Be There

Hosted by Alan Underwood

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Jul 2026

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Be There: A podcast for men and women—founders, executives, high-performers, and entrepreneurs—navigating the gap between who they are and who they’re meant to become. In late 2020, two words saved host Alan Underwood’s life: Be There. Since then, he’s made it his mission to mentor men and women—founders, executives, entrepreneurs, and other high-performers—as they navigate the moments that matter most in life. The difficult and exciting moments that shape their life, test their resolve, refine their character, and become the legacy they leave behind. With 20+ years of success and scar tissue, Alan works at the intersection of entrepreneurial strategy and psychological depth. This is where you learn to BE THERE when it matters most.

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July 23, 2026Episode 521 hr 3 min

$15 and a Borrowed Pair of Shoes: JoBen Barkey's Impossible Story

JoBen Barkey grew up in the Amazon rainforest and arrived in North America at eighteen with fifteen dollars and a borrowed pair of shoes. What followed is hard to believe: a six-location business, a kidney given to a dying stranger, and schools, wells, and an underground ambulance built in a West African war zone — all while surviving homelessness and a COVID collapse. This is part one: the cost, the calling, and the people who carried him. Chapters 00:00 Cold Open 02:26 $15 and Borrowed Shoes — Leaving the Amazon 05:33 Growing Up in the Jungle 17:14 Brett's Box of Clothes 24:46 Rwanda — “You Just Loved Me” 27:29 Cameroon: Wells, Farming, Taxis 34:45 Innocent, the Freed Prisoner 42:45 The Physical Rock Bottom 54:32 Two Rock Bottoms — What to Take Away 01:01:13 How to Help / Close About the Guest JoBen Barkey is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who spent his first 18 years in the Amazon. Through his B7 nonprofit, funded by his businesses, he supports schools, wells, agriculture, a pharmacy, a taxi service, and a prison ministry across nine villages in Cameroon, and projects in Peru. Connect with the Guest Give / learn more: b7family.com (100% of donations go overseas) YouTube: Better Together B7 Instagram: @onekidneyadventures

July 16, 2026Episode 5157 min

Mkristo Bruce: Will, Grit, Desire, Love

Mkristo Bruce made it to the NFL — and still found himself broke on the side of the road, walking home to a son who was hungry. In this episode, he takes us into the night that became his compass, and the vow that built everything after it: a thriving business, a cockpit of his own, and a son now in flight school. Will, grit, desire, love — made real, scene by scene. ABOUT THE GUEST Mkristo “MK” Bruce was an All-American defensive end at Washington State (29.5 career sacks, third in school history) who went on to the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. After football he managed the #1 Cadillac-Buick-GMC store in Washington, then became Branch Manager at Guild Mortgage in Maple Valley — producing $24M and earning President’s Club in his first year. He’s also a private pilot with roughly 620 hours, a Beech Bonanza owner, and the father of a son now in flight school. CHAPTERS 0:00 - "Daddy, I'm hungry": the night on the side of the road 3:14 - One NFL game, and the cost of the dream 10:37 - Jacksonville: "Always be ready" 14:51 - When is enough, enough? 22:23 - The coach who refused to give up 27:24 - The pivot: cars to mortgage, and his wife's trust 40:03 - Aviation, his son, and flying together 50:02 - Attitude, effort, and the legacy he's building CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Guild Mortgage: branches.guildmortgage.com/wa/maplevalley/mkristo-bruce-654-tcmbr.html Team Bruce: teambrucemortgage.com Instagram: @mkristo.bruce

July 9, 2026Episode 5054 min

A Setback Is a Setup: Trevor McGregor on Losing Everything and Rebuilding

Trevor McGregor had it all on the line — his savings, his retirement, even the second mortgage his parents took out on their family home. Then the business imploded, and he lost everything. In this episode, Trevor takes Alan inside rock bottom, the friend who told him “the inside of the jar can’t read the outside of the label,” the coach whose single question rebuilt his life, and the road from the edge of foreclosure to more than 45,000 coaching sessions. Chapters 00:00 The Comeback Begins 02:12 Trevor's Early Journey 04:10 Losing Everything 08:23 Rock Bottom 09:20 The Power of Mentorship 11:15 Real Estate Breakthrough 14:29 Paying Back Family 15:47 Hard Lessons Learned 16:43 The Butterfly Effect 17:39 Beating Imposter Syndrome 22:12 Coaching with Tony Robbins 23:08 From Self Doubt to Confidence 26:48 One Question That Changes Everything 33:17 Lisa Changed Everything 37:44 Winning Through Crisis 38:48 The Law of Polarity 40:15 Never Give Up 42:13 From Broke to Billions 46:04 Becoming Your Best Self 49:40 Start Your Hero's Journey About the guest Trevor McGregor, known as “Coach T.,” is the founder of Trevor McGregor International and one of the most-booked high-performance coaches in the world. A former Master Platinum Coach inside Tony Robbins’ organization, he has completed more than 45,000 one-to-one coaching sessions with clients across the globe, including investors whose portfolios total billions. He lives a life of travel and family with his wife Leesa and their three sons. Connect with the guest Website: TrevorMcGregor.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevor-mcgregor-93375862 Instagram: @iamcoachtrevor YouTube: @TrevorMcGregor

June 30, 2026Episode 4950 min

The Hundredth Door: Jason Cheperdak on Out-Working Fear

At twenty-three, Jason Cheperdak was driving a forklift overnight at Walmart, a year into marriage and a few months removed from life as a national-medalist athlete. He couldn’t see the way out. So he stopped waiting for a door to open and started finding the next handle. This is the story of ninety-nine slammed doors, a first million at thirty, and the two questions that rebuilt a life. About the Guest Jason Cheperdak is the founder of Shepherd Homes Group, the #1 real estate team in the DMV, with seven companies, a team of 80, and more than 1,100 properties under management. A former Canadian junior national bronze-medalist ice dancer, he arrived in the U.S. with $5,000, drove a forklift overnight at Walmart, became the youngest Target store manager in the country at 24, and built his first million by 30. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: From Walmart to Real Estate Success 02:19 Building Resilience Through Hard Work 04:46 The Power of Mentorship and Mindset 09:03 Leading a $120 Million Business 12:44 Taking the Leap into Real Estate 16:33 Becoming a Millionaire at 30 17:28 Quitting During COVID and Betting on Himself 18:18 The Value of Coaching and the Right Circle 20:33 Family's Role in Entrepreneurial Success 25:07 Leaving Corporate to Build Multiple Businesses 27:01 Financial Lessons from Growth and Tax Challenges 30:07 Leading with Abundance and Purpose 32:24 Creating a Scalable Business and Lasting Legacy 36:11 Personal Growth Through Relationships 38:58 Advice for Anyone Feeling Stuck 40:17 Curiosity, Persistence, and Better Decisions 44:43 The Questions That Transform Your Life 46:38 How to Connect with Jason In this conversation The overnight forklift shift and the breaking point that started everything Reverse-engineering 25 years of his life and walking away from the ladder Fifteen feet of fire, a coach, and the decision to go all in Fear, scarcity, and learning to bet on himself The two questions he runs every decision through Connect with the Guest Instagram: @jasoncheperdak Website: shepherdhomesgroup.com

June 25, 2026Episode 481 hr 6 min

Kylee Leota: When the Story You Tell Yourself Stops Being True

Kylee Leota spent years inside an abusive marriage telling herself it wasn't that bad. Then a police officer sat across from her and said one word. Enough. The first time in years she had been seen accurately. In this conversation: the cost of self-deception, the moment of being seen, and how to stop being the character in someone else's story long enough to pick up the pen yourself. About the Guest Kylee Leota is the founder of Elements 4 Success, creator of the INFINITE Leadership framework, author of INFINITE Leadership (2024), and TEDx speaker ("From Survivor to Thriver"). She built her leadership methodology from personal traumatic experience, not from theory. Single mother of three. Brisbane-based. Chapters 0:00 Cold Open 0:27 Episode Open 1:39 We Always Have a Choice 7:44 Doing It for the Children 11:12 Author of Her Own Story 12:36 The Police Officer Said One Word 18:59 The Ghostwriter Section 28:43 Selfless Self-Promotion 40:41 Conversations with the Kids 49:14 A Message to the Woman Still Inside 58:49 Gratitude and Recommendations 1:05:04 Outro Connect with Kylee Website: elements4success.com.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kylee-leota-leadershipexpert Connect with Alan Website: thealanunderwood.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/the-alan-underwood

June 23, 2026Episode 4716 min

Four Kids, a Mortgage, and the One Question That Changed Everything

At twenty-nine, with four kids, a mortgage, and everything on the line, Alan sat on a boat at Lake Powell while his father asked him one question. It didn’t tell him what to do. It changed who he decided to become. In this solo episode, Alan reframes how you make decisions, from weighing options to deciding as your future self, and leaves you with a simple practice to start today. In this episode The question Alan’s father asked him on a boat at Lake Powell Why deciding from your future self changes everything The difference between “what should I do” and “who do I want to be” A simple daily practice: the five “I Choose” statements Chapters: 00:00 — Every life has a moment that changes everything 02:34 — On paper, I had made it — but something was missing 03:41 — "Comfortable had become his ceiling" 04:51 — The real stakes — betting everything on a dream 05:28 — The question that changed everything: "Who do you want to be?" 05:58 — Stop asking WHAT — start asking WHO 06:53 — The most selfless thing a father ever did 07:42 — "An invitation he'd never given himself" 08:40 — $1M/year growth for 13 years — proof of the decision 09:52 — Why your present self is sabotaging you 10:54 — How to escape the noise and make clear decisions 11:31 — Viktor Frankl's lesson from a concentration camp 15:42 — You don't have to face it alone Reflective questions for the listener What decision are you circling right now? Are you deciding from your present self or your future self? Who do you want to be in twenty years? Connect with Alan: thealanunderwood.com Be Present. Be Powerful. Be There.

June 18, 2026Episode 4655 min

Mike Tenney: The Cost of Hiding and the Courage to Confess

For twelve years, Mike Tenney carried other people's worst days as a law enforcement officer. Then his own arrived — first in a patrol car with a gun to his head, then three years later in a closet with a plan to end his life. In this conversation, Mike shares the voice that stopped him, the wife who took the wrong exit, and the long walk back to the man he was always meant to be. About the Guest Mike Tenney is a former law enforcement officer, medically retired with PTSD and major depression after twelve years on the job. He lives in Hawaii with his wife and family, where he is a soon-to-be grandfather and helps small businesses understand their financial potential. This is the first time Mike has publicly told this story. Chapters 0:00 Introduction - A Moment That Changes Everything 2:21 The Train Accident - October 15, 2015 3:05 Arriving First on Scene 6:54 The Breaking Point - Gun to His Head 9:14 The Voice That Saved His Life 10:15 Medically Retired - Identity in Crisis 12:20 The Red Flags He Missed 13:05 Skipping the Debriefs - How It All Piled Up 15:40 Hidden Addictions as Coping Mechanisms 16:59 Anger, Shame, and the Weight of It All 18:18 Psychache - When Everything Collapses 19:38 December 8, 2018 - The Second Crisis 21:34 Locked Out of His Own Safe 24:59 God Told Me To - Wife Saves His Life on the Freeway 28:44 Hope Returns - A Dream and a New Beginning 31:09 What He Was Hiding from His Wife 33:45 Why We Hide Our Hearts - The Fear of Vulnerability 36:37 The Shocking Truth About First Responder Suicide 45:15 You Are Not Alone - Message to Those Still Struggling 49:10 Being a Cop Is Not Who I Was, It's What I Did 50:26 Choosing a Life Around What Matters 51:34 Be There - The Whole Point of the Podcast 52:22 Gratitude and Closing Thoughts 52:56 Mike Calls Alan an Earth Angel 53:32 Final Message - You Are Not Alone, You Are Loved 54:53 Exalt - A Brotherhood for High Performers Resources Mentioned West Coast Post-trauma Retreat (WCPR) — frsn.org/west-coast-post-trauma-retreat.html Warrior Heart — warriorsheart.com Wild at Heart by John Eldredge — Mike's #1 book The Shack by Wm. Paul Young Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl If You or Someone You Love is Struggling 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 in the US, or visit 988lifeline.org.

June 16, 2026Episode 4523 min

Schedule Your Grief

Two people can face the same loss and walk away with completely different lives. The variable was never the circumstance. It's the innerstance. In this solo episode, Alan tells the story of the 17 minutes between learning his mentor Jim Hesseman had passed and sitting down to coach a couple who were counting on him — and the two reframes that turned him from a man owned by grief into one who could choose his way through it. Reflective questions for the listener What emotion have you been waiting on your circumstances to give you permission to feel? Is there a grief, or a hard feeling, you've been bracing against instead of giving an appointment to? Which of the three levers — what you see, what you say, what you do — is easiest for you to reach for first? Chapters 00:00 The text at 3:43 00:29 Who Jim was 04:41 When grief used to own me 07:13 Schedule your grief 08:27 Choose your emotion 09:42 The 17 minutes 14:04 Innerstance over circumstance 15:32 You are what you feel 15:47 Feel it first (Dispenza) 17:41 The Triad (Robbins) 22:11 Tribute to Jim and how to help Frameworks and sources credited Jim Hesseman — Air Care Alliance President, founder of White Feather Flight, 2023 National Aeronautic Association honoree. Vincent Van Gogh — letter to Theo (“the little emotions are the great captains of our lives”). Dr. Joe Dispenza — Becoming Supernatural. Tony Robbins — Awaken the Giant Within (The Triad). Call to action Honor Jim's legacy. Volunteer as a pilot or refer someone who needs a free flight to medical care at angelflightwest.org.

June 11, 2026Episode 441 hr 7 min

The Email That Took His Kids: Dan Brault on the Conversation That Never Came

Dan Brault had built a real estate empire and watched it collapse — $800,000 gone in a single quarter. Then his wife ended their marriage by email, took the kids across state lines, and refused the one thing he asked for: a conversation. In this episode, Dan tells the story he's rarely told publicly — and names the one thing that actually heals when time alone can't. A masterclass in flow, presence, and the conversation you've been avoiding. About the guest Dan Brault is a business advisor and the founder of LeaderOS, where he coaches small business owners who've built something successful on the outside but are still trapped by the work on the inside. He's also a partner at Greenstone Ventures, where he operates self-storage, industrial, and multifamily assets with AI-driven underwriting. A husband, father of two, and former top-of-state powerlifter, Dan has spent the last five years rebuilding both a business and a life from the ground up. Chapters 0:00 — The email that ended everything 3:32 — The morning the email arrived 9:18 — "She gave me thirty seconds" 13:06 — Two years of legal battle 15:07 — Why he chose 50/50 custody 18:58 — Vulnerability in the entrepreneurial marriage 19:22 — Hand over your heart — Alan's reframe 24:24 — "What if you'd done nothing?" 27:06 — The bog and the flow 32:38 — The four C's 34:17 — Five men in tears at a round table 37:31 — The problem is the path 43:12 — The conversation he'd avoided for three months 48:14 — Presence as the daily lesson 53:40 — Voting for your future self — Earl Nightingale 58:00 — If someone you love got that email today 1:03:56 — Outro — Be Present. Be Powerful. Be There. Connect with the guest Instagram: @itsdanbrault Website: leaderos.co Connect with the host Website: thealanunderwood.com XALT: xalt.global for founders, CEOs, and investors building at the highest altitude

June 9, 2026Episode 437 min

She Failed the LSAT Twice. Then She Built a Billion-Dollar Brand.

Sara Blakely heard the word "no" for seven years. She failed the LSAT twice and sold fax machines door to door before she built Spanx into a billion-dollar company. The difference wasn't talent or luck. It was a question her father asked at the dinner table every week, and one decision she made about what failure meant. In this episode, Alan unpacks how to catch, challenge, and change the story that's keeping you stuck. Chapters 0:00 — The Question That Changes Everything 1:24 — Seven Years of No — Sarah Blakely's Story 2:56 — What a Rut Really Is 3:51 — One Word: Decision 4:52 — From Rut to Billionaire 5:44 — The Three C's: Catch It, Challenge It, Change It 6:42 — Be There — Outro & Resources Reflective questions for the listener Where have you started treating a temporary setback as a permanent truth about who you are? If someone asked you "what did you fail at this week?" — what would you say, and what did it teach you? What's one rut you've walked so long you forgot it was a choice? Where this week can you catch a thought, challenge whether it's true, and change it? Connect with Alan Coaching, mentoring, or a conversation that matters: thealanunderwood.com For founders, CEOs, and investors looking for a brotherhood: xalt.global

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Be There

About the show

Listen to episodes

$15 and a Borrowed Pair of Shoes: JoBen Barkey's Impossible Story

Mkristo Bruce: Will, Grit, Desire, Love

A Setback Is a Setup: Trevor McGregor on Losing Everything and Rebuilding

The Hundredth Door: Jason Cheperdak on Out-Working Fear

Kylee Leota: When the Story You Tell Yourself Stops Being True

Four Kids, a Mortgage, and the One Question That Changed Everything

Mike Tenney: The Cost of Hiding and the Courage to Confess

Schedule Your Grief

The Email That Took His Kids: Dan Brault on the Conversation That Never Came

She Failed the LSAT Twice. Then She Built a Billion-Dollar Brand.

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