The Chair

Jide Ladipo-Ajayi
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Real conversations with real people about the moments that change us. No scripts. No filters. Just truth

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    EP 7: He Jumped Off The Golden Gate Bridge And Survived — Kevin Hines On Pain, Hope And Choosing Life

    What do you do when you survive something that kills 99% of the people who attempt it — and then spend the next 26 years making sure others don't have to find out? In this episode of The Chair, Jide sits down with Kevin Hines — suicide attempt survivor, mental health advocate, author, and filmmaker. At 19, Kevin jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. The millisecond his hands left the rail, he felt instant regret. A sea lion kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. He survived. And he has spent every day since fighting to make sure others choose to stay. This is not a conversation about tragedy. It's a conversation about what comes after — the pain nobody sees, the recovery nobody talks about, the tools that actually work, and why Kevin believes that around the corner of every unbearable moment is something worth staying for. In this conversation: Why most suicidal people don't want to die — they want the pain to stop The two-pronged technique Kevin uses to stay alive during suicidal thoughts What brain pain really is and why people around us often make it worse How the Golden Gate Bridge nets created an 87% reduction in suicides Why recovery is never linear — and why falling down doesn't mean staying down If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. You are not alone. 🆘 International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ The full conversation is on The Chair. Come sit with us. —------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT KEVIN HINES Kevin Hines is a suicide survivor, global mental health advocate, and one of the most recognized voices in suicide prevention. After surviving a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, he has spent over two decades turning his story into a global movement for hope and survival. He is a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, and international speaker whose mission is simple: help people choose to stay alive and be here tomorrow. You can reach out to Kevin through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhinesstory/ Website: https://kevinhinesstory.com/ - Personal     https://beacons.ai/KevinHinesStory                   ABOUT JIDELADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformation leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIR The Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi — while still recovering from brain surgery — The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair, you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair/id1896831890

    50 min

  2. Jun 28

    EP 6: What Nobody Tells You About Grief — Cam Taylor on Loss, Healing and Starting Again

    What do you do when life keeps taking things from you — and you have to choose, again and again, to keep going? In this episode of The Chair, Jide sits down with Cam Taylor, a grief coach, author, and hospice facilitator who has navigated two of life's heaviest experiences: a near-fatal motorcycle accident that took three years and ten surgeries to recover from, and the loss of his wife of 35 years to kidney cancer — six weeks after her diagnosis. Cam doesn't talk about grief the way most people do. He talks about it like someone who has lived inside it, studied it, and come out the other side with something worth passing on. This is a conversation about what it really takes to heal — not the highlight reel, but the lonely hospital rooms, the dark thoughts, the friends who didn't know what to say, and the slow, unglamorous work of building a life again. In this conversation: Why healing cannot happen in isolation What empathy actually looks like — and what blocks it The three things you need to grieve well How to support someone who is grieving when you've never been through it yourself What it means to discover how to live again after loss If this moves you, share it with someone who needs it. And subscribe so you never miss a conversation. —------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT CAM TAYLOR Cam Taylor is the founder of Good Grief Journey, a speaker, author, and advocate helping others navigate loss, resilience, and life after profound change. After surviving a catastrophic motorcycle accident and years of recovery, Cam faced another devastating chapter when he lost his wife, Vicky, to cancer. Through his work and personal story, he offers a powerful perspective on grief, healing, and learning how to rebuild when life forces you to start over more than once. You can reach out to Cam through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camtaylor/Email: cam@goodgriefjourney.com  Website: https://www.goodgriefjourney.com/                   ABOUT JIDELADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformation leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIR The Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi — while still recovering from brain surgery — The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair, you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair/id1896831890

    54 min

  3. Jun 21

    EP 5: What ICU Nurses See That Nobody Else Does

    What does it look like to sit across from someone whose life you helped hold together — and finally talk about it? In this episode, Jide sits down with Vin, an ICU nurse and close friend, for one of the most personal conversations yet. Not a clinical discussion about healthcare. A quiet, honest look at what happened on both sides of a medical crisis — the night before Jide's stroke, the moment Vin walked into the ICU and saw his friend in the bed, and everything no one talks about after. Vin speaks openly about the hidden weight nurses carry, what it's like when your professional and personal worlds collide, and what ten years in critical care have taught him about life, time, and the people we take for granted. Jide reflects on waking up two months later to a daughter who had learned to talk while he was gone — and trying to make sense of a world that never stopped moving while he did. In this conversation: What ICU nurses carry that most people never see Why family advocacy changes patient outcomes What the pandemic did — and still does — to frontline workers What it means to stop living while the world keeps going If this conversation moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🔗 Visit https://thechairmedia.com/ for more.  ----------------------------------------------- ABOUT VIN Vin is an ICU nurse whose connection to Jide extends far beyond the hospital. Having known Jide and his family for years, Vin witnessed Jide’s recovery through a unique lens—both as a critical care professional who understood the medical realities and as a friend deeply invested in the outcome. In this episode, he shares the emotional realities of ICU nursing, the weight of caring for critically ill patients, and what it was like supporting someone he personally knew through a life-changing journey.  ABOUT JIDE LADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformational leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIR The Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi, while still recovering from brain surgery, The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just an honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair, you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair/id1896831890

    34 min

  4. Jun 14

    EP 4: A Crash Changed Her Life Forever - Darcy Keith on Survival & Resilience

    At 22 years old, Darcy Keith thought her life was set — until a devastating semi-trailer crash changed everything. Two of her sorority sisters died instantly. Darcy survived with severe traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, memory loss, and months of rehabilitation that forced her to relearn how to walk, talk, think, and trust herself again. In this episode of The Chair, Darcy shares the reality of recovery after brain injury — the invisible mental battles, the frustration of starting over, survivor questions nobody talks about, and the mindset that helped her keep going for more than 35 years. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, healing, and rebuilding your life after everything changes overnight. In this episode: Surviving a devastating college car crash Living with traumatic brain injury and memory loss The emotional reality of starting over Hidden disabilities and survivor questions Why was mental recovery harder than physical recovery Learning to trust yourself again Returning to work after a brain injury Structure, routine, and managing neurofatigue Faith, resilience, and long-term healing Darcy’s “STEPS” framework for overcoming adversity If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to The Chair for more honest conversations about resilience, healing, identity, and rebuilding after life-changing moments. —------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT DARCY KEITH Darcy Keith is an award-winning keynote speaker, author, and advocate known for transforming personal adversity into powerful lessons on resilience and growth. After surviving a life-altering car crash and traumatic brain injury at 22, she rebuilt her life with remarkable strength — earning recognition as “The Queen of Survival” and inspiring audiences worldwide through her message of surviving, thriving, and living life with purpose.  You can reach out to Darcy through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcykeith  Website: https://www.DarcyKeith.com                    ABOUT JIDELADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformational leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIRThe Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi — while still recovering from brain surgery — The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just an honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair, you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair/id1896831890

    43 min

  5. Jun 7

    EP 3: Abducted for Being Indigenous: The Truth About Canada’s Residential Schools

    What do you do when the government takes you from your family at five years old and you spend 13 years trying to find your way back to yourself? In this episode of The Chair, Angus Cockney shares his journey as an Inuit man from the Western Arctic who was taken from his home and placed in Canada's residential school system. From losing his language and culture to finding freedom on a pair of skis, this conversation explores trauma, identity, faith, and the quiet strength it takes to turn pain into purpose. In this conversation: Why being stripped of your name and given a number stays with you for life How losing your family at five years old teaches you to distrust — and what it takes to learn to trust again What the residential school system was really designed to do and who gave the order The story of three boys who ran across the Arctic tundra trying to find their way home  How one priest's belief in Angus changed the entire direction of his life Why money alone will never heal what was broken in Indigenous communities What real reconciliation looks like when it moves from words into action How Angus went from feeling like nobody to becoming a national champion and a voice for his people If this episode opened your eyes, share it with someone who needs to hear this story. —------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT ANGUS COCKNEY Angus Cockney is an Inuit sculptor, multimedia artist, speaker, and former national cross-country skiing champion from Tuktoyaktuk in Canada’s Western Arctic. A residential school survivor, Angus has spent years sharing his experiences to help educate others on Indigenous history, healing, and reconciliation. Through art, storytelling, and community engagement, he continues to advocate for understanding, resilience, and meaningful dialogue.  You can reach out to Angus through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anguscockney  Website: https://www.icewalker.com (Personal)                https://www.icewalkercanada.blogspot.com (Blog)                   ABOUT JIDELADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformational leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com   ABOUT THE CHAIR The Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi, while still recovering from brain surgery, The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair you can visit the links below: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair/id1896831890

    1 hr

  6. May 31

    EP 1: I Survived a Stroke at 37 | Brain Surgery, Coma & Recovery Story

    Before January 4th, 2026, Jide believed he was unstoppable. He was ambitious, driven, deeply focused on becoming the best version of himself, a husband, father, leader, and high performer building the life he had always envisioned. Then one night, a sudden headache changed everything. What followed was a devastating brain bleed, seizures, emergency brain surgery, weeks in the ICU, months in the hospital, and a recovery journey that forced him to confront something he had never faced before: the loss of who he used to be. In this deeply personal first episode of The Chair Podcast, Jide shares the full story of his stroke, coma, rehabilitation, neurofatigue, emotional breakdowns, identity loss, marriage struggles, and the mindset shift that transformed his recovery. This is not a story about “bouncing back.”It’s a story about grief, rebuilding, faith, perspective, and becoming someone entirely new. Here’s what you’re in for: 00:00 Why This Podcast 00:46 Feeling Invincible 02:13 The Night It Started 04:19 Diagnosis And Transfer 06:12 Silent Seizures 07:16 ICU Coma And Surgery 10:12 Waking Up Confused 15:08 Rehab Reality Check 19:40 Homecoming And Grief 22:16 Acceptance And New Fight 23:40 Faith And Marriage Tested 27:05 Lessons For Leaders 27:52 Hope For Your Recovery 29:22 Closing And Invitation If this story resonated with you, share this episode with someone navigating recovery, loss, or change — sometimes hope begins with hearing that someone else survived too.  —-------------------------------------------------------------  ABOUT JIDELADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformation leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIRThe Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi — while still recovering from brain surgery — The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair-where-truth-sits/id1896831890?i=1000770001722

    23 min

  7. May 31

    EP 2: The Syrian Refugee Who Built a Chocolate Empire

    What do you do when you lose everything and have to rebuild your life in a new country? In this episode of The Chair, Tareq Hadhad shares his family's journey from Syria to Canada after war forced them to leave everything behind. From rebuilding a chocolate business in Nova Scotia to redefining what home means, this conversation explores resilience, grief, identity, and hope. In this conversation:• Why healing starts with accepting reality• How family, faith, and community help us navigate loss• What trauma can teach us about kindness and belonging• Why home can become more than a place Here’s what you’re in for: 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:12 Why This Conversation Matters 01:16 Syria Roots and the Chocolate Business 03:10 War, Bombing, and Becoming Refugees 06:34 Rebuilding Through Hope and Family 12:26 Finding Hope When You're Alone 18:11 Accepting Where You Are to Move Forward 20:56 Being Celebrated as a Refugee 22:31 The Kindness of a Small Town in Nova Scotia 24:06 Turning Survival Into a Way to Serve Others 26:19 Finding Kindness After Trauma 26:55 What You Carry That Nobody Sees 29:25 Healing Through Memories 31:40 Redefining What Home Means 36:12 Identity, Faith, and Belonging 40:40 Why Canada Felt Like Peace 44:54 Keep Showing Up 49:39 Final Thanks and How to Connect With Tareq ABOUT TAREQ HADHAD Tareq Hadhad is the founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, a Syrian-Canadian entrepreneur, and public speaker. After losing his family’s chocolate business during the war in Syria, Tareq and his family rebuilt their lives in Nova Scotia, turning their story of displacement into one of resilience, community, and hope.  Their journey was later highlighted by Justin Trudeau in a global speech and became the subject of the bestselling book and feature film Peace by Chocolate, while Tareq continues to share messages of resilience, entrepreneurship, and giving back on stages around the world.  You can reach out to Tareq through:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tareqhadhad/  Website: https://www.tareqhadhad.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tareqhadhad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peacebychocolate/  ABOUT JIDE LADIPO-AJAYI  Jide Ladipo Ajayi is a transformational leader and host of The Chair, a podcast about resilience, leadership, and the moments that redefine us. Through thoughtful and honest conversations, he explores the human stories behind success, adversity, and personal growth. Drawing from years of experience leading change and developing people. Jide brings curiosity, empathy, and insight to conversations that inspire reflection and growth.  You can reach out to Jide through: Website: https://www.thechairmedia.com  ABOUT THE CHAIR The Chair is where real conversations happen. Not the highlight reel. Not the polished version of success. The moments that actually changed everything — the ones that shaped who we are when no one is watching. Hosted by Jide Ladipo-Ajayi, while still recovering from brain surgery, The Chair was never about content. It was about necessity. About finding meaning in the hardest moments and creating a space where others could do the same. Every guest who sits in The Chair comes with a story worth hearing. No pressure to perform. No script. Just honest conversation with real depth. Because the stories that change us are rarely the ones we planned to tell. Listen. Reflect. Be changed. To know more about The Chair you can visit the links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechairmedia  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0s0Vudb8QRMbXp9fOgSJii Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576450270469# Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechairmedia/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechairmedia X: https://x.com/thechairmedia Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chair-where-truth-sits/id1896831890?i=1000770001722

    50 min

  8. Trailer

    The Chair: Where Truth Sits

    A raw, unfiltered podcast where conversations go beyond achievements and surface-level stories. In The Chair, guests sit down to explore the moments, decisions, and experiences that shape who they are—honestly, deeply, and without performance.

    2 min

Trailer

About

Real conversations with real people about the moments that change us. No scripts. No filters. Just truth

Information

  • Creator
    Jide Ladipo-Ajayi
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jide Ladipo-Ajayi
  • Show Website
    The Chair