Raven’s Nest Gourmet was launched over 30 years ago in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in the basement of the Dennis family home. What started as a small operation has survived the test of time by delivering quality products to family gatherings for decades. Throughout the years, Raven’s Nest products have served “mom-and-pop shops” nationwide and can now be found in over 1800 stores. On this episode, Rob sits down with Monica Smith, who bought the business over 14 years ago from her mother, Raven, and father, Sammy. Monica details her initial reluctance to taking on the responsibility of being a working mom running a company, but ultimately gave in when things started to fall into place. All business operations were moved to the Carolinas and are now located in Fort Mill, SC. These products are phenomenal – they truly sell themselves. We love to support small businesses, especially those that are located here in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. Leave a comment below of your favorite Raven’s Nest product, but if you have not tried them, you should (link below to order). Enjoy the show!.. More info: www.ravensoriginal.com.Follow on Instagram: @ravensoriginal | @monicasmith374..#food #gourmet #clt #nc #hard #work #pays #off #business #leader #videos #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #inspiration #grit

Brennon Lang is an outdoor enthusiast who loves a challenge. He is into Ultra-marathons, backpacking, rock climbing, endurance (mental, emotional, physical), and pushes the boundary between badass and dumbass, as he says. In this episode, Robert and Brennon discuss their love for the outdoors and what goes into training for an ultra-marathon, as well as the way to cope when things do not go as planned. There are always barriers to pursuing a dream, especially something as crazy as an ultra-marathon. One can either allow those challenges to discourage them, or they can use them as fuel. Listen and find out how Brennon deals with negativity, failure, and more on this episode of Beyond Grit with Robert Young....@runthechange.. #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #run #marathon #ultramarathon #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Beyond Grit is officially one year old! In honor of this milestone event, we are throwing back to Robert's very first guest, Chuck Norris. Chuck's episode is one of our fan favorites so if you haven't heard it yet, you are in for a treat. If you have heard it, enjoy it again or leave a review. Chuck grew up in the Detroit area of Michigan. He joined the Army out of high school, which led him to North Carolina. After the military, Chuck knew that sitting behind a desk was not his path. Since that time, he has owned multiple car audio stores, a Furniture store, and had a successful building/contractor career.  He is now the CEO of Fayetteville Marksmen Hockey Team and is living a life beyond grit. He's a true entrepreneur. Thank you for your continued support. We have big plans for the coming year, so stick around and make sure to keep sharing your favorite episodes.   Thanks for listening.   Like, Rate, Review, Share

Julie Carter is an attorney, advocate, and consultant who works mostly with education rights and disability law. She has always worked hard and had a desire to learn. Combine that with the fact that she comes from a family of attorneys, and it is no surprise that she followed a similar path. In this episode, Julie and Rob discuss her family life, personal choices, and the path that led her to law school at Tulane University in Louisiana, to eventually getting married and becoming a mother. Her path was not easy. While at Tulane, Julie experienced tragedy when she lost a close friend to death by #suicide. Julie was forced to face her grief and take a step back from school for a moment. Slowing down was a foreign concept to her, so it was certainly a challenge. It also came with a cost. That season of life shaped her and taught her how to strategize in new ways to “work differently, not harder” as she says. She endured intense grief and experienced setbacks, but the moment she picked herself up and decided it was time to move forward, nothing slowed her down. That was only the beginning. While driving down the road with her mother one weekday morning, she received a “compliment” that would drastically reshape her life. She has an amazing story, and her mother has an interesting way of giving complements. Listen and find out. We hope you enjoy this episode. Make sure to like, rate, review, and tell someone about it. Follow Julie Carter and reach out if you have any legal needs. . Instagram: @juliecarterlaw . . #attorney #femaleattorney #femalebusinessowner #educationrights #disabilityrights #children #advocate #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #beyond #grit #attorney

Mike Dascal is a North Carolina native who has always had a heart for serving others. He enjoys gathering with friends and family within the community, and he enjoys a doing CrossFit. A few years ago, he combined those passions with an event he hosted at his home. The idea was simple – they would workout then hang out, eat food, and drink beer. They had a massive turnout. The following year, he decided to charge a fee and donated the funds to charity. That was the start of a yearly event, now called Beers and Burpees, which is held to raise money for charity. Two years ago, they launched their own nonprofit, Changing Lives Together (CLT) Foundation, which exists to enrich and change the lives of special needs kids and kids with life-altering medical circumstances. Many programs are offered within the CLT Foundation - a scholarship program, Christmas in July, and Camp CLT. To find out more about these amazing events, or to serve at a future event, visit www.CLTFoundation.org. •And don't forget to sign up for Beers and Burpees while you're there.••Follow: @cltfoundation••••#charity #podcast #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Beyond Grit with Robert Young: Ep. 49 – Ken Newbill, FNP, HTMA-P, Coach | Newbill of Health Ken Newbill was an average American man, living on a common North American diet. He explains how he was clinically obese and never cared much about his health. Then, in his late thirties, he started having health problems. What started as kidney stones eventually turned into a heart attack. As Ken explains, most people are unaware of the fact that the two are related. That life-altering experience placed him in a position to either give up or fight for a new way of life. He decided to fight. Ken studied many alternative medicines and techniques and was able to fine tune his body. He now spends his life helping others do the same. He is an expert at discovering methods of natural healing and ways to enhance the human body for optimal performance. Ken is truly knowledgeable about health and wellness and there is an abundance of valuable information in this episode. You may want to go ahead and grab a pen and paper to take notes. Ken has a background in technology, so he is very technical in his approach towards health and wellness. It is pretty simple, if you put junk in, you get junk out. Unfortunately, most of us are unaware of the toxins entering our bodies throughout the day. Ken sheds light on many areas where we can improve. You can change your life right now with info from this episode; but if you are interested in fine-tuning your body and getting a clean, new bill of health, connect with Ken using the links below. Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think – Like, Rate, Review, Share!   Follow Ken on Instagram: @newbillofhealth Connect with Ken: https://mailchi.mp/6f9d5d9194e1/transformyourhealthnaturally https://www.alignable.com/monroe-nc/newbill-of-health   #podcast #health #wellness #clt #nc #hard #work #pays #off #business #leader #videos #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #inspiration #home #grit

Noah Gully is a young entrepreneur that has worked hard his whole life. At 24 years old, he became the owner of his first barber shop, located in Charlotte , NC. Gully has done many different things over the years to make money, but he has remained focused on the goal. He has always worked hard to fund his dream of becoming a barber and owning his own businesses. It was not easy. There are lots of requirements and high costs to complete barber school. There were many times he wanted to quit, but he never did. Gully was raised by a strong woman but was never really close with his father. He credits his mom for always guiding him and connecting him with male role models that served as mentors for him during his young life. He now pays it forward by the work he does within his community. He has love for those around him and now works as a youth advocate to help make an impact on young men, the way his mentors impacted him. In this episode, Gully and Rob discuss many things about life. Young people today are faced with many challenges, and there are especially challenges for parents. Through it all, Gully’s daughter has been his main driving force for making himself into the successful businessman that he is today. This young man is brilliant and has a bright future. Many of us could learn from his view of the world. And of course, If you need a fresh cut, go see him.   Business IG| @gullythebarber Personal IG | @gullyworldpeace   Gully & Co. Barbering and Aesthetics (980) 348-7272 14136 Rivergate Pkwy, 123 Charlotte, NC 28273   gullythebarber@yahoo.com   Book Now: https://square.site/book/S00PFMFP9WZ3Y/gully-co-llc-charlotte-nc

Tiffany McGinty was born in a small town near Birmingham, Alabama. Her parents were young entrepreneurs who had a booming Cotton Candy business, and they were a happy little family. When Tiffany was 9 years old, her mother gave birth to a new baby brother, and almost immediately was diagnosed with colon cancer. The doctors gave her three months to live; she made it one year. It was traumatizing and family life was never the same. While many kids who experience trauma venture down a dark path, Tiffany stayed focused. She threw all of her energy into sports, and she was determined to make something of her life. She went to college directly after high school and started working at a job she loved. Four years ago, she uprooted her life and decided to move to Nashville, TN to try and salvage her 15-year relationship. It did not work, and they divorced. So she was faced with a choice to stay alone or go back home. She was already established in her job and community, so she made the choice to stay and see what she could make of herself in Nashville. It has turned out to be a great decision. She recently began investing in real estate and she is utilizing the properties for Airbnb. She and her boyfriend, Rob, are hustling and building an empire together. So, if you are headed to Nashville, check out the link below and tell her you heard her story right here! Enjoy the show! . . Instagram: @tiffanyrachelle . . Stay at Tiffany’s Cozy East Nashville Bungalow | Near Downtown | Great Place to Stay https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/36301640?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=6a0a95bf-fd0c-42f0-8b12-1c49eca35c7f     . . . #airbnb #podcasts #nashville #nash #clt #inspiration #struggle #survival #invest #realestate #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Johnny grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan. She was an athletic kid with a love for softball and basketball. She was on a travel sponsored team at an early age and played all the way up through college. She landed a scholarship to, but faced some trouble once she got there. Ultimately, she was forced to make some tough decisions. In this episode, Johnny talks about how she was headed down a path that could have been destructive. But she had enough sense, and stubbornness, to leave Michigan for a fresh start in North Carolina. She had plans, but needless to say, things did not go as planned. When she was just getting ready to make her move, tragedy struck her family. But Johnny stayed the course. She was willing to do whatever it took to make something of her life. Johnny’s story is one of triumph over adversity, and we love those stories around here. It certainly has not been easy, but Johnny possesses a little more grit than your average person. She is a tough chick and will kick your ass in the gym. Whatever challenge has been placed in front of her, she has conquered it. We hope you enjoy this episode of Johnny’s life beyond grit. . . @fit2be.a.legacy . . #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Robert Young is a husband, father, part-time CrossFit™ coach, and Realtor® residing in Charlotte, North Carolina. He grew up in Michigan until he and his family moved to North Carolina 10 years ago. Rob has two children, who are now in college, so he and his wife are officially “empty-nesters.” In Michigan, he was a firefighter, but when he and his family moved to NC for his wife’s career, the best decision for their family was for Rob to be a stay-at-home dad. A few years later, he got into real estate and business has been great. He and his wife enjoy hiking, camping, and anything outdoors. ••Robert launched this podcast early 2021 because he appreciates people. He believes everyone has an interesting life story to tell and he likes to feature people who have worked hard to overcome challenges of life. Everyone has difficulties, successes and failures, but the resilient ones are those who make the deepest impact on our world. ••We hope you enjoy this episode. If you do, like, rate, review and share with a friend. ••@robert_young_realtor•@jimmykantor@4jossfund••#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Jimmy is a great guy with a gripping story. After the painful loss of his precious baby girl to SIDS 13 years ago, his whole life changed. Through this tragedy, he experienced a mental and physical transformation that eventually led him to start @4JossFund to raise money to provide @owletcare devices for families with newborn babies. We discussed many important things in this episode, one of the most important being the willingness to seek help when you need it. Often, we do not even know we need help, but something may just seem off. Surround yourself with people who care about you and never be afraid to speak up if you are going through a tough season. Jimmy is a personal friend and we are very glad to have him on the show. . . . Instagram | @4Jossfund . Venmo | @FourJossFund . . . #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Matthew Imes is a remarkably interesting person. He is an entrepreneur, a published author, a movie producer, and so much more. His production company, DIG Entertainment, recently co-produced A Savannah Haunting, which has won multiple awards across film festival circuits. Matt is currently President and Co-founder of Prodigy Care Services based in Austin, TX. Prodigy "empowers payers to provide efficient and cost-effective health care, so that employees can live healthy and productive lives." In this episode, Matthew discusses his many business ventures throughout the years - some successful, some not so much. But like a true entrepreneur, he never gave up and found his voice in his professional space, as well as his creative space. . . Make sure to share this with a friend. Like, rate, and review. Thanks for listening! . . Instagram | @matthewimes www.matthewimes.com www.prodigyrx.com/ . A Savannah Haunting Trailer | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usukDedrwAI . A Savannah Haunting IMDb | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12574708/ . . Buy Matthew's New Book | J.J.E. Jessie Jane Edwards: Judge, Juror and Executioner www.amazon.com/J-j-Jessie-Jane-Edwards-Executioner/dp/1665544090/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1641568148&refinements=p_27%3AMatthew+Imes&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Matthew+Imes . Buy Matthew's Book | What If  www.amazon.com/What-If-Matthew-Imes/dp/1546203214 . . #podcast #horror #horrorauthor #film #horrorfilm #horrormovies #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #failure #success #give #art #hustle #progress #greatness #rx #medical #entrepreneur #producer #beyond #grit

Luan Nguyen was born in Vietnam and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, USA as a teenager. He views growing up poor as a blessing and growing up privileged as a curse. As he explains, he could lose everything and know how to survive. Luan explains how moving to the US at 14 years old was the roughest time of his life. He describes how being unable to communicate in English was like having a disability. He was determined to learn the language and make a life for himself. So, after a year or two of challenging work, he was speaking English fluently. He started working in the restaurant business at 16 and never slowed down. At 18, he started working at a casino and worked his way up the ladder over an 11-year span. In 2020, the pandemic shut down the casino and Luan was furloughed. He was in yet another situation of “do or die,” as he puts it, and he was forced to adapt. After completing a small building project at home, he decided to start his own construction business, having never picked up a saw prior to that project. In just one year, he has grown his company from 50k in 2020 to 1 million in revenue in 2021. Luan’s wife is equally as determined. She is an ICU nurse and loves her job. She gave birth to one of their children on a Friday and by Monday she was back in school. Luan and his wife live beyond grit, no doubt. Luan leaves us with an important message on gratitude. He describes how limited resources in communist countries like Vietnam stifle growth and make it virtually impossible to ever climb out of poverty. Either you are born in a family of wealth and high social status, or you are not. You essentially remain in the social class within which you were born – no social movement. Luan values the freedom in America because you can start a business whenever you want. If you fail at something, you can start something else. His outlook is inspiring and many of us need to really listen to what he is saying. Perspective shapes how we view the world and how we live life. . . We want to know if you are enjoying the show. If so, like, rate, leave a review and share this with a friend. . . Luan’s Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luan-nguyen-a96057160 Instagram: @Luandiyspace  

Luis Rivera is an awesome guy with an amazing story. He and his family moved to the United States when he was 12 years old, and Spanish was his first language. It was not an ideal situation for Luis, as he was forced to move in with his father in New York. It was a drastic change from the life he loved in Puerto Rico, and he faced many trials and tribulations along the way. He soon realized he was bigger and stronger than other kids his age, so he decided to start playing sports. Luis put himself through college and dominated in his area of track and field. In 2017, he moved to Ohio to train for the Olympic trials. Luis has now built a successful life and career for himself, and he now coaches younger athletes and helps pave the way for future generations. Luis is solid and he embodies what it means to life a life Beyond Grit. . . Follow Luis on Instagram: @luis4real . . #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #inspiration #struggle #survival #spanish #immigrant #leader #your #story #love #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change ##olympics #athlete #hustle #greatness #beyond #grit

Mary Lentz Everett is a recovery rock star, and she is only getting started. Mary is CEO and Founder of Backstage Recovery and is working on multiple projects across the nation, and beyond. Backstage Recovery LLC provides a unique and principle-based approach to recovery for entertainment artists, professional athletes and coaches, management teams, production and road crews, and entertainment venues to create a safe environment for anyone in need of recovery support. Mary knows the horrors associated with Substance Use Disorder, as she experienced her own battle with addiction, which almost took her life. Mary explains how a spiritual awakening she experienced while on life support has profoundly changed her life. She has an inspiring story, and this is a very impactful and interesting conversation. We appreciate Mary’s contribution to the recovery community, and we feel she is making a significant impact in our culture. Do not forget to like, rate, and review the episode and make sure to share with a friend.   New episodes every Wednesday at 7:00 am.   #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

In the Summer of 2011, Kristina Graham's life was changed in a profound way. She was an active young mother and sustained a minor hernia, which eventually sent her into what she THOUGHT would be a routine surgery. It turned out, she had a complication with the defective mesh used to repair the muscle. For over 10 years, she battled. She was no longer able to exercise, was in constant pain; she endured thirteen surgeries, and each time she worked with a new medical team, no one could seem to get to the root of her problems. This painful battle led her down a path of exploring alternative medicines, and she was eventually able to find some relief. Kristina claims her experiences with infrared saunas changed her life and she has now incorporated these saunas into her salons. They have a growing business, and she is here to tell her story. We hope you enjoy the episode. • • Please share this episode with your friends and do not forget to rate and review on your favorite listening app. • @rizesalonandinfrared • #podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Joanne has an amazing story of survival. After experiencing the death of her father at 12 years old, which caused her mother to spiral into her own illness, most kids would have lost their way.

This is a great conversation about fear, gratitude, encouragement and the transitions of life. Ed Williams grew up in poverty, raised by a single father and barely graduated high school.

Seany Markey has spent his life following a path that many in this country consider the ideal American way. Graduate high school, go to college, find a decent job, and enjoy life. He did exactly that. He found his way into a field that allowed him the luxury of being outdoors, since that is where he loves to be. In February of 2020, he took a dream job as a Field Engineer in a city that he loved, Austin, TX.

Clifton Muckenfuss has an interesting story of bouncing back from adversity. Like many of us today, Clifton never felt like he was the type of guy to stay in one place for very long. Directly after high school, he headed to Clemson and was out of the house for the first time in his life.