Built Not Born

Joe Ciccarone
  • 5.0 (42)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Built Not Born! The story of EVERYDAY PEOPLE creating REMARKABLE LIVES. Each week we bring a REMARKABLE story of an ordinary person that overcame the odds, fought through adversity and impacted the lives of countless people in their community. Subscribe and see why life is BUILT NOT BORN.

  1. MAR 2

    #187 -Chris "Bones" Burns - The BJJ Project, Rickson Gracie, Invisible Jiu Jitsu and Why Everyone Needs to Calm the F*ck Down 🥋🔥

    Chris "Bones" Burns - The BJJ Project, Rickson Gracie, Invisible Jiu Jitsu and Why Everyone Needs to Calm the F*ck Down 🥋🔥He's the algorithm's favorite BJJ instructor — equal parts savage wisdom and sarcasm. Chris Burns is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Rickson Gracie's lineage who's been chasing the invisible art for over two decades. His take? The sport is cool, but self-defense is the point. And everyone needs to chill the f*ck out. What You'll Learn: Why his first 10 years of training were "terrible experiences all around"The moment he finally learned jiu-jitsu — from a hip escapeWhat it's like to roll with Rickson Gracie (hint: "He surfs a human being")Why blue belts should focus on survival, not submissionsHow to train smart when you're older, injured, or bothThe difference between being a lion and being a rat — and why both are validWhy the martial arts community needs to "calm all of your t**s" Power Quote: "Calm down. It's just a hobby. Stop making this the focal point of your life. The martial arts is the important thing. The community is the important thing. Be happy that you're physically doing something with another human being and you're connecting with them. Calm the fck down."* — Chris Burns Timestamps: 🥋 0:00 - Introduction 😤 3:30 - His terrible first experiences on the mat 📼 8:00 - VHS tapes, Gracie in Action, and finding the combatives 🔥 14:00 - Meeting Jason Robic and learning the hip escape that changed everything 🌊 22:00 - What it's like to roll with Rickson ("He surfs a human being") 🎯 30:00 - What a blue belt should actually know 🤼 38:00 - Flow rolling vs hard sparring — pick your partners wisely 🦁 44:00 - Training when you're older: "There's a time you're a lion, there's a time you're a rat" 🎨 50:00 - How being an artist shaped his teaching 🧘 56:00 - Breath work, whiskey, and coffee by the ocean 📚 60:00 - Books that changed his life: Fight Club, Man's Search for Meaning, The Art of War 💡 65:00 - One lesson: Calm down, it's just a hobby Connect with Chris Burns: The BJJ Project (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)Zero Point Jiu-Jitsu (Podia)Instagram: @chrisbonesburns Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #ChrisBonesBurns #RicksonGracie #BJJ #JiuJitsu #GracieJiuJitsu #InvisibleJiuJitsu #SelfDefense #BJJProject #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #MartialArts © Copyright - Joe Ciccarone 2026 - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    1h 9m

  2. FEB 17

    #186 - Chef Jose Garces - Iron Chef, James Beard Winner & Restaurant Empire Builder on Beating Bobby Flay, & Scaling Culture 🍳🏆

    Chef Jose Garces - Iron Chef, James Beard Winner & Restaurant Empire Builder on Beating Bobby Flay, & Scaling Culture 🍳🏆He beat Bobby Flay on national TV. He built a 25-restaurant empire. He's a James Beard Award winner and Iron Chef. But the biggest lesson? It came from watching his mom cook dinner after a factory shift — tired, organized, and making it happen anyway. What You'll Learn: The leadership lessons he learned watching his Ecuadorian mom run the home kitchenHow getting fired from his first chef job became his biggest breakthroughWhat it's like to cook under extreme pressure on Iron Chef AmericaThe moment he almost lost it all — cutting his finger mid-battle, blood everywhere, 45 minutes leftHow to scale culture across 25 restaurants without losing your soulWhy he took a $12/hour line cook job after 10 years in the industryThe wellness shift in his 50s that made him a better leader, dad, and partner Power Quote: "There are no failures. It's just a function of learning and growing." — Chef Jose Garces Timestamps: 🍳 0:00 - Introduction 👨‍👩‍👦 3:00 - Leadership lessons from his mom's kitchen 🤼 6:30 - What wrestling taught him about competition and grit 💼 10:00 - Working since age 8 and the entrepreneurial mindset 🔥 14:30 - Getting fired and taking a $12/hour job to learn from the best 🏆 20:00 - Opening Amada and betting everything on Spanish tapas in Philly ⚔️ 26:00 - Beating Bobby Flay and becoming an Iron Chef 🩸 32:00 - The Indian cuisine battle — cutting his finger, blood won't stop, 45 minutes left 📈 36:00 - Scaling culture across 25 restaurants 🧘 40:00 - The wellness shift: meditation, sauna, yoga, and Nordic skiing 💡 45:00 - One lesson: Be aware and more loving Featured Platform: Cook Unity — Chef Garces' meals delivered nationwide Connect with Chef Jose Garces: Website: ChefGarces.comRestaurants: Amada, Volver, Buena Onda, Okatshe & moreCook Unity: Order Chef Garces meals nationwideGarces Foundation / Comida Garces Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #ChefJoseGarces #IronChef #JamesBeard #Philadelphia #Amada #CookUnity #Leadership #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #Restaurant #JoeCiccarone © Copyright - Joe Ciccarone 2026 - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    53 min

  3. FEB 4

    #185 - Guy Kawasaki - "Everyone Has Something to Hide | Apple & Canva Chief Evangelist on Privacy, Signal, and Protecting Your Freedom 📱🔐

    Guy Kawasaki - "Everyone Has Something to Hide" | Apple Evangelist & Canva Chief on Privacy, Signal, and Protecting Your Freedom 📱🔐Guy Kawasaki evangelized the Macintosh. He's Canva's Chief Evangelist. He's written 18 books. Now at 71, Guy Kawasaki says this might be his most important book yet — because it's not about making money. It's about protecting yours. What You'll Learn: The "billboard test" — would you be okay seeing every text you've sent on a highway billboard?Why WhatsApp isn't as secure as you think (and what metadata really reveals)How Signal differs from every other messaging appWhy Guy gave this book away for freeThe $12.95 book that launched his writing careerWhat he'd tell a college grad entering the workforce todayWhy working at Zippy's might be better than Goldman Sachs Power Quote: "Everybody has something to hide — not because they've done something wrong, but because privacy equals freedom." — Guy Kawasaki Timestamps: 📱 0:00 - Introduction 🔐 2:30 - Why Guy pivoted to writing about privacy 🧪 6:15 - The billboard test for your text messages 📊 10:00 - WhatsApp vs Signal: metadata is the real danger 💰 15:30 - Why he gave this book away for free at 71 ✍️ 20:00 - "If You Want to Write" — the $12.95 book that changed everything 🎓 24:45 - Advice for college grads: Zippy's vs Goldman Sachs 🤖 30:00 - Kawasaki GPT: better at being Guy than Guy 🏄 34:30 - Starting surfing at 60 and the 10-foot board rule ☕ 38:00 - Best coffee spots in Oahu for remote work 💡 41:00 - One lesson: Never ask people to do something you wouldn't do Featured Book: "Everyone Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Wellbeing" by Guy Kawasaki & Madison Nuismer Connect with Guy Kawasaki: Podcast: Remarkable PeopleWebsite: GuyKawasaki.comKawasakiGPT.comBook: Free on Amazon (or $4.04 after launch) Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. "Life is Built, Not Born." Joe Ciccarone #GuyKawasaki #Signal #Privacy #Apple #Canva #Cybersecurity #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #RemarkablePeople #Tech #JoeCiccarone © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    43 min

  4. JAN 27

    #184 - Rob Jones - "Put Your Legs On" | Paralympic Medalist & 31 Marathons in 31 Days on Defeating the Inner Terrorist 🎖️🏃‍♂️

    Rob Jones - "Put Your Legs On" | Paralympic Medalist & 31 Marathons in 31 Days on Defeating the Inner Terrorist 🎖️🏃‍♂️He stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and lost both legs above the knee. He asked his teammates to kill him. They refused. Nine months later he won a bronze medal at the Paralympics. Then he biked across America. Then he ran 31 marathons in 31 consecutive days. Now he teaches leadership at Echelon Front. What You'll Learn: The moment the IED exploded — and what went through his mind in the first 60 secondsWhy he skipped the first four stages of grief and went straight to acceptanceHow he convinced Olympic gold medalist Brad Lewis to fly across the country and coach himThe "inner terrorist" — the real enemy that almost defeated himWhy extreme challenges are 90% mental and 10% physicalHow standup comedy makes him a better leadership instructor Power Quote: "The blast took my legs, but it didn't take my mission. You don't need legs to stand up. You just need to decide you're not going to quit." — Rob Jones Timestamps: 🎖️ 0:00 - Introduction 📖 4:30 - The book that made him join the Marine Corps 💣 12:15 - What it's like to patrol knowing every step could be your last 🔥 22:00 - July 22, 2010: The IED explosion 🏥 35:45 - Waking up two days later in Germany 💪 42:30 - First rep in rehab: lifting his stumps off the bed 🦿 48:00 - Getting fitted for prosthetics — and the pain of learning to walk again 🥉 55:20 - Emailing Brad Lewis and making the Paralympics 🚴 64:00 - Biking 5,181 miles across America through the Rockies in February 🏃 72:30 - 31 marathons in 31 days — and the back injury that almost ended it 🎭 78:00 - Why standup comedy is scarier than biking across America 👹 82:00 - The "inner terrorist" — the real antagonist of his story 💡 86:00 - One lesson: Act in the best interest of other people Featured Book: "Put Your Legs On: One Man's Journey to Survive, Recover, and Live" by Rob Jones (Foreword by Jocko Willink) Connect with Rob Jones: Website: RobJonesJourney.comInstagram: @robjonesjourneyLinkedIn: Rob JonesEchelon Front Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #RobJones #PutYourLegsOn #EchelonFront #Marines #Paralympic #Leadership #ExtremeOwnership #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #Veteran #Resilience JoeCiccarone © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    1h 14m

  5. JAN 13

    #183 - Ann E. Butler - "Wife. Mother. Spy." | 27-Year Undercover CIA Officer & Mom of Five on Secret Missions, Going Into Labor During Ops & Hiding It All From Her Kids 🕵️‍♀️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

    Ann E. Butler - "Wife. Mother. Spy." | 27-Year Undercover CIA Officer & Mom of Five on Secret Missions, Going Into Labor During Ops & Hiding It All From Her Kids 🕵️‍♀️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Her kids found out she was a CIA agent the night before her retirement party. For 27 years, Ann E. Butler recruited spies, ran covert operations across four continents, and made it home for dinner — all while raising five children who thought mom was just a diplomat. What You'll Learn: How she went into labor during a clandestine meeting (and still made the handoff)The art of the "bump" — engineering a chance encounter to recruit an assetWhy a pregnant mom of five is the perfect undercover coverHow to build trust fast enough that someone will commit treason for youThe moment her daughter discovered the truth (a mosaic gave it away)What 9/11 was like from inside a European CIA station Power Quote: "Take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Persevere, even though it's not always easy. And be grateful for those opportunities — because they can turn into extraordinary moments." — Ann E. Butler Timestamps: 🕵️‍♀️ 0:00 - Introduction 📖 3:30 - Why she wrote the book after 27 years of silence 🤰 8:45 - Going into labor during a clandestine meeting 🚂 15:20 - Almost nine months pregnant on an overnight train in alias 🎯 24:00 - The "bump" — how CIA officers engineer chance encounters 🤝 32:15 - Building trust: how to get someone to commit treason 🏫 40:30 - CIA training: the farm, fake prisons, and pressure tests 💥 48:00 - September 11th from inside a European CIA station 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 55:20 - How her kids finally found out (the night before retirement) 🎬 62:00 - The Americans TV show: how accurate is it? 🏃‍♀️ 68:30 - Running a marathon in Paris (after meeting an asset first) 💡 74:00 - One lesson: Take advantage of opportunities and be grateful Featured Book: "Wife. Mother. Spy. An Extraordinary Life Filled With Ordinary Days" by Ann E. Butler Connect with Ann E. Butler: Website: AnnEButler.comBook: "Wife. Mother. Spy" (Amazon)Instagram: Ann E. Butler Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #AnnEButler #WifeMotherSpy #CIA #Spy #Espionage #Leadership #Motherhood #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #WomenInLeadership #Undercover #JoeCiccarone #Podcast © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    56 min

  6. 12/31/2025

    #182 -2025 Year End Wrap-Up | 100% Audience Growth, Lessons from My Dad & What's Coming in 2026 🎙️🔥

    Built Not Born 2025 Wrap-Up | 100% Audience Growth, Lessons from My Dad & What's Coming in 2026 🎙️🔥No interview this week. Just reflecting on an incredible year and looking ahead to what's next. What's Inside: Spotify stats: almost 100% audience growth and 30% follower increaseThe #1 most downloaded episode of the year (hint: AJ Brown made it happen)Epic guests: Guy Kawasaki, Roger Gracie, Jon Gordon, Dave Berke, Martin Dugard & moreThe hardest episode I've ever recorded — saying goodbye to my dadWhat's coming in 2026: CIA spies, Marine combat vets, and BJJ legends Highlights from 2024: Jim Murphy (Inner Excellence) — most downloaded episode of the yearRoger Gracie — 10x World Champion, changed how I train and teachJon Gordon & Kathryn Gordon — leadership and relationship gritGuy Kawasaki — Wiser Guy, always deliversDave Berke & Jamie Cochran — Echelon Front leadershipMartin Dugard — Taking Midway, WWII storiesThe episode about my dad — RIP Fran Ciccarone Coming in 2026: Ann E. Butler — CIA agent for 20+ years, her kids didn't know until her retirement partyRob Jones — US Marine, Echelon Front instructor, author of "Put Your Legs On"Chris Burns — Black belt under Rickson Gracie, BJJ Instagram legend The Lesson: You're here, then one day you're not. Let's rock out each and every day. Be present. Be focused. Give your best. Learn from those who came before and share with those who come after. Subscribe and follow for more in 2026. #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #YearInReview #2024Wrapped #Leadership #NewYear #2026 #Grateful #JoeCiccarone © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved.

    8 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    #181 - Gus "BigDawg" Felder - The Inside Game | From North Philly High School Dropout to the NFL: On Faith, Stoicism & Building Champions 🏈📘🔥

    Coach Gus "Big Dog" Felder - "The Inside Game" | From North Philly High School Dropout to the NFL on Faith, Stoicism & Building Champions 🏈🔥A teacher told him he'd be "dead or in jail." He became an Executive Director of Player Development at the University of Nebraska, earned three degrees from Penn State, and is now building the next generation of champions. Power Quote: "The world will judge you by what it sees on the outside — your title, your status, your resume. But real leadership, real strength, real success — that starts on the inside." — Coach Gus Felder What You'll Learn: How a North Philly kid who dropped out of high school ended up with three Penn State degreesWhy the inside game determines how far the outside game can goThe power of being present (and why Coach Gus is available until 2am every night)How Marcus Aurelius and stoic philosophy shaped his approach to adversityWhy he hires people who are the complete opposite of himThe daily habits that keep him sharp: sauna, cold plunge, cigars, Legos, and journaling Timestamps: 🏈 0:00 - Introduction & Philly connection 🔥 4:30 - From North Philly to Berwick: a whole different world 📚 12:15 - How Marcus Aurelius found a kid from Strawberry Mansion 💪 18:45 - NCAA non-qualifier: proving yourself as a student first 🧠 28:30 - The inside game vs. the outside game 🙏 38:00 - Spiritual devotion & faith in the locker room 👀 45:20 - Being present: listening to understand, not to respond ⚡ 52:40 - NIL, the transfer portal & building loyalty 🔥 62:00 - Forged in the fire: letting adversity transform you 📖 68:30 - Daily habits: sauna, cold plunge, Legos & journaling ❤️ 75:00 - One lesson: Don't let the world make you who it wants you to be Featured Book: "The Inside Game: Mastering the Mind, Strengthening the Spirit, Leading with Purpose" by Coach Gus Felder Connect with Coach Gus Felder: Book: "The Inside Game" (Amazon)IG: Coach Gus Felder Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #CoachGusFelder #TheInsideGame #Leadership #PennState #Nebraska #NorthPhilly #Stoicism #MarcusAurelius #Faith #BuiltNotBorn #Football #PlayerDevelopment #Podcast #JoeCiccarone © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    58 min

  8. 12/02/2025

    #180 -Roger Gracie - "The Warrior Mindset" | 10x BJJ World Champion on Conquering Fear, Winning the Mental Game & the Tao of a Champion 🥋🏆

    Roger Gracie - "The Warrior Mindset" | 10x BJJ World Champion on Conquering Fear, Winning the Mental Game & the Tao of a Champion 🥋🏆Roger Gracie - 10x BJJ World Champion and author of "The Warrior Mindset: The Tao of a Champion" reveals how a kid who was picked last for soccer, afraid to swim, and hid from his sister became the greatest jiu-jitsu fighter of all time. What You'll Learn: Why training smart beats training hard (and how Roger refined white belt techniques to dominate world championships)The mental game that wins fights before they startHow chess thinking transforms your jiu-jitsu strategyRoger's daily meditation practice that changed everythingThe closed guard sweep from knee-up position nobody else usesWhy "don't give up to fear" became his life philosophy Power Quote: "A lot of people think they're not capable of doing something. They see what someone else did and think, 'That person has something I don't.' But you're completely wrong. You have what it takes. You just need to start." — Roger Gracie Timestamps: 🥋 0:00 - Introduction 🏆 2:30 - From scared kid to 10x World Champion 💡 8:45 - The moment the Gracie mission became his mission 🎯 15:20 - Training smart vs. training hard (skill development over sparring) ♟️ 28:40 - How chess transformed his jiu-jitsu thinking ⚔️ 38:15 - The legendary Jacaré brown belt match 🧠 48:30 - Winning the mental game before the Buchecha fight 🎬 55:00 - Watching Braveheart before every competition 🧘 62:45 - Daily meditation practice (30-60 minutes) 📚 68:20 - Alexander the Great, Buddha & warrior philosophy 🔥 75:00 - One lesson: Don't give up to fear Featured Book: "The Warrior Mindset: The Tao of a Champion" by Roger Gracie Connect with Roger Gracie: Website:RrogerGracie.comAcademy: Roger Gracie Academy, LondonBook: Warrior Mindset - Tao of a Champion (Amazon) Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds. #RogerGracie #BJJ #JiuJitsu #MartialArts #TheWarriorMindset #Gracie #WorldChampion #BuiltNotBorn #Leadership #MentalToughness #Meditation #ChampionMindset #Podcast #JoeCiccarone © Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

    57 min
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About

Welcome to Built Not Born! The story of EVERYDAY PEOPLE creating REMARKABLE LIVES. Each week we bring a REMARKABLE story of an ordinary person that overcame the odds, fought through adversity and impacted the lives of countless people in their community. Subscribe and see why life is BUILT NOT BORN.

Information

  • Creator
    Joe Ciccarone
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    188
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Joe Ciccarone
  • Show Website
    Built Not Born

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