One Thousand Gurus Podcast

J.R. Yonocruz
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a software project manager, self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, dancer, stand-up comedian, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. All links & socials https://bio.site/onethousandgurus

  1. 4d ago

    #89: Andrew Tran - Art Inspirations, Standup Comedy, Financial Planning, and Prioritizing Mental Health

    Andrew “Trandrew” Tran: From Kaba Modern Breakdancer to Financial Services Manager—Comedy, Mental Health, and Fatherhood Host J.R. Yonocruz reunites with Andrew Tran (Trandrew), a financial services manager and longtime performer with roots in theater, breakdancing, and stand-up comedy, now living in Las Vegas and expecting a baby with his partner, Clarizcel. They reflect on meeting through Kaba Modern, Andrew’s years on the team (2004–2006), and later leadership with Kaba Modern Legacy (2014–2017), including leaving Modern early amid mental health and personal challenges. Andrew shares how he got into stand-up, how he wrote and structured sets, and lessons about taking action despite fear. He also discusses his career shift into financial planning and offers practical takeaways on therapy, exercise, sleep, and emotional self-awareness. Chapters 02:10 Vegas, Baby News, and Kaba Modern 13:08 Origins and Influences 20:48 Theater to Stand-Up 27:27 Writing and Structuring Sets 39:53 What Makes Jokes Work & Lessons on Performing 43:46 Switching Into Finance 48:36 Finding The Right Advisor 52:29 Mental Health Journey 57:56 Personality Highs And Lows 01:03:40 Rapid Fire Questions 01:16:26 Gratitude And Final Signoff Guest bio: Andrew Tran a.k.a. “Trandrew” is currently a financial services manager at a Fortune 100 company. Outside of work, he has a strong background in the performing arts. He grew up doing theatre and even dabbled in stand-up comedy. At age 12, Andrew began breakdancing and is a founding member of Placebo Effect Crew. He also previously served as Executive Director of Kaba Modern Legacy. Currently, he enjoys playing guitar during his free time. He is looking forward to being a first-time parent later this year with his partner, Clarizcel.  Socials/links: Instagram: @trandreww_ / https://www.instagram.com/trandreww_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-hung-tran/Links/resources: Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen (Trandrew’s dance choreography)The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (book summary)The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer (Amazon - affiliate link)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  2. Jul 13

    #88: Blessie Panopio - New Fitness Journey, Reading Habits, Concerts, G.O.A.T. Discussions, and Dealing with Grief

    Blessie Marie Panopio Returns: Fitness Discipline, Sleep, Reading, and Grief Host J.R. Yonocruz welcomes back Blessie Marie Panopio to share life updates since her last appearance. They talk about moving, her fitness and nutrition journey, and her mom’s recent health scare and recovery. The conversation also covers sleep habits, getting back into reading through library apps, and recent concerts. They close with thoughts on shorter modern songs, GOAT debates, and grief as love with no place to go. 01:30 Life Updates 05:30 Gym Motivation Shift 09:01 Nutrition Portion Control 14:30 Workout Routine Basics 19:08 Accountability Advice 22:33 Sleep First Always 24:32 Library Card Hacks 27:33 Book Goals And Series 30:55 Why Songs Are Shorter 34:05 Michael Jackson Misconceptions 36:32 GOAT Debates Across Eras 41:43 Grief And Love Reframe 45:09 Gratitude And Wrap Up Guest bio: Born and raised in the Philippines, Blessie is a dancer, competitive singer, and content creator. She has 880k+ followers across her social media accounts, tens of millions of views across her videos, and is known internationally for her comedy, couple, and Filipino culture content. She was a choreographer for SHERO’s 1st place 2024 K-Factor set, enjoys karaoke during her spare time, dancing K-pop covers, and is a pun-thusiast. Socials/links: Instagram: @blessie.mp4 / https://www.instagram.com/blessie.mp4/ TikTok: @blessie.mp4 / https://www.tiktok.com/@blessie.mp4  Links/resources: Finch (self-care app)Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker (book summary)Hoopla (public library app - audiobooks, ebooks, movies & music)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  3. Jul 6

    #87: Ramy Sidhom - Embracing the Variety of Life, Advice for Medical School, and Being Bold with Solo Travel

    Dr. Ramy Sidhom on Medicine, Dance, Solo Travel, and Finding Meaning J.R. Yonocruz reconnects with Dr. Ramy Sidhom to talk about his path from Kaba Modern and diverse cultural interests to becoming a physician with four board certifications (internal medicine, pulmonary/critical care, and hospice/palliative care). Ramy shares lessons on thriving with variety, learning how to study effectively, navigating medical training, and choosing a career by leaning into what brings joy (and avoiding what you hate). They also discuss Ramy’s love of travel—especially solo trips—and end with a rapid-fire on control, meaning, habits, and gratitude for community. 02:15 Kaba Modern Culture 07:33 Ramy The Mentor 09:41 Origin Story Anaheim 19:45 Med School While Competing 29:35 Specialties and Day-to-Day of a Doctor 34:38 Advice For Future Doctors & Career Reflections 38:05 Travel Origins and Mindset 41:37 Solo Travel Tips & Favorite Destinations 46:50 Rapid Fire Wisdom 51:15 Control and Meaning 57:12 Hot Takes and Habits 01:00:36 Gratitude and Farewell Guest bio: Ramy is an early-career physician with a few board certifications who still tries to dance as much as possible and travel the world whenever possible. He is social, extroverted, and loves a good meal with good company. He believes that people are good, and God provides what we need to make it through this world. Instagram: @ramuluss / https://www.instagram.com/ramuluss/Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  4. Jun 29

    #86: Travis Trinh - AX Summer Cut Regimen, Cosplay, Anime Spoilers & Hot Takes, and Bowling Technique Deep Dive

    Catching Up with Travis Trinh: Summer Cut for AX, Cosplay, Anime Takes, and Bowling Tech J.R. Yonocruz welcomes return guest Travis Trinh to catch up on the past 14 months, from work, gym, Gunpla, and snowboarding to weekly bowling league. They break down Travis’ annual Anime Expo summer cut (including MacroFactor), brainstorm AX cosplay ideas, and talk anime with spoilers for several series and movie arcs. The conversation closes with a deeper dive into bowling technique, lane conditions, and consistency. 01:06 Travis Returns and Life Updates 06:42 Bowling League and Vegas Tournament 10:58 Summer Cut Strategy and MacroFactor 18:18 Carbs Ketosis and Training Split 24:34 AX Cosplay Plans and Shortlist 37:15 Cosplay Meetups 42:00 Chainsaw Man Vs Demon Slayer 48:28 My Hero Ending Thoughts 52:21 Anime Deaths: Mentors & Moms 58:59 Rent A Girlfriend Appeal 01:06:34 Whiny Leads And Plot Charm 01:09:24 Anime Tropes & J.R.'s Favorite Genres 01:12:41 Bowling Technical Deep Dive 01:23:19 Music and Mental Game 01:28:47 Bowling Rituals 01:36:24 Wrapping Up and Gratitude Guest bio: Travis Trinh, the closet nerd who grew into an extroverted nerd! Travis is also an anime, cosplay, fitness, and bowling enthusiast. IG: @officialT_T / https://www.instagram.com/officialt_t/Links/resources: MacroFactor (nutrition tracking app)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  5. Jun 22

    #85: Brian “Lil B” Perez - Winning International Competitions, the Evolution of Locking, Podcasting as Public Therapy, and Finding Joy in Dance

    Host J.R. Yonocruz reconnects with Bay Area locker Brian “Lil B” Perez to reflect on their early Academy of Villains days and AOV’s mission to bridge freestyle and choreography. Lil B shares his path from DDR and working for Konami/tech QA into locking, plus lessons from battles, travel, and learning to train groove and feeling. They also discuss mentorship, safer dance spaces, therapy and identity, and how social media has changed dance culture and learning. Chapters: 01:57 Reconnecting After Years 02:59 AOV Origins and Early Days 08:20 Mentorship and Team Culture 12:27 Freestyle Meets Choreo 22:22 Building Safer Dance Spaces & Shoutout to Arnel Calvario 31:45 Brian Origin Story Begins 33:47 DDR Community, Konami Job & QA Career 41:14 Why Locking Clicked 46:08 Flow State And Loss 51:37 Prestige Locking Training 54:44 Finding Groove In Between 01:00:40 Teaching Joy And Music 01:09:04 Therapy Identity And Pitfalls 01:12:30 Keeping Locking Alive 01:17:40 Traveling For Dance Life 01:24:39 Travel For Dance Growth 01:28:59 Politics Roots And Leadership 01:32:41 Social Media & Dance Classes 01:48:26 OG Gatekeeping And Fallout 01:52:03 Locking Ceiling And Exposure 02:00:43 Dancing In The TikTok Era 02:09:04 Rapid Fire Reflections 02:15:44 Vulnerability and Therapy 02:20:56 Anime and K Pop Identity 02:27:49 Gratitude and Final Message Guest bio: Brian Perez a.k.a. "Lil B" is a locker from San Francisco, California who started his journey in 2007. In the previous years he has entered competitions and taught in California, Las Vegas, New York, Japan, Paris, and China.  Dance Affiliations: Unortholockx, Groovmekanex, DS Players, Academy of Villains (1st gen), All My Friends, and co-founder of Dance Over Styles. He has also been in the tech field doing Quality Assurance for about 20 years.  Instagram: @lockinglilb / https://www.instagram.com/lockinglilb/Links/resources: #21: Dr. Arnel Calvario Ripkens - From KM to TEDx, Asians in Hip-Hop, and Cultivating Leaders of the FuturePlanet B-Boy (documentary - Wikipedia)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  6. Jun 15

    #84: Richard Hardy - Finding Faith, Exploring Fitness, and Seeking Feedback for Success

    Richard Hardy Returns: 75 Hard Discipline, Door-to-Door Sales Psychology, and Renewed Faith Richard Hardy returns in-studio to share updates on 75 Hard, including a daily Bible-reading habit, plus his fitness and nutrition approach. He revisits his path from Pennsylvania to door-to-door solar in California and breaks down sales psychology—personality types, mirroring, body language, and the importance of getting the utility bill. The conversation closes with his goals to build a team, a long-term marketing-company vision, and reflections on re-engaging with church and faith. 00:00 Welcome Back Part Two 00:59 Studio Banter And Traffic 02:37 Life Updates And 75 Hard 06:41 Workout Split And Tracking 11:31 Nutrition And Fitness Goals 16:52 Backstory To California 20:53 Why Sales Fits Him 24:21 CEO Of Your Own Life 26:57 Sales as Entrepreneur Training 29:50 Sales Feedback Loop 32:11 Money Myths and Scaling 34:05 Personality Types in Sales, Mirroring & Energy Matching 42:20 Body Language Door Tactics 49:21 Career Path and Marketing Vision 53:25 Faith Journey and Church Return 57:15 Advice for Seeking Faith 59:54 Gratitude and Wrap Up Guest bio: Works in door-to-door sales for solar. Instagram: @rhardy202 / https://www.instagram.com/rhardy202/X: @bosshardy202 / https://x.com/bosshardy202Links/resources: #41: Eric Y. Chen - Learning Sales & Marketing, Launching Sabobatage, and Growing Businesses from A to ZHevy (workout app)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  7. Jun 8

    #83: Book Highlights - Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky

    Make Time Book Highlights: Focus on What Matters Every Day J.R. Yonocruz highlights Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, and how to reclaim attention from constant busyness and endless distractions. He breaks down the four-step daily framework—Highlight, Laser, Energize, Reflect—with practical tactics for prioritizing what matters, reducing tech distractions, boosting energy, and iterating through reflection. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 01:48 Why Make Time 02:51 Busy Bandwagon 03:55 Four Step Framework 05:25 Pick a Highlight 06:57 Laser and Focus 07:31 Tech and Distractions 09:15 Flow and Wholeheartedness 10:27 Energize Your Body 10:54 Six Energy Principles 15:38 Reflect and Iterate 16:10 Key Takeaways Recap 17:33 Final Thoughts and Outro Links/resources: Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky (book summary)#74: Book Highlights - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo#60: Mastering Personal Finance: Insights and Strategies from Three Major Books | Book HighlightsEpisode Overview: Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky#83: Make Time (presentation)Send us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

  8. Jun 1

    #82: Alex Hung - AI Tools, Leading Productive Teams, and Navigating the Changing Workforce

    J.R. Yonocruz welcomes back Alex Hung for his third appearance to discuss AI tools, agents vs chat models, and how his company is rolling out Claude to improve efficiency. They share real examples like automating sales-lead prioritization through a CRM and summarizing work across Slack/Jira, while noting its clear limitation due to lack of context and inconsistencies. The conversation also explores AI’s impact on layoffs and entry-level roles, plus advice to broaden skills, build proof-of-work, and develop resilience through failure. Alex closes with leadership insights from his LinkedIn posts on toxic high performers, professionalism, and keeping teams engaged through progress, clarity, and recognition. 02:45 Career Shift and AI 04:42 From Chatbots to Agents 08:42 Claude Product Breakdown 14:37 Rolling Out AI at Work 17:42 Automation Use Cases 21:59 Birthday Freebie Workflow 25:52 AI and Layoff Reality 34:44 Entry Level Jobs Squeeze 36:19 Doom Loop and Entrepreneurship 39:33 Go Horizontal With AI 42:41 Advice For Students 46:33 Gen Z And Caring 48:14 AI Fake Content Labels 51:32 LinkedIn Topics 52:55 Toxic High Performers 54:29 Be Yourself At Work 57:46 Keeping Teams Engaged 01:03:23 Managing Toxic Stars 01:06:51 AI Anxiety And Gratitude 01:10:54 Disconnect And Reset Guest bio: Alex is the Chief of Staff at a start-up that provides back-office solutions for property managers, focusing on business enablement and strategy to grow the business, and unblock operational challenges. He loves debating with friends to challenge his ideas and opinions. His best friend is his white and grey shih tzu, Teddy. Instagram: @hungonlife / https://www.instagram.com/hungonlife/LinkedIn: @AlexanderHung / https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-hung/Links/resources: #34: Alex Hung - From HR to Chief of Staff, the Velocity of Money, and Understanding Women#47: KM Class of 2010 - Being on a Competitive Team, Maintaining Friendships, the Burdens of Leadership, and 15-Year AspirationsSend us Fan Mail Support the show One Thousand Gurus Podcast: Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

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About

Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a software project manager, self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, dancer, stand-up comedian, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world. All links & socials https://bio.site/onethousandgurus

Information

  • Creator
    J.R. Yonocruz
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 One Thousand Gurus Podcast
  • Show Website
    One Thousand Gurus Podcast

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