Welcome to Grit Beyond Measure, the podcast where we have real conversations about adversity, resilience, leadership, relationships, and personal growth. I’m your host, Frank J. Together, we’ll explore the struggles, setbacks, and defining moments that shape who we are, while uncovering practical lessons and perspectives that help us move forward with purpose. Whether you’re navigating a difficult season, pursuing a new goal, or seeking inspiration to keep going, you’re not alone. We’re all in this together.
Adapt. Survive. Thrive.
The Weight We Carry: Beyond the Rank — Sam Sereini
In Episode 10 of Grit Beyond Measure, Frank Jackson sits down with Sam Sereni, his former Commanding Officer aboard USS Nitze, for a deeply personal conversation about grief, leadership, family, and the weight we sometimes carry silently.
Sam opens up about losing his father and his sister, how those losses changed him, and what it meant to continue leading as a Commanding Officer while processing grief behind the scenes.
For Frank, the conversation offers a perspective he didn't fully have while serving alongside Sam as his Command Master Chief: the human experience behind the person responsible for leading an entire command.
This isn't a conversation about rank. It's about the person wearing it.
How do you lead others when you're hurting yourself? How does loss change the way you see the people you're responsible for? And can grief ultimately make us more empathetic leaders?T
he Weight We Carry is a conversation about loss, resilience, vulnerability, and remembering that even the people we look to for strength may be carrying something we cannot see.
Grit Beyond Measure — Adapt. Survive. Thrive.
📩 Guest inquiries, stories & collaborations: gritbeyondmeasure@gmail.com
11 Aug 2026
No Choice but Forward: Grief, Leadership, and Fatherhood with Navy Command Master Chief Aaron Paul
Navy Command Master Chief Aaron Paul joins Frank J for an honest conversation about military leadership, grief, resilience, divorce, fatherhood, and men’s mental health. Drawing from 26 years of Navy service, Aaron shares how he endured the loss of his mother, professional adversity, and the end of his marriage while continuing to lead others. Together, they explore controlling your narrative, protecting children during divorce, finding clarity through trauma, and using running and writing as healthy outlets during life’s hardest seasons.
For questions, feedback, or to connect with Grit Beyond Measure, email gritbeyondmeasure@gmail.com (mailto:gritbeyondmeasure@gmail.com).
Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and personal experiences shared in this interview belong solely to the individuals speaking. They do not represent the official views or policies of the United States Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or any other branch or component of the United States military. The use of military titles or affiliations is for identification purposes only and does not imply official endorsement.
17 Jul 2026
Hit From Every Angle
What happens when life hits you from every angle? Norman “Hot Rod” Rodriguez joins me for a warm, honest, and often funny conversation about divorce, separation from his children, serious back problems, struggles during his Navy career, and the moments that nearly made him quit.
Norman shares how his children, faith, and a change in mindset helped him keep moving forward. His story reminds us that there are no wins and losses—only wins and lessons. And when my daughter unexpectedly FaceTimes me during the recording, the conversation becomes even more personal and memorable.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 26 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
31
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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