How Losing Baseball Forced Me to Rebuild My Identity | Mike Loudon’s Story

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What happens when the identity you’ve built your entire life suddenly disappears?

In this episode of The Open Exchange, Paul sits down with Mike Loudon, a former college baseball player and teammate who opens up about identity loss, body dysmorphia, alcohol, career uncertainty, and the long road to rebuilding himself.

Mike shares:

What it felt like when baseball ended

How weight gain, drinking, and depression crept in after college

The moment he realized something had to change

How nightclub promoting unexpectedly launched his career

The discipline required to lose 100+ pounds

Why people misunderstand who he really is

How he rose to become a Senior Video Marketing Manager at Rémy Cointreau

This is an honest conversation about masculinity, ambition, self-worth, and learning to peel back the layers of who you think you are.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Reunion, nicknames, and college memories
02:10 – Why this show focuses on people’s real stories
04:15 – How Mike ended up at Mitchell College unexpectedly
06:30 – Coaches, mental toughness, and being pushed hard
09:20 – Identity, popularity, and coping in college
10:55 – Body dysmorphia and insecurity behind the scenes
12:30 – Growing up with a single mother in Fairfield County
15:00 – “The obstacle is the way” and avoiding discomfort
18:35 – The final college baseball game and identity loss
20:15 – Post-college weight gain, drinking, and depression
21:55 – The stairway moment that forced a lifestyle change
24:00 – Losing 100+ pounds and rebuilding discipline
26:00 – Working in sports vs. the reality of low pay
28:30 – Nightlife promotion as an unexpected career pivot
31:00 – Entrepreneurship, flipping sneakers, and hustle
33:30 – Finding confidence and direction in his career
36:00 – Working with global brands and creative fulfillment
38:30 – Fashion Week, NBA players, and feeling “in the room”
41:00 – Misconceptions people have about Mike
44:00 – Depth, loneliness, and surface-level friendships
47:00 – Masculinity, fatherhood, and relationships
50:00 – Creativity, content, and staying connected to youth
53:00 – Why identity must evolve after sports
56:30 – Final reflections on growth and self-acceptance

🎙️ Follow Me:
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Email: [e-mail]
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Follow Mike:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twentydeucect/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twentydeuceclothing/


🎙️ Other ways to listen:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-exchange-with-paul-martinez/id1733876904

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Qh1HPG7IF9vlI1Sy21gST


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