In The Know with Tony Reeves

Hosted by Anthony Reeves

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419

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Oct 2026

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About the show

IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves is part of The Anthony Reeves Experience, hosted by Anthony “Tony” Reeves—an administrative law judge, former practicing attorney, military veteran, and creator known online as @mynameisreeves. Through thoughtful commentary, straight talk, and personal stories, Tony explores law, leadership, public service, career pivots, starting over, and the Black Gen X experience. Whether you’re navigating bureaucracy, facing a life transition, or looking for an honest perspective from someone who’s lived it, each episode brings clarity, context, and real-world insight. Explore more conversations, videos, blog posts, and books at https://AnthonyReeves.com . Find Tony across social platforms as @mynameisreeves. Follow the podcast and join the conversation. Stay informed. Stay grounded. Stay IN THE KNOW. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

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60 recent

October 21, 202616 min

My First College Road Trip Home: Too Tired to Drive, Too Eager to Wait

December 1987. Finals were over, Christmas break was here, and my friend John and I couldn’t wait to leave Tampa and head home to Arkansas. There was just one problem: we were both exhausted. But at 18, we convinced ourselves that swapping drivers and catching a little sleep along the way would be enough. We also left in shorts and T-shirts—as if that Florida warmth would follow us all the way home. Then came a stop at my dad’s place in Mississippi. We wanted rest. He wanted help getting a Christmas tree. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I look back at my first drive home from college: the excitement, the poor judgment, the unexpected family detour, and the lessons I can appreciate much more clearly now. We made it safely, but looking back, we should have rested before we ever got on the road.What’s a road-trip decision you can laugh about now—but would never repeat? Follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more Black Gen X stories, reflections, and lessons learned along the way. Share this episode with that friend who still remembers your first road trip together. For more reflections on the experiences behind the miles, explore my e-book, Traveling While Black Gen X, through AnthonyReeves.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

October 19, 202620 min

Driving While Black Before GPS: The Warnings a Map Couldn’t Give

A map could show my best friend how to reach me in North Carolina. But there were things about that overnight drive I wanted him to understand before he left. It was the mid-1990s. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune, and he was coming up from Tampa. When he decided to take the backroads instead of my suggested route, our conversation became about more than directions. Closed gas stations. Small towns after midnight. Sudden speed-limit changes. No cell phones to check in. And the concerns I carried as a Black man who grew up navigating the South. He arrived safely—but one of the first things he told me was, “I need you never to let me make that drive again. ”In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on friendship, Black Gen X road-trip memories, and why knowing the route and understanding the places along it can be two different things.What travel advice did someone give you that made sense only after you experienced the trip yourself? If this story brought back memories, share this episode with someone who remembers road trips before GPS, and follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more stories and reflections. For more of my perspective on navigating the road as a Black Gen Xer, explore Traveling While Black Gen X through my store at AnthonyReeves.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

October 14, 202612 min

More Than a Paycheck: What Work Travel Taught Me About Myself

I thought I knew what mattered in a job: a salary, benefits, and an opportunity to grow. Then my first professional job taught me something I hadn’t considered—I needed variety to stay energized.I thought I knew what mattered in a job: a salary, benefits, and an opportunity to grow. Then my first professional job taught me something I hadn’t considered—I needed variety to stay energized. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on how trips to field offices and workplaces across Florida helped me discover the importance of breaking up my routine. Meeting different people, seeing new environments, and getting out of the office changed how I understood what I needed from my work. Sometimes, you don’t discover what matters to you until you experience it. This is a personal reflection on career satisfaction, self-discovery, and paying attention to the parts of your job that make you feel engaged. Call to Action What did a job teach you about yourself that a paycheck couldn’t? Share your experience, send this episode to someone considering their next career move, and explore more of my podcasts, reflections, and books at AnthonyReeves.com ⁠. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

October 12, 202615 min

Someone Trusted Me Before I Trusted Myself: How One Opportunity Built My Confidence

Sometimes, confidence begins with someone giving you a chance to do something you’ve never done. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on an assignment from my first professional job in 1992. My supervisor asked for a training blueprint. I spent the weekend teaching myself unfamiliar software and building the entire program. What stayed with me wasn’t just what I created. It was the trust he placed in me—and the freedom he gave me to figure it out. That experience helped me recognize my ability to take initiative, learn as I went, and create something from scratch. Join me for a personal reflection on leadership, autonomy, and how someone else’s belief in you can help you begin believing in yourself. Call to Action Who trusted you with an opportunity before you felt ready—and how did it change you? Share your story in the comments, send this episode to someone who believed in you, and follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more reflections on work, life, and personal growth. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

October 7, 202618 min

A New City, No Lasting Friendships: My First Year in Tallahassee

Moving to Tallahassee for my first professional job meant leaving behind a world where people knew me. Suddenly, I was in a new city with no established circle—and little understanding of how to build one. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on why that first year produced no lasting friendships, the invitations I struggled to connect with, and the weekends I spent returning to familiar places. That experience shaped how I approached every move afterward. It taught me to think about the relationships, community, and sense of belonging I needed to build a life alongside my career. Continue the reflection: Starting over can leave you somewhere between the life you knew and the one you’re still learning to imagine. If that sounds familiar, I invite you to read my short memoir, Fresh Start: Sometimes You Don’t Know You’ve Started Over Until You’re Already There. 👉 Get your copy of Fresh Start Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

October 5, 202618 min

Sleeping on the Floor: Why I Thought Adulthood Meant Doing It Alone

I had a college degree, my first professional job, and an apartment in Tallahassee. What I didn’t have was a bed—or the understanding that asking for help was still an option. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I revisit the days of televisions on the floor, bare rooms, and the belief that being a grown-up meant figuring everything out myself. Looking back, I recognize how much that belief affected my quality of life. It’s a personal reflection on independence, accepting support, and helping the next generation build a foundation that includes more than a job and a place to live. Continue the reflection: Have you ever been so focused on handling a new chapter that you barely noticed how much your life had changed? Explore my short memoir, Fresh Start: Sometimes You Don’t Know You’ve Started Over Until You’re Already There. 👉 Get your copy of Fresh Start Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

September 30, 202619 min

How I Chose My Karate Instructor—and Found a Mentor

In 1999, I walked into a karate school in Tallahassee looking for a place to train. What made me stay was the person teaching there. In this episode, I share why I chose Master Anne, how she challenged me as a martial artist and a leader, and what it meant to have someone see qualities in me that I had not yet recognized in myself. More than 26 years later, her guidance is still part of my journey. Has a teacher or mentor ever seen something in you before you could see it yourself? Tell me about them.Master Anne’s guidance also played a part in my return to competition later in life. I share more of that journey in Back on the Mat at 56: Rediscovering Strength, Purpose, and the Fight Within: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/back-on-the-mat-at-56-rediscovering-strength-purpose-and-the-fight-within Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

September 28, 202618 min

Why I Returned to Competitive Karate After 50

After more than 20 years away from competition, why did I step back onto the karate mat? In this episode, I talk about how work and life gradually pulled me away from martial arts, what changed as I got older, and why simply going to the gym no longer felt like enough. I also share how my teacher’s trust helped me return to competition—and how that decision gave my workouts a purpose again. This is a story about making room for something you love while you still can. What passion have you been thinking about returning to? I’d love to hear from you.If you’d like to go deeper into my return to karate, read Back on the Mat at 56: Rediscovering Strength, Purpose, and the Fight Within: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/back-on-the-mat-at-56-rediscovering-strength-purpose-and-the-fight-within Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

September 23, 202613 min

The Navy Recruiter who came looking for me

In the summer of 1994, I met a Navy recruiter who was searching for people with training in public health and industrial hygiene. I was interested, but I was only halfway through my graduate program. The Navy needed someone immediately, so I assumed the opportunity had passed. One year later, I had completed my Master of Public Health—but professionally, nothing seemed to be changing. I had not received a promotion or meaningful raise, and I was uncertain about my next move. Then the recruiter called.She had contacted the University of South Florida to find me because she remembered our earlier conversation and wanted to know whether I had completed my degree. Within a few months, I was commissioned as a United States Navy officer.This episode is about preparation, professional relationships, and what happens when the work you have been doing finally intersects with the right opportunity. What appears to be an overnight success is often the result of work completed long before anyone notices.You cannot control when an opportunity will appear, but you can influence whether you are prepared to receive it. Explore the Career Crossroads Collection from The Anthony Reeves Experience: https://linktr.ee/mynameisreeves If you are trying to determine what your education, experience, and professional relationships may be preparing you to do next, explore my Career Crossroads Collection. It was created to help you recognize the value you have already built and approach your next professional move with greater clarity. You can find it through the link in the episode description. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

September 21, 202611 min

The Two Follow Up Calls That Helped Me Get Hired

Submitting my application was not the final step in getting my first professional job. I followed up after mailing it, and that call helped me secure an interview. After the interview, I called again to thank the employer and answer any additional questions.Those two calls mattered even more because I did not have a telephone where I was staying. If I had submitted the application and simply waited, the opportunity might have passed me by.In this companion episode, I discuss what that experience taught me about taking initiative, remaining reachable, and using the resources available to you. The technology surrounding job searches has changed dramatically, but the importance of thoughtful follow-up has not disappeared. If you are trying to move beyond career roulette and make a more intentional professional decision, explore the Career Crossroads Collection: https://linktr.ee/mynameisreeves CALL TO ACTION A career opportunity should not depend entirely on luck. If you are trying to connect your experience, education, and skills to a clearer next step, visit my Career Crossroads Collection through the link in the episode description. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .