Your Message Received!

John Duffin

WELCOME! The purpose & intention of each episode is to have authentic conversations with business leaders who have personal success stories to share. Guests are selected from a number of business categories-Broadcast Media Sales, Real Estate, Entrepreneurs, Voiceover, Tech, etc. The key driving point, with each conversation, is finding the key elements (circumstances, techniques, etc.) which caused them to speak more authentically. In business, and in life, the more authentically that you speak-the more you'll engage your audience. The more authentically you engage- the more you'll succeed.

  1. 2d ago

    Climb Out of The Box:Find Your True Calling- Paul Espinosa

    Paul Espinosa on Escaping the Box: From Gang Life to Family, Work, and Giving Back On the Your Message Received podcast, host John Duffin continues his conversation with California-based educator and lecturer Paul Espinosa, who is writing a book called Survival of the Psyche. Paul describes growing up as a shy “observer” with big dreams, feeling trapped in a cultural “box,” and seeking belonging. The dual vision also included money and the powerful lure of gang life. Listen to Paul explain the meaning of “homie love” in gang life while knowing it carried high costs. He explains the exhaustion of living two roles—gang member and family man—and how a gun confrontation, trade school, and a client’s offer to work construction helped him experience life outside the box. Paul credits his wife’s ultimatum and relocation with pushing real change. He now speaks in schools and works in jail programs, designing curriculum on topics like anger management and substance awareness, emphasizing authenticity, brain development, and his critical message that people can choose their actions but not the consequences. Paul's message is so powerful, and Paul Espinosa's storytelling is spellbinding. You'll get to walk the tightrope with us, as Paul vividly describes this dual, conflicting former life- the high cost of living that life- and the beautiful road of redemption and service. I am so grateful to have Paul Espinosa as my friend. Watching his uplifting story unfold is a sheer joy. I am confident that you'll be mesmerized by this episode. To learn more about Paul and to follow the journey, check out the links below. Prior Podcast Episode with John Duffin and Paul Espinosa https://www.instagram.com/paul_damascus_72/ https://www.facebook.com/paul.espinosa.980 00:00 Awkward First Step 00:32 Podcast Welcome 01:45 Paul Espinosa Returns 03:55 Observer Mindset 08:18 Gang Life Belonging 13:20 Two Divided Paths Clash 17:16 Gunpoint Wakeup 23:45 Taking Legit Work 27:08 Humbling Shift 28:22 First Real Job Shock 29:17 Double Life Contrast 30:54 Wife Draws the Line 34:48 Leaving the Hood Behind 37:49 Tricked Into Speaking 44:27 Teaching Inside the Halls 48:05 Choices and Consequences 55:08 Closing Thanks and Links

    Climb Out of The Box:Find Your True Calling- Paul Espinosa

  2. Jul 19

    Flipping Dirt: Unlock Real Estate's Dirty Little Secret: Mike Deaton

    From Big Tech Burnout to Land Flipping Freedom: Mike Deaton’s “DIRT” Framework Host John Duffin interviews Mike Deaton, who spent over 20 years in big tech supply chain roles before being laid off in 2016 on the same day as his wife, Ligia. Imagine the feeling when both partners endure a serious career change on the same day!! Instead of returning to corporate work, they mapped their values and “perfect day,” hired a coach, and used a land-flipping toolkit Mike had previously purchased to build a business focused on buying vacant land at deep discounts and reselling without renovations. Mike explains the simplicity of land compared to other real estate models, early challenges around mindset and sales, and the importance of combining systems with soft skills. He outlines his coaching approach and DIRT framework—Define strategy, Identify markets, Reach out to owners, and perform Transactions—anchored in each person’s “why,” celebrating small wins and leveraging different forms of capital, such as relationships, time, and know-how. The impact of pivoting and change, especially when forced, is difficult. But what I got from Mike was the clarity that when a new situation presents itself, and it feels true to you, you have to seize that moment. To learn more about Mike Deaton and purchase his book, click the links below. https://flippingdirt.us/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbdeaton/ 00:00 Love of Transformation 00:36 Podcast Intro and Guest 03:06 From Big Tech to Layoffs 05:33 Choosing Freedom Over Following the Herd 5:57 Discovering Land Flipping 09:03 Career Highs and Burnout 15:14 Resisting the Safe Default 17:27 Building a Life Together 19:44 Coaching and Mindset Shift 21:18 Land Flipping Explained 22:09 Messy Middle and First Win 22:50 First Deal Momentum 23:14 Coaching Done Differently 24:43 Soft Skills Origins 29:14 Transformation Through Wins 31:34 Land Business Basics 34:17 Capital Time Matrix 39:01 Network As Capital 41:56 Values Then Action 46:55 Outro And Resources

    Flipping Dirt: Unlock Real Estate's Dirty Little Secret: Mike Deaton

  3. Jul 8

    Tale of Two Fathers: Discipline and Devotion with Dr. Jack Groppel

    On this episode of the Your Message Received podcast, host John Duffin interviews Dr. Jack Groppel, author of Mountains Within and a sports science and human performance expert who co-founded the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute. Groppel recounts a childhood shaped by curiosity, solitude, sports, and a difficult, fear-based relationship with his father that drove him to overachieve. This pivotal early relationship included a severe beating that drove Jack to seek approval and constantly question if he was good enough. Through achievements like becoming an Eagle Scout early and walking on to play tennis at the University of Illinois despite not being recruited, Jack Groppel answered some of these questions- at least in his own mind. Jack describes pioneering high-speed film analysis in tennis and an early baseball study with the Chicago White Sox that unexpectedly captured pitchers’ pickoff moves, leading to published research on head-first vs. feet-first slides. Groppel also shares adopting his son Shen from China, committing to a nonviolent parenting approach, climbing Kilimanjaro together, and his message that people can transform at any stage by repeatedly asking, “What matters most right now?” To learn more about Dr. Jack Groppel, check out the links below. https://jackgroppel.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackgroppel/ 00:00 Hidden Film Discovery 00:47 Podcast Intro and Guest Setup 03:19 Curious Childhood Outdoors 04:20 Solo Sports and Cardinals Loyalty 07:20 Dad the Hero and Villain 10:24 Eagle Scout and Illinois Walk On 12:39 Shoulder Injury and Recovery 16:40 Alaska Trip Turning Point 19:06 Tennis Science Meets Legends 23:01 White Sox Film Breakthrough 26:56 Adopting Shen from China 28:49 Discipline Without Hitting 30:09 Saying I Love You 31:04 Marriage And Intimacy Lessons 31:47 Faith Therapy And Mentors 34:03 Adopting Shen In China 36:17 Kilimanjaro Dream With Shen 41:46 Summit Night And Big Dog 44:33 Transform Your Life Message 46:51 What Matters Most Daily 48:03 Honoring Dad And Priorities 49:47 Links Thanks And Signoff

    Tale of Two Fathers: Discipline and Devotion with Dr. Jack Groppel

  4. Jun 22

    History Doesn't Just Rewrite Itself, or Does It? Scott Randolph

    From Selling T- Shirts with Radio Promotions to Award-Winning Documentaries: Scott Randolph’s Resilience, Networking & Storytelling Host John Duffin interviews Scott Randolph, founder of Arrival Video Productions LLC, about how seizing opportunities during his 15-year radio and TV career led to cable production, documentary filmmaking, public speaking, and storytelling.  Scott recounts landing his first promotions job at Eagle 106, earning trust through reliability and integrity, and surviving multiple station overhauls by maintaining a positive attitude and resilience.  Randolph describes how lessons learned from less successful sales roles, combined with extensive networking, helped him transition into Comcast’s Newsmakers crew and grow from teleprompter and graphics to assistant director and director.  Scott discusses his creative approach to matching music to imagery, founding Arrival Video in 2006, and producing The Battle of Crooked Billet, a Revolutionary War documentary with reenactors and dialogue that evolved into a docudrama feel, which is now being negotiated with several streaming networks.  He also shares his love of history, public speaking for 55+ communities, and how to book him via ghoststoursofnewhope.com. 00:00 Radio Roots and Big Leap 00:53 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro 03:04 Philly Neighborhood Connection and Memories 04:30 Landing Eagle 106 Gig 08:30 Hershey Trip Integrity Moment 13:16 Resilience Through Station Shakeups 16:55 Skills Across Media and Sales Lessons 21:17 Networking Into Newsmakers Crew 23:45 Assistant Director Responsibilities 26:30 Finding Creative Voice in Editing 29:35 Crooked Billet Documentary Origins 31:50 Docudrama Shift and Streaming Talks 34:15 Spy Scene Surprise 35:46 Editing Room Magic 36:08 Recut After A Decade 37:49 Crooked Billet Connections 41:36 History Bug Origins 42:55 Revolution Over Civil War 44:55 Performing 1776 As A Kid 47:24 Speaking At 55 Plus 49:58 Emotional Connection Live 53:22 Theater Roots And Role Models 53:58 Mom The Creative Force 59:28 Never Let Age Define You 01:01:38 Where To Find Scott 01:02:40 Final Thanks And Wrap

    History Doesn't Just Rewrite Itself, or Does It? Scott Randolph

  5. Jun 7

    The Heart IN Innovation: from Scotland to Silicon Valley- Garry Drummond

    From Scotland to Silicon Valley: Garry Drummond on Bootstrapping, Security Startups & Buying Back Time On the Your Message Received podcast, host John Duffin interviews Scottish entrepreneur and Loch Technologies founder Garry Drummond about his journey from early adversity and a teenage “Kiddo Video” venture to building security-focused startups in Silicon Valley. Drummond shares lessons in persistence, execution over ideas, and the importance of margins, recounting how his UK mail-order company Microworld sold millions but failed on thin 10% margins, forcing him to sell assets and move to California with his wife and young son. He describes landing a role via Dice, helping pioneer vulnerability management by turning penetration testing into a scalable appliance, and later growing Loch from a garage to global deployments, including drone detection. Garry also details his bootstrap principles, his work-life health focus (Garry doesn't speak from the typical work-life balance perspective), and his delegation strategies to “buy back time.” I will also share that part 2, with Garry Drummond, is coming soon. You’ll see today, and in the next episode, that Garry Drummond is a prolific storyteller. Check out the links below and secure your copy of Garry Drummond's Book https://www.scotsman.com/business/22-of-scotlands-smartest-tech-founders-head-to-silicon-valley-and-singapore-5267188 https://thebootstrapceo.com/ 00:00 Early Hard Lessons 00:53 Podcast Welcome 02:01 Humble Beginnings 05:12 Kiddo Video at 14 09:00 Milk Run Mindset 11:09 Why Silicon Valley 14:37 Greyhound Rescue Lesson 20:19 Microworld Margin Mistake 22:50 Yellow Pages to Vulnerability 27:05 Scaling and Market Timing 31:05 Bootstrap CEO Principles 38:10 Revenue Model and Delegation 42:33 Wrap Up and Links 43:47 Final Sign-Off

    The Heart IN Innovation: from Scotland to Silicon Valley- Garry Drummond

  6. May 29

    From Teenage Rookie to $1.5B in Real Estate Sales- Adam Olsen

    Adam Olsen on Speed, Systems, and Staying Ahead On the Your Message Received podcast, host John Duffin interviews Texas real estate leader Adam Olsen, who has completed over 5,000 transactions and built the Adam Olsen Team and The Commercial Professionals. Olsen shares how he started in real estate at 18, took seven months to close his first deal, then grew through consistent presence, follow-up, and a willingness to adapt as social media and AI disrupted the market. He discusses his early motivation, including losing his father young and later buying back his father’s red-and-white 1956 Chevy Bel Air, and explains how his cattle-industry background led into ranch and land deals, development work, and commercial transactions. Olsen outlines what he looks for when hiring, why “speed to lead” and “speed of implementation” matter, how he uses AI tools to save time, and why businesses that don’t adapt will fall behind. To learn more about Adam Olsen and his teams, check out the links below. https://www.instagram.com/adamsolsen/ https://www.instagram.com/adam.olsen.team/ https://thecommercialprofessionals.com/ https://adamolsenteam.com/ 00:00 Disruption and AI urgency 00:54 Podcast intro and guest setup 04:28 Adam Olsen origin story 06:54 Dad memories and that Chevy Bel Air 12:05 Pilot license and going all in 14:58 Early grind and sales basics 18:41 Safety net and sacrifices 22:29 Scaling up and leadership shift 26:16 Confidence and communication skills 30:42 Finding a niche in land deals 32:07 Land Deals and Rights 34:18 Marketing and Prospecting 35:29 Team Size Breakdown 37:28 Hiring for Street Smarts 43:00 Speed of Implementation 49:17 AI Tools and Market Risks 57:57 Disruptive Business Growth 01:05:33 Where to Follow Adam 01:06:19 Final Wrap and Credits

    From Teenage Rookie to $1.5B in Real Estate Sales- Adam Olsen

  7. May 18

    Communicate, Captivate, and Conquer- Aurora Winter

    Join us on the Your Message Received podcast as host John Duffin interviews Aurora Winter—MBA, award-winning author, TV executive producer, and strategic brand showrunner—about why “the message sent is not the message received” and how concise messaging can transform a business and a life. Aurora shares how seven words (“five weeks of sun, fun, and tax shelter”) generated $3 million in one week in her yacht charter business, and how a practiced 20-minute pitch at the Banff Media Festival sparked a bidding war and launched her screen career, while teaching her to prepare what to ask for when success arrives. Aurora dives a little deeper, as our guest explains her 64/4 rule focused on high-leverage communication, her work at Same Page Publishing to “launch thought leaders” by building audiences before book publication, the “movie trailer” and “Netflix series” mindsets, her four human superpowers (stories, style, presence, coaching). Stay until the end for a great free incentive-a free 20-question quiz at thoughtleaderlaunch.com. 00:00 AI Scale or Destroy 00:14 Brand Showrunner Strategy 00:54 Podcast Intro and Guest 04:13 Fractional Showrunner Explained 04:38 Communication Origin Story 06:11 Seven Words Breakthrough 08:39 Overexplaining and Clarity 12:57 Pitch That Changed Everything 17:19 Practicing the 20 Minute Pitch 22:11 64 4 Communication Rule 23:57 Ask for the Next Step 25:44 Leaving Money Behind 26:55 Guts to Build 29:19 From Grief to Book 30:50 Grief Coach Academy 33:02 Secret Sauce Advantage 36:49 We Launch Thought Leaders 39:41 Brand Bible Process 42:20 Trailer vs Series 45:05 Quiz and Book Bonuses 48:17 Four Human Superpowers 50:31 Closing Thanks

    Communicate, Captivate, and Conquer- Aurora Winter

  8. May 1

    Innovation and Identity: Humanity Meets AI- Laurent Cohen

    Laurent Cohen (GetOblic) on Trust-First Voice AI, Authenticity, and Building Through Crisis Host John Duffin interviews Laurent Cohen, founder of GetOblic, about developing a trust-first approach to voice AI and finding an authentic business voice. Cohen shares how living in France, the U.S., and Israel shaped his mindset around craftsmanship, efficiency, and urgency, and discusses feeling safe in Israel despite wartime uncertainty. Laurent explains that adopting new technology requires earning trust, especially for small businesses operating in constant emergency mode, and argues AI should free owners to focus on customer relationships rather than replace them. Cohen rejects voice cloning as a breach of trust, emphasizing guardrails and strong data instead. He recounts a 2010 e-commerce crisis triggered by an Icelandic volcano and a bank shutdown, stressing responsibility, patience, and time. Mr. Cohen advises learning with AI first—using it to build skills—before applying it operationally. To learn more about Laurent Cohen, make sure to check out the links below. https://getoblic.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurent-cohen-usa/ 00:00 Volcano Chaos Lesson 00:55 Podcast Welcome Intro 02:26 Life Across Cultures 04:35 Craft Efficiency Urgency 07:16 Safety And Perspective 11:12 Building With New Tech 15:03 Small Business Trust Shift 20:16 Identity Over Voice 24:02 No Voice Cloning Stance 25:34 Data Guardrails Approach 27:09 Losing Authenticity 29:12 Kids As Motivation 31:00 Surviving Business Crisis 34:01 Volcano Disrupts Shipping 35:45 Chargebacks Kill Payments 37:03 Owning The Mistakes 40:44 Time Craft And Execution 44:27 AI For Service Pros 47:15 Learn With AI First 50:50 Where To Find Laurent 51:47 Final Thanks And Outro

    Innovation and Identity: Humanity Meets AI- Laurent Cohen
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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

WELCOME! The purpose & intention of each episode is to have authentic conversations with business leaders who have personal success stories to share. Guests are selected from a number of business categories-Broadcast Media Sales, Real Estate, Entrepreneurs, Voiceover, Tech, etc. The key driving point, with each conversation, is finding the key elements (circumstances, techniques, etc.) which caused them to speak more authentically. In business, and in life, the more authentically that you speak-the more you'll engage your audience. The more authentically you engage- the more you'll succeed.

Information

  • Creator
    John Duffin
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    189
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © John Duffin
  • Show Website
    Your Message Received!