“I want to make sure that they don’t have the missing link that I had.” 

When fathers vanish, so does the foundation of masculinity. This episode unpacks how fatherhood—especially in broken families—is not just about presence but about principles, persistence, and pain. The difference between a boy who becomes a man and one who never leaves the basement may come down to one thing: did a father light the path, even when his son wouldn’t follow? 

Brandon Held shares his raw, unfiltered journey from fathering three sons through divorce and distance to finding meaning in a mission to help other men. With military service, personal losses, and a brush with death behind him, his voice is one of hard-won wisdom. “I am lighting a path for you. All you have to do is walk down it.” If you’ve ever questioned whether your sacrifices mattered—this one’s for you. 

Brandon Held is a father of three, a veteran of both the U.S. Air Force and Army, and the host of a men’s mentorship podcast. His mission is simple: help young men avoid the pain he endured by sharing his own story—one mistake, one lesson, one breakthrough at a time. 

Learn more & connect:  

https://www.brandonheld.com/about 

You’re invited to come to a Sovereign Circle meeting to experience it for yourself. To learn more, go to https://www.sovereignman.ca/. While you’re there, check out the Battle Ready program and check out the store for Sovereign Man t-shirts, hats, and books.