I created this podcast because I believe that much can be learned from digging deep with intentional performers. You can learn more about me and my company at www.strongskills.co.
Episodes
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Dan Grunfeld is a former professional basketball player, an accomplished writer, and a proud graduate of Stanford University. An Academic All-American and All-Conference basketball selection at Stanford, Dan played professionally for eight seasons in top leagues around the world, including in Germany, Spain, and Israel. Dan’s writing has been published more than 40 times in media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, The Jerusalem Post, and NBC News. Dan earned his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2017 and lives with his wife and son in the Bay Area, where he works in venture capital.
In this episode, we discuss Julie Elion and how she has impacted Dan’s career (9:10), if his dad was an analytical player (10:38), why his dad could transition to this other side of his career (12:39), if his analytical mind helps him in the venture world in the way that it hindered him on the basketball court (13:45), how he thought about expectations (15:49), why he went down the venture route (17:42), more on why he didn’t ultimately pursue a career in sports today (21:04), what tearing his ACL was like as a player and the mental challenges that came along with it (24:30), his mom (27:02), what it was like improving so drastically as a player (27:53), if he plays the “what if” game (29:15), if his game would have translated to today’s style of basketball (30:34), playing in Israel (33:10), Jerusalem (34:37), if he is spiritual (37:18), his family’s story (43:57), what his grandma was like (48:14), his grandfather (50:40), being a victim, a survivor, or a thriver (56:30), his father’s experiences with anti-Semitism (58:30), being Jewish and the challenges that come along with it (1:03:48), Peace Players (1:06:38), and some more on basketball (1:09:17).
Make sure to check out Dan’s website here, as well as his Twitter and Facebook pages! Lastly, I would encourage you to purchase his book By the Grace of the Game anywhere where books are sold!
Thank you so much to Dan for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Ethan Kross is one of the world’s leading experts on controlling the conscious mind. An award-winning professor in the University of Michigan’s top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he is the director of the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory.
Ethan has participated in policy discussion at the White House and has been interviewed about his research on CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper Full Circle, and NPR’s Morning Edition. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Science.
In this episode, we discuss controlling thoughts (5:44), the difference between thoughts and thinking (8:10), how feelings and emotions can drive behavior (9:13), how we know when thoughts are serving us vs. getting in our way (12:46), quick decisions and thinking in sports performance (18:44), thinking about fear and anxiety as an expert (23:35), self-leadership (26:21), what Ethan tries to impart in his kids (29:52), what he enjoys doing most in life professionally (34:32), context, and when something serves us vs when it hinders us, as well as introversion and extraversion (39:15), the pandemic and its effects on chatter (46:07), echo chambers and social media (50:15), the power of belief (52:55), how schools should be teaching tools and techniques around chatter (56:09), third person self-talk (57:41), routines and rituals that help him show up and do well (59:44), and chatter at home (1:01:56).
Make sure to check out Ethan’s website here, as well as the website for the Emotion and Self Control Lab at the University of Michigan here! Lastly, I would encourage you to purchase Ethan’s book Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It anywhere where books are sold.
Thank you so much to Ethan for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Kevin DeShazo is an author, podcaster, and founder of “Fieldhouse Media,” which helps college athletes, coaches, and administrators be better on social media. Kevin also helps leaders and teams to create a championship culture with his company “Culture Wins.”
In this episode, we discuss what comes to mind when Kevin thinks of the word “culture” (5:36), what qualities positively impact culture (7:01), why Kevin is drawn to sports (8:28), how he got interested in organizational development (11:21), his persistence (12:45), the values passed down to him by his parents (14:45), working in health care (15:49), why he changed course in his career (18:26), working for others compared to working for yourself (21:05), investing in others (22:34), getting bored and Keep Chopping Wood and how they play together (25:54), how to know when to stop chopping wood (27:24), what sparked his desire to form Fieldhouse Media (29:54), what we should know about social media (32:15), Twitter (34:47), his process in using social media (35:54), how he instructs people on social media use (39:03), how to prevent social media addiction (40:49), kids (44:53), discipline (49:16), mindsets during the pandemic (51:20), how he sets his mind when performing (52:43), when he feels most alive (56:41), where he sees his work evolving in 5-10 years (59:45), and scaling (1:06:34).
Make sure to check out Kevin on all social media platforms @KevinDeShazo, and you can find the Culture Wins website here and Kevin’s personal website here. Lastly, I would encourage you to purchase Kevin’s book, Keep Chopping Wood, anywhere where you can buy books.
Thank you so much to Kevin for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
Damon West is someone who believes in inside-out transformation. Today, Damon is a college professor who is nationally known keynote speaker and best-selling author. He travels the country sharing his message. But, it wasn’t always as bright for Damon as it is today. At 20 years old, he was a division one starting quarterback at the University of North Texas, when he then suffered a career ending injury, turning to hardcore drugs to cope with the disappointments of his life. After graduation, he worked in the US Congress where he was a national fundraiser on a US presidential campaign. He eventually trained to be a stockbroker for UBS, one of the premier financial institutions in the world.
It was at UBS where he was introduced to meth, becoming instantly hooked. While you hear these highs and these bright spots and what society often deems a success, Damon looked the part. And yet, he actually battled demons and battled severe substance abuse. As a result, he impacted lives of many innocent people from choices that he made in order to feed his meth habit. He robbed a lot of people, he became a burglar, and he ran an organized crime ring, ultimately leading to his incarceration. Damon went to jail for 7+ years, but he was actually convicted for 65 years, basically a life-sentence considering the time of his conviction. Damon’s story, in the end, is one of redemption, grit, and determination.
In this episode, we discuss Call me MISTER and how it’s changing the world (7:14), what he learned about race while in prison (12:55), race outside of prison (16:33), cancel culture (24:19), being labeled as gifted and talented as a young man and how it both helped and hurt him (28:32), substance abuse (31:19), what allowed him to persevere in prison (35:01), what he does today to make sure he stays clean (37:35), good and evil (42:33), and why he has decided to pour his heart and soul into speaking (49:02).
Make sure to check out Damon on both Twitter and Instagram @DamonWest7. Additionally, I would encourage you to check out Damon’s website here. Lastly, Damon’s foundation website can be found here as well.
Thank you so much to Damon for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Ed Offterdinger is Co-founder and Chairman of AO People Partners, a leadership development and people strategies firm. Ed is a strategic advisor and leadership coach with more than thirty years of leadership and client service experience as managing partner and CEO of large advisory companies. Prior to co-founding AO, Ed was Executive Managing Partner of the national advisory firm, Baker Tilly. Ed helps CEOs and other leaders improve their performance and do what’s best for their team, their business, and society. As cofounder and chair of the Washington, DC, chapter of Conscious Capitalism, Ed has been helping spread the message about the power of business to do good.
Catherine Allen is Co-founder and CEO of AO People Partners. Catherine is passionately dedicated to helping leaders and organizations lean into the power of developing people to drive business success and meaningful social contribution. Catherine brings over 25 years of experience working collaboratively with industry leaders helping them and their organizations to thrive in both the human behavioral and process aspects of performance and organizational effectiveness. Catherine has a successful track record of helping leaders develop the awareness and "people" skills they need to define and communicate clear vision and direction, make difficult decisions, successfully lead their organizations through change, motivate and engage an intergenerational workforce, and cultivate their own authenticity and presence. As AO’s CEO, her focus is on guiding her team to build the full suite of capabilities to help leaders reimagine and create the culture that make investing in conscious people development more integrated and holistic.
We are proud to welcome Ed and Catherine as Conscious Capitalism Press authors. Their new book is Conscious, Capable and Ready to Contribute: A Fable: How Employee Development Can Become the Highest Form of Social Contribution.
AO People Partner’s mission is to inspire and support the conscious practice of people development in the workplace. AO’s team of experienced coaches and consultants bring business, leadership, and adult development expertise to help leaders and their organizations create the cultural conditions and sustainable practices that enable their people and their businesses to grow and flourish
In this episode, we discuss Ed and Catherine writing a book together (7:06), the appeal to forming their partnership in 2017 (10:22), when Ed realized he wanted to become a coach (11:00), what it was like vacationing together before they formed a business partnership together (13:09), separating mind skills and people skills (15:15), if curiosity can be cultivated (18:52), what it looks like to reward curiosity and growth mindset in the workplace (21:12), how to embed these skills into levels where people are living paycheck to paycheck (29:46), how to help people in the organization figure out their direction (33:28), why so many people have decided to shift gears when it comes to their career of late (40:25), entitlement (44:49), employers helping employees grow in all walks of life (49:16), how organizations think about production and growth (54:36), transactions and transformations (58:42), where to start when developing people (1:04:31), what they do to make sure they’re at their best (1:10:14), and what allows partnerships to thrive and what can get in the way of that (1:13:39).
Make sure to check out the AO People Partners website here! Additionally, you can follow Ed on Twitter and LinkedIn. I would also encourage you to follow Catherine on both Twitter and LinkedIn as well! Lastly, make sure to buy Ed and Catherine’s book Conscious, Capable, and Ready to Contribute anywhere you can buy books.
Thank you so much to Ed and Catherine for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Managing Partner McChrystal Academy. David Livingston leads a team of subject matter experts, learning designers, and dynamic facilitators who develop and deliver custom learning courses and programs that leverage a variety of experiential learning methods to drive individual growth and higher performance for teams and organizations.
In this episode, we discuss what David notices with regards to polarity when working with organizations (5:45), cultures of confrontation (7:23), leaders (10:04), how he balances wanting to be liked with having to make difficult decisions (12:32), balancing holding people accountable with knowing one’s roster is not very deep (15:56), why people struggle with paradox and instead like things to be neat (21:13), resilience (26:15), values (30:50), what led David to explore this field (33:43), where he starts when working with teams (35:39), how many teams have clarity on their purpose (36:32), what the military doesn’t do well that certain businesses do well (40:02), the relationship between the military and creativity (41:45), the importance of roles for high functioning teams in the corporate world (43:13), academia and application (45:03), religion and science (48:06), how he thinks about balancing tradition with his children and giving them space to make their own experiences (51:29), autonomy in organizations (54:45), what he does to make sure his own business is operating as its best self (58:23), flow state (1:04:30), organizational development in the future (1:09:08), and Jon Gruden (1:12:05).
Make sure to check out The McChrystal Group website here and to see what David is up to on LinkedIn as well!
Thank you so much to David for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Sean Magennis is the CEO of Capital 54, where he contributes 30 years of experience to entrepreneurs and growing professional service businesses, domestically and all throughout the world. He helps them with growth strategies, turnarounds, acquisitions, and financing. Sean supports the Capital 54 portfolio company CEOs, the investment resourcing, screening, and due diligence. He also is involved with all of their growth and exit processes. Prior to Capital 54, Sean led a global and diverse team, serving over 30,000 CEOs in 138 countries with combined annual revenues of 9 trillion US dollars. He was the president and COO of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Prior to that, Sean began his business career in management at Dow Chemicals. He ran a professional services firm for 14 years focused on organizational development, consulting, people assessment, and executive search which grew to encompass operations in Canada, the US, and Mexico, where he and his team served several thousand clients. He has experience with real estate platforms, electricity infrastructure development, and financial services. Sean is also the past global president of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). Today, he is still an active YPO member.
In this episode, we discuss Sean’s roots in South Africa (6:16), the role of religion in his upbringing (8:49), his evolution in thinking about spirituality and religion over time, as well as his thoughts on racism and Apartheid (9:45), the intersection of being a team player and also an individual (17:17), how he thinks about challenging and supporting people as a mentor (21:01), why he values entrepreneurship (24:30), the skills that make a good entrepreneur (25:09), his mentoring process (26:19), how he uses his experiences to ask great questions (28:53), the keys to a great partnership (31:21), EO and YPO (33:40), where his curiosity came from (38:20), more on curiosity (42:53), the importance of gatherings (47:39), why he has always been part of the service industry (50:51), how he makes sure he’s doing well (54:58), what has driven the first chapters of his business career (59:22), Capital 54 (1:02:24), the difference between a chief of staff and an executive assistant (1:07:36), attention to detail (1:12:17),
Make sure to check out Sean on LinkedIn as well!
Thank you so much to Sean for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Oct 27, 2021
Wednesday Oct 27, 2021
Marques Colston is in the record books with the New Orleans Saints for being on their all-time best wise receivers. He was recently inducted into their hall of fame, finishing his ten-year career atop the Saints reception list, their receiving yards list, their scrimmage yards list, and their receiving touchdowns list. During those ten years, he also helped lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. Marques was a 7th round pick when he entered the NFL. Prior to that, he only had 2 offers coming out of high school to play collegiate football, eventually going to Hofstra University. Today, Marques uses the skills and mindset he has developed over the years to serve as an executive coach.
In this episode, we discuss Marques getting drafted by the Saints (5:16), what life was like for him as a kid (6:37), how his father’s passing impacted him as a high schooler (7:52), his siblings (10:24), raising his kids (11:48), his shared vision with his father (13:03), why he went to Hofstra instead of Missouri (15:03), balancing the ability to see into the future and also staying grounded and taking advantage of opportunities right in front of him (18:52), how his mindsets in preparation and performance differed (22:03), how he would let his body naturally perform on gameday (25:11), habits and routines that would help him get laser focused (27:41), being in New Orleans as they became a premier franchise (30:25), culture (35:05), the role of talent vs. the role of mindset (41:51), if there was a specific coach or player that helped develop him (44:53), being “The Quiet Storm” (47:30), what the Super Bowl was like for him (50:40), qualities associated with greatness on a regular basis (54:40), his decision to hang up the cleats after being released (57:38), his advice for athletes and the importance of getting educated in other things outside of football even while playing (59:56), what his vision for himself in 2026 was when he retired in 2016 vs. what it is now (1:05:54),
You can check out Marques’s website here, and you can also check him out on all social media platforms @MarquesColston.
Thank you so much to Marques for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
This episode of the podcast is a little bit different. This is the 250th podcast episode! We’re going to celebrate that milestone by talking about curiosity. Curiosity is what got me here, got me in front of this microphone, and forced me to hit the record button.
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Oct 13, 2021
Wednesday Oct 13, 2021
Brad Stulberg is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness and Peak Performance. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, TIME Magazine, and many other outlets. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, and physicians on their mental skills and well-being.
In this episode, we discuss handling cancellations (5:31), when Brad first became interested in coaching (6:50), the distinction between consulting and coaching (8:47), the mistakes he made when he first started coaching (9:44), how he thinks about age for himself (11:06), what makes him feel alive (13:29), scheduling (17:17), priorities (20:54), how he thinks about speaking (22:22), when he realized how much he valued autonomy (24:31), more on speaking gigs (27:37), what he’s learned going through mental health challenges (29:22), his wife’s reaction when he said he wanted to seek the help of a mental health professional (36:08), the line between healthy and harmful (39:10), cultivating tools (44:21), groundedness, religion, and spirituality (46:30), the most helpful thing he discovered when working on his book (49:50), how he would describe and define his own roots (51:46), life and love (53:23), wisdom and maximizing (54:34), how he helps to make sure the people he coaches are grounded (56:27), what his clients’ rationale is for working with him (1:00:01), stress + rest = growth and its connection to groundedness (1:01:52), and why he decided to write this book on his own and not with Steve (1:03:50).
I encourage you to check out Brad on Twitter, as well as purchase his book The Practice of Groundedness and Peak Performance here!
Thank you so much to Brad for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Tom Ripley is a Partner and Co-Founder at Ames Watson, a private equity firm that acquired more than a dozen companies in the defense, retail, light manufacturing and service sectors. Over the past 22 years, Tom has developed extensive operating experience across more than two dozen different companies. Today, Tom serves as the Chairman & CEO of Lids Sports Group, South Moon Under, and several smaller holdings. Tom started his career as an infantry and special operations officer in the United States Marine Corps. Tom graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a BA and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
In this episode, we discuss why Tom is nervous for this conversation (6:25), viewing threats (7:42), what he’s learned from raising autistic twins (9:02), how similar and different their twins are (10:59), how he thinks about nature and nurture (11:58), what he’s learned from his daughters about communication (13:42), the pros and cons of his experience in the marine corps (15:47), a mistake he made early in his career (20:22), change management (23:03), the downsides of having a young leader (24:53), self-determination theory (28:32), what he would change about the marine corps (32:04), 9/11 (35:37), what he feels reliving his 9/11 experience (37:39), when he was in the marine corps (38:39), comparing being in New York for 9/11 and being overseas with the marine corps (39:05), lacrosse (40:50), how he pushes back on the stereotypes of lacrosse (46:13), what it’s been like to coach his son (49:10), the values different and similar to those of the marines that he has tried to pass down to his kids (50:52), competition and selflessness (54:09), how he and his business partner Lawrence met (57:06), what was attractive about Lids (1:01:01), negotiations (1:06:48), leading during the pandemic (1:07:59), what it’s been like for him in 2021 (1:10:46), business partnerships (1:14:31), how many employees he manages (1:16:20), how he trains store managers (1:17:27), and intermittent fasting (1:19:34).
Thank you so much to Tom for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Sep 29, 2021
Wednesday Sep 29, 2021
Bernard Muir is entering his 10th season as the Director of Athletics at Stanford University. Stanford has one of the best programs and departments in the country. During Bernard’s tenure, he has seen 25 NCAA Championships and 34 national titles. He also has been involved with the Learfield IMG College Director’s Cup, which recognizes the best athletic department in the country. Stanford has won it 7 times.
In this episode, we discuss what’s different about being an Athletic Director today than what Bernard imagined it would be like as a kid (6:53), why he was drawn to being an AD from a young age (8:35), what drew him to basketball (10:36), if people thought he was too serious when he was younger (13:12), where his belief in himself to dream big and be proactive came from (14:52), what he’s learned from loss (17:02), Jamaican culture (20:35), how he thinks about his kids as a father when it comes to academics, athletics, and striving for excellence (23:21), if it’s a blessing or a curse to know what you want to do with your life at a young age (25:01), what he’s most curious about as the Stanford AD (27:33), how he leverages the university so that his student athletes at Stanford can thrive (29:27), how he thinks about greatness (32:06), what qualities he looks for when hiring people (33:16), if he notices anything in particular when he makes a mistake in hiring someone (34:55), advice for when you have to fire someone (36:01), who he serves and how he serves so many people (38:19), how he says yes and no to things (41:19), what he’s most passionate about in the role he’s in (43:09), Katie Ledecky (45:21), how he helps athletes think about their identities as athletes and beyond the sport (51:15), what he does to make sure he’s healthy, good, and well so that he’s best able to serve others (53:22), the business side of collegiate sports (55:41), how he’s gotten through a strenuous and eventful last 18 months (1:00:23), and how he thinks about leadership and developing leaders (1:04:12).
You can check out Bernard on Twitter @Stanford_AD.
Thank you so much to Bernard for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Scott Mordell most recently served as the CEO of YPO from 2011 through December 2020. His extensive background in varying industries, geographies, types of organizations and business disciplines has helped him develop important leadership lessons and collaboration skills for success. Prior to YPO, Scott’s experience includes Chamberlain Group, Arlington International Racecourse, HeathCo, Duchossois Industries, Deloitte and KPMG. Scott is currently leveraging his experience providing strategic counsel for leaders through Forrader Group LLC.
In this episode, we discuss connecting in real life (6:19), why a lot of people don’t follow through with in-person meetings (7:54), following through and doing what you say you will (10:21), why Scott seeks out connections intentionally (12:31), what he does to manage energy throughout the day (16:22), what he’s noticing with regards to the impact of the pandemic on humans (19:31), happiness (22:39), legacy (25:02), spirituality (26:23), being and becoming (28:37), where his spirituality came from (30:24), Catholicism (32:30), more on religion (36:42), podcasts (37:49), when leadership became a passion of his (38:46), what leadership aspects he didn’t have when he became a CEO at the age of 33 that he does have now (40:57), more on leadership (42:34), what he learned about being young as a CEO (45:18), his introduction to Young President’s Organization (47:32), YPO (50:22), what’s changed at YPO in the last 10 years (51:52), what led him from just being a member to wanting to be a leader of the organization (53:58), where to start out if you’re trying to change the world (56:27), what he did on his sabbatical (58:12), interacting with others (59:21), his principles (1:00:36), why he decided to leave YPO and what he’s up to now (1:02:38), how 9/11 impacted him (1:05:05), and massive changes (1:08:58).
You can check out the Forrader Group website here, as well as follow Scott on LinkedIn and Twitter. Lastly, Scott recommends you check out the websites for Women Leaders in Data and AI and The Knowledge Pledge.
Thank you so much to Scott for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
Quin Snyder was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school, eventually going on to play basketball at Duke, where he went to 3 Final Fours as a player. Upon graduation, he thought about pursuing a professional career playing basketball, but instead decided to pursue a law degree. While doing that, he fell back in love with the game of basketball. This conversation is going to be about his journey to falling back in love with and enjoying basketball. At the age of 32, Quin became the head coach of the University of Missouri Men’s Basketball Team. It looked as if he was the next bright star in coaching, and then that came crumbling down when he got fired. He then found himself coaching in the D-League with the Austin Toros, who were part of the San Antonio Spurs organization. Quin bounced around quite a bit and learned a ton along the way, and that is where he really fell back in love with the game and with coaching. Today, he’s the head coach of the Utah Jazz, a perennial playoff team in the NBA. Quin has been integral in creating an incredible culture and an incredible core of young players in Utah.
In this episode, we discuss Dr. Jerry’s impact on Quin as a coach (6:31), if Quin’s father coached with joy (10:15), if his mom was someone who cared deeply about joy or if joy was something Quin fell upon later in life (13:42), his perspective as a coach when he was younger (17:28), how he thinks about success and failure (22:28), what he gets from coaching that he wouldn’t get in another profession (25:06), being part of both Duke and the Spurs (27:43), how he thinks about balance between coaching and home life (35:05), values and culture in Utah (41:26), what he’s built and is building in Utah (47:56), and if he has a mission statement or coaching philosophy that guides him as a coach (52:05).
Thank you so much to Quin for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Lars Tiffany is the Head Coach of the University of Virginia Men’s Lacrosse Program. They have won back-to-back National Championships. Lars has also spent time coaching at his alma mater, Brown University, which is where he played and had a great career. He coached at Brown from 2007-2016 and then took the leap to the University of Virginia, which is a storied lacrosse program, in 2017. He led Brown to 3 Ivy League Championships.
In this episode, we discuss life for Lars as a kid (6:54), where his dad’s desire to be in the restaurant industry came from (7:51), if he was involved in the restaurant himself (11:41), why he became a vegetarian when he was the son of a steak house owner (13:37), his dad’s reaction to saying he would become a vegetarian (14:24), if his family ever served bison (18:01), vegetarians in sports (19:00), protein (21:51), losing his father (25:22), if he’s religious (29:19), his dad’s funeral (30:18), misconceptions about lacrosse (34:21), when lacrosse became a private school thing (39:19), winning his first National Championship (43:34), the differences in leading and creating a strong culture in a pandemic and in normal times (47:11), if his experience in 2019 or 2021 is more reflective of his life and journey (52:28), his pregame routine and if it’s the same as when he was a player (53:53), what book he has his whole team reading for next season (1:00:02), leadership and captainship (1:04:27), if he was a leader as a player (1:05:02), what it means to be a man (1:11:10), how fatherhood has impacted him as a coach (1:13:50), his mission statement (1:17:14), what he does to continue to grow (1:21:14), where he sees himself in the next 10 years (1:24:29).
Thank you so much to Lars for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Sep 01, 2021
Wednesday Sep 01, 2021
Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, Head Coach - BC Women's Basketball, became the eighth women’s basketball coach in Boston College program history on April 11, 2018.
In 2019-20, her second season at BC, Bernabei-McNamee was named the Coach of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. She led BC to an impressive 20-12 overall record and a fourth place finish in the conference with an 11-7 record.
The 20 victories were the most in program history since the 2010-11 season. The team also set a new program record for the most ACC victories with 11.
With Bernabei-McNamee at the helm, senior forward Emma Guy flourished as she led the ACC in field goal percentage throughout the season and finished 10th in the country (.594%). Guy also earned an All-ACC First Team selection, the first for a BC player since 2011.
Sophomore Taylor Soule was not only named to the All-ACC team but earned the Most Improved Player in the conference. Both Guy and Soule were named to the Blue Ribbon Panel All-ACC Second Team.
In her first season at the Heights, Bernabei-McNamee led the Eagles to a 14-16 record. The 14 wins were the most for the program since the 2015-16 season.
The 2018-19 team opened the season with eight consecutive victories and won the St. Joseph’s Thanksgiving Classic Championship.
BC went 11-3 in non-conference play before taking on the toughest conference in the country – the ACC. After two losses at home BC defeated Wake Forest and Pitt on the road. It was the first time since the 2012 season in which BC had two consecutive ACC road wins. The Eagles third ACC win came in a double-overtime victory against Duke on Jan. 31.
Bernabei-McNamee’s impact was immediate as the Eagles averaged 73.5 points per game, 14.3 more points than the 2018-19 season. BC also averaged 16.1 assists a game and shot 42.6 percent from the floor.
Junior Emma Guy thrived in the new system as she averaged a career-high 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. She shot 59 percent from the floor for the season, a new career-high.
Guard Makayla Dickens emerged as a scoring threat as a freshman and was named to the All-ACC Freshman team. Dickens averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game. Fellow freshman Marnelle Garraud was fourth in scoring for BC with an 8.1 average. Garraud was named the St. Joe’s Thanksgiving Tournament MVP after she scored 28 points in the championship game. She was named the ACC Rookie of the Week for her performance.
Sophomore Sydney Lowery improved her numbers as she played in 30 games and averaged 22.9 minutes and 6.7 points a game. Junior Taylor Ortlepp averaged a team-high 30.3 minutes and averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists a game.
Bernabei-McNamee arrived at the Heights after two seasons as the head coach at Albany. She led Albany to a 45-20 record over the two seasons. In 2016-17, she guided the Great Danes to the American East Tournament Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. In 2017-18, Bernabei-McNamee led Albany finished 24-8 overall and a WNIT berth.
In addition to leading Albany to consecutive 20-plus win seasons, Bernabei-McNamee was named the 2017 Women’s Division I Coach of the Year by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York.
Bernabei-McNamee, a native of Weirton, West Virginia, was named head coach at Albany in April of 2016 after three seasons as the head coach of the University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Ky. There, Bernabei-McNamee racked up 63 wins and led the program to back-to-back national tournament berths, including a program-record 26 victories and an NAIA Final Four appearance in 2016.
She was named the 2016 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NAIA Regional Coach of the Year, and also earned Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2015.
Prior to Pikeville, Bernabei-McNamee coached in both the ACC and BIG EAST. She served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Maryland for four years from 2003-07, and was an integral part of the Terrapins’ 2006 National Championship season. Maryland beat Duke 78-75 in overtime for the title at TD Garden in Boston and finished with a record of 34-4. During her tenure, she brought in four straight nationally ranked recruiting classes, including three in the Top 10.
Bernabei-McNamee spent two years at West Virginia as an assistant coach where she was a scout, position coach and recruiting coordinator. Before her time in Morgantown, McNamee had a two-year stint at Eastern Kentucky where she was responsible for scouting and individual player development, as well as serving as the recruiting coordinator.
The West Virginia native began her head coaching career in 1998 at West Virginia Wesleyan where she compiled an 18-9 record and a third-place finish in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), while also acting as the school's Senior Women's Administrator.
She attended West Liberty State and was named a Division II All-American and a four-time, first-team All-WVIAC selection as a point guard.
The 1997 WVIAC Player of the Year, Bernabei-McNamee still holds the NCAA Division II career assists record of 1,107 and the record for assists in a game with 24. She is one of only four players in NCAA history to record more than 1,000 points and 1,000 assists, finishing her stellar career with 1,317 total points.
Bernabei-McNamee holds the NCAA record for average assists per game (9.5), and the school and conference marks for assists in a game, season (294) and career. She led her team to an 80-36 record over four years and is listed on West Liberty's Top 20 all-time Best Athletes list. She was the first woman to be named first-team All-West Virginia Athletic Conference for four years and was inducted into the West Liberty State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2011.
Bernabei-McNamee earned her bachelor's degree in exercise physiology in 1997 from West Liberty and a master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 1999. Bernabei-McNamee and her husband Joe McNamee have two sons, Luke and Caden. McNamee took a nearly four-year hiatus from coaching (2009-13) to focus on raising her children.
In this episode, we discuss Joanna’s connection with Brenda Frese (6:39), what Brenda does to stay connected to people (7:26), being a stay-at-home mom (9:41), having kids (12:02), working with kids (14:25), her upbringing and her relationship with her mother (16:03), the upsides and downsides of independence as a young child (17:26), being a Tom Boy (19:03), if she got her aggressiveness and intensity more from her mom or her dad (20:14), what she does to put herself first, her marriage second, and her kids third (24:17), how to make sure she’s healthy as she still aspires to do great things in her profession (28:32), if there is anything she doesn’t want to be great at (30:24), what it’s been like for her as a leader during the pandemic (34:06), family (39:42), flipping the switch (43:08), feeling alive in different roles (44:27), if love is a two-way street (47:13), if there was a coach she played for that she modeled her focus on love after (50:07), how she intentionally communicates with her team (51:26), respect, trust, and communication (57:15), handling losses without anger (57:51), if she looks for people that are more even-keeled or more intense like her (1:02:08), who helps her make sure she is developing and growing (1:04:57), if she felt like she was missing a part of herself while she was on sabbatical (1:08:04), what she missed most about basketball when she was being a stay at home mom (1:11:16), what changed for her (1:12:31), and her vision for the BC program (1:15:39).
You can check out the BC website here, as well as follow BC Women’s Basketball on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Thank you so much to Joanna for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Annelie Schmittel serves as Vice President of Player Development for the Philadelphia 76ers. Schmittel is responsible for creating, managing and overseeing the holistic development and implementation of programs that support the professional and personal growth of 76ers players, staff and families.
Prior to joining the 76ers, Schmittel was a member of the Oakland Raiders player engagement staff. While responsible for strategy, planning, oversight and execution of player development, Schmittel successfully implemented and managed various programs such as the Raiders Family Boot Camp and the team’s Rookie Academy. Among her many responsibilities with the Raiders, Schmittel also specialized in innovative programming and the creation of various initiatives for the continued development of both current and former players on the roster, significant others and family members. Prior to joining the Raiders, Schmittel worked as an instructor and researcher at the University of Florida while completing her doctorate degree, earning a PhD in sports communication.
In this episode, we discuss celebrating other people (6:13), if Annelie would rather be in the spotlight or in the shadow (7:47), if she finds that women are more comfortable in the shadows (9:18), how she thinks about shining and sharing herself (11:01), what caused her to say yes to coming on the podcast (11:55), her German upbringing and if that culture comes out in her as she navigates the US (12:51), how being raised in Germany affected how she sees the world from a social justice standpoint (16:52), humanity (24:48), her decision to stay in the US (32:14), if girls were encouraged to play sports in Germany (33:05), soccer and talented athletes (35:20), her mom’s reaction when she said she wanted to come to college in the US (37:10), injuries (38:51), what is key to a good transition (43:31), how mission shows itself in the work she does (48:34), her core values and mission (51:29), how to build great relationships in a transactional environment (53:16), how she makes sure she’s at her best so that she can serve others (58:25), what she’s learned about herself in therapy (1:01:12), blending different aspects of life (1:05:40), being “enough” (1:11:02), happiness (1:17:16), comparisons (1:20:29), her journey (1:22:02), and what her day-to-day looks like (1:28:05).
You can check out Annelie on Twitter and LinkedIn!
Thank you so much to Annelie for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Aug 18, 2021
Wednesday Aug 18, 2021
Chris Singleton is a former professional athlete drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2017. Following the loss of his mother in a racially motivated mass shooting, Chris has now become an inspirational speaker and best-selling author who has shared his message of unity and racial reconciliation with clients such as: Microsoft, Biogen, Houston Texans, Washington Wizards, etc. He shares with over 50 organizations and over 30,000 students annually and resides with his spouse Mariana, his son CJ and his younger brother who he cares for Caleb in Charleston, SC.
In this episode, we discuss the Nats Park shooting (6:55), PTSD (7:44), what got Chris from being neurotic and anxious at an unhealthy level to a more comfortable place (8:44), faith and being a believer (10:12), what allowed him to go towards faith rather than run away from it after experiencing tragedy (11:40), more on believing (14:49), how he thinks about his purpose (17:35), unity (19:54), peace and sports (22:!7), what he thinks his mom’s murderers punishment should be (23:21), Rais Bhuyan’s story (28:44), if he considers himself a motivational speaker (30:23), experience and perspective (32:49), his mission (34:26), how he thinks about guns (38:03), his mom’s impact on him (39:03), his dad (41:25), what he learned when he transitioned from big brother to parental figure (43:06), who has his back and makes sure he’s good (44:09), the state of our country (46:25), the future of religion in America (55:25), Obama singing (57:55), his mindset when he’s speaking (1:00:14), what his coaching commitment looks like (1:03:20), what he does now (1:04:55), and what he intentionally does to make sure he’s at his best (1:06:29).
You can check out Chris’s website here, as well as follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Thank you so much to Chris for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Joe Ferraro is currently entering his 23rd year as an educator, teaching 12th grade English. Joe also teaches public speaking and creative writing. In addition to his work in the classroom, he is the founder of damngoodconversations.com. Damn Good Conversations is a company whose mission it is to teach you repeatable ways to have the best conversations in your life and work. His flagship service is a weekly personal growth podcast, which is called “One Percent Better.”
In this episode, we discuss being and becoming (8:01), the word “enough” (9:00), if damn good conversations and interviews are separate or the same thing (12:00), if there is a time Joe has to turn off the curious, interviewer mind inside of him (15:59), high velocity questions (18:05), bringing curiosity and questions into the classroom (19:56), fitting in in high school (24:14), why he decided to share his podcast with his students (27:58), if middle schoolers are more curious than high schoolers (30:28), cultivating curiosity in his children (32:24), the distinction between teaching and podcasting (34:50), growth (37:00), if anything in the educational system holds teachers back (40:26), why he teaches (43:52), questions he receives from alumni (45:07), why he podcasts (47:22), communication advice (50:42), why we like to put people into either/or boxes (55:25), what makes a great teacher (59:21), how he makes his classroom different from other classrooms (1:00:21), curious environments (1:01:56), what 17-year-old Joe would say to Joe today (1:05:36), and what his classroom will look like in 5 years (1:06:28).
You can check out the website for Damn Good Conversations here. Also, I highly recommend following Joe on Twitter @FerraroOnAir.
Thank you so much to Joe for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Aug 04, 2021
Wednesday Aug 04, 2021
Lindsay Kaplan is the co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Chief, a private network designed specifically for women leaders — rising VP level through CEO — to strengthen their experience in the C-suite, cross-pollinate power across industries, and effect change from the top-down. She is an award-winning marketer and communications strategist who previously served as VP of Communications and Brand at Casper. Lindsay was named a New York Times DealBook Groundbreaker, Brand Innovators 40 Under 40, and Business Insider's Most Innovative CMOs in the World.
In this episode, we discuss landing on the word “chief” (6:59), clients’ and customers’ reactions to hearing the word “chief” (9:24), the word “badass” (10:41), why she is desirous of challenging the status quo (11:43), how her parents nurtured her to make sure her uniqueness wasn’t stifled (15:00), parenting advice for defiant children (17:15), belonging (19:22), why she doesn’t think imposter syndrome is a real thing (22:04), being the “only” (25:13), the journey of “chief” (26:48), entrepreneurship (30:05), how she’s evolving her concept (31:57), balancing keeping true to what her company does while also expanding to reach others in need of her mission (35:58), global domination (38:20), what she does to make sure she’s saying yes and no to the right things (40:30), giving (44:06), the people that support Lindsay (45:06), what men don’t know about being a woman in the workforce (48:18), what Chief does to support parents (51:01), the core values at Chief (52:57), the workweek (54:14), executive coaching at Chief (57:34), and core groups (1:00:50).
You can check out the Chief website here! You can also follow Lindsay on Twitter here. Lastly, if you’d like to reach out to Lindsay, feel free to do so by emailing her at chief@moxiegrouppr.com.
Thank you so much to Lindsay for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian