Make The Difference Podcast
45 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrandan Millan Co-Owner of Reef Builders LLC (Arizona based custom home builder) explores the common traits, habits, and leadership qualities that successful people have from the playing field to the
business world and more, as he should know, taking a 2 person construction company to a multi-million dollar company in less than 5 years. As the son of a Filipino immigrant with strong blue collar roots and coming from humble beginnings, Millan pulled his mattress from a one bedroom apartment closet every night to sleep on for the better part of his childhood. Millan’s journey through life created a diverse background as a software
engineer, military veteran, construction owner, technical dive instructor, automotive refinisher/car builder, public safety company officer, multi-sport athlete, master’s graduate, and more. Millan often jokes that he doesn’t know what he is going to be when he grows up. With his diverse background, dynamic guests from all backgrounds will be introduced to show you that success in one arena, can and will translate to success in other areas of life, no matter what your goals may be. It’s going to be fun, so let’s go!
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Episodes
43: Paul Manganaro
May 11, 2022 12:06 - 2 hours - 201 MBPaul Manganaro is a entrepreneur and Brown Belt in Jiu-jitsu under Gustavo Dantas. Maganaro also hosts the podcast The Road to Black.
42: Carlson Gracie Jr. & Sergio "Canudo" Zimmerman
March 18, 2022 15:12 - 2 hours - 251 MBCarlson Gracie Jr. is a 5th-degree black belt and is the leader of the Carlson Gracie Association, as well as the head coach of the Carlson Gracie Academy in Chicago. Sergio "Canudo" Zimmerman is a black belt, and 2x world Gi, 1x No Gi , 11x European, and 2x Brazilian Champion.
41: Matt Gillette & Mike Smith
March 02, 2022 13:46 - 2 hours - 228 MBMatt Gillette is a BJJ blackbelt and owner of Gillette Jiu-jitsu. Mike Smith is a returning guest and BJJ Blue Belt and former Div 1 wrestler. This one is all about the deadly art of pajama fighting.
40: Chris Sleigher
February 16, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 201 MBChris Sleigher is a Dad, Fire Captain, fire instructor, and someone who is committed to helping people get better. We discuss with Chris his journey and how we see the movement of the American Fire Service to get better at taking care of our communities.
39: Alex Sandoval
February 02, 2022 13:19 - 2 hours - 253 MBAlex Sandoval is an Army Veteran, former Secret Service Agent during the Clinton years, Police Officer, Pajama Wrestling Black Belt, and my Coach. He's one of my favorite human beings.
38: Nobel Daniel
January 19, 2022 10:00 - 2 hours - 300 MBNobel Daniel is a US Army Airborne Veteran, Pajama Wrestling purple belt, and Pakistani-born American. He's faced adversity along the way and has always come out on top.
37: Dave Sanchez
December 29, 2021 14:02 - 1 hour - 220 MBDave Sanchez spent 40 plus years with the phoenix fire department and most of it as a captain at one of the busiest stations in the PFD. To call him a legend would not do him justice.
36: Donny Bolen
December 15, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 220 MBDonny Bolen is a successful entrepreneur and co-owner of @septondevelopment, a multi-state commercial construction company with corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ. Septon Development has over 70 employees and performs tens of millions in projects every year. None of this was handed to him. He is the result of hard work, perseverance, and treating people the right way. I'm proud to call him my friend and brother.
35: Sandlot Medical
November 24, 2021 12:55 - 2 hours - 245 MBIn today's episode, we sit with the Alpha-Stim group from Sandlot Medical who are Making the Difference with our First Responders and veterans with their newest medical technology treating PTSD, Anxiety, and more...
34: Captain Jeff Griffin
November 10, 2021 23:50 - 2 hours - 266 MBCaptain Jeff Griffin’s life and career have been filled with service, bravery, and challenges. These challenges and personal choices created a tragic incident leaving him to face his family, community, and the criminal court system. Today, we are proud to say Jeff is making a difference.
33: Andrea Daniels & Brandan Millan
October 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 221 MBGrief, it sucks! My Sister and I talk about the recent loss of our mother. Our hope was it would help others. My mom was one of my heroes, a Filipina immigrant, who gave it all to put me in a better place. My sister is a true warrior. What she has battled through in her life to what she provides every day to the world is something I admire.
32: Roy Lewis and Tim Gammage Jr. Part 2
October 06, 2021 00:56 - 1 hour - 201 MBRoy Lewis and Tim Gammage Jr. are returning guests from Episode 19 where we discussed the racial issues post the George Floyd tragedy. In this episode, we discuss the state of our current racial environment one year later. We have an honest conversation about the changes if any. Strap yourself in for another real, but necessary conversation.
31: Chad Dunn
September 15, 2021 09:00 - 2 hours - 267 MBChad Dunn is a former BMX Racer, Skateboarder, Extreme Athlete, and Co-Owner of Move Performance. Dunn’s story has evolved from athlete to inmate, to high-level performance trainer and coach. Dunn’s unique ability to help burn survivors and athletes who were once told they would never walk again is uncanny.
30: Fire Chief Terry Garrison
September 01, 2021 09:00 - 2 hours - 236 MBWe welcome back Fire Chief Terry Garrison to discuss organizational leadership and the serious challenges Fire Chiefs face today. Terry has a unique perspective having led large and small departments through critical operational and administrative challenges.
29: Jeff Barnett and Jake Bennett
August 18, 2021 13:11 - 2 hours - 245 MBJeff Barnett is a medically retired public safety and recently promoted brown belt. Jake Bennett is a firefighter/paramedic and was recently promoted to purple belt. We talk about some tough stuff and the deadly art of pajama wrestling, let's go!
28: Adam Caiazzo
August 04, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 246 MBAdam Caiazzo is a 50-year-old family man. His challenges and success have been a journey worth sharing. From an East Coast childhood as an athlete to a member of the Army’s 82 nd Airborne, and now as a Captain with the Phoenix Fire Department, Adam has a story that may be helpful or inspiring to others. He has certainly strived to Make the Difference.
27: Arizona Interscholastic Cycling League Founders
November 18, 2020 10:30 - 2 hours - 238 MBThe co-founders of the Arizona Interscholastic Cycling League are here to discuss the beginnings of a youth development program utilizing cross-country mountain bike racing. This program is centered around building strong minds, strong bodies, and strong characters in student-athletes in the life-long sport of cycling.
26: Dr. Whitney Wright
October 21, 2020 10:00 - 2 hours - 238 MBDr. Whitney Wright is a past client and now a close friend. He is co-owner of Risas Dental and Braces, a 26 location dental practice, and creator of the Wright Talk Podcast. His journey to success was not easy, it stretched him to his emotional limit, but in the end, he figured out what was most important in life.
25: Gerard
October 07, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 201 MBGerard is a Polish-born American who defied the odds, becoming a successful entrepreneur and purple in the deadly art of pajama wrestling. This is one is a wild ride and one of our favorite podcasts to date!
24: Training Intro
September 23, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 161 MBMerriam-Webster defines the word ‘train’ (verb) as: to teach so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient. This episode on the Make the Difference Podcast we discuss fire service training and what it should look like. Listen as we speak about making Firefighters fit, qualified, or proficient.
23: The Promotional Process with Ohlin and Smith
September 09, 2020 08:00 - 2 hours - 294 MBThe training talk with Ryan Ohlin and Mike Smith, two recently promoted fire captains. Ohlin is a retired Army medic serving from 2004-2010, a father and husband, and part of FireVet.org. Smith is a repeat guest and is a FEMA Dog Handler, Technical Rescue Technician, accomplished collegiate wrestler, Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, father, and husband.
22: Kristen Sharp
August 26, 2020 09:30 - 1 hour - 186 MBKristen Sharp is a mom, wife, and business owner. She is a Phoenix native who grew up playing soccer, which led to a college scholarship. After the untimely murder of Fire Captain and Marine Kyle Brayer, a best friend to her husband & who Kristen worked for at Epic Fitness, Sharp’s next challenge was to own and operate Epic Fitness in Kyle’s honor.
21: Rayne Gray and Brian Parks
August 12, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 197 MBIn today’s episode, we discuss higher education and the benefits of it as it pertains to the fire service with recently promoted Division/Battalion Chief Rayne Gray and retired Deputy Chief Brian Parks. Gray and Parks both graduated with their master’s degrees from Arizona State University.
20: Don Abbott #2
July 22, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 194 MBDon Abbott is the founder of Project Mayday. This project’s goal is “saving lives, through research and learning”. Project Mayday involves a study of fire service Mayday responses, incidents, and prevention. Since April, the American Fire Service has seen a significant increase in Mayday incidents, and we discuss this in-depth.
19: The Other Conversation
June 24, 2020 21:08 - 2 hours - 261 MBToday’s guest must keep his identity private because he is actively working sex trafficking cases at the local & federal level. In this episode, we discuss the LE point of view, as it pertains to our countries current state, along with what he has gone through from line of duty deaths to PTSD.
18: The Uncommon Conversation
June 11, 2020 12:53 - 2 hours - 330 MBCaptain Tim Gammage Jr. and Firefighter Roy Lewis Jr. are two gentlemen who are willing to have the tough conversation as it relates to the racial issues we are experiencing in this country and within the public safety sector today. Open your heart and your minds as you listen to their perspectives, as it will lead to the change we all want.
17: Tactical Hour #8, Rick Bucher
May 13, 2020 10:00 - 2 hours - 322 MBRick Bucher is a man of many talents from firefighter/paramedic to technical rescue technician to Super Bike Racer and more. Rick’s story is truly a journey of going back, to be able to go forward. One that spanned the mastery of multiple disciplines both mentally and physically, as well as exploring the depths of PTS, Anxiety, Depression, and more.
16: Tactical Hour #7, Mike Worrell
April 10, 2020 08:00 - 2 hours - 261 MBMike Worrell is a retired Division Chief from the Phoenix Fire Department. He has a unique skill set of being a trained electrical and communication technician and a Firefighter experienced in all levels of the fireground. He now supports the Fire Service as a liaison and technical adviser to the FirstNet Authority providing dedicated broadband tools. Mike definitely knows his way around Making the Difference.
15: Tactical Hour #6, Leadership During Crisis
March 21, 2020 14:15 - 1 hour - 123 MBWith the world in harrowing times, Stewart and Millan thought an episode on leading during a crisis would be appropriate to help our command officers, company officers, and small business owners navigate this unprecedented environment. This episode is for anyone that is wondering, “How do I lead during this…”. Don’t let fear rule the day and be good.
14: Tactical Hour #5 with Don Abbott
March 04, 2020 09:00 - 2 hours - 262 MBDon Abbott is the founder of Project Mayday. This project’s goal is “saving lives, through research and learning”. Project Mayday involves a study of fire service Mayday responses, incidents, and prevention. This is a voluntary study of independent submission to research Mayday causes and triggers to improve the predictability and prevention of firefighter injury and death while working in the hazard zone.
13: Kirk Stowers
February 19, 2020 09:00 - 2 hours - 231 MBKirk Stowers is a Harvard graduate and Principal Geologist at Broadbent and Associates. Stowers and the rest of the leadership team run and manage a multimillion-dollar environmental consulting firm with over 100 employees in several states. Stowers is also a 14x Ragnar finisher and holds the title of being my “battle buddy” in basic training.
12: Tactical Hour #4 with Assistant Chief Scott Krushak
February 05, 2020 15:02 - 2 hours - 260 MBScott Krushak began his career in 1981. He served at all levels of the Phoenix Fire Department, finishing as an Assistant Chief. Scott spent the first 25 years working on an Engine Company. Ultimately, a large number of Firefighters that came through his purview are now serving in the most influential positions in the Phoenix Fire Department.
12: Tactical Hour #4 with Scott Krushak
February 05, 2020 09:00 - 2 hours - 262 MBScott Krushak began his career in 1981. He served at all levels of the Phoenix Fire Department, finishing as an Assistant Chief. Scott spent the first 25 years working on an Engine Company. Ultimately, a large number of Firefighters that came through his purview are now serving in the most influential positions in the Phoenix Fire Department.
11: Tactical Hour #3 with Captain Dan Grover
January 22, 2020 09:00 - 2 hours - 253 MBDan Grover is a 20-plus year veteran with Phoenix Fire, working at some of the busiest stations in the city. Grover is hardnosed, a man’s man, but as caring as they come. This episode dives deep into what Grover has done, specifically as a captain managing a crew member with cancer. Grover is the captain we all want in this situation.
10: Brandan Millan
January 08, 2020 09:00 - 2 hours - 239 MBThe guest for this episode of the Make the Difference Podcast is the force of energy behind this production. Brandan Millan is diverse and complex in many ways. The man that works diligently to improve others, has had an interesting path to the present. He has chosen to use every experience in his life to shape who he is today. Through life challenges, athletics, education, military service, corporate work, private business, and public safety service, Brandan has a seemingly perpetual drive...
09: Tactical Hour #2 with Chief Terry Garrison
December 25, 2019 09:00 - 2 hours - 225 MBChief Terry Garrison became a Phoenix Firefighter in 1977 after serving in the U.S. Army. He served as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Captain, Fire Investigator, Battalion Chief, and Shift Commander. He retired in 2008 as the Operations Assistant Chief. Terry has worked as the Fire Chief in Oceanside CA, Houston TX, and now in Glendale AZ.
08: Ken Brookings
December 18, 2019 09:00 - 2 hours - 239 MBAt the age of 27 Ken Brookings became a V.P. of a Fortune 500 company, went on to sell two successful businesses, consulted with Apple, BP, and other large corporations on high level strategic and operational practices, and for the last 20 years has been the founder and chairman of The Aspire Institute. He is a real entrepreneur, check it out.
Tactical Hour #1 with Chris Stewart & John Hinton
December 04, 2019 09:00 - 2 hours - 256 MBJohn joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1978. He worked as a Firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, and Shift Commander over his career. He was an integral part of the team that developed and lead the productive operational changes after Firefighter Brett Tarver’s line of duty death in 2001. John retired in 2009 and has become best friends with his young dog Bosco.
07: Tactical Hour #1 with Chris Stewart & John Hinton
December 04, 2019 09:00 - 2 hours - 256 MBJohn joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1978. He worked as a Firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, and Shift Commander over his career. He was an integral part of the team that developed and lead the productive operational changes after Firefighter Brett Tarver’s line of duty death in 2001. John retired in 2009 and has become best friends with his young dog Bosco.
06: Jesse Forbes & Mike Smith
November 20, 2019 13:12 - 2 hours - 243 MBMike Smith is a Firefighter, FEMA Dog Handler, Technical Rescue Technician, accomplished collegiate wrestler, Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, father, and husband. Jesse Forbes is a Firefighter Medic, collegiate wrestler, jiu-jitsu world champion, former professional UFC fighter, father, and husband. Both Mike and Jesse are soon to be promoted captains.
05: Mark Barbee & Ronnie Wetch
November 06, 2019 11:00 - 2 hours - 257 MBMark Barbee is a Captain, SWAT medic, Terrorism Liaison Officer, and truck builder. One of his builds won Best Custom Truck at SEMA in 2007. Ronnie Wetch is also a Captain Paramedic, former Recruit Training Officer, and also the creator of C10 Talk and C10 Nation, with over 150k followers. His latest builds are Yellowstone and Orange Slice.
04: Clint Gower
October 23, 2019 10:00 - 2 hours - 244 MBClint Gower is a Firefighter Paramedic and has led a very interesting life in a short amount of time. Clint comes from humble beginnings and proved that hard work pays off from Professional BMX racer, MMA Fighter, to sponsored CrossFit athlete. His latest endeavor is CrossFit gym owner and fatherhood.
03: Chris Stewart & Kirk Hover
October 09, 2019 17:10 - 2 hours - 227 MBChris Stewart is a Deputy Chief and has led numerous sections within the fire service, implementing innovative techniques in training and violent incident/mass casualty operations in conjunction with local police, Homeland Security, and the FBI. Kirk Hover is a Retired Fire Captain and Recruit Training Officer with over 32 years of fire service.
02: Erik Hill and Heidi Ligouri
September 25, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 211 MBErik Hill is a friend and former professional firefighter. Erik became addicted to opioids after cracking 5 vertebrae in his back while on the job. Erik’s story is one of sadness, happiness, triumph, determination, self-discovery and so much more. Erik has been clean for over three years and wants his story to be heard, so others may understand the trials and tribulations of addiction, as well as for people to know that there is life after addiction. Words can’t describe how brave Erik is....
01: Mark Tucker Sr. & Roy Lewis Jr.
August 04, 2019 15:58 - 1 hour - 213 MBMark Tucker had a successful football career starting at Banning High School in Wilmington, California, where he was awarded multiple all-state honors and South Bay Lineman of the year as a senior. Tucker went on to play at USC where he was a four-year starter at offensive guard, playing in 48 games, 3 Rose Bowls, and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor's degree in political science. He was All Pac-10 as a sophomore and senior, second team as a junior, and first-team All-American as a seni...