Mick Unplugged

About Mick Unplugged

Everybody talks about your WHY. Mick Hunt goes deeper. Mick Unplugged is the leadership and personal growth podcast built on one idea: your BECAUSE is the purpose underneath your purpose, and it is the most powerful force you own. Hosted by Mick Hunt, USA Today bestselling author and the voice of Modern Leadership, every episode sits across from a high performer, founder, athlete, or culture-shaper and asks the one question they cannot fake an answer to. What is your BECAUSE? Past guests include Shark Tank stars Daymond John and Kevin O'Leary, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, motivational legend Les Brown, Chef Robert Irvine, comedians Rickey Smiley and Earthquake, NFL Hall of Famer Jared Allen, hospitality mogul David Grutman, and World Series champion Jeremy Guthrie. No scripts. No surface-level fluff. Just the real fire behind why they refused to quit. If you are a leader, an entrepreneur, or someone who is done coasting on motivational quotes, this is your show. You will walk away every week with mindset shifts, leadership strategy, and the kind of straight talk that actually moves you forward. New episodes drop weekly. Follow Mick Unplugged on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube so you never miss one. Your BECAUSE is your Superpower. Go Unleash It.

Publisher

Mick Hunt

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Feb 2024

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 311 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Mookie G: Behind the Laughter, Finding Purpose and Being Yourself

   What does it take to stand in front of a room and make people laugh—even when the room goes quiet? Comedian Mookie G joins Mick for a candid, funny conversation about the work behind the punchline. He shares how his mother recognized his gift for bringing people joy, encouraged him to take a comedy class, and helped him discover his because. Mookie breaks down the difference between being funny online and performing live, the challenge of developing jokes, and why an audience’s silence does not always mean a set has failed. Mick and Mookie also explore authenticity, self-love, social media, and the patience it takes to keep showing up before the right opportunity arrives. Along the way: Houston sports loyalty, growing up in Beaumont, moving to Atlanta, and a rapid-fire conversation about comedy, food, and the legacy Mookie wants to leave. Listen for the purpose beneath the laughter—and the reminder to be yourself. In this episode: • Finding a because in bringing happiness and joy to others • The mother who saw a comedian before he saw it himself • Stage fright, audience energy, and learning to trust silence • Developing material through recorded conversations and real-life experience • Hosting, featuring, and headlining: different jobs, different rhythms • Using social media to build visibility while staying yourself • Self-love, consistency, and being ready for opportunity • Beaumont roots, Atlanta possibility, and a funny and friendly legacy CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: becoming comfortable with silence 00:27 Welcome and the comedy show where Mick and Mookie met 02:36 The Because: bringing happiness and joy 03:29 How his mother helped him discover comedy 04:10 Being funny online versus performing on stage 05:36 Tough rooms and protecting your own material 07:42 The Unplugged Truth: developing jokes 11:04 Hosting, featuring, and headlining 12:42 Hot Takes: getting attention and staying yourself 14:05 Building visibility through social media 16:40 Be yourself, self-love, and finding joy 18:23 Houston loyalty and Beaumont roots 22:26 Why Atlanta felt full of possibility 23:49 The Room: the comedy class that changed his path 25:45 Trusting silence and finding your pace 28:45 New projects and getting booked 29:59 Performing your best when opportunity is watching 33:15 Where to find Mookie and the story behind the merch 34:47 The Unplugged Five: comedy, football, and food 38:03 The legacy he wants to leave 39:30 Closing: your because is your superpower Subscribe to Mick Unplugged for conversations about the because behind the journey. Connect & Discover Mookie G: Instagram: @mookie_g_comedy Facebook: @mookiegcomedy Website: mookieg.com FOLLOW MICK ON: Spotify: MickUnplugged Instagram: @mickunplugged Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt Website: MickHuntOfficial.com Website: howtobeagoodleader.com Website: Leadloudseries.com Apple: MickUnplugged Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   D.L. Hughley on Charlie's Boy and the Conversation He Never Had

   D.L. Hughley wanted one more conversation with his father. He put it into Charlie's Boy. In this episode of Mick Unplugged, D.L. joins me to talk about his new memoir, the man who raised him and the parts of fatherhood he understands differently now. We get into duty, family silence and why providing for your children can become so consuming that being present gets pushed aside. D.L. shares what he learned about Charlie after his death and why he makes a deliberate effort to let his own children know him. I also tell D.L. how his backstage mentorship changed the way I approached my podcast and my business. We talk about knowing the rules, owning your decisions and understanding why people keep listening. You'll hear: - The conversation behind Charlie's Boy - What showing up does for a father-child relationship - The pressure to keep working, even when it costs you time at home - Why finding his way into comedy also brought survivor's guilt - A reunion 25 years after an act of kindness - D.L.'s take on freedom of speech, consequences and protecting your peace I'm giving a copy of Charlie's Boy to the first 100 people who DM "Charlie's Boy" to @mickunplugged on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ CHAPTERS 00:00 The conversation D.L. never had with his father 00:11 Meet D.L. Hughley 00:55 The Because: Faith, hope and connection 04:12 The Unplugged Truth: The father behind Charlie's Boy 07:12 Duty, love and the words fathers do not say 10:36 Why D.L. wrote Charlie's Boy 11:45 Hot Takes: Hurt, offense and growth 14:30 Free speech and consequences 16:22 Fatherhood and the trust built by showing up 21:56 What D.L. learned about Charlie's work life 26:03 The Room: Finding a way forward through comedy 28:02 Survivor's guilt and appreciating your life 29:05 An act of kindness comes back 25 years later 32:06 The backstage advice that changed Mick's approach to media 34:11 Mick's 100-book offer 35:22 The Unplugged Five: What makes D.L. laugh 36:37 The conversation America avoids 37:45 Human connection and why people keep listening 41:34 D.L.'s go-to drinks 42:35 Other people's opinions and protecting your attention 44:27 Closing conversation CONNECT & DISCOVER D.L. HUGHLEY Book: Charlie's Boy: A Memoir https://a.co/d/0bV9x1UZ Instagram: @realdlhughley https://www.instagram.com/realdlhughley/ Facebook: @RealDLHughley https://www.facebook.com/RealDLHughley/ YouTube: DL Hughley https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6B_HuuSaR-IDsKuJVK0LEw FOLLOW MICK Instagram: @mickunplugged https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ Facebook: @mickunplugged YouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/ Website: https://mickhuntofficial.com/ Book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One https://howtobeagoodleader.com/ Apple Podcasts: Mick Unplugged https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953 Spotify: Mick Unplugged https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g Content note: Explicit language and discussion of grief and family relationships.

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Dixon Dedman: The Man Behind The Bottle

   What makes a bottle worth remembering? For Dixon Dedman, the answer starts with the people who share it. The master blender behind 2XO joins Mick Hunt for a conversation about bourbon, hospitality, creative conviction, and the legacy he hopes to leave his children. Dixon explains how his family's hospitality roots shaped his purpose, why blending requires more than mixing percentages, and how he approaches mouthfeel, maturation, and secondary oak exposure. Mick also tastes Rapper's Delight during the conversation, and Dixon shares the story of a father and son celebrating a new generation with a bottle of Kentucky Owl. That moment brings the conversation back to his because: making something that becomes part of another person's meaningful experience. In this episode: How hospitality shaped Dixon's purpose and approach to bourbon The challenge of reproducing a small sample blend at barrel scale Why creative conviction matters when developing a whiskey His focus on mouthfeel, viscosity, and the overall drinking experience The personal connections that matter beyond awards and ratings His hope that the next generation will carry the family legacy forward Listen for the lesson that travels beyond bourbon: exceeding expectations can turn a product or service into a moment someone remembers. Chapters 00:00 A moment beyond selling bottles 00:40 Meet Dixon Dedman 03:06 What is your because? 07:30 Moments, memories, and personal connection 10:07 Unplugged Truth: the craft of blending 15:20 Putting a personal mark on whiskey 19:27 Hot Takes: tasting Rapper's Delight 22:01 Mouthfeel and the drinking experience 35:00 The Room: a toast to three generations 39:29 2XO and the recorded plans discussed 42:20 Unplugged 5 46:08 The legacy Dixon hopes to leave 48:08 Closing reflections Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and the because behind the work. Connect & Discover Dixon Dedman: Instagram: @dixon_dedman LinkedIn: @dixon_dedman X: @dixon_dedman Website: 2xowhiskey.com FOLLOW MICK ON: Spotify: MickUnplugged Instagram: @mickunplugged Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt Website: MickHuntOfficial.com Website: howtobeagoodleader.com Website: Leadloudseries.com Apple: MickUnplugged Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One #MickUnplugged #Leadership #Podcast #DixonDedman #2XOWhiskey

Inside a recent episode

Candid Conversations with Scott Galloway

Published 4 Dec 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] This has kind of been the, it hasn't been AI or technology. That's been the fuel of our economy is tapping into different labor forces that were underutilized, specifically women and non-whites, such that we could continue to grow our economy and have the kind of prosperity we've registered. But there's just no doubt about it that the data is striking. There are one in seven men now qualifies what's called a NEAT, and that is they're physically capable, but they're neither in education, employment, or any sort of training. They're literally doing nothing. One out of three men under the age of 25 lives at home. […]

Who has been a guest on Mick Unplugged

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ilana Golan
• Joe McCarthy
• Jordan Mendoza
• Shawn French
• John Assaraf

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

288,645

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 77 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

98

Social presence

97

YouTube

93

Engagement

0

Contact Mick Unplugged

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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