In this episode of The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo, author, entrepreneur, and educator Cesar R. Espino shares his extraordinary journey from deep poverty in Mexico City to building a life rooted in purpose, resilience, and service. Born into a single parent household during a national financial crisis, Cesar spent his early years living in a 200 square foot home made of sheet metal and plywood, with no running water, no floor, and no insulation. Survival was not a mindset. It was a daily requirement.

When his mother migrated to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream, Cesar was forced to grow up fast, working at a young age to help put food on the table. Today, Cesar holds an MBA, has worked in corporate America, built businesses, invested in real estate, and authored You Can Overcome Anything! Even When the World Says No. His mission is clear. To empower others to rise beyond circumstance and create opportunity regardless of background or current situation.

Want to learn more about Cesar Espino?

www.cesarrespino.com

Want to learn more about Lisa Manzo?
https://lisamanzo.us

Want to learn more about The Phoenix Mind?
https://thephoenixmind.com

Want to check out our free Emotional Intelligence certification?
https://thephoenixmind.com/ei-certification

Have a story to share and think you would make a good guest on The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo?
https://thephoenixmind.com/be-a-guest

In this episode of The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo, Rob McCarthy shares the raw story behind the FCK the Standard movement and his breakout book FCK the Script. A lifelong blue-collar worker from New York, Rob built his message from lived experience, hard lessons, and a refusal to keep following a version of success that never made sense.

Rob’s wake-up call came in a hospital emergency room with chest pains, when his boss called to ask about work instead of his health. In that moment, he realized something sobering. Jobs move on. Families live with the loss. Rob chose to step away from a high-stress managerial role, return to blue-collar work, and rebuild a life centered on freedom, family, and meaning. Through his writing, podcast, and community, Rob challenges people to stop living by a script written by society and start building a life that actually feels like their own.

Want to learn more about Rob McCarthy?

Stan.store/fts25

Want to learn more about Lisa Manzo?
https://lisamanzo.us

Want to learn more about The Phoenix Mind?
https://thephoenixmind.com

Want to check out our free Emotional Intelligence certification?
https://thephoenixmind.com/ei-certification

Have a story to share and think you would make a good guest on The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo?
https://thephoenixmind.com/be-a-guest

In this episode of The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo, writer, educator, and global health professional Ted Neill shares how storytelling became the path that saved his life. With work spanning five continents, Ted has witnessed profound suffering and resilience through his humanitarian and health work. Yet his most important healing journey began when he confronted the childhood sexual abuse he had buried for decades.

For years, Ted poured himself into serving others, attempting to outrun his own pain. Eventually, the unspoken trauma caught up with him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Writing became the turning point. Through books like Two Years of Wonder and Twenty Years of Unraveling, Ted reclaimed his voice and transformed pain into purpose. A recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Torch of Peace Award and author of the upcoming series My Name is Ted and I’m a Racist, he now helps others understand that healing is not linear and that telling the truth is often where wholeness begins.

Want to learn more about Ted Neill?https://tedneillauthor.com/

Want to learn more about Lisa Manzo?
https://lisamanzo.us

Want to learn more about The Phoenix Mind?
https://thephoenixmind.com

Want to check out our free Emotional Intelligence certification?
https://thephoenixmind.com/ei-certification

Have a story to share and think you would make a good guest on The Phoenix Mind with Lisa Manzo?
https://thephoenixmind.com/be-a-guest