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What happens when your lifelong dream suddenly becomes impossible? For Columbus entrepreneur Rick Singletary, the end of one dream became the beginning of an extraordinary legacy.

n this inspiring episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, Rick shares how his parents shaped his character. His mother taught resourcefulness and perseverance, while his father—a proud Tuskegee Airman and successful electrical contractor—modeled discipline, excellence, and servant leadership. Those lessons became the foundation for Rick's journey from delivering newspapers and bagging groceries at Kroger to climbing the corporate ladder and eventually becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Rick also opens up about one of the biggest leaps of faith in his career: leaving the security of corporate America to develop Singletary Plaza at Mount Vernon, overcoming financing challenges, and creating opportunities that strengthen neighborhoods through local investment, jobs, and ownership.

This conversation goes beyond business. It's about family, faith, resilience, mentorship, and building a legacy that impacts generations. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, student, or someone navigating an unexpected detour, Rick's story offers practical wisdom and timeless encouragement.

If this episode encourages you, subscribe to the Be a Baller Podcast, leave a review, and share it with a business owner, leader, or aspiring entrepreneur who needs to hear Rick's remarkable story.

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Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.

In this special Fatherhood Month episode, Jason Singleton Sr., Director of Athletics at Columbus Academy and former Ohio State basketball captain, sits down with his son, Jason Singleton Jr., one of the nation's top basketball prospects and future Harvard student-athlete.

Legacy sounds big until you realize it is built in ordinary moments: early mornings, hard conversations, long drives, and the choice to do the right thing when nobody is clapping. Their father-son dynamic is calm, honest, and deeply practical, and it turns Fatherhood Month into something more meaningful than a highlight reel.

We talk about Detroit roots, a blue-collar work ethic, and the mentors who helped widen a young man’s vision. Jason Sr. explains why raising a successful young man matters more than raising a successful athlete, and how integrity and faith shape a family culture that stays “one” through every season. Jason Jr. shares the moment he knew basketball could be real, how he avoids pressure tied to his father’s name, and why Harvard was the best fit: relationships with the coaching staff, elite academics, and a trusted support system away from home.

The heart of the conversation is “passing the torch” as a rite of passage. We dig into resilience, grit, leadership, and the transferable lessons sports can teach for life and work. We also spotlight service beyond trophies, including Jason Jr.’s foundation and a free youth basketball camp designed to give kids opportunity, encouragement, and practical support.

If you care about fatherhood, faith-filled leadership, student-athlete mindset, Harvard basketball, or building a generational legacy, press play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more families can build a legacy worth following.

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In this special Throwback Thursday Fatherhood Series episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, Coach Tim Brown revisits an inspiring conversation with Lawrence "Mr. Fundy" Funderburke—former NBA player, author, speaker, and founder of Momentum Dads. This conversation is for every dad, mentor, coach, and leader who wants to be more intentional about passing the torch to the next generation.

Lawrence Funderburke is a devoted Christian and family man who is on a mission to improve the lives of everyone he comes in contact with. His Momentum Dads project is a challenge and practical guide to help dads and families grow.
While many know Lawrence for his success on the basketball court, his true passion today is helping fathers and families build momentum that lasts for generations. Through his Momentum Dads Project, he challenges men to become intentional leaders in their homes and provides practical tools to help dads grow spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

Raised in a difficult single-parent home, Lawrence's story is a powerful reminder that your past doesn't have to determine your future. His journey from adversity to purpose is rooted in faith, perseverance, and a commitment to building legacy assets that matter most—personally, professionally, financially, and spiritually.

Lawrence's message is simple but powerful:

As long as you have breath in your body, you have an opportunity to change your story and build a legacy that outlives you.

Subscribe to the Be a Baller Podcast, share this episode with a father who needs encouragement, and join the movement of men committed to living and leaving a legacy.

#ThrowbackThursday #FatherhoodSeries #MomentumDads #PassTheTorch #BeABallerPodcast #LivingALegacy #Fatherhood #LegacyBuilders #ChristianLeadership #MrFundy #MomentumPlay #IntentionalFatherhood

Visit www.MrFundy.com or www.MomentumDads.com for more information on Lawrence's outreach efforts, speaking opportunities, and book orders.

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What does it look like to pass down more than a name—to pass down a calling?

In this special Fatherhood Month episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, Coach Tim Brown sits down with Dion Drakeford and his son, Deondre Drakeford, two generations of educators and school leaders who have devoted their lives to serving students in Columbus City Schools. We discuss why education is one of the greatest forms of generational wealth and how faith, integrity, and service create a legacy that outlives you

From the music and memories that shaped their family to the moments that inspired each of them to pursue education, this father-son conversation explores the power of generational influence, servant leadership, and purposeful fatherhood. Dion shares how he knew in fourth grade he wanted to become a teacher, while Deondre reflects on watching his father connect with students and realizing that education could become his own calling.

Whether you're a father, educator, coach, mentor, or leader, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about the legacy you're building and the torch you're passing.

Because legacy isn't what you leave behind someday—it's what you're living today.

🎙️ Subscribe to the Be a Baller Podcast, share this episode with a father or educator who inspires you, and join us as we continue building a movement of people committed to living and leaving a lasting legacy.

#PassTheTorch #FatherhoodMonth #BeABallerPodcast #GenerationalLegacy #Education

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Legacy isn't built in big moments—it's built in everyday choices. In this special episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, we sit down with Ronnie Stokes, former Ohio State basketball standout and longtime Ohio State Men's Basketball Radio Network analyst, and his son, Ron Stokes Jr., former college basketball player and leader in the family's growing business.

Ronnie reflects on his parents' journey through the Jim Crow era and his determination to change the trajectory of the Stokes family for generations to come. Ron Jr. shares the moments that mattered most and the principles he's carrying forward as he continues the family legacy.

This episode is for anyone passionate about fatherhood, faith-filled leadership, entrepreneurship, and building a legacy that outlives you.

Subscribe, share this episode with someone you want to win, and join us as we continue to Pass the Torch and Build a Life-Long Legacy.

#BeABallerPodcast #PassTheTorch #RonnieStokes #Fatherhood #GenerationalLegacy #GenerationalWealth #OhioStateBasketball #FaithAndFamily #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BuildingLegacy #LivingALegacy #BasketballLegacy

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In this Father’s Month conversation we sit down with Ralph Smithers Sr., a trailblazer in Columbus, Ohio urban development and public service, and his son Ralph Smithers Jr., a leader focused on inclusion, belonging, and community impact. Together, we unpack “passing the torch” as more than a motivational phrase. It’s the discipline of telling the truth, working hard, keeping your faith strong, and being present enough that your kids actually know your heart.

We talk about the weight of carrying a family name, how parenting changes when the world changes, and why patience is a real leadership skill at home and at work. Ralph Sr. shares how God’s plan shaped career turns he never mapped out, and Ralph Jr. explains how he adapts the same core values for a new generation with different pressures and louder messages.

If you want faith-based leadership that’s practical, grounded, and honest, press play. Then share this with a father, mentor, or young leader, and subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the one value you’re determined to pass on?

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What’s up, Ballers! Welcome back to The NxtUp Ballers Podcast — where we spotlight the people building something bigger than themselves.

And today’s conversation is for every person who’s ever tried to build something while still figuring themselves out. Because building a brand sounds exciting… until you realize you’re also building yourself at the same time.

Ashely Franklin is a Marketing Strategist, Creative Lead, and the founder of Remarkable Marketing & Ad Solutions — a boutique marketing firm helping businesses grow through storytelling, strategy, and experiences that actually connect with people.

But behind the strategy and the branding is a story of perseverance, reinvention, motherhood, self-doubt, and continuing to show up anyway.

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Legacy doesn’t happen by accident, and Celeste Allen proves it with a life that’s been shaped by faith, discipline, and service. We’re talking with a mother, educator, mentor, and ministry leader with more than 45 years of experience who has helped build people, not just programs. If you’ve ever wondered whether your everyday choices matter, this conversation makes the case that they matter more than you think.

We get honest about motherhood in real life: the part no one explains, the way worries shift as kids become adults, and why “it gets easier” isn’t the whole story. Celeste shares how God led her into homeschooling, why spiritual formation mattered more than simply “getting a good education,” and what it took to keep going as a single parent after losing her husband. Her parenting principles are simple but weighty: start with the Word, build Christian character, and trust God with the outcomes.

We also dig into servant leadership and purpose through seasons, including how Celeste’s relationship with Christ transformed her love for people and her willingness to speak up for God. Her prayer life is practical and memorable, from written prayers to persistent intercession for her children. We close with a definition of “being a baller” that has nothing to do with status and everything to do with significance: being available, lifting others up, and strengthening people spiritually and emotionally.

If you’re a mom who feels unseen, a leader who wants to serve well, or a woman questioning your timeline, press play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with someone you’re building with, and leave a review so more legacy-minded listeners can find the show.

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