The Person Who Believed In Me

The Truth About Coming Home As An Olympic Medalist At 14 | Tom Daley

Before Tom Daley became one of the most decorated divers in British history with five Olympic medals and five Olympic Games under his belt, he was a terrified nine year old standing on the end of a diving board, crying his eyes out and refusing to jump into the pool. Then Andy Banks, the head coach at Plymouth Diving Club, walked in and said the words that almost ended everything before it started: Tom Daley will never be a diver for as long as he'll live. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the Olympic champion sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the coach who doubted him at first, then never stopped believing in him, and how that belief carried him through bullying, loss, and the darkest years of his life.Tom opens up about the moment Andy pulled him aside at 12 years old and asked if he wanted to go to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, laying out a roadmap for a kid who would become the youngest British diver to compete at an Olympic Games at just 14 years and 81 days old. He talks about coming back from Beijing and enduring brutal physical and emotional bullying at school, getting rugby tackled in the field and threatened to have his legs broken, all while trying to process what it meant to be an Olympian in eighth grade. He shares what it felt like to lose his father to a brain tumor at 17, just one year before the London 2012 Olympics, and how his dad never cared about results, only that Tom was 18th best in the whole country even if he came dead last. He reflects on meeting Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar winning screenwriter who flew to the UK to see him, only to be told by management that dating an LGBTQ activist would be bad for his image, and how falling in love felt like one more thing he loved that the world said was wrong.There's also a raw reflection on fear, identity, and what it means to thrive under pressure. Tom talks about hitting his head twice while diving, why Andy taught him that the day you stop being scared on the board is the day something goes wrong, and how knitting became the reason he was able to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games. He opens up about coming out at 19 through a YouTube video because he was tired of being misquoted and feeling ashamed, why he believes vulnerability is a practice and not a destination, and how becoming Papa to Robbie and Phoenix is the role he's most proud of beyond all his Olympic medals. He shares what it's like to retire at 30 and wake up every day wondering if he could do one more Olympics in LA 2028, why there's no such thing as good luck only good preparation, and why the greatest form of activism is just living your authentic life every single day. And he reflects on what his father, who recorded everything up until two days before he died, would want the world to know.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Coach Who Said He'd Never Make It00:06:35 Standing on the Board, Crying: The Day Andy Walked In00:08:52 Do You Want to Go to Beijing? The 12-Year-Old's Olympic Plan00:13:29 The Perfectionist Who Felt Everything Too Deeply00:16:13 Titian: Learning to Compete Every Single Day00:17:59 It's About Bloody Time: Winning Gold After Four Olympics00:18:26 The Bullying After Beijing: When Being an Olympian Made It Worse00:20:21 Everything I Loved Got Taken Away: Dad, Diving, and Being Gay00:30:17 18th in Rio: The God Wink and Your Story Doesn't End Here00:40:13 The Fear Is What Stops You Making Mistakes00:41:45 Knitting Saved My Olympic Gold: Finding Calm in the Chaos00:43:13 Nothing Will Ever Compare: Life After Retirement at 3000:44:34 Papa: The Role I'm Most Proud Of Beyond All the Medals00:46:05 LA 2028: Could I Do One More?00:51:16 The Perfect Little Boy Syndrome: Overachieving to Hide Being GayABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Tom DaleyExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social Media: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

He Missed the NBA and Built a Music Empire | Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

Before Harvey Mason Jr. became the CEO of the Recording Academy and a legendary music producer who worked with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson, he was a college basketball player at the University of Arizona headed to the NBA. Then a torn ACL ended his career in one awkward landing, leaving him watching soap operas in a dorm room, depressed and driving around Tucson pitching jingles to Chinese buffets and brake shops. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the Grammy executive sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when he was still figuring out who he was: Clive Davis, the legendary music mogul who put him in a room with Aretha Franklin and changed everything.Harvey opens up about the day he walked into Clive's bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, nervous and blown away by the flowers and the speakers and the man who had signed his father as an artist decades earlier. He talks about playing I Like Them Girls for Clive, watching him close his eyes and nod his head, and getting the yes that gave him a confidence boost he didn't know he needed. He shares what it was like to produce Aretha's vocals, pushing her so hard she sent a furious letter to Clive saying Harvey wasn't the right producer, only to send him flowers the next day after hearing the recording and calling it one of her favorite vocals ever. He reflects on recording Whitney Houston for seven hours when she'd only promised him 15 minutes, convincing her to keep going by saying his only job was to make fans say that's the best Whitney Houston song I've ever heard.There's also a raw reflection on belief, identity, and what it means to be pushed. Harvey talks about his father, drummer Harvey Mason Sr., who believed so fiercely in him that it became both a gift and a weight, and how that shaped the way he raised his own kids. He opens up about playing for Coach Lute Olson at Arizona, feeling like Olson didn't believe in him for years, and only realizing decades later that the hardest coaching was actually the deepest belief. He shares what he learned from teammate Steve Kerr, who asked the team on a bus ride how can you be sleeping on the way to the game? and taught him there was another level to greatness. And he reflects on what it means to be the first Black CEO of the Recording Academy, why he's never content, and why the truth is when you're in the moment of somebody believing in you, sometimes it doesn't feel like belief at all.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Believed When the Dream Ended00:02:02 The Bungalow Meeting: When Clive Davis Said Yes00:09:27 Producing Aretha: The Flowers After the Fury00:13:36 Seven Hours with Whitney: Negotiating with a Legend00:15:53 What Makes a Great Producer: Listening and Serving00:18:21 The Weekend Controversy: Leading Through Change00:20:45 Coach Olson: The Belief That Felt Like Doubt00:26:26 The Final Four and Steve Kerr's Leadership00:28:13 The Torn ACL: When Basketball Dreams Die00:29:47 Selling Jingles in Tucson: The Pivot to Music00:43:35 The Pressure of a Legendary Father00:42:31 I Love Watching You Play: Parenting Differently00:48:26 First Black CEO of the Recording Academy00:51:10 Coach Olson's Final Words: You'll Be As Successful00:52:08 Never Fulfilled: The Lists and the Chase00:56:20 To Clive: You Changed the Trajectory of My Life00:59:11 The Ultimate Form of Belief: When It Feels Like DoubtABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Harvey Mason Jr.Executive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

7 Years as a Waiter to TOP-PAID Comedian

Before Sebastian Maniscalco became one of the highest paid comedians in the world — selling out five shows at Madison Square Garden and earning his own Sirius XM channel — he was a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, spending seven years serving nuts to celebrities while bombing at open mics. Then Mitzi Shore, the legendary owner of the Comedy Store, saw something in him that the rest of the industry had missed. In this deeply personal conversation, Sebastian sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he barely knew her, and how she gave him the one thing he needed most: a place to belong.Sebastian opens up about the moment Mitzi grabbed him after his audition and said the words that changed everything: Come back for 10 minutes next week. He talks about skipping straight to paid regular status, getting hot spots one week and 1:30 a.m. slots in front of four people the next, and how Mitzi manipulated lineups to build his thick skin without him realizing it. His relationship with her was never verbal — her love came through the stage time she gave him, and his came through never letting her down.There's also a raw reflection on family and work ethic. Sebastian's father Cecilion, a 79-year-old hairdresser, still cuts hair and refuses to retire because he believes stopping means dying. He rented Sebastian a lawnmower as a kid to teach him about business expenses — making him cut grass while allergic to it — and after a quadruple bypass, his first question from the hospital bed was when he could go back to work. Sebastian bought his parents cars last year, because the journey was never just his. He covers a lot of groundGet more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️ Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Woman Who Gave Him a Stage00:03:00 Why Her? The Audition That Changed Everything00:09:29 The Hulk Hogan Documentary: A Morning Cry About Family00:11:20 From Anger to Disbelief: Finding His Voice on Stage00:13:36 Seven Years at the Four Seasons: The Nuts That Never Got Stale00:16:18 Renting the Lawnmower: Learning Business from Dad00:21:40 Selling Satellite Dishes in the Ghetto: The Kiosk Days00:29:54 The Photo That Made Him Cry: When They Were a Unit00:33:37 AI and Comedy: Using Technology to Brainstorm Ideas00:39:53 The Grind: Boxing Rings, Bowling Alleys, and Blood-Stained Canvas00:42:05 The Sandman Moment: Worst Night Ever, Best Lesson Learned00:45:40 From 91 People to 91,000 Tickets: The Madison Square Garden Journey00:47:39 The Introvert Comedian: Steam Rooms and Recharging Alone00:52:36 The SNL Sketch: When Marcello Called00:53:59 Thank You, Mitzi: A Relationship From AfarABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew. In each episode, David asks one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? David is also a CBS News contributor and host of Beg Knows America, airing every Monday morning.Host: David Begnaud Guest: Sebastian Maniscalco Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Live Production: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Social: Mariah Maull, Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee AndersonTheme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave DigitalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

Sharon Stone on Abuse, Death, and Who Believed in Her

Before Sharon Stone became one of Hollywood's most iconic stars, she was a kid from rural Pennsylvania getting sent to the principal's office for teaching her classmates cursive and multiplication. Then her father - a blue-collar machine shop worker with the touch of kings - walked in and said: Here's what's going to happen. It's not going to stop. She's going to keep right on doing it. Are we clear?In this unguarded conversation with David Begnaud, Sharon shares the story of the man who believed in her when the world told her to be less - and reflects on the life that followed. She opens up about the nine-day misdiagnosed brain hemorrhage she survived against 1% odds, the assault she didn't understand for a decade, the custody battle she lost to an ex-husband who ran the only newspaper in town, and why being a sex symbol meant the world assumed she was stupid instead of surviving.She talks about being the 13th choice for Basic Instinct, fighting through every makeup test to wipe off the bimbo overlay, and a mother who never once said I love you. And she shares what her father - who died exactly four months to the day after calling to say he had four months left - would want the world to know.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Believed When Nobody Else Did00:04:59 The Principal's Office: Here's What's Going to Happen00:09:42 The Confrontation at 14: I Will Never Love You Again00:15:45 Growing Up in Rural Pennsylvania: The Girl Who Dyed Her Hair00:22:30 I'm Not a Quitter: The 1% Chance of Survival00:29:59 The Psychic Gift: Babies, Animals, and Knowing Things00:49:07 The Attack: What Really Happened That Day00:56:39 Not a Sex Symbol: The 13th Choice for Basic Instinct00:39:22 The Vanilla Milkshake: A Father's Love in a Mason Jar01:00:51 Four Months to the Day: Cleaning Every Can on Her Hands and Knees01:04:10 Work Your Own Door: The Legacy of Joseph William Stone IIIABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Sharon StoneExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

Harvard Professor: You Won’t Be Happy Until You FIX This | Arthur Brooks

Before Arthur Brooks became a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and one of the world's most influential voices on happiness and human behavior, he was a 34 year old PhD student standing in front of a room full of Nobel Prize winners, delivering what he calls a catastrophic dissertation defense. Then James Q. Wilson, the most distinguished social scientist of the 20th century, walked up and said the words that changed everything: You know, you got something special here. If I can ever help you, just let me know. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the renowned social scientist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when no one else did.There's also a raw reflection on faith, struggle, and the complex problem of God. Arthur talks about the priest who rejected him, why he believes therapy isn't about solving problems but living with complexity, and why your marriage is not a problem to solve. He shares the one regret he carries every day, why he still asks if his father would be proud of him, and how losing his parents too soon led him to move his entire family to one place so he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He opens up about the meaning crisis destroying young people today, why happiness is love and love is a choice, and why the greatest act of selfishness is refusing someone's generosity.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Changed Everything00:01:14 The Catastrophic Dissertation Defense That Led to Destiny00:01:46 From French Horn Player to Social Scientist00:06:31 The Email That Opened a Door: Will You Let Me Help You?00:08:56 The Calling You Can't Articulate: Right Brain vs Left Brain00:10:58 Faith, Struggle, and the Complex Problem of God00:15:03 Complex vs Complicated: Why Your Marriage Isn't a Problem to Solve00:18:19 The Power of Being Present: You Can Only Love Right Now00:20:55 Growing Up Brooks: The Mathematician and the Artist00:23:29 Why I Quit Music: When You Don't Love the Craft, Only the Dream00:25:48 Every Day I Ask: Would My Dad Be Proud of Me?00:28:12 Moving the Whole Family to One Place: Learning from Loss00:30:03 The Meaning Crisis: Why Young People Are Suffering00:31:55 How to Find Your Calling: Earning Your Success and Being Needed00:33:05 The I Self vs The Me Self: Why Looking Inward Makes You Miserable00:33:41 The Funk and How to Get Out: Forcing Yourself to Serve00:36:27 Why We Connect Through Struggle, Not Success00:37:58 James Q. Wilson's Legacy: Community Policing and Broken Windows00:39:36 Did You Ever Ask Him Why He Believed in You?00:46:26 The One Takeaway: Happiness Is Love, and Love Is a ChoiceABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Arthur BrooksExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Griffin HamiltonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast