A Dugout Chat with My Dad, Former MLB Legend Denis Menke: Baseball, Business, and Life—A Very Special Episode

In this heartfelt bonus episode of BrandEdit.ai, I’m sharing something incredibly special—an unscripted, raw interview recorded in 2015 with my dad, Denis Menke, a former Major League Baseball player and coach. With a career spanning 40 years, Denis played for iconic teams like the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds, and later coached for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.

This episode is dedicated to my father, who passed away in 2020. His words and advice live on with me every day, and I’m honored to share this conversation with you. It’s packed with wisdom about stamina, resilience, and showing up consistently—whether you’re in sales, sports, or any other field. It’s a true treasure to me, and although the sound quality is a bit rough, the life lessons and insights from my dad are timeless.

I’ll also share some exciting info about the OxyVERVE device, a game-changer in the aesthetics industry that’s taking treatments to the major leagues—just like my dad took to the field.

Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and get ready for an emotional and inspiring conversation. Don’t forget to follow and share—this episode is a tribute to my hero and the life lessons I’ve carried with me throughout my career.

Highlights:

• Lessons in stamina and resilience from my dad’s 40-year MLB career
• How staying steady helps in both sports and sales
• The parallels between building a winning baseball team and a successful business
• A special commercial break about the OxyVERVE device
• The importance of loving what you do every day

This episode is a dedication to my father, Denis Menke, and I hope his words touch you the way they’ve touched me. ❤️

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Introduction
• 0:36 Special Tribute to My Father
• 1:58 OxyVERVE Commercial Break
• 3:07 Interview Begins: Denis Menke's Career Overview
• 4:06 The Importance of Stamina & Consistency
• 4:30 Battling Through Slumps and Staying Even-Keeled
• 5:03 Hitting .300 in Baseball: Lessons on Failure and Success
• 5:46 Parallels Between Sales and Baseball
• 7:44 Playing in the World Series & Building Winning Teams
• 9:08 What Makes a Great Athlete or Salesperson?
• 11:05 Denis Menke's Advice: Love What You Do
• 11:50 Closing Thoughts & Thank You
• 12:18 I LOVE YOU, Dad
• 12:29 Outro: Thank You & Final Thoughts

Transcript

A Dugout Chat with My Dad, Former MLB Legend Denis Menke: Baseball, Business, and Life—A Very Special Episode

[Opening]

Debra:
Hello, beauty bosses. Welcome to BrandEdit.ai! I'm Deb, and this is where we get creative with branding, AI, and all the fun ways to stand out in the aesthetics industry. If you're ready to refresh your brand, architect your image, and leverage the power of AI—and not just your basic AI—you’re in the right place.

Don't forget to follow and share with your besties. Ready? Grab a cup of coffee. Let’s glow!

I’ve got something really special to share with you today—a bonus episode that means the absolute world to me. And I think you’re going to understand why once you listen to it.

This morning, I was going through some old files and came across an interview I recorded all the way back in 2015 with my dad, Denis Menke—my hero. He had an incredible 40-year career in Major League Baseball, playing for teams like the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and later coaching for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.

He eventually made his way back to the Houston Astros, where I spent a lot of my childhood, and then returned to the Cincinnati Reds. This conversation was totally unscripted and recorded on ConferenceCall.com. The sound is a little rough—nothing polished—but the advice my dad shares is priceless. It’s something I’ve carried with me through my career and life.

I have to admit, I may have shed a few tears this morning while creating this episode for you. But I was able to bring it to life with a little sprinkle of AI magic. So even though the audio isn’t perfect, it’s a treasure to me, and I hope you’ll find it as special as I do.

In this episode, you’ll hear a real, raw conversation between my dad and me, packed with lessons about stamina, resilience, and how to keep showing up every day—whether in sales, sports, or life.

So here it is. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Let’s play ball.

[OxyVERVE Commercial Break]

Debra:
Alright, I don’t want to interrupt this sacred interview with dad, so real quick—let’s talk about OxyVERVE. This device is taking your treatments to the major leagues. Imagine a platform that lets you customize every play with oxygenation, ultrasound, iontophoresis, and temperature-controlled therapy at 113°F heat and 5°C cold. It’s like having an all-star lineup delivering a grand slam experience every time!

With OxyVERVE, your consumable costs are just $20, while you can charge an average of $250 per treatment. By doing 5 treatments a week, you’ll pay off your device in 3 months or less, setting you up for a six-figure income in just six months. Now that’s a win!

We had to throw in some baseball references, but seriously, this 7-step sensory journey will have your clients glowing and raving about the results.

Ready to step up to the plate with OxyVERVE? Request your demo today through the link in the show notes, and follow the fun at oxyverve.life on Instagram.

Debra:
Okay, now back to my dad—let’s jump right into this special conversation…

[Interview with Denis Menke]

Debra:
Well, hello, everyone. I have a special treat for you today. I’m really excited and pleased to introduce you to my hero, who also happens to be my dad, Denis Menke. My dad had a 40-year career in the major leagues and enjoyed a very substantial career playing with teams like the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and the Milwaukee Braves, before transitioning into coaching after his playing days were over.

He coached for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds again. Dad, thank you for joining us on the call today.

Denis Menke:
My pleasure.

Debra:
You and I have often discussed the parallels between being a sales professional and a professional athlete. As I mentioned earlier, you were in the major leagues for 40 years, and you were gone about eight months of the year when I was growing up with baseball. I know that as a player, you were playing between 150 to 155 games out of 162. How important is it for a professional athlete to have stamina? And how do you, as a road warrior, keep going when you're on a losing streak, or conversely, how do you feed off of momentum when you're winning?

Denis Menke:
Well, the big thing about it all is that you’ve got to show up every day, whether you're feeling great or not. You’ve got to come to the ballpark ready to play, whether you're doing well or going through a rough patch. I always tried to keep an even keel so I was ready to perform. That’s important not just for players but for coaches too. You’ve got to motivate the team to keep playing at their best, and that can be tough sometimes.

Debra:
During your best year with the Houston Astros in 1970, you had a batting average of .304. What does it mean to be a .300 hitter in the big leagues?

Denis Menke:
Well, if you’re hitting .300, it’s considered a great year, but it also means you’ve failed 7 out of 10 times. So, you know, you’re succeeding 30% of the time, which is a big deal in baseball. But that’s the way you have to look at it—you focus on your successes, not your failures. In sales, if you make 10 calls and succeed with 3 of them, that’s great. It’s the same mindset.

Debra:
That’s a great way to look at it. And I think sometimes, especially in sales, we feel defeated after a few strikeouts, and it can be hard to keep going. How do you keep that momentum?

Denis Menke:
Well, it’s about staying steady. If you get too high during the good times and too low during the bad, it can throw you off. It’s about maintaining that balance, whether things are going your way or not.

Debra:
You also had the chance to play in the World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1972. What was it like to be part of such a successful team? How does that compare to building a winning team in business?

Denis Menke:
It was an incredible experience. Out of 30 teams that start the season, only two make it to the World Series. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and teamwork. A winning team is all about attitude—everyone has to stay focused, motivated, and work together. It’s the same in business: success comes from working as a team with the right mindset.

Debra:
What advice do you have for people in sales or any profession about showing up every day and getting the job done?

Denis Menke:
I think the most important thing is to enjoy what you do. If you love your job, it’s a lot easier to show up and give it your best every day. The great athletes love being out on the field, and I think that’s true in any career. If you enjoy what you’re doing, success will follow.

Debra:
That’s such great advice, dad. I’ve learned so much from you, and I’m so grateful for everything you’ve taught me. Thank you for your time today—I know our audience will get a lot out of this conversation.

Denis Menke:
Thanks, Deb. I love you.

Debra:
Love you too, dad.

[Closing]

Debra:
Thanks for tuning into this special episode of BrandEdit.ai. If you enjoyed it, it would mean the world to me if you'd follow the podcast and share this episode with your friends or anyone you think would vibe with it. As a creative, I like to work when inspiration strikes, so don’t be surprised if multiple episodes drop in the middle of the night.

Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on any of those late-night bursts of inspiration. Got questions or ideas for future episodes? I'd love to hear them! Drop me a message through the form in the show notes or visit our website to connect. Let’s keep the conversation going!

A huge thank you to our sponsor, OxyVERVE. Follow all the fun on Instagram at oxyverve.life.

If you're ready to refresh your brand, architect your image, and leverage the power of AI, we’ve got something special for you. Grab your FREE GUIDE to leveling up your marketing with ChatGPT by filling out the JOT form linked in our show notes.

And finally, a big thank you to all of you for listening and supporting the podcast. You’re the reason I get to do what I love, and it means the world to me. Remember, life’s too short for boring brands—let’s make yours unforgettable. See you next time!