The GRYND
Season 1
002 - Meet The Guys - Colten
by Mac Digital
This week on The GRYND, we sit down with our own co-host Colten — Google wizard, forklift driver, and one of the toughest “little guys” on the mats — for one of our most honest and personal episodes yet. Colten gets real about what it’s like growing up with a disability — the everyday challenges most people never see, the mental toughness it builds, and the quiet battles he’s learned to fight without recognition. We dive into his journey as a brand-new white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where size matters and “victim weight” is no joke. From getting smashed to adapting his game, Colten shares how he’s learning to survive, improve, and earn respect on the mats despite the odds. Then we get into the part people don’t talk about enough — dating. The awkward conversations, the stigma, the rejection, the self-doubt — and what it actually takes to put yourself out there when you feel like you’re already starting behind. It’s locker-room honest: laughs, hard truths, brotherhood, and the deeper “why” that keeps Colten showing up — in training, at work, and in life. If you’ve ever felt different, pushed through limitations, or wondered why dating can feel like the hardest roll of all, this one’s going to hit home. This one’s different — because it’s one of our own.
Welcome to The GRYND - the podcast where hard work, grit, and the why behind it all collide. This is our first “meet the guys” episode, and we’re kicking it off with Matt — the dude who helped turn this whole thing from late-night talk into reality. He’s the idea guy, the hype man, and the one who pushed to make The GRYND happen. Matt’s a detective on a regional drug task force in Southwest Missouri, a passionate hunter who lives for the outdoors, and just over a year into his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey. He’s grinding on every front — in life, in his career, and in his hobbies — and chasing the why that keeps him going. In this episode, we cover it all: who we are, why we started The GRYND, and what it means to take on the hard things and own the process. If you’re about real stories from real people chasing growth, purpose, and discipline, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The GRYND — Let’s go