Pops and Son Conversations
Join US Air Force Veteran, Presidential Achievement Award Recipient, author, philanthropist, and social media influencer, Rob Malloy, and his son, author and model, Javan Anderson, as they navigate the generation gap with humor and heart.
On this podcast, Rob and Javan tackle a wide range of topics – from life lessons and fatherhood to current events and pop culture – offering a unique blend of old-school wisdom and new-school perspectives. Expect lively debates, unexpected insights, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Tune in to Pops and Son Conversations and discover:
- Candid conversations: Rob and Javan share their honest thoughts and experiences, providing a refreshing take on intergenerational relationships.
- Diverse perspectives: Hear how Rob's traditional values intersect with Javan's modern outlook, creating dynamic and engaging discussions.
- Humor and heart: Enjoy a show that's both entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving you with a smile and something to ponder.
Subscribe now and join the conversation!
Pops and Son Conversations
Celebrating A Year Of Podcasts While Owning The Hard Work Behind Creativity, Leadership, And Mental Health
Year one wasn’t luck—it was repetition, accountability, and a stubborn belief that our voices matter. We celebrate the milestone and tell the truth about the work: the late edits, the topic droughts, and the decision to keep publishing when novelty wore off. That honesty sets the stage for what changed our pace—delegation, better systems, and a CEO mindset that puts mission and team above ego.
We get specific about the craft. Acting sharpened discipline and feedback loops. Poetry moved from open mics to headlining sets with real audiences and higher stakes. Journalism refined our questions and storytelling, feeding back into tighter, more focused conversations. We share how to keep content fresh without chasing noise: build from lived experience, rotate angles on core themes, and let formats evolve while values stay firm. The result is a stronger creative engine and a clearer path to growth.
Then we go deeper on men’s mental health and the real cost of being a protector and provider. Where do men rest? What’s fair reciprocity at home? We argue for peace as a standard, not a luxury—alongside home-cooked care, empathy, and shared emotional labor. Conflict resolution isn’t a trait, it’s a trainable skill, and we outline practices that reduce heat and increase respect. We also confront transactional family dynamics, from one-way check-ins to money-first calls, and offer healthier patterns rooted in boundaries and presence.
Looking ahead, we’re building out our romance-and-finance lane, where relationships meet money, decision-making, and long-term stability. Expect more practical tools, more honest talk, and more crossover between love and leadership. If you’ve been rocking with us, thank you for the consistency. If you’re new, welcome to the conversation. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs this, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What part of this hit you hardest? We want to hear your story.
Keeping Veterans Fit, Inc.
Keepingveteransfit.org
Please follow Pops and Son Conversations on the website, popsandsonconversations.com, and social media @popsandsonconversations
Welcome to another episode of Pops and Son Conversations. And yes, it is your favorite Silver Fox Rob.
SPEAKER_00:It's your favorite poet, J Ven aka check three times.
SPEAKER_01:There it is. What's up, Jay? How you feeling, man?
SPEAKER_00:What up, Pops? Yeah, I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good. How about you?
SPEAKER_01:I'm good, man. I'm good. I'm excited about uh where we're at in 2026. And uh the big announcement that we have to say on this particular episode, if you guys did not know, we are one year in our Pops and Son Conversations podcast. Uh we we need to get the the clapping noise, man. We gotta start getting some of these. Yeah, yeah, we need a round of applause. Yeah, yeah, we gotta get that, man. Uh Jay, man, we're we're one year in. I'm excited to be able to embark on this journey with you. And man, it's been really, really cool because, you know, when we talked about it just conceptually, you know, it it seemed like it was gonna be a tough task, you know, going uphill with something like this, but the experience has been pretty cool, man. How do you feel so far?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, honestly, I'm thinking like just how fast the time went by. Like, I really cannot even believe that it's been a whole year since we've been consistently putting these podcasts out, having these conversations. I mean, the time really flew by, but you know, I feel good. I feel like the the conversations that we had have made impact. You know, I talked to people who've listened to the podcast and they tell me that, you know, they love to hear what we talk about and they're getting some gems and things like that when we do have these, even the tough conversations and things like that. So I mean, I'm amazed and I'm super excited to keep to keep the ball rolling and keep pushing.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I agree with you on that. It it has been a great experience. You know, there's been some challenges. I I think when you uh have a brand and you, you know, you embark on adding something to your brand, something like a podcast, there is a commitment level, right? You know, so right now as we continue to do the podcast and as we work on the show and as we do other content and all these other projects that we have, you know, individually and collectively, you know, you you want to be able to ensure that you have that consistency. So, you know, I'm really thankful that you know we have a really good team. Um, you know, Nikki's been instrumental, so we appreciate her, you know, you and your consistency and really just kind of making sure that we stay on tasks because I mean when we're in the stew, you know what y'all still say stew?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_01:So when you're in the stew, man, you you still, you know, it's it's still working. You still want to be professional, but you want to have fun, you want to be impactful, you want to get the job done, and things like that. Um, but man, that consistency is is no joke. So I'm glad that we are, you know, once a week. So imagine if we were several times a week, man, trying to get this done. And you know, we'll build to that, but uh man, it is definitely not for the week. When they say there's a saturation of podcasts and and uh and different, you know, on different platforms and things like that, man. I think everybody's voice is important. Yeah. We have to we have to continue to push that because why would we stop talking when we're just now starting to really exercise our rights of uh, you know, um freedom of speech?
SPEAKER_00:You know, that's crazy that you say that. I actually have a poem about exercising our right, you know, for freedom of speech and things like that. Um I'll probably get to uh get to perform it soon, but yeah, when we talk about podcasts and just the landscape, it's not it's not easy. Like there's you know, I so let me take it back. When we were conceptualizing this, you know how I already told you, like, this is one of the things I wanted to do. Like, I'm an avid podcast listener. I've always thought about doing podcasts and kind of hearing my voice or being the voice, having my my voice be heard. But since we started, a lot of the podcasts that I listened to have ended.
SPEAKER_01:Dang.
SPEAKER_00:And that just goes to show, like you said, like the consistency is important, but it's tough. Yo, it's tough to keep on finding things to talk about, trying to attack things from different angles and figure out how to, you know, maneuver through different topics or oh, people they they don't want to listen to this. They already heard this and that. You know what I mean? So, you know, I'm just grateful that we always got something fresh. We always are able to you know to reinvent the wheel and just keep keep coming at the audience with thought-provoking topics and conversations, you know what I mean? Because, man, it's it's definitely tough. We still in the game, though.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we in the game. We just warming up, you know. Um, speaking of, you know, in the game, uh, you know, kind of recapping not just the the podcast life that we've had for uh a year now, but like what are some of the projects that you set out to do that you actually started, you know, working on and you know, kind of getting into your zone. Like what are some of the things that you that you've accomplished in this last year that you set out to do, Jeff?
SPEAKER_00:Oh man. I feel like it's kind of like deja vu. But nah, but uh uh yeah, it's it's so many things, you know. It's it's so many things from acting. I've been in several acting projects. I'm still in in a few right now that um that are ongoing. Um my poetry has just hit uh an astronomical level that I couldn't even fathom, to be honest with you in the in the past year. You know, I I have real life fans. You know what I'm saying? Like people want to see my me perform. They want to see you know when I'm gonna be next. And um, you know, it's just it's been really it's it's it's been really good. And then, you know, the the podcast, of course, but um my my my journalistic um aspirations have even taken off. You know, I had the magazine, Three Times magazine. Yeah, um I got a chance to talk to a lot of really cool people, interview them, do some write-ups on them, some bats growing, um, content creation. Like I could keep going on and on and on. The content creation has has leveled up a lot. And um I'm I feel like now I've set a lot of the groundwork. I've set a lot of, you know, I've set a lot of the groundwork. The blue, the blueprint is there. I've I've did my studies, I've done what I needed to do. So at this point, it's really just about once again the consistency and then the execution um outside of podcasting, that is, but yeah, it's it's it's been a lot. And you know, I'm I feel like with it still being the top of the year, oh man. What did you say? We just I'm just warming up. I'm just warming up.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, for sure, and I'm proud of you, you know, because it's it's definitely not easy, you know. Uh there has to be a um a made-up mind and there has to be a definitive decision. And then, like you mentioned, uh execution. Because I think we have a lot of great ideas. I think most people have some really, really good ideas. They just sit on them or they wait for the perfect time or they think that they need you know X, Y, Z to make it happen when uh, you know, getting started is the most important thing. Because if you don't start, you don't know what adjustments you need to make. So that's kind of what I've what I've learned in the last few years. Um, but this year, um specifically, you know, um I've learned the importance of delegation. You know, uh I don't want to be the one that has to do everything, um, and I don't want that responsibility. Um, number one, it stunts my growth, and number two, it doesn't allow someone else who's good at what they do to uh to help elevate and innovate, you know, whatever that project and mission is. And so uh I'm loving the fact of delegation and you know really stepping into that CEO role, you know. Um that CEO role is is something to where um uh you you really take a look at your leadership, right? And and I always felt like in order to be a really good leader, you have to be a great servant. And so serving what those needs are, um, seeing what needs to be done, seeing how things can be done better, and then you know, taking charge of making sure that it happens. And so uh that's been something, man, that that's really been on my heart and mind. So I'm thankful not only for the podcast, but all the other projects going on. Uh, I would say, you know, tapping into uh the acting has been really, really good. It's definitely tapped into some things that I typically, you know, wouldn't be challenged with, but now uh, you know, you have to take classes, you have to hone in on your skills, and um, you know, so that's been something, but I would also say the uh romance and finance platform has been the most rewarding, Jay, because I'm learning that a lot of people have similarities in their in their thought process, and that can be good or that could be detrimental depending on you know what you're trying to do and and what results you're looking for. And uh so the romance and finance man, we're gonna we're gonna keep growing um that we'll implement some of that in the pops and sun conversations because you know we do talk about relationships, we talk about um money, we talk about business, uh, we talk about you know commingling different things. And so I I think that's a beautiful uh segue and and collaboration that we'll keep doing. So I'm I'm glad um about where we're at and what we've had going on these last years, but I do want to pivot while we still have a few minutes left, Jay. Um, I do want you to you know talk about uh you know your personal growth and development in this last year, um, whether it's more so personal, whether it's more so business, whether it's entrepreneurship, organizing, whatever the case is. Um and I think that that's uh a good thing that people will be able to take away just us talking about personal growth and development as a father and a son.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, most definitely. And again, just thinking about just how quickly that that year has passed by. Um and when I first got here, you know, to Atlanta and what my thought process was, what my expectation was. Um fast forwarding to the to today, I see the I see a lot of the growth in myself and my um really the way I carry myself and my confidence in my ability to do the things that I want to do. Um, you know, I I I always felt like I was, I'm not gonna say I always felt like this. I've always been an optimistic person. I've never really been like a quitter or or anybody to say I can't do anything.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But in this, in this past year, I've I've seen myself, you know, continuously, you know, take on task whether I I felt like I was the best at it or not. You know, I was always willing to to stick my neck out there and or just, you know, put myself on Front Street if I'm gonna embarrass myself, if if I'm gonna fail, if I'm gonna look stupid. Like I I didn't really, you know, I I I had no inhibitions when it came to those those type of things. And I feel like because they say, what's the saying? The um you have to if you if you're comfortable, you don't have any room to grow. Like the growth comes from you getting out of your comfort zone. The growth comes from you doing things that you wouldn't usually do, right? It's activating those different parts of your brain that you don't you normally exercise, or those different parts of your body or your thoughts. Just all these different things come into play. And I don't know what percentage I jumped in growth, but I do know, you know, before I was I was at a plateau. You know, I can be honest with myself and say that I can be honest with the listeners and and you know, divorce that I felt that I was at a plateau as far as my creativity, um, as far as my uh my upper emotion financially or or business-wise. And honestly, even I could even say um, you know, in a in a relationship aspect, and not and not just the intimate relationships, but just your average interpersonal relationships with people around me or people that I may, you know, go out and meet, you know, I'm I'm a lot more um approachable now, I would say. Or or even uh what's the what would be the ver reverse of that? Yeah, I'm I'm I'm I'm easier to approach other people. Um so there's been a lot of growth there, and you know that that's come from you know going to different events, um, talking to different people, networking, which is I have learned is definitely a skill that you have to that you have to refine. Um, you know, it and it doesn't come as easy to everybody, but you can do it just like any, just like any skill, you know, you can make it happen. So yeah, just you know, just all across the board, you know, my my I feel like my overall score has gone up a bunch of points. Not saying I'm perfect overall or nothing, but it's it's you know, there's definitely a lot of difference. Another thing too, I cut my hair. Yeah, you didn't. I don't, I don't, you know, that's not to be understated. Um there was a lot of history in the locks that I you know I got rid of. There was a lot of memories there, there was a lot of energy there that I let go. And I honestly felt like when I did that, I had a rebirth. Just like the Phoenix, you know, he goes up in flames and he's reborn from the ashes. I felt like I was I was reborn. Hey, you know, hey, I'm a poet. Gotta let a little bit of the, you know, but uh, you know, I felt like I was reborn and I feel like I had a new fresh start and a new a new lease on life, so to speak. And it's it's so funny how just the smallest things like that can kind of um you know just give you a different perspective.
SPEAKER_01:That's dope, man. I like that. Uh yeah, if you guys have not seen Javen's transition, transformation, elevation, then uh definitely check him out um, you know, on his uh social media stuff. You know, check three times. Uh of course you can always see him on Pops and Sun Conversations on all our platforms. Uh, you know, those were some things, man, that I I think that um as a young, as a young man, you know, you're in your early 30s, uh it's it's important to gauge where you're at, where you're going. Um, I know when I was 30, I was in my 30s, I got married for the second time. And uh this particular time, you know, um it was more so about family, family dynamic. Uh, I wanted, you know, all you guys to see that uh, you know, I believe in um uh a husband, a wife, and uh and a family, you know, dynamic to kind of give that example. Um, and so you know that was important to me. You know, at the same time, I was still learning, you know, how to be uh a father, how to be uh a grown man, you know, how to you know handle business, and and and so it was a lot um at that particular time. But you know, I'm grateful for those experiences. You know, it grew me, it helped me develop, uh, it helped me um how to deal with conflict. You know, Jay, I think as men, we have to really work on how we deal with conflict resolution. Um, and I'm uh I'm gonna just kind of tap into the mental health thing because uh I just you know uh finished up uh uh a panel with uh with Mama Risa uh for um Dr. Williams, you know, for men's mental health and and just you know manhood, fatherhood. Uh we're not always taught different resolution styles. It's kind of like, and I'm uh let's let's just keep it 1000. It's like we we learn, okay, don't put your hands on a woman, right? We we learned that uh to make sure that you are uh a a working man and to make sure that you know you're a provider and you protect the family and you stick up for folks. And and you know, at the end of the day, man, once you're doing all that and and there's wear and tear, it's like where do you find refuge? It's like where where do you actually get a break? When can you clock out of doing those things? And um, you know, I talked we talked about that a little bit, and I thought it was important because you know it's almost foreign to hear a man take a uh take a spy day or or take a uh a relaxed day or a staycation. It's like no, bro, you need to be working, you need to be providing, man. You need to make sure that everything is good to go. And you know, even just kind of coming home to a home cooked meal, to me, that's a standard, right? That's a standard. The least you can do is get a home cooked meal, the least thing you can do is get a back rub, a foot rub. Uh man, it's like uh what is the value of being a protector and uh provider? Like what is that worth? Like, I don't think that you can you can pay. You can't pay uh a man enough to be a protector and provider, let alone the luxuries. So we get mixed up a lot of times, Jay, with with hearing about the luxuries that a man should provide versus the standard of provision and what that is worth to a household.
SPEAKER_00:That's a word, pops. And I agree 100%. I'm still trying to think, you know, something priceless like that for the protection and the provision. I mean, it there has to be some type of reciprocity with something that, you know, is you know, equally, you know, it's it's not a monetary thing. You know, it has to be something that is intangible, that but it's still worth a lot. So, like you said, like man, just coming home to peace, a nice home cooked meal, like things like that, you know, it it it it'll help soothe and make it make it worth the while. But you know, how often and and how prominent is that is that going down?
SPEAKER_01:That's something that we'll we'll definitely need to explore. Or maybe we'll even explore that again on next next episode, kind of talking about, you know, the relationship dynamic of family, friend, uh, you know, companionship, partnership, even with the kids, you know, um, the the mental health is is so key. And, you know, as we wrap things up, man, I remember uh there's there's uh something going on. I didn't research all of it and get all of the details, but comedian Ryan Davis, you know, you know Ryan Davis, comedian? Yeah, so so he he has something out there and I haven't looked at it. So uh, you know, I I can only speak from from uh a review that somebody did, and they were just saying that like his one of his kids uh called him up and was basically just asking for money. And so, you know, he he basically was like, Hey, you know what, you know, you uh I think he called her a gold digger, if I'm not mistaken. And you know, um in in context, it was basically saying that the only time that they call is when they need something, right? And he felt that he felt like uh maybe maybe her uh her mom, you know, kind of put her up to it. So it was, you know, one of those things the only time you call me when you need something, but then again, you know, I'm your dad, so you should be able to provide. And the point was at least check on me. Like you nobody should deny their child of a necessity. Um, you know, desire is a luxury, but no, uh uh a want is uh is also optional, but you know, at least check on the brother. Right, hey, how you doing, how you feeling, what's going on? Um, but basically it was a situation where he kind of knows the routine, right? You know, hey, hey dad, you know what you're doing, and then boom, you go right into it, you already know what's gonna follow up. You know, similar to some women. Similar to some women, man. You you kind of know, you can kind of see it, you know, coming with the pleasantries, and then of course it's it's gonna transition over to uh whatever they whatever they want to ask you for. So uh, I mean, do you do you feel like that that's something that uh is is prevalent, you know, just just basically being transactional even with family, James?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, I do. Um, you know, it's it's funny that you mentioned with the kids too. I remember on the previous episode we kind of talked about around Christmas time is like what age do you start getting your parents' gifts? You know, you always expecting these gifts, but you never stop and think, oh man, like maybe I should get, you know what I'm saying? Maybe I should, you know, return the favor. But, you know, the kids, it's it's just I just feel like it's taken for granted. You know, I think that we take a lot of things for granted. And hopefully, once you get that image in your mind, like it gets brought to your attention, like, oh man, like I have been doing that. I have only just been hitting my dad up when I need something, never checking on him or never, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, you sometimes you you know people need that eureka moment, but you know, I don't know, you know, how do you how do you bring that about? So that's yeah, that's that's interesting. It's definitely uh it's messed up, though. I gotta agree with that. It's messed up. Really bad.
SPEAKER_01:It's really bad and and it is a thing, right? So uh man, look, um, we're gonna wrap this thing up um just real quick in about 30 seconds or so, Jay. What do you have coming up of the remainder of uh of January?
SPEAKER_00:So I have a big performance coming up at the end of the month. Okay. Um, you know, it's it's it's gonna be real big. Uh it's uh it's on the 31st. You can check my Instagram for all of the details. I'll be posting about it for the rest of the month. So uh definitely go ahead and RSVP or try to figure out how you can attend. I'll be doing some poetry. I'm headlining, yeah, and I'm telling you, it's it's it's going to be spectacular. I've already got everything down. I know you know what I'm saying. Like I've been rehearsing, so it's gonna be a treat. You know, like I said, I got me a couple fans now. Okay, you know, so y'all, y'all come on and support your boy.
SPEAKER_01:Fans will make you dance. Hey, uh, that's what's up. Look, uh, just you know, check out our social media. Of course, we'll put everything on Pops and Sun conversations as well. And of course, you know, you can go to um you know my information. I am Rob Malloy and all platforms, uh, Rob Malloy.com to see what I have going on. And uh, yeah, we're making a lot of moves. Uh we uh we're looking at some some potential events in the Atlanta area. So you're gonna have to stay locked in to get all of the goods with that. So look, with that being said, we'll see you guys next episode. Pops the sun conversations. It is your favorite silver fox, Rob Malloy.
SPEAKER_00:Check three times, checking out.
SPEAKER_01:All right, we'll see you guys next time around. Have an amazing day. Peace.
