The Will Spencer Podcast

Matt Beaudreau is an entrepreneur, public speaker, consultant, educator, podcast host, and founder of Acton Academy Placer and Apogee Training in Northern California. Acton Academy is a charter school based on Socratic dialogue that emphasizes real world results and outcomes over test scores.  And Apogee Training is an online mentorship program to help boys become good at being men, led by some of the finest examples of masculinity today, like Ryan Michler and Jack Donovan. In 2020 the joke became “hope is a four-letter word.” But hearing Matt talk about the results that kids achieve in his programs, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of that old familiar feeling. In our conversation we discussed: His background, and how a long journey through higher education and public school as both an administrator and educator led him to discover Acton and make it his mission The hidden past and likely future of education, so parents can be prepared for what's to come by knowing what was written decades ago Matt's origin story, family values, and relationship to his Christian faith, and how they all inspire and inform his life and work And finally, some truly mind-blowing stories about what students in his programs accomplish To that final point I need to emphasize: it's not easy to blow my mind, to rewire my paradigms about what's possible. In some ways as kids I think we all suffered under the tyranny of reduced expectations. We can't change that fact now. What happens when we crank up the expectations for our kids? What Matt has to say about that will blow your mind too. LINKS Follow Matt on Instagram and Twitter Acton Placer Apogee Training Essential 11 Podcast on iTunes and Spotify "Captain Fantastic" Trailer John Taylor Gatto "Simply Christian" by NT Wright SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance http://volitiontraining.com/renofmen It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

David Whitehead is a martial arts instructor, dojo owner, podcaster, researcher, TV personality, husband, father, and dedicated questioner of everything, including things that are dangerous to question. He's built his life and a universe of content around those questions and the often troubling answers he's found. But unlike most who question the nature of politics, government, organized religion, and global industry, he’s taken the essential step into action. In our conversation we discussed: His background in martial arts, and how being a warrior in the dojo inspires his warriorship everywhere else in life The vital differences between grappling and striking, the advantages of each, and which he prefers today The nature of the global criminal enterprises, what they want, and what they seem to believe about individuality and the human race The asymmetric warfare being waged against humanity, and how it shows up today in what he calls "The cult of the medics" And finally, how looking for a group to blame about the state of the world is a fruitless exercise, because ultimately the responsibility falls to us It's not David's questions or even the answers and that moved me to invite him on my podcast. It's what he does with them. He's made himself smarter, stronger, fitter, and more capable And in so doing showed that truth, the real truth, doesn't make us weaker. It makes us better. Once again in life, we can be victims, or warriors. LINKS Follow David on Twitter, Instagram, and Telegram Visit his homepage at dwtruthwarrior.com and unslaved.com Listen to David's podcast on Podbean and Apple Podcasts More links for David on linktr.ee/dwtruthwarrior Read an excerpt of “Listen Little Man” by Wilhelm Reich or buy on Amazon “Equilibrium” (2002) trailer “The Creature from Jekyll Island” by G. Edward Griffin Smedley Butler, "War is a Racket" SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance http://volitiontraining.com/renofmen It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It's includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

KJ Keightley is a husband, father, homesteader, farmer, firearms absolutist, outdoorsman, Gaia sandals ambassador, and a helluva guy. We met recently in a chatroom full of barbarians and fell into each other's orbit. Like all good friends we recognized something in each other. In him I saw true spirit, expertise, and an attitude towards life and masculinity that I could relate to, and respect. But living in lockdown life, it can be difficult sometimes to get to know the men that we've recently become closest to. We can't just have a beer or go fishing like we used to. We have to do the thing that men aren't always best at: talk. Only in doing that can we turn our acquaintances in to friends, friends into brothers, and brothers into the foundations of a new civilization. In our conversation on this podcast we discussed: His background and upbringing, and how he went from a near-dropout drug dealer to the family man he is today The killer story of his high school graduation, and what it says about his get-it-done attitude and rebel spirit His approach to personal sovereignty and preparedness, and how that translates across the full spectrum of his life to farming, solar power, and firearms Our mutual stance against mask world and encroaching bureaucratic and medical tyranny (come and take it) And finally, the story about how he died. Twice. And came back. And what it means to him to live with that knowledge every day. Fair warning, we were drinking whiskey during this episode. So it's probably best to think of it less like a podcast, and more like two men sitting on a back porch under the stars, having a chat. So get ready for three full-send hours I think you're gonna love. Because ladies and gentlemen, KJ says words. LINKS Follow KJ on Instagram @kjkeightley Gaia Sandals – Ambassador Page RedBubble Masks Mike Glover Shawn Ryan Slayde Raider Forward Observations GBRS Core Vision Training Achilles Tactics Bull Creek Strategic SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance http://volitiontraining.com/renofmen It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It's includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Bronson Lee Norton is a musician, podcaster, bowhunter, and bodybuilder, and in 2015 he heard a woman's cries for help coming from a nearby house he happened to be walking past, on a route he didn't usually take. Then, like a real capital-M man he went charging in through that door and changed three lives, including his own. But rather than allowing that event to define him, he used it to redefine himself, thereby turning one of the worst events into his life into a doorway through which some of the best things entered. In our conversation we discussed His epic story, the notoriety he earned, what he did with it, and what he didn't do. The importance of doing things that make you like yourself The uniqueness of this era of men, how we each get the chance to learn from the best fathers around the world, when our fathers only had their own, What's missing from modern music, and how many bands, including his, are exploring the boundaries between sound and worldbuilding And finally, our perspectives on Jack Donovan's aesthetic and philosophical universe, and the impact that it has on the Renaissance of Men All these topics I've listed are truly just scratching the surface in what might be my favorite conversation of all the ones I've had thus far. I think you'll hear it, as two men get to know each other, discovered their shared philosophy around self-creation, and thereby build a connection. LINKS Follow Bronson Lee Norton on Instagram and Twitter Bronson’s Bands: Seer Boreal Hymn Eyes Without A Face Listen to the Barbaric Wisdom Podcast: Spotify | Apple | YouTube Jack Donovan - @starttheworld Estas Tonne – Song of the Golden Dragon, Internal Flight Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance http://volitiontraining.com/renofmen It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It's includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Billy Red Horse, aka the Gentleman Mystic, is a writer, teacher, Zen master, and to me a shining guide to what it means to be a well-mannered man and classic Southern Gentleman. He writes, "Awakening is the goal. Refinement, manners and the experience of Beauty are the Path. Transcendence in this Lifetime IS possible." And as a valued elder in this growing Renaissance of men, his words carry special weight. In our conversation we discussed: How tribes of men are forming to respond to the reckoning building in our culture The story of his top protege, and how the student and master have been each other's best instructors Environmentalism vs. conservationism The transformative power of craftsmanship, and what your belongings and clothes say about you The difference between fiction, fantasy, and magic and how they can intersect in a space as small as a butterfly For all you men seriously considering what it means to be a man, long into a fulfilling life, listen up. Grandfather has some stories. LINKS Follow The Gentleman Mystic on Twitter Visit TheGentlemanMystic.com Soto Zen Alexander Cortes Jay Campbell Chuck Whitworth Liminal Order Fraternity of Excellence SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance http://volitiontraining.com/renofmen It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It's includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, and also the world’s greatest dramatist. While he’s better known for his plays than his poetry, no survey of English literature would be complete without him. This week, I break my rules to read one of the most important passages in the entire English language: Hamlet’s Soliloquy, which has not only a great deal to teach us about being a man, but about being human as well. I also explore Shakespeare’s mysterious background, plus the uncertain origins of his most famous play, and the cultural, literary, and artistic impacts of both. This episode has been a monumental and transformative effort for me, fitting for my tenth episode of Poetry for Men. Thank you so much for continuing with me on this journey. LINKS Hamlet’s Soliloquy William Shakespeare on Wikipedia Homer’s “The Illiad” “The Epic of Gilgamesh” Filippo Brunelleschi Paulo Coehlo “The Alchemist” Harold Bloom “The Best Poems of the English Language” Harold Bloom on Charlie Rose Bardcode: The Sonnets THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Visit us on the web at http://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Rainman is the founder and voice of the growing 263 Collective Podcast. He’s an ROTC instructor, former cyclist, and fitness and firearms enthusiast. He understands intuitively and from his upbringing the need to set up people around you to succeed. Now he lives that principle in his life In other words, he cares. And a man who cares is the sort of man I’m proud to know, and that this world and moment needs. In our conversation we discussed: His background in the ROTC and the extreme lengths he goes to to make sure that his "kiddos" (or cadets) succeed The value of mentorship, both giving and receiving The origins and intentions of the 263 Collective Podcast and Instagram account, and the growing community around it The reasons behind the mystery of the meaning of "263" and what it means to you, vs. what it means to him as the founder. And finally, how a concussion in a wrestling match led to one of the most important moments of his life, in the arena As you'll hear my guest today is a man of principle, community, integrity, and most importantly, he's a man for others. I believe we all have something to learn from his example. LINKS Listen to the 263 Collective Podcast (Apple) (Spotify) Follow the 263 Collective on Instagram Listen to the 263 Episode “Bubbles” (Apple) (Spotify) Listen to the 263 Episode “Angel Cortes” (Apple) (Spotify) Matthew McConaughey, “Greenlights” Lance Armstrong, “It’s Not About the Bike” SPONSOR I've partnered with Derek Arellano of Volition Training to create a new fitness transformation program exclusively for Renaissance of Men Listeners: Volition Renaissance It's a 12-week, all-encompassing program to create your physical rebirth, from two men passionate about masculine personal development, and physical prowess. It's includes not just technological support, customization, and weekly check-ins, but a direct line to former Top-10 US Bodybuilder Derek Arellano. Visit: https://volitiontraining.com/renofmen to learn more, and sign up today. THE RENAISSANCE OF MEN Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Danny Miranda is the host of the popular Danny Miranda Podcast, where he interviews some of the world's top performers on behalf of those pursuing their highest version. He's talked to men whose names you might know, like Ed Latimore, Sol Brah, and Johnny Noble. He's spoken with Gary Vee, Zuby, and Dan Go, as well as Manny from WellBuiltStyle, Jack Butcher, Tej Dosa, and dozens of others. He’s got a lot going for him: stellar guests, momentum, a sharp mind, and killer friends. But it’s his positivity that really stands out.  He has a radiant and infectious joy that’s a rare blessing in anyone, and that truly makes a difference in a world that seems saturated by negativity, even if you don’t watch the news. We met on Twitter, in a spontaneous encounter where I made a podcast joke that he responded to. Minutes later we were in the DMs, scheduling this podcast. You can hear the whole story in our conversation, during which we also discussed: The story behind starting his popular podcast and how he got into it, by desiring to share his positive energy with the world... for free The importance of mindset and how to cultivate your attention towards the best and most positive things in your day The practice of self-love, why perfectionism is boring, and how consistency is key About his vision for the Danny Miranda Podcast and its connection to a famous sports stadium And finally, the story behind how he did 75Hard with copywriting and social media superstar Tej Dosa, a program which played a major role in my story, as well. And by the end of our conversation together, which is to date his longest, I think you can hear my smile, as it got to me, and stuck around. Finally I have something to thank Twitter for. LINKS Listen to the Danny Miranda Podcast on Spotify and Apple Visit DannyMiranda.com PostSecret.com Tej Dosa on Twitter 75Hard Andy Frisella “Chasing Excellence” by Ben Bergeron “Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman ‘Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It” by Kamal Ravikant Josh Waitzkin Zac Small on Twitter Dr. Jordan B. Peterson Bible lecture Part 1 on YouTube “Conscious Living” by Gay Hendricks “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey DannyMiranda.com/notes SPONSOR Learn more about the new 12-week Volition Renaissance Training Program, developed for Renaissance of Men listeners by podcast guest Derek Arellano by visiting him on Instagram @trainvolition or his website VolitionTraining.com. Mention "renofmen" for a 10% discount. Check out my website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.  

The three most taboo topics in America today are weight, money, and race. Tragically, these are the same topics that are tearing the country apart. As solar men we know that what hides in shadows must be dragged into the light, or else it festers and multiplies. But that takes a sort of courage that it seems few people embody. With livelihoods and reputations on the line it's not hard to understand why. Which is why I'm grateful for my friend Jonathan West, host of the Being Husband podcast. In our first conversation we both left with the sense that we had much more to discuss than our short window of time allowed.  So we've started this podcast series, called Race and the Renaissance, to get into some of those topics, and model conversations that the rest of you will hopefully initiate in your own lives. We discussed:  The ills and dangers of PC culture, for dialogue, thought, and our divine image What it means to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and render unto God what is God's Jonathan's grandfather, Frank Dozier, who built a house in Tennessee during the segregation era. Jonathan's experience hunting for the first time, and how it impacted his life, and his marriage. And finally, trigger warning, we dunk HARD on cats I know we're treading on treacherous ground, talking about religion, race, health, and more. But we must start having these conversations somehow, speaking truths and testing them against each other in a space of mutual respect, friendship, and most importantly, BROTHERHOOD. So before you jump in, know that this is a "full-send" conversation. That's what we agreed to beforehand. Some of it is jesting hot takes, some of it is sincere. But that's what happens when brothers get together, and hash it out. LINKS Follow BeingHusband Podcast on Instagram Listen to BeingHusband Podcast on Apple Follow Michael Foster on Twitter Agadmator's Chess Channel - Bobby Fischer Playlist "Coming to America" trailer Thomas Sowell - "Black Rednecks and White Liberals" Ivan Illych -  "The Limits to Medicine" James Joyce - "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" KJ Keightley on Instagram Thumos Wolf on Instagram Alexander Cortes (AJAC) on Instagram Visit https://renofmen.com and follow us on Twitter @will_renofmen and Instagram @renofmen.

Blood and Rain aka Arthur Dayne is one of the most exciting content creators in the Renaissance of Men right now. He’s passionate, thumotic, and disciplined. But most of all one gets the sense that behind his mask of anonymity he truly lives the life he talks about and walks his talk.  He's a Muay Thai kickboxer, high-octane bartender, actor, writer, poet, Orthodox Christian, and the host of a growing podcast and Instagram account of the same name. He’s also one of the brightest stars in the new constellation of solar men who comprise the leading edge of this movement. Forty years of men rediscovering, reclaiming, and renewing masculinity are culminating in a new generation of men spontaneously figuring it out for themselves These men aren't interested in promoting egos but exploring aesthetics. Not in showing their faces but sharing their words. And not in making income, but propagating ideas. It’s humbling to witness and be a part of. Having Arthur on was a thrilling step towards surfacing this side of the movement for more searching men. In our conversation we discussed The origins of the name "Blood and Rain" in a poem that he wrote that went on to change his life The stifling culture of the Bay Area, and how it produces empty suits and hollow men Power vs. Force, or Influence vs. Manipulation and how they can be used to bring new men into the Renaissance A brilliant discussion of how Politics is downstream from Culture, but Culture is downstream from Consciousness And finally, an amazing story about how a repaired refrigerator in Cuba contributed to Arthur's very existence I love exploring the various streams that flow together to create the personalities that make up this sphere. Each of us has a unique story of how we became the men we are, and who we're working to be.  So you can imagine I was eager to talk to Arthur, and discover a bit about the man behind the warrior and the road he’s walked as we all arrive to the start of the best party ever, right on time. LINKS Follow Blood and Rain on Instagram Listen to the Blood and Rain Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify More links for Blood and Rain on his LinkTree Read about the Morphogenetic Field and the 100th Monkey Effect Follow the Solar Bro's: Forrest Munden Evola Academy NaturePilled People of the Fields Neolibertate Gallantry Fuel Masculine Revival NatureChad Check out my website at https://renofmen.com  Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.