Below the Surface Podcast

05/28/2026

Left picture was earned through discipline, structure, sacrifice, and consistency.
Right picture came from thinking I could coast for a little while.

That’s how life works.
Nobody accidentally becomes great.

Everybody wants the reward.
Very few people are willing to endure the process long enough to deserve it.

We live in a world obsessed with shortcuts.
Shortcuts to weight loss.
Shortcuts to money.
Shortcuts to success.
Shortcuts to becoming “better.”

But eventually the truth shows up.

There are tools that can help us.
Technology can help us.
Mentors can help us.
Programs can help us.

But nothing will ever replace daily work.
Nothing replaces discipline.
Nothing replaces consistency over years.

The strongest people mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually are usually the ones willing to do the boring work repeatedly while nobody is watching.

You pick your path.

Hard now… strong forever.
Easy now… regret forever.

05/26/2026

BELOW THE SURFACE…

Everybody talks about the comeback when they finally see results.
Nobody talks about the years in between.

The years where you’re tired mentally.
The years where business is growing but so is the pressure.
The years where family needs you, employees depend on you, bills keep stacking, problems don’t stop and somehow you still gotta show up every damn day.

People think getting back in shape is about motivation.
It ain’t.

Motivation leaves the second life punches you in the mouth.
Discipline is what stays.

Truth is… I let myself slip for a while.
Not just physically but mentally too.
Too focused on carrying everything else I forgot to sharpen myself.

But one thing I’ve learned through life, business, marriage, being a dad, all of it…

You can either use pressure as an excuse or use it as fuel.

That’s the difference.

Most people wait for the perfect time.
There ain’t one.
You build yourself while life is hard.
You build while stressed.
You build while exhausted.
You build while nobody notices.

That’s Below The Surface.

The part nobody claps for.
The lonely work.
The sacrifices.
The discipline nobody sees.
The nights you wanna quit but don’t.

35 to 38 taught me a lot.
Some lessons cost pain.
Some cost relationships.
Some cost pride.

But every lesson either made me weaker or made me wiser.
I chose wiser.

Now it’s not about chasing my old prime.
It’s about becoming something better than I was before.

Loading for prime at 40.

Not polished.
Not finished.
Still building.
Still learning.
Still coming.

05/18/2026

Being disappointed in yourself ain’t weakness.
Being pi**ed off at where you’re at ain’t failure.

That feeling?
That’s fuel.

Use it.
Let it wake something up inside you.
Let it push you harder, discipline you deeper, and force you to level up.

Some of the biggest rebounds in life come after the moments you’re sick of your own excuses, sick of average, and sick of knowing you’re capable of more.

Don’t run from the pressure.
Don’t hide from the frustration.

Use it to become stronger. Smarter. Hungrier. More focused than ever before.

The comeback always starts the moment you decide you’re done feeling sorry for yourself and ready to go to war for the life you want.

05/14/2026

Chris Ulmer owns Crystal Coast Graphics, a bowling center, a food truck, commercial properties, Airbnbs, and more — and he's done it without sacrificing his marriage or his sanity. In this episode, Jared sits down with Chris to talk through the real mechanics of scaling: when to diversify (and when NOT to), how to escape being the bottleneck in your own business, why he fires customers, and how to work with your spouse without blowing up your home life

Chris Ulmer owns Crystal Coast Graphics, a bowling center, a food truck, commercial properties, Airbnbs, and more — and he's done it without sacrificing his ...

05/13/2026

When your whole world gets flipped upside down — that’s when you finally see God clearly 🙏 link in bio

05/13/2026

35 years old. First time seeing life through a clear lens. That’s when everything changed 👀 full episode linked in bio.

05/13/2026

Who’s ready for another great show?

05/09/2026

This Wednesday on the Below The Surface Podcast, we sit down with a man that’s built businesses, brands, and relationships the right way — through hard work, consistency, and reputation.

Joining us is Chris Ulmer — owner of Crystal Coast Graphics and Clinton’s Body Shop.

From entrepreneurship, branding, business growth, customer relationships, and the real grind behind building something that lasts… we’re going BELOW the surface.

No filters.
No fake motivation.
Just real conversation from people who’ve actually lived it.

📅 Wednesday, May 13th
🎙️ Below The Surface Podcast
⚓ “Depth Over Image”

Make sure to tune in live and show Chris some support. This one’s gonna bring value.