In this conversation, Chris sits down with Ryan Rodriquez, founder of IGNITEd, a platform dedicated to helping men build strength, resilience, and purpose through his FIRE framework: Fitness, Intellect, Relationships, and Energy. Ryan shares his journey from firefighter and paramedic to leadership coach, podcast host, and mentor, highlighting lessons on masculinity, relationships, and personal growth. They dive deep into the three pillars of masculinity; protect, provide, and preside, and explore how men can build stronger families, relationships, and communities by leading with alignment and clarity. This conversation provides actionable insights for men who want to lead with purpose while cultivating meaningful connections.

Ryan Rodriquez is a firefighter, paramedic, and founder of IGNITEd, where he coaches individuals in resilience, leadership, and holistic personal development. He hosts the "Forged by Fire" podcast and holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership, helping men cultivate strength, clarity, and meaningful connections.

Connect with Guest

🌐 Website: https://www.ignitedff.com📸 Instagram: @ignitedff

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What You’ll Learn

• How Ryan’s FIRE framework helps men build resilience and balance in life

• The three pillars of masculinity—protect, provide, and preside—and how leading with alignment and clarity strengthens families, relationships, and communities

• Techniques for aligning energy, vision, and values with your partner for a thriving relationship

• How to set boundaries, communicate effectively, and use frustration as a signal for growth

• Strategies for overcoming worst-case scenario thinking and building mental resilience

• The role of the hero’s journey and daily archetypes in personal development

• Reconciling past trauma and practicing authenticity in personal and professional relationships

If you’re ready to build deeper connections, embrace authentic masculinity, and lead with purpose, this conversation with Ryan Rodriquez will challenge you to step into your full potential and cultivate strength, clarity, and meaningful impact in your life.

In this conversation, Darren Silver and Chris dive into what it means for men to reconnect with themselves through nature, vision quests, and rites of passage. Darren shares how his journey into wilderness survival and vision work shaped his path, while Chris reflects on his own transformation from police officer to guide for men. Together they explore belonging, surrender, and the modern male identity crisis, showing how nature offers a mirror for clarity, intimacy, and purpose.

Guest Bio

Darren Silver is a rite of passage guide, ceremonialist, and mentor with over a decade of experience leading vision quests and wilderness-based personal development work. His teachings focus on helping men find their true purpose and reconnect with their deepest passions through nature, story, and healing practices.

Connect with Darren

🌐 darrensilver.earth

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🌐 motivatedmasculinemen.com
📧 brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com
📲 Follow on Instagram: @motivatedmasculinemen
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What You’ll Learn

• The difference between “small v vision” and “big V Vision”

• Why nature connection is critical for men’s sense of belonging

• How rites of passage help men reclaim confidence and purpose

• Practical ways to surrender in everyday life

• The modern crisis of male identity and how to address it

• How nature supports intimacy, healing, and stronger relationships

• Simple practices to connect with nature even in urban settings

This episode will challenge you to ask bigger questions about your life, your purpose, and your place in the world. Listen in and discover how reconnecting with nature can help you reclaim your vision and deepen your bonds as a man.

In this conversation, Chris sits down with retired law enforcement officer and author Randal Snyder to talk about masculinity, faith, and personal responsibility. Randy opens up about his transition out of frontline policing after 25 years, the toll it took on his mental health, and how faith, family, and emotional growth reshaped his definition of strength. Together they dive into topics men often avoid, burnout, marriage, fatherhood, and society’s shifting view of masculinity while grounding the conversation in honesty, faith, and brotherhood.

Guest Bio

Randal Snyder is a retired law enforcement officer, investigator, author, and speaker. With over two decades in the field, much of it spent handling some of the toughest cases imaginable, Randy has turned his focus to writing, mentoring, and educating others on resilience, relationships, and internet safety. He is the author of Cyber Creeps and co-author with his daughter of the zombie-themed series Lovin’ Brains.

Connect with Randal Snyder

📚 Books: Cyber Creeps and Lovin’ Brains (available on Amazon)
https://linktr.ee/jedicop

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📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen

🌐 Website: www.motivatedmasculinemen.com

📧 Email: brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com

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What You’ll Learn

• How 25 years in law enforcement shaped and tested Randy’s view of masculinity

• Why emotional expression and faith are essential for men’s resilience

• The dangers of repression, alcohol, and avoidance in dealing with trauma

• How to balance strength and vulnerability as a husband and father

• The role of shared values in building lasting relationships

• Why society’s view of masculinity is shifting and what men can do about it

• Practical advice for young men on building respect and authentic connections

• How writing and creativity became part of Randy’s healing and brotherhood journey

This interview is a raw look at what it means to grow as a man while carrying the weight of service, family, and faith. If you’re looking for perspective on resilience, relationships, and the future of masculinity, you won’t want to miss it.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Eugene Lee to unpack burnout, masculinity, and the journey of personal growth. Eugene shares how hitting burnout pushed him to start a podcast for men, opening conversations many avoid. Together they explore the pressures men face, how traditional masculine traits can both fuel and sabotage success, and the importance of redefining strength through balance, vulnerability, and accountability.

Guest Bio

Eugene Lee is the host of a top-rated burnout podcast and a voice for men navigating stress, leadership, and personal growth. After facing his own burnout, he now creates safe spaces for men to talk openly about masculinity, relationships, and mental health; online, in person, and through his growing platform.

Connect with Eugene Lee

🎙 Podcast: Give Yourself some Leeway

🌐 Website: https://www.eugenelee.com

📱 Instagram: @eugene.leeway

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📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen

🌐 Website: www.motivatedmasculinemen.com

📧 Email: brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com

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What You’ll Learn

• Why burnout can be both destructive and transformative for men

• How traditional masculine traits like focus and control can lead to burnout if unchecked

• The truth about “nice guy syndrome” and how it sabotages relationships

• Practical ways to redefine providing and protecting in today’s world

• Why vulnerability is critical for stronger friendships and intimacy

• How to align values, purpose, and leadership with personal growth

If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, relationships, or carrying the weight of being a man, this episode will challenge you to rethink strength and redefine masculinity on your own terms.

In this episode, Chris sits down with David Berez to explore resilience, masculinity, and the hard conversations men often avoid. David shares his journey from a difficult childhood through law enforcement service, surviving trauma, and finding purpose in helping others. Together they talk about PTSD, police mental health, fatherhood, divorce, authentic masculinity, and the importance of leading by example.

Guest Bio

David Berez is a retired police officer, author of A Resilient Life: Cops Journey in Pursuit of Purpose, and the only officer to complete the University of Pennsylvania’s Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology program. He now teaches resilience tools to men and law enforcement, helping them face trauma and find strength in purpose.

Connect with David Berez

📖 Book: A Resilient Life: Cops Journey in Pursuit of Purpose

🌐 Website: https://www.resilientcops.com

📧 Email: david@resilientcops.com

Connect with Motivated Masculine Men

📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen

🌐 Website: www.motivatedmasculinemen.com

📧 Email: brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com

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What You’ll Learn

• How surviving trauma shaped David’s path from law enforcement to teaching resilience

• The mental health challenges police face during and after service

• The impact of divorce on boys’ development and masculinity

• Why courageous optimism is a foundation for positive masculinity

• • How authenticity and feedback drive growth and leadership
  • Practical tools for men to create purpose and lead by example
    

  
  

• This conversation will challenge how you see resilience, masculinity, and your role as a man. Listen in and ask yourself, where can you step up with courageous optimism in your own life?

In this episode of Motivated Masculine Men, Chris Chandler-Yates sits down with retired LAPD Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger to unpack a career and life shaped by resilience and integrity.

Jeff’s journey began with being adopted into a multiracial family in Ohio and a wrongful arrest in college that unexpectedly led him to policing. Over 33 years, he served in high-pressure roles like SWAT, K9, Metro Division, and the Rampart CRASH unit during federal oversight—all while holding onto empathy, diversity, and community connection.

He shares how he avoided burnout by refusing to let the badge define him. Outside passions like hockey and youth coaching kept him grounded. Jeff also talks about the reforms policing needs now: smarter hiring, better training, mental health support, and building public trust through honest engagement.

This conversation challenges men to rethink strength as a balance of discipline, vulnerability, and service.

Learn More About Jeff Wenninger
🌐 jeffwenninger.com
📚 On Thin Ice – Insights into policing culture, leadership, and reform

Connect with Motivated Masculine Men
🌐 www.motivatedmasculinemen.com
📧 brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com
📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen
⭐ Leave a rating and review to help us reach more listeners
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What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How early life shaped Jeff’s views on justice and leadership

• Mindset shifts that prevented burnout in a demanding career

• Why mentoring and role models matter for young men

• Practical ideas for reforming law enforcement culture from within

• How to maintain mission and purpose after leaving a long career

In this episode of Motivated Masculine Men, Chris Chandler-Yates sits down with Matthew Thomas to explore what healthy masculinity looks like today.

They discuss Matthew’s experience in law enforcement and how high-stress situations shape a man’s identity. The conversation dives into the balance between strength and vulnerability, the protector instinct, and how fitness supports both physical and emotional resilience. They also talk about raising boys to understand modern masculinity and adapting core values as the world changes.

Matthew shares insights from his book Interceptors and reflects on what it means for men to own their purpose while navigating today’s complex expectations.

Connect with Matthew Thomas
🌐 One Time Nation

Connect with Motivated Masculine Men
🌐 www.motivatedmasculinemen.com
📧 brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com
📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen
⭐ Leave a rating and review to help us reach more listeners.
🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How law enforcement shapes masculine identity under pressure

• Why vulnerability is essential for real strength

• The protector instinct and what it means today

• The role fitness plays in building resilience and relationships

• How to raise boys with a healthy sense of masculinity

• Navigating family dynamics while embracing purpose

• Insights from Matthew’s book Interceptors on masculinity and service

In this episode of Motivated Masculine Men, Chris Chandler-Yates talks with Robson da Silva about his journey from Brazil to the United States and how that shaped his understanding of masculinity, self-respect, and connection.

Robson shares the lessons he’s learned about loving yourself first, building strong relationships, and finding your identity as a man in a new culture. The conversation dives into the role of community in men’s lives, why vulnerability matters, and how music and personal rituals can keep a man grounded and emotionally sharp.

This is a story about resilience, growth, and creating the kind of man you’re proud to be.

Connect with Robson da Silva
🌐 www.krrustic.com

Connect with Motivated Masculine Men
🌐 www.motivatedmasculinemen.com
📧 brotherhood@motivatedmasculinemen.com
📱 Follow on social media: @MotivatedMasculineMen
⭐ Leave a rating and review to help us reach more listeners.
🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why self-respect is the foundation of healthy masculinity

• How to love yourself without arrogance

• The role of community in helping men thrive

• How to build emotional connections that last

• Why lowering expectations can improve relationships

• How music shapes mood and mindset

• Navigating relationships with open communication

• The power of personal rituals for emotional well-being

• Why men need to embrace and express their emotions