In this episode of the REAL Mentors Podcast, serial entrepreneur and Gathering The Kings founder Chaz Wolfe sits down with Sean Martin to unpack how self‑belief, faith, and intentionality can completely rewrite your story. From being raised by a single mom and watching her walk away from the welfare system, to building and selling multiple seven‑figure businesses, Chaz shows what happens when you decide to bet on yourself, over and over again.

You’ll hear why he believes the real “freedom ticket” is learning to sell, how he uses the Bible as a decision filter for money, marriage, and parenting, and what it actually looks like to build millions without sacrificing your family. Chaz also breaks down his “grateful but not done” mindset, how he engineers challenge for his kids (like making them buy their own bikes), and why most people stay stuck in scarcity even when they don’t have to.

This Episode Explores:

- How belief and courage become the real cheat code in business and life

- Growing up with a single mom, welfare, and the moment that changed everything

- Why “sales is the first freedom ticket” for non‑traditional and non‑college founders

- Using faith as a practical decision‑making filter for money, marriage, and legacy

- Scarcity vs. abundance, and why most people’s brains fight their own goals

- Raising resilient, ownership‑minded kids in a comfortable, affluent environment

- The “grateful but not done” framework for high achievers who already “won”

- Protecting your marriage and family with daily intentional habits

- Building businesses that support an exceptional life, not replace it

If you’re an entrepreneur, parent, or leader who knows you were made for more — but refuse to lose your family, health, or soul along the way — this conversation will challenge your beliefs and push you to go all‑in on you.

🔗 Connect with Chaz Wolfe

Website: https://www.chazwolfe.com

https://www.youtube.com/@UCM1-6UfgrdBzqk1k20VJgXQ

Gathering The Kings: https://www.gatheringthekings.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gtkfamilymastermind

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

Chaz Wolfe, Gathering The Kings, Driven To Win podcast, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, entrepreneurial mindset, self‑belief, belief in yourself, cheat code to life, faith driven entrepreneur, Christian entrepreneur, generational wealth, legacy, family first entrepreneur, marriage and business, raising resilient kids, abundance mindset, scarcity mindset, sales skills, freedom through sales, personal development, high performance, intentional parenting, fatherhood, husband, purpose driven business, business and faith, self confidence, courage, leadership, growth, mindset, exceptional life

Andelina Storm brings a raw, faith-filled Gen Z perspective to mental health on the REAL Mentors Podcast with Sean Martin. A 20-year-old psych student and author of Sanity in the Storm, Andelina opens up about OCD, anxiety, PMDD, depression, and the friend’s suicide that pushed her to write a book she calls a “toolkit” for people in the dark. She shares how Christian faith, vulnerability, and small daily wins helped her climb out of suicidal thoughts—and how social media, isolation, and processed lifestyles are fueling a mental health crisis in her generation.

In this conversation, Andelina explains why she believes Gen Z is “a generation that lacks faith,” how believing “this is all there is” leads to despair, and why vulnerability is actually a biological and spiritual advantage—not a weakness. She breaks down what a day in depression really looks like, why just getting out of bed counts as a win, and how she uses scripture, slow mornings, and community to navigate PMDD and emotional storms. This episode is a must-watch for parents, young adults, and anyone who wants to better understand the inner world of struggling Gen Z kids—and how faith, honesty, and connection can bring them back.

​

This Episode Explores:

- Why Gen Z is facing record levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts

- How a friend’s suicide and her own dark season led Andelina to write Sanity in the Storm

- The role of Christian faith and seeing Jesus as Lord and Savior in finding hope

- Social media “highlight reels,” comparison, and why “for the most part, social media is a lie”

- PMDD, hormones, and what monthly “suicidal rage” actually feels like for her

- Why vulnerability lowers anxiety and puts your brain into a growth mindset

- The power of redefining success: why “just getting out of bed” is sometimes a real win

- Creating a positive algorithm: using timers, boundaries, and curation on your feed

- Learning to focus on what you can control instead of global chaos and politics

- Turning grief, OCD, ADHD, and depression into tools that can help others heal

This episode is about honest faith, messy feelings, and the courage it takes to tell the truth about your mental health so you—and the people watching you—can finally start to heal.

--

​

🔗 Connect with Andelina Storm

Website & Book (Sanity in the Storm): sanityinthestorm.com (book also available on Amazon)

​

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@PeaceInTheStormPodcastt

https://open.spotify.com/show/58blc3GLDLM4M0dCO0FQTl

​

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andelina.storm

https://www.instagram.com/peaceinthestormpodcast/

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

--

Tags & Keywords

Andelina Storm, Sanity in the Storm, Peace in the Storm podcast, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, Gen Z mental health, Christian mental health, faith and anxiety, depression, PMDD, OCD, suicide prevention, grief, small wins, vulnerability, growth mindset, social media and mental health, TikTok depression, Instagram comparison, Gen Z faith crisis, Jesus, hope, coping skills, Bible and mental health, college mental health, Michigan State student, emotional health, resilience, authenticity, transparency, purpose, young adult struggles, parents and teens, mental health toolkit, Christian Gen Z speaker

David Perlleshi, Albanian-American broker (Bronx-born to '89 Kosovo immigrants) reveals how he ditched corporate paychecks for uncapped potential, scaling mom-and-pop storage facilities into institutional goldmines. From seeing "down units as gold" to closing 200+ deals with his 7-person team, David breaks down why self-storage crushes multifamily (35% expense ratios, month-to-month flexibility), his no-shortcuts integrity code ("Don't screw anybody"), and building trust with 9-figure clients over breakfast—not pitches.

Get the playbook on off-market sourcing, CapEx execution, upgrading your network, and why authenticity filters the right partners for long-term wins.

This Episode Explores:

- Self-storage vs multifamily: lower costs, faster rate growth, bigger exits

- 13 off-market flips: turning sub-50K sq ft assets into REIT magnets

- "No consistent paycheck" mindset

- Dad's rule: "The worst thing is success while looking over your shoulder"

- Albanian family values fueling discipline, honor, and deal-making

- From baseball scholarship to $1B+ valuation expert

- Value-first sales: breakfasts with billionaires, zero hard pitches

- Mentoring young entrepreneurs through social media and proximity

- Why authenticity repels wrong clients, attracts lifetime partners

- Immigrant hustle: 65 cousins, hard-working parents, uncles as blueprint

- Perfect for real estate investors, brokers, developers, and anyone trading time for money.

🔗 Connect with David Perlleshi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-perlleshi-7b632985

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlleshi_cre/

Franklin Street: https://franklinst.com/user_profile/david-perlleshi/

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

David Perlleshi, self storage investing, self-storage broker, Franklin Street, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, storage vs multifamily, real estate investing, off-market deals, relationship selling, business integrity, immigrant entrepreneur, Albanian success story, real estate mentorship, CapEx strategy, storage development, REIT pipeline, value-add investing, network building, no paycheck lifestyle, authenticity in sales, Bronx real estate, Westchester entrepreneur, commercial brokerage, storage expense ratios, institutional self-storage, deal sourcing, sales philosophy, family business values, entrepreneurial mindset

In this episode of The REAL Mentors Podcast, Belinda Ramos, now Executive Director of Community Connections for Youth in the South Bronx, reveals why the most effective way to prevent youth incarceration is hiring people who've lived through it. Her organization staffs 80% formerly incarcerated adults as mentors—"credible messengers" who understand the streets, the system, and the trauma—cutting recidivism rates by 60%.

You'll discover:

→ Why her brother (dark-skinned, Black Puerto Rican) was scapegoated by their own family while she (lighter-skinned) got opportunities

→ The "arrested development" phenomenon: how incarceration freezes emotional growth at the age you entered

→ Why schools and families don't teach emotional regulation—and how this fuels the prison pipeline

→ How Newburgh, NY (violent crime 198% above national average) became her training ground for justice work

→ The gratitude practice Sean used in his prison cell that works anywhere

→ Her brother's redemption arc: from decades of cycling through incarceration to age 55, now working at Fortune Society

→ Why "the answer is in the community"—and why distant experts keep failing marginalized youth

The uncomfortable truth: Most youth don't need punishment—they need adults who've been where they are. CCFY meets families at crisis moments (first arrest, probation) before deep system involvement creates compounding barriers: homelessness, employment discrimination, fractured relationships, shame.

Host Sean Martin (formerly incarcerated) creates the rare space where both guests speak the same language—lived experience of trauma, systems, and redemption. As Sean shares: he didn't learn about processing FEELINGS until prison anger management workshops. That's how emotionally stunted poverty and chaos make us.

--

Community Connections for Youth:

📍 149th & 3rd Ave, Bronx, 7th floor (walk-ins welcome 9am-5pm)

🌐 www.cc-fy.org | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cc4y/

📧 Serving South Bronx families for 16 years

💼 Programs: Youth diversion, parent support, court advocacy, transformative mentoring

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: www.instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: www.instagram.com/theseanmartin

Beyond The Bronx Book: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebronxbook/

Grab Your Copy 👉 https://a.co/d/gKLMhg9/

--

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Opening: "The Bronx is crushed. But I see beauty in that."

02:22 - Growing up in Newburgh, NY (one of America's most dangerous cities)

04:44 - Church as sanctuary during 1980s racial marginalization

09:14 - Faith as justice framework: Christianity without dogma

10:09 - The day her mother died and her brother disappeared

15:02 - "His experiences were a grown man's. Who he was was a child."

17:18 - Why prison taught Sean about feelings (after earning six figures)

20:30 - Rock bottom before finding purpose at CCFY

22:05 - Brother's journey: 33 when they reconnected, 55 when he found stability

25:25 - How credible messengers work: 80% staff are program alumni

30:03 - Self-actualization: "You want to get this clean or get this filthy?"

31:52 - Emotional literacy as violence prevention

--

About The Real Mentors:

REAL = Real Examples Altering Lives. Host Sean Martin interviews leaders and people whose lived experiences—incarceration, addiction, poverty, trauma—inform their work transforming systems. Authentic conversations about redemption that don't sugarcoat the struggle.

Subscribe for stories proving transformation is possible no matter where you're starting from.

--

Tags

At 29, Sean Martin was making six figures... then he went to prison. Most people would call that career suicide. But he calls it the best thing that ever happened to him.

In this raw, no-BS episode, Sean sits down to get interviewed about his journey from the Bronx projects to building a multi-million dollar ventures and the uncomfortable truths about mindset, sobriety, and identity that he's never fully shared before.

If you think your background, your mistakes, or your circumstances are permanent roadblocks, this episode will change how you see everything.

📺 In this special episode, host of the REAL Mentors Podcast, Sean Martin gets interviewed by Dan Sachkowsky ("Big D"), and it gets real:

✅ Why Sean turned himself in for attempted robbery—and how prison became his greatest teacher

✅ The harsh truth about why 20+ years of high-functional alcoholism masked his potential

✅ How getting sober completely changed his business trajectory

✅ The 3 invisible ceilings that keep entrepreneurs stuck between $500K and $2M (and how to break through them)

✅ Why Sean LEFT AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) after 6 months

✅ How he went from Bronx poverty to a multi-million dollar life

✅ The mindset shift nobody talks about that separates 7-figure from 8-figure entrepreneurs

✅ His mission to impact 10 million inner-city youth—and why it matters

This isn't motivational sh*t. This is the real story, the uncomfortable truths, and the framework Sean uses to coach entrepreneurs who are ready to scale.

This episode is for:

🚀 Entrepreneurs stuck on a revenue plateau – Making $500K to $2M but can't break through, working 60+ hours, feeling like something's missing

📈 People ready to scale from 1 to 10 million – Looking for the framework that actually works

🔄 Anyone in recovery or facing a major life change – Struggling with identity and wondering if there's another way

💪 People from disadvantaged backgrounds – Who've been told their circumstances determine their ceiling

🧠 Those interested in mindset work – Tired of tactics; ready for the psychology that actually shifts results

👥 Leaders and future leaders – Who want to understand how to mentor, inspire, and think bigger

--

Follow Sean Martin:

📱 Instagram: www.instagram.com/theseanmartin

📚 Book: "Beyond the Bronx: From Prison to Purpose" https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebronxbook/

Grab Your Copy 👉 https://a.co/d/gKLMhg9/

🎙️ Podcast: R.E.A.L Mentors Podcast (New episodes every week)

💬 Money Mindset Movement

Follow Dan Sachkowsky:

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_big_dan_official/

--

🎯 ABOUT R.E.A.L MENTORS PODCAST

Real Examples Altering Lives

To share real stories from real people who've gone from zero to hero, failure to success, stuck to unstoppable.

Every episode breaks down the invisible ceilings that keep people stuck and gives you the framework to break through them.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creator, someone in recovery, or just someone ready for a change, this podcast is for you.

New episodes every week. No BS. No hype. Just REAL conversations.

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

--

📊 SEO TAGS

#SeanMartin #RealMentorsPodcast #EntrepreneurshipPodcast #PrisonToSuccess #MindsetShift #Sobriety #RealEstate #BusinessCoaching #Motivation #SuccessStory #PodcastEpisode #MoneyMindset #ScalingBusiness #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #DanSachkowsky #BeyondTheBronx #InnerCityYouth #BreakthroughMindset #RecoveryJourney #Mentorship #FromZeroToHero #BusinessGrowth #IdentityShift #AlcoholRecovery...

Jason Lacayo drops raw truths on the Real Mentors Podcast—exposing the mental toll of policing from Bronx streets to badge.

From NYPD's violent 46th Precinct ("the Alamo") to White Plains PD's Mental Health Outreach Team, Jason reveals how cops compartmentalize gunshot victims, cope with morbid humor on severed limbs, and fight loneliness after losing street friends. He slams "defund the police" as "dumbest sh*t," shares his Honduran roots policing "from the middle," and opens up on peer support, generational shifts in recruiting, and building men's mental fitness via Agora Social Club.

This episode uncovers policing's human side: soul-draining calls, split-second life-or-death choices, and staying compassionate amid stigma.

This Episode Explores:

- Bronx project's heavy-handed cops vs. respected neighborhood officers

- NYPD rookie shock: "Guys get stuck seeing holes in them"

- Cop bars, alcohol, and dark jokes on accidents/dead bodies

- "Uniform = tool of death": Why officers cry post-shootings

- Policing "from the middle": Bridging streets and blue

- Mental Health Outreach: Housing unhoused, aiding mentally ill

- Losing friends as a cop: "Instantly you sell out?"

- Generational cop shift: Remote jobs over pensions

- Agora Social Club: Jujitsu, co-working for men's mental health

- Real talk on cop trauma, reform realities, and reclaiming humanity under the badge.

🔗 Connect with Jason Lacayo

Instagram: https://instagram.com/therealjumpmanjay

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealjumpmanjay

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: instagram.com/theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

Jason Lacayo, White Plains PD, NYPD 46th Precinct, SWAT operator, mental health outreach, cop mental health, defund the police, policing from the middle, Bronx Alamo, morbid cop humor, police trauma, first responder wellness, peer support, generational policing, Agora Social Club, Reps for Responders, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, ex-NYPD, police reform, criminal justice, Honduran American, men's mental fitness, jujitsu community, bodycam realities, cop loneliness, uniform humanity, second chances law enforcement, Westchester PD

Amaurys "Bronx Native" Grullon drops Bronx truth bombs on the REAL Mentors Podcast; raw stories of hustle, heartbreak, and unbreakable pride from a kid raised in Section 8 who built a cultural empire without leaving home.

Co-founder of Bronx Native, Amaurys Grullon shares how he and his sister turned "no Bronx merch" into a Mott Haven flagship store, Nike collabs, Yankees deals, and a movement blending creativity, entrepreneurship, and community giveback. He gets real about "crabs in a barrel" gatekeeping, scarcity mindset pulling down local success, and why staying rooted blocks from Cardinal Hayes beats escaping. From Pentecostal single-mom roots and dad’s pool hall hustle to NYT fame off pop-ups, Amaurys reveals his "more is more" blueprint for thriving in the BX.

This Episode Explores:

- Bronx Native origins: Apartment shelf to global brand in 2015

- "Crabs in a barrel": Community pushback and gatekeeper lows

- "No pressure, no diamond": Embracing struggle for growth

- Scarcity mindset vs. optimism—protecting "precious energy"

- 2016 breakthrough: Events, networking, NYT feature, pop-up magic

- "Most beautiful place on earth": Reframing Bronx pride amid stereotypes

- Building creative ecosystem (GET Studios, Tag Up, Change the Narrative)

- "Comfortable in your uncomfortability" staying local while scaling

- Father hustler lessons, early art commissions, school-to-SVA journey

- Future 2026 vision: Books, docs, festivals, drives for BX unity

- Real talk on Bronx entrepreneurship, mindset shifts, cultural pride, and rising above—perfect for hustlers chasing legacy from the streets.

🔗 Connect with Amaurys Grullon

Instagram: www.instagram.com/amaurysgrullon

Bronx Native: www.bronxnativeshop.com

www.instagram.com/thebronxnative

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: @realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: @theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

Amaurys Grullon, Bronx Native, REAL Mentors Podcast, Sean Martin, Bronx entrepreneur, Boogie Down pride, section 8 success, crabs in a barrel, scarcity mindset, Bronx hustle, cultural brand, Mott Haven store, Nike Yankees collabs, entrepreneurship Bronx, gatekeepers old heads, no pressure no diamond, more is more, precious energy, Cardinal Hayes, Bronx Community College, SVA design, community giveback, Bronx merch movement, personal development NYC, resilience mindset, creative entrepreneur, Hunts Point roots, change the narrative, BX unity

Over 30 years in salsa and freestyle, Luis Damon, Warner-signed artist faced it all: Premio Lo Nuestro nominations, world tours, then post-9/11 rock bottom at Cablevision. Divorce hit hardest—"swallowing rusty screws" for his daughter—until therapy unlocked reinvention. Now indie, he owns his sound, videos, and 2026 "Rat Pack" revival with Frankie Negron and Papote Jimenez, bringing NY salsa fire back.

Luis opens up on channeling grief into art, unlearning trauma, and why drive trumps talent.

This Episode Explores:

- Bronx roots: Public assistance to LaGuardia High and first single at 19

- Warner deal at 23: 3 albums, Olga Tañón duet #30 Billboard hit

- Post-9/11 pivot: From global stages to survival jobs amid reggaeton rise

- Divorce trauma, depression, and therapy's game-changing lessons

- Turning friend’s cancer death into a 5-part film outlet

- La India duet disaster—and opening for her next

- Indie ownership: Songs, videos, YouTube, no label chains

- 2026 NY salsa comeback with Negron & Jimenez Rat Pack vibe

- Fatherhood first: Hiding pain to protect his kid

- Drive over talent: "I wanted it so bad, nothing stopped me"

- Real talk on pain, persistence, and rhythm as medicine when life tests your limits.

🔗 Connect with Luis Damon

Instagram: https://instagram.com/luisdamon

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@luisdamon1

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

Luis Damon, salsa singer, freestyle artist, Real Mentors Podcast, Sean Martin, Bronx musician, Lo Nuestro nominee, Warner Brothers salsa, Son By 4, NY salsa revival, music comeback, therapy after divorce, fatherhood struggles, post-9/11 survival, indie artist ownership, Frankie Negron collab, Papote Jimenez, Rat Pack salsa, Billboard Latin hits, reggaeton era pivot, channeling pain into art, music therapy, drive vs talent, Puerto Rican American artist, LaGuardia performing arts, Olga Tañón duet, La India concert, personal growth, resilience, Latin music 2026