Hold This Thought

with Christian Boatright

Welcome to Hold This Thought, an open-ended conversation podcast where every week, a new guest joins me for unscripted conversations. We discover their passions, explore curious topics, and gain insights about life along the way. In a world built for constant distraction, this is where things slow down, for thoughts worth holding onto. No scripts. No agenda. Real people. Real stories. Real life. The first three episodes release on 3/16/26. Streaming on YouTube and Spotify. @HoldThisThoughtPodcast

  1. 3d ago

    039 | Losing Everything Changed The Way I Lead | Andrew Bullard

    Small Business Ownership | Grief | Is Prophecy Real? | Church Leadership Accountability In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Bullard for one of our most personal conversations yet. We discuss the unexpected journey from employee to business owner after the sudden loss of his mentor, the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, succession planning, and why legacy matters far more than most people realize. Andrew also shares the story behind Starlights Landscape Lighting, what it's like running a growing company, and the lessons he's learned through hardship and loss. The conversation then turns deeply personal as we discuss grief, the loss of loved ones, faith in the middle of suffering, heaven, purpose, and what it means to trust God when life doesn't make sense. We also explore the role of biblical 'prophecy' in modern context while discussing healthy vs unhealthy ministry practices. If you've ever wrestled with faith, tragedy, leadership, or finding hope in difficult seasons, this conversation offers an honest and thoughtful perspective. Andrew Bullard is the owner of Starlights, a Georgia-based landscape lighting company, and a former pastor with over a decade of ministry experience. Following a profound season of personal loss and a difficult departure from a high-control religious environment, Andrew has become a thoughtful voice on faith, leadership, and resilience. Today, he is passionate about helping others navigate spiritual abuse, healthy church leadership, entrepreneurship, and the pursuit of a faith rooted in truth, accountability, and hope. Through candid conversations and real-life experience, Andrew encourages people to lead with integrity, embrace healing, and build lives marked by lasting purpose. Follow on X and IG: @andrewbullard15 Chapters: 00:00 | The Thumbnail Tells You What Happens Here (Thanks For The Gift Andrew) 08:46 | Why America Still Struggles To Compete In Soccer 14:36 | Inside The Landscape Lighting Business 18:40 | How Professional Outdoor Lighting Actually Works 26:23 | My Boss Died... Then I Took Over The Company 33:32 | Becoming An Entrepreneur Overnight 38:38 | Legacy, Wills & Why Every Business Needs A Succession Plan 42:02 | Three Devastating Losses In One Season 53:05 | Finding Hope, Heaven & Comfort Through Grief 1:02:07 | Wrestling With God's Goodness During Tragedy 1:12:44 | Prophetic Dreams, Ministry & Spiritual Abuse 1:28:15 | Church Leadership, Accountability & Healthy Authority 1:44:50 | Hearing God's Voice Without Manipulation 1:56:40 | Politics, Healthcare & Difficult Conversations 2:03:05 | Final Advice On Living A Meaningful Life

  2. Aug 10

    038 | We Finally Talked About the Books We're Writing | Travis Sanders

    Sports Trivia | Math Minds | Beach Vs. Mountains | Creative Writing | Tolkien A simple conversation about sports unexpectedly unfolds into a discussion about creativity, storytelling, and the ideas that shape how we see the world. Christian and Travis discuss writing fiction, building memorable characters, high fantasy, fatherhood, worldbuilding, travel, geography, mathematics, and why some stories continue to resonate long after they're told. Whether you're a reader, writer, traveler, sports fan, or simply someone who enjoys thoughtful conversations, this episode offers a unique look at curiosity through many different lenses. From NFL debates to Tolkien, European travel to novel writing, this is one of the most diverse conversations we've had. Travis has dedicated most of his adult career to youth development and ministry, helping shape the lives of the next generation. He holds a degree in mathematics and enjoys exploring the intersection of faith, reason, and storytelling. Married for nearly ten years and the father of three, Travis is passionate about reading, writing, sports, and thoughtful conversations about Scripture. He is currently writing a fiction novel that uses allegory to explore the journey of fatherhood and the timeless truths found within it. Chapters: 00:00 | Trivia Night & Sports Obsession 01:50 | NFL Legends, Favorite Players & Football Memories 09:45 | The Super Bowl Experience & Sports Culture 17:55 | Geography, History & The Joy of Learning Random Facts 25:20 | Mountains vs. Beaches: What Makes a Perfect Vacation? 35:45 | Travel Expectations vs. Authentic Experiences 46:20 | Wildlife Encounters, Snakes & Outdoor Adventures 58:45 | Fantasy Worlds: Game of Thrones, Books & Storytelling 1:19:55 | George R.R. Martin's Writing Genius 1:30:05 | Tolkien, Middle-earth & Building Entire Universes 1:41:45 | Fantasy, Worldbuilding & Why Great Stories Endure 1:50:26 | Final Thoughts & Outro

  3. Aug 3

    037 | My Dad Pointed a Gun at Me... It Changed My Entire Life | Stephen Zampieri

    Acting Career | U.S. Marine | Domestic Abuse | Alcoholism | Renovation Business | Faith In this powerful conversation, actor, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, carpenter, and content creator Stephen Zampieri shares the story behind the success people see today. From an abusive childhood and years of emotional pain to military service, addiction, family struggles, and ultimately finding purpose through faith, Stephen offers an unfiltered look at the experiences that shaped his life. His story is one of resilience, forgiveness, and choosing to break generational cycles instead of repeating them. We also dive into his acting career, creating content for hundreds of brands, memorization techniques, ADHD, entrepreneurship, social media, faith, fatherhood, and what it truly means to heal. Whether you're navigating your own struggles or simply looking for an honest conversation about purpose, perseverance, and redemption, this episode delivers an unforgettable story with practical wisdom along the way. Stephen Zampieri is an actor, model, host, entrepreneur, and Marine Corps veteran. The middle of five children, he served 4 year in the marines as a combat engineer as well as a stint as an international Missionary. After overcoming alcoholism and completing a three-month Christian rehabilitation program, Stephen rebuilt his life and marriage and now owns a carpentry business and has spent the past 4.5 years building an acting/modeling career- appearing in multiple national and international commercials. He is also the father of two sons. FB/IG: @zmansup Chapters: 00:00 Intro & UGC content creation 08:59 Memorizing scripts, ADHD & acting techniques 17:59 Childhood begins to unravel 27:03 Mission trips & finding purpose early 36:01 Marine Corps, discipline & hardship 45:00 Divorce, alcohol & running from pain 53:56 Rehab, recovery & rebuilding life 1:02:58 Learning forgiveness & moving forward 1:11:59 Acting career begins to take off 1:21:02 Faith, culture & speaking truth 1:30:00 Renovation business & balancing careers 1:38:57 Social media, authenticity & influence 1:48:01 Hollywood, rejection & perseverance 1:56:56 Auditions, opportunities & God's timing 2:06:00 Parenting, legacy & final encouragement

  4. Jul 27

    036 | Building The Perfect Pickleball Club | Ross Cottrell

    Pickleball | Coaching | Door-to-Door | Sales | Fantasy Novels Professional pickleball coach Ross Cottrell shares the story behind one of America's fastest-growing sports, from taping pickleball lines onto tennis courts to helping build premier indoor facilities. Along the way, we explore coaching philosophy, entrepreneurship, business strategy, sales, and what separates thriving pickleball communities from struggling clubs. The conversation expands far beyond pickleball, covering door-to-door sales, customer psychology, personal growth, writing, discipline, and the habits that create long-term success. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, creator, or simply looking to improve your mindset, this episode offers practical lessons that apply far beyond the court. Ross Cottrell is a full-time pickleball coach and competitive player who has coached at several country clubs and pickleball facilities. Over the past several years, he has worked with thousands of players through private lessons, clinics, leagues, and tournaments. His coaching focuses on helping players improve their skills, build confidence, and enjoy the game at every level. IG: @ross.cottrell.pb Chapters: 00:00 | Food Opinions, Waffle House & Southern Favorites 09:02 | Growing Up In Alabama & Changing Communities 18:10 | Discovering Pickleball And Building A Community 28:30 | Why Pickleball Businesses Succeed Or Fail 38:05 | Designing The Perfect Indoor Pickleball Club 48:10 | The Future Of Pickleball Facilities 59:55 | Winning Strategy And Coaching Philosophy 1:10:45 | Door-To-Door Sales Lessons & Entrepreneurship 1:21:05 | Balancing Work, Play & Personal Growth 1:32:35 | Writing Fantasy, Creativity & Storytelling 1:41:35 | The Books, Faith & Mindset That Shaped Ross

  5. Jul 20

    035 | Why I Started "Purefect" Meals | Sean Parker

    Gaming | RuneScape | Meal Prep Industry | Near-Death Experience Sean Parker is a entrepreneur with a passion for food, technology, and building meaningful experiences. As the founder of Purefect Meals, he combines bold flavors, practical innovation, and a customer-first mindset to create healthy, high-quality meals that people genuinely enjoy. Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Sean enjoys gaming, exploring emerging technologies, and discovering smarter, more efficient ways to improve everyday life. His passion for continuous learning and thoughtful problem-solving drives both his business and personal endeavors. Sean Parker joins Hold This Thought for a conversation covering the surprising life lessons hidden inside video games, the economics of RuneScape and MMOs, gaming addiction, immersive game design, entrepreneurship, launching Perfect Meals, customer-first business principles, startup challenges, and the health crisis that reshaped his outlook. Whether you're a gamer, entrepreneur, or simply interested in how hobbies shape real life, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights and memorable stories. www.purefectmeals.com Instagram: Purefect Meals Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Favorite Games 07:03 RuneScape's Real-World Economy 13:10 Gaming Addiction & Healthy Balance 19:04 Why Movie Games Were Special 25:42 Why Sean Started Perfect Meals 32:05 Building Meals From Scratch 38:05 Customer Service & Micro Center Story 44:11 Scaling A Meal Prep Startup 50:18 Recovering From A Life-Threatening Illness 56:42 Lessons From Surviving Sepsis 1:03:18 Faith, Perspective & Purpose 1:10:02 Entrepreneurship & Future Vision 1:16:42 Final Reflections & Advice

  6. Jul 14

    034 | He Built A Custom Knife Business From Scratch | Levi Herrick

    Knife Making | George Floyd Riots | Craftsmanship | Depression | Faith In this episode of Hold This Thought, I sit down with Levi Herrick, a custom knife maker and entrepreneur whose journey took him from rural Wisconsin to building a handmade knife business in Georgia. What begins with a debate about ostriches, wolves, and snakes evolves into a conversation about craftsmanship, social media addiction, dopamine overload, and staying connected in a distracted world. Levi shares how he got started in knife making, what goes into creating a handcrafted blade, and what separates custom knives from mass-produced products. As the conversation deepens, Levi opens up about depression, isolation, alcohol struggles, and suicidal thoughts during a difficult season of isolation in Minnesota. Together we discuss community, faith, purpose, and finding hope when life feels overwhelming. We also explore the George Floyd riots, peaceful protest versus destruction, questions about Revelation and the rapture, and what it means to follow Christ. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, mental health, craftsmanship, or faith, this episode offers plenty of thoughts worth holding on to northernknifeworks.shop IG: @northern_knifeworks Chapters: 00:00 Intro & The Ostrich Combat Question 05:09 Favorite Animals, Pets, And Snake Stories 10:43 Growing Up In Rural Wisconsin 14:22 Social Media, Dopamine, And Modern Distraction 23:03 Building A Handmade Knife Business 29:26 Katanas, Kukris, And Large Blade Projects 37:37 Craftsmanship, Woodworking, And Creating Things 40:02 College, Faith, And Formative Years 44:18 Living Through The George Floyd Riots 50:50 Peaceful Protest, Change, And Community 54:02 Faith, Identity, And Following Christ 59:54 Levi's Darkest Battle With Depression 01:05:00 Suicidal Thoughts, Hope, And Healing 01:10:41 What Would You Ask Jesus? 01:16:47 Heaven, Revelation, And Eternal Hope

  7. Jul 6

    033 | What Death Taught Me About Living | Taylor Hayes

    Vaccines | Medical Trauma | Public Trust | Fatherlessness | Forgiveness Taylor Hayes is a physician assistant, educator, researcher, author, wife, mother, and deep thinker. In this conversation we explore everything from social media algorithms, public trust, and healthcare to grief, trauma, parenting, faith, creativity, and forgiveness. Taylor shares what it was like growing up without her father, reconnecting with him decades later, working with critically ill patients, witnessing death on a regular basis, and ultimately transitioning into medical education. Along the way, we discuss family stability, raising children, burnout, writing, purpose, and the importance of asking difficult questions without losing our humanity. This episode is a reminder that some of life's most important conversations don't fit neatly into headlines, algorithms, or political camps. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction To Hold This Thought 01:31 Conspiracies, Algorithms, And Going Down The Rabbit Hole 10:26 Vaccines, Public Trust, And Asking Better Questions 19:22 Growing Up Black In Rural West Virginia 28:20 The CDC Shooting And The Dangers Of Distrust 36:32 End-Of-Life Care And The Conversations We Avoid 44:17 Witnessing Death As A Healthcare Provider 52:06 Leaving Clinical Medicine For Education 01:00:08 Growing Up In A Single-Parent Household 01:08:58 The Day Her Father Disappeared Again 01:17:22 Forgiveness, Brothers, And Letting Go Of Bitterness 01:25:08 Why Family Must Come Before Ministry 01:33:16 Discovering Creativity Through Writing 01:41:19 Fiction, Imagination, And Why Stories Matter 01:49:12 The Reality Of Writing A Book 01:57:43 Researching Burnout And Physician Well-Being 02:00:03 Final Thoughts On Creativity And Pursuing Ideas

  8. Jun 29

    032 | Why Kids Need Failure Early | Danny Sawyer

    On Set w/ Chadwick Boseman | Professional Baseball | Coaching | Grass (yep, grass) | Parenting | Failure Former pro athlete, actor, and coach Danny Sawyer joins Hold This Thought for a wide-ranging conversation on sports, life on a movie set, fatherhood, discipline, resilience, and the long-term impact adults have on young athletes. Drawing from years of experience on the field, in performance, and in coaching, Danny shares why discomfort, adversity, and failure are essential ingredients for real growth. This episode dives into youth sports culture, confidence, identity, parenting through pressure, and the danger of tying self-worth to performance. Danny and Christian explore what healthy competition actually teaches kids, how strong mentors shape character, and why protecting children from every setback may unintentionally weaken them later in life. At its core, this is a conversation about building capable, grounded people. Whether you’re a parent, coach, athlete, or someone trying to lead well in your own life, this episode offers practical wisdom on responsibility, perspective, emotional strength, and preparing kids for the realities of adulthood. Danny has been married to his wife for nearly 13 years and is the proud father of two sons. As a family, they love traveling, staying active, playing sports, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. A former professional athlete, Danny continues to prioritize health, fitness, and an active lifestyle. His competitive mindset, passion for sports, and commitment to personal growth continue to shape both his family life and the way he approaches leadership, coaching, and everyday life. Chapters: 00:00 | Life On Set with Chadwick Boseman 06:48 | Coaching Effort, Attitude & Respect Instead of Outcomes 13:27 | Why Parents Yelling From the Stands Miss the Point 19:56 | Kids Mirror Emotional Regulation Before They Understand It 26:11 | Failure, Confidence & Teaching Kids How to Respond 32:42 | Correcting Character vs Correcting Athletic Performance 39:08 | Competitive Parents & the Pressure Kids Quietly Carry 45:36 | Learning to Lose With Grace and Win With Humility 51:52 | How Coaching Changes From Childhood to High-Level Sports 58:14 | Life After Baseball & Losing an Athletic Identity 1:04:37 | Transitioning Into Marriage, Fatherhood & Family Leadership 1:10:56 | Prioritizing Family Time, Faith & Intentional Parenting 1:17:03 | The Lawn Conversation: Pride, Home & Creating Space for Kids 1:23:11 | How Baseball & Coaching Sparked an Obsession With Grass 1:29:44 | Reel Mowers, Bermuda Grass & Why Frequent Cutting Matters 1:35:58 | Sand Leveling, Top Dressing & the Science Behind Perfect Lawns 1:42:19 | Golf, Quiet Competition & Why the Game Feels Therapeutic 1:48:37 | Landscaping Projects, Creativity & Working With Your Hands 1:54:52 | Fitness After Pro Baseball & the Wake-Up Call to Get Healthy 2:00:41 | Sustainable Health, Recovery, Stewardship & Final Reflections

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About

Welcome to Hold This Thought, an open-ended conversation podcast where every week, a new guest joins me for unscripted conversations. We discover their passions, explore curious topics, and gain insights about life along the way. In a world built for constant distraction, this is where things slow down, for thoughts worth holding onto. No scripts. No agenda. Real people. Real stories. Real life. The first three episodes release on 3/16/26. Streaming on YouTube and Spotify. @HoldThisThoughtPodcast

Information

  • Creator
    with Christian Boatright
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © with Christian Boatright
  • Show Website
    Hold This Thought