Takeaways

• Learning to say no
• Asking more for your work
• Showing your work
• Dealing with creative blocks
• Risking more

Chapters

• 00:00 Space to Create

Carl "Crush" Foster is a chef, author, and co-founder of A Healthy Crush and the Alkaline Eclectic Society. Originally from Dorchester, Boston, he was a corporate auditor in California when a layoff and a pre-diabetes diagnosis pushed him to overhaul his diet. A few weeks of juicing and lentils later, his barber asked for some of those juices to sell to Cedric the Entertainer — and Juice Hugger was born inside a popped-out Red Bull mini fridge in an LA barbershop.

A cross-country move later, Crush and his wife Kelly opened A Healthy Crush Café in Crown Heights, Brooklyn — six employees, seven days a week, three years straight. A customer's odd request to remove carrots and peas from her soup introduced him to Dr. Sebi's nutritional guide. When Kelly developed leaky gut, the seven-day protocol Crush built around that guide brought her back. He documented everything and turned it into his first cookbook.

We get into all of it — the DIY hustle, the music career he walked away from, why alkaline water machines may do more harm than good, the easy ingredient swaps anyone can start this week, his concerns about GLP-1 drugs, and why turning your health around isn't a U-turn in a two-seater — it's a U-turn in an 18-wheeler.

A few moments that stopped me:

"It's more important what you remove than what you add." "Find out where the Mexicans in your community shop, and shop there." "For every six pounds you lose on GLP-1, you lose four pounds of lean muscle." "Me and you — we'd be locked under the jail by now." "You don't have to change the menu. Just change the ingredients."

CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open 01:00 From Dorchester to California: Crush the auditor 04:00 The layoff, pre-diabetes, and the juicer 07:00 Juice Hugger is born in a Red Bull mini fridge 10:00 Walking away from a music career 14:00 Moving to New York / the Fung Wah bus juice runs 17:00 Opening A Healthy Crush Café in Brooklyn 22:00 The carrots-and-peas phone call 25:00 Who Dr. Sebi was 27:00 Healing Kelly's leaky gut in 7 days 30:00 Alkaline water machines 34:00 Oxide vs. plant-based minerals 36:00 Easy swaps: sweet potato → cabacha squash 40:00 Where to actually find these foods 44:00 The Easy Alkaline Kitchen System + Hot Logic 47:00 Removing things vs. adding things 53:00 Where to start if you're overwhelmed 58:00 Creativity and not losing the artist in you 1:09:00 GLP-1 drugs 1:13:00 "Don't change the menu, just change the ingredients"

🔗 ahealthycrush.com | alkalineeclecticherbs.com | pensight.com/x/crushfoster | @crushfoster on IG 📖 The Alkaline Eclectic — amazon.com/dp/B0DP1DLQ6V

In this episode of Ashes to Architects, Brian sits down with Aimee Blesing (actor trainer, voice/body/speech coach, dialect & accent coach, and longtime university instructor) for a wide-ranging conversation on what actually makes people freeze when they have to speak—whether it’s a keynote, a classroom, a Zoom meeting, an audition, or a hard conversation at home.

They get into why smart, capable people can still feel paralyzed in front of an audience, and how “confidence” often isn’t a personality trait—it’s attention, preparation, and the ability to regulate your nervous system in real time. Aimee breaks down what’s happening in the body when self-consciousness kicks in, why most people were never taught the execution side of communication, and how voice and presence are trainable skills—not traits you’re born with.

You’ll hear practical tools you can use immediately, including:

• Why your body can create anxiety even when nothing is “wrong”
• A simple 60-second reset before speaking: face, shoulders, breath
• The “smell breath” trick (shockingly effective)
• Why “box breathing” doesn’t work for everyone—and what might
• How to pause before you speak (especially in emotional moments)
• Why rehearsing delivery matters as much as writing content
• The difference between performing and being present—and why “trying to look cool” backfires
• How actor training concepts like giving & receiving apply to marriage, parenting, and leadership

Aimee also shares a personal turning point: childbirth and losing the voice/body connection she’d always relied on—an experience that reshaped her teaching into something more human-centered and compassionate, and helped her bridge coaching from performers into the professional world.

The episode closes on a powerful anchor: “To thine own self be true.” Not as a slogan—but as a real framework for communication, confidence, and identity.

If you’ve ever felt frozen, overly self-aware, or stuck in your head when it’s time to speak, this one will land.

Subscribe, share, and leave a rating if you want more conversations like this.

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• • Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram 

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify Podcasts 
• Subscribe on iHeart Radio 
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow Ashes to Architects on Instagram

At his heaviest, Brian was around 320 pounds with a 46-inch waist, smoking a pack a day, eating like trash, and avoiding the gym out of pure embarrassment. But the turning point wasn’t a miracle plan or some perfect motivational wave — it was a simple decision to put himself in an environment that would force him to learn.

Instead of pretending he already knew what to do, Brian got a job at a health club. Not because he was fit — because he wanted to become the kind of person who was. That move created proximity, structure, and accountability. And once he started, everything began to compound.

He talks about:

• Why “identity” can trap you (and how to rewrite it)
• The real reason consistency becomes easier over time
• How the smallest changes (like cutting soda) can create massive momentum
• The underrated power of routines that feel rewarding (yes… even the post-workout shower)
• Why making positive changes can trigger weird reactions from people around you — and how to handle it with grace
• The difference between a temporary “diet” and a true lifestyle shift
• What it means to become a “higher version” of yourself — and why the old version can’t take you where you want to go

This episode is for anyone who feels stuck in an identity they didn’t choose — and needs a practical, grounded reminder that you don’t have to overhaul your life overnight… you just have to start.

If you got something from this, please subscribe, share, and leave a rating. It helps more than I can explain.

In this episode of Ashes to Architects, I sit down with Hugh Sadlier, an 83-year-old hypnotist with 30+ years in practice and thousands of clients. Hugh recently released The Healing Power of Hypnosis, and we go beyond “quit smoking” to talk about what hypnosis actually is, how it works, and how real change happens when you work with the subconscious instead of trying to force it.

We unpack Hugh’s unique “4 R’s” approach (built after years of not fully resonating with the standard, suggestion-heavy method), how he teaches self-hypnosis in the first session, and what he’s learned helping people with anxiety, trauma, habits, performance slumps, and more — including a few stories that’ll make you rethink what’s possible.

What we cover:

• Hypnosis vs meditation, and who responds best
• The ethics: what to look for (and avoid) when choosing a hypnotist
• Why stress is higher now — and what it’s doing to people
• How habits become identity (and how to break the loop)
• Childhood roots, transgenerational “memory,” and even womb-level imprinting
• Past lives + karma (how Hugh approaches it, and how often it matters)
• The 4 R’s framework:
  1. Recognize the roots
  2. Release the impact
  3. Replace what was removed
  4. Reinforce until it sticks

Key takeaways:

• You can’t erase memories, but you can change their impact.
• A habit can be an old survival strategy running on autopilot.
• Reinforcement + repetition is what makes the change permanent.
• Always vet the practitioner’s method before you trust the process.

Chapters:

00:00 Why I wanted to interview Hugh

02:00 A powerful case story + why belief matters

06:00 “Direct suggestion” vs asking the subconscious

09:45 The 4 R’s explained (Recognize/Release/Replace/Reinforce)

15:30 Self-hypnosis basics + anchoring technique

18:10 Hypnosis vs meditation

21:00 Hugh’s origin story + career pivots

30:40 Hypnosis across history (rhythm, chanting, altered states)

34:10 What’s changed in 30 years (stress + modern life)

41:30 Why some people change faster than others

50:20 Transgenerational + womb “memory”

54:00 Past lives + karma as “memory”

1:10:40 Goals vs process + defining success as happiness

1:18:30 Ethics + when hypnosis is NOT appropriate

1:31:20 One-session breakthroughs (when it “clicks”)

Guest: Hugh Sadlier

Book: The Healing Power of Hypnosis

Website: hypno-health.net

In this solo episode, I talk about why it’s not only okay to change your mind — it’s a sign you’re actually paying attention. As you gain more information, you should be allowed to move in a new direction. The hard part isn’t “setting intentions.” The hard part is getting honest about what you actually want… and what you’ve been chasing out of habit, ego, fear, or old versions of yourself.

I use a simple mountain-climbing metaphor to break down how people waste years over-preparing, trying to avoid picking the “wrong mountain,” and how iteration beats perfection every time.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why changing your mind is growth (not inconsistency)
• The difference between “intention” and actual honesty
• Why it’s easier to chase goals than to admit what you really want
• The “mountain peak” problem: reaching the top and realizing you picked the wrong thing
• Why people don’t start: fear of choosing wrong + perfectionism
• Why over-preparing (gear, research, planning) becomes procrastination
• The real power move: iteration and learning by moving

Key takeaways:

• You don’t need certainty — you need a first step
• Clarity is earned through reps, not thought experiments
• Perfectionism always costs more (time, momentum, confidence)
• The longer you wait to start, the harder starting becomes

If this hit for you, subscribe and share it with someone who’s been stuck in “thinking mode.” And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating helps this show more than I can explain.

In bonus clip, Deo tells the true story of what happened after his father—part of the government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—was assassinated. What followed was a long stretch of fear, impossible decisions, and a mother doing the unthinkable to protect her four children.

As ICE, detention, deportations, and enforcement actions stay at the center of the national conversation, this episode pulls the camera off the pundits and puts it on one family’s reality: what survival actually looks like when borders and paperwork aren’t a debate — they’re a wall.

In this clip, you’ll hear:

• The moment everything changed after the assassination
• How his mother used her Burundi background to create a path out
• The quiet strategies families use when the system feels impossible
• What it felt like to finally step onto a plane to the United States

This isn’t a hot take. It’s a lived experience.

If you’ve been caught in the immigration news cycle lately—whatever your stance—this story will land.

https://deomwano.com

⚠️ Content note: political violence/assassination, displacement, trauma.

#Immigration #ICE #RefugeeStory #DRC #Congo #Burundi #Asylum #AshesToArchitects

They get practical on the “pause” between activation and reaction, how to unpack what you’re really holding onto, and why curiosity + proximity can change your trajectory. Deo also shares what he’s building now: his memoir The Request (planned for Oct, 2026), the Mirror motivation app, and a scholarship program funding students who can articulate perseverance.

Learn more about what he does: https://deomwano.com

This is the origin story behind the show: growing up in a town of 400 with two physically disabled parents, surviving instead of thriving, getting bullied hard enough to battle depression before age 10, dropping out of high school, becoming a young father, and learning (the hard way) that you can’t do everything… but you can do a lot if you pick a direction and commit.

Brian also breaks down a practical tool for change: don’t just “build habits”—find the one part of the hard thing you genuinely enjoy (the reward you’d do voluntarily), and use that to pull you forward. For him, it started with workouts for the post-workout feeling… and it rewired everything else.

In this episode

• Why this podcast exists (and why consistency beats confidence)
• The “I’m not supposed to accomplish anything” origin story
• Success redefined: money vs peace of mind vs real happiness
• Fear of being seen + learning to use your voice
• The “muse whisper” idea: why your vision isn’t random
• Weight loss as proof you can rewrite your identity
• A simple framework to make hard change sustainable

Key takeaways

• You can do anything you’re built for—but you can’t do everything. Choose.
• If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll waste years.
• Ideas don’t belong to you. If you don’t execute, someone else will.
• The best “habit” is the part of the process you actually look forward to.

Chapter timestamps

• 00:00 In Austin + why I’m recording anyway
• 01:30 Why this podcast exists (and the self-doubt story)
• 04:40 My upbringing: disability, survival mode, and “no blueprint”
• 10:40 You can do anything (but not everything)
• 14:50 Why I want creatives’ stories out in the open
• 17:10 The muse, ideas, and why you shouldn’t wait
• 20:30 Success isn’t money—it’s happiness
• 21:55 Weight loss, identity change, and proof you can rewrite your life
• 24:40 The tool: find the part of the hard thing you enjoy
• 26:10 Closing: comment what you’re building + subscribe
• 27:06 Credits

If this hit home, drop a comment: where are you at right now, and what are you trying to build?

Chris opens up about losing his father at 16 after a long battle with cancer, the “perfect storm” of grief + rebellion that followed, and the self-destructive years where escaping became a lifestyle. Then comes the plot twist: a move to Hawaii, years in a tight native-led community on Maui, and the slow rebuild that helped him heal enough to come back and keep creating—without letting ego, pressure, or the “artist identity” trap ruin the work.

We talk about the real artist experience: performing for 20,000 people one week and 7 people the next, balancing a day job (Chris is a chef) with touring, what sobriety actually looks like when you used alcohol to mask anxiety, and how fatherhood changes the definition of success. This is a conversation about music, mental health, community, and the long road from survival mode to a life you’re proud of.

Guest

• Christopher Talken — Performer / Musician STL GLD

Topics we cover

• grief after losing a parent young + how it shapes identity
• self-destruction, anxiety, alcohol, and changing your relationship with it
• leaving everything behind and moving to Hawaii for a reset
• “island fever,” community healing, and coming back to a new world
• punk + hip hop crossover: Yo! MTV Raps, Headbanger’s Ball, The Arsenio Hall Show, and early influences like A Tribe Called Quest and N.W.A
• skateboarding as a “misfit community” and cultural gateway
• ego vs art: why pressure kills creativity
• day job vs “artist”: stability as a creative strategy
• masculinity, therapy, and learning to talk back to negative self-talk
• fatherhood, marriage, and redefining success as peace + happiness

Key takeaways

• Healing isn’t one moment—it’s a series of decisions you keep making when nobody’s clapping.
• If the work hurts you, it’s time to change the relationship—not abandon the gift.
• Community can save you (sometimes it’s a band, sometimes it’s a skate crew, sometimes it’s a family that takes you in).
• “Success” gets real when it becomes: happy, stable, present, and proud.

Chapter timestamps

• 00:00 — Why honest music is hard (and necessary)
• 05:32 — Who Chris is + STL GLD’s role as a collective
• 09:04 — Losing his father at 16, going numb, and acting out
• 12:40 — Escape mode: clubs, chaos, compartmentalizing grief
• 20:14 — Breaking point → leaving for Hawaii
• 23:25 — A decade out there: healing, simplicity, “talk story”
• 30:22 — Coming back: new world, new mindset
• 33:33 — Punk + hip hop roots, early influences + culture
• 38:41 — Skateboarding as the gateway + misfit belonging
• 55:00 — Goals, ego, and why “making it” can ruin the work
• 01:05:11 — Day job as a chef + balancing art and fatherhood
• 01:26:54 — Meeting his wife, sobriety, and dropping the “wild role”
• 01:36:09 — Masculinity, therapy, anxiety, and real self-work
• 01:47:42 — Legacy: happiness, “beating the odds,” and bonus time

They unpack the difference between “artist” and “content creator,” why calling your craft a “hobby” can feel insulting, and how creators slowly drift into work they never wanted (until they wake up ten years later stuck in a lane they didn’t choose). From creative integrity and choosing the right clients to impostor syndrome, ego, validation, and self-sabotage—this one is a deep dive into the inner life behind the output.

Jens shares the real story behind his shift into cinematography: betting on himself, learning by studying examples (not tutorials), building relationships that opened doors, and why filming your “normal” life can become a way to reclaim your memories and your identity.

If you’re trying to build a creative life that’s actually yours—this episode is for you.

Topics covered:

• Artist vs hobby: identity, respect, and why language matters

• Creative integrity: choosing projects that fit your voice

• The “client trap” and how creators lose their original vision

• Stress, pressure, procrastination, and the “tortured artist” pattern

• The messy studio vs the curated aesthetic (and what’s real)

• Learning by watching films and studying frames—not just 101 tutorials

• Impostor syndrome: the fuel, the cost, and how it shows up on set

• Validation, ego, and why “you did it” can be a trap

• Keeping plans quiet, protecting momentum, and staying grounded

• Turning everyday life into art—and recording what matters

Chapters:

00:00 Artist vs “hobby” — the identity battle

02:29 Picking the work (before the work picks you)

04:50 Evolving mediums, hating the client process, finding your lane

06:35 Pop-up shows, creative spaces, and building scenes

09:01 Creativity under stress + the “tortured artist” loop

11:09 Pressure, procrastination, and buzzer-beater creativity

13:15 The irregular mind, the messy process, and making the mess

18:01 Learning by studying examples, not tutorials

20:19 Wide-angle storytelling + using the frame to make people feel

22:20 Jens’ origin story: phone edits → Fuji camera → going all in

24:35 The “Netflix camera” moment + betting on yourself

29:29 Relationships, reputation, and doors opening at the right time

31:48 Impostor syndrome and proving it to yourself

37:04 Projection, self-doubt, and how we create problems that aren’t there

39:26 Risk, purpose, and choosing what matters long-term

46:07 Comfort with chaos, negativity loops, and patience

53:00 Manifestation = thought + action (not magic)

55:22 Noise, audience pressure, and protecting the art

57:43 Vision vs goals + “don’t chase trends, chase the art”

1:02:23 Keep plans close + why praise can kill momentum

1:12:51 Why “you did it” isn’t the point (doing vs done)

1:21:50 Receiving compliments, trauma triggers, and learning to accept

1:30:49 “Your life is worth filming” + the memory reclaiming story

1:37:50 Ego, artistry, and creating what you want to exist

• Follow Jens Reyes

If this episode hit home, please follow/subscribe, leave a 5-star rating, and share it with one creative who needs it.

In this short trailer, host Brian Cartier lays out the mission: if you’ve grown up surrounded by limitations—environment, trauma, setbacks, or simply being underestimated—your future isn’t decided by your past unless you accept that story as fact. This show is built for underdogs: real conversations, real experiences, and practical strategy you can actually use.

Ashes to Architects is where stories meet strategy—so you can turn losses into lessons and start building better outcomes.

Topics you’ll hear in this show:

• mindset, self-belief, and breaking limiting narratives

• mental health, trauma, and resilience without the cheesy motivation

• creativity, identity, and building a life you’re proud of

• lessons from people who beat the odds (and experts who help you do it)

• practical tools: habits, frameworks, and perspective shifts that work

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“Average” isn’t a fact—it’s a lazy summary. And when you accept it, you stop trying, stop investing in yourself, and build a safe identity that protects you from failure… while quietly blocking everything you’re capable of. Brian breaks down how self-talk becomes an abusive relationship, why fear of embarrassment keeps people stuck, and how to rebuild confidence the only real way: evidence.

This is a practical reset for anyone who’s been hesitating, playing small, or waiting to “feel ready.” You don’t need a total reinvention fantasy. You need one decision, one lane, and reps—done consistently—until the story changes.

Topics covered:

• Why “average” is a label, not a truth

• The hidden comfort of self-doubt (and the cost of it)

• Fear of failing in public—and why nobody’s thinking about you

• Confidence isn’t motivation: it’s evidence

• The “one thing” rule: stop juggling, start committing

• Stacking proof for 30 days (feel different) and 1 year (life looks different)

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome + the “average” lie

00:33 Average isn’t a fact—it’s a summary

01:28 Self-talk, safety, and the fear of failing

03:05 The imaginary wall + why embarrassment is overrated

04:05 One thing, not ten: pick a lane

05:10 Confidence comes from evidence

06:05 30 days vs 1 year: stack proof, change the story

07:10 Average is a statistic—and you’re not a statistic

If this episode hit, follow/subscribe, leave a 5-star rating, and share it with someone who’s been stuck in their own head.

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