Story & Lesson Highlights with Fabian Reyes of Phoenix

We recently had the chance to connect with Fabian Reyes and have shared our conversation below.

Fabian, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Being around my circle and loved ones, I truly believe the people in my life bring out the best in me, whether it’s creatively, spiritually, or through acts of service.

Sometimes, I can get too caught up in my work and the goals that I have, and the people in my life ground me.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
First and foremost, I’m a 28-year-old living a blessed life—thankful to God who’s opened doors for me, and loved by a very kind family. In my day-to-day, I’m a marketing generalist who works full-time and manages a lifestyle brand that was established in 2018 called Blessed Humble Determined (BHD).

As a kid, I always enjoyed being outside and around sports. My parents were very athletic and both played high school sports. My dad went on to play Division I college baseball and became a coach a few years after he graduated. I have a sister who’s four years younger than me—she played junior college softball as an infielder. As for me, I played college baseball for three years.

The only thing readers need to know about me is that my family is everything. They are the reason I’m in this exact spot in my life.

For anyone who wants to hear my full story, I strongly encourage you to check out my podcast show, which you can stream on Apple Podcasts and YouTube, called BHD or the Blessed Humble Determined podcast.

The main turning point in my life so far was when I was a junior in college and decided to walk away from being a college athlete to start figuring out my true purpose. I was 21 years old, living at home, and I felt defeated, embarrassed, and confused about what my calling in life was. I was working three jobs, going to school full-time, and trying to save up as much money as possible so I could get out of my hometown.

The only real plan I had—the only conviction I knew for sure—was that I wanted to move to Phoenix, AZ.

Then, a few weeks later, on a Friday or Saturday morning around 2:30 a.m., I found myself up all night with a blank journal page open. I had written the words:
“Who am I as a person?”
Mind you, this was something I had never done before, but I just felt the push to give it a shot.

And finally, three words came to mind. I wrote them down:
I am blessed. Live to be humble. And always determined to finish what I started.
BHD.

BHD was first brought to life as a podcast show, introduced at my college radio station KRUX. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies with a minor in marketing, but I had no clue or even a desire to start my own podcast at the time.

I got a job at KRUX in the spring of my junior year because I wanted to get experience with some kind of media, just to give myself a shot at landing a job when I moved to Arizona. About a month in, I was asked to put together one podcast episode and one blog post every other week.

Needless to say, I fell in love—not just with the production side of it, but with the ability to bring guests on and watch their life stories come to life. That brought me joy. It brought me fulfillment.

Fast forward almost 7 years later—we’ve now completed 5 podcast seasons, launched a talk show that’s 15 episodes in, and started a segment that’s also 15 deep.

And the best part of all—BHD is finally a family.

I want to give a very special introduction to our photographer, Deshawn Goodman, who I met this past year. In my opinion he is one of the most underrated photographers in the valley, and captures some amazing content. He’s the little brother of the group, but man—his work ethic and heart are full of nothing but positivity. I’m truly blessed to call him a brother, and I can’t wait to see him grow—both in his craft and as a man.

And lastly, Julian Robertson.

I met Julian almost a year and a half ago. We had talked early on about possibly collaborating on something with BHD. I ran into him a couple of times out in the city, and eventually, we locked in a meeting and recorded for the first time back in 2024.

Since then, we’ve been meeting every week for almost a year now—putting out real, genuine content for young men to use as a guide on their journey through life.

I appreciate this brother so much. He’s one of the most sincere, honest, and principled dudes I’ve ever met. He’s taught me a lot in the short time we’ve become family, and watching him do his thing with his music is truly amazing.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I will remember this moment for the rest of my life. I was 19 years old, sitting in a coach’s office in college, waiting to find out whether or not I made the roster for the spring season.

At this point in my life, I was a lost young man—trying to figure out who I was, surviving off ego, and just doing my best to fit in with a bunch of guys who all seemed like they had their lives figured out.

Mind you, this was the same school where my dad played his college ball for five years. So to even have the opportunity to experience a small piece of that felt like a dream come true.

But there I was, sitting in that chair. Nervous. Not really knowing what was about to be said. The only thing I did know for sure was that I had a great fall season—way better than my freshman year—and I had done everything I could to give myself the best shot at making the team.

If someone asked me to describe my life from the time I was born to the moment I sat in that chair, I’d say it was spoon-fed. It was full of love, care, joy—and honestly, just being good at everything I did. My parents were still together, and I had never really faced any major adversity… until now.

After a little small talk, the moment came. The news that would shape how I viewed life, and myself, forever.
The exact words were:
“Man, you did everything right. You performed well. You worked your butt off. But unfortunately… we just can’t keep you, man. Tell your dad I’m sorry.”

What people need to know about me is—I’ve always lived under my dad’s shadow. Growing up, I was always Reyes’s kid. I was constantly compared to him in every sport I played, and it only got worse the older I got.

The issue for me wasn’t that I didn’t make the team.
The real issue was that even when I finally felt like I was doing something for myself—building my own legacy, without my dad as my coach—and actually succeeding at it… my dad still got brought into the picture.
As if it was his doing that got me to that moment.

It ruined me.

I experienced so many firsts during that time.
My first time feeling depressed.
My first time feeling anxiety.
My first time questioning if I was actually good at the sport I truly loved.

So how did that moment shape how I see the world today?

I believe nothing in life is fair. You have to go after everything with the right intentions, real passion, and the discipline to work hard—consistently—even when you don’t see a return on investment.

But most importantly:
If you move through life with a kind heart, real purpose, and a soul that’s grounded…
You will get everything meant for you.
It might not come now.
It might not come tomorrow.
But it will come—right on time.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say—keep living a joyful life.

I remember as a kid, I was always full of joy and happiness. Waking up each day felt like it was a field trip day. I remember finding joy in anything I did.

Everything felt new. Everything felt fun. And no matter what was going on, I always found a reason to smile.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Live a humbled life.

What a lot of people don’t know is that BHD isn’t just three characteristics I came up with because they sounded good. They’re three foundational pillars my parents worked hard to instill in us from a young age.

If I had to use one word to describe my life so far, it would be humbling.

There was a time—especially as a teenager and in college—where I carried myself in an ugly way. Full of ego. Insecure. I truly believe God had a plan, and that playing baseball was doing more harm to my identity and purpose than helping it.

So He stripped me of the one thing I knew I was really good at—and broke me down so I could learn how to see life from the ground up.

If baseball had worked out the way I wanted, I wouldn’t be here.
I wouldn’t have started my own podcast.
I wouldn’t have launched a brand.
And I wouldn’t have done the deep, honest work to develop who I really am as a man.

We all get humbled in life.
But only some of us choose to evolve—and walk ourselves through ego death.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I want to be clear—I’m a guy who struggles and is flawed like anyone else. I don’t have all the answers, and I’ve made mistakes that have hurt people before.

But if there’s one thing I hope people say about me when I’m gone, it’s that I was a man of service. I did my best to show up for people when they needed me.

Whether it was money, time, or just being a good listener—I always tried to stretch myself to be of service to the people in my life, and even to strangers I came across.

Every day, my goal is to offer 1–2 selfless acts. Whether it’s holding a door open for someone, or now and then paying for someone’s meal—I try to stay grounded in small things that make a big difference.

I feel most alive when I’m helping someone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/@blessedhumbledetermined
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepgrwng/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blessedhumbledetermined

Image Credits
Deshawn Goodman