461: Danny Combs—TACT, The Future of Workforce

Mike sits down with Danny Combs, founder of TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), a program that teaches people with autism skilled trades ranging from welding to woodworking to IT. With equal parts heart and hard data, Danny walks Mike through how TACT is helping fill critical labor shortages while giving thousands of gifted, detail-driven students a path to meaningful, good-paying work. It's a conversation about talent, potential, and the untapped workforce hiding in plain sight. Danny's book can be found here. Learn more about Stand Together at StandTogether.org   Today's episode is sponsored by American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $35 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!

Mike sits down with the two innovative minds behind Digs — an app that's helping to streamline the home-building process. It's a candid look at what happens when tech guys wander into the world of lumber, drywall, and delayed inspections—and try to fix it. If you've ever wondered whether artificial intelligence can actually help build a house, or at least make the whole ordeal a little less maddening, this conversation is for you. Many thanks to our excellent sponsors PureTalk.com/Rowe Get unlimited talk, text and data for $29.95 p/month for LIFE. AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $45 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. GoodRanchers.com Use code MIKE to get $40 off plus free meat for life with new subscription. SkillsUSA.org/mike Join the skilled trade movement!

Mike meets actor, writer, and director Steven Grayhm, whose award-winning film Sheepdog is about to hit theaters. Steven breaks down how a three-hour ride with a tow truck driver led him on a 14-year odyssey to get to the truth about veteran post-traumatic stress. It's a conversation about grit, service, sacrifice, and the complicated realities faced by the men and women who stand their post long after the uniform comes off. Steven's passion for telling their stories with honesty and respect shines through every frame of Sheepdog, and every minute of this conversation. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $45 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. NetSuite.com/Mike Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning

In honor of Veterans Day, Mike speaks with co-host of The Big Weekend Show Marine Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Johnny Joey Jones, who served eight years as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician in Iraq and Afghanistan—where he lost both legs in the line of duty. These days, he's on a mission to highlight those who serve, from American warfighters to first responders, which he does powerfully in his new book, Behind the Badge. It's a honest tribute to those who run toward the danger when others run away. With his trademark humility and humor, Joey talks about courage, purpose, and the importance of minding the wake you leave behind.  Shout out to our great sponsors American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. PureTalk.com/Rowe Choose a wireless company who actually stands for something. BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!

Mike joins author and energy expert Alex Epstein to discuss Bill Gates' surprising new stance on climate change, the growing clash between "human-centric" and "anti-impact" environmentalism, and how the AI revolution is reshaping global energy demands. They also explore what this shift means for philanthropy, fossil fuels, and the future workforce driving America's next energy boom. Shout out to our great sponsors Lineman.edu to find your pathway to the trades American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order.

Security expert, author, and entrepreneur Gavin de Becker joins us to discuss his newest book, Forbidden Facts: Government Deceit & Suppression About Brain Damage from Childhood Vaccines—a hard-hitting investigation into how government agencies and industry cover up evidence and manipulate public belief. We also discuss the attempted assassination at Butler and how neatly it was tied up in a bow. Gavin also reveals who he believes really killed Robert F. Kennedy Sr.—spoiler alert; it ain't Sirhan Sirhan.  Big thanks to our awesome sponsors TrumanBoot.com Use code MIKE for 15% off. GoodRanchers.com Use code MIKE to get $40 off plus free meat for life with new subscription. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. PureTalk.com/Rowe Choose a wireless company who shares YOUR values.

Mike chats with Philip Diehl, the 35th Director of the U.S. Mint and the man behind the most successful coin program in American history—the 50 State Quarters. They talk about the surprising history of the U.S. dollar coin, how a coin gets designed and approved, and the unexpected reason why the mikeroweWORKS Trades Coin—a symbol of American skill and pride—wasn't actually made in the America. Tip o' the hat to our excellent sponsors American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. NetSuite.com/Mike Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning. BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers! GoodRanchers.com Use code MIKE to get $40 off plus free meat for life with new subscription.

Mike sits down with Amie Ichikawa—former inmate, prison reform advocate, and founder of Woman II Woman, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights and dignity of incarcerated women. Amie shares her firsthand experience in the California prison system, the disturbing reality of fully intact men being housed in women's prisons, and the silence surrounding it. Now on the outside, she's using her voice to protect those still inside. It's a raw conversation about justice, safety, and speaking up for women who have been denied a voice. Today's episode is sponsored by PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. PrizePicks.com/mike Use code MIKE to get $50 in lineups after placing your first $5 lineup.

NBA player turned human rights activist Enes Kanter Freedom shares his remarkable journey growing up in Turkey under an oppressive regime, his rise to NBA stardom, and the high personal cost of speaking out against tyranny. From being exiled by his home country to being effectively blackballed from the NBA, Enes opens up about the courage it takes to stand alone—and why he refuses to stay silent. He also discusses his powerful new book, In the Name of Freedom, and what it means to fight for something bigger than the game. Shout out to our great sponsors American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! KnobelSpirits.com Spend $100, get bitters-infused sugar cubes FREE. Just add to cart & use code CARL. PrizePicks.com/mike Use code MIKE to get $50 in lineups after placing your first $5 lineup.

Mike sits down with former high school volleyballer Payton McNabb, who was knocked unconscious by a spike to the face, delivered by a male competing on the girls' team, and woke up in the middle of a national controversy. What followed wasn't just a concussion and long-term neurological damage. It was a brutal, firsthand lesson in biology, politics, and the high cost of pretending that reality is up for debate. Tip o' the hat to our excellent sponsors GoodRanchers.com Use code MIKE to get $40 off plus free meat for life with new subscription. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! KnobelSpirits.com Spend $100, get bitters-infused sugar cubes FREE. Just add to cart & use code CARL.