Mike spent 34 years as a firefighter, mostly in Southern California, where fires can quickly get out of control with the dry climate. In June of 1984, when winds suddenly shifted, he and his team almost lost their lives in a major firestorm that devastated the entire area. That event strengthened both him and his faith, which he would need later when a financial storm came that relocated his entire family. You’ll hear: How he first had to overcome a storm at home, growing up with violence and ab...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 127
Beau Maier struggled after serving in the Army. He didn’t realize how much other veterans also struggled until attending the funeral of a buddy who committed suicide. Right then, he and and a friend decided they were going to do something about the veteran suicide epidemic, and to raise awareness, they signed up for the toughest rowing race in the world with almost no rowing experience. That decision gave his life purpose, and his team became the first ever all-American, all-veteran team to row ...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 126
Ken Bevel is a US Marine Corps veteran who, with no acting experience, suddenly found himself with major roles in movies that have reached millions of people. He has starred in both Fireproof and Courageous by Sherwood Pictures, and the impact of those films has transformed marriages and parents everywhere. Ken joined the US Marine Corps at age 17 to escape life on the streets. He got into trouble early on, and then something happened that dramatically changed his life and military career. Today...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 125
Dre Baldwin played professional basketball for 9 years, even though he was cut from his high school team 3 times. To get to the pro level, it took incredible resourcefulness, discipline, and a never-give-up focus. Knowing basketball couldn’t last forever, those same characteristics led him to be a pioneer as an online entrepreneur. He has created over 400 products, has over 100,000 YouTube subscribers, and 4.5 Million downloads of his Work On Your Game podcast. You’ll hear: Why everyone thought ...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 124
Jose Pereira was months away from retiring as the CEO of Citgo after a 35-year career when he and 5 company vice presidents (The Citgo 6) were suddenly arrested and imprisoned in Venezuela, falsely accused of espionage, corruption, and treason. He spent the next 4 years and 8 months as a pawn in a political dispute, not knowing if he would ever see his family again. After finally being released, he has been completely dedicated to using his experience to spread a message of resilience, hope, fai...
Jan 19, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 123
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ron Breland (Ret.) served in the United States Army from 1990 to 2005 as a DoD Certified Firefighter and a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Specialist. He and I were in Somalia at the same time, and he also served in Kosovo and Iraq. During his military career, he suffered a traumatic brain injury and consistently struggled with PTS at a time when no one talked about it. When he reached the point of suicide, his life took a dramatic turn, and now he spends every day ser...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 122
Today we kick off 2024 with a Marine Corps veteran whose life completely turned upside down when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2010. His massive injuries resulted in him becoming a triple amputee, which led to drug addiction and multiple arrests. But, something happened at a gas station one day, and now he is sober, an endurance athlete, inspiring others, and has even co-founded a company called For Freedom Fundraising. You’ll hear: -How growing up on a farm in Montana prepared him for ...
Jan 05, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 121
Wow, what an amazing year! We’ve heard some incredible stories from amazing people. I end almost every episode honored to be able to share these stories with the Unbeatable Army. In this special year-end episode, we go back over the greatest moments of 2023, as voted on by you. You heard from musicians, the military, and everyday people. And the #1 most downloaded episode from 2023 will surprise you! I even get a chance to bring you one of my favorite moments from this year. Stay tuned for some ...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 120
Imagine having to unexpectedly take over a failing company in your early 20s and at the same time, learning your father has a completely different life that you knew nothing about. This happened to Matthew Lesser, and the stress of it all sent his whole life into a downward spiral for years. But with divine intervention, he rebuilt and became stronger than ever before. Today, he’s written 2 books, and he’s the founder of Uniquely Normal, which trains leaders on creating teams that are fully enga...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 119
Bobby Harrington says he is not a “born leader” or “natural leader”. However, he has successfully led large teams in sports, the Marine Corps, and in the business sector. He learned leadership skills as a Desert Shield/Desert Storm Gulf War veteran and through leading at Chevron for almost 2 decades. Now he has a passion for using his 34 years of experience to build up the next generation of leaders as CEO of Rubicon COA, and he’s recently published a book called Lead You: The Winning Combinatio...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 118
Retired Secret Service Agent Ken Valentine worked for a decade on the Presidential Protective Detail spanning 3 presidencies. The Secret Service is not supposed to get a lot of attention, so most people don’t think about what kind of specialized skills they have to have, how much danger they are constantly in, or the toll it can take on their families. In this episode, Ken gives us an inside view of what it’s like, and talks about the life-saving work he is now doing with The National Center for...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 117
I’ve probably been asked 1,000 times, “Do you know Jeff Teigs?” Well, now I’m proud to say I do, and I’m excited to introduce you to him. He is a retired Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency expert with over 25 years of service in US Army Special Operations. He’s received numerous awards, including five bronze stars for distinguished service during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and a silver star awarded for valor during combat in Iraq. Today, he uses his incredible combat and leadership exp...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 116
Lieutenant General (Ret.) William “Jerry” Boykin led warriors at all levels in the US Army through some of the most dangerous and complex missions over 36 years. He was one of the original members of the U.S. Army’s commando unit and led the Army’s Green Berets and the Special Warfare Center and School. Later, he was the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and now is the Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council in Washington. I personally served with him in the Army ...
Nov 24, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 115
When sexual harassment is reported, most of the time the accuser is telling the truth. But what happens when a false accusation derails someone’s life and destroys their reputation? Unfortunately stories like my guests’ happen all the time. 15 years ago, Ricky and Lindsay Lewis were two young, beloved ministry leaders on the rise until a verifiably false accusation against Ricky caused all of their future plans to come crashing down. I have the utmost respect for how they bounced back and rebuil...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 114
In honor of Veterans Day, we have a very special episode for you. After any war, including WWII, soldiers are often deeply haunted by what they saw and did during the war. American Don Malarkey and German Fritz Engelbert, both depicted in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers for fighting in one of the biggest military operations of all time, were no different. For 60 years, they held onto guilt and pain from WWII…until something happened that changed the rest of their lives and gave them peace. T...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 113
Night Stalker pilots are some of my greatest heroes, and many times, my life has depended on their insanely accurate shooting abilities. Greg Coker and I fought together in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he was an AH-6 little bird gun pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment for 15 years. VERY few helicopter pilots on the planet make it to that level, and his no-quit attitude, skill, and commitment make him unbeatable. You’ll hear: What it was like to go through the grueling Green Plat...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 112
As a Content Creator, Speaker, and Firearms Trainer, John Lovell has created a strong community of millions called the Warrior Poet Society, dedicated to “physical protection, the pursuit of truth, and living for a higher purpose.” In the Bible, Jesus is said to be both a lion and a lamb. John is both a fierce warrior and gentle truth seeker. We met years ago serving in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, and I’ve always been impressed by his boldness and commitment to doing what is right. You’ll hear: Wh...
Oct 27, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 111
Right after 9/11, Representative Bobby Cox joined the US Army with a deep sense of a need to serve. His career took off like a rocket, serving four combat tours in the Middle East with elite units like the 101st Airborne Division, 75th Ranger Regiment, and the 82nd Airborne Division. He could have gone all the way to the top, but after 13 years of full time military service, he and his wife made the unusual decision to "jump" into the world of business and politics. Now he is both the Vice Presi...
Oct 20, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 110
When she was a 12-year-old Backstreet Boys superfan, Cassie Petrey had no idea that her tenacity and relational talent would lead her to working with the biggest names in music, tech, and entertainment, like Steven Tyler, Britney Spears, Camila Cabello, Google, Disney, and Apple. She’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Crowd Surf, a leading marketing and music management firm founded in 2007 alongside best friend, Jade Driver. She’s also a Forbes 30 Under 30 and Billboard 30 Under 30 recipient. You’l...
Oct 13, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 109
In the finale of our 5-part Black Hawk Down series to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Operation Gothic Serpent, I sat down with Actor and Musician Matthew Marsden. You may recognize him from films like Helen of Troy or Shiner , but when he played Army Ranger Dale Sizemore in the film Black Hawk Down , it was the role of a lifetime. That experience changed the trajectory of his life and bonded him forever with US Army Rangers. I was skeptical at first about the story being turned into a movie...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 108
For the 4th piece in this mini-series of stories I WISH would have made into the book or movie, Black Hawk Down , I was honored to sit down with Dan Jollota, a highly accomplished Army Aviator who served for 40 years, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 5 (something very few Americans have achieved). In his career, he was assigned to several Special Operations aviation units, and his skill, commitment, and courage in Somalia in 1993 was instrumental in saving many lives. You’ll hear: About his i...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 107
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the events known as Black Hawk Down, we’re in a series of stories I WISH would have made it into the book and movie. For this episode, I got to sit down with Kurt Smith, who has heavily impacted me not just as a warrior, but as a man. We served together for years in Special Operations, and in Somalia in 1993, he was part of the "main effort" during the fight. His friendship during that time was vital for me and many others. You’ll hear: Why we both believe the...
Sep 22, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 106
This series is true stories of valor and courage that should have been in the book or movie, Black Hawk Down . In this episode, I interview Brad Paulsen, who is without doubt, the bravest man I’ve ever seen in a firefight. In 1993, he was a young Ranger who hadn’t been in the Army very long. He was a turret gunner in Somalia, and his ability to remain calm multiple times when he was certain he was going to die amazed me. His actions saved many lives (including mine), and I am truly honored to ha...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 105
This is the first in a 5-part series of stories I WISH would have made it into the book and movie Black Hawk Down . Matt Eversmann is a 20-year Army veteran. He and I served together in the streets of Somalia on October 3, 1993 with the Ranger Regiment, and his story is one of courageous leadership when he was suddenly and unexpectedly put in charge. Today, Matt is a New York Times bestselling co-author and teaches organizations how to adapt to rapid change, highlighting the importance of leader...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 104
Clint Callahan has been a social worker and therapist for 23 years, helping thousands of people go from stress, burnout, and feeling stuck… to loving life again. Multiple times in his own life, he needed a radical transformation while working through the scars of being bullied, extreme burnout working in a maximum security prison, a career crisis, and grief surrounding his mother’s suicide. Over time, he learned a combination of techniques that led to a drastic positive turnaround in his life, a...
Sep 01, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 103
Medical errors are the 3rd leading cause of death in the US. Charles Gellman, CEO and Co-founder of HiDO Health is 100% focused on ensuring more people get top-notch, consistent, care through the use of Ai-assisted robotics. When a mis-diagnosis almost killed him, he was forced to think about variances in the quality of medical care and how technology can help minimize error. Today, he courageously works at the intersection of 2 hot-button issues (healthcare and artificial intelligence) and is l...
Aug 25, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Ep. 101: Brad Nelson- How a regular dad saved his family from financial ruinBrad is a normal guy who has helped people save and pay off tens of millions of dollars as the host of the Debt Free Dad Podcast and founder of Roots of Personal Finance. Breaking free from the weight of his own crushing debt is how he learned those skills, and without financial freedom, he wouldn’t be able to get his special needs daughter the intense care she needs or carefully walk his family through the pain and grie...
Aug 18, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 101
Today, we hit a big Unbeatable milestone! We celebrate 100 episodes of great guests and amazing stories. I invited a man whom I highly respect to help me celebrate this milestone. Jake Hamilton is Unbeatable in his personal life and a documentary maker in the entertainment industry. Cinematographer and Director Jacob Hamilton has worked with and for some of the biggest names in television, sports, and the movies. Jake has had a “backstage pass to life” filming many seasons with Chip and Joanna G...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 100
What do you do with the pain when you’ve been hurt or betrayed? Lois Wagner lives in South Africa. One day, while working late, she was attacked, stabbed multiple times, raped, and left for dead. Soon after, her business partner betrayed her, and she lost everything. For a long time, she held onto fear, trauma, and hatred, and it was destroying her from the inside out. –until she learned the secret to finding real peace and freedom from her immense pain. Now she coaches others on how to truly le...
Aug 04, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Being a congressman is not for the faint of heart, and US Representative Barry Loudermilk, from Georgia, has faced more than his share of challenges there. After a career in the US Air Force, he ran for office with the belief that, “You can either accept the status quo…or you can do something about it.” Since 2015, he has survived a baseball game shooting in Washington, DC, a near-fatal car accident, an assassination attempt, and a train crash. No matter what happens, though, he stays focused on...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 98
