Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything

Dan Clark and Phil Petersen
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Personal Journals

What happens when you take two friends retired from the Navy and give them an open mic? You get Catalyst Comms. From the high-stakes environment of military life to the beautiful chaos of the civilian world, your hosts dive into Anything & Everything. They bring the unique "different but similar" perspective that only years of service can forge—sharing a common code of ethics but wildly different takes on how to live it out. If you’re looking for insightful banter, unexpected deep dives, and a healthy dose of wit, all while keeping it real, you’ve found your frequency.

  1. 5d ago

    S2 Episode10 - Chemo Killer

    What does it take to stare down a terminal diagnosis and choose to keep moving forward? In this powerful episode, we sit down with athlete, author, and speaker James Logan to explore his extraordinary journey of resilience, purpose, and relentless grit. Diagnosed in 2024 at age 59 with Stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer and given a 6-to-24-month life expectancy, James refused to let the timeline define his destination. Now well past that initial prognosis and navigating his 27th treatment, James continues to train for IRONMAN triathlons, share his message of courage, and prove that adversity doesn't have to mean defeat. James unpacks his signature DSSP framework—Discipline, Sacrifice, Suffering, and Pain—explaining how decades as a carpenter, roofer, and endurance athlete built the mental armor he needed to confront the darkest moments of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries. We dive deep into his 13-month journey writing his new book, Just Keep Tri-ing, his mission to raise $100,000 for the IRONMAN Foundation, and why he firmly believes that "Terminal was not the end, it was the beginning." Whether you are facing a life-altering health battle, a professional hurdle, or simply looking to eliminate complacency from your daily routine, James’s story offers an unforgettable masterclass in what it truly means to live boldly. 🎙️ Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything Everybody has a story. We just give them a place to tell it. Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode10 - Chemo Killer

  2. Sep 6

    S2 Episode9 - Pulling for Clarity Pulling for Little Lives. Remembering Big Hearts.

    Some episodes are interviews.This one is family.This week on Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything, Dan & Phil sit down with Phillip Bewley and Payton Clark for a conversation that is deeply personal to everyone at the table. It begins with David Bewley—Phillip’s father and Payton’s grandfather. A hardworking man who loved his family, his community, and truck and tractor pulling. After David passed, his family found a way to keep his memory alive through something he loved: the David Bewley Memorial Truck & Tractor Pull. But then another loss changed this family forever. On August 4, 2022, Vance Cambell Clark, Payton and Lane’s son and the grandson of Dan, Melinda, Phillip, and Julie, was stillborn. Two lives. Two generations. One family determined that remembering the people they love could also mean helping someone else. Today, the Memorial Pull benefits Clarity in Vance’s memory. Clarity serves women, men, babies, and families in our community with free pregnancy services, ultrasounds, parenting education and mentoring, material assistance such as diapers and car seats, and even maternity housing for moms who need it.Learn more about Clarity. In this episode, Phillip shares the man behind the name David Bewley, while Payton talks about her son Vance and what it means to hear his name, remember his life, and see something positive being done in his honor, as well as the difference Clarity is making. There are trucks and tractors. There’s horsepower, competition, food, family, and plenty of noise. But underneath all of it is something much bigger. Love. Loss. Family. Community. Remembrance. And purpose. 4th Annual David Bewley Memorial Truck & Tractor Pull Saturday, October 3, 2026 Hardin County Fairgrounds – Elizabethtown, KY Gates open at Noon | Pulling starts at 5 PM Adults $15 | Kids 8 & under FREE. All proceeds support Clarity in memory of Vance Clark. This is one of the most personal conversations we've had on Catalyst Comms. We hope you'll listen.And on October 3rd, we hope you'll come pull with us.Pulling for Little Lives. Remembering Big Hearts. There are a lot more conversations coming. 🎙️ Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything Everybody has a story. We just give them a place to tell it. Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode9 - Pulling for Clarity Pulling for Little Lives. Remembering Big Hearts.

  3. Aug 30

    S2 Episode8 - The Mile High Club

    What does it take to build a career in the skies when the people in charge tell you that you don't belong? In this episode, we sit down with seasoned corporate aviator Captain Bob to unpack his journey from growing up in Arizona to commanding top-tier aircraft well above commercial flight paths. Bob shares the candid story of facing flight school professors who tried to have him removed from the program, the critical decision that kept him enrolled, and how he turned early doubt into fuel for a decades-long career. We pull back the curtain on the corporate aviation industry, exploring: The Reality of Corporate Aviation: How flying corporate differs from the standard airline path, from unpredictable schedules to managing 18-day stretches on the road without losing your personal life.Life Above 40,000 Feet: What the world looks like from the flight levels where corporate jets cruise, and how flight dynamics shift at extreme altitudes.The Pilot's Cockpit Mindset: Balancing high-stakes confidence with essential humility, knowing your aircraft limits, and mastering multiple airframes.Mentoring the Next Generation: Key advice for aspiring pilots and what Captain Bob would say today to the student pilot who almost walked away.Whether you are an aspiring aviator, a seasoned aviation enthusiast, or simply looking for an inspiring story about resilience and mastering a craft against the odds, this conversation offers an unfiltered look at what it truly takes to earn your wings. 🎙️ Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything Everybody has a story. We just give them a place to tell it. Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode8 - The Mile High Club

  4. Aug 23

    S2 Episode7 - Recap IV

    Six guests. Six completely different lives. And that's the point. We aren't looking for a certain type of guest. We don't care about titles, fame, followers, politics, or whether everybody agrees. We care about the story. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes Phillip Petersen cries. Sometimes we get serious. Sometimes Phillip Petersen OCD kicks in. Sometimes the conversation goes somewhere none of us expected. But every time, we try to get beyond the surface and meet the person behind the story. And we're just getting started. Thank you to Matt, Devi, Kelly, Bryan, Calvin, and Monique for trusting two retired Navy guys with your stories—and thank you to everyone who continues to watch, listen, share, comment, and support what we're building. There are a lot more conversations coming. 🎙️ Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything Everybody has a story. We just give them a place to tell it. Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode7 - Recap IV

  5. Aug 16

    S2 Episode 6 - Standing in the Gap

    On this episode of Catalyst Comms, Phil and Dan sit down with Nurse Practitioner Monique Reeves for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation about resilience, survival, and a lifetime on the frontlines of care. From her small-town roots in Quanah, Texas, to watching her mother recover from a brain tumor, to starting nursing school at age 17, Monique’s work ethic was forged early. She opens up about surviving and escaping a severe abusive marriage, rebuilding a stable life with her husband Sean, and how those personal trials shaped her approach to raising her five children. With 26 years in healthcare, Monique takes us inside the raw reality of the COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care facilities, standing in for families during "Last Walk" ceremonies, and reflects on the systemic shifts that followed. She breaks down her current work in hospice care, balancing deep empathy with emotional compartmentalization to help patients die with dignity. Finally, Monique shares what drove her to step into pediatric mental health following her daughter’s experience with bullying, how she tackled a massive caseload gap, and why she took to social media to share her viral "Mental Health Minute" Reels. https://www.facebook.com/HubCityPsychiatryClinic/videos/ Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode 6 - Standing in the Gap

  6. Aug 9

    S2 Episode5 - Country Roads and Big Dreams

    In this packed episode, Phil and Dan pull back the curtain on growing up in Hardin County, the unspoken realities of life on the farm, and what it’s really like behind the wheel of a big rig. Joined by special guest Calvin Coomes, the guys tackle everything from hilarious childhood memories and sketchy moments on the road to the biggest misconceptions about truck drivers today. Plus, we get real on the big questions: The Generation Gap: What older generations get dead wrong about young people today—and what young people misunderstand about the past.The American Dream: Is it still alive, what worries us most about the future, and where we still find hope.Life Lessons & Legacy: The wisdom learned in the fields, the dream of owning land, and the legacy Calvin hopes to leave behind.Stick around until the end for a fast-paced Rapid-Fire Round covering favorite trucks, worst jobs, top country songs, and the ultimate hunting debate! Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode5 - Country Roads and Big Dreams

  7. Aug 2

    S2 Episode4 - Live Long and Prosper

    From rebuilding discarded trash-can computers with Linux in Wisconsin to hacking in-orbit satellites, Bryan Torielli’s path in tech is anything but traditional. In this episode of Catalyst Comms, Phil and Dan sit down with Bryan, founder of Null-SAT, to trace his journey through high school boredom, military base relocations, reverse-engineering defense networks, and building Silent Shield at Deloitte. Now, he’s taking on "dead" satellites and converting them into live orbital cyber ranges for DARPA and the Space Development Agency. Tune in for a masterclass on leaning into the problems everyone else thinks are "too tough." Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen!

    S2 Episode4 - Live Long and Prosper

  8. Jul 26

    S2 Episode3 - The First Forty-Five

    What does it take to go from an unhappy 17-year-old escaping a turbulent home life to becoming one of the first 45 women integrated onto a U.S. Navy warship? In this episode, we sit down with retired CWO3 Cryptologic Officer Kelly Soles for a raw, unflinching look at her historic naval career. Kelly takes us inside the intense command climate of the USS Vella Gulf in 1996, the sting of having her hard-earned promotion to Chief Petty Officer questioned by male peers, and why she firmly believes modern DEI policies risk diluting the meritocracy she fought so hard to prove. We also explore the deeply personal decision to walk away from her dream of becoming the first female CWO5 to put family first. Finally, Kelly pulls back the curtain on her current work managing the critical CCTV links for the ongoing, decades-long legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay for the 9/11 and USS Cole terrorist attacks. It’s a powerful conversation about survival, breaking barriers, leadership, and the slow wheels of American justice. Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at catalystcomms26@gmail.com and let’s make it happen! LETS GOOOO!

    S2 Episode3 - The First Forty-Five
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

What happens when you take two friends retired from the Navy and give them an open mic? You get Catalyst Comms. From the high-stakes environment of military life to the beautiful chaos of the civilian world, your hosts dive into Anything & Everything. They bring the unique "different but similar" perspective that only years of service can forge—sharing a common code of ethics but wildly different takes on how to live it out. If you’re looking for insightful banter, unexpected deep dives, and a healthy dose of wit, all while keeping it real, you’ve found your frequency.

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