Forbes 30 Under 30 - From College Baseball To Doubling Down On Yourself

“Am I supposed to be here?…” For awhile, you’re scratching and clawing, and you doubt if the work you’re doing will amount to anything. And then the opportunities, from seeds planted years ago, show up…

Today on the podcast we sit down with Kaleb Fossum and discuss what it means to out-work and out-serve everyone around you. Kaleb was a walk-on football player for Washington State University where he earned his spot on the D1 field as a field goal holder. Throughout his story, you’ll hear how he went from field goal holder, to punt returner, to transferring to Nevada on scholarship, to having 70 receptions for over 700 yards as a wide receiver, to earning a spot as a team captain.

After college Kaleb continued to out-work everyone around him. He learned that planting seeds with people, providing value, and cultivating energy and passion into every personal interaction, would be the juice to his growth in the professional world. He’s now the Chief Vibe Cultivator for Strong Coffee Company and co-founder of the incubation creation studio, 60th and Upham.

If you want to hear the story of someone who has found a way in every scenario to achieve more than anyone thought he could, you’ll want to check this episode out. This is one of the most passionate conversations we’ve had on the show.

Out now on all platforms!

Follow and connect with Kaleb Fossum!
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaleb-fossum-72194b159/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kalebfossum/
Strong Coffee Company - https://strongcoffeecompany.com/
60th & Upham - https://60thandupham.com/

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

“I sat for hours sifting through one miserable memory after another, looking for someone to blame, trying to find some reason why I kept getting handed one CRUSHING personal defeat after the next.

I asked myself ‘what did all those events have in common?' I didn’t like the answer.

The answer was… ME!”

Those were the words of David Karasek… former swimmer for the University of Virginia and Swiss Olympian (2012 London). David sits down with us today to discuss topics like self confidence, attracting success, influencing others by getting on their same frequency, and taking responsibility for your own life.

After college he spent time in private banking and wealth management including 4 years at Julius Baer and a vice presidency role at J Safra Sarasin. David then went on to start Influence Secrets, an agency that enables clients to not only harness their full potential in all areas of life, but also to be their most authentic self so that they may lead and influence others. Now he leads a community called PapaPreneurs where new-age, entrepreneurial Dads that are juggling raising kids, changing diapers, and working on their start-up are thriving.

Listen in today to hear David’s story on how he moved from college athletics to the working world.

Out now on all platforms!

Follow and connect with David Karasek!
David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidraphaelkarasek
David’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkarasek
Influence Secrets: https://www.influence-secrets.com
PapaPreneurs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/papapreneurs/
PapaPreneurs Community: https://www.skool.com/papapreneurs/about

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod

Detaching your identity from your performance is hard. Define success for yourself, water your own grass, enjoy where you are, and surround yourself with the right people.

Loryn Carter, former UC Irvine volleyball player, joins us on the show today to discuss topics from creating the right network around you, to finding identity outside of sports and work, to managing a full-time schedule with business school, internships, and entrepreneurship.

She is Co-Founder and COO of VITAVATE, a premium dietary supplement brand that offers mix-in drink powders to support heart health, energy, and focus. She attends the Anderson School of Management at UCLA where she is studying to earn her MBA. Not only has Loryn managed to build a company on top of working and going to school, she has done it with balance, composure, and a strategic plan.

Listen in today to hear Loryn’s views on moving from college athletics to the working world. Her wisdom, composure, and confidence are well beyond her years.

Out now on all platforms!

Follow VITAVATE and connect with Loryn Carter!

Loryn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loryncarter/
VITAVATE’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vitavate-products-llc/
Website: https://vitavate.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitavateofficial
VITAVATE Linktree: https://linktr.ee/vitavateofficial

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

“Our trauma is nourished by our refusal to acknowledge it, and starved by our attempts to try and understand it.” - Conner Furu

Today on the podcast we sit down with former football player from Drake University, Conner Furu. After 7 season-ending injuries and 1,646 days in between his last high school game and first college game, it’s hard not to quit. However, Conner found a way to keep fighting. On today’s episode we hear how he dealt with generational addictions and curses from his home life alongside many physical and emotional setbacks all before graduating college.

It’s pretty rare to see a 25 year old kid that has the life scars and bruises that Conner has. And, as you listen, you’ll see that that is the very reason he is so wise for his age. Whether you’re 10, 30, or 70 years old, everyone can learn from Conner’s story and his wisdom.

Listen in today. Out now on all platforms!

Follow and connect with Conner Furu!
IG: https://www.instagram.com/conner_furu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conner-furu-5ab63a22a/

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

As athletes we learn that breathing while performing is insanely important. But what about using your breath to grab the “reigns of your life” and take back control?

Today on the show, we talk with former football player from Tufts University, Chase Mangini. After seeing the amazing benefits that breathwork and meditation had on his own life, Chase founded the company Hyperform Wellness. His work is centered around breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness and using those to help decrease stress, increase energy, and improve productivity. His clients range from athletes still competing to those in the corporate world to just normal people who want to see the benefits in their personal life.

The California-native found breathwork his senior year of high school while on the cliff of anxiety and depression. After a knee injury where everything in life felt like it had been stripped from him, he found breathwork and meditation, dug himself out of a mental rabbit-hole, and conquered college athletes with new tools in his tool belt. Now his goal is to help millions of people do the same.

Listen in to our conversation as we discuss how this young entrepreneur built his business, what skills transferred from college athletics to what he’s doing now, and how other former college athletes can use their skills and gifts to provide value to the marketplace.

Out now on all platforms!

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Follow and connect with Chase Mangini!

All Chase’s links: https://linktr.ee/chasemangini
Hyperform Wellness website: https://hyperformwellness.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasemangini/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/chasemangini/

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Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on our instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

Believing in yourself and embracing the day-to-day grind are two vital aspects to success. When you combine these and put yourself in a “room” where you’re uncomfortable, there are no limits to what you can do.

Today on the podcast, we sit down with former football player at Southern Methodist University, Jackson Mitchell. Jackson is the founder of The Walk On Mentality and host of The Walk On Mentality Podcast. The Southlake, TX native started his collegiate athletic career by taking a bet on himself. Joining SMU’s team as a walk-on, Jackson worked his a$$ off to eventually earn a scholarship spot on the Mustang’s roster as well as serve as a captain for 2 years.

After graduating with a degree in Economics and minor in Spanish, Jackson carried the same walk-on mindset into his professional career. He started in corporate America, moved into medical device sales, and continued to earn his spot in the room and out-perform his peers. However, he soon realized he was missing an aspect of fulfillment and could utilize his experience in athletics to help others optimize their potential.

Jackson now helps high-performing, ambitious individuals establish and execute their goals, redefine their worth, develop a healthy relationship with themselves both physically and mentally, create professional alignment, improve their relationships, and as a result, he takes his clients’ performance in all areas to a whole new level.

Listen in today to hear Jackson’s story and soak in his wisdom and advice. You won’t want to miss this conversation!

Out now on all platforms.

Follow and connect with Jackson Mitchell!
All Jackson’s Links: https://linktr.ee/jacksonrmitchell
Jackson’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/jacksonrmitchell/
The Walk On Mentality website: https://walkonmentality.co/
The Walk On Mentality IG: https://www.instagram.com/thewalkonmentality/

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on our instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

Find a mentor that can teach you the skills you want to learn, show up EVERY day willing to do the things you don’t want to do, and spread those consistent actions over a long enough time horizon. If you do those things, you will be successful.

Today on the podcast, we sit down with former soccer player at the University of Alabama Huntsville, Ethan Wilson, and talk multifamily real estate. At the age of only 24, Ethan and his business partner Eddy, have built a real estate portfolio consisting of 34 rental units and 2 house flips. Ethan grew up in Nashville, served as a 3-year captain on UAH’s men’s soccer team, and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After starting his career as a full-time estimator for Turner Construction, Ethan realized he had more potential and could better-utilize his time. Ethan surrounded himself in a mentorship that grew his knowledge and skills in commercial multifamily real estate, and eventually took the leap and went full-time into multifamily investing.

On this episode, Ethan talks about how important it is to have discipline and be consistent on a long-enough time horizon. Too many people are inconsistent and get shiny-object syndrome. If only they would be willing to get outside their comfort zone for something they truly want, and have consistent action on the one thing for 3-10 years, they’d be unbelievably successful.

Listen in to hear Ethan’s story and how college athletics have prepared him with all the skills he needed to be successful.

Out now on all platforms! Check it out.

Follow Ethan Wilson on all the socials to watch him on his real estate journey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/e7wilson/
IG - https://www.instagram.com/e7wilson/
Ethan and Eddy’s Business IG - https://www.instagram.com/ethanandeddy/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ethanandeddy
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@ethanandeddy

Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on our instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

Betting on yourself and finding a way to succeed is one of the most powerful skills you can learn.

Today on the podcast, Jake and Rylan sit down with former University of Houston linebacker, Roman Brown. Growing up in Dallas and taking a leap of faith to walk-on at Houston, Roman would go on to build an amazing collegiate career ending his senior season finishing fourth in The American with 113 tackles on the year as he served as a defensive captain. After receiving his degree in Economics and working 3 years as a Financial Wealth Advisor at Merrill Lynch, Roman started Vail Athletics: an athletic wear brand focused on equipping athletes holistically, targeting physical, emotional, and spiritual training.

In the episode, Roman talks about how to find mentors that are a couple steps ahead of you and why that has served him immensely in all areas of sports, business, and life. He also discusses how your experiences and lessons as a college athlete can be translated into the professional world, and in his case, entrepreneurship. Roman bet on himself when he walked onto the football team, and he bet on himself again when started Vail Athletics.

Most people don’t take action in their lives because it is “too risky.” But if you have past experiences where you’ve succeeded despite opposition, Roman’s advice is to draw on those and use them to your advantage on the next adventure.

Out now on all platforms! Check it out.

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Roman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-brown/

Follow Vail Athletics and find out more info:
Website - https://www.vailathletics.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vailathletics/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@vailathletics
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@vail_athletics

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Check out Life After College Athletics on all platforms!
https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on our instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

Sink your teeth into it, keeping grinding on the weekend, and if that hunger continues to grow inside of you, you know that you’ve found your calling.

In today’s episode, Jake and Rylan sit down with Conrad Cornell: former college baseball player for Mercer University. Conrad started Press Sports, the #1 Sports Social Media App, and has grown it to 400,000 registered users that include 29 first round drafts picks and 10,000 committed & college athletes. At the age of 26, Conrad received the Forbes 30 Under 30 award.

Conrad shares his story on the trials and tribulations they’ve gone through with starting a social media company as well as what the future holds for Press Sports. Not only does he share his thoughts and advice to young entrepreneurs on finding motivation and passion around their work, Conrad also shares how important mentorship is and what he would’ve done differently if he had to start over.

Listen in! This episode is value-packed and we don’t want you to miss out on this awesome conversation.

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Check us out on all platforms - https://linktr.ee/lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod

Have a guest that should be on the show? - Email us at lifeaftercollegeathletics.pod@gmail.com or dm us on our instagram, @lifeaftercollegeathletics_pod.

Stacking past experiences/relationships and being able to leverage them to create the future you want is a powerful skill that successful people have.

In today’s episode we have Ryan LaPlante on the podcast to discuss how every step of your journey happens for a reason and as long as you are directionally correct and stay consistent, you will achieve your goals. Ryan played lacrosse at the University of Denver where he won a national championship and upon graduation played professionally for the Denver Outlaws. Since then Ryan has had experience in entrepreneurship starting the Goalie Evolution Academy, a business that has helped over 180 goalies in the greater Denver area train and achieve the highest levels of play. In parallel of running the coaching business, he has consistently built out his career in residential real estate. From getting his brokerage license out of college, to working in big multifamily development projects of 300+ units, to now working as a realtor-partner with The LaPlante Team at The Group, Ryan has a very cool story to share.

He is a huge believer that you get out of this world what you put in, and he has chosen to double down on relationships and provide massive value to the people around him. Ultimately, these actions he’s taken, both intentionally and subconsciously, have led to his success.

Listen in today!

• Ryan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-laplante-67586a107/
• Goalie Evolution Academy: https://lxtclacrosse.com/goalie-evolution-academy/
• The LaPlante Team: https://laplanteteam.com/