Daryl Akutagawa: From Bullied Kid to Battle-Tested Leader, How martial arts rewired Daryl’s fear into focus, The lesson of wrestling against men twice his size—and why losing mattered more than winning
Release Date: 04/21/2025
Thando Mbhele on The Art and Science of Storytelling, Faith, and Making Jesus Practical
HATE TO LOSE
In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Christian John Bradley sits down with South African filmmaker Thando Mbhele to explore how storytelling, faith, and discipline intertwine to create meaningful art. Thando shares his journey of learning the science of creativity—from daily practice and artistic systems to his deep passion for editing and filmmaking. He opens up about seeing himself as a “gatekeeper” of stories, his desire to make Jesus practical through authentic storytelling, and how film builds real community across cultures. Whether you’re a filmmaker, storyteller,...
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Kris Germaine on Redefining Winning, Embracing Loss & Finding Success Through Faith
HATE TO LOSE
In this inspiring conversation, Kris Germaine joins Christian John Bradley to unpack what it truly means to hate to lose — and how faith, growth, and perspective redefine what winning really looks like. Kris shares powerful lessons on embracing the process, staying grounded through success and failure, and keeping faith at the center of your competitive drive. From his experiences in coaching, fatherhood, and personal growth, this episode challenges the idea that losing is failure — and reveals how it can actually be transformation. You’ll learn: How to embrace the process, not just...
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From Near-Death to Divine Purpose: Composer Erik Couttolenc on Faith, Excellence & Working with Hans Zimmer
HATE TO LOSE
In this powerful episode of The Hate to Lose Podcast, host Christian John Bradley sits down with Erik Couttolenc — visionary film composer and artist currently working with Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Studio — to explore how faith, discipline, and surrender can shape true excellence. From discovering music as a child in Mexico to studying at Berklee College of Music, surviving a near-fatal car crash, and ultimately finding his divine calling, Erik shares a raw and inspiring story of perseverance, faith, and purpose. Together, Christian and Erik unpack what it means to “be on...
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Cowboys Chaos: Jerry Jones, Micah Parsons & Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears | NFL Preseason Week 2
HATE TO LOSE
🔥 Cowboys Conundrum Jerry Jones’ missteps in handling Micah Parsons’ contract negotiations Dak Prescott’s playoff failures still haunting Dallas Why the Cowboys’ culture is “rotten at the core” and destined for another lost season 🐻 Fresh Air in the Windy City Ben Johnson brings confidence, honesty, and energy to the Chicago Bears Caleb Williams’ promising preseason performance under Johnson’s leadership Why Johnson is the complete opposite of Matt Eberflus and is primed to deliver the Bears’ first winning season in 7 years 💡 Final Takeaway A rotten...
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Nate Dumlao | Competing as a Father, Leading with Purpose, and Winning from Within
HATE TO LOSE
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Hate To Lose, Christian sits down with Nate Dumlao—pastor, communicator, co-founder of the wildly popular Dads Who Try podcast (2.2M+ followers), and a man whose life has been defined by purpose, perseverance, and radical transformation. From watching his father battle early-onset dementia to leading a global youth ministry, Nate shares how competition has evolved in his life—from paintball tournaments to parenting, from ego-driven ambition to Christ-centered leadership. Together, they explore what it means to compete in fatherhood, how to...
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Mishnrz' Matt Reezy shares his journey from Rebellion to Redemption, his near-death spiritual awakening, and how music came into the picture
HATE TO LOSE
In this transformative episode of Hate To Lose, host Christian John Bradley sits down with Platinum and Gold seeling songwriter and artist Matt Reezy of Mishnrz—artist, producer, and storyteller—whose life journey spans continents, creative industries, and spiritual awakening. 🎙️ What You’ll Hear: Growing up between LA and Argentina, and overcoming identity and academic challenges Starting a clothing brand and vlogging before YouTube even existed Dropping out of college to pursue theater, music, and purpose in LA The near death spiritual moment in Vegas that changed everything...
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Rob Parker’s Journey: From Queens to ESPN, Fox Sports, and Beyond, His passion for sports journalism at age 7, Covering major sports leagues, Working at ESPN, Fox Sports Radio and MLB Network, Breaking Barriers
HATE TO LOSE
In this powerful episode of the Hate to Lose Podcast, veteran sports journalist Rob Parker reveals how hard work, resilience, and authenticity fueled his rise to success. From his roots in Jamaica, Queens, to becoming the first Black sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press, Rob shares inspiring lessons from over 40 years in the sports media industry. Hosted by Christian John Bradley, this conversation dives deep into: How Rob developed an unstoppable work ethic from his mother’s example His passion for sports journalism starting at age 7 Launching his first newspaper at 16 years old...
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Daryl Akutagawa: From Bullied Kid to Battle-Tested Leader, How martial arts rewired Daryl’s fear into focus, The lesson of wrestling against men twice his size—and why losing mattered more than winning
HATE TO LOSE
What does it take to rise from fear to fortitude? In this raw and revealing episode, Daryl Akutagawa joins host Christian John Bradley to share the deeply personal journey from a timid, bullied child hiding behind a sandbox to an Air Force captain, martial arts master, and resilient competitor in every arena of life. From martial arts dojos and wrestling mats to military boot camps and boardrooms, Daryl opens up about the mindset forged through hardship, the courage to embrace challenge, and the confidence built by showing up, again and again. 🔍 In this episode: How martial arts rewired...
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David Pailin Jr lives life "Play(ing) on All-Madden,” Dives into learning how to lead through failure and feedback, turning losses into data, identifying as a winner, and the origin story of the King of Games
HATE TO LOSE
“Play on All-Madden” with David Pailin Jr. | Hate To Lose Podcast In this high-impact episode of the Hate To Lose Podcast, David Pailin Jr. shares how a competitive childhood, a culture of excellence, and a relentless mindset shaped his journey from AP classrooms to UCLA’s MBA program—and into the world of entrepreneurship. Host Christian John Bradley and David dive deep into what it really means to hate to lose more than you love to win. From launching Plutocrats Club and King of Games, to learning hard lessons through failure, David drops wisdom on leadership, resilience, and...
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Jesse Smith on Building Confidence, Winning Mentality, and the Power of Trash Talk
HATE TO LOSE
In this episode of Hate to Lose, host Christian John Bradley sits down with lifelong friend and fierce competitor Jesse Smith to unpack what it truly takes to develop a winning mentality. Raised in a high-achieving household with relentless standards, Jesse shares how his competitive edge was sharpened through sibling rivalries, sports, and the pressure to excel in every aspect of life. From building confidence in high-stakes environments to learning the art of trash talk without crossing the line, Jesse delivers powerful insights on how competition shapes character and fuels greatness. He...
info_outlineWhat does it take to rise from fear to fortitude?
In this raw and revealing episode, Daryl Akutagawa joins host Christian John Bradley to share the deeply personal journey from a timid, bullied child hiding behind a sandbox to an Air Force captain, martial arts master, and resilient competitor in every arena of life.
From martial arts dojos and wrestling mats to military boot camps and boardrooms, Daryl opens up about the mindset forged through hardship, the courage to embrace challenge, and the confidence built by showing up, again and again.
🔍 In this episode:
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How martial arts rewired Daryl’s fear into focus at age five
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The lesson of wrestling against men twice his size—and why losing mattered more than winning
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Life inside Air Force ROTC, boot camp, and military leadership
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Why preparation isn’t just about performance—it’s about identity
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Facing a rare brain condition, Moya Moya, and finding strength in the scar
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Choosing love over military rank—and starting over in the civilian world
Whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or someone rebuilding confidence from the ground up, this episode will challenge your perspective on competition, failure, and what it really means to fight for yourself.
🎧 Tap play to hear how mental toughness is built, not born—and how setbacks shape the strongest warriors.