Aaron Ryan is a bestselling, award-winning author, voice actor, speaker, and lifelong storyteller who has built a creative career across books, audiobooks, screen adaptations, and self-publishing. In this episode of Unfiltered Conversations, Aaron opens up about why writing became his truest form of storytelling, how AI has damaged the voiceover industry, why he refuses to use generative AI to write his books, and what it really feels like to publish work you poured your heart into only to hear silence. We also talk about his sci-fi series Dissonance, the deeper human conflict behind alien invasion stories, his book You Are My Whole Earth, fatherhood, faith, creative discipline, and why someone’s endorsement, or lack of it, does not determine your trajectory. This conversation is for authors, creatives, entrepreneurs, voice actors, leaders, and anyone trying to keep building when the industry changes underneath their feet. Watch the full conversation and hear Aaron Ryan’s raw perspective on storytelling, resilience, AI, authorship, and protecting the human side of creativity. #UnfilteredConversations #AaronRyan #AuthorInterview #AIAndCreativity #Voiceover #SelfPublishing #CreativeResilience #Storytelling #Dissonance #WritingCommunity #AuthorLife #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #HumanCreativity #Fatherhood

In this episode of Unfiltered Conversations, Michael Yearby sits down with real estate entrepreneur, investor, and podcast host Leo Young for a raw conversation about wealth, truth, pressure, and what it really takes to build something meaningful. Leo’s journey is not the typical polished success story. He moved from Hong Kong to the United States at 16, studied finance, stepped into sales at Tesla during a high-pressure era, and eventually built his path into real estate through manufactured housing communities and mobile home parks. But this conversation goes deeper than real estate. Leo breaks down the difference between passive income fantasy and real financial freedom, why manufactured housing matters in today’s affordability crisis, how Cornell Communities is working to preserve and improve affordable housing, and why true wealth-building requires patience, due diligence, systems, and truth. Michael and Leo also unpack ego, sales, leadership, internal locus of control, team decision-making, property management, content creation, and the powerful idea that life is not always about making the perfect decision, but making the decision you made become the best decision yet. This is a conversation for entrepreneurs, investors, leaders, creators, and professionals who are tired of shallow motivation and want a grounded look at what it means to build wealth, build character, and build a life you can respect. Watch the full conversation, like the episode, subscribe to the channel, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway. 00:00 Leo Young's Unique Journey 02:06 Impact Through Real Estate 04:07 The Reality of Passive Income 06:38 Understanding Freedom vs. Fantasy 08:40 The Importance of Time in Wealth Building 11:27 Empowerment Through Transition 13:51 Creating Your Own Opportunities 16:32 The Role of Mindset in Success 17:58 Lessons from Tesla's Challenges 19:43 Embracing Self-Belief and Humility 20:44 The Value of Sales Skills 21:49 Manifesting Your Life 23:06 The Shift from Traditional Income 24:16 Understanding Manufactured Housing 25:17 The Business Model of Land Leasing 26:51 Navigating the Complexity of Real Estate 28:50 The Role of Tiny Homes in Housing Solutions 30:10 Training for Risk Assessment 32:21 The Importance of In-House Property Management 35:00 Reflections on Success and Responsibility 38:09 Unfiltered Conversations Outro.mp4 #UnfilteredConversations #MichaelYearby #LeoYoung #RealEstateInvesting #ManufacturedHousing #MobileHomeParks #PassiveIncome #AffordableHousing #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLeadership #InvestorMindset #WealthBuilding #PersonalDevelopment #TruthOverEgo #TheJourneyPodcast

In this powerful episode of Unfiltered Conversations, Michael Yearby sits down with Jenny C. Cohen, a breast cancer survivor, award-winning dancer, number one bestselling author, body-mind coach, and creator of the Spotlight Confidence Formula. This conversation goes far deeper than a typical survivor story. Jenny opens up about burnout, motherhood, fear, trauma, dance, body trust, and the moment she realized healing was not just about mindset. It was about rebuilding safety inside her own body. She shares how her work as an occupational therapist, dancer, and integrative neurosomatic practitioner shaped her approach to helping people move from fear into confidence. The conversation also explores her book, Outside in Recovery: Dancing My Way Back to Myself After Breast Cancer, her Discover Process, and her monthly Move to Bloom masterclasses. This episode is for leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, creators, caregivers, and high performers who look strong on the outside but know something inside has been asking for attention. Watch the full conversation, like the episode, leave a comment, subscribe to the channel, and share this with someone who needs to stop treating their body like an enemy and start listening to what it has been trying to say. 00:00 Introduction to Healing and Confidence 03:40 The Journey of Trusting the Body 06:28 The Impact of Dance on Healing 09:00 Life Lessons from Adversity 11:51 Mentorship and Growth Mindset 15:20 Integrating Dance and Therapy 19:44 Understanding Neurosomatic Practices 22:21 Understanding Trauma: Big T vs. Little T 23:25 The Spotlight Confidence Formula: Embracing Your Inner Star 24:05 Transforming Fear into Confidence: The Purpose of Emotions 26:18 Burnout: Personal Struggles and Overcoming Challenges 31:12 The Turning Point: Recognizing the Need for Change 42:05 Childhood Experiences: Shaping Adult Life and Healing 44:45 Connecting with Jenny: How to Work Together 47:05 Unfiltered Conversations Outro #UnfilteredConversations #JennyCCohen #MichaelYearby #SomaticHealing #BodyMindConnection #BurnoutRecovery #BreastCancerSurvivor #SpotlightConfidence #MoveToBloom #OutsideInRecovery #TraumaHealing #ConfidenceCoach #WomenOver40 #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment

In this powerful episode of Unfiltered Conversations, Michael Yearby sits down with Antoinette Berrafato, MBA, Army veteran, former tech CEO, host of New Normal Big Life Podcast, health and wellness writer, and advocate for people who are tired of being dismissed, overlooked, and told to accept a smaller life. Antoinette’s story is not soft. It is raw, direct, and deeply human. She opens up about serious injury, using a walker and service dog, battling declining health, facing medical gaslighting, leaving corporate leadership after being told she had “career-limiting honesty,” and choosing to rebuild her life through faith, nature, functional medicine, root-cause thinking, and personal ownership. This conversation goes into the real tension between symptom management and true healing, professional success and personal integrity, medical authority and patient advocacy, and what it means to create a new normal when life hits you hard. Antoinette also shares the heart behind her message: Live Strong, Explore Boldly. Her belief is simple but powerful: your biggest life should not be limited by what you can afford, what you already know, or what pain tried to take from you. It starts with believing a bigger life is possible and taking one more step toward it. This episode is for leaders, veterans, entrepreneurs, professionals, creators, caregivers, and anyone who has ever felt dismissed by a system that was supposed to help them. This conversation is for educational and personal storytelling purposes only and is not medical advice. Always speak with qualified healthcare professionals before making health decisions. Watch the full conversation, leave a comment with your biggest takeaway, like the episode, subscribe to the channel, and share this with someone who needs to stop accepting a smaller life. 00:00 Introduction to Antoinette's Journey 03:57 Living Strong, Exploring Boldly 06:42 Creating a New Normal 09:27 The Role of Nature in Healing 12:20 Military Service and Career Path 15:06 Navigating Challenges as a Black Woman in Tech 18:39 Functional Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine 23:17 Experiences with Medical Gaslighting 28:51 Becoming Your Own Patient Advocate 32:27 Taking Back Your Health 37:13 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect 41:22 Unfiltered Conversations Outro #UnfilteredConversations #MichaelYearby #AntoinetteBerrafato #NewNormalBigLife #PatientAdvocacy #FunctionalMedicine #RootCauseHealing #MedicalGaslighting #HealthJourney #LeadershipLessons #VeteranStories #WomenInLeadership #PersonalTransformation #WellnessJourney #TakeBackYourHealth

In this episode of Unfiltered Conversations, Michael Yearby sits down with Andrew Bolton, founder of Tech Rescue, for a raw, direct, and uncomfortable conversation about where business, technology, customer service, AI, and the American worker are headed. Andrew built Tech Rescue after watching his grandmother struggle with technology and realizing something simple but powerful: people still need real human help. No chatbot maze. No endless phone menu. No cold corporate runaround. Just patience, support, and someone who actually picks up the phone. But this conversation goes far beyond tech support. Andrew breaks down why the middle class feels squeezed, why customer service has become treated like a premium feature, how AI has raised the minimum standard for basic work, and why professionals can no longer afford to be average in a global job market. This episode hits on entrepreneurship, AI, personal responsibility, business ownership, consumer pressure, social media addiction, workforce readiness, and the uncomfortable question every professional needs to ask: what value do you bring that makes you worth hiring, trusting, or paying? If you are a leader, entrepreneur, creator, coach, business owner, employee, or someone trying to survive the next wave of work, this conversation will make you think differently about value, skill, customer service, and what it really means to compete. Watch the full conversation, drop your thoughts in the comments, like the episode, subscribe to the channel, and share this with someone who needs a real conversation, not another polished motivational soundbite. 00:00 Introduction to Tech Rescue and Andrew Bolton 02:04 The Disappearing Middle Class 04:16 Challenges of Running a People-Centric Business 07:39 The Impact of Education on Workforce Readiness 10:25 The Role of Technology in Modern Employment 13:40 The Influence of Social Media on Information Consumption 15:53 Consequences of a Changing Society 18:58 The Economic Landscape and Consumer Behavior 24:03 Final Thoughts on the Future of the Economy 25:51 The Controversial Economic Landscape 28:35 Infrastructure and Job Creation Solutions 29:25 The State of Customer Service Today 31:46 The Evolution of Relationships and Expectations 41:57 The Harsh Reality of Modern Society 46:14 Global Competition and the Future of Work 49:58 The Challenge of Quality in Music Creation 50:39 Reality Check on Universal Income 52:11 Global Job Market Dynamics 53:41 The Value of Skills in a Remote Economy 55:37 Raising the Bar for Job Seekers 57:25 Return on Investment in Hiring 59:11 The Changing Landscape of Work Culture 01:02:06 Back to Basics for Business Success 01:07:31 The Sacrifices of Entrepreneurship 01:11:22 Unfiltered Conversations Outro #UnfilteredConversations #AndrewBolton #MichaelYearby #TechRescue #CustomerService #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfWork #AIJobs #ChatGPT #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #MiddleClass #HumanConnection #PersonalBranding #ProfessionalDevelopment

Bart Merrell, also known as the Side Hustle Samurai, joins Michael Yearby on Unfiltered Conversations for a raw, funny, and brutally practical conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, AI, risk, and learning how to see income where most people only see problems.Bart is an international entrepreneur and the author of Monetize Your Mindset. His story starts on a pig farm, moves through a teenage DJ business, a dream of joining the FBI that fell apart, commercial bungee jumping in Japan, near-bankruptcy, AI-powered business tools, and even an amputation that he turned into a way to help others.This episode is not your typical “start a side hustle” conversation.This is about learning how to see opportunity inside your real life. The skills you already have. The pain you survived. The work you already do. The thing you keep overlooking because it looks too normal, too ugly, too inconvenient, or too small.Bart breaks down how ordinary people can identify their ideal side hustle by looking at what they like to do, what they need to do, and what they are already doing. He also talks about the power of AI, the importance of calculated risk, and why some people are sitting on “acres of diamonds” but missing them because the opportunity does not look glamorous.If you have ever felt like your story, struggle, job, hobby, or experience could become something bigger, this conversation is for you.Watch the full episode and ask yourself the real question:What money are you walking past because it does not look like opportunity yet?Connect with Bart through youridealsidehustle.com, the 1K Blind Spot Assessment, The Side Hustle Dojo, and The Side Hustle Samurai.#UnfilteredConversations #BartMerrell #SideHustleSamurai #MonetizeYourMindset #SideHustle #Entrepreneurship #BusinessMindset #PersonalBranding #AIForBusiness #Leadership #Resilience #CalculatedRisk #SelfEmployment #OpportunityMindset #MichaelYearby

Bart Merrell, also known as the Side Hustle Samurai, joins Michael Yearby on Unfiltered Conversations for a raw, funny, and brutally practical conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, AI, risk, and learning how to see income where most people only see problems. Bart is an international entrepreneur and the author of Monetize Your Mindset. His story starts on a pig farm, moves through a teenage DJ business, a dream of joining the FBI that fell apart, commercial bungee jumping in Japan, near-bankruptcy, AI-powered business tools, and even an amputation that he turned into a way to help others. This episode is not your typical “start a side hustle” conversation. This is about learning how to see opportunity inside your real life. The skills you already have. The pain you survived. The work you already do. The thing you keep overlooking because it looks too normal, too ugly, too inconvenient, or too small. Bart breaks down how ordinary people can identify their ideal side hustle by looking at what they like to do, what they need to do, and what they are already doing. He also talks about the power of AI, the importance of calculated risk, and why some people are sitting on “acres of diamonds” but missing them because the opportunity does not look glamorous. If you have ever felt like your story, struggle, job, hobby, or experience could become something bigger, this conversation is for you. Watch the full episode and ask yourself the real question: What money are you walking past because it does not look like opportunity yet? Connect with Bart through youridealsidehustle.com, the 1K Blind Spot Assessment, The Side Hustle Dojo, and The Side Hustle Samurai. #UnfilteredConversations #BartMerrell #SideHustleSamurai #MonetizeYourMindset #SideHustle #Entrepreneurship #BusinessMindset #PersonalBranding #AIForBusiness #Leadership #Resilience #CalculatedRisk #SelfEmployment #OpportunityMindset #MichaelYearby

Kelly Schuknecht joins Unfiltered Conversations for a real, raw, and practical conversation about personal branding, thought leadership, entrepreneurship, AI, and what it really takes to become the trusted authority in your space.Kelly is the founder and CEO of Two Mile High Marketing, a personal brand agency that helps experts move from being the best-kept secret to becoming recognized, credible, and visible leaders. With more than 20 years of experience in publishing and marketing, Kelly has spent much of her career helping CEOs, founders, authors, and business leaders step into the spotlight. Now, she is doing that same work through her own company, her book Unlocking Your Authority X Factor, her Visibility, Credibility, and Consistency framework, and her work helping entrepreneurs build stronger speaking platforms, LinkedIn presence, and personal brands.In this episode, we talk about why authenticity matters more than ever, especially in a world where AI can generate content faster than people can read it. Kelly breaks down why human connection, real stories, speaking opportunities, books, podcasts, and consistent visibility are becoming major differentiators for business owners and experts.We also get into the emotional side of entrepreneurship: losing a job, stepping out from behind the scenes, becoming the face of your own company, dealing with imposter syndrome, growing too fast, hiring challenges, and learning how to keep showing up even when business gets uncomfortable.This conversation is for entrepreneurs, coaches, speakers, consultants, authors, leaders, and professionals who know they have value but have been hiding in plain sight.Watch the full conversation and ask yourself the uncomfortable question: are you building authority, or are you still waiting for people to discover you?#UnfilteredConversations #KellySchuknecht #PersonalBranding #ThoughtLeadership #AuthorityXFactor #TwoMileHighMarketing #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #LinkedInMarketing #AIAndBusiness #HumanConnection #ProfessionalBranding #SpeakerBranding #AuthenticLeadership