On this powerful episode of Work, Time, and Effort, host Chris Markowski welcomes Dr. Scott Anderson of the Addiction Recovery Care Center of Tampa—a man whose extraordinary life story defies every defeatist narrative about the American dream.

Dr. Anderson’s journey begins in poverty on the south side of Chicago and unfolds through years of domestic violence, instability, hunger, and abandonment. As a teenager, he endured juvenile lockup, chronic depression, and academic failure. By his early 20s, he was homeless in Tampa—sleeping in his car, eating out of garbage bins, and moments away from ending his life.

But everything changed the night he paused before pulling the trigger.

That moment sparked an epiphany—one that pushed him to rebuild from nothing. With no support, no money, and no guidance, Dr. Anderson clawed his way back: returning to school, discovering undiagnosed learning disabilities, earning degrees all the way up to a PhD in psychology, and becoming a licensed mental health professional. Today, he runs one of Florida’s leading outpatient addiction and mental-health clinics, dedicating his life to helping others escape the same darkness he once lived in.

This episode is a raw, emotional, and deeply inspiring look at resilience, faith, personal responsibility, and the power of human potential. If you've ever doubted your ability to move forward, Dr. Anderson’s story is a reminder that adversity can be a launching pad—not a life sentence.

Watchdog on Wallstreet: https://watchdogonwallstreet.com/

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Brian Gordon’s life story is a powerful testament to resilience, purpose and unwavering commitment. A US Marine veteran, Brian is no stranger to smoke – both on the battlefield and in business. His motivation to start Tactical Society Gear & Security Inc was born from personal tragedy: the murder of his brother, Vernon Gordon. This devastating loss fueled his mission to ensure that no one else would have to endure the pain he felt. He became a strong advocate for responsible gun ownership, believing every American should be equipped and empowered to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.

Through his companies –Tactical Society and Guns & Gars – Brian has channeled that mission into action. Tactical society offers top-quality firearms and tactical gear to law-abiding citizens, while guns & gars represents his expansion into a different kind of smoke: premium cigars.

Guns & gars boldly entered the cigar industry with the 2nd amendment cigar collection, a distinctive line that fuses luxury with liberty. This unique brand and blend not only reflects Brian's bold personality, taste for refinement, and cool-under-fire demeanor, but also proudly celebrates the second amendment of the United States constitution.

Brian's ventures have brought him financial freedom, but more importantly, they’ve allowed him to honor his brother’s memory and advocate for the principles he holds dear – preparedness, patriotism, and personal responsibility.

Watchdog on Wallstreet: https://watchdogonwallstreet.com/

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His teacher once said, “Cosimo, being dyslexic and having learning disabilities, you can’t go that far, you have to adapt!”

Now a world-renowned expert in advanced learning techniques, memory improvement, brain optimization, and accelerated learning, Cosimo has proved that learning difficulties are no constraint to becoming successful and that his teacher needs to improve his motivational skills. He has used his expertise as a brain coach to students, seniors, entrepreneurs, and educators for over twelve years.

Born and bred in the south of Italy, he moved to the US with his wife and never looked back. In fact, within four weeks of migrating, he held his first course on the techniques he used to learn English in just two weeks, drawing on his studies concerning learning styles and techniques that consisted of 6,000 words and grammar rules.

He is considered a learning expert in his field with master-level qualifications in Mind Maps, Speed Reading, Micro-Facial Expressions, Team-building, Public Speaking, Effective Communication, Goal Setting, Decision-making, Personal Development, Time Management, and Memory Techniques.

Co-Creator of the Genius in 21 Days course, available in 50+ countries with over 520 face-to-face and 600 virtual classes delivered every year, his impact on the student community has reached epic proportions.

In his free time, he enjoys the simple things in life; reading, meditating, traveling, spending quality time with family and playing hide-and-seek with his wonderful two-year-old daughter, providing both stimulation and relaxation to the mind – the most powerful tool in the world.

Watchdog on Wallstreet: https://watchdogonwallstreet.com/

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