & experience fertility maxing: 🦬 Tribe Vitamins: TribeVitamins.com
July 27 · 1 hr 6 min
Speaking Is Praying. Listening Is Meditating. | David Sauvé
My daughter Divina joined us in the studio as one of our live audience members for a conversation that quickly moved beyond words. David Sauvé is a holistic lifestyle guide, breath and bodyworker, and founder of the Quantum Soma Method. We talk about how we first met at Eben G. Fine Park in Boulder, and the synchronicities that continued unfolding through Tribe Vitamins, 100 Sundays, breathwork and Network Spinal Analysis. Years ago, David found himself near the end of his rope—living in mold, nearly losing the vision in his right eye and carrying the effects of anger, sexual trauma and a childhood in which connecting with other people did not come naturally. At his roommate’s suggestion, he decided to try Network Spinal Analysis. Over the following year, something began coming online. David was already a dancer, but the way he danced began to change. His body became more fluid, expressive and awakened. He describes a new energy blossoming from his spine like a flower—and almost exactly one year later, the vision in his right eye returned. That experience, and everything that happened between those two points, became part of the foundation for the work he now offers through Quantum Soma: combining breathwork, spinal attunement, movement, presence and nervous-system integration to help people reconnect with their bodies and move energy that may have been held for years. But what does “moving energy” actually mean? We go directly into the territory that can appear from the outside like an exorcism, an orgasm—or both. David helps bridge the gap between how this work looks and what may actually be happening internally. We also explore: * Why speaking can be a form of prayer and listening a form of meditation * What God, consciousness and energy mean beyond inherited definitions * How David went from an extremely awkward skateboarder who would punch kids in the balls and run away to someone who is still plenty weird—but definitely more capable of connecting and communicating with other people * The relationship between trauma, the nervous system, breath and spontaneous movement * David’s offer to give me a session that may be impossible to explain without experiencing it * How I held my breath for more than five minutes—and David held his for more than ten This conversation is an invitation to listen with more than your ears. Because perhaps speaking is praying. And listening is meditating. Connect with David Sauvé: Instagram: @davidsauve_embodied Quantum Soma Method: @quantum_soma_method Website: QuantumSomaMethod.com Explore Tribe Vitamins: TribeVitamins.com
July 1 · 1 hr 17 min
From Black Bear Hunt to Plant Medicine Quest: A Hunter’s Awakening | Ryan Dumville
Would you be willing to harvest the animal you eat… or would you rather pay someone else to do it? Ryan Dumville joins the Breaking Normal Podcast after a life-changing black bear hunt in Colorado that completely reshaped the way he sees life, death, food, gratitude, and purpose. What began as a hunting story became a conversation about sacred responsibility. From there, we connect Ryan’s experience to a plant medicine ceremony in Costa Rica with previous Breaking Normal guest Cheyenne Carter, the Lakota bison harvest behind Tribe Vitamins, the home birth of my daughter Divina, and why the portals of birth and death may be some of the most sacred experiences humans can witness. We also explore: 🦬 Why hunting may actually be more ethical than buying anonymous grocery store meat 🐻 The spiritual lessons hidden inside a bear hunt 🌿 Plant medicine, visions, and the birth of Ryan’s upcoming Arrow & Altar hunting retreats 🙏 Gratitude from harvest to plate 🪶 The sacredness of harvesting animals with intention 🏹 Why modern hunting can reconnect us to nature instead of separating us from it This isn’t simply an episode about hunting. It’s an episode about remembering we comes from—and what responsibility really looks like. ➡️ Follow Ryan Dumville and learn more about his upcoming Arrow & Altar retreats: @rdumville ➡️ Get your modern-day hunt on at TribeVitamins.com — 100% grass-fed, grass-finished American bison organs
June 27 · 1 hr 7 min
He’s actively trying to get Fat with Parasites, Bacteria, & More ~ Scott Hall Jr.
Scott Hall Jr. may be the most radical guest we’ve ever hosted on Breaking Normal. What started with what Scott describes as a mandatory two-dose HPV vaccine in high school sent him on a decades-long search for answers. That search took him from veganism for spiritual reasons to what he believes is the most natural way for humans to live. In this conversation, we discuss: * Why Scott says he reversed his Tourette’s and ADHD through a primal lifestyle. * Why he believes fresh, raw foods are fundamentally different from anything frozen or processed. * Why he eats raw meat—including beef, pork, chicken, and even bear. * Why he fears no parasites, bacteria, ticks, worms, staph, or trichomonas. * Why he’s intentionally trying to gain healthy body fat with parasites. * Why he believes pig poop and cow poop can have health benefits. * His views on vaccines, antibiotics, and modern medicine. * The divisions within the primal community over polyamory, psychedelics, and his interpretation of Aajonus Vonderplanitz’s teachings. L. Whether this conversation expands your mind or completely challenges your worldview, it’s one you won’t forget. Follow Scott Hall Jr.:@scotthalljr If you’re looking for premium ancestral foods that Scott won’t have, learn why in this episode. Visit www.TribeVitamins.com
June 11 · 1 hr 1 min
Yoga on the Inside with Eddie Modestini
This episode begins with Eddie Modestini casually dropping into a yoga pose that makes him look 13 years old. The surprising part? He is 73 years old. From there, we dive into a lifetime of learning from a man who has spent more than five decades studying movement, breath, healing, and what it means to remain a student of life. We explore Eddie’s journey from working on an elk ranch in Paonia and suffering a debilitating slipped disc to being told surgery was his best option. Instead of going under the knife, he chose a different path—Tai Chi, massage therapy, and eventually yoga—a decision that would completely change the course of his life. Along the way, we discuss: Teaching yoga to Bob Marley’s mother and the Marley family, including Ziggy Marley Working with musicians like Michael Franti His connection to my friend Alec and their time studying yoga together in India Why he’s in Boulder this week for Alec’s wedding How staying a student of life may be one of the most powerful longevity practices available The role of curiosity in keeping both the body and mind youthful Bee breathing, box breathing, breath retention, and a Norwegian exercise technique How breath can influence energy, focus, recovery, and wellbeing Movement as medicine His thoughts on nutrition, organ meats, and aging well More than a conversation about yoga, this is a conversation about choosing a different path when life presents obstacles—and continuing to learn long after most people stop asking questions. At 73 years young, Eddie is living proof that age and aging are not the same thing. Enjoy this conversation with a man who has spent a lifetime practicing Yoga on the Inside. Get your hunt on with Eddie at www.TribeVitamins.com and follow his journey on Instagram @yogaontheinside
June 5 · 54 min
Can You Receive a Life Bigger Than Your Dream? | Sam Tarantino
Sam Tarantino helped build Grooveshark into one of the largest music streaming platforms in the world. By his twenties, he was running a company with millions of users, battling some of the most powerful corporations on Earth, and living what many would call the entrepreneurial dream. Then he lost it. In this conversation, Sam shares parts of the story he rarely talks about publicly—from the founding of Grooveshark, to the lawsuits that changed everything, to the loss of his co-founder and close friend, Josh Greenberg. What emerged was not a conversation about business. It became a conversation about luck, loss, brotherhood, success, failure, family, fate, and the strange way life can lead us exactly where we’re meant to go. We begin with a series of synchronicities: two oldest brothers, two Florida boys, two entrepreneurs shaped by family dynamics, each navigating different versions of the same questions. From there we dive deep into: * The untold story behind Grooveshark’s rise and fall * What losing a company teaches that success never can * The loss of a co-founder, close friend, and brother-in-arms * how “luck” can cut both ways * The hidden costs of ambition * Whether success and failure are largely stories we tell ourselves * The parallel lives we never get to live * Family, fatherhood, and what truly matters in the end Near the end, we explore the film Family Man and the question it poses: What if the life you thought you wanted wasn’t actually the life that would make you happiest? This is one of the most honest founder conversations we’ve ever had. Daniel and Sam explore the rise and fall of a company, the loss of people and dreams, and the realization that sometimes life’s greatest gifts arrive disguised as setbacks. For anyone who has ever wondered whether they are behind, ahead, winning, losing, or exactly where they are meant to be, this conversation is for you.
May 28 · 55 min
Synchronicity, AI & The Future of Human Meaning with Kubs Lalchandani
From unraveling Miami synchronicities near the place I was born… to AI replacing careers, the future of universities, crypto, politics, veterinary care, Boulder culture, and whether humans still need struggle to feel alive… This conversation with Kubs Lalchandani went deep fast. We explore: * AI and the collapse of traditional careers * Whether college is becoming obsolete * Crypto, law, and the future of society * Boulder vs Miami culture * Synchronicities and formative life moments * Why people travel abroad for healthcare and testing * Human meaning in an increasingly artificial world Kubs is a Cornell-trained attorney, entrepreneur, AI educator, political candidate, and co-founder of Treeline Veterinary Cancer Care. Follow Kubs: Instagram: @kubsclub Website: kubs.vote Harvest your Hunt at www.TribeVitamins.com
May 16 · 1 hr 19 min
You Are the Winning Sperm with Don Moxley
What happens when a former evangelical Christian raised on a beef cattle farm becomes one of the leading voices in HRV, recovery, cannabis, longevity, and human performance? In this episode of Breaking Normal, I sit down with Don Moxley for one of the most unexpectedly hilarious, deep, and synchronistic conversations we’ve had in a while. We go from Don’s SEVEN knee surgeries and surviving a MRSA infection… to cutting from 220 pounds down to 177 for wrestling… to growing up around Italian cattle and going to church “for the girls.” This conversation is all about heart sync over groupthink. We talk about:• Native spirituality vs organized religion• Why Jesus probably wasn’t religious at all• Sacred contracts & synchronicities• HRV, stress & nervous system resilience• Cannabis, spermidine & longevity science• Why modern humans are under-recovered• Why Don prefers red light while I prefer sunlight & naked sun time• Bison testicles, tallow balm & ancestral nutrition• The strange feeling of talking to someone who somehow already feels like family This one gets weird, heartfelt, philosophical, funny, and very human. Follow Don Moxley:Instagram: @donmoxley Follow @DanielEisenman & @TribeVitamins www.TribeVitamins.com
May 5 · 1 hr 11 min
The Sin of Seriousness | With My Brother Timothy Eisenman
What happens when two brothers—cut from the same cloth, yet living their own paths—sit down and stop taking life so darn seriously? This one starts very Breaking Normal… Timothy refuses to do what I ask him within seconds 😂 And from there, it turns into one of the deepest, strangest, and most heartfelt conversations I’ve ever had—with my own brother. We go from: * Identity — why Timothy may relate more to “brother” than his name * What Jesus may have (or may not have) identified with * Language, labels, and the illusion of who we think we are * Stories from our travels around the world — including the time he may have saved my life… and the time he gave me stitches but accidentally glued my butt cheeks together 😳 * How he met his now wife… while she was with her ex-husband * The blessing/dream… her ex-husband gave him later * Nicaragua, sickness, and a moment that felt like our mom made a deal with God * Prayer… live on the podcast * god, Kenya, Carl Jung, synchronicity, dreams, and moments you can barely explain—but can never forget * Trusted house sitting as a real-life treasure hunt * His raw, honest take on Tribe Vitamins * And a powerful moment where he speaks directly to his son—imagining him at 15, about to get his driver’s license, listening to this episode… and what he’d want him to know And somehow… it all leads to a moment where I ask him for one final question— and instead, he ends in tears… expressing pure gratitude. No script. No filter. Just two brothers exploring life, God, memory, and meaning in real time. If you’ve ever wondered how deep a conversation can go with someone who shares your blood… this is it. — Get real nourishment from the inside out (and the outside in): 👉 https://tribevitamins.com — This is back-to-back with the episode I just recorded with my dad… Something powerful is happening in these family conversations. Expect nothing. Experience everything.
April 29 · 1 hr 16 min
Breaking Bad with My Dad
This one goes all the way in. From my grandparents surviving the Holocaust… to hunting diamonds in Russia… to my dad’s evolution from drug user to legal drug dealer… We unpack the real story behind where I come from— the chaos, the lessons, and the moments that shaped everything. From flipping my mom’s car at 16… to getting caught going 100+ with a learner’s permit… to underground fight clubs… to a college story that will absolutely make you laugh. We talk family, legacy, Boulder, my siblings, his grandchildren, and the people who’ve inspired us most along the way. This might be the most Breaking Normal episode yet. Honored to sit down with one of the coolest humans I know—my dad. — For the Nourishment shirt: https://www.instagram.com/radiant.ransom For true nourishment—from the inside out and the outside in: https://tribevitamins.com 🦬
March 28 · 1 hr 6 min
Greg Lefcourt of Beleza (Boulder) on Coffee, Community & Creating the Best Vibes
What actually makes a coffee shop feel different? In this episode of Breaking Normal, I sit down with Greg Lefcourt — co-owner of Beleza Coffee in Boulder — to explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of coffee culture. Greg has spent decades at the highest level of specialty coffee… competing, judging, and helping shape the scene. But what he’s building with Beleza goes beyond coffee — it’s about connection, presence, and creating a space people actually feel. We get into: - Why he killed the Wi-Fi (and what that revealed about people) - What coffee taught him about human nature - The fine line between mastery, ego, and art - How drinks like the Persian Love Latte (with saffron, rose, pistachio) can shift your state - What makes a great barista vs. just a skilled one - His favorite coffee shops around the world - What actually creates a magnetic community vibe Questions we explored: - What has coffee taught you about humans that has nothing to do with coffee? - Why did you remove Wi-Fi when most cafés are doubling down on it? - What made you step away from the “high-level coffee world” to build something more human? - When does mastery become ego… and when does it become art? - What kind of ritual are people craving right now without realizing it? - Can a drink actually shift someone’s emotional state? - What’s a place or experience that changed how you see what a café can be? - What makes a truly great coffee shop? - What separates a great barista from everyone else? - What do people reveal over coffee that they don’t say anywhere else? - What would the perfect café for human connection look like? Connect with Greg & Beleza: https://www.instagram.com/belezacoffeebar/ If you’re in Boulder, this is one of those spots you don’t just visit — you feel it. Coffee might be the excuse… But connection is the real product. Get Greg’s favorite tallow and the best organ supplements in the world at www.TribeVitamins.com
March 6 · 1 hr 7 min
Skiing 80mph on Raw Milk: The Olympic Rebellion of Ryder Sarchett
Is your training program fueled by ego or biology? Daniel Eisenman sits down with local legend and Olympic alpine skier Ryder Sarchett to deconstruct the "weird" habits that separate world-class athletes from the pack. After getting cut from the US Ski Team at 19, Ryder "burned the boats," left college, and clawed his way back to the Olympic stage by rejecting traditional endurance protocols in favor of neurological flow. In this episode, we dive into: How raw milk became Ryder's secret weapon for eliminating back pain and inflammation. The "Anti-Push" parenting method that fosters genuine obsession over burnout. Why tapering and nervous system regulation are the keys to 80mph precision on the ice. The College Dropout mentality: Choosing real-world mastery over a $100k debt. This is a deep dive into the shift from traditional "talk therapy" styles of coaching to neurological and ancestral solutions for peak performance. Get the "Breaking Normal" Book: Amazon | Audible Stay in Touch: Instagram | Website Follow, Like, and Share to help us break the normal!
February 13 · 1 hr 5 min
Why Sustainability, Sales, and Retirement All Need a Rethink
What if sustainability isn’t about optics—but about doing the hard, unglamorous work no one wants to deal with? In this episode of Breaking Normal, host Daniel Eisenman sits down with Kathey Pear, lifelong entrepreneur, sales strategist, and sustainability realist, to unpack why “green” has become more marketing than practice. From office furniture landfills to the myth of retirement, Kathey shares decades of lived experience navigating business with integrity. This episode is for founders, operators, and thinkers who want to build something useful, honest, and human—and understand why that matters now more than ever. Main Topics Covered Why “retirement” is a broken concept for people who love their work Sales as service, triage, and truth—not manipulation The hidden environmental cost of office furniture and business moves Why 90% of office furniture ends up in landfills Greenwashing vs. real sustainability practices The real constraints: storage, real estate, and economics Why scaling too fast destroys otherwise good businesses Potlatch economics and redefining wealth, value, and success Key Takeaways Sustainability fails when it’s cheaper to throw things away than deal with them Sales done well is about helping people make better decisions Going slow allows you to survive your mistakes—and learn from them Real impact often starts long before profit or recognition Wealth isn’t what you accumulate—it’s what you circulate Connect with the Guest: Kathey Pear Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathey.pear.7 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathey-pear-90aa091/Get the book on Audible!https://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Development/Breaking-Normal-Audiobook/B074G49CW2Get the book on Amazon!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071SBC7NC/ref=sr_1_16?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1495314934&sr=1-16&keywords=motivational+self+help+help_________STAY IN TOUCH ↣WEBSITE: http://breakingnormal.com↣FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/DanielEisenman↣INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/DanielEisenman↣TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DanielEisenman If this conversation challenged the way you think about sustainability, work, or success, help us spread it. Follow, like, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to question the “normal” way of doing business.
February 6 · 1 hr 4 min
All I See Is Opportunity with Birdlimb
What if The Matrix wasn’t fiction—but a documentary? In this real-deal Breaking Normal conversation, I sit down with Clark, the founder of Birdlimb, and we go far beyond the red pill vs. blue pill narrative. We dive into: • Why The Matrix feels more like a documentary than a movie • Raising Neos, not NPCs (including Clark’s youngest son, Neo) • Healing outside the modern medical model through meditation, awareness, and self-trust • Pulling kids out of the medical matrix and becoming your own doctor • How a month of working together—and Tribe Vitamins—supported that shift • Tallow, ritual, and commitment (100 Sundays at 1 PM) • Remembering the future and the possibility of a Boulder Creek retreat • Bringing outside nature inside our homes through Birdlimb • Laughter, presence, goofy essence, and bird songs to close it out This is a conversation about sovereignty, intuition, family, and seeing opportunity where others see limitation. If you’re ready for something beyond red or blue— 🦬 Get your hunt on: https://tribevitamins.com Connect with Clark & explore Birdlimb: 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdlimb Recorded in the spirit of curiosity, freedom, and remembering what we already know.
January 21 · 1 hr 2 min
From Peak Performance to a Heart Attack: Fitnessing for Life with Tim O’Donnell
In this deeply inspiring episode of the Breaking Normal Podcast, I sit down with Timothy O’Donnell—world-class triathlete, coach, speaker, and father of three—who has been living and training in Boulder, Colorado for the past 17 years. At the pinnacle of his professional fitness career, Tim suffered a heart attack during a race in Miami—yet still finished the race, missing the Top 10 by just one place. Later that night, he found himself in the hospital, a moment that would permanently change his relationship with training, recovery, and life itself. Before undergoing a life-saving stent procedure, Tim made a pivotal phone call to previous Breaking Normal guest David Tusek. With the support of cutting-edge diagnostics, elite cardiology care, and deep self-reflection, Tim was eventually cleared to return to training—but with an entirely new philosophy. This conversation explores: • What it means to “fitness for life” instead of chasing peak performance at all costs • How a heart attack reshaped Tim’s identity as an athlete, husband, and father • The quiet cost of being world-class—and the freedom found in doing less, better • Longevity, recovery, fatherhood, and redefining what winning really means We also touch on the powerful role Tim’s wife plays in the endurance racing world, the importance of community, and how elite athletes evolve when performance is no longer the only metric that matters. Before we wrapped, I shared what many of our top performing athletes personally love using from Tribe Vitamins—including elk velvet antler, bison testicles, and tallow balm to support recovery, resilience, and skin health in harsh conditions. 👉 Get the hunt on: https://tribevitamins.com ⸻ 🔗 Connect with Tim O’Donnell • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tointri?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== • LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-o-donnell-15515b8?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_co...
January 4 · 1 hr 28 min
Sufi Mystic Retires at 39 to Become a Stay-at-Home Dad | Matt Winkley
What if success wasn’t about climbing higher—but about creating community? In this truly Breaking Normal episode, recorded inside the house & home of Matt Winkley, who retired at age 39, is now a stay-at-home dad, and gives back deeply to his community… from a podcast studio inside his own home. Matt lives with his dream partner, Julie, and their 11-month-old son Adam—a highly meditated, not medicated, little human who just took his first steps. That moment becomes a mirror for the episode itself. Because before Matt ever found peace, he took a much scarier first step. He escaped the small town he grew up in with a one-way ticket to San Diego, full of stoke—but no clear plan for how to pay for the life he felt called to live. That uncertainty sparked an obsession with entrepreneurship, which eventually led to burnout, illness, and a complete unraveling. From that breakdown, something unexpected emerged. Matt found healing through Sufi mysticism, devotion, ann his dharmic diligence—aligning his work with service. That path led him to building and scaling a business working with autistic children, which ultimately allowed him to retire early, transition into real estate, and design a life around freedom, family, and peace. In this conversation, we go deep into: • Home vs. house—and why it matters • Meditation vs. medication (especially with children) • Vision planning that actually creates freedom • Designing the ideal day vs chasing distant goals • Moving from hardworking middle class to financially free • What peace actually feels like—starting today • Meditating with your children • Sufism: the whirling, the path, and the practice Matt follows • Burnout as initiation, not failure • What it really means to be unemployable This episode is full of synchronicities, lived wisdom, and embodied truth. Matt doesn’t just talk about Breaking Normal—he lives it. Follow Matt here: 👉 Instagram: Matt.Winkley Get the most effective hunt 🏹🦬 at www.TribeVitamins.com
Dec 26, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Thought I Was Interviewing a Chef… Interviewed a Realtor Instead — And I Loved It
I walked in thinking I was about to interview a chef from Highland City Club… Turns out, I was sitting down with Stewart Ward, a Boulder realtor who grew up in Miami in the 80s and has carved out his own path in the world of Colorado real estate. In this episode we explore: • The number of realtors in Colorado vs. Boulder • How someone like me could make money in Boulder real estate without being a realtor • Why having your own real estate license can be useful for flipping homes, the way Stewart has done in Oregon and the way my brother does in Georgia • Affordable housing in Boulder, land leases, rentals, and luxury homes all existing within blocks of one another • What his home recommendation would be for someone on a budget vs. someone with no budget at all • The “glass castles” and other iconic homes in Boulder and around the world • The types of home features I gravitate toward — gas-burning stoves, mold-free hardwood floors, clean materials, functional layouts • Wood-burning fireplace restrictions in new Boulder homes — and how people try to work around them • How private memberships and other creative structures may play into future housing or property loopholes • His take on the best deal he currently has listed in Boulder • The new hotel developments shaping the next chapter of the city We also touched on lifestyle adjustments for newcomers to Colorado’s climate and why Stewart was curious about Tribe Vitamins products for clients adapting to the dryness. Sometimes you think you’re interviewing a chef… Sometimes you end up learning how Boulder real estate really works. Get your hunt on at TribeVitamins.com 🦬🔥
Dec 24, 2025 · 1 hr 23 min
He Turned Down Millions… to Babysit a Whale | Shawn Heinrichs
This may be the most Breaking Normal episode we’ve ever recorded — and both the producer and I agree. This conversation traces the evolution of Shawn Heinrichs from growing up in Durban, South Africa — surrounded by landscapes that feel straight out of Avatar — to moving to the mainland United States and excelling at the Wharton School of Business. At one point, Shawn was on the deal of a lifetime with NVIDIA Corporation — now ranked as the most valuable company in the world — and he said no. They came back with a better offer. That’s when he truly walked away. No amount of money was worth abandoning the ocean — the place that felt like home. What followed was nearly a decade as an undercover investigative journalist, exposing some of the darkest industries tied to the sea: whale shark fins, rhino horns, and global poaching operations. His work put him directly in the path of people operating within criminal networks capable of extreme violence — working in the shadows, often out of sight and out of mind. He persevered — until the darkness nearly overwhelmed his own soul. That’s when everything changed. Shawn realized fear doesn’t inspire protection — love does. And instead of telling people what’s wrong with the ocean, he devoted his life to helping people fall in love with it. That evolution led to him founding the global conservation organization Only One. Most recently, he brought to Boulder — with event co-founder and his dear friend Samuel J — Ocean Bloom, a living art and conservation project featuring the musical talents of previous Breaking Normal guest Ayla Nereo. At its core, Ocean Bloom reflects a much deeper philosophy: Expect nothing. Experience everything. In this episode, we go everywhere: • Babysitting a whale for three hours • Kissing a whale shark • Swimming with tiger sharks • Communicating with a baby manta ray underwater that told him, “The ocean doesn’t need saving — it’s time to save yourself.” One of the most unexpectedly Breaking Normal moments came when Shawn became the first guest ever to turn down Tribe Vitamins — not out of judgment, but out of a deeply personal pact with the animal kingdom. He believes the animals know he will never harm them, and in return, they will not only avoid harming him — but invite him into unimaginable, intimate connections with them. It may be one of the most grounded, honest, and compelling reasons for long-term veganism I’ve ever heard — and somehow, he understands Tribe Vitamins and regenerative bison and elk better than most people who actually use the products. Ironically, the one guest who didn’t take the supplements became one of the strongest reflections of the ethos behind them. He did accept the honey. He took the book. And his way of living — expecting nothing and experiencing everything — mirrors the very heart of Breaking Normal. I couldn’t even take notes like I normally do during this conversation. I was too busy listening. This isn’t just an episode. It’s an experience. ⸻ 🔗 EPISODE LINKS 📘 Breaking Normal (Book) 👉 https://amzn.to/3L7j3sG 🦬 Tribe Vitamins 👉 https://tribevitamins.com 🌊 Shawn Heinrichs • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnheinrichs • Website: https://www.shawnheinrichs.com 🐳 Contribute to Shawn’s Mission (Only One) 👉 https://only.one/

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