Theo's Coffee Break Podcast
Theo’s Coffee Break is a soulful conversation series where Grand Rapids, Michigan community leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives share the stories behind their success.
Hosted by Theo B. (aka Shin Hoo Yong), the show blends purpose-driven interviews, spiritual insights, and heart-centered storytelling. This podcast was created as a way to share the experience with the listener to explore the world around us and how we connect within it, together.
Every episode is recorded with the intention that at Theo’s coffee table everyone is welcome.
Come for the connection. Stay for the clarity. The coffee’s always on, ready to pour, and my door is always open to you.
Episodes
24 episodes
Justice, Ego, and the Power of Truth
In this solo episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I open up about something we’ve all faced: false narratives.When people are hurt, the healthy response is to seek distance and protect themselves. But when ego takes over, stories get...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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7:40
Akanke’s Room: Where Words Become Witness with Shayna Akanke Marie
In this episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I sit down with thee Shayna “Akanke” Marie who is a poet, art activist, creative entrepreneur, and quiet force behind so many of Grand Rapids’ truth-telling spaces.As the founder of Aka...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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52:06
What a Coffee Break Really Means to Me (In Memory of Grandma & Grandpa VanderVeen)
For me, a coffee break has never been just about coffee...I've always seen it as another way to connect with family, catch up with friends, or even connect within the community, workplace, or even with myself.In this reflective so...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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8:16
Stop Keeping Score: Love, Control, and Emotional Freedom
Have you ever felt like you couldn’t do anything right like no matter how hard you tried you were made to feel like you are never enough?This episode was created for the ones who’ve been micromanaged in love, guilted by those the...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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11:36
The Sound of Honey Falling: Faith, Identity & the Poetry of Becoming with Alexis Stark
In this episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, Theo sits down with Alexis Stark who is a journalist, poet, educator, and West Michigan creative to talk about the intersections of faith, queerness, and storytelling.Alexis shares the hea...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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1:05:54
Pull Up a Chair: An Open Invitation to Join Theo’s Coffee Break
This episode is an open invitation straight from Theo of Theo's Coffee Break.If you’ve been listening to Theo’s Coffee Break and thought, “I’d love to share my story, too” this is your sign. Theo is inviting liste...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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2:13
A Day in the Life of a Soulful Entrepreneur
In this solo episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be your own boss.Entrepreneurship comes with the promise of freedom, your own schedule, and the power to call your own shots. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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13:00
Mad Ethnic, Real Stories: Daveed Benoit on Film, Community & Creative Legacy
In this powerful episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, Theo sits down with filmmaker, community builder, and creative visionary Daveed Benoit.Together, Theo and Daveed explore:The roots of Daveed’s artistic journey<...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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1:04:14
Building a Brand Like a Garden
What if branding wasn’t just about business, but about planting something meaningful?In today’s solo episode, we’re diving into what it truly takes to build a brand that feels alive, aligned, and rooted in purpose. From defining...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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8:39
Your Life Has Already Begun
What if the life you’re waiting for… is already happening?In this solo episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, Theo shares a deeply personal journey of self-worth, identity, and the myth of “arrival.” If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll final...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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7:40
From BTS Fan to Business Owner: Christine Hang’s Creative Entrepreneurial Journey
In today’s episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I’m joined by one of my dearest friends Christine Hang.She is a creator and founder of Honeycee Shop, loyal BTS fan, and an inspiration of all things regarding building community, monet...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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51:58
At Theo’s Coffee Table, Your Words Matter
Today’s episode is a love letter from my coffee table to yours.This is for the quiet listener, the kind commenter, the presence felt in every email, DM, and voice note.Your words have reminded me why this coffee table exists.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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3:51
The Cost of Choosing Happiness
In this honest solo episode, Theo invites you to sit at the coffee table for a raw reflection on what it really costs to choose your own happiness and why so many people try to talk you out of it.Through personal stories and rea...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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10:19
Music Industry, Diversity & Sharing Creative Truth: Chris Cutting of Chris Cutting Music
In this episode, Theo sits down with Chris Cutting who is a composer, producer, and creative collaborator. Theo and Chris talk about what it means to carve out your own lane in the music industry while Chris shares insights from co-...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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51:52
Music AI: How Tech is Reshaping Sound
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the future of music from songwriting and production to the way we discover and share songs.In this solo deep dive, Theo explores the fascinating (and sometimes controversial) role of AI in music. Is i...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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9:19
Join the Coffee Table: Be Our Guest (Yes, You!)
Hey you! Yes, you! Have you been listening to Theo’s Coffee Break and wondering what it’s like to sit at the table with me?This episode is a personal invitation for you to come be a guest on the podcast. Whether you’ve ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:43
Mental Gridlock: Get Out of Your Head, and Back Into Your Life!
Have you ever felt stuck in a loop of thoughts that just won’t stop? Like your mind is going 100 mph, but your spirit is begging you to pause?In today’s episode, I’m talking about the all-too-familiar experience of mental gridlock:&n...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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11:23
Because I Saw You Do It First: Why Representation Matters
This episode is a heart-on-the-sleeve reflection on why visibility isn’t vanity, it’s healing.From growing up as a queer, Korean-born transracial adoptee with no mirrors or reflections to follow, to now choosing each day to become that m...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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9:16
The Doula, The Advocate for Justice, The Abolitionist: Kylia Joyce of You Are Seen Doula Services
In this heart-centered conversation, Kylia Joyce joins Theo at the coffee table to share what it means to be a doula and an abolitionist, leading with tenderness through her company, You Are Seen Doula Services. With...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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37:47
Donald Trump, Discernment, and the Danger of Charisma
What happens when we stop blindly following charisma and start asking harder questions about power, influence, and emotional manipulation? This solo episode explores how cultural figures like Donald Trump expose deeper truths about ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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7:21
God, Positive Thinking, and What It Really Means to Be Discerning
In this solo episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I explore the tension between faith, toxic positivity, and real spiritual discernment.What does it mean to be a person of hope without bypassing the hard stuff? How do we stay grounde...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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8:37
The Calling, the Church, and the Courage to Question: Rev. Ellen Schoepf of Edgewood Lutheran Church
In this episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I sit down with Rev. Ellen Schoepf, a pastor, thinker, and spiritual leader unafraid to speak truth in tender places. Together, we explore the evolving role of the church, what it mea...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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44:37
What is a Coffee Break?
Welcome to the coffee table at Theo’s Coffee Break: a podcast where meaningful stories, soulful reflection, and real connection are always on the menu. ☕In this early episode of Season One, we explore the history of the classic coffee br...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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7:46
Welcome to the Coffee Table (Theme Song)
Before any stories are told, before any coffee is poured, lets get centered and grounded in sound.This is the official theme song of Theo’s Coffee Break, composed with deep presence and love by me, Shin Hoo Yong aka Theo, and my...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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1:30
