Best Jeff Hopeck Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 58: Pilot's Trifecta of Near-death Experiences & more … 1:38:40

21h ago1:38:40

1:38:40

Most pilots retire having never experienced 1 of these near-death experiences. Not Kelly Fox. As a 747 Pilot, he experienced all 3 ... in one ONE trip! That's correct. In just 72 hours, this pilot stared death in the face and each time his training fought back and wrestled the demon of death to the ground; each time emerging victorious and ready fo…

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Ep. 57: CIA Missions Gone Wrong 31:40

8d ago31:40

31:40

In this engaging conversation, Nic McKinley shares his unique experiences as a CIA operative, highlighting the humorous and unexpected moments that occur in high-stakes intelligence operations. He discusses the advantages of using Riverside for podcasting, recounts funny stories from combat, and reflects on the challenges faced during covert operat…

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Ep. 56: Retired U.S. Secret Service Agent (Near-Death Story & More!) 2:17:21

15d ago2:17:21

2:17:21

What happens when a Secret Service agent stares death in the face—over and over again? Meet Scott Bryson, a man whose career in the Secret Service reads like a Hollywood thriller. From high-stakes missions overseas to life-or-death moments on U.S. soil, Scott’s stories aren’t just intense—they’re jaw-dropping. In this episode, he takes us inside so…

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Ep. 55: 4ocean (Plastic Islands & Panic at 150 ft.) 1:23:35

23d ago1:23:35

1:23:35

Summary In this episode, Tony Ernst from Four Ocean shares his journey from waste management to leading ocean cleanup efforts. He emphasizes the importance of transparency in their operations, detailing the extensive documentation required for every cleanup. Tony discusses the equipment and partnerships that enable their work, the daily operations …

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Ep. 54: Military Trained (82nd Airborne). Mission: Protect Your Child. 1:27:33

28d ago1:27:33

1:27:33

From Airborne to Unshakable Trust John Nelson’s life reads like a movie script—82nd Airborne veteran, government work across continents, and now the founder of a student tour company built entirely on safety, trust, and integrity. In this episode, John shares wild jump stories, Cold War memories, surviving chaos during the Boston Marathon bombing, …

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Ep. 53: 437 lb. Lie He Told Himself Every Day 1:13:40

1M ago1:13:40

1:13:40

👀 437lbs down to 205lbs. Listen to Keith Brock's inspirational story that began with a couch 🛋️ in Miami, FL and a gut-wrenching event that sparked lasting change in his life. One moment he was living the life of a 437 pound frustrated and miserable human being. The next moment he turned his life over and walked out of his old body. Some incredible…

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Ep. 52: TOPGUN Pilot to Renowned High School Teacher 1:41:08

1M ago1:41:08

1:41:08

Ray Schenk : The ultimate story of a Top Gun pilot turned high school teacher, whose classes all have waiting lists to get into. Ray’s approach to modern day education, finding and developing leaders for the next generation and his keen sense of using AI & Robotics in the classroom have all landed him on Episode 52 of The 🎙️ Interesting Humans Podc…

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Ep. 51: World Series of Poker Champion, Jeff Tomlinson 1:15:54

2M ago1:15:54

1:15:54

♣️ ♦️ ♥️ Jeff Tomlinson, 2015 World Series poker champion talks poker tells, card counting, rules, and stories ranging from dumbest thing seen at a poker table to the final hand before winning his gold bracelet! Even if you’re like me and do not play poker, you’re in for a real treat on this episode. Plus, jeff is such an awesome person and you’re …

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Ep. 50: John MacVeigh, FBI Horror Story 2:51:57

2M ago2:51:57

2:51:57

“This is one of the sickest and most gruesome displays of human depravity ever seen at the FBI” — Retired Special Agent John Macveigh. I met John through Retired U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Harry Fuller. Harry is a close friend of mine (and we worked together 2003-2006) who appeared in Episode 30 together with Retired U.S. Secret Service Agen…

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Ep. 48: Saltwater Stories: A Captain's Life at Sea 1:08:22

2M ago1:08:22

1:08:22

[Folks, there was no way I could produce this episode in my studio! It had to be done on the deck of Captain Allen’s boat, so we hit the road and spent a sunny afternoon on his boat!] Captain Allen Mills — He’s a good friend, a client, and 45+ year charter fishing captain. He is owner of ACCharters in Amelia Island, Florida. I fished will Allen 50+…

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Ep. 47: Susana Eshleman - Living Life with Purpose & On Purpose 1:20:00

2M ago1:20:00

1:20:00

“God honors treating people well.” — Susana Eshleman, CEO Children International I was introduced to Susana by a mutual friend and former Chairman of the CI board of directors. She has such an inspiring story beginning with how she had to hide books under her bed as a child then how and why she got into college then accepted into Harvard. Full of t…

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Ep. 46: MLK Protege, Bloody Sunday Survivor 1:29:53

2M ago1:29:53

1:29:53

My good friend Jack was at an event watching John Suttles share his story. Jack called me right after the event and said “Jeff you HAVE to get this guy on your podcast. His story was so amazing I walked up to him afterwards and got his number for you.” Wow, Jack was right! And then some. Mr John Suttles shares his story of surviving Bloody Sunday, …

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Ep. 45: 17 Brain Surgeries. 7 Misdiagnoses. 13mos ICU 1:29:31

2M ago1:29:31

1:29:31

Shaun & Julie Francis have endured what hopefully no other human being has to endure. 17 brain surgeries, 13 months in ICU, multiple comas, seizures and more. When 7 surgeons told Julie her husband's only option is to enter hospice, she said "figure out a way" and they did. Without her advocacy on his behalf while in a coma, Shaun would be dead lon…

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Ep. 44: Dave Cormack: Owner of Aberdeen Football Club 1:19:14

2M ago1:19:14

1:19:14

Dave Cormack. I’m so thankful a mutual friend connected us. Our first pre-interview was at Starbucks and lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes! Dave is such an incredible human. Of course he’s successful with a business exit of $800 million. But there is so much more to this man. In this episode you’re going to hear Dave’s entire life story from growing up…

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Ep. 43: From Homeless to Fortune 500 Lanyard King 54:25

3M ago54:25

54:25

I’m so glad a mutual friend introduced us. Mike Barnhill has such an exciting story from couch jumping and homeless to becoming #1 badge/lanyard supplier in the world. But how and why is this even possible? The answer is what makes this episode so extraordinary! It was ONE sentence in ONE book that changed everything for Mike. Prepare yourself for …

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Ep 42: 4 Million TikTok Followers [An Influencer's AMAZING Life Story] 1:17:09

3M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Meghan McCarthy turned a disadvantage into a significant ADvantage! As you will hear, her voice is truly unique and millions agree. They love her funny and engaging videos on TikTok, Youtube and Instagram where she has 8+ million followers. Her family business (Mccarthy Taxi and Flowers) was in 3 episodes of The Office! Enjoy the episode! Her entir…

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Ep 41: For Parents: Big 6 Theory, COVID Developmental Effects on Kids by age, Hannah Rinehart, LPC 1:09:35

3M ago1:09:35

1:09:35

I'm a father of 4. This episode blew my mind. Listen as Hannah explains the Big 6, the COVID developmental effects on kids, her lemonade stand story, parenting tips & hacks, and much more. If you're a parent or know parents, don't miss this one. It's critical and I assure you'll glean several important nuggets. Thanks for listening to Interesting H…

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Ep. 40: Art of Training Seeing Eye Dogs [Behind the Scenes] 1:13:48

3M ago1:13:48

1:13:48

Lehman Brothers to Training Seeing Eye Dogs! Jim flew in from New Jersey, headquarters of Seeing Eye Training Institute. We go behind the senses starting day 1 arrival when blind students arrive. Jim explains what it takes to train these incredible dogs, how the students get chosen and matched to their dog, and so much more. He even gives the day-t…

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Ep 39: Gary Young : Survivor, “Mother of All Surgeries” 1:14:17

3M ago1:14:17

1:14:17

Gary Young survived one of (if not the most) complicated surgery known to man. Listen as he tells the horrific yet heroic story of having 8 organs removed and scrubbed with chemo. And it didn't end there. His body was filled up with chemo and he was shaken around for 2 hours. Help Gary raise awareness for this rare, often mis-diagnosed form of canc…

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Ep 38: Ty Bryant's Life Story: Adoption, Loss & Redemption 1:24:02

4M ago1:24:02

1:24:02

Ty's first night was spent in an Electrolux Vacuum Box. His narrative begins with a touching tale of adoption, when a woman offered him to his mother just three days after his birth, a moment that resonates with biblical stories of destiny and community support. Ty's alcoholic father left the family early on, leaving him to be raised by his mother,…

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Ep 34: CRYPTIC Home & Auto Insurance Industry SCAMS, Practical Tips 1:25:14

5M ago1:25:14

1:25:14

Buyer beware of CRYPTIC-ness: Home and Auto Insurance SCAMS! And great practical tips to help keep you safe from the continued lies and empty promises of such a snake-filled industry. Today, we're diving deep into the world of home & auto insurance with none other than Brandon Smith, a seasoned expert in the field and Super Lawyer. If you've ever w…

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Ep 33: The Incredible Story of MUJO [Michelin Star] SUSHI 1:34:25

6M ago1:34:25

1:34:25

Federico Castelluci was introduced to me by Randy Cross' son (episode 6), Brendon. "Hey Jeff, you should talk to my friend Federico. He's young and turned around SUGO, built Cooks & Soldier and Iberian Pig then the most incredible restaurant called MUJO. The whole place sells out on the 1st of every month. You won't believe his story!" Brendon cert…

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Ep 32: INTRAPRENEUR: Taking The Weather Channel and CNN into the Digital Era 1:00:01

6M ago1:00:01

1:00:01

Louis Gump was introduced to me by a mutual friend. "This guy wrote a book and is doing really unique stuff with the biggest organizations in the world" is how it was teed up. And wow, it's THAT plus much more! Louis Gump, author, tells his fascinating story of taking massive organizations into the digital era using his framework of INTRApreneurshi…

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Ep 31: David Perno, UGA Dawgs Baseball Coach. 2 Players Paralyzed, SEC Titles & The "Big Win" 1:29:05

6M ago1:29:05

1:29:05

David Perno had no idea what was coming when he accepted the head coach job at UGA. 2 A-level recruits paralyzed in the same year was just the beginning. This episode takes many twists and turns and also highlights his 5 SEC titles and College Baseball Championships. He's a great storyteller and has been through so much in his career! While nobody …

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Ep 30: 2 Retired U.S. Secret Service Agents Tell AMAZING Stories, Behind the Scenes [FULL EPISODE] 2:08:03

6M ago2:08:03

2:08:03

We laugh... a Secret Service Officer and 2 Secret Service Agents walk into a room. No joke! We actually did, and the interview was fascinating. I interviewed 2 close friends I worked with in the U.S. Secret Service, back in "the days". We told stories, gave account for the 2 assassination attempts, talked about training inefficiencies and much much…

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Ep 29: [Painkiller Doc.] Real-Life M30 & Heroin Survivor Story. Hope & Inspiration 1:10:03

7M ago1:10:03

1:10:03

Meet Will. Normal in every way. Except he fell into the trap shown in Painkiller Documentary. It goes like this: Experimenting with M30's and when they get too expensive the dealer suggests heroin. And it's that simple, and most times it's THAT DEADLY. Will got out alive and his story is just tremendous. It brings hope and inspiration to all who su…

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Ep 27: Blind At Age 21. Harvard Grad, Coder, Double Black Diamond Skier. How? 1:46:15

12M ago1:46:15

1:46:15

Chad E. Foster has accomplished more than 99% of humans. And, he did it BLIND. His story will motivate you to turn any obstacle into an advantage. His book Blind Ambition will have you laughing, crying and wanting to make massive changes in your life all at the same time. While reading his book, and then while interviewing him in person, I felt con…

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Ep 26: Empowering the Disabled Through Farming, Joe & Mike Twiner Peachtree Farm 59:03

12M ago59:03

59:03

When I first toured Peachtree Farm, it was for a completely different reason than having them on my podcast. 15 minutes into the tour, things changed! This farm is about so much more than sustainable farming! They only hire disabled teens and young adults and watching them worked made it clear why this farm needs to be an episode on Interesting Hum…

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Ep. 25: Chris Carneal, Boosterhon CEO, Authentic Leadership, Family Man 1:30:06

12M ago1:30:06

1:30:06

What if balancing a thriving entrepreneurial career and a fulfilling family life isn't just a dream, but an achievable reality? Join us as Chris Carneal, founder and CEO of Booster, shares his inspiring journey of raising over $700 million for schools while staying deeply involved with his family, including coaching more than 30 of his kids' sports…

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Ep 24: WWII Vet, 99 Years Old! Great Stories, Great Human 32:21

12M ago32:21

32:21

What a great blessing to be introduced to Fred Van Laningham. We took the show on the road to interview him at his assisted living facility. Caution, he is a little hard to follow and understand at times and we did our ABSOLUTE BEST to edit the sound and quality. My goal in bringing him on is to shine a light on such an interesting time in our nati…

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Ep 23: Chris Schueler, CEO Cyderes, Robert Herjavec's (Shark Tank) Successor 56:11

1y ago56:11

56:11

In this episode Chris talks about his time as an Army Ranger, his experience getting his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, his significant pivotal point that forever changed him, and his incredible story of being first to create a cybersecurity blueprint at the Pentagon before the word "cybersecurity" even existed! It becomes simple to see why Rob…

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Ep 22: Stacy Miller. Dyslexia is my Superpower. Fyre Festival Lawyer [Netflix Doc], Elevator Tragedy Story 56:38

1y ago56:38

56:38

Stacy Miller was a fascinating interview for so many reasons. First, he's on a Netflix Documentary, Fyre Festival. Second, he calls his Dyslexia his superpower! That had me blown away, and when he unpacks the story my mind became completely blown. And 3rd he prosecuted several high profile cases but none hit home like the Weston Androw elevator cas…

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Ep 21: Jeff Franceour, MLB Star, Braves TBS Broadcaster 1:03:07

1y ago1:03:07

1:03:07

I wanted to interview Jeff because of his reputation as a family man and role model in the community. I reached out to one of my close friends who hunts and golfs with Jeff and things fell into place from there. As you will hear (and see if you watch on Youtube), Jeff is a dynamic and passionate human being. His stories, especially the one about th…

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Ep 20: Matt Mcllwain, Madrona Venture Group Managing Director [Forbes Midas List] 1:00:11

1y ago1:00:11

1:00:11

What a great treat it was to interview Matt. He's a good friend of Chris Scully (COO of a company I started in 2007, Killer Shark Marketing). In this episode you will hear Matt discuss how Madrona was an "Early investor into Amazon and many other great companies we all know and love." A fun fact about this episode, Matt broke a rib the day before w…

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Ep 19: [Son]: No College. [Dad]: Ok, then You Are Doing THIS 48:34

1y ago48:34

48:34

On this episode, 19 year-old Austin Smith told his ultra-successful father that he won't be attending college after high school. His father supported the decision and said you will absolutely be doing THIS one thing while getting your business started. And it's profound and frankly missing in too many young adults today (and even adults). How I kno…

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Ep 18: Justin Whitmel Early, Author, Habits of the Household & The Common Rule 45:24

1y ago45:24

45:24

Justin spoke at our kids' school one night. He provided practical solutions for challenging situations like bed time with 4 kids under 8 years old! I was impressed with his simplistic approach and his story is captivating. After the speech I approached him to come onto the podcast. Here's his more formal bio: Justin Whitmel Earley is a lawyer, auth…

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Ep 17: From Self-Sabotaging to 46 Bestselling Books & Oprah Windfrey's Next Door Neighbor 41:35

1y ago41:35

41:35

Gay Hendricks doesn't need much of an introduction, so I will tell you how we met and why he was on my podcast. For at least 5 years I couldn't get over a particular hurdle I was having. Despite being successful in business, traveling the world, working at the White House (Formerly I was a U.S. Secret Service Officer) I could not put content online…

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Ep 16: 12+ Year Survivor, Glioblastoma Stage 4 Brain Cancer 1:05:47

1y ago1:05:47

1:05:47

Jennifer Dickenson has outlived any measured survival rates for Glioblastoma. That in itself is REMARKABLE! Only .07% make it to 10 years with nearly 100% passing before 12 years. WOW. The question is, how did that happen? In her book, she talks about the journey and how she made a radical life change that she credits to keeping her in remission. T…

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Ep 15: SEC Football Mascot [Behind the Scenes] Interview, Job + Lifestyle = Mind Blown! 1:12:12

1y ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Meet Michael Young. He unpacks the entire process from trying out (over 100 tried out!) thru traveling rules, sideline rules and the entire lifestyle of being an SEC mascot. My mind was COMPLETELY BLOWN! I thought you just put on a suit and go... wow was I wrong! 2 mascots can't be in suit at the same time, even if it means one is in Europe and one…

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Ep 14: What Autism Gave Me [Son of Mike & Joan from Episode 11] 44:41

1y ago44:41

44:41

Michael Goodroe (his parents were Episode 11) is such a unique human being. Given a horrific diagnosis at birth, he was poured into by his parents who never settled with medical advice they were given, and one day all the hard work and persistence paid off. This story is tremendous in every way and it cannot be told enough. Sometimes, even 8 medica…

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Ep 13: Crazy ER Surgeon Stories. [Gun Shots & More…] 1:22:50

1y ago1:22:50

1:22:50

James Boron, MD, a close friend of mine, joined me today to share incredible stories of life inside the busiest trauma centers in America. 25 beds, 1 surgeon and gun shot wounds along with non-stop life threatening emergencies all night long. These people are real heroes. They save lives all day and night long and often times go unrecognized. Today…

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Ep 12: Broke to Breakthrough. Retiring at Age 38 When COVID Exploded ZOOM Stock 1:42:14

1y ago1:42:14

1:42:14

Josh Nelson, nor anyone else in the world, had any idea what was about to happen. COVID struck the world and Josh's newly negotiated ZOOM contract included more stock than cash. The company wasn't doing so well PRE-COVID. They averaged 1 million daily active users. But then comes COVID, and the daily active users skyrockets to 100 million! So does …

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Ep 11: Dr's said "Impossible" : From Autism to Author, Black Belt, Speaker 1:15:25

1y ago1:15:25

1:15:25

Meet Joan and Mike Goodroe. Persistence despite flying in the face of what 8 medical doctors called "impossible". I would call them superheroes. The effort these parents produced consistently for 20+ years is nothing short of remarkable. They followed their hearts and knew deep down they can get their son to comprehend and read. They even had 2 set…

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Ep 10: Former CIA Operative. Orphan to Operator. DeliverFund Founder 1:18

1y ago1:18

1:18

Nic Mckinley is the real-life Jack Ryan. His life started off as an orphan. Prepare for an episode full of top secret (not classified) stories about missions all across the world with the I N C R E D I B L E moment he knew starting DeliverFund would be his life purpose. DeliverFund is dedicated to stopping human trafficking using technology and man…

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Ep 9: From living in a car at age 16, to owning top 1% dental practice in America 1:02:14

1y ago1:02:14

1:02:14

Dr. Brett Silverman's story will inspire and encourage you to see that anything is possible. Obstacles are there to make you stronger, and Brett's life was chalk full of them! We especially love the opening story where he called the Dental School for an interview.... and their reply is EPIC! Brett is owner at Advanced Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of…

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Ep 8: Finding Your Passion: Nick Cellini's Story of Sports Broadcasting 42:27

1y ago42:27

42:27

Nick Cellini used to sit at the dinner table with his dad and brothers and talk sports. All the time! Growing up he found a way to pursue his childhood passion by sitting around the table with a group of broadcasters and once again be able to talk sports! He's a famous sports broadcaster in Atlanta and his passion is contagious. A local boy from Cl…

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Ep 7: Tony Villani: Secrets, Trainer of Fastest NFL Players in History 57:05

1y ago57:05

57:05

Meet Tony Villani, President & Founder of XPE Sports. Prepare to learn behind the scenes secrets of how his unique & specialized "speed training" has landed Tony 8 of the 12 fastest all-time 40yard dash times in history of the combine. In episode 7, Tony shares his journey from being a personal trainer to training elite NFL athletes. He talks about…

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Ep 6: Randy Cross, 3 Super Bowl Rings & CBS Sports Legend 1:21:36

1y ago1:21:36

1:21:36

When I started Interesting Humans Podcast in 2023, Randy Cross was one of my original wish list guests! We first met when I joined the club and we got paired together on the golf course. The relationship continued to grow from there as our wives walked our Siberian Huskies (The Cross's had 1 husky and we had 2 huskies at that time) together. I knew…

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Ep 5: F-18 Pilot. State Department Diplomat. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel 1:02:35

1+ y ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Prepare to be blown away! In this interview with JP Hesford we deep dive into his multi-faceted career and life as a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, former F-18 pilot, and retired diplomat with the State Department. We discuss what life looks like during training, where and for how long training takes place, how many states and countries h…

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Ep 4: From Karts to British GT Champ in 4 years! And much more... 45:58

1+ y ago45:58

45:58

Erik Evans. The Evans's family are friends and neighbors and I have known Erik since he was 8 years old. I've identified Erik as an Interesting Human when I first started my podcast in 2023. He was in my original top 10 interesting people list because of how he lived his life. He was different than most 16 year olds. He was home schooling so he can…

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Jeff Hopeck Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen