What “Embrace the Suck” Really Means–Inside the SEAL Mindset for Life & Business with Brent Gleeson
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
Release Date: 10/09/2025
Frontline Trauma and the Silent War Facing First Responders with Sgt Michael Sugrue
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
First responders do not get to turn it off when the shift ends. In this episode of Point of Impact, Aaron Hale talks with Sergeant Michael Sugrue, who spent years in the Air Force and more than a decade in civilian law enforcement. He’s seen both worlds up close and knows what the job actually does to people over time… Michael explains why police officers and other first responders live in a constant state of alert and how that pressure builds quietly for years. He talks about the event that finally pushed him past his limit, and what happened when he tried to deal with everything by...
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Why Standing Out Now Costs More Than Ever with Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
Happiness… It has the tendency of slipping through our fingers no matter how much success, money, or influence we chase. In this powerful episode of Point of Impact, Aaron Hale sits down with Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer–author, church leader, and outspoken cultural voice–to unpack why so many people feel emptier than ever in a world flooded with distractions, dopamine, and conformity. Jackson shares how God redirected his life from business to ministry, why the church cannot stay silent on politics and culture, and what COVID revealed about fear, virtue signaling, and the cost of standing...
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Getting Back to the Mountaintop After the Uniform with JR Butler
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
What happens when the uniform comes off…and no one tells you what’s next? On this episode of Point of Impact, Aaron Hale talks with JR Butler, Founder & CEO of Shift Group. JR built Shift Group to help veterans and former athletes break into business careers without getting filtered out by outdated hiring systems. He believes the traditional resume reduces real people to lifeless bullet points, and that better tools and better storytelling create better opportunities. The conversation covers what transition is really like, why confidence follows discipline, and why starting over...
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Healing Veteran Trauma Through Service Dogs with Ryan Woodruff
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
Can the warrior mindset that keeps you alive in combat… …be the thing that holds you back once you’re home? In this episode of Point of Impact, Aaron Hale sits down with Ryan Woodruff, Marine Corps veteran and CEO of Clear Path for Veterans, to explore the unseen battles veterans face after the uniform comes off and what real healing actually requires. Ryan shares his journey from infantryman in Iraq to struggling civilian and how service dogs became a pathway back to empathy, connection, and humanity. Together, they unpack the human-animal bond, the ripple effects of trauma, and why...
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How to Recognize the Signs and Save a Life with Tony DeMaio
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
Every 11 minutes, a life is lost…and more than a hundred people are left carrying the weight of it. Today Aaron Hale sits down with Tony DeMaio, longtime advocate for veterans and first responders, and founder of Helping Heroes USA. Tony breaks down what really leads people down the path of isolation, depression, and despair–and how everyday people can step in before it’s too late. From recognizing early warning signs to learning how to start hard conversations without judgment, Tony shares a clear, practical framework for prevention. If you’ve ever wondered what to say,...
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How NOT to Be One of the 93% of Business Owners Overpaying on Taxes with Rondi Lambeth
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
93% of American business owners pay more in taxes than they are legally required to. Not because they’re bad at business, but because they’re playing the wrong game. Today Aaron Hale sits down with tax strategist Rondi Lambeth, who breaks down why there is one tax code but two tax systems: one for the informed, and one for everyone else. Rondi exposes why CPAs are referees and not coaches, how the wealthy legally structure their lives to protect assets and reduce taxes, and why trying to get to zero every year keeps most entrepreneurs broke. From the Augusta Rule to corporate structures,...
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Why Escaping Reality Is the REAL Addiction & How Ken Miller Chose Truth Instead
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
What if addiction isn’t about substances at all…but about escaping reality? Today Aaron Hale sits down with Ken Miller, a Dartmouth grad, former felon, and now a man with 21+ years of sobriety, to unpack a harder truth most people avoid: The real addiction is leaving reality–and there are no good excuses for doing it. Ken traces his path from foster care, violence, and prison to building multiple businesses, mentoring men across the country, and living with clarity and discipline. He explains why emotional pain never justifies relapse, why cliches block real thinking, and why...
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The Framework He Used to Defy The Odds After a TBI with Nick Prefontaine
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
When 14-year-old Nick Prefontaine suffered a near-fatal snowboard accident, doctors told his parents he may never walk, talk, or eat on his own again. He spent three weeks in a partially induced coma, months in rehabilitation, and was expected to need 24-hour care for the rest of his life… Instead, he ran out of the hospital. Today, Nick sits down with Aaron Hale to break down the 4-step framework behind his comeback, and the mindset that carried him through the darkest moments of his life. Nick opens up about the doubt, the inner voice that told him he’d run...
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How Losing His K9 Partner Transformed Rick Hogg’s Life and Mission
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
When Rick Hogg looks back on nearly three decades in Special Operations, one truth stands out above the rest: The dogs weren’t just teammates…they were the reason he came home. In this conversation, Rick walks through the moments that shaped his life on and off the battlefield: the first deployment where a dog saved his team, the long nights training in the heat, the surgeries and setbacks that came with age and miles, and the day he held his K9 partner Duco for the last time. Rick also opens up about transition. The parts nobody prepares you for… The missing tribe. The...
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How Humility Keeps Leaders Alive with Fighter Pilot Dave Berke
Point Of Impact With Aaron Hale
What does a TOPGUN instructor, a Marine forward air controller in Ramadi, and the only Marine to ever fly the F-22 Raptor all have in common? One man–Dave Berke–and a lifetime of lessons on what leadership really looks like. Aaron Hale sits down with retired Marine Colonel Berke, a fighter pilot and ground combat leader who’s spent his career making hard calls in places where mistakes cost lives. From carrier decks to close air support in Ramadi, Berke learned early that complacency is deadly and humility keeps you alive. Berke shares stories from the cockpit, the streets, and the...
info_outlineWhat does it take to go from Navy SEAL operations in Iraq to building a tech company that’s transforming how leaders grow?
In this episode of Point of Impact, Aaron Hale sits down with Brent Gleeson—combat veteran, author of Embrace the Suck, and founder of EXCELR8—to explore the brutal truths and timeless principles behind leadership, resilience, and impact.
Brent shares how SEAL training taught him humility, teamwork, and emotional intelligence—and how those same lessons now drive his work helping organizations blend human leadership with AI-powered performance. From personal loss to professional reinvention, he opens up about what it means to truly go “all in” on life, love, and purpose.
If you’ve ever faced adversity and wondered how to turn it into strength, this conversation is your roadmap.
0:00 Intro
1:22 From Dallas finance guy to Navy SEAL
7:00 9/11 and the mission that changed everything
11:35 Inside SEAL culture: humility, teamwork, and the psychology of leadership
15:50 Nature vs. nurture—are leaders born or built?
18:13 Why the best leaders crave feedback and discomfort
20:11 How SEAL training forges humility and resilience
25:16 The real meaning behind Embrace the Suck
29:29 How to build mental calluses and turn pain into progress
33:10 The lessons behind his new book All In and losing his father
36:32 Breaking bad habits and designing a life that matters
41:22 Learning from Jason Redman, David Goggins, and Shackleton’s endurance
45:21 How Brent’s company, EXCELR8, uses AI to accelerate human leadership
51:02 Blending tech with the human touch: building teams that thrive
55:52 Leadership, data, and the power of human connection
1:00:11 Countdown to Impact – Brent’s books, quotes, and inspiration
1:06:39 Closing thoughts and where to find Brent
Resources Mentioned:
📚 Embrace the Suck – Brent Gleeson
📚 All In: The Pathway to Personal Growth and Professional Excellence – Brent Gleeson (coming December 2025)
📚 Atomic Habits – James Clear
📚 The 5AM Club – Robin Sharma
📚 Team of Teams – Gen. Stanley McChrystal
📚 Endurance – Alfred Lansing
📚 Overcome – Jason Redman
🌐 https://www.exlr8.ai/ - Brent’s AI-powered leadership platform
🌐 http://www.brentgleesonspeaker.com/
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