In this episode, the team sits down with San Diego icon Sam the Cooking Guy for a candid conversation about his unconventional path from the pharmaceutical and advertising worlds to YouTube stardom. Hosts Jaime, Gabe, and Mark (Sam’s nephew) explore the twists and turns of Sam’s career, his leap into entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to reinvent yourself later in life.
In this episode of Discover the Difference, Jamie and Gabe talk with Matt Stevens, Navy SEAL veteran and CEO of The Honor Foundation. Matt shares his journey from the Naval Academy to the SEALs, then into tech, and now leading a mission-driven organization helping Special Operations Forces transition to civilian life. Hear how his commitment to excellence has shaped every phase of his career and how The Honor Foundation is expanding its impact through the new Vector Accelerator program.
In this episode of Discover the Difference, Jamie and Gabe talk with Dave Albin, former Firewalk Captain for Tony Robbins. Dave shares how facing his fear of fire at a Tony Robbins event transformed his life—from struggling with addiction to leading thousands through firewalks. Now, through his nonprofit Operation Do No Harm, he helps veterans and first responders heal from trauma and build better lives. A powerful story of fear, transformation, and purpose.
In this episode of Discover the Difference , Jamie and Gabe sit down with longtime friend Joe Lara, an elite Marine from MARSOC and a transformational coach for high-performing leaders. Joe shares powerful life lessons from his time embedded with Navy SEALs, Green Berets, and Army Rangers, and how those experiences shaped his approach to leadership, transition, and business coaching. Now part of The Honor Foundation, Joe helps active military members transition into civilian life with purpose an...
In this inspiring episode of Discover the Difference , hosts Jamie and Gabe sit down with the legendary Robert Owens. More than just an esteemed author, Robert is a true force of nature. He has completed seven marathons on seven continents at the age of 66, becoming the first person in the world to do so. He is also a trainer of Navy SEALs and professional athletes. Robert lives by one principle: challenge yourself beyond the limits. He shares hard-earned wisdom from decades of physical, mental,...
On this episode of Discover the Difference, Jamie, Gabe, and Blake sit down with two highly decorated CIA veterans, Ralph Goff and Mark Davidson. Ralph, a 25-year CIA veteran and six-time Chief of Station, shares insights from his extensive experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, including high-stakes operations in war zones. Mark, a 21-year CIA veteran and former senior operations officer, discusses his transition to the private sector, where he now leads growth and strategy at Con...
Hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Erle take a look back at the Season 4 highlights of Discover the Difference with special guest Wayne Partello from CUENTO. Get ready for our first guest of Season 5 on April 4!
In our special season finale of Discover the Difference, SDSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, John David Wicker, sits down with hosts Jamie, Gabe, and Matt to explore key topics shaping the future of SDSU athletics. They discuss the transformative impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), SDSU's historic move to the Pac-12 and the monumental achievement of building Snapdragon Stadium. JD Wicker shares his vision of fostering a culture of community engagement and collaboration among faculty, ...
In our 9th episode of this season's Discover the Difference, Chris Mefford shares his journey from teaching to discovering his passion for marketing. He dives into leadership, emphasizing the power of recognition, empathy, and empowering teams. From insights on workplace psychology to lessons from Navy SEALs, Chris sheds light on creating a culture of excellence without micromanaging. Don’t miss out on his wisdom and stories, including how he co-authored his book "Anti-Leadership" and navigates ...
Hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Erle, along with guest host Lindsay Bonfiglio, C3’s EVP of Human Resources & Operations, are excited to welcome Heather Whelpley to Discover the Difference. Heather is a coach, speaker and award-winning author specializing in imposter syndrome and silencing the inner critic. After hearing her powerful talk at the Assurex Global Conference, we knew we had to share her journey and insights with you. Don’t miss episode 8—tune in now!
On Discover the Difference, hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Earl are joined by guest host Matt Clark and Cape Capener, who built the brand Above the Rim amongst other successful apparel and lifestyle brands and most recently developed a brand new shoe category to help people actively recover from exercise. Dive into this week’s episode with San Diego native, Cape Capener.
This week on Discover the Difference, hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Erle sit down with retired Navy SEAL Diego Ugalde. Diego, who calls himself a "psychedelic pathfinder," shares his journey of treating PTSD through psychedelics. Curious about what that means? So were we! Tune in to hear Diego's heroic story and learn how he now helps other veterans treat trauma using psychedelics.
On this week’s episode of Discover the Difference, hosts Jamie and Gabe, along with guest host Matt Clark, sit down with soccer legend Landon Donovan. Dive deep into Landon’s life as he reflects on his illustrious career, the true meaning of success and his journey overcoming mental health challenges. Hear his insightful thoughts on the profound influence of sports on children and the lessons he's learned along the way. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that goes beyond the soccer field.
In this week’s episode, we catch up with Dr. Cindy McGovern, famously known as “The First Lady of Sales.” She is celebrated for transforming the popular sales acronym ABC (Always Be Closing) to Always Be Curious, emphasizing the role of curiosity in achieving success. This philosophy strongly resonates with us at C3, as we apply it both in our professional and personal lives, continuously learning and drawing inspiration from the ideas of those around us. This is a can’t-miss episode of Discover...
Tune in to this week’s episode of Discover the Difference with Rob Sweetman. Rob's journey is one of remarkable resilience, overcoming personal setbacks and the heart-wrenching loss of loved ones. He shares his story of becoming a commercial insurance broker before embarking on his path as a Navy SEAL at the cutoff age of 28. Today, Rob channels his passion for service through 62 Romeo, an organization he founded to support veterans and first responders. In addition to his community efforts, Rob...
Get ready for an energizing episode of Discover the Difference with our dynamic guest, Elizabeth Cardiello. Known for her boundless curiosity and infectious energy, Elizabeth is not just a TedX speaker but also the visionary founder of Caffè Unimatic, a unique coffee company that gained fame in a Netflix docuseries. In this episode, we delve into Elizabeth's journey from brewing exceptional coffee to brewing a revolutionary approach to culture and relationships through her framework, Brave. Eliz...
Hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Erle take a look back at the Season 3 highlights of Discover the Difference with special guest Wayne Partello from CUENTO. Get ready for our first guest of Season 4 on May 23!
For this exciting bonus episode of Discover The Difference, Jamie and Gabe sit down with the most interesting man you will ever meet, Dave Sanderson. Dave is an inspirational survivor, author, and nationally sought-after leadership speaker. Learn more about his incredible career and how he continues to help people make a difference in how they do business and live their lives in this special bonus episode.
We have a treat for the final episode of Season 3. C3's Lindsay Bonfiglio joins Gabe as they chat with Christian Espinoza - a former Air Force veteran, author of the book "The Smartest Person in The Room," and a cybersecurity expert. On the surface his accomplishments of completing two of the seven highest summits in the world and competing in 24 Ironman Triathlons are sure to impress. However, it's his perseverance and personal growth that make him the best selling author, high-performance coac...
On Discover the Difference, we hear a lot of amazing stories, but this week we meet Tez Steinberg who holds the distinction of being the first person to row from California to Hawaii. The journey took 71 days and 2,700 miles of sleep deprivation, strenuous exercise, wildlife encounters and sheer perseverance. Sparked by a bout of depression and compounded by his father’s death, Tez set out to conquer the unattained and turn it into a passion for rowing across the ocean to raise money for great c...
For episode 8, we chat with Dr Kristen Willeumier who is a neuroscientist best known for her book, Biohack Your Brain. She explores the most impactful changes for enhanced brain health to keep it in optimal condition throughout every phase of life. A topic past guests, Joe Laude and Nick Hardwick, also appreciate. Throughout her career, Kristen studied athletes, specifically NFL players, and shares in her book how to nurse your brain back to health even after traumatic head injuries. Check out t...
Joe Laude exemplifies what it means to live a life of service, resilience, and purpose. In episode 7 of Discover the Difference, Joe takes us through his remarkable journey – from his childhood calling to the military, to the heart-wrenching Afghanistan evacuation. As the founder of Operations Allies Refuge (OAR), Joe focuses on supporting veterans battling moral injury, a concept distinct from PTSD.
During episode 6, Jamie and Gabe chat with New York Times best-selling author Scott Mann. He's a 3X TedX speaker and now a playwright focused on storytelling through the lens of our heroic warfighters in America. Scott takes us through the journey of his life where he experienced the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. You're going to learn so much from someone who's been through it all in this inspiring and energetic interview.
For episode 5, Jamie and Gabe chat with legendary UFC fighter Frank Shamrock. You may know Frank as a UFC Champion or a Strikeforce founder of MMA, but you may not know the backstory of how he overcome adversity, childhood setbacks and 23 felonies before he was able to achieve his success. Frank's story is unique, inspiring, and one you won't want to miss. Tune in to learn more about the way Frank empowers those around him through his encouragement and symbolism behind what he calls the Warrior’...
For episode 4, Jamie and Gabe sit down with Natalie Johnson. Natalie started her career with Google where she played a key role in the development of its DE&I program. While C3 is already proudly diverse, Jamie and Gabe enjoyed discussing how there is so much more to being a DE&I-thought-focused organization. It is not just about having a diverse group of employees but getting intentional about seeking out people from diverse backgrounds that round out your organization and bring their u...
For episode 3, hosts Jamie and Gabe sit down with Dr. Alan Beyer, the medical director and founder of the Hoag Institute. The entrepreneurial mindset is alive and well in the medical field. Dr. Beyer is proving that daily with his work at the Hoag Institute through his care for individuals ranging from elite athletes to everyday pickleball players and everyone in between. Learn how Dr. Beyer grew the Hoag Institute and his continued work in medicine today.
For our first guest of Season 3, you will have the chance to meet Jen Schroeder. You may recognize her from images all over Dick’s Sporting Goods. She is a former UCLA softball player, ESPN Analyst and entrepreneur. Her training facilities, The Packaged Deal, in Orange County are shaping the next generation of softball players both at the youth and collegiate levels. Her charisma is so infectious, she turned the tables and podcasted our hosts Jamie and Gabe. You won’t want to miss our conversati...
Discover the Difference hosts Jamie Reid and Gabe Erle from C3 are joined by Wayne Partello from CUENTO as they take a look back and reminisce on the podcast's second season. From a 5X Olympian to a 16-year-old prodigy turned beauty empire to U.S. military officers and community leaders making a difference, we'll share our favorite moments and some of the best Q&A with our guests. You'll also get a preview of what you can expect from Season 3, dropping on May 18.
The final episode this season of Discover the Difference is with Manna Kadar. A prodigy who acquired her business at 16, leveled it up multiple times and built it into a beauty empire. Her spunk, energy and professionalism along with her incredible story will leave you inspired.
