To The Top: Inspirational Career Advice
We interview authors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to share their blueprints for success so we can apply those best practices.
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#90 Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps: The Score That Matters
04/05/2024
#90 Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps: The Score That Matters
The Score That Matters is a book by Ryan Hawk and Brook Cupps about personal excellence and narrowing down on what really matters in your life rather than comparing yourself to others. Ryan is the host of The Learning Leader Show, 3-time author and a keynote speaker. Brook is the head basketball coach at Centerville High School in Ohio where they've won a state title and are one of the top teams in the nation. In this episode we discuss: -Core values and how to develop them -The importance of foxhole friends both personally and professionally -The importance of trust and your reputation, and more.. --- email questions to [email protected]
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#89: James Clear: Making Habits Stick & Breaking Bad Ones
03/04/2024
#89: James Clear: Making Habits Stick & Breaking Bad Ones
James Clear is a habit formation expert. His book, Atomic Habits, has sold over 20 million copies. He ships a weekly newsletter to 3 million subscribers. His new app, Atoms, is the digital extension of his book to help people make their habits stick. In this episode we discuss: -The difference between someone who can lose 180 lbs doing P90X compared to the one who won't make a change -The deepest level of behavior change, identity-based goals, and how to achieve them and stay on track -How to break bad habits, and more.. -- email questions to [email protected]
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#88 Michael Lombardi: How History Shapes Our Future
01/31/2024
#88 Michael Lombardi: How History Shapes Our Future
Michael Lombardi is one of the leading experts in analyzing the NFL. He currently hosts The GM Shuffle and recently published his second book, Football Done Right, which pays homage to the history of the NFL and former great players and coaches. He's the former General Manager of the Raiders and Patriots, and he learned the game as a scout under the legendary Bill Walsh with the San Francisco 49ers in the mid 1980s. In this episode we discuss: -The impact of Monday Night Football in pop culture -How he got his break at UNLV -The impact of Bill Walsh had on him as a lifelong learner -Draft picks that were successful and ones that he regrets -Advice to his sons on how to be the best coaches and more.. --- consider leaving a review and email questions to [email protected]
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#87 Robert Griffin III: Betting On Yourself
01/23/2024
#87 Robert Griffin III: Betting On Yourself
Robert Griffin III is a Heisman Trophy winner, Pro Bowler, and NFL Rookie of the Year. He's currently an ESPN analyst and hosts the podcast, RG3 & The Ones. In this episode we discuss: -Why he wanted to emulate Michael Jordan -The criteria he used to select Baylor University after receiving 25 scholarships -Receiving recognition vs the joy of developing others -Traits of the best bosses and leaders -How he responded in the face of adversity, and more.. --- email questions or comments to [email protected]
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#86 Ali Abdaal: How to Defeat Procrastination
01/06/2024
#86 Ali Abdaal: How to Defeat Procrastination
Ali Abdaal makes productivity more fun. He teaches through his YouTube channel, podcast (Deep Dive) and his book titled Feel Good Productivity. In this episode we discuss: The moment he decided to change careers from medicine to a full time YouTuber The importance of a beginners mindset How asking for help actually strengthens relationships How to get more clarity around your goals, and more.. -- please consider leaving a review, email questions to [email protected]
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#85 Joshua & Rob Church: Founding Edge Theory Labs & Benefits of Cold Water Immersion
10/09/2023
#85 Joshua & Rob Church: Founding Edge Theory Labs & Benefits of Cold Water Immersion
Joshua Church and Rob Church are cousins who founed one of the leading cold plunges out of necessity because they needed a better recovery tool for cold water immersion. In this episode we discuss: -The origin story behind the cold plunge tub they developed -The benefits of cold water immersion -The most important lessons fromt their parents, book recommendations, and more -- please email questions to [email protected]
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#84 Nick Bailey: RE/MAX CEO On Being the Entrepreneur of Your Own Career
08/29/2023
#84 Nick Bailey: RE/MAX CEO On Being the Entrepreneur of Your Own Career
Nick Bailey serves as the President and CEO of RE/MAX. A licensed real estate broker for over 26 years, Nick has broad experience across multiple segments of the industry. He has been a Sr. Vice President at Market Leader, a Vice President at Trulia/Zillow and, just prior to rejoining RE/MAX, the President and CEO of Century 21. Originally from Wyoming, Nick bought his first investment property as a teen and earned his real estate license at 21. He's been named one of the top 25 most influential leaders in the industry. In this episode we discuss: -Why he commuted 200 miles to university -Why it's important to be a lifelong learner -How to build trust quickly and authentically -Why 'sparkle' is one of the most important traits he looks for in hiring and more.. -- email questions to [email protected]
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#83 Kevin Shen: How to Make Your Zoom Setup Look Boardroom Ready
07/11/2023
#83 Kevin Shen: How to Make Your Zoom Setup Look Boardroom Ready
Kevin Shen is a video expert and content creator who helps people build their studios for business and professional use. In Dream Studio Course he simplifies the principles and equipment required to level up your video, lighting, and studio setup. He shares quick tips around lighting, sound quality and webcam setups that will help you improve your video meetings immediately, along with other tips that will help you enhance your studio over time. These enhancements will boost your confidence and presence in meetings or as Kevin likes to say "Your Zoom setup is the new suit." --- email questions or comments to [email protected]
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#82 Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family): Balancing Work & Parenthood
05/28/2023
#82 Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family): Balancing Work & Parenthood
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is known for playing Mitchell Pritchett on Modern Family. He's an award-winning actor who is also balancing parenthood with a successful career. In this interview we discuss: -What he learned about parenthood from his Modern Family experience -The real-life sacrifices he's had to make to lead a successful career and the importance of doing so -Why it's ok to be excel at a few things vs having to be good at everything and more..
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#81 Rishi Mandal: On Future & Doing Work You Love
04/16/2023
#81 Rishi Mandal: On Future & Doing Work You Love
Rishi Mandal is the co-founder and CEO of Future, a digital fitness platform that provides a virtual trainer who customizes your workouts and helps you accomplish your fitness goals through 1:1 coaching. Initially a trained astrophysicist with a degree from Stanford, Rishi sold his previous company, Sosh, to Postmates. We discuss Future, the aspects of building a solution to help improve human behavior, including: -Why fortune favors the prepared mind -What he learned about himself through successfully selling a company -The five most important inidicators of your health (based on their research) -Why the team you build is the company you build -Why he hires for optimism and more.. -- please send comments or questions to [email protected]
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#80 Chris Hufnagel: Leading Through Humility
04/06/2023
#80 Chris Hufnagel: Leading Through Humility
Chris Hufnagel is the Group President leading Wolverine Worldwide's active brands including Merrell, Saucony, Chaco, Kid's Group, and Global Licensing. Chris has previously worked in executive roles at companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, and Under Armor. He shares life and career lessons including: -The resilience he learned from working with the founder of Under Armour, Kevin Plank -Why he instills preparation in his children as a key life skill -Important feedback from his team that helped him embrace his role as a leader -The importance of non-verbal communication and how people can perceive you -An important lesson about leadership from almost getting fired -How to become more self-aware and more.. -- email questions or comments to [email protected]
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#79 Coach K: On Becoming a World-Class Leader
03/27/2023
#79 Coach K: On Becoming a World-Class Leader
Coach K is arguably the greatest college basketball coach of all-time. He has the most wins, won 5 national titles, and was named "Coach of the Year" 12x. He harnessed his leadership philosophy early on as as a point guard and coach at West Point. He also served as a captain in the US Army. Coach K has recently delivered a MasterClass on Values-Driven Leadership which we discuss including: -One of the most important lessons he learned as an assistant coach on The Dream Team -How he used the worst loss of his career as fuel him -His 4-step framework for re-assessing a situation when adversity strikes -The best piece of advice for new leaders trying to make their mark -Sacrifices leaders make and advice from his dear friend, Jimmy V -Why the best leaders are lifelong learners
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#78 Anne Cavassa (Saucony President): Leading Through Empathy
03/20/2023
#78 Anne Cavassa (Saucony President): Leading Through Empathy
Saucony is a household brand for athletes who love to run. It's also a 125 year-old brand with a rich heritage (and my favorite running shoe). Anne Cavassa, President of Saucony, shares her vision for the brand including life and career advice to live by including: -Important lessons she learned working with founds from brands like Tommy Bahama -How she learned empathy through her mother -How she led through turbulent times through empathy -The most important traits she looks for in hiring -How she shows up as a leader at work and a present parent and more.. --- email question to [email protected]
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#77 Jim Irsay: Owner of the Indianapolis Colts & Historical Artifact Collector
12/09/2022
#77 Jim Irsay: Owner of the Indianapolis Colts & Historical Artifact Collector
Jim Irsay has been involved with the Indianapolis Colts for nearly his entire life. He took ownership of the franchise in 1997 after his father's passing. He's known as one of the most eccentric and outspoken owners, and notably open about his own life and struggles. Outside of football, he's invested over $100 million in historical artifacts and memorabilia in areas like music, pop culture, and American history. He's taking a portion of his collection on tour throughout the country and displaying them for the public to view, for free. In this special interview we discuss: -His fascination for collecting things like Jerry Garcia's Tiger Guiter ($957K purchase) -The most important lesson he learned from Steve Jobs -What advice he'd give for staying cool under pressure in order to pivot and move forward without panicking and more.. -- Visit for the latest updates and please consider leaving a review!
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#76 Latasha James: Living With Intention to Create Her Best Work
12/04/2022
#76 Latasha James: Living With Intention to Create Her Best Work
Latasha James is a marketing expert, digital creator, and coach. She's built an audience on YouTube with nearly 135K subscribers where she creates videos to help entrepreneurs to scale their business and leverage social media. She also hosts The Freelance Friday Podcast, facilitates a mastermind group (Freelance Friday Club), and has developed several online courses like the Social Media Management Toolbox. Visit her site: Things we discuss: -What really prevents people from creating content online -How she's grown and shifted her business from services based to digital -An important question she asks herself before she publishes content -How reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield impacted her creativity -Guardrails she's implemented to show up as the best version of herself at home and work and more.. -- Please consider leaving a review and visit for updates
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#75 Eric Fleet: Life & Career Lessons Scaling Threads 4 Thought
11/28/2022
#75 Eric Fleet: Life & Career Lessons Scaling Threads 4 Thought
Eric Fleet is the founder of the premium and sustainable clothing brand named Threads 4 Thought. He grew up watching his father in the apparel business and after university he launched the sustainable clothing brand that also benefited from a stroke of luck. Their initial t-shirt designs were politically contreversial and struck a chord with celeberities like Gwen Stefani and Paris Hilton who were wearing them. Over the years, the clothing line and brand has expanded into many retailers like Nordstrom. They've thrived from making stylish clothing comfortable, sustainable, and accessible. In this interview we discuss: -How Eric created his own luck getting celeberities to wear their t-shirts -How he navigated the most difficult business decision -The importance of having perspective during tough times in your career and more.. -- visit for the latest updates
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#74 Ryan Hawk: Lessons From Interviewing 500 of the World's Greatest Leaders
11/20/2022
#74 Ryan Hawk: Lessons From Interviewing 500 of the World's Greatest Leaders
Ryan Hawk is the host of The Learning Leader Show. He has recorded more than 475 episodes over the past 7 years. Forbes called The Learning Leader Show, Inc Magazine said, Apple named it an “all-time best seller” in 2020 and 2021. Ryan is the author of Welcome to Management: How To Grow From Top Performer To Excellent Leader. named it to its 100 Best Management Audiobooks of all time (#25). Forbes called it, Ryan’s second book is called . When he's not recording podcasts, he focuses on helping leaders to become more effective through his Leadership Circles, his online school (The Learning Leader Academy), and delivering keynote speeches to audiences and organizations around the world. In this episode we discuss: -Why it's important to follow your genuine curiousity -How interviewing 500 leaders made him a better leader and father -The keys to publishing 500 episodes consistently every week without fail -Episode recommendations for new managers -How involuntary hardship can help you develop resilience, and more.. -- Check out for the latest updates and please consider leaving a review!
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#73 Matt Dixon & Ted McKenna: Habits of High Performing Salespeople (The JOLT Effect)
11/13/2022
#73 Matt Dixon & Ted McKenna: Habits of High Performing Salespeople (The JOLT Effect)
Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna published a great sales book that can help sales and marketing teams address customer indecision. Combined with mining over 2 million recorded sales calls and studying human behavior, they provide prescriptive advice that you can complement whatever sales methodology you use today. Matthew Dixon was also author of popular book, The Challenger Sale. In this episode we discuss: -The JOLT method and how you can apply it -The concept of the omission bias -Common pitfalls of most salespeople -Death by one thousand papercuts (eroding your trust) and more -- visit to contact me and for the latest updates
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#72 Joe Moglia: Former CEO of TD Ameritrade on Navigating Hard Decisions
11/05/2022
#72 Joe Moglia: Former CEO of TD Ameritrade on Navigating Hard Decisions
Joe Moglia is the former CEO of TD Ameritrade and he spent nearly two decades at Merrill Lynch in leadership positions. He is also the former head football coach of a Division I school, Coastal Carolina. His coaching career spanned on and off from 1968 through 2018 and he earned a head coaching record of 56-22. Some of the topics we discuss: -How having children early in his life impacted his career -What kind of father his children think of him as -How he navigated some of the toughest decisions in his career -How to improve how you show up in high pressure situations -What he did to stay on track as a CEO and head football coach -- visit for the latest updates
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#71 Joey Pointer: CEO of Fleet Feet on Taking Risks and Building Brand Around Community
10/30/2022
#71 Joey Pointer: CEO of Fleet Feet on Taking Risks and Building Brand Around Community
Joey pointer, CEO of Fleet Feet, shares his story about how he grew up on a tobacco farm, landed at job at Ernst & Young in finance, and took a leap of faith to join a startup shoe retailer named Fleet Feet based in Sacramento which has grown to over 250+ stores. In this episode we discuss: -Lessons Joey learned from his parents growing up on a tobacco farm -How he navigated the leap of faith from the consulting firm to Fleet Feet -Innovation and investments they've made into the brand that have led to its growth -What he does to show up as the best version of himself at work and at home, and more.. -- Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest updates ()
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#70 Carla Harris: How To Be An Influential Leader In Any Environment
10/23/2022
#70 Carla Harris: How To Be An Influential Leader In Any Environment
Carla Harris is a force of nature who has advised and motivated companies around the world. She is a senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley and she earned her economics degree and MBA from Harvard. In 2013, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council. In addition to being a popular public speaker and gospel recording artist, Carla has authored several books including Lead to Win -- which is an important guide for the modern leader which we unpack in this conversation. In this episode we discuss: -Advice for someone thinking about taking the journey of leadership -How to surround yourself with people you trust -Why the best leaders are active listeners -Why it's important to "call a thing a thing" Get the latest updates at www.omaid.me
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#69 Guy Raz: Career Advice From The Host Of 'How I Built This'
10/09/2022
#69 Guy Raz: Career Advice From The Host Of 'How I Built This'
Guy Raz is the greatest podcaster of our generation. 3.5 million people tune in to every episode of How I Built This where he interviews amazing founders to tell their story. He was widely known as the face of NPR and now is the founder and CEO of Built-It Productions. Guy also hosts Wisdom From the Top and The Great Creators. In this episode we discusss: -Advice he'd give someone early on in their career about how things could change. Guy was a foreign correspondent for years and things completely changed when he had a perceived failure in his career. -Cultivating self-awareness and being a good parent -Preparation and whether or not there's such a thing as over-preparing and more Sign up for my newsletter at
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#68 Jay Shetty: Cultivating More Self-Awareness
09/25/2022
#68 Jay Shetty: Cultivating More Self-Awareness
Jay Shetty is widely known for his inspiring videos which have been seen by over 7B people on YouTube. Jay shares the wisdom he learned living as a monk to help others find their purpose. He hosts the #1 health podcast called On Purpose and we unpack his best-selling book, Think Like a Monk. In this episode we discuss: -The importance of appreciating the journey vs the reward -Why humility is the elixir of the ego -How to cultivate more self-awareness, and more.. If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review!
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#67 Dr. Michael Breus: On Getting Better Sleep
08/22/2022
#67 Dr. Michael Breus: On Getting Better Sleep
Dr. Michael Breus is the leading authority in the field of sleep. He is a clinical psychologist with more than two decades of experience in his field. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In 2021, Reader’s Digest named him the best sleep specialist in the state of California. He's also published four books on the subject of sleep. In this episode we discuss: -Why catching up on sleep is a myth -The 5 tablestakes to do in order to get good, quality sleep -Why understanding your chronotype can help you get better sleep and more. Check out The Sleep Doctor's website and take the sleep quiz to understand your chronotype Please consider leaving a review of the show! Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest updates
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#66 Liz Fosslien: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay
08/15/2022
#66 Liz Fosslien: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay
Liz Fosslien's illustrations have made a significant impact on how many view emotions at work and in life. Her superpower is being able to illustrate these emotions in what appears to be a simple drawing which affects millions of people. She's the best-selling author of No Hard Feelings which was about emotions at work, and her new book is titled Big Feelings which touches on both work and life. to one of my favorite illustrations about measuring success. In this episode we discuss: -myths about uncertainty like 'just be resilient' -what happens when we suppress anger too long -ways to avoid burnout before it's too late and more.. Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest updates at
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#65 Story Musgrave: The Astronaut Who Led the $700 Million Mission To Fix The Hubble Telescope
08/06/2022
#65 Story Musgrave: The Astronaut Who Led the $700 Million Mission To Fix The Hubble Telescope
In 1990 when NASA launched the $1.5 billion Hubble Telescope into space, they did so with a faulty mirror that took blurry images. They tasked Story Musgrave to lead a team to fix it. What made him the best person to lead the mission? Because Story was a lifelong learner and his range of experience allowed him to view problems through a unique lens. Story was an electrician, mathemetician, computer programmer, mechanic, pilot, trauma surgeon, and an astronaut who helped design space suits and the Hubble Telescope. He earned six academic degrees and became the only astronaut to have flown aboard all five Space Shuttles. In this episode, we deconstruct his life and career to learn the most important lessons. -- Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest updates at
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#64 D.J. Vanas: Finding Clarity in Chaos
07/31/2022
#64 D.J. Vanas: Finding Clarity in Chaos
An enrolled member of the Ottawa Tribe of Michigan, D.J. was born to impoverished teenage parents. He went from sleeping in a drawer for the first three months of his life to becoming a proud graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a decorated Air Force captain, a renowned member of the tribal community, a bestselling author, and a revered motivational speaker. A true warrior, who is successful in both business and life, he credits these personal triumphs to traditional teachings and ceremony as well as his service as a military officer. D.J. and I discuss his new book, The Warrior Within, and the stories and principals he shares often rooted in Native American culture and wisdom. In this episode we discuss: -The sigificance of your 'medicine bag' in Native American culture and how you can use it -Why sometimes the biggest challenge to seeing our vision come true are because of the people closest to us -The importance of creating your own war cry, how to keep your fire lit, and more.. email questions or comments to [email protected]
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#63 Andy Dunn: Launching a Startup and Losing His Mind
07/24/2022
#63 Andy Dunn: Launching a Startup and Losing His Mind
Andy Dunn co-founded the e-commerce driven menswear brand Bonobos in 2007 and served as CEO through its 2017 acquisition by Walmart. While business was booming, Andy struggled to manage his mental illness until he hit rock bottom which resulted in a night of mayhem. Andy opens up in his riveting memoir, Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, which intersects entrepreneurship and mental health. One of the major inflection points at Bonobos was the tense relationship with his co-founder, Brian Spaly. In his book and in this interview we discuss what he would have done differently and how their relationship materialized. We also discuss how people can begin to open up to their friends and loved ones about issues like depression, bi-polar disorder, and other mental illnesses. Also, how we can become better noticing those around us who may need help. This was one of the most important books I've read, I highly recommend the Audible because Andy reads it himself. send comments or questions to [email protected]
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#62 Ryan Hawk: The Uncommon Behaviors Of Productive Achievers
05/14/2022
#62 Ryan Hawk: The Uncommon Behaviors Of Productive Achievers
Ryan Hawk is a leadership advisor, author, and podcast host of The Learning Leader Show where he's interviewed 500 of the world's greatest leaders. His second book, The Pursuit of Excellence, distills the behaviors he's learned from his guests and life experiences in order to live an excellent life. In this episode we discuss: -How he wants his daughters to remember what kind of father he was -Which podcast guests of his he would select to run a potential company of his -Unpacking my favorite behaviours from his book and more.. email me at with any questions or comments
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#61 Troy Sicotte: On Leading With Trust
03/22/2022
#61 Troy Sicotte: On Leading With Trust
Troy Sicotte is the President of Mountain Hardwear, a premium apparel and equipment brand designed for mountaineering, camping, and outdoor activities. They are owned by Columbia Sportswear. Troy's career has interesected with music, automotive, and retail industries. He shares stories from touring with his band and how that led him through his journey at companies like Audi and The North Face. Troy also shares the importance of leading with trust. In this episode we cover: -How Troy views trust as a leader -How working in multiple industries has helped shape his professional experience -How he approaches building great teams like putting together an amazing band -How to strike work/life balance and more.. email questions to [email protected]
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