A different shaped heart conversations about disability awareness
Welcome to A different shaped heart conversations about being awesome with a disability and raising awareness at the same time and absolutely Yes sometimes you have to say F…..CK you to your own mindset and especially your disability!
A different shaped heart conversations about disability awareness
From Diagnosis To A Voice: How Sam Built “Autism Rocks And Rolls”
Sam Mitchell Tuesday, December 2, 2025
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On A Different Shaped Heart today (Tuesday, December 2, 2025), Best-Selling Author, Win C welcomes Sam Mitchell. Same run a successful podcast called Autism Rocks and Rolls. Sam have autism himself and have a very successful podcast. Sam would like to be a guest on your podcast to spread the mission of my podcast and nonprofit. Sam is at 22K downloads. Sam have had some big names on his show: Armani Williams, first NASCAR driver open about having autism, and American Idol Rocker James Durbin who has autism and Tourette’s. His biggest guest of all was Dr. Temple Grandin, professor in Animal Science at Colorado State University and autism activist. Sam had WWE legend Mick Foley on my show! Huge guests are upcoming as well! Same also is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, sell merchandise, have several sponsors, sell ad space, am writer and blogger, and love to promote his podcast and business. Sam also have a published TED Talk called Souled Structure. Sam is a high-functioning human being on the autism spectrum, but have a mission: to show people that Sam has not broken, do not need to be fixed, there is no normal in this world, and Sam is successful, with autism. Sam wants to celebrate the successes of all people. Sam embrace who he is and feel as though everyone should do the same. Sam’s mission is powerful and this extraordinary idea is catching on and getting the world’s attention. Sam have made it to the top 10 in the People's Choice Podcast Awards, placed second in the state of Indiana for the JAG Entrepreneurship project, was selected as the best business at the CEO trade show in Indiana, have had tremendous guests on his show, and am in the top 200 podcasts in all of Canada while also being a current Davey Award winner. Sam look forward to chatting with you and am hoping you will help him with your platform to spread awareness about autism and mental health. To learn more about Sam visit autismrocksandrolls.com
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Welcome to a different shape talk, you guys. Today I have Sam with me. Sam and I actually met at Podfest in Orlando and was finally doing this interview because it's been a long time coming. And Sam has a fairly successful podcast about autism, about his disease. So I'm gonna let Sam take it away.
SPEAKER_01:Alrighty. Well, thank you. Again, when yes, not podcast, it's something. But I'm like in all seriousness, I'm glad to be on here.
SPEAKER_02:So Sam, why did you first of all, how did you get diagnosed with being autistic? And why did you start your podcast?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I want to pass that off to someone who knows a better answer. You get to answer why you were why I was diagnosed. It's my mother. She's gonna come on and answer that for you because she knows more about that than I do. I love it.
SPEAKER_00:Hi, how are you? This is Gina.
SPEAKER_02:Good.
SPEAKER_00:So Sam said you had some questions for me.
SPEAKER_02:I do. Um Gina, when was Sam diagnosed? And how could you tell?
SPEAKER_00:Well, Sam was diagnosed with autism when he was four. But he definitely started showing times before then. Um when he was a a baby, when we look back at his baby pictures, you know, he was never looking at the camera. But that's something we didn't know to pay attention to. I mean, sometimes babies don't look at the camera, but he never did, even as a toddler, he just never made eye contact. Um he hated loud noises, he had very long meltdowns, there was lots of sensory issues. So it was pretty classic textbook autism. Um so we when he was three, we put him in a special education preschool on purpose so that we could, you know, kind of get him evaluated because we weren't sure if it was autism or something else. Um but within a week, his teacher was like, I can't diagnose it, but I'm fairly certain he's probably somewhere on the spectrum. And then when he was assessed by and evaluated by a behavioral psychologist when he was in preschool and when he was four, then the diagnosis came. Um so then we kind of you know realized, well, this is how he thinks, and um, you know, we're gonna help him and give him all the resources that we can. Um, and we did. And he has become a very successful young man.
SPEAKER_02:I bet. And Gina, what would you say to the mom out there who's scared half to death to get their child diagnosed?
SPEAKER_00:Well, it's it's okay. It's okay to be scared. Um, you know, like when we have children, we kind of have a picture in our mind that everything's gonna be perfect and beautiful and we hope it never is, uh autism or not. Um but we also I I would definitely say it's it's gonna be okay. Like it is what it is, it it will be okay in um whatever happens, that the you know, it even if it's a a a a case where the child is low functioning, autistic, or high functioning. Um, in the end, things seem to work out even if they are uh non-speaking. It's okay, they're non-speaking, but can we focus on you know what they can do? So I would say that it's okay. I would say uh educate yourselves and um be sure to really pay attention to your child after you get the diagnosis because they're they probably love something, uh whatever they're obsessed or fixated on. You could turn that into a success, you could turn that into a skill. So that's another thing I would say is be patient, pay attention, and it's really gonna be okay.
SPEAKER_02:And there are um now different states do this differently, but they're all resources for you guys for any disability and any um disability can qualify in the public school system for what they call IEP, individualized education plan. So that will help your son or daughter succeed.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and and I think immediately if you know the child is diagnosed with autism or even uh any other, um, if they're differently able than in any other way, then I think they you know, as a parent, you immediately explore that. Um parents need to know that IEPs, 504 plans, behavior plans, anything on paper that goes through a special education department in a especially in a public school is a legal document. And if an educator or administrator or a teacher's aide or anybody does not follow that IEP, that's illegal. And um a parent has to know that. They need to know what the IEP says, they need to know um that they can advocate for their child anytime they want to, they can call a meeting anytime they want to. It's illegal to be denied that. And so um that's something that they need to they need to explore and be very active with and and be on top of that.
SPEAKER_02:So isn't that interesting that you say that because a lot of parents and I I went through IEPs out to yin yang when I was in high school, and in fact, I'm going back to college, and I will get special accommodations, but I didn't realize it was a legal document.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, it is, and I tell parents that all the time. Um, I've always known it was a legal document, and I think the only reason I knew that was because I'm an educator myself. I've been a teacher for 20 years, and so I had that advantage, but then I think about the parents that don't, that are not submerged into the school systems. Um, I taught at the same in the same district and at the same school that my son went to, so I was able to be there and and make sure. But I feel really sorry and I feel bad for the parents that aren't there and they're just kind of trusting the system, you know, with their child. Um that's why they have to be involved. They have to ask questions to their child, they're allowed to be uncomfortable with something and to address it. It's their right and it's their child's right. So they advocate for their child, but they've got to teach their child self-advocacy skills as well. Um, that it is a legal document that will be held up in court if it's ever challenged. So parents need to need to definitely know that.
SPEAKER_02:And Gina, and then I'll take it over to Sam. What's the best way that you guys have found to teach Sam advocacy for himself? Because now he's doing a fabulous job advocating for himself. He has a successful podcast. But what's the best way to teach a child how to advocate?
SPEAKER_00:So I think one thing is you have to let them, you have to let them fight their own battles sometimes. And I had a hard time with that. I'm a mama bear, and I was wanted to be on top of everything, but you know, my husband would often stop me and say, this isn't a fight that you need to to fight. Help him fight it. And so I had to take a step back and really teach him that. And then I also think that you never should let your child use their different abilities um as an excuse. That never should happen. I think that you know your child, you know what their potential levels are, you know what they can and can't do. And so if they can do it, they need to do it. And they need to understand that the world is not going to give them a free pass. I'm not I didn't give him a free pass. It took a village to raise Sam. None of us gave him a free pass. Um, but if there was something that he really couldn't do or struggled with, we helped him. We didn't necessarily do everything for him, and I just taught him that you have to speak up. And so I think it's with parents, it's a it's an educational tool, it's an educational moment that you have to advocate for him, but tell them you gotta fight for yourself and the world is not nice sometimes, yeah, and you need to be ready for that.
SPEAKER_02:The world is not nice sometimes, and even if the world says A and you say B, get back up because I'm in a situation right now medically, and with I have a medical bed right now, and we kept telling them, we called the company, well, I got this medical bed, and we kept telling them it's making noises. Well, today completely went out while they were standing there, while the company was standing here, and um and they didn't believe me nor my caregiver. So I think when the world when A says everything is perfectly fine and it's not your child and you have to fight that battle.
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm. You do, you do. I have fought a lot of battles for him, but then like I said, anything that he could fight, a lot of times what we would do is if if he was having an issue or a problem, we of course were there for him. But if if I saw, okay, like he's trying. He's tried to do this and he's tried to do that, and that didn't work. Now it's time for me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So that as long as you give them a chance, and then if they need your assistance, you know, you've got to be in their corner, you're their number one cheerleader. Um, but yet you know, you can't you can't do everything for them. And and I want to, I still want to. He still has had some issues with employment, and he's had issues with this, and I just want to go in and fix it. And I can't, you know, he he had a a job that he didn't like. Um he called me and said, I don't want to be here. And I said, Well, here's the thing it's your decision, but you gotta think about this and you gotta think about how you're going to do this. You know, are you are you gonna walk out? Are you gonna go talk to your boss? Do you feel like you should give them a two-week notice? What's your feeling on this? Like, you can't just drop everything and go. That's not the right thing to do. So I wanted to get in my car and go talk to his boss and be like, okay, like he's not happy here. But my husband, you know, was like, no, you can't do that. Give him guidance, hang up the phone, and let him handle this. And he did. He did, he did it fine. I mean, he ended up quitting the job, but he did it professionally and he did it the right way. So, you know, that's that's the biggest thing is as much as you want to do, you have to let them for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Now, Sam, I have a question for you.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, wait, here I'll give it. I'll give the I'll give the back to him. It was nice to talk to you. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Nice to talk to you, too. Where's the phone at all right?
SPEAKER_01:You got I think you got some more information on the diagnosis here.
SPEAKER_02:I did, I did, and I appreciate that. But Sam, why in the world, buddy, did you start a podcast?
SPEAKER_01:Well, it started I joined my high school's media club, and I fell in love with it ever since. Joined the club, and I decided to not wait till college to expand my skills, and that was when Autism Rocks and Rolls was born because I knew I was gonna go to college, I just didn't want to wait until college. I kind of wanted to start early and expand the skills I've already learned.
SPEAKER_02:And you're doing an amazing job, I've been told. And I have not yet listened to it, but I'm excited to listen to it. So, what is your favorite episode that you have recorded so far?
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, man, there's so much out there, but well, the one Temple Grand was an outstanding one. The one with Mick Fullen have the privilege of interviewing 11 WWE wrestlers on my show. Those are all fun. And then I've had AGT contestants, but I think my mother's favorite in particular is the ones where I interview a parent. My favorite in particular is when it's autism advocates and they're telling their story because that's what my podcast is about. And I've also liked the ones with inspiring people, so I've had guests on who got paranoid from the waist down due to a truck accident.
SPEAKER_02:And so do you mainly focus on autism or do you focus on any disability?
SPEAKER_01:I focus on any disability.
SPEAKER_02:So it's not just autism. You um you had the opportunity to interview Tem Tem O'Granden, you said?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, ma'am. I remember her work.
SPEAKER_02:How cool is that? She um, for those of you that don't know, and Sam could correct me if I'm wrong, she's a scientist out of Colorado with um autism, and she does amazing work with the colleges, and she succeeded with autism.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, I am very happy to say we're friends, and we're definitely a spot. Our brains are not alike, yet we have the same diagnosis because she's a very concrete thinker, as like in the science and pictures, whereas I'm more of a word thinker. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I hate to tell you this, Sam, but if it makes you feel better, they use CP as an umbrella term. So um it sounds like to me they use autism as an umbrella term. You could have my own autism, you could have my own CP, my own sample palsy as well. But each uh each of us is different with the same diagnosis.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah, it's not the diagnosis, is ever not every diagnosis is the same. You met one person with autism, you met one person with autism. Just like with cerebral palsy, I got a couple of friends who have cerebral palsy, and it's very different. One is more severe than the other, but definitely just trying to make the best out of what we got.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, exactly. And so, um, what was one of the questions you asked Temple Glam and Well, I think I start off with what does having autism mean to you?
SPEAKER_01:Because I want to know in her brain, what does it mean to have autism? Because she's never answered that. She's always said, Well, autism is this, this, this, this, this, this, this. You got the information, but you never got the personal connection, despite knowing, okay, you're in autism, what does it mean? Well, not not what not what does it mean, but from your eyes, what does it mean to have it?
SPEAKER_02:Wow. She knows that she's autistic, but she never answered the question of what it means to her?
SPEAKER_01:No, from my research, no, but I could totally be throwing out on the whim there, but from my research and perspective, no.
SPEAKER_02:And so you got to ask her that question.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_02:And what was her answer to that?
SPEAKER_01:Uh, buddy, I'm afraid you have to go back and watch that one yourself because that one has been I think when we first met was when I actually started to get more people on the show. So it's definitely been in two or three years. Okay. And that's what's been unfortunately.
SPEAKER_02:You're going to tease me and make me go listen. Aha. Uh-huh. That's that is what I figured was coming. When go listen. Um, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So I would tell you, I just don't remember.
SPEAKER_02:You would tell me you just don't remember. And outside of podcasting, what do you like to do?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm definitely a big traveler. Always like to travel. I've traveled for work, but I've also taken vacations. Been to Texas, Florida. I'm definitely more of a tropical person. I'm definitely living in the country, so you can't take my country habits away, like fishing. I'd also say I'm a bit of an outdoors man. I know it's cold out, but when it's warm out, I like to go swimming in the creek, watch off fireworks if I can, on 4th of July, especially. And I would also say I enjoy a nice big old steak because I like to go out to eat.
SPEAKER_02:Well, good. Well, enjoy that. Enjoy that. I love it. So, what what has been your biggest challenge with podcasting?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think what's been the biggest challenge with podcasting is the technology. It's so aggravating because we're we're we had to use stream, we were gonna use streamyard before, and uh using stream yard and riverside are bandwidth stinks. So I have to go to my grandparents to use it, and I have nothing against my grandparents, but I want to go see them to see them, not to use their internet.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, exactly, exactly. Streamyard, that's why somebody giving up on streaming yard because he's you're bandwidth, and I'm like, I could just record via my phone.
SPEAKER_01:Right, and I didn't even think about that, so and my issue I thought with the phone before, but it's just from my perspective, it's a pet peeve of mine, the audio is so bad, I I can't do it.
SPEAKER_02:Well I um On my end on my end at least I understand what your big pet peeves but it sounds good to me but unfortunately these um and I'm I'm going to talk to these people eventually unfortunately all these streaming heads eat your bandwidth.
SPEAKER_01:I know thankfully I was able to beg my parents to switch to another one called Starlink and they're working on setting that up for me and I appreciate that.
SPEAKER_02:So you mentioned you have a job. What is your job?
SPEAKER_01:Well it was Walmart, but as you heard from my mother, I left because the structure was all screwed up. Management kind of there was a joke, but the job I have currently is I'll be a part-time board board operator at B97 in Bloomington. It's a local radio station. I'll get to work the sports games. Awesome. And I also do my nonprofit as a part-time job. I get the privilege of getting paid through the nonprofit.
SPEAKER_02:Awesome. Awesome. So you're going to be dealing with radio, and maybe that will pick maybe that will give you a couple skills for your podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Right. And I was trying to apply for jobs right now in the broadcasting field, but I think the market's kind of tough right now.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, well, it's all kind of tough. So what has what has been your biggest success with podcasting?
SPEAKER_01:It's just the way it's grown. The way it's grown, I mean I had 70 downloads one day, now all of a sudden it's 23k. I mean I think, gee whiz, people are actually listening to me. And they didn't listen to me 15 years ago, a go. So it's still new to me.
SPEAKER_02:Because I think people want to be educated, they're thirsty for education.
SPEAKER_01:I would agree with that. I would totally agree with that.
SPEAKER_02:Um my perspective, I mean, they can't get enough of education.
SPEAKER_01:And that's fair. That's fair. It's streaming all over television because people can't get enough education.
SPEAKER_02:Because people um people are lifelong learners and people can't get enough education, and it's unfortunately PBS and the New York Times are now turning to YouTube and all this stuff. I know that the New York Times has a bunch of podcasts because they uh meets people where they are exactly, it's relatable. So the traditional sit down in front of the TV doesn't exist anymore. No, not really. And so um, where do you see yourself in the future?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I hope with the job. I mean, I'm not just saying autism, rocks and rolls are a part-time job. I'm talking about full-time radio DJ, full-time manager of a radio station, full-time podcaster, full-time board operator, full-time podcast producer, full-time one else here, news director, just take one day at a time.
SPEAKER_02:So you really want to dive into the media field.
SPEAKER_01:Yep, oddly enough, despite sometimes the media being a pain in the butt. Yes, because I think chasing the story, despite it sometimes not being the most positive, is fun. And you want about journalism? Well, I thought that, but writing it out is kind of boring to me. Seeing it through video, I get more excited over video than audio. Or not audio, sorry, through uh newspaper.
SPEAKER_02:You get more excited hearing it than reading it.
SPEAKER_01:Right. I get more excited watching or listening to it over just reading a newspaper.
SPEAKER_02:So do you actually listen to podcasts or you're so sick of doing your own podcast that you don't listen to other people's podcast?
SPEAKER_01:It's probably the second one, but here and there I'll turn on a podcast.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. People don't understand when you have a disability on top of it. How exhausting doing the podcast is people think, oh, it's uh podcast is exhausting when you're able to body. Well, imagine if you have a disability on top of it.
SPEAKER_01:Right, it's crazy. People think podcasting is all fun and games, but it's not all fun and games. It's not it's not.
SPEAKER_02:Oh no, it's not, people.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they really need to get that through their heads. I bet they will though one day.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, they will eventually. Eventually, maybe they will listen to to content created with disabilities, you and I, and then finally get that through their heads that maybe they should support podcasts more than they do now.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah. And plus one day radio's gonna die out because yeah, let's face it, there's more and more people listening to a podcast now than listening to John Mellencamp's Cherry B Cherry Pie. Well, oh sorry, cherry bomb.
SPEAKER_02:I agree with that. I agree with that. Pandora's going to die out. Um, all the local radio stations are going to die out because um NPR across the country is turning into podcasts. Yep, it's crazy. I definitely agree with that. So, Sam, where can people find you and where can people get a hold of you if they want to um connect with you?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm not our guy to find you could Google me in your search engine optimization. Something will pop up. Just do me a favor, search autism, rocks, and rolls. Don't do Sam Mitchell, because you'll get a basketball player, and believe me, I haven't doing any slam dunce lately.
SPEAKER_02:I love it. I love it. So autism, rocks, and rolls, and I am assuming can autism, rocks and rolls be found anywhere podcasts can be played.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah, you'll you'll find it everywhere. It's not hard to find, trust me. I've done the research myself. Yeah, very easy. Even even an old person could find it who doesn't get technology well.
SPEAKER_02:But I love it. So well, I appreciate your time, and I hope that you guys enjoyed this interview, and um I hope that you learned a little bit about Sam, and I hope that you will turn in, tune in to Autism Vlogs and Volves and um figure it out and learn more about autism along with sample policy. And Sam, is it on YouTube? Is it your podcast on YouTube too?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, ma'am. So it's under autism vlogs and volves on YouTube, it's everywhere that podcasts can be consumed. So and I will put more information in the show notes, you guys, like I always do. So I hope you guys enjoyed this episode, and then we'll be talking more next week about everything else. But for now, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. I certainly did, and I will catch you guys next week. Thanks to you guys. Bye you guys.
