I almost died

Surviving was only the beginning. The hardest part came after.In February 2025, I nearly lost my life to a pulmonary embolism. What followed was a physical and emotional battle that most people never saw.Now, as I work to rebuild my clothing brand, Hard Work Always Wins®, I've created a shirt inspired by that experience. Every element of the design tells part of my story, from the hospital bed and heartbeat to the skeleton breaking free from its chains.In this episode, I'm sharing the meaning behind my most personal design yet, taking you behind the scenes of relaunching the brand, and opening up about what rebuilding my life has really looked like.This isn't a victory lap. I'm still figuring things out, still fighting, and still moving forward.Thanks for being part of the journey.

In August 1999, I was 17 years old, vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland, with my best friend. We became obsessed with a local television show hosted by Bill Baker. I had no idea that something so simple would stay with me for the next 27 years.Fast-forward to 2026. I stumbled across a four-year-old radio broadcast where Bill was discussing and recommending videos from my old food channel, Gary & Larry's Edible Adventures.The guy who helped inspire me to create was now watching something I had created. Neither of us knew about that connection.And the story somehow got even crazier.But this episode isn't just about an unbelievable coincidence. It's about the impact we have on others without ever realizing it.Years after our channel ended, strangers still recognize me. Restaurants have told me our videos brought them customers. And I've begun to realize that views, subscribers, and analytics don't always tell the whole story.I also share how Gary Vaynerchuk's words changed my perspective years ago, and why I believe creators shouldn't underestimate the value of what they make, even when the numbers are disappointing.Sometimes the things we create mean more to people than we'll ever know.VIDEOS MENTIONEDThe original Bill & Jessica radio segment (2022):https://youtu.be/ZWHECv7ErowGary Vaynerchuk – A 5 Minute Plea To Do:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIO0nMY4X3U

One Seaside Deli post in Ocean City, MD brought my old YouTube life back. This one started as a YouTube video, but it hit too close to home not to share here too.Strangers started thanking me for a channel that ended years ago, and one guy said he makes videos now partly because of us. This is the real story of Gary & Larry's Edible Adventures: why my cousin and I went our separate ways, why I still wish him well, and why Ocean City isn't finished with me, even in the hardest year of my life.Follow the show so you catch the Ocean City episodes when they drop.YouTube: youtube.com/garycantrellInstagram: instagram.com/garycantrellX: x.com/garycantrell

I spent too long vague about where I'm going. No more. This is me putting the real plans on the table, the scary ones, the ones I was afraid to say out loud in case I failed in public.What you'll hear:• What I'm actually building next• The projects that scare me• What I'm walking away from• Why saying it out loud changes the stakesIf you're tired of soft teases and want the honest roadmap, hit play.Follow on Spotify or Apple for new episodes.

Well 2025 is off to a start that’s for sure. Nearly died. Here’s the story…https://www.instagram.com/garycantrell

The paycheck died and so did the story I told myself about who I was. I felt useless. Lost. Embarrassed to say it out loud. This is what happened the week after, when I had to build a reason to get up without a title on a business card.What you'll hear:• The gut punch of suddenly being nobody at work• The shame I didn't post about• The first ugly draft of a plan when I had nothing• How I started reclaiming a purpose that wasn't a job titleIf you've ever lost the thing that told you who you were, hit play.Follow on Spotify or Apple for new episodes.

One month in and I already felt like I'd wasted it. Behind. Frustrated. Quietly pissed at myself. This is the check-in where I stop performing "busy" and tell the truth about what's working, what's dead, and what I'm changing before the year gets away from me.What you'll hear:• Where I was already failing my own standards• What I had to kill mid-stride• The one thing that was actually moving• How I'm course-correcting without a meltdownIf February already feels like you blew it, you're not alone. Hit play.Follow on Spotify or Apple for new episodes.

On this podcast I discuss my ongoing bout with gout and how I plan to combat my gout in the coming weeks and months, plus I'm on my way to Tampa for the Bubba Army Royalty party! Thanks so much for being here. If you like the podcast and/or want to reach out the best way to do so is through my social media so come say hi! http://www.instagram.com/garycantrell http://www.x.com/garycantrell http://www.youtube.com/@garycantrell If you want to support me you can do so by sharing this podcast, leaving a review, liking, commenting and subscribing on my YouTube or by doing shopping on Amazon you were already going to do, just start here: ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/garycantrell?ref=ac_inf_tb_vh⁠⁠ Again thank you for being here, it truly means a lot to me!

I didn't write a cute list. I wrote the goals that terrified me, the ones that would expose me if I missed. This is what I committed to when nobody was clapping yet, and what I refused to keep pretending about.What you'll hear:• The plans that made me nervous to admit• What I cut that used to make me look busy• Where I was lying to myself about progress• How I'm measuring this year without the fake hustleIf your goals only sound good on paper, this will hit.Follow on Spotify or Apple for new episodes.

I was so good at almost starting. Almost leaping. Almost becoming the person I kept talking about. This is the episode where waiting finally disgusted me more than failing, and I stopped giving myself another year to chicken out.What you'll hear:• The excuses that sounded smart and were just fear• What "one more year" was really costing me• The moment waiting became the bigger regret• What I did when I finally jumped without a guaranteeIf you've been "getting ready" for years, this will grab you by the throat.Follow on Spotify or Apple for new episodes.