First Round's on Me

What happens when the thing you've spent your entire life chasing no longer defines you?In Part 2 of our conversation with Norense Odiase, we go beyond basketball and into the identity crisis that followed it.After years of defining himself through the game, Norense found himself overseas in Germany with the money, the house, the career and the lifestyle he'd worked toward — but when an injury and circumstances outside of his control disrupted basketball, he was forced to confront a much bigger question:Who am I without what I do?Norense opens up about one of the darkest periods of his life, the emptiness he felt despite outward success, his relationship with faith, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the work he does through Mind Bully.Joe and Hannah also reflect on their own experiences with modeling, entrepreneurship, burnout and the constant pressure to achieve more — even when you've already accomplished things your younger self once dreamed about.Together, they unpack the relationship between achievement and identity, why success can quickly become your "new normal," learning to treat yourself like someone you actually care about, and why constantly pouring into everyone else can come at the expense of yourself.Norense also shares how his relationship with Christ changed the way he views his identity, purpose and success — and why he believes true wellness has to consider the whole person: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, relationally, socially, physically, intellectually and financially.This is a conversation about faith, purpose, confidence, identity, success, relationships and learning to separate who you are from what you accomplish.Because eventually, every achievement becomes normal.And you're still left with yourself.Subscribe for more honest conversations about dating, relationships, identity, personal growth and what it means to build a life that actually feels meaningful.00:00 – Who Are You Without What You Do?01:25 – The Birth of Mind Bully03:22 – Injury, Isolation & Losing Basketball05:02 – When Your Identity Gets Taken Away06:05 – Faith in His Darkest Moment08:11 – Trying to Numb the Emptiness10:26 – What Are We Actually Living For?15:40 – When Success Never Feels Like Enough17:20 – The “New Normal” Theory19:09 – Achievement vs. Identity22:02 – When Helping Others Becomes Your Identity25:17 – A 360° Approach to Wellness26:07 – Treat Yourself Like a Friend29:10 – You Have to Help Yourself Too31:17 – Guarding Your Mind33:06 – Your Job Isn't Your Identity36:16 – Stop Living for Other People's Approval38:23 – Finding Space to Just Be40:11 – Burnout & Putting Yourself First41:41 – What Does Success Mean to Norense Today?42:38 – What Norense Is Most Proud Of44:07 – Final Thoughts

Norense Odiase spent most of his life chasing one dream: basketball.A former Division I athlete and professional basketball player, Norense helped Texas Tech make history, ultimately reaching the 2019 National Championship game. But behind the success, recognition, and accomplishments was a much more complicated story.In Part 1 of our conversation, Norense sits down with Joe and Hannah to talk about the experiences that shaped him long before the world knew him as a basketball player.He opens up about growing up in a Nigerian-American family, being sexually assaulted as a child, getting bullied, struggling to fit in, fighting for respect, and eventually discovering basketball as a place where he finally felt safe, seen, and valued.But as basketball gave Norense confidence and purpose, it also slowly became his identity.He shares what happened when injuries threatened the one thing he had built his life around, how rejection pushed him to take control of his own future, and what it felt like to experience the greatest basketball success of his life while privately dealing with grief, loss, and suicidal thoughts.This is a conversation about identity, childhood trauma, ambition, faith, resilience, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.And it’s only Part 1.00:00 Meet Norense Odiase05:00 Childhood, Family & Trauma08:59 Finding Safety in Basketball14:52 Rejection, Coaches & Identity17:01 Faith & Finding Meaning in Pain21:27 Betting Everything on Basketball24:04 Taking Control of His Own Future28:03 Injuries & Losing His Identity31:32 The National Championship Run32:55 The Mental Health Battle Nobody Saw33:13 To Be Continued...

Sterling Cooper has seen intimacy from a perspective few people ever will.After years working in the adult film industry, Sterling transitioned into coaching men and women on confidence, attraction, intimacy, and relationships.In this episode of First Rounds On Me, Hannah sits down with Sterling to unpack what men and women actually want—and how much of what we've learned about sex and relationships may be completely wrong.They dive into the biggest insecurities men bring into the bedroom, why performance anxiety is so common, what women really want from men, the importance of confidence and decisiveness, and why enthusiasm may be one of the most powerful things a woman can bring to intimacy.Sterling also explains why communication doesn't have to feel clinical, how couples can learn what their partners actually want, and why becoming better at intimacy is a skill that can be learned.They also explore the bigger cultural conversation: the growing divide between men and women online, rage-bait algorithms, Andrew Tate-style content, and why social media seems determined to push both sexes further apart.00:00 – Meet Sterling Cooper01:32 – From the Adult Film Industry to Coaching05:07 – The Biggest Problems Men Bring to Sterling07:29 – Performance Anxiety & Male Insecurity08:34 – What Porn Gets Wrong About Real Sex12:07 – How to Learn What Your Partner Actually Wants13:12 – Using Sexting to Improve Communication15:25 – Why Sterling Started Coaching Women16:03 – What Do Men REALLY Want?17:02 – The Ultimate Male Fantasy20:20 – What Do Women Really Want From Men?22:04 – Confidence & Leadership in the Bedroom23:25 – Can You Actually Learn to Be Good at Sex?25:12 – Why Intimacy Matters in Relationships27:52 – Are Men & Women Being Pushed Apart?29:05 – How Social Media Algorithms Divide Us31:23 – Why Rage Bait Works32:02 – Giving People What They Need to Hear33:35 – Where to Find Sterling Cooper

What does it actually take to generate 250 million views a month?This week on First Rounds On Me, Joe and Hannah sit down with Matthew Shaw, founder and CEO of Bebida, the media company behind some of the internet’s most recognizable sports, pop culture, and entertainment content.Matthew breaks down how he went from working a 9-to-5 he hated to building a massive digital media company, why committing to consistent content changed everything, and what he’s learned about creating videos people actually want to watch and share.But going viral is only part of the story.Matthew opens up about the pressure of constantly growing a media company, the mental exhaustion that comes with entrepreneurship, building the right team, finding people with an entrepreneurial mindset, and the strange reality of having friends who are also your direct competitors.They also get into the psychology behind viral content, building real brand loyalty, why creators need personality—not just views—and Matthew’s journey from sleeping on couches to interviewing NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki at the Basketball World Cup.Plus, Matthew tells the story of asking UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett to kick him for a video—a decision he was still feeling a month later.And, of course, Hannah puts Matthew and Joe’s sports knowledge to the test with a round of increasingly difficult trivia.This episode is about much more than going viral. It’s about what happens behind the views when you’re trying to turn content into a real, lasting business.Follow First Rounds On Me for more conversations about entrepreneurship, relationships, culture, and everything in between.00:00 – Meet Matthew Shaw, Founder of Bebida01:03 – How Bebida Started02:08 – Making Content Before It Was a Career04:02 – Leaving the 9-to-505:06 – The Sports Trivia Video That Changed Everything06:21 – Why Matthew Hates “Hater” Sports Media07:16 – What Actually Makes Content Go Viral?08:15 – 250 Million Views vs. Building a Community10:09 – Turning Hosts Into Personalities12:02 – The Highs and Lows of Entrepreneurship13:14 – The Problem With Having Too Many Opportunities15:15 – Mental Exhaustion, Sacrifice & Balance17:23 – How Much Should You Tell Your Team?18:17 – Hiring Employees vs. Hiring Leaders20:26 – Learning How to Become a Leader21:09 – Building a Community of Creators21:57 – When Your Friends Are Also Your Competitors24:40 – The Problem With Comparing Yourself26:00 – Matthew’s Favorite Video Ever26:43 – From Sleeping on Couches to the Basketball World Cup28:05 – Getting Kicked by Paddy Pimblett29:47 – Meeting The Schmo30:46 – Sports Trivia Begins38:53 – The Final Trivia Questions40:01 – What Matthew Would Tell His 10-Year-Old Self41:12 – Where to Follow Matthew & Bebida

What does it take to go from an intern working behind the scenes to becoming a host on one of the most legendary radio stations in the country?In this episode of First Rounds On Me, Joe and Hannah sit down with Miabelle, a host and on-air personality at HOT 97, as well as a producer and writer whose career has been shaped by music, culture, community, and genuine human connection.Miabelle shares how listening to radio as a child inspired her dream, how an initial internship rejection eventually led to her opportunity at HOT 97, and why she was willing to take on nearly any role to get her foot in the door.She takes us through her journey from intern to the HOT 97 Street Team, the digital department, overnight radio, weekend programming, and eventually morning radio.The conversation also explores how music and media have changed, why so much modern content can feel empty, what separates a memorable host from someone simply performing, and how Miabelle gets celebrities to lower their guard during interviews.Miabelle also opens up about the personal side of success, the importance of checking in on people beyond their work, learning to be present, and what she would tell the ten-year-old version of herself who could only dream about the life she has now.This episode is about much more than radio. It is about perseverance, authenticity, community, creativity, and becoming the person you once imagined you could be.Subscribe to First Rounds On Me for more honest conversations about dating, relationships, culture, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and human connection.00:00 – Introduction01:33 – Miabelle’s Radio Journey06:11 – Authenticity Behind the Microphone08:41 – From Rejection to HOT 9715:38 – Moving into Morning Radio17:00 – How Music and Culture Changed22:22 – Interviewing Celebrities28:44 – Making an Impact on Listeners31:10 – Advice to Her Younger Self32:24 – Life Beyond the Career35:23 – Closing Affirmation