American Snippets

For over a decade, our country’s military has been bearing the brunt of seemingly endless wars. Many of those who honorably serve are returning home with physical injuries that impact their lives, or emotional wounds that make it difficult for them to move forward. Too many do not return at all, leaving grieving families behind to carry that loss forever. America is stepping forward to serve our veterans. Over 46,000 military-focused nonprofits exist today. So when Oakley, Inc, decided to do its part to give back, it took another path. Most people know of Oakley as a company that produces elite sports performance equipment and lifestyle pieces. But what Oakley is just as committed to is supporting the military community. In this episode. Oakley’s Director of its Military/Government program, Erick Poston, talks about Oakley’s Infinite Hero Foundation.The Infinite Hero Foundation combats the most difficult front-line issues – mental and physical – facing military heroes and their families. It connects our milit

Christa Cairus is a two-time author. She’s a speaker, a teacher, a mom of 3, and a Special Olympics coach. Her first book,” Beautiful Survivor, overcoming the statistics” shares in depth detail on her life as a young girl who was preyed upon and sexually trafficked. Her story of horrific abuse and then a tragic accident that left her paralyzed just months after having a baby could have ended right there, but her new book, “Turning Adversity Into Glitter” shares the lessons in resilience, strength, and grace that she used to rebuild her life. In this episode of American Snippets, Christa talks about her life as a victim and a survivor. She also shares some of the lessons she’s learned in the course of finding triumph after trauma, and offers insight into how to escape and overcome abuse.Watch our interview with Christa CairusFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

Major James Capers, Jr. is the son of a Sharecropper who was falsely convicted for a crime and fled to another state. Capers grew up in a time that racism ran rampant and the Jim Crow era was in full swing, but that did not stop him from achieving one extraordinary accomplishment after another throughout a storied career in the United States Marine Corps. His memoir, Faith Through the Storm, offers an in-depth journey of Major Capers’ life as a young Black American before, during, and after his service. From trauma, to triumph, to tragedy and heroism on the streets of America and the jungles of Vietnam, Major Capers’ story is the kind that legends are made of. Major Capers became the first African-American Marine to receive a battlefield commission while in 3rd Force Recon. He was the first African- American Marine Officer featured on a Marine Recruitment Poster. His incredible courage and leadership led to being inducted into the Commando Hall of Honor for special forces, receiving the Silver Star, Bronze St

Gary Linfoot was on his 21st combat deployment when his helicopter experienced mechanical failures, and crashed. Gary suffered a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Together, Gary and his wife Mari worked to adjust to their own new normal. Along the way they have been supported by incredible people and organizations like the Gary Sinise Foundation, which gifted them with a customized home, and the Infinite Hero Foundation, which gifted Gary with an iBot powered wheelchair.The Linfoots are now paying it forward with their own organization, The American Mobility Project. They recently gifted custom iBots to two young women, and have also been able to gift various adaptive equipment to others.In this episode, Gary and Mari share their story of service, sacrifice, and finding purpose in their own pain.Watch our interview with Mary and Gary LinfootFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

Jeff Lambert is a Veteran and Drag car racer with two track championships to his name. He is the President of Armed Forces Racing and founder of racesponsorships.net. Jeff’s passion is to grow the sport of sportsman drag racing by helping grass roots racers improve their race programs through sponsorships. He also gives back to fellow veterans by introducing them to the sport of drag racing as recreational therapy. In this episode Jeff shares his story of how he built a business out of something he is passionate about, and offers insight into how Americans today can do the same, even in the midst of the Coronavirus restrictions and challenges.Watch our interview with Jeff LambertFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

In this episode of American Snippets, co-founder Barb Allen responds to the ever-increasing assertion that the divisiveness in this country is directly attributed to President Trump.  We stand by everyone's right to express their beliefs and opinions but this complete BS and most Americans know it.This episode represents our own views on the true roots of divisiveness and serves as a counter to a particular article written by John Pavlovitz titled, This Presidency is Killing Relationships - and we're All Grieving.

Mike Rouse is an accomplished endurance athlete with hundreds of high-profile races and several world championships to his name. He has trained and competed alongside some of this country’s most elite athletes in Ironmans, Ultra Marathons, and 24 hour runs to raise money for families of the fallen. He’s also spent 14 months in a United States prison, and been locked up in a Turkish prison. He built and ran a nonprofit to support former inmates and smuggled bibles into Iraq. Today he is in his 60’s and still running circles around people half his age, literally and figuratively, with his athleticism and his own inner strength. He is committed to using his life to serve others, and in this episode of American Snippets he opens up about the difficult turns his life took, his own accountability for those turns, and how he found the biggest blessings by giving back. Watch our interview with Mike RouseFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com 

Chad Felderhoff and his brother Mitch run the multigenerational animal food manufacturer company, Muenster Milling. While Chad knew one day he'd be a part of carrying on the family business, he never imagined it would entail such difficult moves as firing his own parents, or such wild marketing campaigns like watching his brother eat nothing but dog food for 30 days, but that's exactly what happened. In this episode Chad shares his own robust family history while applying the lessons they carry to the challenges of today's business climate. He also talks about the intricacies of working closely with family members, and offers advice for anyone doing the same. Chad's story is yet another example of how the American Dream is built and passed on to generations, and how each generation makes it their own.Watch our interview with Chad Felderhoff from Muenster Milling on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

Marine Corps veteran Ozzie Martinez Jr. was 20 years old on 9/11. He immediately called a recruiter and initiated the process of becoming a Marine. After two back-to-back deployments, Ozzie had been through experiences that lead to him becoming declared 100% disabled due to PTSD. The diagnosis shattered his hopes of becoming a law enforcement officer and sent Ozzie into a deep depression. After years of turmoil, Ozzie found the strength to rebuild his life. Today he is leading other veterans through their own post traumatic survival paths through a podcast and his organization, Operation Wet Vet, where camaraderie and recreation allow combat veterans to recover and grow from their own trauma.Listen in as Ozzie shares his family's story of their lives in Cuba, how they came to this country, his story of service and his openness about his struggles, as well as the extraordinary way he is  continuing to serve through his work today. Watch our interview with Ozzie Martinez Jr. on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@am

Molly Trotter thought she’d landed her dream job as an anchor for a news station, only to quickly discover that dream was just an illusion. What she'd believed would be a platform to champion the underdog was instead a factory for producing fear and anger. Then she was fired without warning, and faced a pivotal moment in her life. Today, she is leading a surging community of new entrepreneurs through the gauntlets of online branding and marketing. Her work is critical for the wave of Americans facing the Covid crisis as they lose their jobs or their businesses struggle to survive. Molly is also an eloquently outspoken presence on social media, as she encourages people to focus on meaningful conversations without buying into the fear and anger being nurtured in the media. In this episode, Molly talks about how she began and ended her news career, navigated the struggles of being unemployed, and how a leap of faith she took led her to a new career and the love of her life. Watch our interview with Molly Trotter

Sean Whalen is at the forefront of the entrepreneurial and the personal development worlds. His reputation as a hard-charging, patriotic, no bullshit kind of personality is not for the easily offended individual, but millions of people around the world follow Sean to learn from and connect with others who share an appreciation for his approach to life.Raised in a single parent home, Sean worked his way out of the underdog position to achieve wealth and success, only to lose his family and business in a catastrophic fall that lead to a depression that almost claimed his life. But Sean pulled himself back together, repaired the wounds in his life, and turned his pain into purpose by creating the kind of success only the most driven people achieve.He is CEO and an investor in several massively successful companies but the one he's most widely known for is his role as founder and CEO of the global movement, Lions Not Sheep. Listen in as Sean gets real about building success, who his hero is, how he's approaching

There is not much about failure and success that Billy Alvaro has not experienced. His story is packed with extremes in both. First, there's the part about how he went from tending bar to building a career in which he handled over a billion dollars of transactions, and what impact a coke dealer had on that path. Next, he crashed right down to the bottom. He was 14 million dollars in debt with no clear path out, and his world caved in around him. Faced with total destruction, Billy tapped into his will and made a bold move that turned the tide. Today he is back on top of his game, working with real estate investors and homeowners across the country as he solves problems and leads clients to major returns on their investments. He's made a stunning comeback that is packed with lessons on resilience and business expertise. Billy talks about it all in this episode of American Snippets.Watch our interview with Bill Alvaro on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansn

Stephen Miller Sr. is a martial arts expert, a former MMA fighter, and strength athlete with 5 still standing world records to his credit. He’s a high-impact motivational/inspirational speaker, trainer and mentor to some of America’s top sports and entertainment people. Stephen and his son Steven Miller II have become a leading father/son motivational team in America.In this episode, Stephen shares his story of discovering his own strength and turns his own experiences into lessons anyone can apply to doing the same.Watch our interview with Stephen MillerFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

Long before Mary Sarah turned four chairs on the hit TV show The Voice, she was tuning in to the hearts of audiences from the Grand Ole Opry, to touring with Kidz Bop, and performing with country legends like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, among others.Mary Sarah has learned some tough lessons about human nature and the music industry, and credits her family and her faith with guiding her to the right places and people at the right time. In this episode, Mary Sarah shares some of those stories, Including how she came to be a National Ambassador for the non-profit, Caiden's Hope, what it was like to sing with Dolly Parton, why she declined two opportunities to compete on The Voice before she appeared in Season 10. She also offers advice for any young artist hoping to build their own success in the industry. Watch our interview with Mary Sarah on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

John Vincent loves to sing. It's his gift, and it's what brings him the most joy. He's been dubbed as a "Crooner" for his signature throwback covers of the late, great, Frank Sinatra and others of that era.And if you're a Cubs fan there is a good chance you've heard John singing the anthem prior to each home game.During the current COVID-19 lockdowns, John is taking his talent to the streets of his hometown. At the request of local law enforcement, John is popping up all over town for impromptu performances  that are bringing joy and light into stressful lives.In this episode we talk with John about his own path to success and how each of us has the ability to inspire others.

The only thing better than sharing one incredible person with our community is sharing two incredible people! This episode is from a live Facebook interview we did with two previous guests who have experience and lessons to share about overcoming sudden catastrophic events in life. Jason Redman is a former Navy SEAL who survived several combat-inflicted gunshot wounds that should have killed him. Jason Schechterle is a retired Police Detective who survived a horrific on duty car accident that engulfed him in flames. Together, the men talk about lessons they learned from their experiences and how those lessons apply to today's COVID-19 hardships.Watch our interview with Jason and Jason on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlivewww.americansnippets.com

Craig Sawyer is the owner of Tactical Insider, which brings technical advice on weapons and combat to Hollywood. From his service in the Marines and in the Navy, including Special Forces, Craig has ample experience to draw upon in his industry. Craig is a familiar face on shows like Sniper;Deadliest Missions, Top Shot, and Rhino Wars. He's appeared on various news platforms and was also named Maxim's "Maximum Warrior."Most recently, Craig is all-in on his foundation, Veterans for Child Rescue , which he established to work towards ending domestic sex-trafficking of minors. In this episode, Craig touches on his military service and explains why he works so hard to combat sex-trafficking. He also shares another real-life experience he had as a national security level whistleblower, and he holds nothing back.Listen in as Craig's story is packed with insight on things happening in this country and around the world, that most of us are not aware of, and find out how you can support his mission against sex-traffick

Dena Blizzard is one of America's funniest and most-loved moms. Millions of people have grown to count on the comedian to remind them of the humor in every day life, encourage them through this quarantine, and connect one another to a community.Dena's videos on motherhood have become viral hits. Most often they become viral for the humor she finds in everyday life, but she often opens up to let people into the vulnerable side of herself, most notably about the challenges attached to advocating for a child with special needs. Just in time for Mothers Day, this episode is packed with insight on parenting and overflowing with fun as Dena lets us in on how she built such a successful career by following her heart.Watch this interview with Dena Blizzard on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlive

American Snippets is all about you. It's about bringing you up close and personal each week with people who exemplify excellence in their personal and professional lives, and who's stories provide clear messages and lessons you can find inspiration and insight in. We love giving our guests room to share stories they don't typically get asked about on other platforms. We find that these are often the areas our guests bring the most powerful lessons in.Marshall Sylver has been interviewed hundreds of times, if not more. He has coached thousands of individual clients and spoken or performed for millions. Known as the world's greatest hypnotist, Marshall is constantly asked about the powers of persuasion, the subconscious mind, and for help understanding how to utilize both. He's also frequently asked to share his incredible story of hardship from which he emerged on top. Marshall has talked on both those topics thousands of times, and each time he blows his audience away. In this interview, though, Marshall was

Rachel Brenke has spent over a decade helping entrepreneurs navigate the legality of building their dream.She's built her own version of the American Dream as a wife, mom, athlete, and successful business owner. Rachel comes from a military family and is also married to a veteran, which accounts for her pull to be especially active in the military spouse community. In this episode, Rachel openly shares her personal struggles, from battling cancer, to building a business while raising a family, to life as a military spouse, and how a shocking crime has impacted her own life. She pulls lessons from each of these areas of her life, and talks about how those lessons can be applied in the lives of others who face obstacles in their own lives.Watch this Interview on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram:@americansnippets@barballenspeaks@davebrownlive