Known Through Connection with Jess Collicott

17: Cancer, a Business, and the People Who Kept Me Going with Jason Hamer

Jason Hamer was three years into building Hamer Business Toolbox with his wife Katie when a multiple myeloma diagnosis arrived on top of everything else he was already carrying. He kept doing client calls from his hospital bed, showed up for his daughters one small moment at a time, and leaned on the people who refused to let him face it alone. This is a conversation about the values of authenticity and understanding that held him through all of it, and what he would say to anyone who feels like the hard things just keep coming.

16: Leave Nothing to the Grave with Deion Wells-Ross

Deion Wells-Ross grew up in the inner city of Omaha navigating environments shaped by gun violence, gang activity, and limited horizons. Nobody sat him down and told him he could build a different life. He had to figure that out himself. What followed is a story about pattern recognition, unlearning, and the kind of choosing that does not happen once but over and over again across years. It includes walking into a coach's office as a complete stranger days before the school year started, earning a spot on a team that would go on to win a national championship at Nebraska Wesleyan, and eventually building a career at the intersection of human development and technology. Then, on January 1st, 2024, life dropped a different kind of adversity on him. A multiple sclerosis diagnosis. And Deion made a decision: he was not taking anything to the grave. In this conversation, Deion and host Jess Collicott talk about what it actually takes to walk away from the life your environment scripted for you, the painful and often unspoken process of unlearning, what made a national championship team great, and how the adversity equation, E plus P equals R, has shaped the way Deion approaches everything, including MS. This is Episode 16 of Known Through Connection. Leave Nothing to the Grave. Real People. Worth Connecting.

15: Christy Johnston | Love Your People. Watch Them Win.

Christy Johnston spent years as a Chief People Officer at one of the fastest-growing companies in her industry and never lost her humanity. In this conversation, we talk about what it actually looks like to love your people well through hard seasons, including layoffs, and why the leaders doing it right today are about to pull away from everyone else. Connect with Christy Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christyjohnstonomaha/] on LinkedIn or at magneticcultures.com [https://magneticcultures.com/].

14: Give Yourself Grace (with Erin Clark + Angie Hanson)

In this episode, I’m joined by Erin Clark and Angie Hanson, two returning guests who have also become friends behind the scenes. This conversation is honest and grounding, grief, strength, and giving yourself grace when life feels heavy. Angie and Erin share about the “both and,” how people can be strong and still feel fragile, and why giving yourself grace is not a cliché, it’s a practice. If you are carrying loss, supporting someone who is, or simply navigating a hard season, this episode is a steady reminder: you are allowed to be human. In this episode, we talk about: * The unexpected way Angie and Erin connected through the show * “Strong” and “fragile” living in the same person * Why grief changes you, but does not erase you * How to hold space for yourself and for others * Giving yourself grace, especially when you feel behind Links Erin Clark, How’s the Weather: https://www.hows-the-weather.com/ [In this episode, I’m joined by Erin Clark and Angie Hanson, two returning guests who have also become friends behind the scenes. This conversation is honest and grounding, grief, strength, and giving yourself grace when life feels heavy.] Angie Hanson, Butterflies and Halos: https://butterfliesandhalos.com/ [https://butterfliesandhalos.com/]

13: Stronger in Every Way with Creighton Clewis

In this episode, Creighton Clewis shares a story of strength that reaches far beyond the gym. Her journey started in a season marked by loss, grief, and questions about identity and worth. Through faith, community, and a commitment to healing, Creighton has become stronger in every part of her life. We talk about the connection between inner transformation and outer change, how to build healthy relationships, and what it looks like to reframe negative thoughts and rebuild your sense of self. Creighton opens up about grief, mental health, community support, and the role her faith is playing as she moves forward with clarity and purpose. This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck, anyone navigating a hard season, or anyone searching for the higher version of themselves. Creighton’s honesty and strength offer a grounded reminder that healing is possible and that you do not have to walk your journey alone. Special thank you to Tim Rexius, Brittney Rexius, and Nick Langer for welcoming us into Iron Heaven Gym and allowing us to record this episode there. Their gym community has been an important part of Creighton’s journey. Connect with Iron Heaven: https://ironheavenomaha.com/ [https://ironheavenomaha.com/] Connect with Creighton on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myy__sunshine__/ [https://www.instagram.com/myy__sunshine__/] Thank you for listening to Known Through Connection. Subscribe or follow for more conversations about presence, identity, and the relationships that help us grow.