FINE is a 4-Letter Word

Raised with strong faith values across multiple religious traditions, Meshell Baker discovered early on that the best people she encountered weren't defined by their specific beliefs, but by how consistently they practiced core principles of love, kindness, and service. In the beginning of her career, Meshell was exposed to diverse spiritual communities while selling Yellow Pages advertising in the most racially diverse county in America. Her experience would later become the foundation for everything she built. 

After a period of incarceration that stemmed from personal trauma and lost confidence, Meshell threw herself into rebuilding through corporate success. She became exceptional at climbing the ladder. You know the routine, the one that involves chasing promotions, better cars, bigger paychecks. On paper, she was winning. But she felt like she was running on a hamster wheel, hitting milestones that gave her five minutes of satisfaction before she had to chase the next achievement high.  

The turning point came during a Bible study group where she discovered her gift for helping women transform their confidence and step into their power. She realized this work brought her more joy than any corporate achievement ever had. 

Now as an entrepreneur and confidence coach, Meshell has learned the crucial difference between transformation and transaction. She emphasizes that once you transform internally, the external transactions (success, money, opportunities) naturally follow, but the reverse isn't true. Her story illustrates how confidence isn't something you summon on demand like an Amazon delivery. It’s a way of being that you embody through consistent practice and self-compassion, even when, or especially when, you don't feel like it. 

Resources:

Meshell Baker’s website: https://meshellrbaker.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meshellrbaker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeshellRBaker

Instagram: http://instagram.com/MeshellRBaker

Christopher Bylone grew up on a New Jersey family farm where no one was above mucking stalls, and lending a hand wasn’t optional. His grandfather, decades ahead of his time, taught him that inclusion wasn’t a corporate policy; it was just what decent people did.

Those lessons stuck. They carried Christopher from agriculture to analytics to becoming a respected voice in diversity, equity, and inclusion. When his company’s diversity metrics stalled, he spoke up, “We have no strategy.” That bold truth redirected his entire career toward DEI leadership. He went on to build a team from zero headcount and zero budget into a million-dollar operation. On paper, he was thriving. But inside? He was the four letter “fine.”

Working at Krispy Kreme, he loved the mission but dreaded the grind. Seventy-five percent of his time was spent executing instead of shaping strategy. Then came the layoff. And with it, the uncomfortable truth that “fine” had become his hiding place.

That pattern didn’t stop at work. After years of insisting he could lose weight on his own, Christopher realized grit wasn’t enough. Well-meaning people told him to “just diet harder,” but he made a different choice and underwent bariatric surgery. It was a turning point that forced him to evaluate not only his habits but his relationships as well.

Now, 90 pounds lighter with 30 left to go, he’s learned that accepting help isn’t weakness: it’s wisdom. The people you surround yourself with can either hold space for your growth or keep you stuck in the old story. As a lifelong gardener, he’ll tell you not everything that looks like a weed needs to be pulled. Sometimes, it just needs to be moved.

Through therapy, reflection, and better boundaries, Christopher discovered that true friends don’t have to agree with your decisions but they do have to respect them enough not to stand in your way.

What happens when a basketball star loses everything from his NBA dream, his identity, and even his beloved coaching job at his alma mater?

In today’s episode of "Fine is a 4-Letter Word," you get to meet Coach Matt Doherty, who opens up about the masks we wear, the power of vulnerability, and why saying "I'm fine" can be the most dangerous lie we tell ourselves.

Coach Doherty grew up on Long Island with dreams of basketball greatness. He achieved remarkable success as a three-year starter at the University of North Carolina under legendary coach Dean Smith. But his NBA dreams were cut short, leading him to Wall Street during the decade of greed where he began self-medicating with alcohol.

After building a successful coaching career that culminated in his dream job as head coach at UNC, Matt's world came crashing down when he was fired after just three years in a very public manner. This devastating blow, combined with his struggle with alcoholism, forced him into a period of deep self-reflection and transformation. The turning point came through discovering emotional intelligence and the power of vulnerability, leading him to remove what he calls his three masks: the "tough guy mask," the "smart guy mask," and the "I got my shit together mask."

Today, Matt is an executive coach using his hard-earned wisdom to help leaders avoid the landmines he stepped on during his own leadership journey. Through his work with peer advisory groups and his book "Rebound: From Pain to Passion," Matt demonstrates that true strength comes from exposing your struggles to the light instead of hiding them.

Get ready to hear about the morning routine that changed his life, why he believes vulnerability is the new invincibility, and the surprising origin of the word "coach." Whether you're leading a team, building a business, or just trying to get out of bed some mornings, this episode will challenge you to take off your masks and step into who you're meant to be.

Fine is a 4-Letter Word is all about those moments when “fine” is just the mask we wear before life gives us a loud wake-up call.

For Massimo Backus, that wake-up call came wrapped in a leadership 360 evaluation that painted a picture he didn’t recognize. The team he thought he was inspiring and supporting saw someone defensive, unsafe to approach, even a bully. Gut punch, right?

Raised by creative, supportive parents who met in a woodworking class over a three-legged chair, Massimo learned the values of creativity, acceptance, and generosity that would later guide his unconventional career path. He also carried the invisible weight of childhood dyslexia and a lifelong habit of needing to prove himself. That pattern followed him into adulthood and eventually showed up in how he led others.

His relentless pursuit of purpose-driven work eventually led him to a prestigious position as global head of leadership development for a large international consulting firm, where he thought he had finally “made it.” However, that 360-degree feedback assessment came as an unexpected wake-up call.

Massimo first tried to “fix” himself on his own. It wasn’t until he surrendered control and attended the Hoffman Process, a weeklong retreat, that he uncovered the real saboteur: his own inner critic.

Through self-compassion, Massimo finally found the power to stop performing and start being. Listen as we unpack his journey from overactive inner critic to radical freedom.