Former Cal Rugby Player Robert Paylor asks: What is paralyzing you?
Release Date: 04/23/2025
Mindset Expert David Yeager on How to Make Comparison Your Superpower
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 253: Baseball shaped this researcher who led the largest growth mindset experiment in history. His work spans from sports teams to global corporations like McDonald’s and Walmart, where mindset shifts are boosting performance and reducing turnover. In this episode, you will learn: Strategies for building teams where curiosity, not fear, drives improvement. A two-part mindset shift that can turn performance anxiety into peak performance. How to turn comparison into a catalyst for personal and team growth. Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s...
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Renegade Global CEO Amy Jo Martin: Go from busy to effective with calendar integrity
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 252: What do black diamond ski slopes and working with Shaquille O’Neal have in common? For Amy Jo Martin, both became defining lessons in bravery, brand, and leadership. In this episode, you will learn: How to practice “calendar integrity” so your time matches your values. Why deleting, delegating, and divesting are the keys to capacity. A simple strategy for manufacturing bravery in high-stakes moments. Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights. 📚Do you want to...
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Super Bowl Special: How Tom Brady and Doug Flutie Influenced Lisa Borges’ Approach to Pressure
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 251: As longtime Executive Director of the TB12 Foundation, Lisa helped carry forward Tom Brady’s mission to redefine health and longevity. Before that, she spent 18 years leading the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, guiding families through some of life’s hardest challenges and helping turn advocacy into action. In this episode, you’ll learn: How genuine curiosity builds trust and unlocks performance Why elite leaders redirect quickly instead of dwelling on setbacks How mental fitness becomes the foundation for sustainable leadership Our for this...
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SailPoint CEO Mark McClain says: Spend 90% of your time at work on your job, and 10% on your career.
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 250: As captain of his HS baseball and basketball teams, Mark McClain began building a leadership playbook that would one day guide him as founder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies—recently named to Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to balance executing in your role with building your career with his 90/10 rule. How to recalibrate goals before you drift too far off course. The three traits Mark looks for in every hire. Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can...
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Torchy’s Tacos Founder Mike Rypka shares his journey from addiction to influence— an inside look at the rise of the beloved taco brand
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 249: Before food trucks were cool, Mike Rypka had a used trailer, a red Vespa for deliveries, and a bold dream of building a taco joint. In this raw and inspiring conversation, he shares how overcoming addiction—and earning respect by leading from the line—shaped the culture behind one of America’s most beloved taco brands, now with more than 100 locations. Read our book The Devil Is In the Details: Mike Rypka and the Torchy's Tacos Story: Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s...
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World Class Executive Coach Jack Daly asks: You can make more money, but not more time— how are you using yours?
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 248: “Sports teams are run better than most businesses,” Jack Daly shares. “They practice more than they play—and they never play without a playbook.” With 100+ marathons across all 50 states and 7 continents, multiple Ironman finishes, and a business career that scaled companies into the hundreds of millions, Jack brings an unmatched resume—and a powerful message. This episode will challenge you to be intentional about every hour of your week. Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s...
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Hugh & Grace Founder Sara Jensen on "When Mentors Are Miles Away" – The unexpected inspiration that drove her wellness company
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 247: Swimming and diving instilled a discipline in Sara that she carried into marathon running—qualifying for Boston the year of the bombing, then digging deep to requalify under even tougher standards. That same grit now fuels her approach to business, helping her navigate setbacks and drive purpose-driven growth. Sara is offering a 10% discount to all of our listeners when you visit her website through this link: Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights. Do you want to write a...
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Former World No. 1 Tennis Player Stan Smith and Business Partner Gary Niebur on Winning Trust: How to Create Moments That Matter
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 246: Tennis champion and Adidas shoe icon is joined by the President of Stan Smith Events, to share how leaders can Win Trust. With clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to Olympic legends and Michelin-starred chefs, they reveal how thoughtfully crafted moments create lasting impact. Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re...
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NVIDIA’s Anthony Robbins on what makes Jensen Huang unlike any other CEO
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 245: From Jacksonville State Basketball to leading teams at AT&T, Oracle, and NVIDIA, he shares how a coach, a friend-turned-mentor, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang helped shape his leadership mindset, including: Why mentorship that starts with friendship builds trust and momentum How to create a leadership culture where curiosity and vulnerability are rewarded How mission quietly shapes behavior—long before it shows up in performance Our for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights. ...
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Cisco Leader Sophie Stevens on Turning the “Competitive Cauldron” into Corporate Momentum
Corporate Competitor Podcast
Ep. 244: From UNC soccer’s “Competitive Cauldron” to Cisco’s global sales floors, Sophie Stevens has learned that high performers thrive on feedback, not comfort. In this episode, she and Don Yaeger explore how measurable accountability builds great teams, why vulnerability and openness drive innovation, and how gratitude sustains momentum. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started:...
info_outlineEp. 227: A devastating injury during the National Championship game left Robert paralyzed from the neck down. Told he’d never walk again, he began a new journey, one fueled by his three-word mantra: “Compared to what?”
Robert shares how that question helped him shift from victimhood to victory—and how you can use the same mindset to lead through adversity.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why asking “Compared to what?” cuts big challenges down to size.
- How to reframe your pain into purpose and lead from a place of strength.
- What it means to truly forgive—and how it frees your energy to focus forward.
Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.
Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/
Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.
Special thanks to Alissa Pupich and Karson Hills for making this episode possible.