45: Rise Up with No Legs and Become a Spartan

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Kacey McCallister lost both of his legs at the age of six in a terrible accident. He never made an excuse for himself and went on to succeed in all areas of life. He won championships in wrestling and cross country in high school. Now, he competes in Spartan Races across the country on his hands. In this episode:

  • Losing his legs at six years old
  • Learning how to complete chores and other daily tasks without making excuses
  • Gaining confidence through wrestling
  • How a coach taught him the meaning of grit
  • Winning the district meet in cross country, and placing 2nd in the state in wrestling
  • Finding his spouse and raising five kids
  • The most difficult obstacle of every Spartan Race
  • All alone at the Seattle Beast, but finding a way to finish
  • Deciding at the beginning of each race that he won’t quit
  • “That looks impossible. Let’s go do that!”

You can find out more information about Kacey at http://www.riseupwithkacey.com/. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram @riseupwithkacey

44: Reinventing the Wheel

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The old saying “Don’t reinvent the wheel” doesn’t apply to these two entrepreneurs. David Patrick and Zack Fleishman are the creators and founders of Shark Wheel which is a revolutionary wheel design and product. The circle wheel had not been redesigned for thousands and thousands of years until their unique product came along. Their product has generated an incredible amount of interest and their popularity helped them land a spot on TV’s hit show, Shark Tank. In this episode:

  • Dedicating an entire childhood to one sport
  • Sustaining a devastating injury at the height of one’s athletic career
  • Going from the mortgage banking software industry to reinventing the wheel
  • How overburdened stress caused a health scare
  • The intersection between a sphere and a cube
  • How the passion for science formed a new business partnership
  • Making 800% of their Kickstarter funding goal in the first 30 days
  • Agreeing to a deal with 3 of the Sharks on Shark Tank
  • Finding a new product market after the episode aired

You can find out more information about David and Zack at https://sharkwheel.com/about-us/

43: Foster Care and Prison Happened For Me, Not To Me

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Mark Crandall is a licensed counselor, a mindset coach, an author, and a motivational speaker. He grew up in the foster care system which resulted in many emotional issues as a teenager and adult. He eventually turned to drugs which landed him in prison for seven years. But while he was in prison he made a decision to change his life around. In this episode:

  • Growing up in foster care
  • “Some day you’re going to soar with the eagles”
  • Learning how to connect with other human beings
  • Balancing the troubles that plagued his biological parents
  • Viewing counseling as a child vs. as an adult
  • Overcoming the addiction to heroin
  • Spending seven years in prison
  • The moment when he asked himself, “What am I doing?”
  • Finding his spiritual strength in prison
  • Everything in my past happened for me, not to me
  • Breaking free from the victim mentality
  • The best advice for foster kids
  • I am unstoppable

You can find out more information about Mark at www.markcrandall.net. He is the host of the Purpose Chasers Podcast, and he is the author of Eulogy of Childhood Memories.

42: Relaunching a Business After a Shark Tank Deal

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Shelly Ehler is the creator and founder of ShowNo Towel which is a towel that is worn like a poncho and has multiple functions. Shelly was asked by the producers of the hit TV show, Shark Tank, to pitch her product on the show. Shelly is the only entrepreneur to leave with a signed check in hand after her pitch. However, many unforeseen circumstances happened after the camera stopped recording. In this episode:

  • Creating a product/business idea overnight
  • How Shark Tank found her even though she didn’t have an interest in an audition at first
  • How positive peer pressure from a close friend can change the course of a business
  • The difference between confidence vs. cockiness
  • Thinking quickly on her feet: How she won the sharks over after initial push back to have 3 of the shark investors competing for her partnership
  • The truth about how Shark Tank deals are finalized behind the scenes that is not shared on television
  • How to navigate the frustration of a bait-and-switch tactic in a business deal
  • Gaining a broader perspective when things don’t go a certain way
  • Closing a business and reopening it with a newfound passion and meaning
  • Finding new ways for a product to benefit a certain market

You can find out more information about Shelly at http://shellyjehler.com/

41: Walking-on to Become a 3-Time Super Bowl Champion

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Stephen Neal won a national championship in wrestling in college before he walked-onto the New England Patriots as an offensive lineman. He is one of a few players ever to play in the NFL without playing college football. He was a member of the Patriots teams that won Super Bowls 36, 38, and 39. In this episode:

  • Being challenged to wrestle as a football player in high school
  • Becoming a 4-time All-American, and a 4-time Academic All-American in college
  • Facing former UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World in the national championship for wrestling and winning
  • How wrestling prepared him for the NFL
  • Walking onto the New England Patriots without playing college football
  • Overcoming repetitive shoulder injuries throughout his career
  • Winning the 1999 World Championship in Wrestling
  • Best memory from the NFL and his favorite players
  • What does he cherish most: World Champion or Superbowl Champion?

Stephen Neal currently resides in San Diego, California with his wife and kids.