We recently connected with Demetrius Thigpen and have shared our conversation below.

Demetrius, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was creating content around mental health while still actively serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Now, mental health is a big topic, sure – but it rarely captures the voice of the service member still in uniform. There’s various niches within the mental health space, but nobody was really speaking to us, the ones still in the trenches. So I took a leap of faith and decided to be that voice.

But before I could talk about anything-I had to be real with myself. That meant opening up about my struggles with depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and the damage it was doing to my marriage and family. What made it even risker? On the outside I was a high performing Marine, the go-to guy. A strong leader, but behind closed doors, I was fighting dark thoughts and feeling like a failure.

The risk wasn’t just vulnerability it was reputation. I didn’t know if sharing my truth would make people stop trusting me, stop following me or cost me my career. But I did it anyway.

I’m grateful I did. Because in telling my story, I created a space where other service members could finally feel seen, heard, and understood. That risk created a community and gave people permission to speak up. It reminded me that being REAL is leadership.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Demetrius Thigpen—most people know me as Meech Speaks. I’m a Marine, a motivational speaker, published author, podcast host, and the creator of the Talkin’ Crazy Podcast—a platform built specifically to give military service members and everyday people a space to talk about mindset, leadership, mental health, and what it truly means to be human.

I got into this work because I didn’t see anything out there that spoke directly to us—the ones still in uniform, the ones struggling behind the rank, the ones showing up every day looking strong on the outside while quietly breaking down on the inside. Mental health was always talked about after the fact—after someone got out, after someone broke, after someone lost everything. But I wanted to talk to the people in the trenches right now.

My content isn’t polished guru advice. I don’t preach. I speak from experience. I’ve been the high-performing Marine who was quietly struggling with depression, alcoholism, and self-doubt. And I’ve been the one who had to fight his way back to himself. Every episode, every post, every speaking engagement is about telling that truth—and encouraging others to do the same.

What makes me proud is the community we’ve built. It’s not about going viral—it’s about being real. I want people who find my work to know that it’s okay to be strong and still feel broken sometimes. It’s okay to lead and still be healing. And it’s okay to speak up before it’s too late.

I’m on a mission to bridge the gap between performance and vulnerability in the military and beyond. To help people stop pretending they’re okay just to keep a title. And to show that being transparent isn’t a weakness—it’s a form of leadership.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely. My mission is to create a space where service members and everyday people can be honest about what they’re going through without shame. I use storytelling, podcasting, and content creation to bridge the gap between performance and vulnerability—because being real shouldn’t cost you your credibility.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s knowing that my story gave someone else permission to speak up. When people message me saying, “I thought I was the only one,” that’s the reward. It reminds me that transparency builds community, and being seen is sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer each other.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meech.speaks/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Meech.Speaks
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-crazy-podcast/id1456021838