THE LEARNING LEADER SHOW
Welcome to The Learning Leader Show. My mission is to have deep conversations with the world’s most thoughtful leaders and share their useful life stories and leadership wisdom. I speak with CEOs, Special Forces Operators, Entrepreneurs, Best-Selling Authors, Professional Athletes, and more. Our conversations are open dialogs where my guests share their most valuable experiences and learnings for the benefit of The Learning Leader Show audience. You will find links to each episode and the corresponding show notes at the bottom of this page.
The Learning Leader Show has been listened to by millions of people and was chosen by Apple Podcasts as an “all-time best-seller” in 2020. Forbes called it, “the most dynamic leadership podcast out there.” Inc Magazine said, “It’s one of the five podcasts to make you a smarter leader.”
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Episode List & Show Notes
All episodes are listed below, newest first. Each episode link has show notes with major topics discussed and links to books & other resources mentioned in the episode.
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Episode #676: Jesse Cole (Owner, Savannah Bananas) – The Beauty of Obsession, Building a Fans First World, Walt Disney, Mr. Beast, Radical Transparency (Opening the Books), Do the Opposite of Normal, Turning a $6M Mistake Into a Moment, and Creating Banana World
Jesse Cole is the owner of the Savannah Bananas. He went $1.8 million in debt, slept on an air mattress, and built a business that is now valued at over a billion dollars. I spent half a day with Jesse in Savannah watching practice, and Jesse gave me a personal tour of [...]
Episode #675: Tom Hardin (Tipper X) – The Largest Insider Trading Case, How Ambiguous Leadership Destroys Culture, Resume vs. Eulogy Virtues, Bad Decisions vs. Mistakes, and Building Psychological Safety
Tom Hardin was known as "Tipper X" during Operation Perfect Hedge, the largest insider trading investigation in history. After making four illegal trades based on inside information, the FBI approached him on a Manhattan street corner and convinced him to wear a wire over 40 times, helping build 20 of the 81 [...]
Episode #674: PJ Fleck – Building an Elite Culture, Nekton Mindset, Selecting > Recruiting, Intrinsic Motivation, Row The Boat, and Transformational Coaching
PJ Fleck is the head football coach at the University of Minnesota. Before that, he transformed Western Michigan from one win to 13 wins and a Cotton Bowl appearance. Before his coaching days, PJ was a stud receiver at Northern Illinois and was a guy I played against in college. Coach Fleck [...]
Episode #673: Daniel Coyle – Opening Yellow Doors, Mastering Your Craft, World-Class Storytelling Techniques, Great Questions to Ask, Building Your Community, The Power of Curiosity, and How to Flourish in Life
Dan Coyle is a New York Times bestselling author who's spent the last two decades studying what makes great teams great. He wrote The Talent Code, The Culture Code, and now Flourish—books that have shaped how millions of people think about skill development, team culture, and meaningful connection. He works with the [...]
Episode #672: Brad Stulberg – The Neuroscience of Curiosity, Process vs. Outcome Goals, The Power of Consistency, Playing Like The Beatles, Focusing on Your WHO, and The Way of Excellence
Brad Stulberg is a bestselling author and leading expert on sustainable performance and well-being. He's written for The New York Times, Outside Magazine, and The Atlantic, and his previous books include Peak Performance and The Practice of Groundedness. His latest book, The Way of Excellence, is great. Brad's writing combines cutting-edge science, [...]
Episode #671: Jimmy Wales (Founder of Wikipedia) – To Get Trust Give Trust, Why Nupedia Failed, Assuming Good Faith, Walking the Walk, Transparency vs. Sharing Everything, Curiosity as the Ultimate Love Language, and Attracting Trustworthy People
Jimmy Wales is the founder of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. After his daughter Kira's birth faced medical challenges and he couldn't find reliable information online, Jimmy launched Wikipedia in January 2001. In this conversation, Jimmy shares why extending trust before it's earned creates better outcomes, how to deal [...]
Episode #670: Mike Deegan – Building a Championship Culture, Mudita (Joy for Others), Systems Thinking, Curiosity = Love, Getting Out of a Slump, and The DNA of Great Teams
Mike Deegan just led Denison University Baseball to their first College World Series appearance in program history. He's been named Coach of the Year in back-to-back years and is the all-time winningest coach in school history. In this conversation, Mike shares how he uses Mudita to build culture, how to help people [...]
Episode #669: Oz Pearlman (Oz The Mentalist) – Overcoming Rejection, Getting the Reps, Always Following Up, Living with Gratitude, America’s Got Talent, The Curiosity of Steven Spielberg, and Making Others Feel Seen
Oz Pearlman is the greatest mentalist in the world. After leaving Wall Street to pursue his craft full-time, he's performed for Steven Spielberg's family, for Nobel laureates, and Fortune 500 CEOs. He ran a 2:23 marathon and holds the record for most laps around Central Park in a single day. With five [...]
Episode #668: Brian Kelly (The Points Guy) – Building a Media Empire, Crafting a Big Vision, Relentless Leaders, Hiring Well, Scaling Up, & How To Win at Travel
Brian Kelly is the founder of The Points Guy, which he built from a side hustle blog into a travel media empire that he sold for $28 million. At 42, he's now an angel investor in 15+ companies, including Bilt (valued at $11 billion). In this conversation, he shares lessons on manifestation, [...]
Episode #667: Nick Gray – How to Host World-Class Events, Why Leaders Need a Personal Website, Writing Like You Talk, Mastering Introductions, the Viral Tokyo Trip, & Adding Value Before Taking It
Nick Gray is the author of The Two-Hour Cocktail Party and founder of Museum Hack. He's mastered the art of hosting events that strengthen networks and build genuine connections. In this conversation, he shares practical systems for hosting gatherings, why every leader needs a personal website, and lessons learned from his viral [...]
Episode #666: Angie Hicks (Founder of Angie’s List) – The Power of Selling Door-to-Door, Executive Presence, Being Told She Was ‘Too Nice,’ and Her 2-Question Career Filter That Kept Her at One Company for 30 Years
Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angie’s List (now called Angi). She started the company at just 23, going door-to-door as a self-described introvert and non-salesperson, and turned it into a national platform trusted by millions. During our conversation, we discuss what it takes to lead with authenticity and build lasting impact. Angie shares [...]
Episode #665: Pat Lencioni – Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Fear-Based Success, Working Genius, Anticipating Objections, and The Hidden Cost of Proving Yourself
Patrick Lencioni is the founder of The Table Group and a bestselling author of 14 books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The 6 Types of Working Genius. Behind his achievements (valedictorian, straight A's, business success) were childhood wounds that drove him to prove himself. In this vulnerable conversation, he [...]
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