Forged By Fire

Ryan Stephens, Rob Hefley, and Daniel Shaw host the Forge by Fire podcast, welcoming their special guest, James Ash. James is a Marine Corps combat veteran, law enforcement officer, and combat veteran who has been a close friend of Ryan's for over 20 years. As the hosts and James reminisce about their shared experiences, James opens up about his recent cancer diagnosis - a rare form called multiple myeloma that affects less than 2% of all cancer patients. Diagnosed at just 41 years old, decades younger than the typical patient, James reveals that he sought treatment at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), known as the world's leading institute for this type of cancer. He expresses his determination to fight the disease, which has caused bone lesions and weakened his immune system. The group discusses the alarming rates of cancer among veterans of the Global War on Terrorism, emphasizing the importance of early screening and accessing available benefits. Despite his difficult diagnosis, Jame

Ryan Stephens and Rob Hefley have built a community-focused nonprofit through the podcast Grey Beard Forge MMA Gym. Based in Conway, Arkansas, Gray Beard Forge MMA primarily serves veterans and first responders.  As the Forged by Fire podcast celebrates its sixth anniversary, the hosts reflect on their remarkable journey and marvel at how much they've accomplished together. Ryan and Rob reflect on the evolution of their own friendship, acknowledging the ups and downs but emphasizing their unwavering support for one another. The story delves into the evolution of Ryan's fitness and martial arts programs, starting with his Sheepdog Skills classes and transitioning into the creation of Frontline Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. This free program for veterans and first responders quickly grew from just five participants to hosting over 30 people regularly. Ryan's vision expanded further with the opening of Grey Beard Forge MMA, a 10,000-square-foot facility that houses the gym, and Grey Beard Ammo, a high-end gun shop.  Greybe

Daniel Shaw and Rob Hefley, hosts of the Forged by Fire podcast, open the episode by setting the stage for an intimate discussion on the importance and challenge of being present. As friends and co-hosts, they establish a warm, conversational tone, with Rob admitting that he has long struggled with this lesson, making it a relatable topic for the audience. The conversation delves into the difficulties of maintaining presence amidst the constant pull of responsibilities and distractions in modern life. Rob describes the "monkey mind" effect, where the human ability to imagine the future can become a source of stress and anxiety, causing people to worry about scenarios that may never come to pass. The hosts share personal anecdotes, such as the frenzy surrounding the Y2K scare, to illustrate how this tendency to "future trip" can lead to poor decision-making and a diminished quality of life. Shifting the focus to the spiritual realm, Daniel and Rob explore the concept of being present in one's relationship with

0:40 Introduction In Forged by Fire’s comeback episode, catch up with Ryan Stephens and Rob Hefley as they bring on long-time friend Daniel Shaw. After doing everything – short of kidnapping – to get Daniel on the podcast, they sit down to share life updates and discuss how the podcast made them better people. Reflecting on their earlier episodes, Ryan says, “I believe because of the podcast, I’m a better father, I believe I’m a better friend, better husband.” Rob explains how it feels to reach so many and help others through the podcast. “You never know who you’re going to have an effect on,” says Rob. “[...] No matter what [...] we wanna add value to other people’s lives every day.” You never know whose lives are improving due to your positive attitude and strong spirit. Despite putting the podcast on hold, Ryan recounts how a police officer visiting from New Mexico tells him how the episode about negativity changed his life and gave him an entirely different perspective. Rob and Ryan care about people in t

Today we're going into the past. Which we know can be a scary place. But the past is the past for a reason. Are you bringing all your past problems into your future? We talk about our own experiences and hope that you'll go through the journey with us!

We're back with a new episode and this one is all about chasing big dreams. We get into our future dreams, why we chase them, and how important it is to keep setting big goals. We also get into why you should take steps to your dreams daily and how it can keep you fired up and moving towards the life you want to live. 

Today, we’re talking about generosity and how to live a generous life. It feels like a lot of people have really forgotten the joys of giving and focus on what they should be getting. And that’s no way to live! There are so many ways to be generous. Not just financially, you can share time and knowledge. When you’re generous with something you’re not thinking about what you’re going to get out of it. Generosity is kindness in action.  Helping people is one of the things that you don’t really regret. Even if it’s not always well received, you shouldn’t feel bad for volunteering your time, energy, or money to help others. We want to ask our listeners what it felt like to receive something you didn’t expect. Now times that by 5 and that’s how you feel when you donate to someone else.  In the Bible, it mentions a cheerful giver. If you’re giving cheerfully then you’re focused on the right reasons for helping people. We challenge everyone to be generous with your words too. Kindness can be 100% free if you’re sp

On this week’s Forged by Fire episode, we’re talking about all things mental health. After the loss of a friend, who was struggling with physical illness and mental illness we want to dedicate this episode to him and to talking more openly about mental health.  For a long time, most men avoid counselors and therapy like the plague. They’re going to get help because there’s been an ultimatum, a court order or something very drastic. It’s been viewed as a reactive way of coping, not a proactive step. There are a lot of people that want to avoid being labeled as dealing with a mental health issue.  The world we live in encourages men to work harder, work faster, be stronger and the weight of the world really weighs down on them. This amount of pressure can be so unhealthy and really push people to their breaking point. All the little things really add up and cause pain and stress.  Why do we as men struggle with facing the truth and being honest with ourselves? It’s so important to really face the facts so thing

In this episode, Ryan and Rob talked about the ins, outs, and all things of money! No matter where you are in life, there is more to learn about money mindset, managing money and making more of it!  Enjoy this podcast!

This is the second conversation Forged by Fire had with Daniel Shaw of Shaw Strategies. Daniel Shaw is a retired US Marine Infantry Unit Leader with multiple combat tours and instructor titles. He has developed curricula and training standards for pre-deployment training and Marine Security Forces such as the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Teams (FAST) and the Naval Nuclear Security Program. His direct action experience includes Level IV VBSS and In Extremis Hostage Rescue. Daniel has been a DOD/USMC firearms instructor for over 16 years. Since retirement from the Marine Corps, Daniel has gained over 4 years of experience teaching Armed Citizens, Law Enforcement Officers, and Active Duty Military. He holds numerous instructor certifications from the US Marine Corps to include foreign weapons and master instructor of handgun, rifle/carbine, shotgun, and medium to heavy machine guns. Daniel takes his life of training and combat experience and develops curriculum and creates digital media content to help Law E

This week Forged by Fire sat down with Daniel Shaw of Shaw Strategies to begin a two-part conversation! Daniel Shaw is a retired US Marine Infantry Unit Leader with multiple combat tours and instructor titles. He has developed curricula and training standards for pre-deployment training and Marine Security Forces such as the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Teams (FAST) and the Naval Nuclear Security Program. His direct action experience includes Level IV VBSS and In Extremis Hostage Rescue. Daniel has been a DOD/USMC firearms instructor for over 16 years. Since retirement from the Marine Corps, Daniel has gained over 4 years of experience teaching Armed Citizens, Law Enforcement Officers, and Active Duty Military. He holds numerous instructor certifications from the US Marine Corps to include foreign weapons and master instructor of handgun, rifle/carbine, shotgun, and medium to heavy machine guns. Daniel takes his life of training and combat experience and develops curriculum and creates digital media conte

After the first-ever event in Texas, Rob sat down with the men behind the ManAlive Expedition.  ManAlive has been a huge part of cultivating Ryan and Rob's friendship so it is good to hear why it was started, what the goals are, and ways to get other men involved!  If you'd like to know more about ManAlive you can visit their website https://manaliveexpedition.com/

Rob and Ryan catch up with each other and talk about complacency.