#65 Story Musgrave: The Astronaut Who Led the $700 Million Mission To Fix The Hubble Telescope

In 1990 when NASA launched the $1.5 billion Hubble Telescope into space, they did so with a faulty mirror that took blurry images. They tasked Story Musgrave to lead a team to fix it. What made him the best person to lead the mission? Because Story was a lifelong learner and his range of experience allowed him to view problems through a unique lens.

Story was an electrician, mathemetician, computer programmer, mechanic, pilot, trauma surgeon, and an astronaut who helped design space suits and the Hubble Telescope. He earned six academic degrees and became the only astronaut to have flown aboard all five Space Shuttles. 

In this episode, we deconstruct his life and career to learn the most important lessons.  

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Learn more about Story Musgrave here

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This episode is brought to you by Atla water system, in my opinion the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about Atla here.

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#64 D.J. Vanas: Finding Clarity in Chaos

An enrolled member of the Ottawa Tribe of Michigan, D.J. was born to impoverished teenage parents. He went from sleeping in a drawer for the first three months of his life to becoming a proud graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a decorated Air Force captain, a renowned member of the tribal community, a bestselling author, and a revered motivational speaker. A true warrior, who is successful in both business and life, he credits these personal triumphs to traditional teachings and ceremony as well as his service as a military officer.

D.J. and I discuss his new book, The Warrior Within, and the stories and principals he shares often rooted in Native American culture and wisdom.

In this episode we discuss:

-The sigificance of your 'medicine bag' in Native American culture and how you can use it

-Why sometimes the biggest challenge to seeing our vision come true are because of the people closest to us

-The importance of creating your own war cry, how to keep your fire lit, and more..

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Learn more about D.J. from his website

Order The Warrior Within on Amazon

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This episode is brought to you by Atla water system, in my opinion the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about Atla here.

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#63 Andy Dunn: Launching a Startup and Losing His Mind

Andy Dunn co-founded the e-commerce driven menswear brand Bonobos in 2007 and served as CEO through its 2017 acquisition by Walmart. While business was booming, Andy struggled to manage his mental illness until he hit rock bottom which resulted in a night of mayhem. Andy opens up in his riveting memoir, Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, which intersects entrepreneurship and mental health. 

One of the major inflection points at Bonobos was the tense relationship with his co-founder, Brian Spaly. In his book and in this interview we discuss what he would have done differently and how their relationship materialized. 

We also discuss how people can begin to open up to their friends and loved ones about issues like depression, bi-polar disorder, and other mental illnesses. Also, how we can become better noticing those around us who may need help. This was one of the most important books I've read, I highly recommend the Audible because Andy reads it himself..

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Follow Andy on LinkedIn

Order Burn Rate on Amazon

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This episode is brought to you by Atla water system, in my opinion the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about Atla here.

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#62 Ryan Hawk: The Uncommon Behaviors Of Productive Achievers

Ryan Hawk is a leadership advisor, author, and podcast host of The Learning Leader Show where he's interviewed 500 of the world's greatest leaders. 

His second book, The Pursuit of Excellence, distills the behaviors he's learned from his guests and life experiences in order to live an excellent life.

In this episode we discuss:

-How he wants his daughters to remember what kind of father he was

-Which podcast guests of his he would select to run a potential company of his

-Unpacking my favorite behaviours from his book and more..

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Follow Ryan on LinkedIn

Order The Pursuit of Excellence

Check out his podcast

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This episode is brought to you by Atla water system, in my opinion the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about Atla here.

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#61 Troy Sicotte: On Leading With Trust

Troy Sicotte is the President of Mountain Hardwear, a premium apparel and equipment brand designed for mountaineering, camping, and outdoor activities. They are owned by Columbia Sportswear. Troy's career has interesected with music, automotive, and retail industries. He shares stories from touring with his band and how that led him through his journey at companies like Audi and The North Face. Troy also shares the importance of leading with trust.

In this episode we cover:

-How Troy views trust as a leader 

-How working in multiple industries has helped shape his professional experience

-How he approaches building great teams like putting together an amazing band

-How to strike work/life balance and more..

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Follow Troy on LinkedIn

Check out Mountain Hardwear

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This episode is brought to you by Atla water system, in my opinion the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about Atla here.

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#60 Jay Williams: Finding Out Who You Really Are

Jay Williams was a prolific college basketball player at Duke where he played for the legendary Coach K. He was drafted #2 in the NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls. A tragic motorcycle accident ended his career early -- and Jay found himself bed ridden for months with a shattered pelvis and torn ligaments. He drove himself to regain his strength and developed mental resilience. His memoir is titled, Life Is Not an Accident. Jay became an analyst for ESPN and now he's one of the most regarded voices in sports and pop culture. In his new NPR podcast, The Limits with Jay Williams, he uncovers the blueprints from some of the most known and unknown figures in sports, business, and entertainment. 

In this episode we cover:

-Who Jay was when he wrote his book

-His preparation process for a great interview

-How to strike work/life balance and more..

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Check out The Limits with Jay Williams

Listen to Jay’s memoir on Audible

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#59 Gihan Amarasiriwardena: On Nurturing Curiosity & Finding Balance

Gihan is a tinkerer who began making his own gear at the age of 13. He's had a knack for problem solving for efficiency through the lens of science. He's the co-founder and president of an innovative apparel brand, Ministry of Supply, where they produce high quality clothing engineered to be both comfortable and presentable. He earned his chemical engineering degree from MIT and was recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2015. In 2018 he cycled across America wearing a Ministry of Supply Nasa-derived polo shirt. Gihan holds several patents and Fast Company recognized MOS as one of the most innovative companies in 2021. 

In this episode we discuss:

-How his parents nurtured his curiosity

-How he approaches habit stacking to be super efficient

-Why you should think of vacations as fueling vs rest

-How he prepared for his Ted Talk and more..

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Check out Ministry of Supply

Follow Gihan on LinkedIn

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#58 Tony Horton: Creator of P90X

Tony Horton is the creator of the world's most popular home-fitness program, P90X. He is a world-class motivational speaker and the author of top-selling books “Bring It”, Crush It!” and his latest book, “The Big Picture” 11 Laws that will change your life. He has appeared on countless television programs as a fitness and lifestyle expert to promote healthy living through exercise and proper nutrition.

In this episode we discuss:

-What life was like after P90X launched

-What new perspective his illness gave him

-His transition from Beach Body and his focus now

-His favorite fitness gadgets, and more..

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Follow Tony on Instagram

Check out his website

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#57 Joe Vernachio: On Being a Pro

Joe Vernachio is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Allbirds. He was previously the President of Mountain Hardwear, one of the leading mountain sports brands in the world. Joe is a seasoned retail industry veteran where he began working at Patagonia in the late 1980s and he spent over a decade at Nike. In this episode we discuss:

-Commonalities of the best leaders he’s worked for

-How he earned his real world MBA at Nike

-How he’s tried to balance his ambitious career while being a present father and husband

-Why “being a pro” is one of the most important principals he leads with, and more..

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Follow Joe on LinkedIn

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#56 Ali Orady: Founder & CEO of Tonal

Aly Orady is the CEO and founder of Tonal which is a fitness machine powered by digital weight which has caught fire including an investment from Stephen Curry. Aly earned an engineering degree from Stanford and sold one of his companies to Samsung. In this episode we discuss

-The story behind Tonal

-Setbacks through his journey

-The importance of strength training

-Inspiring career advice, book recommendations, and more

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Check out Tonal

Follow Aly on LinkedIn

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#55 Scott Weiss: Practical Advice on Landing Your Dream Job

Scott Weiss is the Partner and Principal Recruiter at Makena Partners where he primarily recruits candidates for some of the leading roles in technology. He shares a wealth of advice in and around the interview process, branding yourself properly, and ultimately how to best position yourself for your dream job including:

-The benefits creating a failure resume

-The #1 advice for your next interview with a hiring manager

-The truth about about designer looking resumes

-How to approach getting the interview

-When experience trumps potential

-LinkedIn profile best practices to standout to a recruiter and more..

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Follow Scott on LinkedIn

Check out Makena Partners

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#54 Scott Galloway: On Post Corona

Scott Galloway is a professor of marketing at Stern NYU, an entrepreneur, and author of three books including Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity. His YouTube videos on the Algebra of Happiness and The Future of Education have both gone viral. He's widely known for his views on the intersection of technology and politics. 

In this episode we discuss:

-The aftermath of the pandemic

-The future of education

-The pandemic affect on mental health

-Solicited parenting tips, and more..

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Follow Scott on Twitter

Sign up for his newsletter here

Buy his book, Post Corona here

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#53 Troy Bigby: Tech Veteran and Entrepreneur

“Don’t allow people who can’t do something on their own to convince you that you can’t do it either.
”

— Troy Bigby

Troy Bigby, along with his brother, co-founded Devil's Reef, a cinnamon spiced rum. His background has spanned technology, music, and spirits. After earning his computer science degree from NYU in the mid 1990s, he joined Roc-A-Fella Records where he helped promote and tour with Jay-Z which led to the height of his career -- arguably the most successful hip-hop star of all-time.

Troy's technology career has led him from Goldman Sachs to Moody's and BlackBerry, where he orchestrated some of the largest mobile device deployments in the world. He's recently partnered with his brother (a former Super Bowl champion) to craft and launch a unique flavor of spiced rum that is being distributed around the country. 

In this episode we discuss:

-Some of the most important lessons from his parents

-How he used his computer science degree in the real world

-The most important lesson from his experience working with Jay-Z

-The inspiration behind Devil's Reef and more..

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Follow Troy on LinkedIn here

Check out Devil’s Reef here

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#52 Dan Sheridan: Leading With Authenticity at Brooks Running

“The best leaders listen intently to the conversations both in formal meetings and in the hallways.”

— Dan Sheridan

Dan Sheridan, EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Brooks Running, shares a treasure trove of life and career lessons from his 20+ years at the company. Dan has also experienced the turnaround of the organization through the leadership of their CEO, Jim Weber. Dan shares the lessons he's learned leading the organization before and after the pandemic and how it's positioned Brooks for a bright future. 

In this episode we also discuss:

-The impact of finding the right CEO

-How Dan and his team approach diversity, equity, and inclusion

-Traits of the best leaders

-How Brooks positioned themselves as a market leader in performance running/training

-The upside of working for Warren Buffett and more..

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Follow Dan on LinkedIn here

Check out Brooks

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#51 Dr. Srini Pillay: On Recharging & Managing Stress

Dr. Srini Pillay is a world-renowned keynote speaker, lecturer, author, consultant and Harvard trained psychiatrist. He is known for combining “head and heart” (figuratively and literally) in an approach to personal development and goal mastery that blends science, spirituality, and horns-grabbing joie de vivre to combat the stresses faced by ambitious and high-achieving people in academia, business, and life.

He’s published multiple books including Life Unlocked and Tinker, Dabble, Doodle, Try which is about unlocking the power of the unfocused mind. Dr. Pillay is a brain researcher and he uses neuroscience to help people unlock their potential.

In this episode we discuss:

• The unconscious mind

• A unique approach when feeling overwhelmed with uncertainty

• Tips to recharge your brain during the day to be more productive

• Ways to boost confidence, relieve stress, and more..

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  Learn more about Dr. Srini Pillay at his website

  Check out Life Unlocked or Tinker, Dabble, Doodle, Try

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  This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#50 Pete Flint: Co-Founder of Trulia

Pete Flint is a General Partner at NFX, a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. He was the co-founder of Trulia, the popular real estate application that has 50 million monthly users. Trulia merged with Zillow in 2015 and was valued at $3.5 billion. Pete shares a treasure trove of life and career advice ranging from his time at Oxford, Stanford, Trulia, and now.

In this episode we discuss:

-Why he saw the need to start Trulia 

-4 reasons why he went to Stanford for b-school

-His appetite for risk tolerance 

-The hardest part of going from 50 to 250 employees

-His best advice for hiring the right talent

-The value he found from investors saying no

-How to cultivate self-awareness

-How Trulia was able to pivot successfully out of the housing crisis in 2008

-How the truly exceptional entrepreneurs focus their time/energy and more..

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Follow Pete on LinkedIn

Watch the Trulia case study here

Visit NFX, the VC firm here

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#49 Bayard Winthrop: Building a Brand Based on Values

Bayard Winthrop is the CEO and founder of American Giant, an apparel brand that is widely known as producing the greatest hoodie ever made — coined by Slate Magazine. Bayard has a rigorous focus on quality and to source and manufacture apparel in the US. We discuss his upbringing and journey while unpacking his leadership philosophies. American Giant hit virality after the article in Slate published and it’s fascinating to learn about the impact of that and the key decisions Bayard had to make moving forward.

Check out American Giant

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#48 Bruce Smith: How He Built the Peloton of Rowing

Bruce Smith is the CEO and founder of Hydrow which is like the Peloton of rowing. It's designed as a connected fitness device that has classes in a live outdoor reality setting. Bruce was also an elite rowing coach. He won the Head of the Charles, coached the US Lightweight Eight to a Bronze medal at the 2015 World Rowing Championships and was the former Executive Director of Community Rowing in Boston.

In this episode we discuss:

• How his team was able to bring the product to market in half the time

• Why it was important to nail the live outdoor reality aspect of Hydrow

• The values Bruce looks for in a hire

• Why rowing has some of the best benefits of any other alternative for fitness, and more..

Check out Hydrow at www.hydrow.com

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This episode is brought to you by AquaLiv, in my opinion the best water filter system that is the best tasting water that is also healthy and alkaline. You can learn more about AquaLiv here.

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#47 Adam Schefter: Using Setbacks to Fuel Your Career

Adam Schefter is a Senior NFL Insider at ESPN. He joined ESPN as an NFL Insider in August 2009, and now appears on a variety of programs, including NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, SportsCenter and more throughout the year. He also hosts his own ESPN Audio podcast, “The Adam Schefter Podcast”, and regularly contributes to other ESPN platforms, such as ESPN.com and ESPN Radio.

Before joining ESPN, Schefter was a reporter/analyst for NFL Network (2004-08) and a sportswriter for more than 15 years for the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News, where he covered the NFL and the Denver Broncos. 

A former president of the Pro Football Writers of America, Schefter has authored five books. His most recent, The Man I Never Met: A Memoir (co-authored by Michael Rosenberg), is a powerful story of loss and hope, centered around his family and the memory of his wife Sharri’s first husband, Joe Maio, who died in the September 11 terror attacks.

In this episode we discuss:

• His memoir, The Man I Never Met

• How he transitioned to fatherhood later in life

• How he earned the job he has today

• His advice on how to build trust with people

• How setbacks he endured fueled his career and more..

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Check out Adam’s memoir here

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#46 Jay Rao: CEO of Molekule

Jaya Rao is the co-founder and CEO of Molekule, one of the leading air purifiers in the market that is disrupting an industry with little innovation in decades. After getting her degree in mechanical engineering degrees from the University of Florida and Stanford, she earned her masters in public policy at Stanford as well. Jaya shares the lessons and pitfalls leading a young company through such a unique time. The story of Molekule is extraordinary and she shares how her father who is a solar energy scientist and professor developed the first prototype because of her brothers respiratory issues. Jaya also shares inspirational career advice that is a must listen.

Check out Molekule here

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