The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

10 years ago, when the founders of Airbnb asked Chip Conley to be their mentor, he had his doubts. He could not see his place at a young-blooded tech start-up where the average employee was half his age. But Chip is not one to back down from a challenge, and with the help of Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky, he began embracing his new role as a “Modern Elder”. Chip is a self-proclaimed Zeitgeist Surfer, a rebel hospitality entrepreneur, a bestselling author, and the Founder of Modern Elder Academy, the world’s first midlife wisdom school that helps people cultivate and harvest their wisdom. In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, host Ryan Berman and Chip Conley explore what Chip is currently afraid of. They also discuss Chip’s time at Airbnb, the power of mentorship, and how the “great midlife edit” inspired Chip to launch The Modern Elder Academy.

Communication is powerful. Our guest today has proven that great communication changes individuals, companies, and societies for the better. Patti Sanchez is the Chief Strategy Officer for Duarte, and has helped clients such as Nike, Cisco, Ericsson, and HP take their storytelling to the next level. Through communication frameworks, storytelling techniques, and empathy exercises, Patti helps leaders and learners of all kinds understand the inner workings of the human mind and heart. She does so by crafting engaging narratives that resonate on a deep level. In this episode of The Courageous Podcast, host Ryan Berman and Patti Sanchez shed light on how to use storytelling to not only mobilize people to change, but to empower them to influence large-scale transformations. Patti also shares some actionable advice on becoming a more effective communicator and speaks on why she believes a conversation is a more effective communication tool than a monologue.

He helped bring two NHL teams to the Stanley Cup Finals. Aided a USA Hockey World Championship Team to a bronze medal. Rebuilt two college hockey programs from the ground up. It’s why Greg Carvel refers to himself more as a “program builder” than a “head coach”. In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, join host Ryan Berman and Coach Greg Carvel as they discuss why having more character than your opponent is an essential feature of a winning team. We’ll hear how Coach Carvel, over the course of four years, took the University of Massachusetts men’s Hockey Team from 58th (out of 60 Division 1 programs) to 2021 National Champions — all while maintaining the highest GPA of any athletic team on campus. It’s an inspirational episode that presents lessons that can be applied to life, business, and beyond!

What would it take to make you 10% happier? Ben Rubin believes that making small incremental changes, like spending a few minutes a day meditating, can make big impactful improvements in your life. Ben has spent the better part of his career at the intersection of technology and human behavior change. He is the Co-Founder & CEO at Ten Percent Happier, where he and his team are on a mission to convince fidgety skeptics that meditation isn’t as intimidating as it seems. In this episode of the podcast, host Ryan Berman and Ben Rubin unpack the question “How serious is the happiness business?”, which leads to some surprising and thought-provoking revelations. They also discuss how to find sweetness when experiencing sadness, and why if you don’t love what you are doing as an entrepreneur you may be fighting an uphill battle.

Growing up in a large Ohio blue collar family, inspired by her love of sport as a young girl, Beth Malafa told her mother she wanted to work for the NFL or the Olympics. Today, she has checked the box on both. In fact, Beth has found herself putting on events for the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and the USOC. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast with host Ryan Berman, we learn that Beth doesn’t simply embrace teamwork — but the importance of hard work in everything she creates for Under Armour. Beth shares what it’s like working with megastar athletes, her thoughts on the parallels between the sports and business worlds, and how memorable it was (to her) when she brought tears of joy to her brother's eyes at a Cleveland Browns game. Learn to play the long game while enjoying this thoughtful and fun conversation.

What is your purpose? Lana McGilvray, Founder and CEO at Purpose Worldwide, helps her clients answer that question on the daily. Purpose Worldwide is a global public relations firm that specializes in helping clients drive their purpose and growth as they pioneer a better world for all. Lana has an extensive background in PR and is also a contributor to Ad Age, an Adobe Influencer, and an advisor to several purpose-driven startups. In this upbeat and insightful episode of the Courageous Podcast, host Ryan Berman reads a trio of business haikus to Lana and gets her reaction to each. Lana also opens up about the role fear has played in her life, especially in her formative years after losing her father at age 14, and how she has worked to courageously overcome this challenge to have a successful career and lead a fulfilling life. There are plenty of gems in this episode that you will not want to miss!

Repetition is reputation. Michael Preysman, Founder and Climate Lead at Everlane, has earned his reputation by repeatedly delivering on his company's promise to “Help people live their best lives with the least impact on the planet." The company pioneered the term ‘Radical Transparency’, and has lifted the veil on many aspects of the fashion industry from pricing mark-ups to factory processes. Embodying the brand's transparent values, Michael has put environmental impact front and center through commitments in its supply chain to eliminate all virgin plastic by 2021 and to transition to organic cotton by 2023. In this conversation with host Ryan Berman, Michael shares his philosophy on approaching life as a practice, the importance of taking time away from work to do things that “fill your bucket”, and how to overcome fear when it gets in the way of growth. Be sure to tune in to this energizing episode of the Courageous Podcast!

AT&T, Ad Age, Xerox, NBC Universal. These are just a few of the companies that Josh Golden, Chief Marketing Officer at Quad, has had a hand in making courageous changes at. With a diverse career spanning over two decades, Josh’s wife accurately describes him as the Marco Polo of industry professions. Josh has earned a reputation as a catalyst to drive change within organizations. In 2017, he led the repositioning of ‘Advertising Age’ to the more current ‘Ad Age’ — solidifying its place in a new digital era. In this wide-ranging conversation, host Ryan Berman and Josh Golden discuss the importance of staying curious, which of the 300+ pieces of content Josh has made is his favorite, and his recent decision to share publicly his bout with epilepsy. It’s another inspiring episode of the Courageous Podcast that you will not want to miss.

Do the scary thing. These are the words that our guest Miranda Prins lives by, and she has the track record to prove it. Miranda currently sits as General Manager of Continental Europe at Kellogg company, a role that spans 10 markets, 30 nationalities, and is made up of a team of roughly 600 people who speak 6 different languages. Managing this incredibly diverse team is part of the reason why Miranda is so passionate about equity, diversity & inclusion at Kellogg’s and beyond. In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, Miranda joins host Ryan Berman from her home in Switzerland for an insightful conversation about the importance of lifting others up, being adaptive during challenges, and the role courageous ideas play today. It’s an advice filled episode that every manager, marketer, and aspiring leader will not want to miss.

Cheerios. Lucky Charms. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Susan Pitt is a serial cerealist and seasoned Brand Experience Director who has spent just under a decade at General Mills believing none of the decisions we make as consumers are all that rational. As she puts it, “we’re all wired for story”. Susan dedicates her days to helping craft some of the world’s most iconic brands known in our culture. On this episode of the podcast, we learn of Susan’s career path starting out on the agency side. As an observationalist, she articulates the distinct differences between the MBA mentality found in most people on the brand side vs the scrappy nature of “agency life”. Her work at General Mills has earned Effies, Cannes Lions, One Show and others – all while living out her personal motto: doing serious work without taking herself too seriously.

There are creative gypsies among us. One of them is Romanian creative talent Mihnea Gheorghiu (Pronounced: Mee-na Gee-orge-ee-yew) who recently returned to Milan from Cannes as a fairly happy man thanks to his teams coveted work on Diesel. On this episode of the podcast, Mihnea, the Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Italia, shares his nomadic journey from Romania to the USA to Italy. We talked about the creative role in advertising: as he puts it, to, “Feel something in the shortest time possible.” We also covered the need for creators to stay curious, the importance of “asking seemingly stupid questions”, and the need to remain an entertainer. If you believe, like Mihnea, that “creativity is the enemy of comfort”, join us for a fast listen.

Ever wonder why your best ideas show up in mid shower? Or how you refreshingly feel different after spending the day next to an ocean on the beach? Today, we dive head first into the healing powers of water. We’re joined by the masterful J Nichols who was nicknamed “Keeper Of The Sea” by GQ Magazine. J has spent a career researching the benefits and impact water have on all of us. He is a marine biologist, PhD and author of the book “Blue Mind”. On this episode, J shares why we need to find moments to step away from terra firma to spend more time on, near or around lakes, pools, seas, hot tubs and more.

"Don't just look at the world differently. Do the world differently.” This week’s guest is a profound talent who does both. IN-Q is an award-winning poet, multi-platinum songwriter, and the best-selling author of Inquire Within. His ability to deconstruct society and bend those observations into words landed him on Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders. He was the first spoken word artist to perform with Cirque du Soleil, and to be featured on A&E, ESPN, and HBO's Def Poetry Jam. His stand-up poetry special, IN-Q - Live at the Ace Theatre, is now streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. On this episode, IN-Q shares some of his new work. In the spirit of courage, IN-Q nudged the host to write and share one of his own poems as well.

A birth. A death. An anniversary. A circled date on the calendar. A special occasion where sending flowers or chocolates can bring loved ones together; even when they're physically thousands of miles apart. Now, imagine if this memory-making moment doesn’t show up on time. This is the anxiety that comes with being Charlie Cole, the Chief Executive Officer of FTD, the modern florist collective. In this episode, Charlie and I discuss what it was like joining the company days before the lockdown in March 2020. Charlie shares what surprised him the most — that he didn’t know about — until after he accepted the job. Finally, we banter back and forth on where fear and courage show up for him as he tries to reinvent a legacy brand that deserves its own flowers for turning 112 years old. Enjoy.

Will Cady is many things. A conscious creator. An Emmy award-winning composer. A member of the 2020 AdWeek Top 50 for Tech, Media and Marketing. Like many, Will thoughtfully resides at Reddit's intersection of content, news, social media and trusted, vouched forum. On this episode, Will reveals what he believes is at the core of Reddit’s success. He expounds the importance of turning curiosity into understanding. And, above all, he shares what it means at Reddit to “remember the human”.

South African Marc Sidelsky believes in the power of storytelling, finding your voice and following it. Marc, an award-winning commercials director, tends to create scripts that disrupt and flourish in the market including his recent brave accomplishment of going straight to a CEO with an idea (Stussy X Nike) that one year later won honors at all major advertising festivals including the Clios, One Show and D&AD. On this episode of the podcast, Marc shares where his passion for story-making started and gives smashing advice for anyone looking to push themselves in the content generation game.

Lauren Verrusio is the Head of Creators, Culture & Content Partnership Communications at YouTube. Jennifer Zudonyi is a Senior Director of Brand & Consumer Marketing at Warner Bros Discovery, leading efforts around its NHL partnership. On this episode of the podcast, we hear the story of how two power women turn themselves into a power couple. Each shares their version of what it was like meeting each other in a male dominated world of sports. When did they feel safe coming out? How does their personal life now show up at work? What advice might they have for anyone looking to right a wrong they’re experiencing firsthand in society? We get into it all on this episode of the podcast.

Think Postpartum depression only happens with women? Think again. For our Father’s Day edition of The Courageous Podcast, we sit down for a brave conversation with pediatrician Dr. David Levine. David graduated with highest honors from NYU Medical School while completing his residency at Yale Children’s Hospital. Even with all his wisdom and accolades, life changed fast — and not all for the best — when David became a father. On this episode, David bares all and shares his fatiguing story of being a pediatrician who suffered from paternal postpartum in a time where there wasn’t a wink of literature on this topic. Fast forward to today. That lonely bout with depression steered David to take on the role as incoming Vice President of Postpartum Support International, the worlds leading organization supporting the mental health of new parents.

Aron Ezra is a thinker, innovator and serial entrepreneur with two major exits under his belt. While his wife might wish he’d take a break, Aron is currently in the thick of his third mega business as Chairman of Plan A Technologies; an award-winning software development firm serving startups to the Fortune 500 with offices in the US, Europe, Africa and Latin America. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Aron and I discuss all facets of the entrepreneurial journey. Where to start? How to ramp from small to big? When it’s time to go from scale to sale? If you have the stomach to go out on your own and you need some expert advice from someone who has “done it” twice, has won dozens of awards, and was named one of the Most Intriguing people in Las Vegas by Seven Magazine, then this is the episode for you. Enjoy.

Todd is the SVP, Digital Innovation & Fan Experience for the Seattle Kraken. A former hockey player turned entrepreneur, Todd is charged with redefining how Seattle fans experience the game in a city with deep hockey history, but one that hasn’t had an NHL team in almost one hundred years. On this episode, we discuss life just before the launching of the Kraken brand. We learn how it all started at a conversational breakfast where Todd joined two Leiweke brothers and famed movie maker Jerry Bruckheimer. If you want an inside look at the then best kept secret in hockey, how the Kraken earned it’s late-in-the-game “red eye” in their logo, or were just curious how they put in the work to craft the first net zero carbon-arena, then this is the episode for you.

Ever show up to a party with a 6-pack of water? If you have, you most likely haven’t been invited back. Unless that sixer was comprised of stone-cold tallboys from Liquid Death Mountain Water. In just three short years, LDMW is “murdering thirst” by disrupting a boring-than-still-water commodity category. At the center of it all is Greg Fass; recently named by Forbes as one of 50 most Entrepreneurial CMO’s of 2022. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we are joined by Greg who has made a name for himself as a builder of consumer brands. He was the 2nd full-time employee at MeUndies, where he was at the forefront of non-traditional social-first brand marketing. Today, as Liquid Death Mountain Water’s VP of Marketing, he takes great pride in subverting all water category conventions. Greg grew up in the snow, skate, and surf world and unapologetically shares that he hates corporate marketing, in his words, “as much as everyone else”.

Some would say it’s hard to lose yourself if you had yet to truly find yourself. This is the story of how one man went from city-to-city searching for his purpose while stumbling through a divorce and a soul-crushing bankruptcy only to come out the other side building a multi 7-figure empire. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we meet Ryan Weeden who had lost everything — not just money; but himself. Today, this “Hairpreneur”, Founder and CEO of Masters of Balayage, happily helps thousands across his global audience not just navigate with what’s happening on their minds (their hair) but what’s happening in their minds! We’ll hear Ryan's personal trials and tribulations that he felt he had to go through in order to come out the other side as the man he is today. Enjoy.

On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we sit down with Bjorn Trowery who joined Meta’s Communications/PR team near the beginning of the pandemic and the tail end of the brand formerly known as Facebook. We discuss what it’s like for Bjorn to establish credibility with a new team handcuffed away from his “personal superpower”; his ability to be live, collaborating and in-person.

What does an asthmatic, a Rower, the co-founder of The Perfect Pushup and a Navy SEAL-turned-Platoon Commander have in common? All of them were my guest on this weeks episode of The Courageous Podcast. Alden Mills is one of a kind. He’s on a mission to help 100 million people be unstoppable. He strives to achieve this feat by being a keynote speaker, an executive coach and the epitome of courage. What else did I learn about Alden from our 45 minute conversation? For being a Platoon Commander, he is also a humble human. If you want to learn what it’s like to survive asthma and still become a Navy SEAL, if you aspire to be unstoppable, or if you care to hear why Alden has a bone to pick with Harvard, throw this episode between your ears.

Rhett Power is a Best-Selling Author, Executive Coach, Columnist at Forbes, and a Season 1 Cast Member of The Social Movement (TV Series). Rhett is also the Co-founder of Accountability Inc. and is host of Power Lunch Live; one of the first and most popular interview shows on LinkedIn. On this episode, we flip the script on Rhett as he’s usually the one asking thought leaders, authors, and business executives their secrets to success. We talk about Rhett’s transformation from product entrepreneur to becoming a member of the Marshall Goldsmith's 100. We also go behind the curtain on why Rhett and I came together every Friday during the pandemic to provide an hour long online forum where people could congregate, be inspired, learn and keep it real with one another. Enjoy.

Approximately 13 million adopted pets have found their way into homes over the course of the pandemic. While we’ve taken in our lovable new fur babies over the last two years, many of us are heading back into the working world leaving our pets behind (and alone) for the very first time. In dog years, that’s over a decade and a half of their life! Mental health isn’t simply something humans are dealing with; our four legged children will be coping with their own new levels of anxiety. Enter the team at Petco and Chief Marketing Officer Katie Nauman. On this episode of the podcast, Katie and I discuss Petco’s shifting business to provide more holistic solutions for our pets and their owners. We chinwag on all the pet people working for the company and discuss how the idea of “bring a pet to work” is a year round ordeal in their culture. And, if you ever wanted to know how to go from an $8 an hour job to the Chief Marketing Officer at Petco, then this is the episode for you.

Rihanna. Neymar. Dua Lipa. Usain Bolt. Lewis Hamilton. These are a few of our iconic favorites who set the tone across the globe in style and culture. Collaborating with these originals is one of the world’s leading brands in sports today. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, CEO and President of PUMA North America Bob Philion shares what it’s like to steer the “Big Cat” under the “forever faster” mantra. We dive into what it has been like for Bob getting to know these larger-than-life superstars. We chat about PUMA’s “Run Towards Change” reform platform and discuss how “the casualization of life” has really worked in PUMA’s favor. While we don’t delve too deep on “The Great Reshuffle”…we do get into “The Great Shuffle”; which entails Bob and his daughter showcasing their dance moves on social to pass the time during the pandemic. Enjoy!

Peyton Manning. Drew Brees. Eli Manning. Each of these Super Bowl winning quarterbacks relied on Bennie Fowler to run routes, block or catch passes over the course of his 8-year NFL career. But as Bennie will tell you, each of the above drew him to his current passion of helping executives and organizations maximize their performance. Today, Bennie is an entrepreneur, the creator of MVP leadership (cliff hanger opportunity: the MVP doesn’t stand for what you think) and the author of the book Silver Spoon. As you’ll soon learn from our episode, Bennie first learned to love leadership from his father Bennie Fowler Senior who was a high ranking executive at the Ford Motor Company. We discuss their relationship, Bennie's road to the NFL and his current role guiding leaders in business today.

“I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out”. 20 years ago, these were the words murmured by an unfilled-at-the-time Sam Zien to his wife after he quit his job as a biotech operator. It was then that he realized that something in his life didn’t feel right. One morning, now unemployed, Sam recalls watching “one of the worst cooking segments” on a local San Diego channel when the idea came to him; launch a cooking show. Only problem? Sam didn’t know how to cook. Today, Sam Zien, is known as “Sam The Cooking Guy”. He is quickly approaching 3,500,000 YouTube channel subscribers while his 5th cookbook “Sam The Cooking Guy: Between The Buns” comes out this May. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Sam shares how he went from averaging $8,000 a year over his first two years to becoming the Emmy-Award winning playful personality many of us have come to love today. Enjoy.

There are presently 171,476 words making up our English Dictionary. And with all those choices, you can see how many leaders fumble their way through picking the very right words to help motivate their people, navigate hard conversations, or galvanize a consumer base. Enter Molly Tschang who is a problem solver extraordinaire, lexicon rock star, and the Host of the radio show Say It Skillfully®. Molly envisions a world where people speak without fear and feel heard. She's passionate about each of us being who we are and helping others say what needs to be said, skillfully. Most believe actions speak louder than words. Until, of course, words fail them. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Molly gives us a little taste of her skill including what it takes to let go of what doesn’t serve us. Enjoy.

In the 90th minute on a beautiful California day, in front of 25,000 raving fans, the day got instantaneously more sunny for today’s guest when Javier Hernandez (“Chicharito”) went on to score the lone goal in a 1-0 opening day LA Galaxy win against MLS champions NYCFC. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we are joined by the President of the LA Galaxy Chris Klein. As the leader of a club with the most MLS Championships in history, the expectation to compete and win remains at an all-time high. Chris and I discuss the state of both the LA Galaxy and US soccer, the pressure that comes with his title and his rocketship ride from player-to-President; including a handful of mentors who helped him along the way. Enjoy.

Emily Musil Church, Ph.D. specializes in tech for good, entrepreneurship, and prize competitions. She spent a half dozen years at the XPRIZE Foundation and served as Executive Director of the human equity domain. Today, she continues her good work running world-changing, “crowdsourced" prize competitions at Milken Institute. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we discuss where her philanthropic gene came from, the potential outcomes of a prize that can change the world and her recently announced finalists of the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize.

Today, there’s a video camera in everyone's pocket. But long before we coined the term influencers there were just people with influence. Back in 2010, HBO decided to take a chance on two of them: The Neistat Brothers. Van and Casey Neistat once described their series that was picked up by HBO as "a handmade home movie TV show”. While the democratization of content is here and now, eclectic Van Neistat remains a master storyteller, talented artist and DIY movie maker. From my lens, he truly ranks as one of the most interesting minds in America. Our discussion spans far and wide including his current Youtube endeavor, "The Spirited Man”, his relationship with his brother Casey and a few of our life adventures that included his Baja motorcycle trek (where Van brought along two total strangers) to my wedding. Enjoy.

Nice gets a bad wrap. But Adam Morgan is one of the true nice guys who has successfully navigated the creative business space. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we are joined by the affable Adam Morgan who is Adobe's Executive Creative Director. We discuss a panoply of topics including how C-Suites can better understand the impact creativity has on its bottom line as well as Adam’s challenge to creatives; to “reach across the silo” and better understand the nuances of marketing and business. Who better to provide a point of view on the paramount importance of creative leadership than someone who has spent over two decades running creative departments at brands and agencies. Enjoy.

She’s not only back from Beijing, but she has returned to the States with the ultimate mantlepiece. Aerial Mogulist and freshly minted Olympic Silver Medal winner Jaelin Kauf shares her whirlwind two weeks from navigating a Covid Olympics from the other side of the world to her mother surprising her “live” on The Today Show during her media tour in New York City. Jaelin relives her run, discusses “if she feels different” and confides where she hopes her picture will NOT go when they add it to the US Ski & Snowboard Center Of Excellence in Park City, Utah. We also discuss the history that was made with 4 US athletes finishing in the top 10 of her event, the work we did together on manifesting “Deliver The Love” and what comes next for the Olympic medalist. Enjoy.

Walter Geer isn’t simply a talented black creative — he’s a talented creative (period, full stop). Walt takes great pride sitting at the intersection of design, data, innovation and storytelling. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we zip around discussing his work as a leader in the digital advertising space as well as his monumental work as a DEI advocate. We dive deep to address race, fairness, talent and if he’s seen any real progress in diversification of the board room. Walt also shares what drives him as well as what he has learned from his unique (and public) conversation with Proctor & Gamble’s Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard. Savoy Magazine listed him as one of the most Influential Black Execs in Corporate America. Adweek named him as one of their 50 most important people in media, marketing and tech. If you’re ready to keep it real, then hit play on this conversation between your ears.

Whatever it takes. Say “yes and”. Keep it real. These are just a few of the concepts the affable Erin Levzow knows all too well. She shares her “just keep figuring out” journey with us on this new episode of The Courageous Podcast. If you ever wanted to learn how someone can go from studying theatre in school to making it in Las Vegas to masterfully building an art Mecca in a hotel to finally, “selling tacos on the internet” (her words, not mine), then buckle in for a genuine conversation with Top 25 Women by AWNewYork, CMO of the Year 2020 and ballroom dancing extraordinaire Erin Levzow. Enjoy!

Chris Kneeland is the tell-it-like-it-is co-founder of The Gathering which is, as the name suggests, a gathering that takes place in Banff’s Canadian Rockies by a consortium of world-class brand makers who wish to study, honor and celebrate the world’s best brands. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Chris and I discuss what goes into making this event as well as how his “day job” as the CEO of proactive creative agency “Cult" has evolved over the last decade. This includes a passionate back and forth about why brand leaders continue to make the very same mistake: putting stories into the world that don’t truly mirror what’s going on behind the curtain in their culture. And, if you’re a fan of Business Haiku’s, Ryan tests a few new ones out on Chris. Enjoy.

If you are like the majority, then you have an hourly rate. This severely bothered this weeks guest who couldn’t logically accept “hourly rate" payment terms for his talent. In fact, if Jonathan Stark was capable of cracking your problem in a shorter period of time, shouldn’t he be paid more? On this episode of The Courageous Podcast we are joined by a former software developer who is now on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. Jonathan is the author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly, and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals. If you’re like me (and Jonathan) and believe that the laziest, lowest measurement of our worth is a measurement of time, then this is the episode for you. Enjoy.

Phil Horvath has been on quite the journey. Nothing like starting a prominent, new job during the thick of the pandemic. Now, almost a year in, Phil shares what it has been like to navigate his organization as the new President of Floyd’s 99 Barbershop. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we discuss how Phil has gone about getting to know his team who reside across 114 locations in 13 states from Florida to Texas. This includes the colossal challenge of not being about to travel for face-to-face meetings with his new team for a major part of his tenure. We also discuss the personalities of such a curiously creative workforce, what they call “The Floyd’s Vibe” (which you’ll experience in every Floyd’s shop) and the importance of helping Floyd's employees find their purpose and live their best lives. Enjoy!

In the world of food, Kraft Heinz is on the hunt for what's next now. In this episode of The Courageous Podcast we are talking transformation and the future of food with VP of Capabilities, Kevin Zidron. Kevin shares how his entrepreneurial spirit took him on a journey which started with stocking shelves. We discuss the importance of understanding the inner workings of an organization at all levels and how to wisely tap into your customer's behavior. We also discuss Kevin’s leadership style; he believes in a people-first leadership approach, the "power of we", and shares how focusing on continuous learning is driving transformation at Kraft Heinz. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

We are joined by Google’s Head of Industry Dustin Bomar who learned an entirely new category shifting from the travel business to the telecom arena. If not more courageous is Dustin’s backstory. As a father of two adopted African American kids, now 7, we took some time to discuss the impact of these last two chaotic years; including its toll on his family. Dustin shares his concern for the type of country we are creating that his kids will one day grow into. Take a listen on this episode of The Courageous Podcast. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

It can share a news report with us in the morning. It can tell our kids a whimsical bed time story just before sleep. Amazon Alexa has become a useful member of many families found in kitchens and bedrooms all across the home. But what goes in to what Alexa says? And are there ways for us to teach Alexa what we best like to hear? Learn from Andrew Turner who is a Senior Manager on the Alexa Artificial Intelligence team. He works on what he calls the Natural Language Understanding team — and will share with us a few tricks, tips and Alexa skills that may help you in your home. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

Male ego. Testosterone. One Ups. Away from the media, every locker room is a mental war zone that can often mirror the battles taking place on professional fields, diamonds and pitches itself. So imagine Robbie Rogers dilemma when he made the choice to become one of the first openly gay man in pro sports to brave the no holds barred chatter of the locker room. US Men’s National Team player Robbie Rogers, now retired, played for the LA Galaxy from 2013-2017. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Robbie shares his story of “coming out” and playing on. We learn who inspired him and what the experience was like. Finally, Robbie enlightens us with a bit of courageous advice to take forward in our lives. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

The Courageous Podcast w/ Shelby Stanger What happens when the tables are turned on an award-winning podcast host? You get badass podcaster, producer and storyteller Shelby Stanger as your guest on The Courageous Podcast. Shelby is a colossal believer that stories can impact substantial change. She has not only covered those stories as a journalist but has lived them herself. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Shelby shares how she went about crafting her Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast that she knew she’d one day sell to REI. She also shares her current passion project called Vitamin Joy; a podcast that sets out to deliver more health, humor and joy into the world. From covering rock stars to sand boarding under the South African stars, Shelby talks us through her adventures over this entertaining, hour long episode. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

Eric Toda has had enough. Do you blame him? He is a father who unremittingly thinks about raising his children in a world where hate, fear and profiling is haunting Asian Americans. But why isn’t it haunting all of us? It should. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Eric Toda keeps it real on how he feels. We do cover a lot of ground including Eric’s versatile career leading at AirBnB, Snap, Nike and now Facebook. Deeper into the episode we discuss Eric’s frustration over the last year as hate crimes targeting Asian Americans spiked 150% in major US cities over the course of the last year. Finally, we talk through how Corporate America can be a solution to stopping Asian (and all) hate. https://lnkd.in/dYXsXvv

3:41 - Lili shares the importance of trying new industries and taking on new challenges4:21 - Lili believes start-ups aren't that different5:03 - "every company is moving super fast these days."6:35 - Nudging Wall Street think different about MGM.9:08 - "Do you have 5 minutes" collision moments...10:35 - Working for a boss "who wanted to change the world."11:54 - Being at a start-up now ready for TV (top of funnel)13:41 - "Each brand I have worked on has been clear on their role on the world."16:49 - Navigating male dominated industries19:19 - When to follow the legacy of a brand and when to let go/move on21:15 - the power of purpose in business (when its genuine)22:43 - Lili's passion for sports.24:27 - using her toolkit to a new vertical25:59 - Lili's shares her courageous corporate story32:19 - As a team, how does Lili liberate her team forward33:08 - The importance of unlocking your own personal growth.34:36 - Building empathy with your peers35:49 - What's Your Super power?37:55 - A piece of advice for women going into leadership roles

3:07 - What's special about Mastermind Toys5:18 - Sarah shares background on her path to CEO6:53 - First time CEO navigating the pandemic.10:12 - Leading when you've only met your team in Zoom.11:34 - Sarah felt she wasn't just the CEO but the Chief Communicator13:59 - Sarah shares that she plays to her strengths16:51 - Sarah shares if her ambition wavered when she became a parent.18:22 - What International Women's Day Means to Sarah19:32 - Sarah shares "The Power Gap"20:18 - Navigating the choices/realities of retail in a pandemic21:39 - Setting the expectation with her team23:04 - A year of "Choose Your Adventure" for customer's of Mastermind toys25:49 - Launching "Grandparents Day"28:34 - 4 Pillars of Sarah's strategy30:13 - Sarah shares her mantra, "Find More Ways To Say Yes"33:38 - Sarah discusses pattern recognition and how to guide a team forward34:53 - As the leader, you're the one who has to inspire your team -- and get to know your team37:56 - Parents instilled a "can do" attitude in Sarah38:08 - No concept growing up of the glass ceiling40:51 - Sarah shares what you're looking for in a Board.43:10 - The importance of making it safe to allow others to be themselves at work.43:41 - Sarah shares that women often won't apply for a job without 100% of the qualifications.46:38 - How do you know if you've stayed too long at a company?

4:00 - Background on Julian5:02 - Moving back to the land down under5:34 - The path to entrepreneurship7:50 - What is account planning and why is it important?9:36 - Looking through the consumers eyes10:57 - An example of insight and strategy13:08 - Relaunching PS4 and the opportunity16:25 - Process from problem to insight to solution21:57 - Subjectivity and getting past the right and wrong answer - the creative leap and connecting the dots24:11 - Hallways over boardrooms - a coalition26:31 - socializing an idea27:35 - 50 % of the job is the craft and 50% of the job is the diplomacy31:55 - Underestimated the amount of work necessary to run the academy37:46 - Breaking away from the institutional knowledge40:14 - Key ingredients to change41:17 - Julian's definition of courage42:55 - The cost of courage43:52 - The RICK model48:36 - Tying the idea back to the strategy

3:24 - Celebrating Micol's tenure in the ad game3:45 - Background in music and ready to sleep in the airport if need be4:13 - Moving to Atlanta with only $3005:38 - I'd rather die, than stay on this rock7:03 - Not afraid to go down in flames of glory7:52 - Micol's career and backstory9:25 - iHeart discovered Micol from one of his rap's online10:22 - Going from 20% Micol to 100% Micol11:54 - A realization to just share 'me'13:24 - You Are Dope introduces us to Micol13:39 - The Drink, Micol's new nickname16:10 - How Micol went cold turkey16:51 - The process of figuring out what you believe in17:38 - "...making sure the things in my life aligned with who I actually was..."18:50 - The catalyst for starting You Are Dope21:23 - We can't wait for other people to be the change. It's our turn.23:12 - How Micol got beyond being judged27:11 - Locked in and aligned28:22 - Micol gets real with us...life is precious30:23 - Honoring Micol's daughter32:59 - Inspiration, support, and service35:09 - Using my energy to lift you up37:23 - Building a community39:50 - You gotta get punched in the mouth43:01 - For the love of Zinni https://www.shopmutana.com/