From Homeland Security to Bed Builds: Dean Martin’s Mission to End Childhood Bed Poverty in Charleston

From Homeland Security to Bed Builds: Dean Martin’s Mission to End Childhood Bed Poverty in Charleston

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2512710/fan_mail/new] After a distinguished 37-year career in federal service — including time in the U.S. Air Force, Bureau of Prisons, and 28 years with U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Dean Martin retired in December 2025 and answered a new calling: ensuring no child in the Lowcountry has to sleep on the floor. In this powerful episode of Lowcountry Revolutionaries, Dean shares his journey of discovery of his passion for Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP). Hear how after volunteering at the 1,000th bed build in Frederick, Maryland, he knew this was the work he was meant to do next. Now serving as Fundraising Manager for the Charleston chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Dean is on a mission to build and deliver beds for children in need across the Lowcountry. It’s a story of service, reinvention, and community impact — proving it’s never too late to start something that truly matters. Dean opens up about the transition from structured government work to grassroots nonprofit leadership, the power of showing up, and why community service has become his post-retirement purpose. Resources Needed to Scale Impact: * Twin-size bedding and comforters * 2,500 sq ft warehouse space (or suitable storage) If you can help with donations, space, volunteers, or partnerships, reach out through the Charleston chapter: https://shpbeds.org/chapter/sc-charleston/ [https://shpbeds.org/chapter/sc-charleston/] https://linktr.ee/jackoc77 [https://linktr.ee/jackoc77] This episode is a reminder that the next generation of Lowcountry Revolutionaries isn’t just building businesses — some are building beds, dignity, and brighter futures for local kids. Intro pre-roll Outro post-roll Wear the Movement — Support NeoHERO Official Lowcountry Revolutionaries merch is now live: soft tees and sharp trucker caps built for dock walks, King Street hustles, and the everyday grind of building in Charleston. Every royalty is split with NeoHERO Foundation — our Lowcountry 501(c)(3) partner equipping first responders with neonatal resuscitation training and life-saving NeoPACK™ equipment. Wear the movement. Back the heroes who protect the tiniest lives. Help keep these raw founder stories free for qualified local entrepreneurs. Also available: Lowcountry Wisdom — the official book compiled from the best lessons on the show. Paperback & Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2KS5S71 👉 Shop the merch: https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement [https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement]

Delivering Hope: Crystal Bovell on Scaling Meals on Wheels of Summerville to Nourish Neighbors & Build Community

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2512710/fan_mail/new] In this heartfelt episode of Lowcountry Revolutionaries, Bill Billotte sits down with Crystal Bovell, the new Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Summerville. What began in 1982 as a grassroots effort by dedicated community leaders, clergy, and health professionals has grown into a vital Lowcountry lifeline—now delivering over 1,300 nutritious meals per week to homebound residents, along with friendly well-checks and meaningful personal connection. Crystal shares her real journey stepping in to lead and scale a beloved nonprofit with four decades of history: the challenges of consistent funding, volunteer recruitment and coordination, expanding reach in Summerville’s rapidly growing community, and adapting to the evolving needs of the Lowcountry. She dives into why proper nutrition remains essential for disease prevention and overall health, why the human connection is just as powerful as the meal itself, and the entrepreneurial mindset required to steer a mission-driven organization into its next era of impact. Whether you’re a founder, nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, or someone passionate about Lowcountry community, this episode is packed with practical lessons on persistence, partnership building, and creating lasting change—one meal, one neighbor, and one conversation at a time. Intro pre-roll Outro post-roll Wear the Movement — Support NeoHERO Official Lowcountry Revolutionaries merch is now live: soft tees and sharp trucker caps built for dock walks, King Street hustles, and the everyday grind of building in Charleston. Every royalty is split with NeoHERO Foundation — our Lowcountry 501(c)(3) partner equipping first responders with neonatal resuscitation training and life-saving NeoPACK™ equipment. Wear the movement. Back the heroes who protect the tiniest lives. Help keep these raw founder stories free for qualified local entrepreneurs. Also available: Lowcountry Wisdom — the official book compiled from the best lessons on the show. Paperback & Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2KS5S71 👉 Shop the merch: https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement [https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement]

Pitch Power in Spanglish: Roxana Massie on Honing 10-Minute Pitches for Latina Pitch Live

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2512710/fan_mail/new] In this powerful return episode of Lowcountry Revolutionaries, we welcome back bilingual marketing powerhouse Roxana Massie — Cumulus Media marketing consultant, founder of Spanglish Connector (powered by Spanglish Small Business Association), and creator of Latina Pitch Live. Roxana is gearing up for her high-impact Spanglish Connector Workshop on May 19th, where she’ll help entrepreneurs sharpen their pitches down to a crisp 10 minutes — the exact preparation needed to stand out and advance to the June Latina Pitch Live event. Whether you’re a bilingual founder, a first-time pitcher, or someone ready to bridge cultures and command the room, this conversation delivers raw, actionable insights on storytelling, confidence, cultural fluency, and turning your idea into an irresistible pitch that investors and partners can’t ignore. Roxana shares lessons from building Spanglish Connector, the power of authentic representation in the Lowcountry entrepreneurial ecosystem, and why showing up prepared in your own voice changes everything. Intro pre-roll Outro post-roll Support the show [https://donorbox.org/lowcountry-revolutionaries] Wear the Movement — Support NeoHERO Official Lowcountry Revolutionaries merch is now live: soft tees and sharp trucker caps built for dock walks, King Street hustles, and the everyday grind of building in Charleston. Every royalty is split with NeoHERO Foundation — our Lowcountry 501(c)(3) partner equipping first responders with neonatal resuscitation training and life-saving NeoPACK™ equipment. Wear the movement. Back the heroes who protect the tiniest lives. Help keep these raw founder stories free for qualified local entrepreneurs. Also available: Lowcountry Wisdom — the official book compiled from the best lessons on the show. Paperback & Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2KS5S71 👉 Shop the merch: https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement [https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement]

From Controller to Connector: Roxana Massie’s Resilient Return with Spanglish Connector & Latina Pitch Live powered by Spanglish Small Business Association

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2512710/fan_mail/new] After more than 20 years as a finance and accounting leader—including her role as Plant Controller at a Charleston manufacturing facility—Roxana Massie walked away from corporate stability in late 2021 after losing her job to chase entrepreneurship. Then life hit hard: health challenges, a serious car accident, and circumstances that forced her to close the business she had poured everything into. In this raw and inspiring conversation, Roxana shares the painful setbacks, the lessons from rebuilding after losing it all, and her powerful comeback. Today she’s a bilingual marketing consultant with Cumulus Media, founder of Spanglish Connector (powered by the Spanglish Small Business Association), and the creator of Latina Pitch Live—a platform designed to help not just the Latino entrepreneurship market but also  other underrepresented small business founders to pitch, scale, and thrive in the Lowcountry and beyond. Bill and Roxana talk about the real cost of entrepreneurship, the importance of community for bilingual and multicultural founders, and how she’s turning personal adversity into a movement that lifts up the next wave of Chucktown startups. If you’ve ever had to start over—professionally or personally—this episode will remind you why resilience, connection, and the right support system are everything in the Lowcountry entrepreneurial journey. Key Topics: * Transitioning from corporate finance to full-time entrepreneurship * Navigating health setbacks, business closure, and rebuilding * Building Spanglish Connector and Latina Pitch Live for underrepresented founders * The power of bilingual marketing and community in Charleston’s startup ecosystem Intro pre-roll Outro post-roll Wear the Movement — Support NeoHERO Official Lowcountry Revolutionaries merch is now live: soft tees and sharp trucker caps built for dock walks, King Street hustles, and the everyday grind of building in Charleston. Every royalty is split with NeoHERO Foundation — our Lowcountry 501(c)(3) partner equipping first responders with neonatal resuscitation training and life-saving NeoPACK™ equipment. Wear the movement. Back the heroes who protect the tiniest lives. Help keep these raw founder stories free for qualified local entrepreneurs. Also available: Lowcountry Wisdom — the official book compiled from the best lessons on the show. Paperback & Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2KS5S71 👉 Shop the merch: https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement [https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement]

From Farm Kid to Bed Revolution: Luke Mickelson on Building Sleep in Heavenly Peace and the Power of Humans Helping Humans

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2512710/fan_mail/new] In this powerful episode of Lowcountry Revolutionaries, Bill Billotte sits down with Luke Mickelson, founder and Executive Director of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) — the global nonprofit on a mission to ensure no child sleeps on the floor in our towns. Luke grew up as a hardworking farm kid in Kimberly, Idaho, where community, character, and service were a way of life. That foundation led him to launch SHP in 2012 with a simple but profound idea: every kid deserves a bed. What started as one act of kindness has exploded into a worldwide movement with more than 400 chapters across 47 U.S. states and 4 countries, delivering over 400,000 beds to children in need. Luke shares the raw journey — from coaching youth and mentoring leaders to scaling a volunteer-powered nonprofit that’s been featured on Mike Rowe’s Returning the Favor, CNN Heroes (Top 10), NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, The Today Show, People Magazine, and even American Ninja Warrior. His “Humans Helping Humans” philosophy continues to inspire thousands to take action in their own communities. Whether you’re a founder, nonprofit leader, or someone who believes in community-driven impact, this conversation is packed with lessons on turning passion into purpose, building scalable movements, and creating massive change through small, consistent acts of service. Sleep in Heavenly Peace 🔗 Learn more & get involved: https://shpbeds.org [https://shpbeds.org] Intro pre-roll Outro post-roll Wear the Movement — Support NeoHERO Official Lowcountry Revolutionaries merch is now live: soft tees and sharp trucker caps built for dock walks, King Street hustles, and the everyday grind of building in Charleston. Every royalty is split with NeoHERO Foundation — our Lowcountry 501(c)(3) partner equipping first responders with neonatal resuscitation training and life-saving NeoPACK™ equipment. Wear the movement. Back the heroes who protect the tiniest lives. Help keep these raw founder stories free for qualified local entrepreneurs. Also available: Lowcountry Wisdom — the official book compiled from the best lessons on the show. Paperback & Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2KS5S71 👉 Shop the merch: https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement [https://launcheforce.com/shop/lowcountry-revolutionaries/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=episode_shownotes&utm_campaign=neohero-partnership-2026&utm_content=wear-the-movement]