S10E6 - Badges, Beers, and Big Pivots; What If Your Network Is Your Mission?!?

A badge check at a conference door turned into a friendship and then into a mission. We crack open beers and a big story with James: from his early Air Force days in tactical communications to earning a Bronze Star, to laying down the wiring (literal and figurative) that keeps communities connected. 

The path runs through Podfest’s early years, the mentors who made room, and the hard-won lessons that turn “event planning” into community architecture.

We dig into why creators in and around the military need their own stage, and how Military Creator Con is being built to serve them. Think practical workshops for podcasters and new‑media makers, real talk from founders and inventors solving tough problems, and space for comedians and musicians to bring the culture alive. 

Expect opening socials, a Friday party with military‑connected performers, a casino night for easy connection, and programming designed to turn chance meetings into real collaboration. If you’re a veteran, spouse, ally, or supporter with something to build or a story that teaches then this is your room.

There’s heart here too. We honor the legacy of Navy veteran and podcasting pioneer Todd Cochrane, and we talk honestly about the nomad life, partnership, and the grit it takes to keep moving without losing your center. The through line is simple: people first, ego last, and an open door for independent voices who want to make useful work. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to step up—pitch a talk, sponsor with purpose, or book that trip—consider this your nudge. Subscribe, share this with a creator who should be on that stage, and leave a review with the one connection you’re most excited to make.

Here’s the link to learn more about Military Creator Con 

Transcript

Mic Check, Cold Beers, Warm Banter

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Is this this is too close? Is it too close?

SPEAKER_05 0:08

I'll get out.

SPEAKER_04 0:10

Yeah. Perfect. If I see too my god, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_03 0:28

Okay, it's very difficult, by the way.

SPEAKER_05 1:08

Yeah. This is cool though. I like that we have the godfather there. That's good.

SPEAKER_03 1:13

I mean, they call me the nave talking godfather, I'm just saying. Do you agree with that? The nave talking godfather?

SPEAKER_05 1:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

What are you doing?

SPEAKER_05 1:25

I'm doing good. I can't wait. I can't believe it's up it's finally here.

SPEAKER_03 1:28

We're finally here.

SPEAKER_05 1:30

But Budweiser and IPA in the house. So sorry, Budweiser, but Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:38

I mean, you are in Anganta, so it's only right that you drink sweet water. Yeah. And by the way, he made me drink uh shitty ass 9.9%, shitty ass beer. Even Joe commented, shitty ass beer. But uh, we're here. We're still drinking. He's on his third. So clearly that 999 didn't do shit if he's on his third beer. I'm just saying after that 999.

SPEAKER_05 2:04

Well, you know, I had to make sure I could keep up with you on the show, you know.

The Badge Standoff That Sparked a Friendship

SPEAKER_03 2:07

So how are you doing? I'm good. Welcome to a plan for that.

SPEAKER_06 2:14

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 2:15

We're finally doing that. We're finally getting this show um recorded, so I'm excited about that.

SPEAKER_03 2:21

James. Did I ever tell you about my favorite moment with you?

SPEAKER_05 2:28

No. I'm glad we waited for the show.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

I'm I'm excited to guess that my favorite moment with James was the first time I met you.

SPEAKER_05 2:40

I did tell Mar about this last night.

SPEAKER_03 2:43

And I tell this to everybody. I'm like, oh my god, you and James are so cool. I'm like an Instagram way. Like our relationship did not start that way. I'm gonna tell my version and maybe James will clear his version. So, you know, I'm a lawyer number one Portfest fan. Like, I got to Portfest and it was my first podcast conference. And I went in 2022 for the first time. And in 2023, I decided to volunteer. So as a volunteer, they decided to put me on the main stage, like the explore area, but on the doors to make sure that the people with the right tags are entering or something. So um James being James, but also I didn't know his background because I'm still new in this in this podcasting conferencing world. So James walks by me. He doesn't have a tag, and I'm like, I'm sorry, you can't go in. I need you and he looks at me at his rate. Like, what do you mean? Do you know how long I've been doing this shit? I'm like, I don't, and I'm sure you've been doing, but I'm sorry, you can't and he's just I feel like he almost wanted to strangle me. I did want to strangle. Go back.

SPEAKER_05 4:18

I said, I'm going to go get my badge. I'm gonna go to my room and get my badge for you. And then when I go to my bat to go get my badge, I'm gonna show you once, and don't ever bring that up ever again.

SPEAKER_03 4:31

And that was his exact what exactly.

SPEAKER_05 4:33

So literally I said, you know what? I'm gonna drop everything. I was like, I'm busy, but it's fine. I'm gonna go get a badge, I'm gonna show you.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

And when I did, remember, I was like, Yeah, you dumb boxing at the door when you came back from my phone. I was like, Yeah, my bad, but okay. And we'll be busy.

SPEAKER_05 4:57

Cheers. No, that's funny. But I didn't tell Amara about that last night.

SPEAKER_03 5:02

I feel like I feel like the best of friends come out of the worst situation.

SPEAKER_05 5:08

You were doing your job and and that wasn't a problem, and I can't say the person's name, but there's someone else who had already rubbed me the wrong way that same time.

SPEAKER_03 5:17

So you put their shit on me.

SPEAKER_05 5:19

Because I was like, wow, twice. I was like, what is wrong with you people?

SPEAKER_03 5:23

And that's the thing, I you know, um, I feel like maybe as volunteers when we go to these conferences, maybe they should tell us about certain people who are like and and but also it's not a big deal, but overall James that don't like having like y'all are doing your job, and I was like, uh, I've been here since day one.

SPEAKER_05 5:42

You can see me going in and out of all these places. I'm not trying to gain assistance.

SPEAKER_03 5:47

Like, I and the person who's on both sides, like I get it. Like, excuse me. Nice. I know, right? I get the imitation part of constantly being asked, especially if you are being working there constantly. And then the other part where, okay, but I'm a brand new face. I have not seen you, or maybe I have, but I wasn't paying attention. So I I I get more sense, but ever since then, and getting to know James, I realized that he does not like to wear stack, right? And this is not just podfest, like we have one in different conferences. I don't want to have anything.

SPEAKER_05 6:31

If someone challenges me, it's like, talk to the owner, like talk to Chris.

SPEAKER_03 6:35

It's like who's gonna find Chris at what time?

Inside Podfest: History and Evolution

SPEAKER_05 6:39

I'm just saying, like, oh, you know, I mean, I've been doing this since it started. It's been helping since the beginning. Here's the other thing, even about that year, it wasn't at the beginning, it was deep into the conference. I was like, are you kidding me? I was like, I've been here this whole time, I've been hanging out with Chris, I've been you know, doing everything behind the scenes to make this event happen.

SPEAKER_03 6:58

I was just doing my job.

SPEAKER_05 7:00

You were the job.

SPEAKER_03 7:02

I just because the entire time I was in the front end, so I never saw anybody, right? So I was giving registering people and giving them the name time. So when they put me that, because they're like, oh my god, there's some people passing. I'm like, ah. So when they put me, I feel like I was like, I don't think I'm such a people personal. So, James, you're uh how long have you been part of Podfest?

SPEAKER_05 7:28

Since it started in 2015. So the first podfest was in Tampa, Florida in March of 2015, and in March of or uh, I don't know which month, but in 2015 and in 2016, it was in Tampa, Florida. Then we went to Orlando starting in 2017. So I was a part of it from day one. So it's it's been cool to see the evolution and where it's gone and where it is now. I mean, and I just did a booth uh um think on the book.

SPEAKER_03 7:58

I was saying you're a lawyer, because you've been traveling with that last year. We did uh our sponsor government company.

SPEAKER_05 8:06

And then this year it was in Portland a couple weeks ago or uh a little about a week and a half ago. And when I was telling people about uh potfest, it was interesting to be like, well, yeah, this is our 12th one. It's our 12th Platfest coming up in a few months from now.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

I know. And speaking of the 12th, last year was the 11th, which I like it because you didn't do it to the 10th, but the 11th, which marks like a new kind of yeah.

SPEAKER_06 8:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:36

But you guys did your own preview of your conference.

SPEAKER_05 8:42

Yes, which I love that you have a hat, you have the straight on, you've been a proud supporter, you got pens, you got business cards, you got stickers, you got it all. I love it. But yeah, so we started doing military creator con with PodFest in 2020. We did it just as COVID was. Then we had COVID, we did it as a virtual conference with PodFest, we did Military Creator Con as a one-day uh microcon. Then we started slowly bringing back after COVID. We did this past year in January. We did, as you saw, right? We had 20 speakers, we had a whole cool lineup, we had a one-day thing.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Amazing, everything I want.

Birth of Military Creator Con

SPEAKER_05 9:26

We knew all along we were gonna do it as a multiple-day event on its own, which is right now, like 2026. In April of 2026, we're gonna do it the 16th through the 18th in our link to Texas. We're excited to do it in Texas for two years. So in 2026 and in 2027, in April of both years, we're gonna do a multiple-day military creator con event.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

Start at the proponent, what is military creative event? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 9:53

So we want to bring, so we kind of say it started as a new media podcast event, right? With Podfest. That's where my heart is. As day one, as I got in the Air Force, I started helping Chris with PodFest and some other things he was doing. And when I started being around podcasters and new media, I was like, this is where my heart is. I love people to have YouTube channels and TikTok channels and all the things at this point. But as we start looking at a creator, military creators, like there's so many different areas, right? When it comes to new media, when it comes to comedians, authors, uh, inventors, and then innovation, right? I think in the military space, what's cool is there's so many people doing create innovative things in and around the military space. It's like, let's bring those people in that are creators at the heart and at the core. It's like, let's bring all the creative people together. And what happens, as you can probably imagine, when you put a bunch of creative people together, we create even better, we create even better stuff together. So this is where military creators you know. Military creative kind is where it's at. We want to bring all people in and around the military space that are creating cool things already or that want to try to create something cool, and let's do it together. And um, you know, I'm gonna do it. Bring those all people in one place.

SPEAKER_03 11:16

I love that, but I'm curious. Being as a person who goes who is behind events, right? Because we have worked together, not only post-west, but podcast movements, and you've done other events in your uh upcoming other events, like you would think that would be like men creating an event is like work. I'm never gonna do it. But one man, you'd be like, yeah, this is a lot of work, but I'm still gonna do this shit. Because it takes a while to put up and be like, it does take a lot.

SPEAKER_05 11:49

But here's what's cool is you and I earlier today, right, we talked about all these different conferences we are a part of, all the different communities we've been a part of. And a lot of where we're at now is because we did meet different people. I met you at Pocket Fest, right? I've seen you at these other conferences.

SPEAKER_03 12:07

I mean, this could have been one of my best men's in my wedding, I'm just saying.

Why Build Events Despite the Grind

SPEAKER_05 12:12

And and and what's cool is the relationships we get, the per like you know, earlier we're um texting a guy named Joe that's hi Joe. You know, that's a part of Mopod, a company, great company in the pocket space. Um, a part of our conference. He's helped us and sponsored us at Military Caredon. Just a great person.

SPEAKER_03 12:34

By the way, they did amazing t-shirts for you all the time. They did. I do have one. I remember when Joe was moving them from their booth to bring them to yours, and I wanted a chef, I was like, no, unless James gives to you, I have I thought James is gonna get this amount, and I'm delivering it. So it's like I'm gonna walk with you. I walked on the way, and I got it. I was like, buying a while, and I was like, Well, you see their ones. I do have, and it was one of the most amazing because Joe's a very creative when it comes to his t-shirts, and that's why we love Mopad t-shirts and we wear them all the time.

SPEAKER_05 13:05

Um and what's cool is Mopad is gonna make this specific shirt a limited edition for every year on military.

SPEAKER_03 13:12

And we did, because even last year, those t-shirts were only available if you go to military corn and yeah, military theater corn, and I don't know what they did for people to get those t-shirts, they were not part of moped potfills. I'm the only one who was wedding people coming to me like, where do you think there's so much anything?

SPEAKER_05 13:33

And I'm like, But what's what's cool to go back to your original question overall, it's just worth it. Events are hard, but to bring together common people with a common goal and a common interest. And I just want to bring those kind of people together in the military space and around the military space to help them amplify what they're doing and to give education and collaboration. Um, I just think when you get those people together, like it's these friendships all over the world and all different times, you just never know what can come out of it, and it's way worse.

SPEAKER_03 14:10

And I like it. And I and I always tell people, don't go into any space thinking about money. We all want to make money, we all want to, you know. But sometimes even a five-minute conversation with somebody you might have never had access to could change your entire being. And that's why I believe in the power of connecting people, because it doesn't always have to be a collaboration, like a big collaboration or anything, because people social media has made us seem like everything has to be money-wise, collaboration, whatever. But half of the time it's just conversations or hearing people's journeys or what they've accomplished or what they're doing, or just got getting connected to them because it might not be today, but you never know in a year or later. Like y'all have been a biggest part of my life. Like I go to conferences because of yeah, I'm not gonna lie, but um, you know, I I I get crucified because people tell me I have favorites. I don't have favorites. But James, we uh we literally spoke about our first meeting, right? And um season 10 is all about growth and pivoting and rebranding, and you are changing directions with your part as well. I'm changing directions with my pump as well. Um as of today, I found out you know a bronze. You have a bronze. Like, like I found it amazing things that you have done, but you never speak about them, and you're so humble in everything that you do. Because he works like a hippie nobody, like you could think like he's a nigga on the streets, like you know, the way he dresses and just walks around and does shit. But you've done incredible, brilliant, amazing work. Nobody just gets run. So, can you share a brief background of your military work? Um, and I feel like people can understand why you're even bringing this military creator corner into life because of your background.

Power of Community, Not Just Money

SPEAKER_05 16:24

That's a great question. So I'm gonna scream with someone. Yeah, because I'm gonna say someone asked me so. But how did I know? No, it's proud. So it's so um maybe if we can go down in the military space, a lot of people don't want to talk about what they did and brag about what they did.

SPEAKER_03 16:45

But I just went in.

SPEAKER_05 16:49

And I just went in doing a job. Um, I went in the Air Force, so I I would I never had military background overall. Only a few people in my family had ever been in the military. And and I thought when I went in, I was like, okay, and and I'll be I'll be honest, I was like, I didn't go, hey, I want to go fight and defend you know my country. I was like, I want to go for four years and I'll go either Air Force or Navy because you know, because I don't want to go fight, right? Let the Marines in the Army do that. That was my thing.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Rap Sheet with P is more than just a name. It's what we do. We make visions come alive from branding and match to curated gifting and virtual assistance services. We help creatives, entrepreneurs, and businesses show up bigger, bolder, and better. So if you're ready to level up your vision, connect with us on IG at wrapsheetwithp or wrapshitwithp at gmail.com and that's w r a p s I T W I T H P RapshitwithP at gmail.com or Rap She with P on Instagram. Rapshitwit P where access meets energy, where passion meets execution, and where every detail gets dropped with love and excitement. So here's to season 10, the final season of Doc She We P.

Service Story: Air Force to Bronze Star

SPEAKER_05 18:25

So I go, so I see a movie growing up Top Gun that that was my favorite movie. I was like, how hard can be. I'll hang out, do the cool stuff, right? The the bar scenes and the sports and the camaraderie and the girls, and then all this stuff, you know, all the cool things. So I go in the Air Force, thinking four years, and I'll go back to Michigan. I was like, I was I was electrical growing up, I did electrician. Yep, go believe. So I'm an electrician growing up. I was like, okay, let me learn how to be an electrician in the Air Force. Maybe I'll learn how to do some cool stuff on an aircraft. I'll go do that for four years and then go back to Michigan and live happily ever after. What happened was I go in the Air Force and I go into computers and in um computer um kind of networking and all this computer infrastructure that I had no idea about at that point. So I go in four years and I was in a tactical unit deploying. I went to Kuwait when I was 19. I started doing stuff right away, and my path in a good way put me on this path that was totally different than what I would have ever anticipated. So then I totally changed. I was like, I'm only about the military. I only want to go serve, I want to go deploy, I want to go put me in war zones. Like nothing that I was doing early on. I was like, I I I bought in. I was like, I've committed myself to give my life and die for this country, and I will do that. And so when I went in, and then 20 years later, all my military fear was like, okay, where where can I go next? I want to be involved in and you know, but you you understand, I'm all in. I was all in anyway, but I just became all in for the military, and so everything I thought the military would be at the beginning totally changed, right? And I was in from 1995 to 2015, and during that time period, we had September 11th, we had, you know, and that was uh communications. So in a lot of these areas, you need people to do construction, you need computers, you need phones, you need secure telephones and computers and all that. So a lot of the the things I was doing was needed in all these environments, which only became more. So, you know, I know a lot of opportunities to win a bronze. Yeah, uh bronze star. I got a bronze star, which I know never yeah, I'm not stringing more.

SPEAKER_03 20:44

Which also brings me to them so much. Ebola worldwide.

SPEAKER_05 20:53

Yeah, so at the end of my career, I was a part of uh Ebola Response. Um U.S. Army Africa was the lead command, and um myself and a few other people were communication planners for our unit to support AFRICOM with direct support for Ebola. So the very end of my military career in 2014 was um, you know, we sent a lot of our assets down to the continent of Africa, three different countries. I think um Liberia was one of the main ones, but there's a few different countries. We sent assets down, and I was involved with the um IT communication rollout of multiple countries in Africa to help with the long-term um eradication of Evola.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

And you can't strangle out for being part of you, because you you have the and this is also one thing I also tell them open boys because they don't grant as much as they should for the things they're doing and the client that they have. But also you, when you see James, you think it's just uh hire for whatever to write down and build things at conferences when you see it moving around. But you have an impressive background you have done, incredible things, so you don't need to get your flowers, and we are thankful and grateful for everything that you have done. It takes a lot, like people assumed just went to dinner and say, Yeah, I'm just not gonna run and do this. Like it's not why it's not like just tough because I just don't do it for the credit.

SPEAKER_05 22:23

Yeah, it's and and there's a lot of military people that are doing incredible things, and we would do it all over again.

SPEAKER_03 22:29

And those are the people need the credit, those who don't do it for the credit, because we know there's some people who go just for the glorifying the pictures, and they're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Shouting, yeah, and this is not just a military nebula. There's some people just love the limelight and taking credit for everything. Yeah. But when people are doing it from the art and doing it for the right reason, those are the ones, including you, who deserve the car, so thank you. But speaking of that.

SPEAKER_06 23:01

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 23:02

You finally get a talk show with Prazy.

SPEAKER_05 23:06

And I've been trying to come on this show, so uh here here's the thing, and this is 100% legit. When I heard your title and when I did meet you after that experience we talked about in the show, and we're like, I've got this show called Talking Shit with P. You have a that's a great title.

Ebola Response and Quiet Leadership

SPEAKER_03 23:24

We've been that's the best Tony Money Podcast I've ever been on this show ever, but I want to talk shit with P. He has really been wanting to, and but I feel like there's always there's a reason why things take the time and I wouldn't have wanted it any way than to do it with him for season ten because season ten um every other season I bring any guess like depending on the story, but uh season ten, I'll pick strategically everybody will wanted in the show. That's why even the Moppard Boys because I'm not gonna add an episode with them, but I wanted separate, like I pick people separate for a specific reason because this season is special to me, and I was telling you, like it's special because we are ending it for now, and I wanted to end it for now with the right people who have touched my soul since starting this episode, or have helped me grow in different ways, and so this present you remember earlier today we talked about how if I whenever my two are gonna be my basements, so the other three guys are the only ones who have it. This merchandise is not for sweet. They got it in March when we focus movement in Chicago evolutions. You get it now, but it's not for sale, it's not for anybody else. Only their boys. Chase, Joe, and Mike are the only ones who have it. This is the first stuff you would like, yeah. Just go here, right here and then touch from here.

SPEAKER_05 25:47

Oh, I like it. Oh yeah. Everybody should have this pee, that's a great cause as much as me.

SPEAKER_03 26:00

So he gets his frosted life.

SPEAKER_05 26:02

I like I like good beer better than you.

SPEAKER_03 26:05

See what it says. Shit happens, and then turn it on.

SPEAKER_06 26:10

Drink a beer.

SPEAKER_03 26:11

That's right. Yeah, I'll be right back.

SPEAKER_05 26:16

I love it.

SPEAKER_03 26:17

And you put it in the freezer so it stays frosted for your card beer.

SPEAKER_05 26:22

And then I saw this in the freezer. You have one in your freezer right now.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

Yeah, it's different. This one is only for you, Mike, Chase, and Joe. I don't even have this one. The one I have on my freezer is at the different.

SPEAKER_05 26:35

So, what I'm gonna do is That's what they did. And so, for the rest of the episode, I'm gonna fucking drink this out of this beer.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

Even though it's not frosted, but I'm either taking it.

SPEAKER_05 26:48

It's okay.

SPEAKER_03 26:49

I love you so much.

SPEAKER_05 26:50

Oh yeah, thank you so much, Paula.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

So you're so awesome. So speaking of that, right? And we have talked about our first meeting. So this is a special question I ask everybody on this season, because we are talking about growth, pivoting, and rebranding. What was your first impression of me when you met me? And now that you have known me for a few years, what is Joe's at me? What do you want me to say that?

SPEAKER_05 27:16

And that's a hard question because I remember meeting you, but you know, early on, um, you know, I was a big fan of you right away. So even though I showed you the badge, you were really cool. It wasn't that you enforced me showing you the badge, it was that you were just a cool person and a cool cool.

SPEAKER_03 27:39

And I tried to make it less like, yeah, I tried to be if I could less. I wish I could just I didn't know it was one.

SPEAKER_05 27:47

I wasn't trying to be like, oh well, of course you should do that.

SPEAKER_03 27:50

And it was my first year being a volunteer, so I took it very good.

SPEAKER_05 27:54

You were so cool, and we talked after that, and then I didn't take it too hard to whatever I got. And you know, be like, yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_03 28:02

Fuck you all that's a good thing.

Season Ten: Growth, Pivots, Rebrands

SPEAKER_05 28:05

It's like, you know what I mean? You were just cool, so but you were just a great person, right? And later, no, we won't show it on the show, right? Because but later, after when you put out this this show, when we put out pictures, I'll show you all the different pictures we've taken over the town, right? From day one. You know, I was like, I like you, I want to be shown with you, I want to be around Paula. Paula's good people, you know, that that's the difference, right? You are a good person and and you had a good heart. And so that's what I've always been attracted to, is just good people with good hearts.

SPEAKER_03 28:38

And you think it's not the fact that you say every picture, because literally yesterday, um my you know how Google photos, especially if you have an iPhone and your photos on Google, whatever, you have a gym, whatever, it sometimes creates videos for you. So it created, and a week earlier, Mark Deal, shout out to Mark Deal, Atlanta Podcast. He he randomly sent me a picture of me and him because his Google photo reminded him. I was like, How are you doing? I hope you're having a good day. And yesterday I was looking and it gave me, he gave me a video of me and Mark, and it also created a video of me and you, and it also created a video of me and the Mohawk boys. I was like, I even sent it to them. I was like, my phone is biased because we are literally like there's a video curated, and I was like, I'm gonna post this after really called because there's a video created of most of our past pictures and everything together. I was like, oh my god. I was like, does it know Jebs is coming? Did he read my messages? Because that's an um, by the way, we are recording in Atlanta in my house. James and I are chilling here. We went to my liquor store, we bought liquor, we are drinking. Mana is swimming softly in my house.

SPEAKER_05 29:52

We watered day trip IPA.

SPEAKER_03 29:53

We did laundry, we didn't drink it in the best cup ever.

SPEAKER_05 30:00

Talking shit with peas up and honor.

SPEAKER_03 30:03

And for the first time we get to just chill and be we're not in the madness of conference and everything. So when it comes to growth, you went from uh army veteran to events to now running your own event but still doing like how has that been for you? Like, is this the life you imagine for yourself? Not at all.

SPEAKER_05 30:29

No, that's a great question. Not at all. Um you know, and we were talking earlier before we came on the show about a um a person that we referred to earlier, Chris Kremitsovs, that has we love Chris. That has Platfest.

SPEAKER_03 30:44

And so when I And is there isn't really him.

Gifts, Inside Jokes, and Gratitude

SPEAKER_05 30:46

Yeah, and uh year before I got out of the Air Force, I met Chris at an e-marketing group that he ran. And he had a business organization. I met him and his wife, Katie, who were doing awesome things. And I was like, hey, I have no business at the time. I was like, I I love business, I want to do business later. I knew no one in the military, I'm sorry, in the regular space of Tampa. I was gone for the five years I was there, I was almost always gone. So I was like, okay, I fairly know my neighbors. Let me plug into the mil uh the um business community. And so I met Chris and Katie, which was a grand slam rank. They were doing great things in the Tampa community and business, and they were starting podcasting. Katie started a podcast Biz Women Rocks a month after I met them, they started podcasting right around that time. I was helping them with business events in the local area. So that's where I got used to knowing events and learning events behind the scenes. And as you see, nobody, I've always said nobody does community any better than I know of than Chris Kremessos. So we had a great business community that he was a part of that he had fostered in Tampa. He grew it into a podfast, great community that I'm now a part of, and I met people like you. And so as I was getting out, that changed my trajectory. I was like, okay, if I'm gonna do an event, what does it look like? So all the things that I really saw that were being done well, and all the people I met as I was getting out, I can all trace back to meeting Chris and you know, all the great um, I would say mentorship, Joe from Mopob that we referred to earlier. I don't know any of those people if it wasn't for PodFestif. I didn't meet Chris. He brought in people like that because we attract our our own.

How Relationships Shape Careers

SPEAKER_03 32:35

I can't really tell my phone. Let's FaceTime Chris. But um my plan was to do it later, but if we're already here, we might as well give the man his flowers because no, no offense, like even in my podcasting journey, I give it all to Chris, like Chris is the reason all the shit is happening for me and working for me. Uh you gotta give you a way, it's you. Let's see if he's gonna answer. Chris, you gotta answer 12 o'clock. What is going on? Is he back dialing me? So he even if he doesn't call back and be like Chris is why we're not hanging, maybe I'll call back later or whatever, but shout out to Chris. We love Chris. Chris is uh and if there's any conference that you need to put on your timeline for next year, especially if you're an independent podcaster, Holders is a place for you. Like you're going home. Go home. Holdress is going home. Trust me, it's it's just use your soul, the connections, the people, the environment. But speaking of that, you're also always on the road. Like the amount of anytime I talk to him, one minute is here, one minute is here, next minute is here. I don't even know what his physical address is. The last time I checked it was Las Vegas, but I don't think he has been in Las Vegas for I don't know how long. So, is that a military thing that after military that you became like being on the road or how is that um being part of your life?

SPEAKER_05 34:33

Um I kind of embraced this uh digital nomadic lifestyle even before I got out. I had no idea that was what it was called.

SPEAKER_03 34:43

As I could neither, I put just people just w went and you know, and then I I I found that the word digital nomad, I'm like, oh, there's a life for it. Of course there's a life way, because we live in this wild that people have.

SPEAKER_05 34:55

A lot of times there was a word for that and nobody even understood what that meant. Especially before COVID, right? But as I was getting out, I had an IT background in the military, I was at these, you know, sticking somewhere four or five years ago. I was almost never there. So it didn't matter where I was at. I knew as as I got out, I was like, okay, I don't want to ever be tied down to location, even if I like the area, which I do, I love Tampa. I don't ever want to have to be somewhere where, you know, all year long I gotta be at this specific place, a brick and mortar, if you if you will. So I tried to build my lifestyle as a guy in the military to be able to live wherever I wanted. I went to San Francisco, use my GI Bill, to go to school in San Francisco and just live wherever I wanted.

SPEAKER_03 35:41

And how do you convince your but not to do that with you? Because some people might want to tend to have a butt nose that's a great question.

SPEAKER_05 35:50

And it's talking COP. And I'm not trying to talk too much shit. Oh no, but but before I'm divorced, so my ex-wife obviously wasn't down with it.

SPEAKER_03 36:04

And my That's my name was that's divorced, right?

SPEAKER_05 36:08

But also, that's actually got nothing to do with the divorce. So the divorce was gonna happen.

SPEAKER_03 36:13

We just want to make it seem like that because we're not gonna get into that, but yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:18

But it's fine. But you know, you you've met Mara. I think from day one, she knew I, you know, I was wanting to be nomadic and move around, and she's like, Yeah, I don't want to be in one place. I've done this before. Again, you can remind her no fucking crank. I just told her she can either be having all this conversation that I was never gonna settle down. Like, I don't even like to kind of settle down because you know I'm still young. I'm not even gonna physically.

SPEAKER_03 36:51

People, you know, even traffic and get exhausted, you you can and energies differ. I I feel like his energy doesn't ever die down. I don't know if he ever with a pot nose needs to refuel before going slow. How do you balance life?

SPEAKER_05 37:14

We just do. I mean, overall, I think she knows what I'm about. And you know, she she's trying to hang so far for these few years. She does well.

SPEAKER_03 37:25

But I mean, I don't sometimes people wait more than I would expect that to end up like, don't be serious.

SPEAKER_05 37:31

That's right. I don't I don't like to be tied down to location, I don't like to sit still, I don't like to be inside, as you know, all those things.

SPEAKER_03 37:38

So Jim says this thing, right? He gets in trouble by himself always. But then when he answered me, he says Paula gets me in trouble. But I really don't because I just follow him.

SPEAKER_05 37:51

No, you don't get me in trouble, but I'm just like he gets more in trouble.

SPEAKER_03 37:57

What do you think?

SPEAKER_05 37:58

I just say if you and me hung out, I would get in trouble, not because of you, but because I already like to be on it.

Nomad Life, Partnership, and Balance

SPEAKER_03 38:03

And if my mother is like, you know, when there's pulling a little more worried than I usually can't, all right? Anyway, go like when I hear Jency's gonna be there, and then Joe, Mike, Chase are gonna be there, and then maybe I'm gonna find a way to make sure I'm there. Because they're not a good even sometimes if we're just sitting around and just chilling and drinking, people assume we always get into shit, but we normally don't, we just drink and talk shit literally. We might get cancelled if we start recording shit. Yes, we don't give a fuck.

SPEAKER_05 38:41

We don't give a fuck.

SPEAKER_03 38:42

Cancel us.

SPEAKER_05 38:43

We don't give a fuck. Because you can say we don't give a fuck on the fucking shit with Pete Podcast.

SPEAKER_03 38:48

Hell yeah. Here your opinion matters as long as you do something about it. Um, so military creator coin is coming up, and I told people I uh I feel like I've been everywhere and anywhere, like who doesn't know to show up here right now? So next year I'm trying to be a quiet car, like heard but not seen. But if you want to see me, you need to come too. That's right. I will definitely be there. But can you tell what people should be expecting, what you're looking for? Because I know uh earlier I was talking to Mara, she said um speaker applications are still open. So if you are looking for speakers, if you're looking for sponsors, what are you looking for? All those things.

SPEAKER_05 39:39

Let the people absolutely if people looking to come speak at Belitarian, uh Create a con. Um, I would love you to reach out if you want to speak, if you want to be a part, um, we're gonna do an opening social. Yep. Continue, joking. Hit that, uh, hit that QR code. But if you're uh we're gonna have an opening event where we have an opening social, we're gonna do a party on the Friday night, we're gonna have comedy, we're gonna have music, all military or veteran base, you know, in and around the military space. If you're a comedian, if you're uh doing some cool musician musical stuff, we want to highlight you at this event, and we're gonna do a casino night at the end of it, we're gonna have a keynote keynote speakers, we're gonna do a whiskey uh cigar night. So we have all kinds of cool things playing. That's right.

SPEAKER_03 40:36

All of it. And for speakers application, can you tell what type of speakers you're looking for?

SPEAKER_05 40:41

Um, just anyone that's done some cool things with on the creative side. If you have a specific kind of business, entrepreneurship-wise, or if you've invented something, we just want people that have have done stuff sort of very uh forward-leaning of like we saw nothing like this. We created this because it was needed in the world. Um we we have this problem and nobody was helping it, and we wanted to fill it. We just want to bring bring creative people that have like, here's a problem, here's a solution, here's our solution to this new problem.

SPEAKER_03 41:17

Yeah. So um, and I'll be there as a volunteer. So if none of this works for you and you just want to come see me next year, the only days I will be available with will be in April. What are the dates again?

SPEAKER_05 41:37

Yep, the dates are March 16th through the I'm sorry, March. 16th through the 18th. See, you can't drink too much on the talking CRP. You start to say wrong dates.

SPEAKER_03 41:50

Good thing we ended this strip. April 16th to 18th, 2026, Arlington, Texas. Come find us. I will be uh volunteering, and I will be there the weekend. This is one event that I'm literally saying I'll be there for in 2024 because I think you all won't see me in 2020. 2026. Sorry, why do I say 2024? 2026.

Calling Creators: Speakers, Sponsors, Acts

SPEAKER_02 42:22

Hey Alanta, it's October, which means it's almost time for Becoming Love First. Becoming Love First is happening right here in the city, October 18 and 19. This is not just another event. This is your chance to slow down, go back into yourself, and remind yourself what it feels like to be loved on. Because let's be real, we all need that especially right now. And guess what? On October 19th, it's the Incredible Heart Awards where I am honored to be nominated for the Writing Star Award. Yes, you gotta made it. Enjoy our weekend of love, connection, and community. Shout out to Tamara for giving me some free tickets to share with you all. So go ahead to givebutter.com slash becoming lovefest and grab your past using the code TOC2WP. By the way, this is a free weekend past. Yes, including the Hatterward. So go to gifbutter.com slash becoming lovefest. I better see you there, Atia. Let's become love together and let's celebrate love.

SPEAKER_03 43:52

But um also militaries, creators, military supporters, military spouses, military lovers, military allies. Like this is for y'all. We love you all, we want you all to come and meet and connect and create content with your fellow militarians. Is it is it a word militarians? Can we make it a word military?

SPEAKER_06 44:23

It is nice, Joe.

SPEAKER_03 44:30

We should make judges, militarians. But anyway, I am excited and I'm honored to be part of this. Um I love when people go about the beyond like yo. But um, you being both part of the you are creator, you have been uh outside of events, like are you are you because I feel like you have so much to share with your story, but you're so humble and you don't share it. Will you be speaking? Will you do be sharing? Will you be doing a workshop? Like, I feel like we need to learn more also about you yourself. Like, I feel like I've I've seen Mara on stage and I've had Mara get on stage and be a presenter. And I know you're here in a land of a conference and Mara did say both you guys are speaking, but I don't think I've ever seen you speak apart from the gratitude ceremonies at Portuguese. So Yeah. Um Do you plan to do you plan to do a workshop? Do you plan to work?

SPEAKER_05 45:40

Yeah, I think I'll be I'll be uh adding my voice to amplifying what people are doing creatively, that are doing cool things, that are helping people in the military, in around the military space always.

SPEAKER_03 45:53

I love that. And also, by the way, um mind you this year, next year will be the second year, but the actual first year separate because the first year they did it with Portface. And in 2027, because next year's gonna be 2026. Yeah, time is moving so fast, bro. I can't even keep up. But 2027, you guys also plan to do a gala in our ceremony, so we are only growing bigger and better. We're just getting started exactly, and um, before we end this, I wanted to make sure we also touch on we lost a dear friend who was a big part of not just the podcasting community, but you being a veteran, like it was also a big part of that.

What We’re Curating in Texas 2026

SPEAKER_05 46:42

So we we lost Todd Cochran, um, a great advocate. So, someone when I started getting into podcasting, Todd Cochrane retired from the Navy, did uh uh had a distinguished career in the Navy. I forget what his years were, I think he was a little bit before me, but had a 20 plus year military uh Navy career, um, got into podcasting, new media, was uh advocate for independence, and um you know founded a company, Blueberry, which is a hosting company, and was just a great person and advocate for the military and for podcasting. So Todd will be missed. He was a good friend of mine, and it's been hard to I I still can't believe he's not here anymore.

SPEAKER_03 47:31

But especially since we saw him reach your three weeks ago, and that's why I say uh one day I will share touch stories because touch stories really fit in with talk here, but um right now is just not the time we love everyone, and it sucks when we lose people we love in the community, but we are grateful that we got to enjoy those moments with them, yeah, and that's why we take these moments extra special to be in each other's presence, which excuse me, brings me to this is the closest I've said to Jen, so I've never noticed your eyes are blue, like blue, like I'm looking at like and not like I've noticed for four years.

SPEAKER_04 48:18

However, did I notice?

SPEAKER_05 48:20

I don't have blue eyes.

SPEAKER_03 48:21

You do like um James, before we leave, absolutely I also ask this to a lot of people. You're knowing me and you know I'm pivoting, right? If you didn't have an idea of like if I came to you as a as you are a guidance counselor, right? And I came to you know, like, what do you see me doing? What would you say?

SPEAKER_05 48:52

Um, I just see you uh advocating for people, helping them get their voice out. And and you know, we talk about podcasting, we talk about new media and some of these things. It's like, and you know, Podfest says your voice matters, right?

SPEAKER_03 49:09

Oh my god, why can't I have this? Why can't I get this out?

SPEAKER_05 49:12

I got one, I'll give you after the show. But here's the thing.

SPEAKER_03 49:16

No, that's fine, you can it's the R I D I just wanna have my testimony.

SPEAKER_05 49:22

But your voice matters, but what's cool is I feel like you want people to have a voice and you want to help them get their voice out in the world. So I think you're always gonna be an advocate for people's um place in the world and their importance. You know, and and no matter what their background is, like you don't, you know, it's easier for people to say you don't discriminate and you don't, you know, if you're a good person, right? You want more good people to get their word out in the world. You don't care what that thing is. So I think that's what I see in you is just always advocating and supporting, and you've only more supported anything I've been involved with, so I can't even um begin to do that.

SPEAKER_03 50:09

What do you mean if it's something?

SPEAKER_05 50:11

It's not because you don't support it.

On Stage or Backstage: Using Your Voice

SPEAKER_03 50:14

But I love it. Thank you so much, and um I'm great. I this is the first time we actually got to really hang out. Like we hang out, but it's always in like 5-10 rush meetings because we got what events that we watch at. But um one thing I'm never gonna forget, right? And this is why I tell people not talk with intention. When you make up with intention, like you're intentionally getting to know people. And this year actually, when I went to Port First, um I had booked a hotel, but my credit card didn't arrive. And when I traveled, it was supposed to be delivered because I have a post-mail which gives me. And my roommate was supposed to find the mail and send me the picture, but again, when you give somebody else to do your job, they do it in their time, not on your time. So I didn't send it to me until the next day. So the first night I did not have a place to sleep. And I was like, I don't know where I'm sleeping tonight. Uh I was just talking like my my good friend here and his wife, like, well, we we are most double beds. You can stay with us. And I ended up milking us shit. I spent two nights instead of one. But they were fucking amazing to just even offer that. Or to just even let me know, because people can have it and still not tell you or invite you or whatever. But for the fact that you guys hosted me when you didn't have to, you know. There was no inner contract where you, you know. But that meant so much to me. It's so entirely like, yo, the love is really because sometimes you give love, but you don't know if it's both sides, right? But you guys doing that for me, I was like, yo, I don't love me as much as I love them, because only people who love you do that for you. It's a simple act, like for anybody can be like, how are you gonna literally sleep in that bed and all I do that? No, right. But that's not the point, it's the fact that somebody offers you their space, that means a lot. So I'm always gonna be grateful because life be life in, you know, you never know today or tomorrow. So I'm grateful and I appreciate you and you guys always have with me. Forever and ever, like now. Before we end this, let the people know where they can find you, where they can go look for military course, and give them a little bit of advice on when life keeps you crooked cross because life is never gonna be straight, right?

SPEAKER_05 53:09

So and um live the adventure. Life is an adventure. You know, don't get too stuck on what's happening right now. You can always change it and switch it around. You know, be adventurous and you know, always press and meet new people and be curious. But overall, you can always find what we're doing. Um James Van Croyan, I'm on LinkedIn, uh militarycranercon.com, all the socials, uh Mara Lago, she's involved with um TEDx. So please reach out. I'm I'm easily accessible, right?

SPEAKER_03 53:47

Yep, and they're always there, might be your city next. They're always around.

SPEAKER_05 53:53

We're always we're always everywhere.

SPEAKER_03 53:54

So I just wish there would be more social media. No, because if you tell people, hey, we're gonna be in this city, and then some people will be able to do it.

SPEAKER_05 54:04

Oh shit, you know, so we'll do better at that place. James Van Tony and Ryan go or military critical.

SPEAKER_03 54:10

Yeah, I'm gonna get them into that, you know. Raption with P is gonna get them together on their social media presence.

SPEAKER_05 54:19

Um Cheers.

SPEAKER_03 54:21

To good times to friends. Everything I love and appreciate you so much. And Mala, she's sleeping, she's naughty. Well, yeah, what what is a nap? Like, fuck napping. Like, what is napping? But um I'm not when I'm dead. I better see you all in April Adam Ton Textus, baby. If we don't see you at Fortress, please.

Remembering Todd Cochrane

SPEAKER_02 54:50

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SPEAKER_01 56:51

Thank you, TikTokers, for tuning in and spending your valuable time with us. We appreciate it. To connect with us more, make sure you subscribe to our newsletter and touch all the TikTok invites before anybody else. You can subscribe to our newsletter to our website www.talk3.com. Our Matad's website is www.talk.com.