The Power of Mentorship and Trust in Building a Championship Culture with Scott Howard
The Athletics Of Business
What does it take to build a championship culture that lasts? For Scott Howard, it starts with mentorship, trust, relationships, and a commitment to putting the team above yourself. In this episode of The Athletics of Business, host Ed Molitor reconnects with longtime friend Scott Howard, currently completing his 11th season with the Denver Nuggets organization after nearly four decades in basketball, including 17 years coaching in the college game and over two decades in the NBA. At the heart of this conversation is what truly builds championship culture. Scott shares how growing up in Iowa...
info_outline
One Team, One Heartbeat: How Human Connection Drives Transformation Before the Scoreboard Shows It with Meghan Long
The Athletics Of Business
Why do the same teams keep winning without the most talent? Is it because they’ve learned to embrace the grind, celebrate small wins, and lead people as humans first—so they’d run through a wall for each other? In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host Ed Molitor is joined by , Area Vice President of US Surgical Sales at . As a former Division I Lacrosse captain at UNC-Chapel Hill, Meghan understands what it takes to build a winning culture. Today, she brings those same principles into her work, leading high-impact growth and turnaround efforts across the medical device,...
info_outline
Connecting Like A PRO: The Four Underlying Motivators Every Leader Needs to Master
The Athletics Of Business
What if every frustrating conversation, every missed connection, and every stalled coaching moment with your team could be traced back to just four hidden forces, forces you've never been taught to see? In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host Ed Molitor is joined by Paul Bramson, elite leadership trainer, global keynote speaker, and author of Connecting Like A PRO®, to explore the hidden drivers behind every conversation, conflict, and coaching moment. Paul reveals the four underlying motivators that shape how we respond under pressure: the Need to Be Liked, the Need to Be...
info_outline
The Reset Mindset: How Strategic Focus Drives Leadership in a Distracted World
The Athletics Of Business
Do you ever feel pulled in a hundred directions at once, with notifications buzzing and priorities constantly shifting? In a world of constant distractions, competing priorities, and unprecedented change, the ability to focus has become one of the rarest and most valuable leadership skills. But according to Penny Zenker, focus isn't just about paying attention. It's about strategically directing your energy toward what truly matters. In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host Ed Molitor sits down with Penny Zenker, internationally known as "The Focusologist," to explore how...
info_outline
Leading with Competitive Character: Building Connected Teams That Perform and Care
The Athletics Of Business
In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host is joined by , Vice President of Sales at . In this encore episode, Will shares insights into his leadership philosophy, drawing from his experiences as a former football player at Indiana University and his current role leading a powerhouse team at Agios. Throughout the episode, Will shares his core values of competitive character, which he defines as the ability to perform under pressure, ethically, and consistently. He dives into how these principles shape his approach to team culture, leadership, and achieving success in the...
info_outline
Ten More Feet: How Resilience and Faith Make the Extraordinary Possible
The Athletics Of Business
Some people chase summits. Others spend the rest of their lives talking about the one they have already reached. Mark Pattison refuses to look in the rearview mirror. In this episode of The Athletics of Business podcast, host Ed Molitor welcomes back Mark Pattison, former NFL wide receiver for the Los Angeles Raiders, mountaineer, entrepreneur, and author of the new book Finding Your Summit: How to Build Resilience and Faith to Rise Above Life’s Challenges. Mark became the first NFL player to climb the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest, but the mountains are only part of the story. This...
info_outline
Beat Yesterday: Competing Within to Win Together
The Athletics Of Business
In this episode of The Athletics of Business, host Ed Molitor is joined by Jake Thompson, the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day. Jake takes us on a journey through his entrepreneurial path, from starting his brand with t-shirts sold out of his car trunk to building a global movement worn by leaders in 62 countries. Jake discusses his books Compete Every Day, Lead Better Now, The Line, and his upcoming release, Beat Yesterday. He explores how competition and collaboration can be balanced to foster a high-performance culture in both sports and business. Jake shares how we can use...
info_outline
Heart Equity: What Great Coaches Teach Leaders About Culture Under Pressure
The Athletics Of Business
What if the difference between teams that crumble under pressure and those that rise has little to do with talent or strategy and everything to do with trust? What if the real competitive edge in business is not bigger budgets or better metrics, but genuine vulnerability and a deeper human connection? What if executive isolation is not inevitable, but the result of avoiding hard conversations? And what if the most powerful investment an organization can make is not in technology or talent, but in something far more human, heart equity? In this episode, host Ed Molitor sits down with his good...
info_outline
The New Standard: How BEC and CoEffex Are Redefining Talent Search in Life Sciences
The Athletics Of Business
Our Guest: Ted Coss Ted leads the strategic direction of top talent search firm, Buckman Enochs Coss and Associates (BEC) while ensuring outstanding service and measurable results for clients. With a deep passion for life sciences and healthcare, Ted draws from both professional and personal experiences to understand the transformative impact of these industries. Since joining BEC in 1993, Ted has successfully completed hundreds of executive searches including numerous C-level placements and large-scale commercial team expansions. Many of the leaders he has placed have gone on to shape the...
info_outline
Unlocking the Champion’s Soul with Dr. Jerry Lynch
The Athletics Of Business
Most people chase performance by training the mind and pushing the body. Dr. Jerry Lynch has spent decades proving that’s only part of the equation. Because when pressure hits—when fear shows up, when doubt gets loud, when the moment gets heavy—mindset won’t carry you if your inner foundation is empty. What separates the best isn’t just mental toughness. It’s what champions can access when the stakes are real: meaning, courage, connection, and the soul behind the performance. In his fifth appearance on The Athletics of Business Podcast, Jerry joins Ed Molitor to explore what truly...
info_outlineHow does someone rise from stacking pallets in a Pepsi warehouse to leading a billion-dollar brand?
In this episode, I sit down with Scott Miller, former Essentia Water CEO and author of Summit Mindset, to unpack the philosophy that turns relentless ambition into meaningful success.
Scott brings his book’s principles to life as he shares the four pillars that ground him Faith, Family, Business, and Others, proving that sustainable achievement begins when people come before profit.
He walks us through his Failure → Reflection → Persistence cycle, the daily rituals that fuel high performance, and the game-changing question he asks his team every week: "What did we suck at this time?" because real growth starts with honest reflection.
The conversation turns deeply personal as Scott revisits a heart-to-heart with his father on his deathbed, a moment that still shapes his leadership today. At the core of it all? The idea of a North Star, a guiding light that cuts through the noise when data and pressure cloud judgment. Scott challenges us to define ours, lean on our own pillars, and keep climbing, especially when the summit feels out of reach.
We wrap up with practical ways to build cultures where vulnerability fuels strength, ambition goes hand in hand with kindness, and true leadership starts within.
If you’re ready to rise without leaving your values behind press play and let Summit Mindset show you the way.
Meet Our Guest: Scott Miller
Scott Miller is a seasoned executive and author renowned for his transformative leadership in the global beverage industry. Now the Co-founder & CEO of YESLY Water, Scott began his career on the warehouse floor at Pepsi, gaining firsthand experience that propelled him through the ranks to executive leadership roles.
Miller's people-first approach to business has been a hallmark of his career, emphasizing innovation, corporate social responsibility, and community involvement. Notably, he led the growth and acquisition of Essentia, a national bottled water brand, culminating in its sale to global food and beverage leader Nestlé.
In his debut book, The Summit Mindset: Winning the Battle of You Versus You, co-authored with James C. Moore, Miller shares insights drawn from his personal and professional journey.
The book serves as a guide for individuals seeking to overcome internal obstacles and achieve personal and professional growth. Miller introduces concepts like identifying one's "North Star" and emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, consistency, and embracing change to reach one's full potential.
Miller's philosophy centers on the belief that by confronting our internal challenges and maintaining a commitment to continuous improvement, we can attain both personal fulfillment and professional success.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- The story behind The Summit Mindset and the four pillars that guide Scott’s life
- Why adversity is the greatest teacher—and how to build consistency through it
- The power of asking, “What did we suck at?” in high-performance cultures
- How vulnerability and humility foster stronger, more accountable teams
- Why protecting your “sense of self” is the most important leadership asset
- The difference between success that lasts and success that fades
- How habits create confidence, and confidence creates transformation
- What it means to serve others while fiercely competing at the highest level
- How Scott’s health challenges and personal losses shaped his leadership style
Resources & Links
Scott Miller
- Book: The Summit Mindset on Amazon
- Instagram: @ScottMillerYouVsYou
- LinkedIn: Scott Miller
Ed Molitor
- LinkedIn: Ed Molitor
- Website: www.themolitorgroup.com
- YouTube Channel: The Athletics of Business
- Join us at the 2025 Coaching Effect Summit in Kansas City, June 11–12. Email the word “summit” to info@themolitorgroup.com
Click here to learn more!