Ashes to Architects

Brian Cartier
  • 5.0 (9)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Ashes to Architects is a new podcast about personal development for artists, creatives or anyone having a hard time finding their place. Hosted by Brian Cartier, a New England-based artist and entrepreneur of Korean, Congolese, and German descent, the show is rooted in lived experience: childhood trauma, homelessness, and mental health battles as a divorced single father. Although his artwork landed him some notoriety, he failed to make ends meet and had to move out of his studio—where he had secretly been living—then rebuilt from an old dilapidated horse stable that became a home for him and his daughter. That unlikely turn sparked a new career, going on to lead sales teams and building a new family, before stepping away from corporate leadership to return to creativity and be a more present father. Subscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spotify PodcastsSubscribe on iHeart Radio• Subscribe on YouTube • Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram

  1. MAR 17

    Evan Hennessy on Resilience, Vulnerability and Being Honest with Yourself.

    Chef Evan Hennessy joins me for a deep conversation on resilience, vulnerability, leadership and about how he stumbled into the culinary world unexpectedly, as a dishwasher after failing out of Art School. Evan is the Chef behind Stages in Dover, New Hampshire, a restaurant he opened in 2012, that has been named among the top 100 restaurants in the country several years in a row. Evan has also won Chopped ( ⁨@FoodNetwork⁩ ) three times. He was also named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Northeast.  In this episode, we get into: • why the phrase “the customer is always right” often breaks down in real life • how Evan went from studying fine art to building a career in food • the difference between hard work, resilience, and stubbornness • why vulnerability matters in kitchens, leadership, and creative work • how toxic kitchen culture develops and what healthy culture actually looks like • why great food is about history, memory, land, and human connection • how simplicity can be more powerful than complexity • the mindset behind Stages and Evan’s newer travel concept, Finding Thyme This was one of my favorite conversations because it’s really not just about food. It’s about craft, standards, community, and the courage to keep refining your work without letting the world flatten it into something generic. Explore Evan’s work: Stages https://www.stages-dining.com/ Finding Thyme https://www.findingthyme.org/ * Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1873180499 * Subscribe on Spotify Podcasts  https://open.spotify.com/show/2TJRjwzTOBiuUiO0v0CfV8 * Subscribe on iHeart Radio  https://www.iheart.com/podcast/320135177/ * Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_gqqrhRBmU343j3rtuOE3Q * Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashes2architects?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

    1h 14m

  2. MAR 14

    How to Speak Confidently When You’re Nervous. (Aimee Blesing, Vocal Coach)

    In this episode of Ashes to Architects, Brian sits down with Aimee Blesing (actor trainer, voice/body/speech coach, dialect & accent coach, and longtime university instructor) for a wide-ranging conversation on what actually makes people freeze when they have to speak—whether it’s a keynote, a classroom, a Zoom meeting, an audition, or a hard conversation at home. They get into why smart, capable people can still feel paralyzed in front of an audience, and how “confidence” often isn’t a personality trait—it’s attention, preparation, and the ability to regulate your nervous system in real time. Aimee breaks down what’s happening in the body when self-consciousness kicks in, why most people were never taught the execution side of communication, and how voice and presence are trainable skills—not traits you’re born with. You’ll hear practical tools you can use immediately, including: Why your body can create anxiety even when nothing is “wrong”A simple 60-second reset before speaking: face, shoulders, breathThe “smell breath” trick (shockingly effective)Why “box breathing” doesn’t work for everyone—and what mightHow to pause before you speak (especially in emotional moments)Why rehearsing delivery matters as much as writing contentThe difference between performing and being present—and why “trying to look cool” backfiresHow actor training concepts like giving & receiving apply to marriage, parenting, and leadership Aimee also shares a personal turning point: childbirth and losing the voice/body connection she’d always relied on—an experience that reshaped her teaching into something more human-centered and compassionate, and helped her bridge coaching from performers into the professional world. The episode closes on a powerful anchor: “To thine own self be true.” Not as a slogan—but as a real framework for communication, confidence, and identity. If you’ve ever felt frozen, overly self-aware, or stuck in your head when it’s time to speak, this one will land. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating if you want more conversations like this. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Spotify Podcasts Subscribe on iHeart Radio Subscribe on YouTube • • Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram

    2h 9m

  3. MAR 11

    How To Define Success.

    Too many of us are working way too hard toward a life we didn't sign up for, in this episode, Brian gives you a practical way to determine if your trajectory aligns with what actually makes you happy. Subscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spotify Podcasts Subscribe on iHeart Radio Subscribe on YouTubeFollow Ashes to Architects on Instagram

    12 min

  4. MAR 3

    How I Lost 120 Pounds (PART 1)

    In this solo episode of Ashes to Architects, Brian gets brutally honest about a chapter of his life that shaped everything that came after: being “the fat kid,” becoming “the fat guy,” and finally deciding to change. At his heaviest, Brian was around 320 pounds with a 46-inch waist, smoking a pack a day, eating like trash, and avoiding the gym out of pure embarrassment. But the turning point wasn’t a miracle plan or some perfect motivational wave — it was a simple decision to put himself in an environment that would force him to learn. Instead of pretending he already knew what to do, Brian got a job at a health club. Not because he was fit — because he wanted to become the kind of person who was. That move created proximity, structure, and accountability. And once he started, everything began to compound. He talks about: Why “identity” can trap you (and how to rewrite it)The real reason consistency becomes easier over timeHow the smallest changes (like cutting soda) can create massive momentumThe underrated power of routines that feel rewarding (yes… even the post-workout shower)Why making positive changes can trigger weird reactions from people around you — and how to handle it with graceThe difference between a temporary “diet” and a true lifestyle shiftWhat it means to become a “higher version” of yourself — and why the old version can’t take you where you want to go This episode is for anyone who feels stuck in an identity they didn’t choose — and needs a practical, grounded reminder that you don’t have to overhaul your life overnight… you just have to start. If you got something from this, please subscribe, share, and leave a rating. It helps more than I can explain.

    10 min

  5. FEB 27

    The Healing Power of Hypnosis (Hugh Sadlier)

    Hypnosis isn’t mind control — it’s a practical way to change patterns your willpower can’t reach. In this episode of Ashes to Architects, I sit down with Hugh Sadlier, an 83-year-old hypnotist with 30+ years in practice and thousands of clients. Hugh recently released The Healing Power of Hypnosis, and we go beyond “quit smoking” to talk about what hypnosis actually is, how it works, and how real change happens when you work with the subconscious instead of trying to force it. We unpack Hugh’s unique “4 R’s” approach (built after years of not fully resonating with the standard, suggestion-heavy method), how he teaches self-hypnosis in the first session, and what he’s learned helping people with anxiety, trauma, habits, performance slumps, and more — including a few stories that’ll make you rethink what’s possible. What we cover: Hypnosis vs meditation, and who responds bestThe ethics: what to look for (and avoid) when choosing a hypnotistWhy stress is higher now — and what it’s doing to peopleHow habits become identity (and how to break the loop)Childhood roots, transgenerational “memory,” and even womb-level imprintingPast lives + karma (how Hugh approaches it, and how often it matters)The 4 R’s framework: Recognize the rootsRelease the impactReplace what was removedReinforce until it sticks Key takeaways: You can’t erase memories, but you can change their impact.A habit can be an old survival strategy running on autopilot.Reinforcement + repetition is what makes the change permanent.Always vet the practitioner’s method before you trust the process. Chapters: 00:00 Why I wanted to interview Hugh 02:00 A powerful case story + why belief matters 06:00 “Direct suggestion” vs asking the subconscious 09:45 The 4 R’s explained (Recognize/Release/Replace/Reinforce) 15:30 Self-hypnosis basics + anchoring technique 18:10 Hypnosis vs meditation 21:00 Hugh’s origin story + career pivots 30:40 Hypnosis across history (rhythm, chanting, altered states) 34:10 What’s changed in 30 years (stress + modern life) 41:30 Why some people change faster than others 50:20 Transgenerational + womb “memory” 54:00 Past lives + karma as “memory” 1:10:40 Goals vs process + defining success as happiness 1:18:30 Ethics + when hypnosis is NOT appropriate 1:31:20 One-session breakthroughs (when it “clicks”) Guest: Hugh Sadlier Book: The Healing Power of Hypnosis Website: hypno-health.net

    1h 52m

  6. FEB 24

    Are You Moving Toward the 'Self' That You Want?

    Most people don’t get stuck because they lack discipline — they get stuck because they’re trying to choose the perfect path before they take a single step. In this solo episode, I talk about why it’s not only okay to change your mind — it’s a sign you’re actually paying attention. As you gain more information, you should be allowed to move in a new direction. The hard part isn’t “setting intentions.” The hard part is getting honest about what you actually want… and what you’ve been chasing out of habit, ego, fear, or old versions of yourself. I use a simple mountain-climbing metaphor to break down how people waste years over-preparing, trying to avoid picking the “wrong mountain,” and how iteration beats perfection every time. In this episode, we cover:Why changing your mind is growth (not inconsistency)The difference between “intention” and actual honestyWhy it’s easier to chase goals than to admit what you really wantThe “mountain peak” problem: reaching the top and realizing you picked the wrong thingWhy people don’t start: fear of choosing wrong + perfectionismWhy over-preparing (gear, research, planning) becomes procrastinationThe real power move: iteration and learning by movingKey takeaways:You don’t need certainty — you need a first stepClarity is earned through reps, not thought experimentsPerfectionism always costs more (time, momentum, confidence)The longer you wait to start, the harder starting becomes If this hit for you, subscribe and share it with someone who’s been stuck in “thinking mode.” And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating helps this show more than I can explain.

    8 min

  7. FEB 17 ·  BONUS

    An Immigration Story [Bonus] (Deo Mwano)

    When immigration enforcement dominates the headlines, it’s easy to forget the human math underneath it. In bonus clip, Deo tells the true story of what happened after his father—part of the government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—was assassinated. What followed was a long stretch of fear, impossible decisions, and a mother doing the unthinkable to protect her four children. As ICE, detention, deportations, and enforcement actions stay at the center of the national conversation, this episode pulls the camera off the pundits and puts it on one family’s reality: what survival actually looks like when borders and paperwork aren’t a debate — they’re a wall. In this clip, you’ll hear: The moment everything changed after the assassinationHow his mother used her Burundi background to create a path outThe quiet strategies families use when the system feels impossibleWhat it felt like to finally step onto a plane to the United States This isn’t a hot take. It’s a lived experience. If you’ve been caught in the immigration news cycle lately—whatever your stance—this story will land. https://deomwano.com ⚠️ Content note: political violence/assassination, displacement, trauma. #Immigration #ICE #RefugeeStory #DRC #Congo #Burundi #Asylum #AshesToArchitects

    35 min

  8. FEB 16

    Making the Impossible, Possible (Deo Mwano)

    Brian talks with Deo Mwano, a speaker, creator & entrepreneur whose life began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was shaped by survival, migration, and rebuilding from scratch in the U.S. after his father was killed. Deo shares how his mother’s courage built deep self-worth, why trauma sometimes hits after stability, and the moment a forgiveness breakthrough freed him from years of internal anger. They get practical on the “pause” between activation and reaction, how to unpack what you’re really holding onto, and why curiosity + proximity can change your trajectory. Deo also shares what he’s building now: his memoir The Request (planned for Oct, 2026), the Mirror motivation app, and a scholarship program funding students who can articulate perseverance. Learn more about what he does: https://deomwano.com

    2h 19m
See All (13)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Ashes to Architects is a new podcast about personal development for artists, creatives or anyone having a hard time finding their place. Hosted by Brian Cartier, a New England-based artist and entrepreneur of Korean, Congolese, and German descent, the show is rooted in lived experience: childhood trauma, homelessness, and mental health battles as a divorced single father. Although his artwork landed him some notoriety, he failed to make ends meet and had to move out of his studio—where he had secretly been living—then rebuilt from an old dilapidated horse stable that became a home for him and his daughter. That unlikely turn sparked a new career, going on to lead sales teams and building a new family, before stepping away from corporate leadership to return to creativity and be a more present father. Subscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spotify PodcastsSubscribe on iHeart Radio• Subscribe on YouTube • Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Cartier
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Brian Cartier
  • Show Website
    Ashes to Architects