Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything

What happens when an MFA painter spends three decades inside the corporate machinery of Compaq and Dell, only to discover the ultimate leadership upgrade in Jungian psychology? In this episode, we sit down with Tony Dina, founder of Crucial Canvas LLC, to explore the shift from merely "functional" management to "exceptional", depth-driven leadership. Tony unpacks how his blue-c...

Dan, Melinda, and Phil touch down in Austin, Texas, for a high-octane weekend at Circuit of the Americas! From the uphill rush of Turn 1 to the intense technical overtaking into Turn 15, we break down our trackside view of practice sessions, qualifying, and race day. We share highlights from the COTA Tower, the driver parade, Post Malone’s live set, and our insider F1 Experience—complete with a pa...

We’re mixing things up this week with our very first crossover episode! We’re joined by Danny and Devi, the voices behind the Rated D podcast, to talk about what it really looks like to dive headfirst into the podcasting world. From turning a raw passion for movies into an active show, to navigating the tech, gear, and workflow headaches, we break down the reality of starting fresh and competing a...

Over 40 years ago, British-born RN Mary Williams took a paralyzed patient into her own home after seeing the healthcare system abandon complex cases at discharge. That single act became New Start Health Enterprises . In this episode of Catalyst Comms, Mary and her daughter, CEO and former professional triathlete Sian Welch, share how they built a high-touch "Gold Standard" transition mod...

Well, we've covered some serious ground over the past six episodes of Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything! We've heard some incredible stories, shared plenty of laughs, and learned a thing or two along the way. RECAP episode! ✈️ Captain Bob, EP 8. The Mile High Club! Taking us into the world of aviation, sharing experiences from behind the controls, and giving us a pilot's perspe...

From logging timber in the rugged mountains of western Virginia to navigating dual-military life in the wilds of Alaska and rising to Technical Division Director (GS-15), Mike Sherer’s path is a masterclass in resilience, deliberate preparation, and quiet grit. In this episode of Catalyst Comms, Phil and Dan sit down with Mike to unpack the pivotal chapters that built his no-excuses mindset: Roots...

What happens when you combine corporate finance, international education, two research tours in Antarctica, and a full Spiderman suit? You get Kevin Parrett. Rooted in Hardin County for generations, Kevin has spent the last two decades teaching business and IT at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, expanding his students’ horizons well beyond Kentucky borders. Having traveled to 76 coun...

From Brooklyn roots and early heartbreak to the pinnacle of military command and a second act under the spotlight, retired Marine Colonel Frank Cubillo’s life is anything but ordinary. In this episode, Frank joins us to reflect on his remarkable 37-year journey from an enlisted Signals Operator—toting a powder-blue Samsonite suitcase aboard the USS Spruance—to rising through the ranks as a Warrant...

What does it take to stare down a terminal diagnosis and choose to keep moving forward? In this powerful episode, we sit down with athlete, author, and speaker James Logan to explore his extraordinary journey of resilience, purpose, and relentless grit. Diagnosed in 2024 at age 59 with Stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer and given a 6-to-24-month life expectancy, James refused to let the timeline...

Some episodes are interviews. This one is family. This week on Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything, Dan & Phil sit down with Phillip Bewley and Payton Clark for a conversation that is deeply personal to everyone at the table. It begins with David Bewley—Phillip’s father and Payton’s grandfather. A hardworking man who loved his family, his community, and truck and tractor pulling. After D...

What does it take to build a career in the skies when the people in charge tell you that you don't belong? In this episode, we sit down with seasoned corporate aviator Captain Bob to unpack his journey from growing up in Arizona to commanding top-tier aircraft well above commercial flight paths. Bob shares the candid story of facing flight school professors who tried to have him removed from t...

Six guests. Six completely different lives. And that's the point. We aren't looking for a certain type of guest. We don't care about titles, fame, followers, politics, or whether everybody agrees. We care about the story. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes Phillip Petersen cries. Sometimes we get serious. Sometimes Phillip Petersen OCD kicks in. Sometimes the conversation goes somewhere non...

On this episode of Catalyst Comms, Phil and Dan sit down with Nurse Practitioner Monique Reeves for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation about resilience, survival, and a lifetime on the frontlines of care. From her small-town roots in Quanah, Texas, to watching her mother recover from a brain tumor, to starting nursing school at age 17, Monique’s work ethic was forged early. She opens up a...

In this packed episode, Phil and Dan pull back the curtain on growing up in Hardin County, the unspoken realities of life on the farm, and what it’s really like behind the wheel of a big rig. Joined by special guest Calvin Coomes, the guys tackle everything from hilarious childhood memories and sketchy moments on the road to the biggest misconceptions about truck drivers today. Plus, we get real o...

From rebuilding discarded trash-can computers with Linux in Wisconsin to hacking in-orbit satellites, Bryan Torielli’s path in tech is anything but traditional. In this episode of Catalyst Comms, Phil and Dan sit down with Bryan, founder of Null-SAT , to trace his journey through high school boredom, military base relocations, reverse-engineering defense networks, and building Silent Shield at Del...

What does it take to go from an unhappy 17-year-old escaping a turbulent home life to becoming one of the first 45 women integrated onto a U.S. Navy warship? In this episode, we sit down with retired CWO3 Cryptologic Officer Kelly Soles for a raw, unflinching look at her historic naval career. Kelly takes us inside the intense command climate of the USS Vella Gulf in 1996, the sting of having her...

What happens when the uniform that defined you for decades finally comes off, and you have to meet the person underneath for the very first time? In this episode, we sit down with retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Devi Novick to explore a life defined by grit, fierce accountability, and radical transformation. From surviving on her own as a teenager to navigating toxic command climates as a five-fo...

From child stardom in The Mighty Ducks trilogy to sharing the screen with legends like Al Pacino and George Clooney, veteran character actor and screenwriter Matt Doherty has seen every side of Hollywood over his 25-year career. In this episode, Matt sits down with us to pull back the curtain on the creative grind. He takes us from his roots on the South Side of Chicago to his time at Northwestern...

What a ride! Season 1 of  Catalyst Comms: Anything & Everything  comes to a spectacular close as hosts Dan Clark and Phil Petersen look back at a debut season defined by high stakes, masterclass strategies, and deeply moving human stories. From battlefield leadership to high-octane negotiation tables, this finale synthesizes the absolute best insights from our powerhouse guests: Salena Parent:...

Behind every legendary career in the Navy is a foundation that never wavers. In this episode, we shift the focus from the deckplates to the home front. Phil and Dan sit down with the true matriarch of the Clark family, Brenda Clark, to discuss the grit, grace, and resilience required to lead a military family through 26 years of service. We explore what it means to be the "Command Master Chie...

In this fun filled episode, we sit down with a true Navy legend to trace a career that spans from the hills of Kentucky to the inner circles of global military leadership. We’re joined by Master Chief Tom Clark, exploring a legacy built on the "deckplate hustle" and the "sailor-first" mentality. From the high-stakes communication of a Signalman to the heavy responsibility of a...

From growing up in the DC suburbs to dodging coups, fighting fires on his wedding night, and playing a high-stakes "cat-and-mouse" game with Russian intelligence, Mike Mack has spent 65 years living directly in the friction points of modern history. In this episode, Dan and Phil sit down with Mike for a sprawling, high-intensity conversation about a life lived on the edge. Mike takes us...

From hunting down leads with NCIS to negotiating contracts for over 100 of the world’s top athletes and celebrities, Lucas Ayers has spent his career navigating high-stakes environments where the "human factor" is everything. In this episode, Dan and Phil sit down with Lucas to deconstruct a masterclass in leadership, discipline, and scaling a business without losing your soul. Lucas ope...

Get ready for Brad Coomes, a Kentucky-born welder, mechanic, volunteer policeman, and wrecker driver who embodies the true spirit of a "Jack of All Trades." But behind the heavy machinery, firearms, and rugged exterior lies a man widely described as a gentle "teddy bear." In this heartwarming and gritty episode, hosts Dan and Phil sit down with Brad to unpack a life built on hard work, grit, and a...

Part 2 What does it take to be the first? To be the woman in the room—or on the submarine, or "outside the wire" in Afghanistan—when the room wasn’t even built for you? In this powerhouse episode, we sit down with Salena Parent, a true "Alpha" leader who has navigated the most restricted corners of the military world. From her early days as an Electronics Technician to serving...