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December 1987. Finals were over, Christmas break was here, and my friend John and I couldn’t wait to leave Tampa and head home to Arkansas. There was just one problem: we were both exhausted. But at 18, we convinced ourselves that swapping drivers and catching a little sleep along the way would be enough. We also left in shorts and T-shirts—as if that Florida warmth would follow us all the way home. Then came a stop at my dad’s place in Mississippi. We wanted rest. He wanted help getting a Christmas tree. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I look back at my first drive home from college: the excitement, the poor judgment, the unexpected family detour, and the lessons I can appreciate much more clearly now. We made it safely, but looking back, we should have rested before we ever got on the road.What’s a road-trip decision you can laugh about now—but would never repeat? Follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more Black Gen X stories, reflections, and lessons learned along the way. Share this episode with that friend who still remembers your first road trip together. For more reflections on the experiences behind the miles, explore my e-book, Traveling While Black Gen X, through AnthonyReeves.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

A map could show my best friend how to reach me in North Carolina. But there were things about that overnight drive I wanted him to understand before he left. It was the mid-1990s. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune, and he was coming up from Tampa. When he decided to take the backroads instead of my suggested route, our conversation became about more than directions. Closed gas stations. Small towns after midnight. Sudden speed-limit changes. No cell phones to check in. And the concerns I carried as a Black man who grew up navigating the South. He arrived safely—but one of the first things he told me was, “I need you never to let me make that drive again. ”In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on friendship, Black Gen X road-trip memories, and why knowing the route and understanding the places along it can be two different things.What travel advice did someone give you that made sense only after you experienced the trip yourself? If this story brought back memories, share this episode with someone who remembers road trips before GPS, and follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more stories and reflections. For more of my perspective on navigating the road as a Black Gen Xer, explore Traveling While Black Gen X through my store at AnthonyReeves.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

I thought I knew what mattered in a job: a salary, benefits, and an opportunity to grow. Then my first professional job taught me something I hadn’t considered—I needed variety to stay energized.I thought I knew what mattered in a job: a salary, benefits, and an opportunity to grow. Then my first professional job taught me something I hadn’t considered—I needed variety to stay energized. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on how trips to field offices and workplaces across Florida helped me discover the importance of breaking up my routine. Meeting different people, seeing new environments, and getting out of the office changed how I understood what I needed from my work. Sometimes, you don’t discover what matters to you until you experience it. This is a personal reflection on career satisfaction, self-discovery, and paying attention to the parts of your job that make you feel engaged. Call to Action What did a job teach you about yourself that a paycheck couldn’t? Share your experience, send this episode to someone considering their next career move, and explore more of my podcasts, reflections, and books at AnthonyReeves.com⁠. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

Sometimes, confidence begins with someone giving you a chance to do something you’ve never done. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on an assignment from my first professional job in 1992. My supervisor asked for a training blueprint. I spent the weekend teaching myself unfamiliar software and building the entire program. What stayed with me wasn’t just what I created. It was the trust he placed in me—and the freedom he gave me to figure it out. That experience helped me recognize my ability to take initiative, learn as I went, and create something from scratch. Join me for a personal reflection on leadership, autonomy, and how someone else’s belief in you can help you begin believing in yourself. Call to Action Who trusted you with an opportunity before you felt ready—and how did it change you? Share your story in the comments, send this episode to someone who believed in you, and follow IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves for more reflections on work, life, and personal growth. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

Moving to Tallahassee for my first professional job meant leaving behind a world where people knew me. Suddenly, I was in a new city with no established circle—and little understanding of how to build one. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on why that first year produced no lasting friendships, the invitations I struggled to connect with, and the weekends I spent returning to familiar places. That experience shaped how I approached every move afterward. It taught me to think about the relationships, community, and sense of belonging I needed to build a life alongside my career. Continue the reflection: Starting over can leave you somewhere between the life you knew and the one you’re still learning to imagine. If that sounds familiar, I invite you to read my short memoir, Fresh Start: Sometimes You Don’t Know You’ve Started Over Until You’re Already There. 👉 Get your copy of Fresh Start Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

I had a college degree, my first professional job, and an apartment in Tallahassee. What I didn’t have was a bed—or the understanding that asking for help was still an option. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I revisit the days of televisions on the floor, bare rooms, and the belief that being a grown-up meant figuring everything out myself. Looking back, I recognize how much that belief affected my quality of life. It’s a personal reflection on independence, accepting support, and helping the next generation build a foundation that includes more than a job and a place to live. Continue the reflection: Have you ever been so focused on handling a new chapter that you barely noticed how much your life had changed? Explore my short memoir, Fresh Start: Sometimes You Don’t Know You’ve Started Over Until You’re Already There. 👉 Get your copy of Fresh Start Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

In 1999, I walked into a karate school in Tallahassee looking for a place to train. What made me stay was the person teaching there. In this episode, I share why I chose Master Anne, how she challenged me as a martial artist and a leader, and what it meant to have someone see qualities in me that I had not yet recognized in myself. More than 26 years later, her guidance is still part of my journey. Has a teacher or mentor ever seen something in you before you could see it yourself? Tell me about them.Master Anne’s guidance also played a part in my return to competition later in life. I share more of that journey in Back on the Mat at 56: Rediscovering Strength, Purpose, and the Fight Within: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/back-on-the-mat-at-56-rediscovering-strength-purpose-and-the-fight-within Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

After more than 20 years away from competition, why did I step back onto the karate mat? In this episode, I talk about how work and life gradually pulled me away from martial arts, what changed as I got older, and why simply going to the gym no longer felt like enough. I also share how my teacher’s trust helped me return to competition—and how that decision gave my workouts a purpose again. This is a story about making room for something you love while you still can. What passion have you been thinking about returning to? I’d love to hear from you.If you’d like to go deeper into my return to karate, read Back on the Mat at 56: Rediscovering Strength, Purpose, and the Fight Within: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/back-on-the-mat-at-56-rediscovering-strength-purpose-and-the-fight-within Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

In the summer of 1994, I met a Navy recruiter who was searching for people with training in public health and industrial hygiene. I was interested, but I was only halfway through my graduate program. The Navy needed someone immediately, so I assumed the opportunity had passed. One year later, I had completed my Master of Public Health—but professionally, nothing seemed to be changing. I had not received a promotion or meaningful raise, and I was uncertain about my next move. Then the recruiter called.She had contacted the University of South Florida to find me because she remembered our earlier conversation and wanted to know whether I had completed my degree. Within a few months, I was commissioned as a United States Navy officer.This episode is about preparation, professional relationships, and what happens when the work you have been doing finally intersects with the right opportunity. What appears to be an overnight success is often the result of work completed long before anyone notices.You cannot control when an opportunity will appear, but you can influence whether you are prepared to receive it. Explore the Career Crossroads Collection from The Anthony Reeves Experience:https://linktr.ee/mynameisreeves If you are trying to determine what your education, experience, and professional relationships may be preparing you to do next, explore my Career Crossroads Collection. It was created to help you recognize the value you have already built and approach your next professional move with greater clarity. You can find it through the link in the episode description. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

Submitting my application was not the final step in getting my first professional job. I followed up after mailing it, and that call helped me secure an interview. After the interview, I called again to thank the employer and answer any additional questions.Those two calls mattered even more because I did not have a telephone where I was staying.  If I had submitted the application and simply waited, the opportunity might have passed me by.In this companion episode, I discuss what that experience taught me about taking initiative, remaining reachable, and using the resources available to you. The technology surrounding job searches has changed dramatically, but the importance of thoughtful follow-up has not disappeared. If you are trying to move beyond career roulette and make a more intentional professional decision, explore the Career Crossroads Collection:https://linktr.ee/mynameisreeves CALL TO ACTION A career opportunity should not depend entirely on luck. If you are trying to connect your experience, education, and skills to a clearer next step, visit my Career Crossroads Collection through the link in the episode description. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

Getting my first professional job solved one problem: I finally knew what I was going to do next. What it did not solve was how I would adjust to an unfamiliar career, a new city, and a life without the community I had previously taken for granted. In this follow-up to my story about choosing my next opportunity, I revisit the early days of working as a safety and health specialist in Tallahassee, Florida. Professionally, everything was new. I had my own office, telephone extension, and computer—but I spent much of those first few months reading federal safety regulations and trying to understand an industry I had never experienced. Personally, the transition was even harder. This was 1992, before social media, FaceTime, text-message groups, and affordable long-distance communication. I would leave an office filled with people and return to an apartment with no furniture, very little food, and an answering machine that rarely contained a message. Starting my career was exciting, curious, boring, and deeply lonely—all at the same time. That experience taught me that obtaining an opportunity and becoming comfortable inside it are two very different stages of growth. A new opportunity will not always feel comfortable immediately—and discomfort does not necessarily mean you made the wrong decision. If you are trying to understand where you are professionally, whether it is time to move forward, or what your next chapter might look like, explore the Career Crossroads Collection — Decisions, Doubt, and Owning Your Place: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/career-crossroads-collection-decisions-doubt-and-owning-your-place Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

In 1992, I completed my military training with a biology degree, a car payment, and no clear idea of what I wanted to do next. Instead of returning home to Arkansas, I went back to Florida and slept on a friend’s couch while searching for work. The state job I eventually accepted was not something I had dreamed about doing. It was an opportunity that provided income, allowed me to remain in Florida, and gave me the time and experience I needed to determine my next move. In this companion episode, I reflect on the uncertainty surrounding that first professional transition, why every job does not have to be a final destination, and how an unexpected opportunity can become the bridge to a future you cannot yet see. Are you standing at your own career crossroads? The Career Crossroads Collection explores the decisions, doubts, and difficult questions that arise when you know you want something different but have not completely figured out what comes next. Explore Career Crossroads — Decisions, Doubt, and Owning Your Place: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/career-crossroads-collection-decisions-doubt-and-owning-your-place Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

Sometimes the people around us recognize our growth before we do. During my senior year of college, I began showing up differently. I was more expressive, more confident, and increasingly willing to offer perspectives I had previously kept to myself. To me, I was simply becoming more comfortable in my own skin. To other people, however, something significant was changing. A hall director challenged me to speak up after realizing that the quiet recommendations I whispered to her were often the ideas she ultimately followed. An ROTC colonel questioned why someone with my leadership abilities continued operating in the background. They were not giving me abilities I didn’t possess. They were helping me recognize what was already there. In this companion episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I reflect on quiet competence, professional visibility, receiving positive feedback, and learning to own the version of yourself that other people may already see. Because sometimes growth isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about becoming comfortable enough to stop hiding who you have already become. Has anyone ever recognized a strength or possibility in you that you struggled to see for yourself? Watch the original video and join the conversation: ▶️ https://youtu.be/cTWCyHexi6A If you are navigating a career decision, confronting doubt, or learning to own your professional value, explore the Career Crossroads Collection: Decisions, Doubt, and Owning Your Place. It brings together four personal reflections about leaving comfort, taking meaningful risks, confronting imposter feelings, and trusting what you bring into the room. 📘 Purchase the collection here: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/career-crossroads-collection-decisions-doubt-and-owning-your-place For more stories, deeper reflections, and behind-the-scenes context, join my Patreon community—including the free membership option. Start at AnthonyReeves.com and choose the gateway that works best for you. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

At 23 years old, I transferred my job from Tallahassee to Tampa because I intended to attend graduate school at the University of South Florida. There was just one important detail: I hadn’t applied yet. I paid for the move myself, rented a truck and car dolly, found an apartment, coordinated the end of one lease with the beginning of another, and drove around Tampa with my checkbook getting the utilities connected—all before knowing whether the graduate program would accept me. From the outside, it probably looked as though I had uprooted my life without a plan. But in my mind, I had created something different: a no-lose situation. I still had a job. I already had an undergraduate degree. I was returning to a city I knew. The state would pay for graduate courses related to my work. And while my application was being considered, I could begin proving myself as a non-degree-seeking student. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I revisit one of the boldest decisions of my early professional life and examine the difference between recklessness and taking a calculated chance on yourself. Sometimes you don’t receive confirmation before making the move. Sometimes the move is how you position yourself for the opportunity. At 23 years old, I transferred my job from Tallahassee to Tampa because I intended to attend graduate school at the University of South Florida. There was just one important detail: I hadn’t applied yet. I paid for the move myself, rented a truck and car dolly, found an apartment, coordinated the end of one lease with the beginning of another, and drove around Tampa with my checkbook getting the utilities connected—all before knowing whether the graduate program would accept me. From the outside, it probably looked as though I had uprooted my life without a plan. But in my mind, I had created something different: a no-lose situation. I still had a job. I already had an undergraduate degree. I was returning to a city I knew. The state would pay for graduate courses related to my work. And while my application was being considered, I could begin proving myself as a non-degree-seeking student. In this episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I revisit one of the boldest decisions of my early professional life and examine the difference between recklessness and taking a calculated chance on yourself. Sometimes you don’t receive confirmation before making the move. Sometimes the move is how you position yourself for the opportunity. Have you ever made a decision that looked risky to everyone else but made perfect sense once you understood what you still had working in your favor? If you’re confronting a career decision, weighing security against purpose, or learning to trust yourself without having every guarantee, explore the Career Crossroads Collection: Decisions, Doubt, and Owning Your Place. The collection brings together four personal reflections about leaving comfort, making consequential decisions, confronting imposter feelings, and learning to own your professional value.  📘 Purchase the Career Crossroads Collection: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/career-crossroads-collection-decisions-doubt-and-owning-your-place  For additional stories, deeper reflections, and behind-the-scenes context, join my Patreon community—including the free membership option.  Start at AnthonyReeves.com and choose the gateway that works best for you. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

At what point does sharing your experience become telling someone else how they should live? In my recent video, I told the story of a decision my mother made when I chose to attend the University of Tampa. She knew my choice could create financial difficulties. She knew I had other opportunities. And she knew that if she told me to choose another school, I probably would have listened. But she also knew what it felt like to have the direction of her own education changed by circumstances outside of her control. So she made a deliberate choice: She would give me guidance, but she wouldn’t make the decision for me. In this companion episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I want to take that story one step further. As members of Generation X—and simply as people who have accumulated decades of life and professional experience—we have knowledge worth sharing. But Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t entering the world we entered. Their economy is different. Their educational landscape is different. Their workplace is different. Their opportunities are different. So how do we give younger generations the benefit of what we’ve learned without handing them a roadmap for a world that no longer exists? Maybe the goal isn’t: “Do what I did.” Maybe it’s: “Here’s what I learned. Let’s figure out what still applies to the world you’re navigating.” 🎧 Listen as we explore the difference between experience, advice, influence and allowing the next generation to build a path of its own. GO DEEPER INTO THE ANTHONY REEVES EXPERIENCE 🎥 Watch the story that inspired this conversation: https://youtu.be/5mXm809vAOg Then explore The Anthony Reeves Experience through the links in my profile for additional videos, podcasts, written reflections, resources and deeper conversations. Experience gives us lessons. Wisdom is knowing how to pass them on without requiring someone else to live our life. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.