THE PARABLES®: Where Inspiration Meets Action—and Enjoyment. Hosted by Ejay Cruz, this podcast is your gateway to powerful stories and life-changing conversations, all delivered with a dose of vibrancy. Each episode features lively, engaging discussions with extraordinary guests—trailblazers, visionaries, and unsung heroes—who reveal the experiences and lessons that shaped their paths to success. But it doesn't stop there. Ejay also dives deep into his own life, sharing candid thoughts on personal growth, current events, and the challenges we all face. Whether you're looking for motivation, insight, or just a good time, THE PARABLES® is your go-to source for inspiration, wisdom, and actionable advice. This is more than just a podcast—it’s a movement. Don’t just listen; enjoy it, and let it transform you.
Some stories aren’t built on hype — they’re built on faith, failure, and obedience.
In this episode, Ejay sits down with Frank Gutierrez to unpack the real journey behind building companies, serving people, and staying grounded through adversity. Frank shares how faith, discipline, and responsibility shaped his leadership, and why calling is louder than comfort.
We Cover:
A warrior’s mindset isn’t built in the spotlight — it’s forged long before anyone is watching.
In this episode, undefeated boxing phenom Brandun Lee opens up about identity, discipline, independence, adversity, and the samurai-like code that drives his life. This is far beyond boxing — it’s a blueprint for anyone seeking purpose, resilience, and a higher standard of living.
We Cover:
What does it really take to build a brand that lasts — one that outlives the hype and becomes part of culture?
In this episode of THE PARABLES®, Ejay Cruz reconnects with Andy Nguyen — the creative force behind Afters Ice Cream, Hello Kitty Café, MATTE BLACK Coffee, and the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria.
Andy breaks down the real formula for building brands that last — the one no marketing course can teach. From creative ...
Success isn’t just money — it’s who you become while building it.
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Matt Tolano, USMC veteran and founder of Legacy Jewelry LA, to talk about discipline, purpose, rebuilding your life from the ground up, and earning trust in an industry where integrity is everything. From surviving adversity at home to cutting out the middleman and building a luxury brand from scratch, Matt shares the real min...
What does it really mean to live with purpose — to answer your calling, lead with faith, and find meaning beyond success?
In this soul-stirring episode, I sit down with Pastor Aaron Ophaug — leader, speaker, and senior pastor of Friends Church Eastvale — to talk about faith, calling, and the journey of trusting God’s plan even when life feels uncertain.
We dive deep into what it takes to stay grounded in a world chasing comfort and c...
What does it really take to build a $600M empire while staying true to your faith, family, and values?
In this powerful conversation, Edwin Arroyave — entrepreneur, leader, and visionary — is back on the podcast to talk about the journey from humble beginnings to becoming the CEO of a company that’s generated over half a billion dollars in sales.
We cover:
From the discipline of the U.S. Marine Corps to building multiple successful businesses, Andrew Cruz has mastered the art of focus, growth, and creating lasting impact. In this powerful conversation, Andrew opens up about the mindset shift that transformed his life, the lessons he’s learned from juggling multiple ventures, and the one move that changed everything.
We dive deep into:
After five long years… THE PARABLES® Podcast is BACK. 🎙️✨
In this relaunch episode, host Ejay Cruz opens up about the journey that took him from being a registered nurse to becoming an entrepreneur, content creator, and now relaunching one of the most impactful personal growth podcasts in the world.
Ejay shares:
· The untold story of why the podcast stopped in 2020—including the craziest day of his life, where tragedy and new l...
USMC Veteran and entrepreneur Roland Vandenberg , owner of Romeo Echo Real Estate, shares his story and passion to end veteran suicide with his non-profit, Operation Jump 22.
Thank you to our sponsor Podcorn: https://podcorn.com
U.S. Army Veteran turned entrepreneur Nick Fitzgerald went from opening gyms to becoming an e-com genius, running an 8-figure business and working with some of the top influencer brands today. Looking to pay it forward and give back to those looking to reach financial freedom, Nick also has become an industry leader in financial services.
Marissa Garavito is the founder of Make Good Moves, a nonprofit that helps raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research and the head fitness coach of Self Made Training Facility of West Covina.
Thank you to our sponsor: PathWater
From being bullied and broke to leading a $3.4B company — Sharran Srivatsaa’s story is a masterclass in discipline, clarity, faith, and the power of focused learning
In this conversation, Sharran opens up about leaving India at 11, overcoming fear, navigating culture shock, getting mugged on day one in America, and building relentless self-belief through action.
He breaks down the mindset behind billion-dollar execution — and the da...
From a low-income neighborhood in Riverside, California.. to fighting on the biggest stages in boxing — Josesito Lopez is living proof that discipline and heart can shape destiny.
In this raw, inspiring conversation, I sit with “The Riverside Rocky” to talk life, legacy, faith, and the fighter mindset. Josesito opens up about growing up in gang-heavy neighborhoods, finding boxing at eight, overcoming loss and doubt, training alone f...
Three time IFBB Pro Olympian Anthony Woods discusses the mindset and internal dialogue behind training, bodybuilding, and attacking your personal goals.
Thank you to our sponsor: PathWater
What if success didn’t need fame?
In this episode, Slushgod — founder of the streetwear brand Slushcult — opens up about his creative journey from DIY beginnings to building a global movement rooted in color, community, and authenticity. Through storytelling and real reflection, he reveals how staying faceless allowed the brand’s values, not ego, to shine.
We Cover:
• 🧠 The origins of Slushcult and its cult-like following
•...
From escaping communism to building a global fitness empire — Bedros Keuilian is proof that adversity can shape greatness when you refuse to quit.
In this powerful episode of THE PARABLES®, we dive into the disciplines, internal battles, emotional resilience, and “fighter jet” mentality that turned a kid who couldn’t speak English into one of the most influential leaders in business and personal development.
We Cover:
What happens when you stop trying to impress the world — and start becoming who you actually are?
In this powerful episode, Chase Hero opens up about his journey from incarceration and rock-bottom moments… to building wealth, emotional strength, and a life rooted in self-awareness and authentic success.
We talk identity, pain, ego, discipline, money, fatherhood, and the power of becoming unapologetically yourself.
We cover:
Shadi Bakour, CEO & co-founder of PathWater and Forbes 30 under 30 shares the story behind the water bottle brand that’s disrupting the industry with reusable aluminum water bottles and whose mission is to help end single-use plastic pollution.
Founders of Asian Hustle Network, Bryan Pham & Maggie Chui, discuss the story and mission behind the fast growing community.
Thank you to our sponsor Podcorn: https://podcorn.com
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.
"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!