COVID didn’t just disrupt Franklin’s career, it cracked his life open and forced a choice: sink into the loss or finally write the book he’d been carrying since he was 19. He chose the page. What follows is a candid, human story about reinvention, rejection, and how creative work can become a lifeline when your “stable plan” disappears overnight.

Franklin Moya

• Website: https://jfranklin.eu/
• Email: j.franklin.art@hotmail.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfranklinme/

Then the conversation turns personal development and a question that reshaped everything: what is success, for you? Franklin’s answer isn’t flashy, it’s durable. We also explore what it means to live across borders and languages, including the surprising detail that he dreams in Spanish, French, and English. Along the way we touch on a charity children’s book he illustrated to support disabled children in Spain, plus the reality of cabin crew life as both a dream job and a practical stepping stone toward public speaking, illustration, and long-term creative independence.

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• Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/
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Then we shift from crime to courage. Our guest, Franklin Moyle, known artistically as Jay Franklin, joins us for his first-ever podcast and does it in his second language. He opens up about the quote that shaped his life: “Feel the fear and do it anyway” from Susan Jeffers. We talk about self-confidence, imposter syndrome, and the uncomfortable truth that many people who look fearless are simply better at hiding their fear. If you’re building a business, changing careers, or trying to speak up in public, this conversation is a grounded reminder that bravery is a practice, not a personality type.

Franklin Moya

• Website: https://jfranklin.eu/
• Email: j.franklin.art@hotmail.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfranklinme/

We also get into Franklin’s immigrant journey and reinvention story: leaving Venezuela as the economy collapsed, arriving in France on a student visa, working through demanding hospitality jobs while studying, and earning the right to stay by staying consistent, paying his dues, and keeping his long game in view. It’s a powerful lens on entrepreneurship, resilience, and building a future one choice at a time.

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• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces
• Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/
• Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast

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What if the closed doors in your life are actually signposts? We sit down with Michael Perie—mortuary educator, industry pro, and calming presence—to unpack how faith, timing, and real rest can shape a career that serves people at their most tender moments. Michael shares why he waits for clarity before moving, how doing “nothing” on purpose refills his tank, and why a steady voice can change the temperature of a room, a graveside, or a classroom.

Michael Perie

• Website: http://www.mp-educates.com/
• Email: mike_perie@yahoo.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-perie-0902025a/

From there, we zoom into the future of funeral service. Cremation is steadily becoming the norm in regions once defined by burial, and that shift demands new training. Michael outlines what students need now: practical cremation workflows, chain-of-custody precision, transparent communication with families, and ethical decision-making that honors budget, ritual, and belief. We also explore alkaline hydrolysis—water cremation—where student enthusiasm outpaces business adoption, and discuss the regulatory, financial, and cultural hurdles that keep innovative options on the edge in many mid-southern states.

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• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces
• Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/
• Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023
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