The Circle of the Panda Podcast

Hosted by JD Ross

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Circle of the Panda is a podcast about rising, rebuilding, and leading with purpose. Host JD Ross sits down with leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday fighters to talk faith, business, mindset, and what it really takes to get back up when life knocks you down. Whether you’re growing your leadership, navigating challenges, or fighting your own battles, these conversations will encourage you forward and point you toward truth.

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60 recent

October 8, 202613 min

Take Care of Your Flock

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace Leadership is more than achieving results. It’s about taking care of the people who have been entrusted to you. Years ago, one of the best leaders I ever knew gave me a simple piece of advice: “Take care of your flock.” Those words led me to 1 Peter 5:2–3 and a powerful picture of leadership—serve willingly, don’t be motivated by greed, don’t lord authority over people, and most importantly, be an example. Years later, during a series of devastating hurricanes in Florida, that same leader reminded me what those words look like in practice. His instruction was simple: if we were going to make a mistake taking care of our people, make the mistake by doing too much. In this episode, I share that story and three questions every leader should consider: Where is your heart? How can you serve your flock? Are you setting the example? Because the way we care for people today can have an impact far beyond anything we may ever see.

September 1, 202632 min

Leading by Example: TJ Hall on Leadership, Service, and Defying Expectations

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this episode of The Circle of the Panda Podcast, JD sits down with his friend TJ Hall, an Eagle Scout, Scoutmaster, and young leader whose story is a powerful reminder that our circumstances do not have to define our future. TJ shares how scouting taught him leadership from a young age and explains three principles he believes every leader needs: experience, the ability to follow, and empathy. He also talks about leading young people who face challenges with attention and learning—and why sometimes the best way to teach is to become the distraction that captures their attention. But TJ's story goes much deeper. As a young child, doctors told his parents not to expect much from him. Instead of accepting that prediction, TJ and his family kept moving forward. He went on to graduate high school with honors, earn the rank of Eagle Scout, achieve the highest rank in Venturing, and pursue his goal of becoming a park ranger. Along the way, he learned that great leadership isn't about standing above people. It's about getting into the mud with them, serving alongside them, adapting to their needs without lowering standards, and helping them become better people and better citizens. JD and TJ also explore the connection between leadership, faith, friendship, and action—including a powerful story about finding friendship without words and the lesson of a Scoutmaster who wasn't afraid to step into the mud to pull someone out. This is a conversation about leadership, perseverance, service, inclusion, and keeping an open mind. There is always more to climb.

August 6, 202653 min

From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Identity, Fasting, and Living God's Plan with Zac Dean

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this episode, JD sits down with Zac Dean — Australian entrepreneur, podcaster, and health advocate currently living in Dubai — for a wide-ranging conversation that is equal parts practical and deeply personal. Zac shares what it means to trust God's plan when your own plans fall apart, why 93% of the entrepreneurs he's interviewed say their biggest breakthrough followed a breakdown, and what a 14-day water fast taught him about identity, letting go, and spiritual clarity. They also dig into circadian rhythms and quantum biology, the power of sunlight and grounding, why fasting is less about food and more about your relationship with instant gratification, and how podcasting has become one of the last great equalizers for everyday people with a story to tell. This one is packed. Whether you're in a season of collapse or a season of growth, there's something here for you. Topics covered: Why Zac left Australia to live out of a suitcase across Thailand, Mexico, and Dubai Trusting God's plan vs. your own 10-year blueprint The breakthrough/breakdown pattern from 80+ entrepreneur interviews Circadian rhythms, mitochondria health, and living with the sun What really happens during extended fasting — mentally, physically, and spiritually The #1 and #2 ways to reduce stress (the answer may surprise you) Podcasting as a tool for self-discovery and building authority Connect with Zac Dean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdean_official

May 27, 202632 min

Full Circle with Barrett Counterman

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this closing episode of Circle of the Panda, JD talks with Barrett Counterman, host of the Swaggy Life Podcast, about living with cerebral palsy, honest prayer, and finding purpose when life is slow and hard. Barrett shares how he’s rebranding his show around disability, faith, and everyday struggles, and why choosing vulnerability and perseverance can turn even discouraging seasons into a full-circle story of hope.

May 26, 202615 min

Athena Dean Holtz: Part 3: It is a Journey

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this third and final conversation with Athena Dean Holtz, the discussion explores why healing, trust, and spiritual growth are a lifelong journey rather than a quick fix. Athena shares how pain, betrayal, and unmet expectations can become places where deeper healing happens, and why suffering does not mean God has abandoned us. The episode also reflects on the importance of honesty in faith, making space for weakness, and learning to pause and ask God what to do next in the middle of hard seasons. Athena closes by pointing listeners back to the truth that God is faithful, present, and able to bring good even out of deep hurt.

May 22, 202619 min

Athena Dean Holtz: Part 2: Trust and Forgiveness

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this second episode of a three-part series, Athena Dean Holtz shares profound insights on trust, forgiveness, and healing. The conversation explores why trusting God remains difficult even after witnessing His faithfulness, drawing parallels to the Israelites who doubted despite seeing the Red Sea part. Key Topics Miraculous Provision : Athena recounts facing a $400 phone bill with no funds when a Vietnam veteran—himself struggling financially—knocked on her door after God told him to empty his savings account. The amount was exactly what they needed. Misused Scripture : The episode addresses how prosperity gospel twists Biblical verses, particularly explaining that the "give and it will be given to you" passage is about forgiveness, not financial prosperity. Taking Responsibility : Athena shares how she asked herself "What was my part in this tragedy?" after being deceived by a false shepherd who stole everything from her. This led to recognizing three critical failures: ignoring God's prompting to seek healing for PTSD, not learning to study Scripture in context, and dismissing red flags because she didn't trust God to provide another way. Healing Through Service : A beautiful thread emerges about caring for her dying mother during her final four months—transforming a broken, critical relationship into sacred moments of healing and reconciliation. The episode concludes with a powerful truth: "He sees, he loves, and he heals," emphasizing that trust and healing are inseparable.

May 14, 202619 min

Full Circle: Trauma, Healing, and the Faithfulness of God with Athena Dean Holtz- Episode 1

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this opening conversation of a three-part series, host JD sits back down with Athena Dean Holtz, founder and publisher of Redemption Press, to talk about her powerful memoir, Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God . JD shares how he read the book in a single 24-hour period—falling asleep and waking up with Athena’s story—because it spoke so personally to his own journey, and he wanted that same impact for listeners. Athena opens up about why she finally wrote the book after years of horrific spiritual abuse, and how a close friend served as her ghostwriter, helping her weave together past radio shows, TV interviews, blogs, and personal memories into a true page-turner. She explains how that writing process became another layer of healing, forcing her to stop escaping into work and instead face deep pain she had long avoided. The conversation goes straight into the hard stuff: early childhood sexual abuse, a forced abortion as a teenager, domestic violence, and the lingering effects of unprocessed trauma. Drawing on her experience working with Vietnam veterans and their families in the late 1980s, Athena describes how trauma shapes the brain, how triggers pull us back into fight-or-flight, and why our brains often cannot distinguish between real and perceived threats. JD and Athena also wrestle with the vulnerability that comes from a genuine hunger for God, and how the enemy can exploit that longing through lies and spiritual abuse. They talk about the “gullibility of Christians,” exploring how predatory pastors and influencers can weaponize Scripture, preach feel-good “no suffering” messages, and leave people questioning whether they can trust God at all. Speaking directly to listeners who are carrying their own unresolved pain and crying out for healing, Athena urges them not to walk this road alone. She highlights the importance of finding truly safe, biblically grounded people who will lovingly point out blind spots, as well as the value of professional, Christ-centered counseling and small-group communities. Athena closes by sharing one of her ongoing prayers from the Psalms—asking God to help her not lie to herself—so she won’t stay isolated and controlled by old wounds. This episode sets the stage for part two, where JD and Athena will dive deeper into the crucial topic of trust after spiritual and emotional betrayal.

May 7, 202620 min

Dogs - Our Companions - Marilyn Doss

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this heartwarming episode of the Circle of the Panda podcast, JD talks with long‑time friend and dog groomer Marilyn Doss about how following her love for dogs led her out of an unfulfilling office career and into work that gives her deep joy and purpose. Marilyn shares how grooming became her calling, why she prefers working with dogs over “people with attitudes,” and how she gives back by grooming shelter and rescue dogs for free as they transition into new homes. She tells the moving story of a neglected long‑haired dachshund who became the dog of her life, what it was like to lose him, and why the bond between people and dogs can feel as strong as family. Through stories of homeless individuals who feed their dogs before themselves and of matching rescued dogs with grieving owners, Marilyn paints a picture of dogs as companions, healers, and “God’s gift to humanity” who remind us what unconditional love looks like.

May 6, 202624 min

Endee Coaching Collective - Michelle Cates and Gentry Hamrick

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace In this episode of the Circle of the Panda podcast, JD sits down with Gentry Hamrick and Michelle Cates, the co‑founders of Endee Coaching Collective, a neurodivergent‑led coaching business serving ADHD and autistic clients and their families. They discuss why traditional therapy alone often isn’t enough, how “in‑the‑moment” situational coaching and body‑doubling can turn everyday challenges—like cleaning a room or getting through a grocery store—into manageable wins, and why working with someone’s brain instead of against it changes everything. You’ll hear how Gentry’s lifelong ADHD experience and clinical background led to a new business model where clients choose coaches who share similar lived experience, and can even work with more than one coach to cover different needs like daily life skills, micro‑enterprise, job coaching, or athlete‑focused support. They also explain how Endee wraps around the whole family, offers fully virtual global services, and creates a genuinely safe, non‑masking space built on the belief that “your brain is not the problem—we just need better elevators, not more stairs.”

April 22, 202618 min

Shawn Robert Johnson Episode 3 - What is Next

JD here. Just click this link to get a message to me. Peace Shawn returns for his third and final appearance on the Circle of the Panda podcast to share what comes after transformation—how he’s intentionally building his next chapter after prison through faith, service, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, Shawn explains how his story has moved from “I went through all this, but…” to “I went through all this, and here’s what I’m doing now,” emphasizing growth, ownership, and forward motion. He talks about honestly assessing what he’s done well and not so well, then using those lessons to shape a purposeful life going forward. While incarcerated, Shawn wrote multiple books, including Saving Souls (youth mentorship and keeping kids out of gangs and prison), Credit to Freedom (beginner financial literacy and credit building), Rise Above (motivational speeches, poems, and quotes), In God’s Presence (prayers, spiritual poems, and scriptures with life application), and Broke into Breakthrough on men’s mental health with his “knit brothers” Charles and Sine. All of his books are available on Amazon under the name Shawn Robert Johnson, and he also shares his content across social platforms under the handle “ShawJohn1222.” Now home, Shawn is pursuing three lanes at once—public speaking, preaching, and an apparel company he co-founded with his wife called Saving Souls (SNS Synergy)—refusing to narrow his calling to one lane when he believes he’s been blessed to do multiple things. He shares a powerful sermon theme, “God Rescue Me,” drawn from 2 Kings 6:8–14, and offers business advice rooted in faith, consistency, and persistence: what you plant is what you will harvest, many people quit too early, and what we often call “failure” is really just learning ways that don’t work yet.