Marines are known as a tough breed, but one veteran has gone beyond his rugged exterior to reveal a softer side in a new podcast about love and first time encounters.
Chris Molina is a motivational speaker, author, and host of the podcast “How’d You Meet.” After being medically discharged after seven years of service in the Marines, he went on to graduate from Purdue University and now helps student veterans learn the leadership skills needed to be great bosses in the future.
He says the podcast is something he’s been considering doing for a long time.
“A little over six years ago, I was at a dinner with a bunch of friends. Our conversations went to many different places, but things changed when we talked about our relationships … People’s non-verbals changed to be more engaging. It was fascinating. I instantly thought that the world would be a better place if more ‘how’d you meet?’ stories were shared in our world,” Molina said.
The state of the world in 2020 made Molina think now, more than ever, more feel-good stories are needed.
“2021 seemed like the perfect time for a podcast that is solely designed to spread love and to make people smile. In a world with so much darkness and reasons to be mad, we strive to show everyone there’s still love out there. There are still beautiful stories. There are still reasons to smile,” Molina said.
Each episode is short, with only five questions for each guest.
“We want listeners to be able to press play, hear real love stories, smile, then go about their day,” he said.
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The podcast focuses on real people — not celebrities or well-known persons — and their love stories. Episodes are either interviews with individuals in a committed relationship or couples. Molina, however, is partial to hearing men talk about their partners.
“I think we often see women speak about their emotions, especially romance. I don’t think we see enough men talk about love, romance, and relationship topics. I hope we can help normalize men sharing their emotions, especially when it’s about a partner that we love,” he said.
How to listen to the “How’d You Meet” podcast
Not sure which episodes to start with? Molina says that there is something for everyone and all the stories are beautiful, but there are three that stick out in his mind.
- Episode 6 “Stan Pearson II:” “When Stan talks about seeing his wife Cynthia for the first time he describes her as “glowing.” When I probed and asked for more about Cynthia, Stan’s smile grew and [he] was almost at a loss for words. Stan is an amazing professional speaker, meaning he’s talented at finding words.”
- Episode 11 “Dustin Tyte:” “When Dustin talked about how he admires his wife, Kelsey, and her ability to be a strong and loving mother to their child.”
- Episode 12 “Shannon & David Crawford:” “When David and Shannon are describing their proposal story. David was inspired by the Pixar movie ‘Up’ (Shannon’s favorite) and was incredibly clever with how he incorporated it into his proposal to her.”
Visit Apple to listen to the “How’d You Meet” podcast. If you or someone you know is interested in being a guest for the “How’d You Meet” podcast, email Molina and his team at howdyoumeetpodcast@gmail.com
