IN THE MOMENT with Michael D. Jones

Michael D. Jones
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Bimonthly

IN THE MOMENT with Michael D. Jones is an opportunity to get to know an eclectic array of individuals, ranging from filmmakers, authors, performing artists, philanthropists, musicians, fitness coaches, painters, self-help motivators, influencers and more. These impromptu discussions span the highs and lows of their careers, shedding light on real life struggles and how they've manifested adversity into success. 

  1. 6h ago

    Beauty Pageant Queen To Winning Survivor: Danni Boatwright's Toughest Lessons

    Send us Fan Mail Guest: Danni Boatwright Contestant on Fox's 99 to Beat, Model, Mom, Spokesperson, Podcaster,      Two Time Survivor player and Winner (Season 11)....and so much more.  A Survivor winner calling herself the “Velvet Steamroller” sounds like a fun tagline until you hear what forged it. I’m joined by Danni Boatwright, champion of Survivor: Guatemala, and we go way past the highlight reel into the grit: pageants and modeling, unexpected resilience, and what it really takes to keep moving when conditions get brutal and your brain starts bargaining with you. We talk about Guatemala’s infamous trek through the jungle, why endurance is more than fitness, and the unglamorous survival details most viewers never feel from the couch: unsafe water, sickness, hunger, and the pressure of performing while you’re depleted. Danni also shares why the cast can stay connected for life even after conflict, and how modern social media and pregame noise can distort the game before it even starts. Then we fast-forward to Winners at War and Danni’s honest take on returning while navigating real life, grief, and limited prep. From there, we jump into Fox’s 99 to Beat and why a “simple” task can be more mentally punishing than Survivor when the spotlight and stakes hit at once. We close on what matters most: faith, family, mentoring, and protecting your joy when life tries to take it. If you like Survivor strategy, reality TV behind-the-scenes, mental toughness, and real-life resilience, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a review. What’s one moment that forced you to find strength you didn’t know you had? If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  2. Sep 23

    The Original SURVIVOR Badass - Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick and her Unbreakable Resilience.

    Send us Fan Mail Guest: 4 Time SURVIVOR Player - Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick You can watch someone battle for a million dollars and still miss the hardest part: what they carry when the cameras shut off. We sit down with Survivor icon Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick for a wide-open conversation about resilience, reputation, and the kind of strength that doesn’t come from a challenge win. From the moment she explains why she applied at 24, it’s clear her story is built on work ethic, stubborn grit, and a refusal to stay down.  We revisit the Survivor moments fans still talk about, including Palau’s brutal losing streak and the experience of becoming a “tribe of one,” plus what changes when you return with a target on your back. Stephenie also gives her unfiltered take on all-star dynamics and the pregaming debate around Survivor season 50, and why relationships can change the second the game starts. If you love reality TV strategy, this conversation gets specific about loyalty, lying, and how to compete without losing yourself.  Then the episode turns deeply personal. Stephenie shares how motherhood reshaped her priorities, how her family survived her son’s traumatic hit-by-a-car accident, and how faith and prayer became anchors through recovery and grief, including losing two brothers unexpectedly. We also talk self-care that’s actually doable: workouts, small pockets of time, staying present with family, and being selective about social media and brand deals.  If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one mindset shift that helps you keep going when life gets heavy? If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  3. Sep 19

    Building Strong Roots For A Bigger Life - A conversation with author, Chandra Lynn.

    Send us Fan Mail This weeks Guest: Chandra Lynn, M.B.A. Founder, Glow Marketing LLC® and Glow Living® Certified Transformation Coach | Creator of Root-to-Rise® Personal Growth System | Amazon #1 Bestselling Author | MSN Top 10 Self-Made Women | Praised by Deepak Chopra and Kirkus https://glowliving.com/rtrbooks/ We connect with Chandra and trace how her early career in music marketing and pioneering internet concert promotion evolves into Root to Rise, a system for personal growth. We talk human needs psychology, emotional resilience, and the boundaries that keep you from burning out while you build a life you’re proud to leave behind.  • reconnecting later in life and letting the past come full circle  • pioneering early venue websites, seat-view photos, and email list building in concert promotion  • shifting from behind-the-scenes marketing to transformation coaching and authorship  • transmuting pain into purpose after a close friend’s suicide  • Root to Rise as a tree pose metaphor for midlife balance and sustainable achievement  • five root areas of life: health, career, self or partner relationship, family, friends  • using human needs psychology to understand motives and decision-making  • building emotional resilience for life’s storms and finding your deeper taproot  • journaling prompts that turn insight into action and clarity  • the 51% Rule for boundaries when you overhelp others  • stepping into visibility through talks, signings, and new creative tools like a workbook and oracle deck  Don't miss out on the next episode. Subscribe now on all streaming platforms in your area.  If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  4. Aug 15

    What Changes When You Stop Hiding - How a DC Creative built a Modeling Career.

    Send us Fan Mail June  2026 This weeks Guest - Lindsey K. Weller You can feel it when someone finally admits the truth: they’re bored, they’re restless, and they can’t do the “safe” path anymore.  That’s where this conversation with Lindsey Weller starts, and it quickly turns into a real-world playbook for anyone trying to build a creative career without living in LA or New York.  I’m Michael D. Jones, and Lindsey takes us through her winding road from childhood theater to field hockey, then into TV production, marketing, and a master’s in psychology before she made the leap into modeling and acting in the DC area DMV.   We get specific about the unglamorous parts people ignore: long hours, waiting, gear, uncertainty, and the constant hustle to keep momentum. Lindsey explains how she built a diverse portfolio on purpose, why being a “chameleon” helps, and how she’s now pushing for bigger acting representation. Then we go deep on boudoir photography, what it actually is, and why it can be empowering instead of exploitative. We talk stigma, body positivity, authenticity, and the weird cultural double standard of consuming sexy imagery while judging the people who create it, plus what happens when social platforms flag tasteful work anyway.   You’ll also hear what keeps us steady on the hard days: asking for outside perspective, doing one small creative action, and letting rest count when your brain won’t shut off. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should hide parts of yourself to be “bookable,” this will challenge you in the best way. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review. What’s one choice you’d make if you stopped worrying about being judged? Link to Lindsey - https://www.lindseykweller.com If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  5. Feb 17

    When Manifestation Meets Intention: Redefining Fear, Failure, and Focus. A chat with Rachel Lamont, winner of SURVIVOR 47.

    Send us Fan Mail This weeks guest: Rachel Lamont (Winner of SURVIVOR 47) What does it take to chase a dream for seven years, get sent to Fiji as an alternate, come home without playing, and still return to win it all? We sit down with Survivor 47 champion and Detroit designer Rachel Lamont for a candid, energizing conversation about grit, design thinking, and how to turn fear into fuel when everything is on the line.  Rachel traces her path from art school and agency work to corporate UX at General Motors, where progress felt flat and curiosity kept tugging. Survivor changed the trajectory, but not the way you might expect. She talks about the strange limbo of being an on-site alternate, the pressure-cooker clarity of living without a phone for five weeks, and how therapy and presence gave her a steadier mind under fire. When it mattered most—at final five—she reframed nerves into intention, locked in, and won the challenge that kept her torch alive. We also dig into the power and limits of manifestation. Rachel’s take is refreshingly grounded: set a specific intention, then let it shape your behavior. That shift carried her from a million-dollar win to launching Puzzle Hungry Umami Rush, a competitive puzzle game that exploded on Kickstarter and is now in manufacturing. She unpacks product design choices, community support, and why creative reinvention works best when you treat it like a series of solvable problems. There’s a rich behind-the-scenes look at Jeff Probst’s craft, the edit-versus-reality gap, and how gendered expectations show up at Final Tribal. Rachel shares how to argue without overreaching, why adaptability beats a perfect plan, and how to hold “refined indifference to the result”—pour your best into the work, accept what you can’t control, and keep moving. If you care about resilience, high-pressure performance, and building something you wish existed, this one will land. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Then tell us: what bold risk are you taking this week? If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  6. Jan 21

    Inside The Santa Fe International Film Festival With Artistic Director Jacques Paisner

    Send us Fan Mail Jan 21, 2026 This weeks Guest - Jacques Paisner What if a regional film festival could be the most practical break you get all year? We sit down with Jacques Paisner, artistic director and founding member of the Santa Fe International Film Festival, to unpack how smart curation, real funding, and a thriving local scene can move a filmmaker from first short to sustained momentum. From early U.S. premieres to Academy-qualifying shorts, we dig into the mechanics that place great films in the right rooms and create conversations that stick long after the credits roll. Jacques shares how his team scouts Sundance and Berlin, balances associate programmers, and champions Indigenous films curated by Gary Farmer. We talk about the power of panels and mixers that actually connect people, plus the Santa Fe Film Institute’s grants—up to $10,000 for New Mexico creators—that close the gap between an ambitious script and a finished cut. We also explore the wider ecosystem: the Santa Fe Railyard’s cultural hub, direct flights to LA, 300 days of sun, and the grounded lifestyle that lets artists focus, collaborate, and ship work. We dive into recent standouts across narrative and documentary, the logic behind selecting lifetime achievement honorees like Edward James Olmos and Bryan Cranston, and what’s next on the calendar: March’s Oscar-nominated foreign film series and October’s festival dates. Jacques is also producing Heat Waves and Numbskull Revolution and co-hosts Film Talk Weekly, offering more ways to learn and plug into the community.  If you’re chasing your first festival slot, building a slate, or looking for a place where film culture feels alive and welcoming, this conversation maps the path and the people who can help you walk it. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show with a filmmaker friend—and subscribe so you never miss a new story. If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  7. Jan 7

    How A Bay Area Fashion Designer/Artist Manifested Dubai and New York Fashion Week

    Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Cardum Sage to explore how a pandemic pivot, Ghanaian partnerships, and a wellness practice turned sketches into a runway-bound, gender-fluid fashion brand.  Joy, craft, and community drive the journey from Oakland pop-ups to Dubai and New York Fashion Week. • reclaiming the artist name and creative flow • crafting masks that sparked a design path • opening a home atelier and reading community demand • partnering with Ghanaian tailors and adopting the Nkyinkyim symbol • decolonizing sizing with Femme, Diva, Queen, Goddess • designing boleros and cargos for gender fluidity • sourcing Ankara and mud cloth with cultural intention • manifesting a New York Fashion Week invitation • launching Sacred Threads and Afro lux streetwear • wellness roots and Sacred Naps for nervous system reset • VIP in-atelier presentation and how to connect on Instagram Don’t miss out on the next episode subscribe now on all streaming platforms in your area join us as we celebrate the extraordinary moments that shape our lives and I’m looking forward to hearing your story and your success. Link to Cardum's fashion line:  https://da-af.com/media If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

  8. 12/15/2025

    From Unsolved Mysteries to Prince: Duane Tudahl on being a tv editor, author, and official archivist for the Prince estate vault material.

    Send us Fan Mail Two TV veterans reconnect over a shared credit on Unsolved Mysteries and open a door into Prince’s studio life most fans never get to see. We sit down with editor and author Duane Tudahl to map how a PA-turned-editor found his way to Sunset Sound’s work orders, transformed them into day-by-day chronicles of the Purple Rain and Parade eras, and eventually became the Prince Estate’s lead researcher and archivist. If you’ve ever wondered how a myth becomes a method, this is your tour of the vault—equal parts tape formats, climate control, liner notes, and goosebumps. Duane walks us through the discipline behind discovery: cataloging two-inch reels and cassettes, cross-referencing engineers and rooms, and shaping box sets that actually deepen the listening experience. We talk Welcome 2 America’s unlikely release, the extended takes that turn 30 seconds into revelation, and why editing Prince means not cutting on the beat because he’s already doing something on it. The stories hit the stage too—$25 Forum tickets, five encores, and a blackout opening that blooms into Stevie Wonder rising for a 20-minute “Superstition.” It’s a reminder that live music can still feel like a secret you get to keep. We also get practical. Duane shares how to earn trust without chasing gossip, why picking your “mountain” early matters for careers, and how learning the tools others ignore creates resilience. He reveals the next book’s arc—from Lovesexy to Batman—and a passion project worth backing: a documentary on Crack the Sky, the Baltimore band that never stopped showing up. Come for the Prince deep cuts and stay for the blueprint on creative longevity, stewardship, and community. If this conversation moves you, subscribe, share it with a fellow music nerd, and leave a review telling us your favorite Prince era. If you want to be considered as a guest, please contact us: michael@silverheartproductions.com

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About

IN THE MOMENT with Michael D. Jones is an opportunity to get to know an eclectic array of individuals, ranging from filmmakers, authors, performing artists, philanthropists, musicians, fitness coaches, painters, self-help motivators, influencers and more. These impromptu discussions span the highs and lows of their careers, shedding light on real life struggles and how they've manifested adversity into success. 

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