Passing The Torch

Bio - Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman is the Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Space Force (CMSSF) and  serves at the highest enlisted level of leadership, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted force and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public and to those in all levels of government. He acts as the personal adviser to the Chief of Space Operations and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, proper utilization and development of the U.S. Space Force. Chief Towberman is the first Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position in the United States Space Force. Background – CMSSF Towberman entered the Air Force in September 1990 and his career has included various duties as a ground and airborne cryptologic language and intelligence analyst. Show Notes:IntroDescribing why life is great right nowReflecting on his career, a memory that stands out Advice for making people feel sign

Bio - Troy Eden is the Chief Operations Officer of the Light Foundation and joined the Light Foundation in October of 2022. As the COO, he oversees the day-to-day operations at Chenoweth Trails in Ohio. He leads the team to higher impact numbers, but also makes sure the team instills the highest of leadership qualities into the young people they meet through the  hands-on, outdoor programs.Background – The mission of The Light Foundation is to take young people out of their everyday environments and provide them with unique opportunities that ignite their passion, purpose, and motivation to succeed. Prior to this, Troy served in the Air Force for over 26 years. During this time, he led thousands of people, managed budgets worth tens of millions, and served as a top advisor for multiple high ranking military officials. I first met Troy in 2014 when I was a young NCO and I am honored to have him join my podcast. Show Notes:IntroDescribing why life is great right nowThe Light FoundationThe CROSS STORYTranslating

Bio: Positioning himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of six books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.Background: With more than fifteen million downloads, his podcast The Accidental Creative offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy. Todd’s book Die Empty was named by Amazon.com as one of the best books of 2013. His latest book, Daily Creative, offers daily sparks of inspiration and practical advice for creative pros. Let’s GOOOO! Without further ado Passing The Torch with Todd Henry starts now.Show Notes: IntroSince his second book “Die Empty” has been out for ten years, what is one story that Todd Henry wis

Background: April is the Month of the Military Child. According to Defense.gov, Military families move every two to three years on average, and military children change schools an average of six to nine times from the start of kindergarten to their high school graduation. This year an estimated 30 percent of military service members will move to a new installation.Each year   , April is set aside as a military child appreciation month, officially known as the Month of the Military Child. With its creation in the mid-1980s, the Pentagon and other military support organizations and agencies use the month to recognize military kids for their sacrifice and bravery on the Homefront.There are over 1.6 million military children serving alongside our nation’s service members.The term "military brat" is a badge of pride worn by generations of kids who traveled the world with their parents, moving into adulthood with the knowledge that they have the strength to handle anything. Military children deal with sep

Bio: Travis Chappell is a door to door salesman turned founder, investor, speaker, and podcaster. He is the founder and CEO of Guestio.com, the highest quality guest and show booking marketplace in the industry. He's also the co-host off the top ranked podcasts Build Your Network and Figuring It Out where he's interviewed people like Shaquille O'Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Grant Cardone, Josh Peck, Molly Bloom, Jasmine Star, John Maxwell, and hundreds of others. In addition to being a guest on top podcasts like Bigger Pockets, EOFire, and Born to Impact, Travis has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, and dozens of other media outlets. When he's not working on his dreams, Travis can be found at the golf course, or playing pick-up basketball, and at his home in Las Vegas with his high school sweetheart and two kids.Background: Travis Chappell is a podcast consultant and professional connector. He is the creator and host of Build Your Network, a Top 25 Business podcast that is

Bio – Ben Seekell is an active-duty Chief Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and recipient of the Purple Heart, which is the oldest Military Decoration and given to those who are wounded or killed while fighting the nation’s wars. The Purple Heart is a solemn distinction and means a service member has greatly sacrificed themselves, or paid the ultimate price, while in the line of duty.Background - Per the book Courage Under Fire: True Stories of Bravery from the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines - On May 8, 2011, Chief Seekell and his military working dog, Charlie, joined a security mission. As they returned to Bagram Airfield, they stepped on a landmine. The ground exploded, sending Chief Seekell and Charlie sailing through the air. Not aware that his leg was almost completely torn off, Chief Seekell tried calling out to members of his team. He was especially worried about his canine partner. Charlie suffered several shrapnel wounds and cowered in terror from the noise. Chief Seekell faced a l

Background: Brenden Kumarasamy is the founder of MasterTalk, a popular YouTube channel and coaching practice he started to help the world master the art of public speaking & effective communication. As an experienced speaker and facilitator, Brenden understands that audience members need to walk away captivated, and above all, inspired to master the art of communication. It should be seen as something to look forward to rather than a burden that must be overcome.Show Notes:IntroMastering the art of public speakingAdvice to people seeking the ability to deeply connect with others through public speakingPractical Public Speaking Tips & Tricks Someone Can Apply IMMEDIATELY and ADVANCED Public Speaking Tips People Can’t Get Anywhere ElseHow Brenden organizes his speechesOn public speaking magnifying one’s ability to do almost everything elsePre-speech rituals utilized to prepare for speaking engagements Personal story about doing presentations in a language he did not know Example when bad communication h

Background: Mary Polanco is a retired Air Force Veteran, Author, experienced leadership trainer and curriculum developer. Her expertise in leadership and personal growth is evident through her hands-on approach through individualized workshops and personal one-on-one instruction. Mary served 23 years in the United States Air Force. Her final assignment was as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Air Force Resilience Directorate, at Headquarters Air Force, located at the Pentagon. She continues her passion for resilience as an Adjunct Trainer for the Resilience Building Leadership Program and also holds a position with Small Business Consulting Corporation, where she serves the Air Force Global Strike Community as a Leadership Development Instructor for first-time supervisors.  Mary draws from her two decades of experience leading multicultural teams, as well as her personal experiences in adversity, to share her message of prioritizing self-health, well-being and resilience. She has helped countless people thro

Lacey Alexander, is a 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force. After retirement, Lacey spent 6 months of intentional work to transition from SMSgt Alexander to Lacey Alexander. Through coaching, self-reflection, and continuous learning she was able to define her values and vision to launch her own business and refine her focus to live in her purpose. In this episode, Lacey discusses trends from military personnel as they transition from uniform to the civilian sector. Additionally, Lacey highlights how she reinvented herself and brought different parts of her experience to the business side. Lastly, Lacey shares the knowledge passed to her from people she encountered during this journey and how a past failure benefitted her today. Biography:She now operates her Coaching, Consulting and Leadership Development business, Creative Solutions A2Z, focused on helping individuals and organizations succeed. Lacey also holds a number of roles in executive coaching, writing curriculum, doing instructional design,

Summary - Black Then A history podcast from Passing The Torch Podcast Network.Join Martin Foster and a rotation of guest hosts to celebrate and uplift the talents of African Americans throughout military history. Tune in to hear a quick synopsis of heralded and unheralded patriots.A world-famous flier before World War II, Chief Anderson became the first African American to earn a commercial pilot license. In 1940 the Tuskegee Institute hired him as its chief flight instructor to develop its pilot training program. The U.S. Army Air Corps awarded Tuskegee the contract to provide primary flight training in February 1941.Charles Alfred Anderson, often called the “Father of Black Aviation” was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb, on February 9, 1907.  His parents were Janie and Iverson Anderson. Charles Anderson earned the name “Chief” because he was the most experienced African American pilot before coming to Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1940.  He had amassed 3,500 hours of flight which prompted

Summary - Black Then A history podcast from Passing The Torch Podcast Network.Join Martin Foster and a rotation of guest hosts to celebrate and uplift the talents of African Americans throughout military history. Tune in to hear a quick synopsis of heralded and unheralded patriots.What has been pieced together paints a picture of a young man who showed an early skill for buying and trading goods. He seemed unafraid of the consequences of escaping the bonds of slavery. Historians have theorized that Attucks was the focus of an advertisement in a 1750 edition of the Boston Gazette in which a white landowner offered to pay 10 pounds for the return of a young runaway enslaved person.Attucks, however, managed to escape for good, spending the next two decades on trading ships and whaling vessels coming in and out of Boston. He also found work as a rope maker.Fast forwarding, As British control over the colonies tightened, tensions escalated between the colonists and British soldiers. Attucks was one of those direct

ABOUT ANDREW:Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA intelligence officer, decorated military combat veteran, and successful Fortune 10 corporate advisor. After 20 years leading human and technical intelligence operations for corporate and government clients, Andrew founded EverydaySpy.com - the first-ever online platform designed to teach elite spy skills to everyday people. Featured in both US and International media, Andrew’s training content has been praised for its innovative, authentic, and life-changing impact. When he isn’t giving interviews, running spy exercises, or supporting private intelligence contracts around the world, Andrew lives with his wife (also an ex-CIA Officer) and two children in Florida.In this episode, we discuss TOP SECRET: Mental optimization hacks reserved for the intellectual elite to control any situation.  Additionally, we cover DECLASSIFIED: ways to solve everyday problems like a spy would in life OR in a life or death situation. ELITE TRAINING: Unpacking the routines, exer

About the guest Trevor Blake: Trevor G Blake, a serial entrepreneur and New York times best- selling author, who over the last ten years has gone from starting his first business with just a few hundred dollars to creating and successfully selling and exiting three separate companies for over $300 million, all while never hiring a single employee and does this all working only 5 hours a day.Trevor grew up extremely poor and made the shift from humble beginnings to now achieving great success with balance. He joins Passing The Torch to help listeners accomplish a balanced and successful life with financial independenceTrevor has been featured in major media outlets such as Business Insider, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Inc. & more. Trevor is also the author of Secrets to a Successful Startup: A Recession-Proof Guide to Starting, Surviving & Thriving in Your Own Venture & Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life.Show NotesAccomplishing working five hours a day with zero emp

Each year, April is set aside as a military child appreciation month, officially known as the Month of the Military Child. With its creation in the mid-1980s, the Pentagon and other military support organizations and agencies use the month to recognize military kids for their sacrifice and bravery on the homefront.The term "military brat" is a badge of pride worn by generations of kids who traveled the world with their parents, moving into adulthood with the knowledge that they have the strength to handle anything. Military children deal with separations, deployments, frequent moves and even their parents' injuries as part of the life they were born into or entered with their families.Because purple is a color used to represent all military services, the theme "Purple Up" is used over the course of the month.Enjoy!

SHOW NOTESPassing the Torch with Martin FosterGuest: Retired Chief Master Sergeant Susan MaceSummary:Susan Mace served 25 years in the United States Air Force and is a retired Chief Master Sergeant. She held a position that represents the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force.Susan is an experienced leader with an accomplished record of operations management success in teambuilding, continuous improvement, intelligence operations, project management, and quality control. In addition, she is a skilled communicator and an expert at building high performing teams, key relationships, and improved operational results. As if that were not enough, Susan has a proven track record as an experienced manager adept at leading and implementing innovative initiatives by leveraging cross-functional teams within a complex organization to achieve operational goals. Throughout her decorated career, Susan has excelled with strengthening individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve increased results and effectiveness. Key T

Summary: A deeper dive into exactly why past struggles are so important to progressing through life and growing as a person. Amy Wade is a dear friend and someone I came up with in the military. She currently serves in a leadership role that gives her the opportunity to guide those attending professional military education (PME). Show Notes: Intro (0:00) Thoughts on reconnecting after 11 plus years and nostalgia (01:30) Meeting different versions of the same person and growing (05:20) Showing grace to people when people need it most (06:00) After meeting many well known and respected leaders, stories and specific examples that resonated (12: 15) Time in Amy's life where she was at a crossroads and lost, which ultimately led to a new trait and superpower being revealed (19:00) Something Amy would say to someone she knows is struggling and facing obstacles ( 23:30) When she reflects and plays footage of her own leadership performance, what are the areas she picks out for improvement? (25:30) Challenges wi

Summary: On this episode of Passing the Torch, Host Martin Foster introduces someone who understands deeply that we ignore history at our peril - Matt Ziemann, which is why the conversation in this episode of Passing the Torch is so robust. A love of history cultivated early in his life has been a guiding light throughout a remarkable career. The discussion touches on the many ways in which history gives context and how understanding decision-making from an experiential point of view can completely change the way we judge others. Enjoy this fun conversation, which includes everything from interesting fun facts about the Battle of Britain to what combo of historical figures would make for the best dinner party. You’ll also find out what popular adventure character (Hint: Indy, for short) might make the best model on which to base Matt’s life story! Key Takeaways: The big picture: Belief that history is important to good leadership and decision-making Person in history who was inspiring Sharing a simple, guidi

BIO:  Jon is a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He’s a Naval Academy graduate and has his masters in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. Jon has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama.  Jon brings mindfulness and meditation to high-performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity.  Since ending his 24-year military career in June 2020, Jon is now dedicated to spreading the practices of meditation and mindfulness to help others live happier and more fulfilling lives. One of the way he accomplishes is through a podcast he co-hosts titled “Men Talking Mindfulness.  SHOW NOTES: Chemistry Tables Getting Started with Men Talking Mindfulness What happens when you have a retired Navy Seal Commander joined by a hippie meditation teacher to discuss mindfulness How did Mindfulness enter Jon’s life Toxic Masculinity Misuse of the term If mindfulness and

Andrew Fingall is known by many things to many people: Father, Husband, Brother, Son, Friend, Leader, Mentor, Coach...the list could go on. For anyone that ever crosses paths with Andrew, one common term that everyone comes away with is Amazing! From working in the New York/New Jersey area during 9/11, to playing professional basketball overseas, Andrew has had an amazing journey thus far. As a result, the trial and tribulations have shaped who is he today. Links: Connect with the Passing the Torch podcast: ---> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/passingthetorchwithmartinfoster/ ---> SUBSCRIBE on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/passing-the-torch/id1338122884?mt=2

BIO:  Shannon Corbeil is a writer and actor most recently known for her work as ‘Officer Sheff’ on ABC’s The Rookie and ‘Ensign Tripp’ on CBS’s SEAL Team. A U.S. Air Force veteran, she served as an Intelligence Officer in South Korea and the National Security Agency. She has extensive experience writing and producing military stories. She has written and hosted hundreds of informational videos about military trivia with bylines on We Are The Mighty, Business Insider, and Military.com. After her military service, Shannon taught yoga and pole dance as she returned home to Los Angeles to pursue her professional career in the entertainment industry.   Shannon recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with Diavolo: Architecture in Motion and completed a year-long screenwriting program at the Writers Guild Foundation. She is an ambassador for the non-profit organization Pin-Ups for Vets which raises money to help hospitalized veterans. More about guest can be found here: Website: https://www.shan