Ep. 6 • Tim Speer - From The Brig to Fatherhood, Finding a Way Forward.
Release Date: 04/29/2025
Ep. 11 • Taylor Cavanaugh - Be The Main Character of Your Own Life.
Liberty Risk
Taylor Cavanaugh is the only known person to be a Navy SEAL, and also join the French Foreign Legion. His story is unique, but the man himself has always been a Main Character, and we're excited to bring you this conversation. Growing up in San Diego, Taylor Cavanough has been walking the line between 2 worlds and living a life of extremities even as a youth. In this episode we dive into some of his backstory, growing up around strip clubs, and doing steroids on trips to Mexico before football practice, all before he was even able to drive. Stepping away from that life and choosing a new path...
info_outline
Ep. 10 • Billy Helmers - A Steady Hand Through Rough Seas. 🔱
Liberty Risk
Billy Helmers has been a steady hand helping to guide NSW for 20+ years, in this episode we dive into a lifetime of overcoming challenges, and navigating storms, both literal and figurative. From the oil fields of West Texas to the shores of Coronado, Billy grew up riding bulls, but he never expected to become a SEAL, he just wanted a way out of the small town life he left behind. Traveling the country and jumping into stadiums filled with thousands of people as part of the iconic Leap Frogs (Navy parachute team), Billy learned to party with the best of them, but also learned temperance and...
info_outline
Ep. 9 • Ivan Krusic - SpecWar Heritage And The Stories Behind The Legends.
Liberty Risk
With a 25 year career in NSW spanning everything from SDV’s to platoons on both East & West coasts and multiple tours as an Instructor, Ivan Krusic has seen a lot of history unfold in the SpecWar community, and he’s been an active part of it as well. In this episode we dive into some of the legendary stories in our community, and uncover what really happened by hearing it first hand from guys who were there. With his father fighting in WW2 for Yugoslavia, Ivan’s family has a long history of military service. We touch on Ivan’s upbringing in northern California, and the teenage...
info_outline
Ep. 8 • Mitch Aguiar - Navy SEAL, to MMA Fighter, to Entrepreneur. Leveling Up Authenticity.
Liberty Risk
In this episode, Ryan and Nick sit down with Mitch Aguiar—a former SEAL who turned his passion for fighting into a pro MMA career, and then leveraged that into building the Smashin’ Frog empire. From pushing a lawn mower in 5th grade for ice cream money, to chartering jets and leading companies, Mitch shares some raw stories of triumph and failure with a healthy mix of brutal honesty and humor. We cover everything from the real perception of SEALs, to Instagram illusions, the challenges of business leadership, and why ice cream trucks are the gateway to philanthropy. Of course we have many...
info_outline
Ep. 7 • Dave "Gut" Gutierez - Frogman Legends, Legacy & Origin Stories
Liberty Risk
Liberty Risk Episode 7 with Dave “Gut” Gutierez If you’re a West Coast Teamguy, no doubt you’ve heard of Dave “Gut” Gutierez, he’s been famous in our community for a variety of reasons, but mostly because of his huge…. PERSONALITY. You’ll see what we mean when you listen to this episode. As a brother, as a friend, mentor, Teammate, Instructor, or family man, Dave has been many things to many people over the years, and we’re fortunate to be able to share some of these stories with you. From joining the Navy in 1989 to completing 13 deployments and retiring in...
info_outline
Ep. 6 • Tim Speer - From The Brig to Fatherhood, Finding a Way Forward.
Liberty Risk
On this episode of Liberty Risk, Ryan & Nick sit down for a wild ride with fellow Former SEAL, Tim Speer. Tim & Nick went to high school together so we start by diving into his early days growing up as a trouble maker, run ins with the law and how focusing on athletics got him through high school while dealing with turmoil & sleeping on friends couches. Tim talks about almost not even being allowed into the military because of his previous trouble with the law, as well as a misunderstanding about old medical records. But also how we found a creative way around the roadblocks to...
info_outline
Ep. 5 • Sean Stokes - Military, Moonshine, Strippers, And The Art of "Getting Away With It".
Liberty Risk
We split our sit down with Sean into 2 episodes, this is the second half. In this episode we discuss the highly successful tactics recruiters use to get young men to commit significant portions of their lives to doing dangerous activities (hint: it involves hot women). Why San Diego is sometimes referred to as “Man Diego”, better bring your A game. The crew tries smelling salts, which leads to a story about a neighbor making moonshine in his bathtub (or maybe it was just rubbing alcohol), and how Ryan’s roommate picked a fight with the moonshine and lost. Twice. What our home bar looked...
info_outline
EP. 4 • Sean Stokes - The Earnest Hemingway of The Teams.
Liberty Risk
From East Coast to West Coast, Submarines to SEAL Teams, scuba adventures to skydiving mishaps, and a 1.9 High School GPA to finishing a rigorous degree program from Columbia University, this man has lived a lot of life. In this episode, Sean Stokes walks us through his early adventures starting with learning his recruiter was full of shit, to spending time in the Naval Submarine fleet and ultimately finding his way to the Teams. A continuing theme in his life is identifying a weakness, then focusing and working on it until it becomes a strength. From being traumatically injured skydiving...
info_outline
Ep. 3 • A Peek Behind The Hollywood Curtain, And How Humor Helps in Dealing With a Heavy Deployment, And The Aftermath at Home.
Liberty Risk
Episode 3: All 3 first episodes were filmed back to back, so the boys are starting to get a little sloppy by this point, now we’re getting to the real stuff! 🥃 Kevin & Nick talk about what it's like behind the scenes of hollywood and dealing with big personalities. The technical accuracy of different tactical films, which ones are legit, and the details of what makes them legit. An examle of mutual support between different branches overseas to allow a team to get retribution for a fallen comrade. Collecting war trophies, some people collect ear necklaces, some collect hundreds of...
info_outline
Ep. 2 • The meaning of Liberty Risk.
Liberty Risk
Episode 2: The meaning of Liberty Risk. Why the term “He’d make a great neighbor” is one of the worst things you can call a Teamguy. Motley Crue & Charlie Sheen’s perspective on hookers. Nick’s story of Calvary Scouts in Germany who brought absinthe but not food to camping trip so they killed & roasted some local wildlife to the horror of passer’s by the next morning. Police came and everyone got in trouble, except one guy who escaped capture because he was asleep on a blow up mattress in the middle of the lake. A “black list” of drinking establishments that are “off...
info_outlineOn this episode of Liberty Risk, Ryan & Nick sit down for a wild ride with fellow Former SEAL, Tim Speer.
Tim & Nick went to high school together so we start by diving into his early days growing up as a trouble maker, run ins with the law and how focusing on athletics got him through high school while dealing with turmoil & sleeping on friends couches.
Tim talks about almost not even being allowed into the military because of his previous trouble with the law, as well as a misunderstanding about old medical records. But also how we found a creative way around the roadblocks to pursue his goal of becoming a Navy SEAL.
They also touch on different training methods, and the value of just doing what you can, when and where you can, such as pull-ups every time you go through doors, and going for runs on your lunch break. Putting in the work to achieve your dreams.
The crew also has an honest discussion about the benefits and dangers of steroids, both in the military and now as older men. Each tells a story about their personal experiences with them, both the good, the bad, and the funny.
The discussion covers if you are going to do “illegal” things in the military, how do you do it while still respectfully navigating the chain of command, and not putting anyone else at risk or in a bad position.
A couple other interesting or funny stories in this episode:
• The check in process for ST1 in the 90's and the 20 pull-up challenge.
• Old man strength is a real thing.
• Other countries giving their Spec Ops guys steroids.
• Nick tells a story about the origin story of Thicc Nick.
• The crew discussed testosterone replacement, HGH, how much they’re taking, what else they’re doing to supplement them.
• How to identify and counter “roid rage”, and what to watch out for with HGH.
• The 3, 4, 5 plate standard for lifting, and the importance of setting your own standards.
• Nature vs nurture, how to provide guidance to your kids while also being truthful.
Tim is a 10 year veteran of the SEAL Teams, single dad to 3 great kids, COO at Trident Table Foundation, and co-founder/COO of Red Watch, check out the links to see more:
✖️ Tim Speer Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tim.g.speer/
✖️ Trident Table Foundation - https://tridenttablefoundation.org/
✖️ Red Watch - https://www.instagram.com/red_watch/
Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:
✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com/pages/manufacturing-new
✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com/
✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com/
✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc/