The Blueprint by Smoking Gun Creative Agency

by Smoking Gun Creative Agency

All-American WR, NFL Draft Pick, Now Building Businesses: Mark Clayton | The Blueprint

Mark Jermaine Clayton grew up ducking family chaos in Oklahoma City - he ended up an All-American and a first-round NFL Draft pick. This is a pro athlete's post-career story that's less about what he lost and more about what he built next. When we straight up asked him before the pod, Mark Clayton described himself to us as a “former baller turned entrepreneur” - he was a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams, a two-time First-Team All-American at Oklahoma, and a first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. After football, he spent the next decade designing and developing LIVV Audio - a performance over-ear headphone brand built from the ground up for athletes, starting with a sketch he made while trying to run on an underwater treadmill with the Rams. In this episode, Mark walks through growing up in a volatile household in Oklahoma City and using sports as his way out, his recruiting process as a "little bitty guy", what it was actually like to be drafted and play for the Ravens organization, the injuries that shortened his NFL career, and how a frustrating headphone experience turned into a business idea - LIVV Audio. LIVV Audio: livvaudio.com – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ Listen to the full uncut versions of all our episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FYwcQ6bj5IfrvRUP2m7AN https://www.nosmokenofire.com – Intro/outro music courtesy of Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E83

Jun 8, 2026

1:54:34

19 Years of Pinpoint Merch, and Why "Always Be Closing" Is Wrong: Scott Graham Returns | The Blueprint

Scott Graham has been on our show 3 times - you’d think that would mean something, but the truth is he won’t stop showing up at our door. Scott Graham is the founder of Pinpoint Merch - a DFW-based custom merchandise company he has been running for 19 years, with clients like Montana Knife Co, Black Rifle Coffee, Ghost Energy, the Grand Ole Opry and more. In between our off topic excursions, we cover how Pinpoint landed the Grand Ole Opry account despite missing the show, Scott's take on AI tools in the merch and design industry, and why he throws out the "always be closing" sales advice he was given early in his career. Check out Pinpoint Merch at https://pinpointmerch.com/ – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com – Intro/outro music courtesy of Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E82

May 26, 2026

1:56:38

The "I Can Do Anything" Mindset: Rick Hopper (Shark Tank, ReadeREST) | The Blueprint

He lost his wife, lived on the street, and went to jail. A few years later, Rick Hopper was on a path that would take him to ABC’s Shark Tank and became a millionaire. Rick Hopper is a serial entrepreneur, inventor, and author based in DFW - best known as the creator of ReadeREST, the magnetic eyeglass holder that became Lori Greiner's very first deal on Shark Tank. His new book, The Bridge from Idea to Money, distills everything he's learned going from zero to millions - twice. In this episode, Rick walks us through his drug addiction, launching his first company where he turned strips of plastic into $5 million a year in sales, and the ReadeREST origin story - including how he wore a bent paperclip for a year before anyone told him it was a real product. https://www.rickhopper.com/ – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ Listen to the full uncut versions of all our episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FYwcQ6bj5IfrvRUP2m7AN https://www.nosmokenofire.com – Intro/outro music courtesy of Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd) – Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Blueprint, Rick Hopper 00:04:17 Rick Hopper’s Origin Story 00:09:29 Dos and Dids - I Can Do Anything 00:14:26 Seasons of Life 00:20:13 Addiction 00:33:52 Kicking Addiction 00:42:41 The Big Pivot 00:49:17 The Path from Home Depot to Serial Entrepreneur 00:56:25 Rick Hopper becomes an Inventor 01:07:12 I’ve Got an Idea, but How Does it Become a Business? 01:13:37 I Hear a Million Dollar Idea Every Day 01:20:18 Partnerships 101 from Rick Hopper 01:25:39 The Invention of ReadeREST 01:30:57 What’s It Like Going on Shark Tank? 01:40:14 Buying and Selling Companies 01:46:15 What’s Next for Rick Hopper?

E81

May 11, 2026

1:57:59

MMA Championships to Holistic Medicine: Guy Mezger & Boomer Cornwell | The Blueprint

Guy Mezger was shot, stabbed three times, and run over on his motorcycle - all before turning pro as a fighter. Guy Mezger is a former King of Pancrase World Champion and Lion's Den team member - one of the most dominant MMA fighters of the 1990s. Today he's a holistic health practitioner and co-founder of Dynamis, a telehealth clinic built around preventative medicine, peptide therapy, and hormone balancing. Boomer Cornwell, Dynamis's health director, joins us on the podcast for the second time as well! We get into Guy's upbringing, blowing two full-ride wrestling scholarships, how professional fighting gave him the discipline that saved his life, beating Masakatsu Funaki for the King of Pancrase title, and how a shoulder surgery introduced him to BPC-157 peptide therapy - cutting a 10-month recovery to five months and changing his life's direction entirely. A world champion who figured out that healing people was always the real mission. Learn more about Dynamis at dynamisonline.com – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com – Intro/outro music courtesy of Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd) – Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Blueprint, Sandman and Boomer 00:09:15 MMA and Athletic Beginnings 00:19:45 Student Teaching and Standing Up for Others 00:35:20 Professional Fighting 00:46:16 King of Pancrase 00:53:20 Moving On from Fighting 01:02:50 Finding Guy’s Way into Medicine 01:09:37 How Did Guy Meet Boomer? 01:16:58 What Really is Dynamis? 01:29:39 Education for Medical Patients 01:39:57 Peptides 101 from Guy Mezger 01:58:53 What’s Different about Dynamis?

E80

Apr 27, 2026

2:13:46

You Can't Take This Music Away From Me: Brayden Stewart, Southern Rock Musician | The Blueprint

At 21, Brayden Stewart is already signed to Warner Chappell in Nashville and playing rock and roll "greasier than a chicken bone on the floor of a Jiffy Lube." He’s one of those rare youngsters who talks about music the way someone twice his age wishes they could. If you follow the show, you know we love our East Texas southern rock boys! Brayden grew up in Scurry, Texas and was raised on his dad's metal records and his grandma's Fleetwood Mac, grinding through Metallica riffs before he found Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson. That became his sound: alt-country, Americana, southern rock and grunge all at once. In this episode, Brayden walks through building his band from a bedroom looping pedal at 16, the TikTok moment that flooded him with show offers from the biggest booking agencies in the world, a just-completed 8-show run through Europe with Blacktop Mojo and Gorilla Riot, writing songs in Nashville for Warner Chappell, and a deep well of music knowledge. Be sure to follow Brayden and watch out for Gypsy’s Corner, dropping May 8! https://thebraydenstewart.com/ – Brayden Stewart’s socials: https://www.instagram.com/braydenstewart.tx/ https://www.facebook.com/p/Brayden-Stewart-Music-100083476539366/ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbraydenstewart – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ Listen to the full uncut versions of all our episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FYwcQ6bj5IfrvRUP2m7AN https://www.nosmokenofire.com – Intro/outro music courtesy of Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd) – Chapters: 00:00:00 Welcome to The Blueprint, Brayden Stewart 00:05:00 Growing Up on Metal and Grunge in East Texas 00:16:48 Vocal Surgery and How Country Music Found Brayden Stewart 00:28:48 Brayden’s Deep Music Knowledge 00:39:05 Brayden’s Start in the Music Industry 00:45:05 Brayden’s Rise in Popularity and Touring 00:53:34 Staying Grounded as a Self-Critic 01:01:53 Brayden Stewart's Songwriting Formula 01:18:22 Everyone Needs Something of Their Own

E79

Apr 20, 2026

1:31:25

How Uganda's Brolin Mawejje Became a Pro Snowboarder | The Blueprint by Smoking Gun

Brolin Mawejje is a pro snowboarder from Uganda. Let that sink in! That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though - Brolin’s also a medical student and, as we cover in this episode, a survivor of some pretty extreme circumstances. Brolin’s life journey is a can’t-miss story spanning major historical events, passion, true self belief, and ultimate willingness to find one’s own purpose. Brolin Mawejje on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thabyron_ma/ – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com -- Intro/outro music by Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E78

Apr 13, 2026

1:48:53

Compress Your 10-Year Goals into 4 Years: George DiGianni | The Blueprint by Smoking Gun

This week’s guest is George DiGianni - he describes himself as a consultant, keynote speaker and entrepreneur, but DFW listeners also may know him from the radio station The Ticket! George dives into his Goal Compression program for success, tells us about his theory on “strategic discomfort,” shares insights for leaders and business owners, and more! https://georgedigianni.com/ – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ Listen to the full uncut versions of all our episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FYwcQ6bj5IfrvRUP2m7AN https://www.nosmokenofire.com -- Intro/outro music by Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E77

Apr 6, 2026

1:42:35

East Texas Music Legends Cody Cresswell & Brandon Callies | The Blueprint by Smoking Gun

Our guests this week are Cody Cresswell and Brandon Callies - if you’ve been paying attention to the East Texas music scene, then you already know their names, but if this is your first time hearing about them, it won’t be the last! Cody and Brandon are on to talk about their music endeavors, teach our host Brandon what the heck a guitar is, and more - plus, for the first time ever, we’re kicking this episode off with a live music performance! Cody Cresswell: @codycresswell https://open.spotify.com/artist/2oLJEOactiMOSqSYHF6tMk Brandon Callies: @brandoncallies brandoncalliesband.com – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com -- Intro/outro music by Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E76

Mar 30, 2026

1:30:03

Be a Doer, Not a Talker - Real Estate Broker Jeremy Dicken | The Blueprint by Smoking Gun

This week’s guest is Jeremy Dicken - a real estate broker from Greenville, Texas who took an unconventional path to his career. It’s not actually that far fetched to say Jeremy could teach a cow to sell a house!i We’re talking life experiences, the value of personal connections, the value of work ethic and some unconventional use of Airpods. This one’s a great episode to learn if you’re looking to enter the real estate industry and full of Jeremy’s patented sense of humor too! – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com -- Intro/outro music by Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd)

E75

Mar 23, 2026

1:54:26

"We All Want to be Our Inspirations" Animator/Film Producer Bob Arvin | The Blueprint by Smoking Gun

Our guest this week is Bob Arvin. You may not know his name, but we’d wager you’ve probably seen his work - he contributed at Disney and on Inspector Gadget, Bicentennial Man, and his production company’s international smash hit The God Man has been seen by at least 500 million people worldwide. Bob’s journey is proof of the power of a dream - if you want to do something, go do it! Watch and learn how coding at the horse track can pan out into a decades-long career in animation and film production. – Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.facebook.com/nosmokenofire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosmokenofire/ https://www.nosmokenofire.com -- Intro/outro music by Pierre DeJournette (https://www.instagram.com/beatsbypd) – Chapters: 00:00:00 Welcome to the Blueprint, Bob Arvin 00:05:10 Early Beginnings 00:11:25 Disney and Passion for Animation 00:19:18 The Churchill Downs Saga 00:25:07 The False Start - Moving to California 00:30:27 The VideoBred Saga - Finally Becoming an Animator 00:45:00 Back to California Again! 01:00:00 Becoming a Part of Disney 01:05:01 Inspector Gadget 01:13:23 3dBob Productions 01:21:30 Management and Lessons from Leadership 01:31:47 Moving to Texas 01:40:55 Star Spangled Adventures 01:44:53 The WW2 Cruise Book

E74

Mar 16, 2026

1:53:18

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