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Open Road

Author: John Amini

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In Open Road, host John Amini chats with extraordinary people to discover what makes them great, and to hear their best “Dinner Party Story” in the hope of encouraging us all to hit the Open Road to find our next great story.
22 Episodes
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In a very important episode of Drinks with Friends, DTRs are had and Treaties are signed.  Pivotal would be a word that some may use to describe this conversation between the three of us.  Sure, we start by discussing Marshall's bizarre affinity for scary movies, but we end somewhere entirely different.  In this conversation, symbolic blood and tears are spilled on signed Treaties with no expiration date.
20 - Drinks with Friends 05

20 - Drinks with Friends 05

2023-03-2701:10:39

Don't call it a comeback.  Well I don't know maybe you should.  Whatever you want to call it, we are back.  And back with a vengeance.  It's been a year since we've headed out on the Open Road together.  I'm sure you didn't mind the break.  Most importantly, I trust that y'all have been living the Open Road Lifestyle.  Forgive me for the tragic delay in shaking the Open Road tree.  Sometimes hobbies have to take a back seat.  I'm not quite sure yet what the cadence will be for future episodes, but I will tell you, this one is1 the right way to saddle back up, tighten the cinch, and see where the road takes us.Welcome back to Open Road with our 5th Drinks with Friends episode.  You know them.  You love them.  Matt and Marshall are back.  We hope you enjoy our chat that ranges from whether or not Peter Millar sneakers are cool to how to discipline our kids lovingly.  Pull up a chair and settle in.  It's good to see you again. 
19 - John Marsh

19 - John Marsh

2022-03-1448:57

John Marsh is the Co-Founder of Marsh Collective, serial entrepreneur, and consultant helping steward over $1bn in redemptive real estate in small towns around America.  His story will blow you away.  He has comeback from deep pain and hopelessness to redeem communities and marriages.  Reigning from Opelika, Alabama, his way of communicating is unmatched and his storytelling unparalleled.  You won't want to miss this one, y'all.  So, pull up a chair and join us at the table as John and I discuss having hope, crafting vision, and just going for it.
18 - Matt Morris

18 - Matt Morris

2022-03-0201:10:20

My friend, Matt Morris, joins us on Open Road for a wide ranging and fun conversation.  Matt is an investor, advisor, Board Member and was the CEO of a publicly traded company.  Aside from his business successes, he is fiercely involved in the Houston community and an awesome husband to Melissa and dad to four boys.  Join Matt and I at the table as we discuss his time at the helm of Stewart Title, how his achievements and failures have shaped him, and what he is learning now as a father and husband.  Tune in for a Dinner Party Story that had me rolling.  Enjoy!
17 - Drinks with Friends 04

17 - Drinks with Friends 04

2022-02-1401:19:26

Matt and Marshall are back.  In our fourth DWF, the three of us discuss recent changes in our life, along with our timely topic: fatherhood.  Over a couple of glasses of whiskey, we discuss how the beginnings of our fatherhood journeys have shaped us and inspired fresh perspectives on the world and our place in it.  Join us at the table as we share the stories and lessons learned through the wild adventure of fatherhood that have brought us to a heightened commitment to living the Open Road Lifestyle: to live with courage and purpose.
16 - Mark Appel

16 - Mark Appel

2022-02-0201:08:52

Welcome back to Open Road!  After a longer than expected hiatus, we're back with my buddy, Mark Appel.  Mark was the first overall draft pick in the 2013 MLB Draft picked by the Houston Astros.  After leaving Stanford to join his hometown team, Mark battled injuries during his first few years in the minors.  After taking a break from the game, he's on the path back to the big leagues.Mark and I talk about what he's learned as a ball player who has had to battle his fair share of adversity.  Between the injuries, the voices in his head telling him to quit, and those around him who are telling him he can't do it, he has rolled back his shoulders and learned how to elevate his manhood via the struggle.Please enjoy our chat as we discuss how to better live the Open Road Lifestyle.  
In our first episode back from a Summer break, we're back with something unique.  A friend of the show and a prior guest, Dave Eubank, joins me for an impromptu conversation in the middle of his preparations to leave for Afghanistan on a rescue mission.This episode doesn't have a Dinner Party Story and it skips the pleasantries of a biography.  The intent of this episode was to allow you to learn how Dave is running towards the fire and to discover how to be in his corner.Be sure to tune into the after the recording intro to gain some more insight into the nuances of our talk.  There was an element of bureaucratic maneuvering that we had to navigate through that I discuss in the intro.In the midst of such tragedy and chaos, Dave and many others are tightening their boots and running towards the flames.  My hope is that this brave selflessness shows you, as it has me, the capabilities of a life fueled by love.
14 - Judson Kauffman

14 - Judson Kauffman

2021-07-0601:11:35

As the glow of the fireworks from this past July 4th weekend unfortunately fades, launch yourself into this week with my conversation with Judson Kauffman, co-founder of Desert Door Distillery, CEO and Co-Founder of Terradepth and former Navy SEAL.  Full of passion, experiences and stories, Judson shares with us his experience as a SEAL in Operation Iraqi Freedom and how that shaped him into a pioneering entrepreneur.  As a co-founder to a Sotol Distillery, which is now one of the leading spirit brands in the country, and Terradepth, the company that is deploying an army of autonomous submarines to collect yet to be discovered data on the ocean, it's safe to say that Judson goes for it.In our wide ranging chat, some of the topics we cover are the importance of bravery, how his time in the SEALS and as an entrepreneur has refined his view on Leadership, and finally, a Dinner Party Story that simply left me speechless.  No exaggeration.  It's cinematic.Join us at the table for a conversation that is sure to light a fire in you.  
13 - Scott Friesen

13 - Scott Friesen

2021-06-2154:43

Scott is the CEO and Co-Founder of Verdant Frontiers, an Austin based investment firm with a mission to deliver life changing jobs in Africa and compelling returns for its investors.Scott has been an entrepreneur for as long as he can remember.  After a successful career starting and selling a number of different ventures, Scott considered retirement.  However, a trip to Africa stopped him in his tracks.  After this trip, he found a resolve to invest in Africa and its people.  So, Verdant was launched to create jobs and in doing so, change lives, and to capitalize on the economic potential of Africa that Scott and his team believed in.Scott and I talk about daily courage, how to overcome challenges both big and small, and how to go for it with the right motivations.  Enjoy!
12 - Anthony Flynn

12 - Anthony Flynn

2021-06-0101:00:31

Anthony Flynn has seen a lot.  Being raised by a 17 year old single mother in Memphis, Anthony was raised in an environment marked by struggle, racism and little hope.  Despite these circumstances, he eventually became an entrepreneur, author, leadership coach, consultant and now, the CEO of WorkFaith Connection, a Houston based ministry which has a mission to build faith and career skills for the marketplace.  Anthony and I discuss his childhood and how the racism that he experienced shapes his worldview today.  We talk about how education exposed him to a world outside of the only one he knew.  He shares his experience as a leadership coach and consultant and what he learned from his time with some of the most high powered leaders in the world.  Finally, he shares his Dinner Party Story that proves that when you go for it, you may not be the only one who benefits.  Enjoy!
11 - Drinks with Friends 03

11 - Drinks with Friends 03

2021-05-1701:13:44

It's good to be back.  After a nice little breather, we kick off Season Two with a bang with the third episode of Drinks with Friends.Matt and Marshall crack open a bottle of Pinot with me as we discuss the margin of life and our timely topic: Friendship.  We discuss how friends have changed us and how we have changed as friends.  Tune in as we dig into how the Open Road Lifestyle, living with courage and purpose, is simply impossible without good friends.  Pull up a chair and join us at the table as wild stories and lessons learned abound amongst three life long buddies.  We round out the episode with three Dinner Party Stories about Friendship that are equal parts outrageous, hilarious and impactful.  Welcome back to Open Road!
10 - Wesley Hunt

10 - Wesley Hunt

2021-03-2258:05

Wesley Hunt is a former Apache Helicopter Pilot and Candidate for the United States Congress.  After a close loss in 2020, Wesley is already gearing up for a future run.Growing up in a family with a long history of Military Service, Wesley knew that West Point was his destiny.  After graduating, he served for 8 years as a Helicopter Pilot and Diplomatic Liaison.  Following his honorable discharge, Wesley moved back home to Houston and decided that his next move in his arc of serving the country that gave him so much was to run for public office.Our conversation covers the gamut.  Our chat ranges from race relations to the issues with our mainstream media, and from losing his friends in war to rediscovering national unity.  It was a pleasure to talk to my friend about the past, current and future of our country.  Tune in for Wesley's passionate takes and for his truly unique Dinner Party Story about President Trump.
09 - Shannon Sedgwick Davis

09 - Shannon Sedgwick Davis

2021-03-0101:14:13

Shannon Sedgwick Davis is the CEO of Bridgeway Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to ending and preventing mass atrocities around the world.  More recently, Shannon and the Bridgeway Foundation have been credited for their pivotal role in mobilizing awareness, civilian protection, and recovery efforts against the Lord’s Resistance Army and its leader, Joseph Kony, the first-ever indictee of the International Criminal Court.Shannon saw the evil of Joseph Kony and decided to do something about it.  She didn't wire funds to someone else from her Living Room.  She hired private military contractors, flew in Helicopters to speak to Kony and his gang through loud speakers, sat across the table from world leaders to devise ways to bring Kony to justice and save those under the weight of his oppression.  Shannon sits on the board of several organizations, including The Elders, Humanity United, TOMS, and charity: water, and author of the recently released "To Stop a Warlord".Shannon is a wife, mom to two, and a doer.  I'm honored to call her an old and dear friend and it has been an absolute thrill to watch her shape and mold the world around her.  Her impact is unquestioned and her courage is undeniable - clearly, a banner carrier for the Open Road Lifestyle.  Tune into our conversation and buckle up to be inspired and wowed by her stories.
08 - Todd Pierce

08 - Todd Pierce

2021-02-1001:05:19

Todd Pierce is a cowboy.  A real cowboy.  Growing up as a wild man, Todd found his calling in bareback Bronco riding.  After being a professional cowboy, Todd launched Riding High Ministries.  Todd & Riding High Ministries host Born Wild events at Prisons, Native American Reservations, retreat centers and church events, wherein Todd demonstrates the gospel of Christ by breaking a wild horse.The first time I met Todd, I was struck by his uncanny ability to speak with such insight and as if he had known me my entire life.  Todd's rough and rowdy life leading up to his acceptance of God gives him a unique perspective on the world that is clear, simple and worth tuning into.In our conversation, we discuss how to live differently by breaking out of our comfort zones, the manhood pandemic in our culture and how to fix it, the fatherlessness problem that our world is experiencing, and how to live with a sincere faith.  Finally, we hear an incredible Dinner Party Story that is thanks to a familiar old friend and to going for it.Todd's cowboy ways awesomely embody the Open Road lifestyle and I am honored to consider him a friend. 
07 - Drinks with Friends 02

07 - Drinks with Friends 02

2021-02-0101:16:32

In our 2nd episode of Drinks with Friends on Open Road, Marshall and Matt join me to discuss Gamestop and the Bachelor.  We also dig into the challenges that 2020 brought us and how they shaped who we are.  Pour yourself a drink and join us at the table for a chat on the margin of life and the sharing of some Dinner Party Stories that deal with challenges.  Stay tuned for a surprise guest at the end of the Episode.0:00 -- Catch Up, Gamestop, Bachelor19:00 -- 2020 Challenges44:30 -- Dinner Party Stories
06 - Brett Rodgers

06 - Brett Rodgers

2021-01-1359:05

Brett Rodgers is a a bit of a University of Texas icon.  Now, coming from an Aggie, that isn't saying a whole lot, but Brett has impacted that school more than most.  Brett is the Vice President of Young Life International University Initiatives, and before that, was the Director of UT Young Life.  Prior to building UT Young Life into the machine that it is today, Brett worked for Young Life in San Antonio, which is where our friendship began.  In our chat, Brett and I talk about his Young Life journey, how he's made decisions along the way, and how he has lived such a profound life of impact.  I'm not kidding you when I say, you will not believe how many weddings I've been to where he was officiating.  Finally, Brett honestly shares how he and his family have been shaped in phenomenal ways in the wake of recent tragedy that has struck his family.  Tune into our conversation to learn from and hear the stories of a guy whose personal impact is unmatched.
05 - Oscar Renteria

05 - Oscar Renteria

2020-12-0757:34

Oscar Renteria is the CEO of Renteria Vineyard Management, one of Napa's leading vineyard companies, and is the Founder and CEO of Tres Perlas, a winery that produces a portfolio of luxury wines.  Alongside his family, Oscar grew up working the vineyards of Napa Valley.  Oscar's father, Salvador, immigrated from Mexico and began his life in America as a Napa Valley vineyard farmer.  Salvador went on to become, not only, a successful entrepreneur in launching Renteria Vineyard Management, but also a treasured Hall of Famer of Napa.  Oscar took over Renteria Vineyard Management and has taken it to new heights.  Additionally, Oscar and his wife fulfilled a dream and bought the iconic Brown Ranch to launch their own Winery, Tres Perlas, that is producing phenomenal wines.In our conversation, we discuss the awe of Napa Valley, the importance of duty to family and heritage, the mistakes that he has made as a leader and how he adjusted, and the incredible story of his family and how grit and character sent the Renteria's on an incredible trajectory.  Cheers!
04 - Dave Eubank

04 - Dave Eubank

2020-11-1701:19:04

Dave Eubank is the Founder and Leader of Free Burma Rangers (FBR), a humanitarian service movement for oppressed ethnic minorities of all races and religions in the Burma, Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria and Sudan war zones.  Dave is a former U.S. Army Special Forces and Ranger officer.Dave and his family have quite literally run towards the bullets in the name of protecting and saving those who have fallen under the weight of oppressive tyranny across the world.  Plain and simple, Dave is a man among boys.  But, he's not all brute, he and his family have a love of Christ that drives them to transformational love for all who are around them.In our conversation, we discuss how to overcome fear - in the small and the big moments, how he and his wife have raised their children in war zones across the globe, how America should fight against oppressive tyranny, and finally, a couple of absolutely phenomenal Dinner Party Stories.
03 - Drinks with Friends 01

03 - Drinks with Friends 01

2020-11-0501:05:57

In the inaugural episode of Open Road's new series, Drinks with Friends, three best friends pour a few cocktails, discuss the margin of life, and share Dinner Party Stories.  In every other episode of Open Road, we hear about the hallmark moments that play on the highlight reels of our guest's lives.  But, it's important to see the value in the margin of life also, and to remember that these smaller moments are the building blocks of the hallmark moments and of a life that lives by the Open Road lifestyle.  Drinks with Friends is ridiculous, fun and hopefully entertaining and a bit inspiring.  So, we're going to take a break every handful of episodes and have a Drinks with Friends episode - in these talks, my friends and I will discuss the margin of life, and share some Dinner Party Stories.  0:00 -- Intros12:30 -- Bachelorette Recap25:30 -- Halloween Recap37:30 -- Dinner Party Stories
02 - Will Hurd

02 - Will Hurd

2020-10-0639:04

Will Hurd serves in the House of Representatives as the Congressman for the 23rd District of Texas.  Will was, literally, a secret agent for the CIA in the Middle East for nearly a decade before coming back home to San Antonio to run for Congress.  Our talk ranges from hearing about his time in the CIA to the social and racial unrest and division that our country is facing to what is our nation's biggest problem.  The good thing is, we talk about how to resolve all of these towering obstacles.  His Dinner Party Story will leave you wanting more and with chills.  Will is a dear friend and perfectly embodies the Open Road lifestyle.  
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