Caller ID

Brandon Davis Wells
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Careers

 Caller ID is a conversation-driven podcast exploring calling, career, and identity through real stories and honest dialogue. Hosted by Brandon Davis Wells, who has served in many roles from career coach, to college baseball coach, to broadcast professional for major networks like ESPN, IheartMedia, and more. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with professionals, creatives, leaders, and everyday people wrestling with the same questions we all face: Who am I called to be? What work fits who I’m becoming? How do faith, values, and purpose shape the way we work? This isn’t a podcast about quick career hacks or hustle culture. It’s about work that forms us, choices that matter, and finding meaning in the long, often winding path of vocation. Whether you’re a student, early-career professional, parent, or someone navigating change, Caller ID offers clarity, perspective, and encouragement for the work ahead.

  1. 1d ago

    Caller ID S2:E3 with JD Hamilton | Behind the Scenes at the NCAA: Servanthood, Rules, and Identity with JD Hamilton

    On Caller ID, Brandon Davis Wells talks with JD, a longtime NCAA staffer and former ESPN spotter, about identity beyond work and the behind-the-scenes roles that keep college sports running. JD explains his current job as assistant director of playing rules and officials for men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse, including work with rules committees, officials, and game-flow emphases like traveling enforcement. He traces his path from sports information at Ole Miss and Purdue to the NCAA (since 2003), a 2020 COVID-era departure, and a return in a new role after time with Genius Sports and as courtside administrator for the Indiana Pacers. JD shares a passion for servant leadership—creating special opportunities for others—while admitting the burden of people-pleasing and his commitment to therapy. He highlights mentors, pride in speaking up about building a new Omaha stadium, and the joy of seeing teams raise trophies when athletes’ experiences aren’t disrupted. Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  2. Sep 7

    Caller ID S2:E2 Adam Amin on Finding Joy, Earning Confidence, and Navigating Pressure in Broadcasting

    Adam Amin, the Chicago Bulls’ TV voice and a versatile play-by-play broadcaster for Fox Sports, reflects on finding joy in broadcasting despite early family skepticism shaped by his Pakistani immigrant upbringing, including his mother telling relatives he was in medical school until his first national TV break at 24 changed their view. He recounts falling into the craft through encouragement from an older friend at Valparaiso, learning through volume and repetition, and gradually replacing imposter syndrome with confidence—especially by understanding when to “lay out” and let the moment breathe. Amin discusses handling praise and criticism as human psychology in the social media era, building his voice by borrowing from many broadcasters, and valuing teamwork as a central professional lesson. He explains leaving ESPN after nine years for Fox and the Bulls role, and shares how DJing—started at 13—returned as a creative outlet alongside ongoing nerves, travel stress, and advice to trust your path while acknowledging struggles with drinking and depression in his 20s. Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  3. Sep 1

    Caller ID - S2:E1 - Golden Threads

    Caller ID Season 2 Kickoff: Golden Threads from Season 1 (Work, Worth, Purpose & Community) Host B.Davis Wells kicks off season two of Caller ID by reflecting on season one’s 25 calls with 21 guests from diverse backgrounds and noting that while their language and circumstances differed, consistent “golden threads” emerged about calling, identity, and meaning. Key takeaways include listening for recurring themes in your story, discerning in community and friendship, taking the next step without needing the whole plan, and seeing failure and disruption as information rather than identity. Wells emphasizes that work matters but cannot carry the weight of worth, and that purpose is present tense—not waiting at the end of a map. He previews season two’s deeper questions about ambition, trade-offs, relationships, rest versus fear, and identity amid success or loss, and mentions upcoming guests including Adam Amin, Robyn Fralick, Dusty Sloan, J.D. Hamilton, and Mike Parker. 00:00 Season One Recap 04:15 Golden Threads Method 08:13 Career Pivots Stories 12:57 Try It To Learn 16:53 Discipline And Formation 20:07 Opportunity And Responsibility 21:51 Calling In Community 23:42 Failure And Disruption 27:52 Work Is Not Worth 30:36 Purpose Is Now 35:02 Lessons From Guests 39:02 Season Two Preview 41:00 Closing And Thanks Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  4. Aug 7 ·  Bonus

    Season 1 Highlight Show: The Best Clips of Each Call

    Purpose Is Now: Mentorship, Faith, and Choosing What Matters This season 1 highlight episode reflects on responsibility, identity, and purpose through stories about career growth, faith, and relationships. The guests discuss what it means to carry yourself well as a leader, and the importance of paying it forward through mentoring, teaching, and giving back, including funding an endowed scholarship at Texas Tech. They emphasize learning through failure, swallowing pride in ego-driven work, and rejecting the belief that careers must be linear or fully planned from the start. Themes include knowing yourself, making intentional trade-offs (like prioritizing family over ambition), taking the next step rather than the “30th,” and viewing work as worship. They also highlight assuming positive intent, resisting “delayed happiness,” and finding joy and worth in the present moment rather than constant productivity. 00:00 Carrying the Responsibility 01:16 Faith and Calling Forward 01:57 Mentors and Early Growth 02:24 Failure and Swallowing Pride 03:05 Purpose Over Perfect Plans 04:01 Tradeoffs Family First 04:36 Restlessness and God’s Voice 06:02 Resilience After Mistakes 06:19 Nonlinear Paths and Success 07:42 Pay It Forward Mindset 08:56 Conversations and Knowing Yourself 10:07 Obedience One Step at a Time 10:44 Purpose Is Now 11:19 Work as Worship and Passion 12:14 Assume Positive Intent 12:39 Human Being Not Doing 13:23 Small Wins and Present Joy Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  5. Jul 14

    S1:E25 Caller ID Podcast with Miles Larson (Calling in Seasons: Miles Larson on Leadership, Identity, and Holy Discontent)

    Calling in Seasons: Miles Larson on Leadership, Identity, and Holy Discontent | Caller ID On Caller ID, host B. Davis Wells talks with Miles Larson, executive director of the Brethren Church, about calling as seasonal rather than permanent and how work matters without defining identity. Miles shares his curiosity-driven hobbies, early leadership lessons managing a catering hall at 14, and an unexpected career path from higher education and career services to pastoral ministry after experiencing “holy discontent.” He describes discernment through community, wise counsel, and practical signs like a seminary scholarship, and explains success as “fruitfulness” rather than metrics. They discuss moving toward new roles versus running away, guarding against titles becoming identity, the need for rest and sabbatical, challenges like cynicism and rigid processes, cultural shifts driving bivocational ministry, and his hoped-for legacy of rebuilding trust, clarifying key terms, and cultivating joy in the church. Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  6. Jul 7

    S1E24 - Sarah Johnson (Chief Communications Officer - City of Cleveland)

    Sarah Johnson joins the Caller ID Podcast to talk about her path from healthcare marketing to Case Western Reserve and now Chief Communications Officer for the City of Cleveland under Mayor Justin Bibb, overseeing everything from media and social to internal messaging for 8,000 employees—plus crisis communications during incidents like shootings and a cyberattack. She shares why she initially resisted government work before being pushed to meet the campaign and buy into the mayor’s vision, and why the role is both chaotic and deeply fulfilling because of resident impact. Sarah also opens up about imposter syndrome, the power of relationships over “networking,” and having a long-term mentor who validates and challenges her. As a Black woman in high-stakes rooms, she describes being scrutinized, navigating biased comments with grace, and showing up confidently in “male, pale, and stale” spaces. Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  7. Jun 30

    S1E23 - Dr. Mohsine Bensaid | More Than Your Output: Dr. Bensaid on Language, Faith, and Not Losing Yourself

    In this episode of Caller ID, Brandon Davis Wells talks with Dr. Mohsine Bensaid—Ashland University assistant professor and TESOL program director—about identity beyond the usual “what do you do?” question. Bensaid shares how growing up in Morocco, dreaming of pro soccer, and discovering English through an influential teacher shaped his path into language, education, and intercultural exchange. He recounts navigating rigid schooling, pursuing English linguistics and literature, and seizing opportunities that eventually brought him to the U.S., where he experienced higher education as a global “melting pot.” They discuss why language learning and intercultural understanding matter, the value of exploring in college, and how his Islamic faith frames work as worship rooted in integrity and service. The core takeaway: your job shouldn’t carry the full weight of your worth—balance means not losing yourself in any one role. 00:00 Burnout And Balance 00:24 Meet Dr Bensaid 01:00 Beyond What You Do 02:05 Soccer And Family Joy 03:16 Injury Ends The Dream 03:49 Morocco School Choices 05:03 Finding English Passion 09:46 University Culture Shock 12:26 Chasing Exchange Opportunities 15:18 Fulbright And The US Leap 17:39 Higher Ed Melting Pot 19:44 Making Intercultural Priority 20:20 Small Town Initiative 20:54 Why Languages Matter 22:17 Morocco vs US Schools 23:37 Back Home Teaching 26:28 Returning to Ashland 28:20 Networking Lands ACCESS 30:21 Exploring Careers 33:46 Faith and Work 36:43 Final Career Wisdom 39:34 Closing Thanks Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

  8. Jun 23

    Lessons in Leadership with Linda Rutherford (Part 2 of 2)

    In part two of our 2-part call, Linda and I dive into all kinds of topics, including:why someone stays at a company like Southwest Airlines for a long time, mentorship, what growing up in a single parent household meant, mentorship, paying it forward, how to deal with imposter syndrome, women in leadership, Clifton Strengths, and what she looked for in candidates to work on her team.  Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID. You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick rating or review helps more people find it. New episodes drop weekly, featuring conversations with people across disciplines who are thoughtful about their work and honest about the cost of doing it well. I’m Brandon Davis Wells and thanks for answering the call.

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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

 Caller ID is a conversation-driven podcast exploring calling, career, and identity through real stories and honest dialogue. Hosted by Brandon Davis Wells, who has served in many roles from career coach, to college baseball coach, to broadcast professional for major networks like ESPN, IheartMedia, and more. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with professionals, creatives, leaders, and everyday people wrestling with the same questions we all face: Who am I called to be? What work fits who I’m becoming? How do faith, values, and purpose shape the way we work? This isn’t a podcast about quick career hacks or hustle culture. It’s about work that forms us, choices that matter, and finding meaning in the long, often winding path of vocation. Whether you’re a student, early-career professional, parent, or someone navigating change, Caller ID offers clarity, perspective, and encouragement for the work ahead.

Information

  • Creator
    Brandon Davis Wells
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Caller ID
  • Show Website
    Caller ID