The Open Exchange with Paul Martinez

Hosted by Paul Martinez

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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Episodes

108

Latest episode

Sep 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The Open Exchange Podcast shares real conversations with people from different backgrounds who have something meaningful to say. Paul Martinez hosts each episode with curiosity and honesty, asking questions that lead to deeper stories and personal truths. Guests include creators, entrepreneurs, athletes, and everyday individuals who talk about growth, failure, faith, identity, and discipline. Episodes capture honest moments, unexpected lessons, and practical takeaways without forcing a narrative. The focus is on connection, reflection, and the value of listening to someone’s journey without rushing past the details.

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60 recent

September 21, 202646 min

From Dental Hygienist to Top Realtor: The Price of Building Your Own Career | Stephanie Rush | EP. 108

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! A porch was literally pulling away from the house Steph Rush was preparing to buy. When she asked her real estate agent about the roughly $15,000 problem, the answer was essentially: deal with it later. Steph walked away from the property. Then she decided she could do the job better herself. In Episode 108 of The Open Exchange , Paul sits down with Stephanie Rush, Associate Broker with RE/MAX Legends, to talk about the unconventional path that took her from dental hygiene to real estate, working two careers at once, closing 30 transactions during her first year, and eventually building a business around the same client-care mindset she learned in healthcare. But this conversation goes beyond real estate. Steph opens up about surviving a motorcycle accident, completing roughly 200 skydives, learning to take calculated risks, losing some of the carefree version of herself as her career grew, developing stronger boundaries, and confronting the strange reality of entrepreneurship: sometimes you leave a job looking for freedom only to build yourself an entirely new version of the grind. They also talk about self-development, trust, asking better questions, family influence, learning to delegate, and what Steph would trade from the success she has gained to reclaim some of the balance she has lost. Chapters: 00:00 The $15,000 Porch That Changed Everything 01:50 Why Steph Got Into Real Estate 05:27 The Reality of Becoming an Agent 06:47 Finding Her Why 09:17 The Principles Behind Her Success 10:26 What Dental Hygiene Taught Her About Clients 12:29 The Career She Originally Wanted 14:00 Working Two Careers at Once 16:05 Proving Something to Herself 17:42 What Her Dad Thought About the Career Change 19:02 The Motorcycle Accident 21:16 Why She Still Takes Risks 21:28 Becoming a Licensed Skydiver 24:02 Who Steph Was Before Real Estate 25:18 Breaking Into Her Old School 27:16 Did She Find Freedom or Just Trade Up? 28:42 Steph's Morning Routine 31:03 Learning to Trust but Verify 32:53 Turning Every Mistake Into a Better System 35:27 Steph's Real Estate Hot Takes 36:27 Is College Still Worth It? 37:16 Your Parents Don't Decide Your Life 38:53 Advice for First-Time Homebuyers 40:15 What Her Grandmother Taught Her 41:54 The Meaning of "Shoulder to Shoulder" 43:06 Learning to Say No 43:47 The Exchange 44:11 What Steph Would Trade Back 45:59 Young Professional of the Year 46:15 Where to Find Stephanie Rush Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

September 14, 202645 min

What Do You Say to Someone Who Doesn't Believe? | Danny Garcia | Ep. 107

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Danny Garcia graduates as a minister this Sunday. Before he did, he sat down for a conversation that doesn't go where most faith conversations go. Paul brings him the hard questions — the ones that came out of a Friday night argument with friends. If a pastor gets caught in a scandal, why trust any of them? What happens to good people who simply don't believe? And the one that gets asked straight to his face: how can you believe in something you can't see? Danny doesn't preach. He makes a case. Historical record, more than 500 eyewitness accounts, people who chose to die for the truth rather than walk away from a lie. He frames it the way a businessman evaluates a deal on the table: if someone makes a claim that big, it's worth inspecting before your lifetime is over. The conversation goes deeper than apologetics. Danny grew up with faith as rules and checkmarks and had to unlearn it. He talks about the fathers, uncles and brothers he found inside a church when he didn't have them at home. He asks Paul a question most believers never think to ask themselves — whether they believe their enemy is real. And he lands on a metaphor about rain and umbrellas that reframes how you look at the person next to you having a hard time. The episode opens with both of them acknowledging September 11th, and where they each were that day. Danny is also putting on Praise & Paint: Made New on October 2nd at Union Room Events. Live worship, painting, spoken word and a set from Tim Allen, and a mocktail bar. No art skills necessary. It's open to the entire community — deep in your faith, curious about it, or just there for a good night out. He's funding the whole thing himself. Whether you believe, used to believe, or have never been able to get there, this one is worth 45 minutes. CHAPTERS 00:00 Episode 107 with a repeat guest 00:22 Why I can't let September 11th pass without acknowledging it 02:33 Running into Danny at Muddy Waters 04:08 Two years of minister training, and why he almost said no 06:30 Growing up with faith as rules and checkmarks 08:38 "A pastor got caught. So how can you believe?" 12:44 One bad doctor doesn't close the hospital 14:41 What about the people who don't believe? 15:35 Is Jesus reliable? The case Danny makes 17:46 The Case for Christ 21:06 Tired, weak, broken — where do you actually start? 22:02 Faith comes by hearing. But hearing what, and from who? 25:13 James 2, Abraham, and why faith without works isn't faith 28:45 Danny's day-to-day conversation with God 30:48 The fathers, uncles and brothers he found in church 32:37 "Do you believe your enemy is real?" 33:44 Nobody carries an umbrella every day 35:30 The book of Isaiah changed everything for me 37:16 The project I keep running away from 38:40 Praise & Paint: Made New, and why he's funding it himself 42:30 October 2nd. Doors at 6:30. 44:33 Danny's shoutouts Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

July 27, 202659 min

You Don’t Need More Motivation. You Need a Better System | Matt Haddock | Ep. 106

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What happens when you deliberately train yourself to handle difficult things? In Episode 106 of The Open Exchange , Paul Martinez sits down with financial professional and marathon runner Matt Haddock to discuss how discipline in one area of life can create momentum everywhere else. Matt explains how marathon training has helped him manage stress, become more patient at home, structure his schedule, and stay consistent when motivation disappears. The conversation then shifts into the psychology of money, financial decision-making, cash flow, home affordability, investing, risk management, and the growing role of AI in financial education. In this episode: Why Matt competes primarily against himself How marathon training builds mental and emotional resilience The connection between physical stress and everyday pressure Why momentum disappears before you notice it How distraction and information overload affect progress Why financial decisions are often emotional, not mathematical The difference between what you are approved for and what you can afford Why families need financial guardrails instead of rigid budgets The importance of liquidity, risk management, and a strong foundation How AI can educate people without replacing human guidance Connect with Matt Haddock LinkedIn: Search Matt Haddock Instagram and Facebook: Modern Income Plan Subscribe to The Open Exchange for honest conversations about personal development, business, money, family, and the experiences that shape how people think. Disclaimer This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed should be considered financial, legal, tax, investment, insurance, or individualized professional advice. Any opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Consult appropriately licensed professionals before making financial or insurance decisions. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome Back to The Open Exchange 01:02 Competing Against Yourself 03:32 Rebuilding After Taking Time Off 05:03 Training by Heart Rate, Not Ego 07:25 Why Run a Marathon? 08:21 Running as Therapy 10:05 Why Every Goal Needs a Plan 12:44 From Organized Chaos to Structure 15:29 The Mindset Behind Doing Difficult Things 16:36 Training Your Body to Handle Stress 19:55 How Momentum Changes Everything 21:45 Learning, Distraction and Information Overload 27:53 How Our Childhood Shapes Our View of Money 31:02 Money Problems Are Often Emotional Problems 34:15 Approved for a House vs. Able to Afford It 39:05 Can Families Escape the Debt Cycle? 40:16 Why the Middle Class Feels Financially Stuck 43:09 Treat Your Financial Plan Like Marathon Training 44:31 Financial Guardrails Instead of Budgets 47:23 The Cost of Waiting for the Perfect Time 50:25 Liquidity and Avoiding Financial Traps 52:19 Can AI Replace a Financial Professional? 55:49 Building a Strong Financial Foundation 59:03 Closing Thoughts 59:29 Where to Connect With Matt Haddock Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

May 25, 202654 min

The Hip-Hop Entrepreneur Wearing Every Hat | Suave Ski | Ep. 105

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Episode 105 of The Open Exchange — Suave Ski joins Paul in studio talking about growing up in New London, the night his parents packed his bags at 13, and the four years in Fort Worth, Texas that reset his life. We get into the cousin who first made beats in his bedroom (Milky Beats), the early Camacho days, the rebrand to Suave Ski on a sprinter van tour across Canada with Apathy, and what it actually takes to build an independent music career when nobody's writing you a check. Suave is one of those rare artists who wears every hat — rapping, filming, editing, building websites, learning AI tools like Runway, curating events under Suave Mob, and now stage-managing a 10-artist showcase at the Tetrahedral Club in Rhode Island on June 6th. We talk about why he stays loyal to New London, the identity crisis between sports and music, the Slim Thug record deal that turned out to be a scam, and the difference between happiness (fleeting) and joy (the thing you'd do every day even if it wasn't work). If you've ever felt pulled between two paths, this one's for you. 🎙️ Follow Suave Ski everywhere: @SuaveSkiMusic 📅 Suave Mob Most Wanted — Saturday, June 6th, Tetrahedral Club, RI ▶️ Subscribe for new episodes weekly Chapters: 00:00 Welcome back — Episode 105 00:27 Andrew Camacho vs. Suave Ski: where the name came from 01:39 Touring Canada with Apathy and finding a new sound 03:02 "My parents had my bags packed" — getting sent away at 13 04:35 Fort Worth, Texas: meeting cousin Milky Beats 06:18 The full reset that changed his trajectory 07:09 Homecoming king with a northern accent 08:52 Forgiving his parents for sending him away 10:21 New London — the friends who didn't make it out 20:21 The identity crisis: soccer dreams vs. creative calling 22:11 Why he wears New London on his sleeve every chance he gets 23:14 Breaking down the "1 Million to 1" video and learning AI 25:04 The Slim Thug record deal that turned out to be a scam 48:30 Joy vs. happiness — and the five-year plan 50:43 Wearing every hat: artist, editor, web, event curation 51:00 Suave Mob Most Wanted — June 6th at the Tetrahedral Club 53:17 Where to find Suave Ski 54:02 Paul's close: Napoleon Hill and the power of definite purpose 🔗 Find The Open Exchange on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and here on YouTube #TheOpenExchange #SuaveSki #NewLondonCT #IndependentArtist #HipHopEntrepreneur #ConnecticutHipHop #PodcastInterview 🎙️ Follow Me: TikTok: @@theopenexchangepodcast Instagram: @paullyym @theopenexchangepodcast Email: Theopenexchangepodcast@gmail.com Subscribe: / @paullyymm 🎙️ Other ways to listen: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-exchange-with-paul-martinez/id1733876904 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Qh1HPG7IF9vlI1Sy21gST Podcast #Conversations #PersonalDevelopment #Faith #Inspiration #StoryTelling #Podcast Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

May 4, 202645 min

She Got Kicked Out at 16… Now She’s Building a Brand From Nothing | Kaprece Ransaw | Ep. 104

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! At 16, Kaprece Ransaw got kicked out of her house. By 19, she had her real estate license. By 27, she's building Kawfee — a mobile coffee brand born out of New England roots, late-night raves, and a stubborn refusal to climb someone else's ladder. In Episode 104 of The Open Exchange, Kaprece sits down with Paul to talk about what "figure it out" actually costs — and why the people who say it the most are usually the ones with their backs against the wall. We get into: → Getting kicked out at 16 and rebuilding the relationship with her mom → Losing her father during Covid and what forgiveness looks like when you never got to say it → Dropping out of URI to chase real estate at 19 — and what made her finally finish her degree → How a rave in NYC reignited the bug to create after Covid closed the book → Building Kawfee from scratch: 5 roasters, custom trailer, imported Japanese matcha → Why "Instagrammable" is a real product strategy, not a buzzword → The decision-making trap: there is no right decision, just the decision you make → ADHD, procrastination, and the trick of leaning INTO the distraction → Building in public when you're allergic to corporate This one's for anyone who's been told they were too much, too independent, or too all-over-the-place to make it work. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ FOLLOW KAPRECE: Instagram & TikTok: @kaprece_n K12E Coffee: @k12ecoffee Tagline: "It's a New England thing." ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Chapters: 00:00 — "I'm just as lost, but I'm going to figure it out" 01:18 — Figuring it out vs. being lost: which is harder 02:20 — The millennial vs Gen Z label trap 03:48 — There is no right decision — just the decision 05:34 — Giving yourself grace when you blow it 07:00 — Meet Kaprece: 8 years in real estate, founder of Kawfee 07:40 — Kicked out of the house at 16 09:25 — "It was probably the best thing that happened to me" 11:07 — Crashing at her uncle's, walking 20 minutes to a bouncy house job 13:15 — Rebuilding the relationship with mom 14:45 — "I never resented her — I knew I was in the wrong" 15:00 — Losing her father during Covid 17:30 — Forgiveness when you never got to say it 18:04 — Paul's story: forgiving a father he never met 20:00 — The Dave Chappelle defense (using humor to dodge emotion) 21:18 — The bug to create — and what reignited it 23:33 — A rave in NYC after Covid changed everything 25:19 — Choosing not to climb the corporate festival ladder 26:21 — "You don't have to work for someone — just do your own thing" 28:10 — Inside K12E Coffee: cold brew, matcha, ube, and a custom trailer 29:25 — Why she's building a personal brand alongside the product 30:50 — Going viral talking about ADHD on TikTok 31:13 — Designing an "Instagrammable" coffee on purpose 32:35 — 5 roasters in 9 months: why relationships are everything 34:00 — The price list and the process 35:13 — Competition in coffee vs. competition in real estate 36:10 — Building in public when you control the narrative 38:18 — What she's procrastinating on right now 40:08 — What's next: creating a product people can hold 40:31 — "Never enough" — blessing or curse? 41:38 — Paul on his late ADHD diagnosis 42:18 — Leaning INTO the distraction instead of fighting it 43:45 — The time-block trick at the public library 44:30 — Where to find Kaprece and Kawfee Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

April 27, 202649 min

Your Circle Is Your Ceiling | How James O'Grady Built 2 Businesses by Showing Up in Person | Ep. 103

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Episode 103 of The Open Exchange. Paul sits down with James O'Grady — DJ of 16 years, owner of O'Grady's Junk Removal, and serial entrepreneur — to talk about quitting social media, accidentally landing in the Top 8 of a viral Connecticut radio contest, delayed gratification, mentorship, and why "you are who you hang out with." Raw, unfiltered, and packed with takeaways for anyone building something real. Follow James: Facebook: James Patrick O'Grady O'Grady's Junk Removal: ogradysjunkremoval.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro — Welcome back to The Open Exchange 00:45 The viral MILF Madness contest (Top 8 by accident) 05:50 Why James deleted social media off his phone 09:55 Social media's mental toll & the dopamine trap 13:25 Going all-in on multiple businesses 17:00 Lessons from his dad — the original hustler 20:30 Patience, delayed gratification & long-game thinking 27:55 16 years DJing, 5 years in junk removal 28:35 How James stays sharp (no drinking, books, real-life observation) 30:20 What he's still working to improve 33:10 Mentors, real-life relationships, and learning across industries 36:30 Showing up in person — the law of familiarity 40:45 The pension trap & why minimum-wage circles cap your ceiling 42:35 Advice for approaching successful people 46:30 What James solves for: happiness 47:50 Where to find James + outro Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

April 20, 20261 hr 14 min

What Happens When You Actually Listen to Someone You Disagree With | Joe de la Cruz | Ep. 102

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! I'm not a politician. I don't have a party on my chest. I'm just a guy from Connecticut who started paying attention and formed some opinions along the way. Joe de la Cruz is my friend. We've been arguing at the bowling alley for over a decade. He sees some things differently than I do. And he's running for CT State Senate in the 18th District in 2026. So I did what felt natural — I put him on the mic and asked the questions I actually wanted answered. We got into why your electric bill is destroying your budget, whether Connecticut is worth staying in, what it actually feels like to cast a vote your own people hate, and whether two people who disagree can still want the same thing for the same community. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome Back | Joe de la Cruz Returns for Episode 102 01:45 - How a Youth Basketball Scoreboard Started It All 06:00 - Joining Local Government & Changing Things From the Inside 07:30 - Running in a Republican Town as a Democrat — and Winning 09:15 - His Son's Addiction & Why He Went Public at a Council Meeting 13:00 - Six Years as CT State Representative 16:00 - Why He Voted to Give Politicians a Raise 22:00 - Running for CT State Senate in 2026 30:00 - Connecticut Taxes, Population Loss & The Florida Debate 38:00 - Eversource, Millstone Nuclear & Your Electric Bill Explained 49:00 - Wind Energy, Block Island & The Battery Storage Gap 53:00 - Tariffs, China & What We Can Actually Learn From Them 57:00 - COVID Restrictions, Freedom & Where We Drew the Line 01:05:00 - When Both Sides Actually Agree But Still Fight Anyway 01:10:00 - Why Vote for Joe de la Cruz 01:12:30 - How to Support the Campaign 📲 Follow The Open Exchange on YouTube for more honest conversations. 🎙️ Hosted by Paul Martinez Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

April 13, 202638 min

The Hidden Life of a Military Spouse | Brittany Lewis | Ep. 101

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What does it really mean to love someone whose life belongs to the military? In Episode 101 of The Open Exchange, Paul sits down with Brittany Lewis — a RE/MAX realtor, military spouse, and mother — for one of the most honest conversations about sacrifice, identity, and resilience you'll hear this year. Brittany didn't sign up for the military. She signed up for the man. But the two came as a package deal — and what followed was a decade of deployments, cross-country moves, friendships that disappear overnight, and a constant internal battle between who she wanted to be and who military life needed her to become. This isn't a story about flag-waving and hero worship. It's about the quiet, invisible weight carried by the people left behind — and what it actually takes to keep going when you never really had a choice. In this episode: What it means to be a military-certified realtor and why it matters for VA buyers. The driveway moment that changed everything in Brittany's marriage. The grief of losing your roots every three years. Why military spouses don't talk about the hard stuff — and the stigma behind it. How "it is what it is" becomes the most powerful thing you can say. What she wishes someone had told her from the beginning. The lie she told herself for years — and when she finally stopped believing it. Whether you're a military spouse, a veteran, a realtor who serves VA buyers, or someone who has ever had to choose between the life you planned and the life you're living — this episode is for you. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Introduction & Welcome 01:45 — Who Is Brittany Lewis? 03:30 — Becoming a Military-Certified Realtor 06:00 — The Driveway Moment That Changed Everything 09:00 — When He Got Deployed 12:30 — The Grief Nobody Talks About 16:00 — Losing Friends Every Three Years 20:00 — The Stigma of Not Being "Okay" as a Military Spouse 24:00 — Learning to Stop Planning Your Life 27:30 — "It Is What It Is" — Finding Peace in Uncertainty 30:00 — What She Wants Other Military Spouses to Know 33:00 — What 16-Year-Old Brittany Would Think 35:15 — Chaos Brings Clarity 36:30 — The Lie She Told Herself for Years 37:00 — Where to Find Brittany & Closing Thoughts 🎙️ Follow Me: TikTok: @paullymtv @theopenexchangepodcast Instagram: @paullyym @theopenexchangepodcast Email: Theopenexchangepodcast@gmail.com Subscribe: / @paullyymm 🎙️ Other ways to listen: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-exchange-with-paul-martinez/id1733876904 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Qh1HPG7IF9vlI1Sy21gST Podcast #Conversations #PersonalDevelopment #Faith #Inspiration #StoryTelling #Podcast Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

April 6, 20261 hr 6 min

This Podcast Changed Me More Than Anyone I Interviewed | Ep. 100

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! For 100 episodes, Paul has been the one asking the questions. Today, the tables turn. His close friend David Cruz takes the host seat and goes deep — on the origin story of The Open Exchange, the unglamorous early mistakes, the moments Paul almost quit, and the things he's never quite said on mic before. This one covers it all: what it took to get here, what faith has meant through all of it, what it looks like to be a husband and father still chasing something, and why — after 100 episodes — he's not stopping. If you've ever wondered what drives the man behind the mic, this is the episode. Topics: The origin of Your Platform Podcast → The Open Exchange | Lessons from 100 episodes | Marriage, fatherhood & legacy | Faith, scripture & the book of Isaiah | Baseball, identity & growing up without a dad | The discipline podcasting built | What's next 🎙️ Subscribe to The Open Exchange on YouTube and all major platforms. 📸 Follow on Instagram for clips and behind-the-scenes content. #TheOpenExchange #Podcast100 #Faith #Fatherhood #PaulMartinez Chapters: 0:00 - Welcome to Episode 100: The Tables Turn 2:08 - Shoutout to Claire & How the Studio Was Born 2:54 - The Early Mistakes: Cameras, Mics & Learning the Hard Way 6:41 - What Clicked: The Moment It All Started 7:52 - The Origin of Your Platform Podcast 10:04 - Why It Became The Open Exchange 11:40 - How These Conversations Changed Paul 13:48 - Did You Ever Want to Quit? 17:38 - Time Management, Deadlines & What the Podcast Built 19:33 - Balancing Family, Career & the Podcast 22:48 - What Paul Wants His Kids to Take Away 25:46 - What He's Instilling in His Children 26:18 - The College Professor at Costco Story 30:26 - Growing Up Without a Dad 34:44 - How Claire Supports the Chaos 37:02 - Gratitude, Morning Rituals & What She Really Means to Him 41:03 - How Faith Has Shaped This Journey 43:35 - David the Sinner & the Book of Isaiah 49:22 - Finding Solitude: The Price Was Already Paid 50:21 - When Faith Gets Hard to Hold On To 53:42 - Distraction vs. Faith: The Real Battle 57:45 - What Baseball Did for Paul 58:38 - Baseball as Family, Identity & Filling a Void 1:02:39 - What the Game Means Beyond the Sport 1:04:14 - World Baseball Classic Breakdown 1:07:43 - What Would Episode 1 Paul Think? 1:09:07 - Where Does The Open Exchange Go From Here? 1:11:58 - Thank You & See You at Episode 200 Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

March 23, 202646 min

He Lost His Wife to Cancer — Here's What No One Told Him About Grief | Justin Schunk | Ep. 99

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What does it actually feel like to watch the person you love more than anything slowly disappear? Justin Schunk joins Paul on The Open Exchange for one of the most honest conversations this show has ever had. Justin lost his wife Katie on April 29th, 2024 — after a 3-year battle with stage 4 metastatic colon cancer that had spread to her lungs and liver. She was in the best shape of her life when they found it. There were no warning signs. In this episode, Justin shares what it was like to receive a terminal diagnosis, how he processed grief while Katie was still alive, what the final days looked like, what he misses most, how he's raising their kids alone, and why giving yourself grace might be the most important thing nobody tells you when you lose someone. This is not a clinical breakdown of the stages of grief. This is a real conversation between two old friends — one who's been through it, one who hasn't — about the raw, nonlinear, complicated, and deeply human experience of loss. Whether you're going through it right now, supporting someone who is, or just trying to understand what grief actually looks like up close — this one's for you. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Why This Episode Matters 01:10 Meeting Justin: A Decade of Friendship Before This Conversation 02:24 April 29th, 2024 — The Day Justin Lost Katie 03:00 The First Cancer Diagnosis (10 Years Earlier): Stage 1, No Panic 04:20 The Second Diagnosis: Stage 4, Terminal, No Evidence of Disease Possible 05:48 No Symptoms — How Katie's Fitness May Have Hidden the Signs 08:37 Processing the Terminal Diagnosis as a Husband 09:25 Finding a Therapist Who Specialized in Terminal Illness 10:42 What Happens When Old Anger Comes Back (Regression in Grief) 11:43 You Can't Grieve for 3 Years — Life Still Has to Continue 14:03 Paul's Own Relationship With Loss and Detachment 15:27 What Justin Didn't Expect: How His Father's Death Felt Different 16:19 The Most Unexpected Part of Grief: Giving Yourself Grace 17:54 Coming Home After — The Silence and the Permanence 19:26 Grief Isn't Linear: The Roller Coaster Nobody Warns You About 20:49 Looking at Old Photos and Learning to Sit in the Sadness 23:01 Raising the Kids: What to Watch For and What's Gone Right 26:56 Keeping Katie's Memory Alive in the House 28:19 Feeling Guilty About NOT Feeling Worse (His Father vs. His Wife) 29:40 Choosing How You React When You Can't Control Anything Else 30:37 The Guilt of Being Happy Again 33:25 Emotional Awareness Justin Didn't Have Before 34:11 When People Break Down in Front of the Grieving Person 35:06 What Would Katie Say About How He's Doing? 37:03 Talking Out Loud to Katie — and Catching Himself 38:12 Their Last Real Conversation 40:05 What He Misses Most: Watching Her Walk Into a Room 41:39 Grieving the Future You Planned — Not Just the Person 43:29 Buying the Dirt Bike: Rediscovering Life Alone 44:04 On "Vulnerability" — Why Justin Rejects the Word 45:32 Advice for Anyone Going Through Grief Right Now Support the show 'Virtual Tip Jar' - Donate to my show to keep me going! Thank you! Paypal: https://paypal.me/PaulMartinez89?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US (PaulMartinez89) Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Paullyymm (Paullyymm)

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