Darren Mota, no stranger to obesity had trouble breathing at work after a short climb up TWO steps. Within days, he knew something had to change and he got himself to the gym only to then discover that his continued trouble breathing was perhaps linked to a deviated septum. After getting a CT Scan at the doctor's office to check the severity of his suspicion, the doctor informed Mr. Mota that there was a bigger problem, the results uncovered a baseball-sized brain tumor. As a child, Darren's mot...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 8
The doctors told James' mom that he might be born with no limbs. She set the tone early, she was ready to love and raiser her son to meet his highest potential no matter what. At age one, he was diagnosed with severe asthma, and over the course of his lifetime, he has been hospitalized over twenty times and experienced being airlifted to the hospital. Growing up in a low-income, high-crime area of Mount Vernon, New York, James' potential might have been limited in some peoples' eyes. A man who b...
Oct 24, 2022•52 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Roger's humble beginnings in the industry were reflected through his hustle, his resources were limited but his work ethic was abundant. Roger shares the outcomes of his adulthood manifestation. His journey has no shortage of highlights, he shares tales of how his willingness to take on jobs that others may have passed on ultimately led him to the the mentors that helped him rise the ranks of his industry. In the highly saturated world of content creation, Roger could easily question his place h...
Oct 17, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 6
A senior corporate banker with an "overpriced MBA" hit the cross roads of being true to himself or caving to the bureaucracy imposed by the board room. A collapse became imminent and Jason, a "rockstar" in the eyes of employers, rose the ranks and demonstrated an outward ability to excel in pressure situations instead broke down into a full blown panic attack excusing himself from a meeting full of executives, he knew a change had to be on the horizon. He no longer wanted to be part of the cycle...
Oct 11, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 5
The administration shut down New York City, business owners were in a bind regardless of industry and arguably gyms were amongst the hardest hit. Unlike restaurants, there was no take-out option and no foot traffic meant no revenue. Everything changed in the blink of an eye and organizations had to think quick or face the reality of potential doom. Eric knew the desire for human interaction wasn't gone forever but his baby , the business he invested his life savings to build (SWERVE 1.0) had to ...
Oct 03, 2022•52 min•Season 2Ep. 4
While preparing to go under the knife to donate a kidney to his sister, John instead finds out he has cancer….so the doctors think. Following an odd series of medical conversations, inconsistent results leave John in a state of distress. If matters couldn’t be worse, his restaurant business is is at an inflection point, and John finds himself at the precipice of a much-needed change. The notion of maintaining perspective, staying positive, and a lean on physical fitness drive John Tawfik to new ...
Sep 26, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 3
The idea of reinventing yourself is daunting to most, expressly when tying in social media. Wael Davis talks about living from the truth of who you are with a particular realization of the benefits this has for your entire circle. While change is difficult for the bulk of us, respect and dignity is a recipe worth sharing. Wael’s cadence is a stride as pleasant as his mantra, “lead with a smile and a grateful heart.” Wael Davis is a New York-based digital and social professional with over ten yea...
Sep 19, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Ediva says, “the only time you can call something impossible is if you’ve first tried everything.” On Mile 40 Podcast and Break Barriers, this is the message we’re all about. Try for one more mile or one more milestone. Ediva Zanker, the CoFounder of GRIT BXNG tells a compelling story about the social bonuses of community in a boxing gym! Maybe you don’t need to punch your friends, but at GRIT, you can have a drink with them after a hard workout. In her chat with Bishoy, she talks about finding ...
Sep 06, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Diagnosed with Best Disease (vitelliform macular dystrophy) at age ten, Joe’s vision degenerated to nearly blind before entering college. But how does a kid rapidly losing their eyesight maintain a positive spin on life? Joe’s parents reminded him not to focus on the “what ifs” but to reshape his approach to the “even ifs.” Through Project Endure, Joe’s umbrella of ventures from coaching to media presence, Rinaldi pushes the mantra, “you can only find strength through struggle.” Joe talks about ...
Jul 11, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Starting a personal fitness journey by running from the cops? Joey Cameron grew up on the wrong side of town with a father gone missing and a mother who spent as much time chasing her addiction as lying to her kids. But what do you make of yourself with a shaky childhood? Forgiveness and perspective were fundamental to Joey's upward trajectory. After years of therapy and self-rehabilitation, Joey determined that being himself for a living was his best way out. Joey Cameron is the Co- Founder of ...
Jul 05, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Is there a better advocate than someone who has experienced similar challenges firsthand? Surviving an unusual athletic collapse, Cheyenne was diagnosed with a rare vasculitis, TAK. Since her near-fatal tumble, she has exhausted her time in waiting rooms, only to hear the phrase, “one more month.” With her mom as her most prominent advocate, she navigated one medical obstacle after the other. Now an Athletic Trainer at Clemson University, Cheyenne is able to stress the importance of educating pl...
Jun 27, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Potential is nothing without execution, and it all starts with believing in yourself regardless of the hole you're in. Pasquale's path was anything but steady, hurdles continued to amount across his journey on and off the field. Despite his impressive resume as a professional athlete, things never came easy and his commitment to the craft kept him relevant when his options appeared limited. Pasquale unfortunately lost his father at age fourteen and admittedly his anger was unleashed at a young a...
Jun 13, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 5
It was never smooth sailing for Devin LeSassier as he chronicles the life of a barber that found his calling at age ten at his mom's house. Devin grew up fast, a father of five children by the time he was twenty-five who spent his twenties battling out a bitter divorce. Two short stints in jail as he tried to make ends meet became the impetus for finding strength through running and reinvigorating a commitment to his loved ones. Devin talks about a mentor, the mentor whom he wrote to while he wa...
Jun 06, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Minal Shah shares her journey of assimilation as the daughter of Indian immigrants, she talks about her path to unleashing the power of her name after "a lifetime of accepting and normalizing" her name "the American way." Minal talks about the battle within, living a dual life at home and on the outside. She talks about the subconscious track to finally pronouncing her name correctly in public settings. Growing up on the outskirts of Camden, education was always a priority for her. She talks abo...
May 23, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3
“My life was kind of an up and down. My father was actually in the cartel of my local neighborhood, one would think that this is similar to the show Narcos, but it's not. My mom decided to uproot us, get on a plane to Mexico and make our way to New York.” Dr. Peña was a dealt his hand at childhood, his upbringing was mired by invisibility as he could not expose his roots, he was living in secret hiding from others while trying not lose himself. Fast forward to the present, he has completed his D...
May 16, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Mile 40 is a forum to learn about how athletes, professionals, and leaders of all backgrounds stare down moments in life where the only option is to rise up. The Mile 40 Podcast strives to remind listeners that the comeback is always greater than the setback. More on Mile 40: https://mile40podcast.com/ Instagram: @mile_40_podcast @bishoy_tadros Purchase Your Copy of Break Barriers OR Audacious Today - Use Code MILE40 for 20% off: https://www.bishoytadros.com ...
May 07, 2022•50 sec
Despite acknowledging the importance of planning, Dr. Moawad shares a moment that he never saw coming, painting a picture of the dreaded night where his instincts had to take over in a life or death situation and how that night gave him sight on his path forward. He contemplates whether leadership is founded on the scientific application of laws or if it is more an art form. From team sports to real-life experience, Dr. Moawad breaks down a formula that fits his development as a leader. Dr. Moaw...
May 06, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 1
