Damon Dunn: From Poverty to the NFL to CEO (ep. 784)

Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

John O'Leary

Self-improvement, Bestsellingauthor, Education, Dailyinspiration, Society & Culture, Liveinspired, Johnoleary, Inspiration, Joebuck, Inspiredliving, Onfire, Relationships

4.9 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 12 June 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Damon Dunn is a former NFL wide receiver, Stanford scholar, powerhouse entrepreneur, and a man who never forgot where he came from. Raised by his grandparents in a trailer with ten people, Damon grew up boiling bathwater on the stove, eating mayonnaise sandwiches, and sleeping three to a bed. Today, he’s a successful CEO, real estate developer, founder of multiple businesses, and a leader committed to serving those facing the same uphill battles he once did.

In this conversation, Damon shares how watching a Dallas Cowboys game as an 8-year-old boy sparked a vision that carried him out of poverty and into a life of purpose. He opens up about growing up without his parents, losing family members to prison, and the hope that carried him through. He talks candidly about the identity crisis that followed his NFL career, how he rebuilt his career from the ground up, and the leadership values that continue to guide him as a father, CEO, and difference-maker.

My friends, if you’ve ever felt stuck in your circumstances, like your dreams are too far out of reach… or if you're just ready for a shot of bold, heart-centered inspiration, this conversation is for you. You’ll walk away feeling more hopeful, more focused, and more ready to chase what’s possible.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You know that Keeley companies is all about fostering the world-class culture through their incredible cultural pillars.
0:07.5	Well, it was time to add a seventh cultural pillar, Kewley Green.
0:12.5	Guided by the mission to raise the sustainability standards by which they design, build, operate, and live.
0:18.8	Keeley Green is dedicated to using a holistic approach to leave a positive impact on our
0:24.6	environment, create a future that is sustainable for generations to come.
0:29.4	In the words of Rusty Keeley, we are just getting started.
0:34.3	You can learn more about that just getting started mentality and all the work they do
0:38.7	by visiting my friends at Keeley Companies online at keelie Companies.com.
0:46.4	Welcome to the Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary. John is the number one national bestselling
0:53.2	author of the book On Fire. He's a world-class
0:56.0	inspirational speaker, and he's the host of the Live-inspired podcast. John interviews extraordinary
1:01.5	individuals on their life story so that you can wake up from accidental living and more
1:07.5	fully live your life story. Here's your host, John O'Leary. Well, hello, my friends,
1:14.2	and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast with John O'Leary. Today's guest is going to absolutely
1:22.0	inspire you to live more fully in your life. I love this guy. I love his story. So let me tell you more about
1:29.5	why. Damon Dunn is a former NFL wide receiver. He's a Stanford scholar. He's a powerhouse
1:37.4	entrepreneur and a man who never forgot where he came from. Raised by his grandparents in a trailer with 10 other people living there,
1:49.0	Damon grew up boiling bathwater on the stove, eating mayonnaise sandwiches for food, and sleeping
1:54.2	three per bed. Today, though, he is a successful CEO. He's a real estate developer.
2:05.2	He's founder of multiple businesses and a leader committed to serving those facing similar uphill battles that he once faced.
2:08.8	In this conversation, Damon shares how an eight-year-old boy watching a Dallas Cowboys game
2:14.7	sparked a vision in his mind and heart that carried him out of poverty
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 12 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John O'Leary, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of John O'Leary and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.