In this special episode from Costa Rica, I sit down with my first guest of the inaugural Man Overseas Retreat—Michael D’Albor. He’s one of the men who joined me for what was a truly memorable week in paradise.
“Dirty D” and I go way back—we were baseball teammates at Nicholls State University, and now, years later, we’ve reconnected for a much different chapter in our lives—I call it the best part.
Since our college days, Michael has earned an MBA, carved out a successful path in commercial banking, and was recently promoted to acquisition banker in 2023. But what truly sets him apart is the love and dedication he shows as a single father to his daughter, Jolie, who has special needs.
In this episode, Michael shares his early impressions of the Man O Retreat—the stunning house, the incredible food, and how surprisingly impactful the daily meditation sessions were. Though he’d only tried meditating a couple of times before, he says it’s already changing the way he thinks about stillness and reflection.
We also get into parenting philosophies, whether or not an MBA is still worth it, how pickleball is taking over the world, and much more.
Other topics discussed:
- Grounding & breathwork practices
- Initial impressions of Costa Rica
- Group dynamics & self-improvement
- Past coaches & mentorship
- Mike Tyson’s biography & Tupac
- Las Vegas experiences
- Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show
- Gender differences in attraction & vision
- First kiss & early relationships
- Comedy preferences (Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Nate Bargatze)
- Parenting & special needs daughter
- iPhone & AirPods upgrades
- Alcohol preferences & pricing
- Cocktail preferences & memories
- Thoughts on MBA value
- His graduate assistant experience
- Non-credit courses in college
- Global & societal changes since 2019
- Diversity & inclusion conversations
- Communication challenges abroad
- Government & public health criticism
- Alcohol & fitness lifestyle changes
- Pickleball vs. tennis
- Compliments & their impact
- Parenting praise & emotional moments
- Compliments on physical appearance
- Childhood athletic memories
- Work ethic of elite athletes
- Tariff negotiations & strategy
Questions asked:
- What are your initial impressions of Costa Rica?
- What are your thoughts so far of the Man Overseas Retreat?
- What did you think of the first morning here, when we were all together?
- What else did you get out of our meditation?
- What was your favorite part of that Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show?
- What do you remember of your first kiss?
- Are you using AirPods too?
- If you were a young, ambitious person in your 20s, would you recommend that they get an MBA?
- What were you a graduation assistant for?
Fun questions:
- If you could create a new holiday that celebrates some aspect of human nature, what would it be?
- If you could switch lives with somebody for one day, who would it be?
- What’s the coolest thing anybody’s ever done for you?
- What’s the most memorable negotiation you’ve had & what was your biggest takeaway?
- If you could turn any activity into an international thing–like an Olympic level sort of thing that you think that you’d be competitive in–what would that be?
- If Donald Trump asked for your best piece of advice, what would you tell him?
- If Diddy is guilty of everything he’s being accused of, what should his punishment be?
Connect with Michael:
- Instragram: @michaeldalbor
- Facebook: Michael D’Albor
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