The Life of Someone Extraordinary

Tiyon L. Simpson
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  • Society & Culture

The Life of Someone Extraordinary is a global interview series built on one idea: extraordinary can come from anywhere. Hosted by Tiyon L. Simpson, each episode features honest conversations with creators, entrepreneurs, and professionals from around the world - exploring how they think, grow, and build. Expect real stories, psychological depth, and practical insights you can apply to your own journey.

Episodes

  1. May 31

    Jeff Berndt: What Happens After A $25m Deal Collapses Overnight? (Part 2)

    American entrepreneur Jeff Berndt returns to The Life of Someone Extraordinary for Part 2 of one of the most honest and hard-won conversations the series has featured - a deep dive into what happens after the collapse, and what it actually takes to rebuild when everything you spent years creating begins to fall apart in real time. After a $25 million acquisition deal collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis, Jeff found himself navigating unpaid vendors, mounting debt, and a 30-day window to save the business he had spent a decade building. In this episode, he shares the mindset shifts, relationships, and hard decisions that helped him survive one of the most turbulent periods of his life. We explore faith under pressure, the practical impact of Romans 5 during crisis, rebuilding from scratch with Allied Resources in 2009, and why true security comes from your ability - not your job title. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, faith, entrepreneurship, and learning how to move forward when life does not go according to plan.

    1h 9m

  2. May 25

    Viktor Petkov: Why I Chose To Walk Away From Professional Football

    Bulgarian former professional footballer Viktor Petkov joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for an honest conversation about what happens when the dream you chased your entire life stops feeling like one - and the self-awareness it takes to walk away before the world forces you to. Developed through the academy system of FC Maritsa Plovdiv, Viktor progressed into Bulgaria’s professional football structure as a teenager, balancing school, pressure, and the demands of life as a young goalkeeper. But at just 19 years old - at an age when most goalkeepers are only beginning their careers - he made the unexpected decision to leave professional football behind entirely. In this conversation, we explore the hidden reality of pursuing football in Bulgaria, the sacrifices young players make long before anyone sees them, and why Viktor believes modern football has lost part of its soul. We also get into the emotional pressure of playing goalkeeper, the growing disconnect between football as a dream and football as an industry, and the moment Viktor realised that motivation is not something you can fake forever. Viktor’s story is reflective, grounded, and surprisingly universal - not just for football fans, but for anyone who has ever had to confront the difficult question of who they are when the dream changes.

    37 min

  3. May 19

    Kyle DeSean Johnson: Why Great Design Cannot Save A Confused Brand

    American brand designer and entrepreneur Kyle DeSean Johnson joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for an honest conversation about branding, identity, and why most businesses are trying to design their way out of problems that actually begin with clarity. Kyle is the founder of Bullet Art Direction & Design, a Los Angeles-based solo studio specialising in beauty, haircare, and consumer product branding. With more than 25 years of experience working on brands including Schwarzkopf, Joico, Got2B, and Christie Brinkley Skincare, Kyle has built a philosophy rooted in one core principle: strategy first, design second. In this conversation, we explore Kyle’s journey from studying advertising and art direction at Cal State Fullerton to working under legendary designer Richard Runyon in a brutal sink-or-swim creative environment that sharpened both his instincts and resilience. We also dive into his path through the beauty industry, the failed attempt to break into elite global agencies, the Japan chapter that forced him to confront the reality of being a “lone wolf,” and the moment COVID nearly pushed him out of the creative industry altogether. Kyle breaks down what branding actually is, why logos are often mistaken for brands, how positioning shapes every successful visual identity, and the two questions every business owner must answer before spending a single dollar on design. This is a grounded, reflective, and deeply practical conversation about entrepreneurship, creativity, identity, and what it means to build a business with clarity instead of noise.

    1h 6m

  4. May 7

    Jeff Berndt: The Rise Of Triopoly - Before It All Collapsed (Part 1)

    American entrepreneur Jeff Berndt joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a conversation that traces one of the most unlikely entrepreneurial origin stories - from journalism and storytelling to building a nationally distributed board game from scratch. Jeff is the creator of Triopoly, a three-dimensional board game that grew from a sketch pad idea into a business with over 200 products in retail across the United States. Before that, he spent years as a journalist in Colorado, interviewing figures like Dave Matthews, Monica Seles, and former President Gerald Ford - studying what separated those who took the leap from those who didn’t. In Part 1 of this conversation, we get into the moment Jeff decided to stop writing about other people’s lives and start building his own, the years of quiet work that followed, and the blizzard that unexpectedly opened the door to global distribution. We also explore his approach to sales - shaped entirely by journalism — and the Wall Street deal in 2007 that brought a decade of work to the brink. Jeff’s story is grounded, reflective, and honest about what it really takes to build something from nothing - and what happens when it all starts to come apart.

    39 min

  5. Apr 26

    Luba Kaplanskaya: From Island Survival To Building A Personal Brand In LA

    Russian-American entrepreneur Luba Kaplanskaya joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for an honest conversation about what building a marketing business and a personal brand at the same time actually looks like — in one of the most competitive cities in the world. Luba is the founder of LK Strategic Ventures, a boutique marketing agency based in Los Angeles. She's spent nearly a decade working across law firms, e-commerce brands, tech startups, and more - helping businesses grow their presence and convert attention into revenue. She's good at it. Now she's doing it for herself. In this conversation we get into the mindset behind building without a safety net, why she believes running your own business is less risky than relying on one employer, and the moment four days before we recorded where something quietly shifted for her. We also get into the non-linear path that brought her here - from a one-acre island in the Sea of Cortez to improv classes at The Groundlings, to a broken ankle that ended sixteen years of competitive soccer overnight. Luba is sharp, self-aware, and refreshingly honest about being right in the middle of her journey.

    48 min

  6. Apr 19

    Roslyn Kufuor: She Left The BBC With No Plan - And Built A Career Anyway

    British-Ghanaian podcast producer Roslyn Kufuor joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a conversation about perseverance, the courage to start over, and what it actually takes to build a career on your own terms. Roslyn is a podcast producer at Corus Entertainment's Curiouscast network in Toronto, with over 20 years of experience across radio and audio production - including eight years at the BBC. After hitting a ceiling she couldn't break through, she left the UK on a two-year working holiday visa with no job lined up and a city she'd never visited waiting on the other side. Ten years later, she's still there - and firmly in her lane. In this episode, we explore what great audio storytelling actually requires, why most podcasts fail before they find their audience, and the quiet discipline behind rebuilding a professional life from scratch in a new country. Roz reflects on the moments where backing yourself can look irrational to everyone around you - and why the gap between where you start and where you're going rarely closes on anyone else's timeline. This is a conversation about craft, resilience, and the internal work that turns a dream into a decade of evidence.

    51 min

  7. Feb 1

    Jen Manswell: Faith, Revenue Architecture & The Work Behind An Abundant Life

    Trinidadian entrepreneur Jen Manswell joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a conversation about faith, revenue architecture, and the long-term work behind building an abundant life. Jen is a revenue architect, entrepreneur, and storyteller with over 20 years of experience helping Fortune 500 companies translate vision into measurable growth. After contributing to more than $110 million in revenue pipeline, she stepped away from US corporate life to build three purpose-driven businesses rooted in clarity, alignment, and sustainability. In this episode, we explore what revenue architecture really means, how identity and faith quietly shape business decisions, and the discipline required to lead multiple ventures without losing direction. Jen reflects on the moments where committing fully to a vision can look irrational before it makes sense - and why meaningful work often demands patience long before results appear. This is a conversation about structure, responsibility, and the internal work that supports long-term growth - in business and in life.

    1h 7m

  8. Jan 31

    Teodora Botsa: Purpose, Resilience & The Woman Behind The Work (Part 2)

    Bulgarian entrepreneur Teodora Botsa returns to The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a conversation on purpose, resilience, and the personal foundations that sustain long-term growth. In this second part of the conversation, the focus shifts from business to the woman behind the work. Tedi reflects on life as a single mother, the pressures of responsibility without a safety net, and the mindset required to keep moving forward through adversity. We explore her decision to return to university at 33 to study psychology, how discipline and boundaries shape her daily life, and the difference between reacting to circumstances and taking ownership of direction. Tedi shares hard-earned perspectives on motivation, emotional resilience, and why progress is often built quietly through consistent action rather than dramatic change. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation and completes Tedi’s story by exploring the inner work behind her journey. The episode is presented bilingually in English and Bulgarian, with live translation by Adi Simpson.

    31 min

  9. Jan 31

    Teodora Botsa: Building A Business From Crisis As A Single Mother (Part 1)

    Bulgarian entrepreneur Teodora Botsa joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a conversation on resilience, necessity, and the unexpected path into entrepreneurship. A Three-Star Director with AquaSource, Tedi’s journey into business began during a family health crisis that required her to remain at home and find a way to support her children. What started as a practical solution quickly evolved into a long-term business built around wellness, community, and consistency. In this episode, we explore how personal crisis can become a catalyst for professional change, the realities of building a network-based business without shortcuts, and the importance of trust, patience, and genuine relationships. Tedi reflects on growing a community from lived experience, balancing responsibility as a single mother, and redefining success beyond quick wins. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation, focused on Tedi’s business journey and the foundations behind her growth. The episode is presented bilingually in English and Bulgarian, with live translation by Adi Simpson.

    32 min

  10. Jan 31

    Joshua Harris: Discipline, Identity & The Long Road To Professional Football

    American-Bulgarian footballer Joshua Harris joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a grounded conversation on discipline, identity, and the realities of building a professional career from the ground up. At just 19, Joshua is a first-team defender for FC Maritsa Plovdiv, navigating the demands of professional football while balancing university studies and life in Bulgaria. Raised between the United States and Bulgaria, his journey has been shaped by two cultures, two sporting systems, and very different expectations around success. In this episode, we explore the decision to pursue professional football in Europe rather than the US college system, the cultural differences between American and Bulgarian sporting mentalities, and the discipline required to stay focused amid distraction. Joshua reflects on earning opportunities rather than expecting them, the importance of structure, and why progress often comes through consistency rather than hype. He also shares his perspective on modern distractions, the mental demands of defending at senior level, and the influence of role models and team culture on long-term development. This is a conversation about patience, commitment, and the slow, often unglamorous work of building something real - in football and in life.

    24 min

  11. Jan 31

    Pollina Tonova: Identity, Psychological Masks & The Inner Work Of Modern Life

    Bulgarian psychologist and psychotherapist Pollina Tonova joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a reflective conversation on identity, psychological masks, and the quiet pressures shaping modern life. With over 12 years of experience working with people across all stages of life, Pollina shares what she sees beneath anxiety, burnout, and emotional fatigue. Her work focuses on helping individuals understand who they are beneath external expectations, habitual roles, and internalised pressure. In this episode, we explore why people adopt psychological “masks” to cope with stress, comparison, and the digital world, and how these coping strategies often deepen disconnection rather than resolve it. Pollina explains the difference between psychology and psychotherapy, the limits of surface-level advice, and why meaningful change requires patience, responsibility, and self-awareness. Pollina reflects on recurring patterns she sees in modern clients, the growing desire for quick fixes in mental health, and the importance of slowing down to do foundational inner work. This is a conversation about identity, emotional honesty, and the long-term process of reconnecting with oneself beneath performance and expectation.

    51 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

The Life of Someone Extraordinary is a global interview series built on one idea: extraordinary can come from anywhere. Hosted by Tiyon L. Simpson, each episode features honest conversations with creators, entrepreneurs, and professionals from around the world - exploring how they think, grow, and build. Expect real stories, psychological depth, and practical insights you can apply to your own journey.

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