Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

This week’s conversation is with Marc Randolph, a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor and investor. Marc is the co-founder of Netflix, served as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their web site, and as a member of their board of directors. Although best known for starting Netflix, Marc’s career as an entrepreneur spans more than four decades. He's founde...

This week’s conversation is with Dan Quinn, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Dan became the head coach in 2015 and has compiled a 43-37 regular season record. In 2016, he led the Falcons to an NFC title and its second Super Bowl appearance. Entering 2020, Dan ranks second in the organization’s history among coaches with at least four seasons with a winning percentage of .538 and fourth in fr...

This week’s conversation is with Scott Barry Kaufman, a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. In 2015, he was named one of "50 Groundbreaking Scientists who are changing the way we see the world" by Business Insider. Scott was...

Welcome to Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of the Finding Mastery podcast presented without interruption by Microsoft. Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities.  Every conversation was filmed and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com . This conversation i...

This week’s conversation is with Hilaree Nelson. With a career spanning two decades that includes dozens of first descents through more than 40 expeditions to 16 different countries, Hilaree is the most prolific ski mountaineer of her generation.  Some of these ‘firsts” in the world of ski mountaineering include linking two 8000m peaks (Everest and Lhotse) in one push, first ski descents on B...

This week’s conversation is with Chip Conley, a boutique hotel entrepreneur who helped Airbnb's founders turn their fast-growing tech start-up into a global hospitality brand. After selling Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the company he started as a rebel entrepreneur at age 26, Chip wasn't sure what was next. He could have retired at age 52 but the young founders of Airbnb came calling. Chip served as...

This week’s conversation is with snowmobiling legend Levi LaVallee, a 13 time X Games Medalist, Snocross Champion, and World Record holder Levi first tasted podium success in 2004 when he won the HillCross snowmobile event at the Winter X Games, in Aspen, Colorado and then made the switch to Freestyle competition. At the 2008 Winter X Games, Levi took gold in both the Speed & Style and Freesty...

Welcome to Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of the Finding Mastery podcast presented without interruption by Microsoft. Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities.  Every conversation was filmed and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com. This conversation is...

This week’s conversation is with Garrett McNamara, an international big wave explorer known for discovering, pioneering and surfing the biggest wave in the world - The Everest of the Oceans - Nazaré, Portugal. Garrett also lead the iconic two-man team who rode tsunami waves generated by a 300ft calving glacier in Alaska and is the first and only foreigner to receive the Vasco da Gama Medal of...

This week’s conversation is with Jeremy Jones, an accomplished filmmaker, entrepreneur, environmentalist and snowboarding pioneer. Jeremy is widely regarded as one of the most legendary big mountain riders and explorers of all time. Named a National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” and ten times voted “Best Big Mountain Rider of the Year” by Snowboarder Magazine, Jeremy has starred in over a hu...

Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities.  The team at Finding Mastery , Compete to Create , and Microsoft worked together to bring this series to life.  I had the chance to interview 9 amazing women, every conversation was filmed, and is currently available at decodi...

This week’s conversation is with Sue Enquist, UCLA Softball’s first All-American, National Champion, and Hall of Famer. In 2006, Sue concluded her storied 27-year career as head coach of the UCLA Bruins with a 887-175-1 (.835) record, making her the winningest softball coach among all active coaches. She is the only person in NCAA Softball history to win a championship as a head coach and a player....

This week’s conversation is with Chris McNamara, a Big Wall Climber and ex-wingsuit BASE jumper. He is also the founder of OutdoorGearLab, one of the most popular outdoor gear review sites in the world. Outside Magazine has called Chris one of the world's finest climbers. Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris's life on earth had been spent on the face of El Capitan, an accomp...

I'm excited to introduce you to our new series,  Decoding Disruptors , a special edition of Finding Mastery, presented by Microsoft.  For the past 8 years,  Compete to Create  and I have had the privilege of working with Microsoft, beginning with their CEO, Satya Nadella, and his executive team -- and then an additional 30,000 people across the company. Microsoft has radically...

This week’s conversation is with Mark Mathews, a world-class big wave surfer, Red Bull Athlete and Surf Contest Director. He’s made a living at the intersection of danger and excitement and knows all too well the crippling grasp of fear. While in Tasmania, fifteen feet in front of a cliff in cold, shark infested waters, Mark hit a reef and instantly blacked out. Terror engulfed every inch of his b...

This week’s conversation is with Colin O'Brady, an explorer and elite endurance athlete, who has set multiple records and pushed the boundaries of what we understand to be possible. He was a previous guest on Finding Mastery – episode 36 – and I’m excited to have him back on to talk about his latest feat, the world's first solo, unsupported and completely human powered crossing of Antarctica. Prev...

This week’s conversation is with Coach Tony Blauer, who’s been in the martial art, self-defense, defensive tactics, and combatives industry for over four decades. Tony founded Blauer Tactical Systems (BTS) in 1985 and it has grown into one of the world's leading consulting companies specializing in the research and development of performance psychology, personal safety, and close quarter tactics &...

This week’s conversation is with Chase Jarvis, an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, and one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years. His expansive work ranges from shooting advertising campaigns for companies like Apple, Nike, and Red Bull; to working with athletes like Serena Williams and Tony Hawk, to collaborating with renowned icons like Lady Gaga and Richard Branson. In 2...

This week’s conversation is with Katie Arnold, a longtime journalist and an elite ultra runner. Katie was the 2018 Leadville Trail 100 Run champion. For those of you unfamiliar with Leadville, it’s an Ultramarathon held annually on rugged trails and dirt roads near Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The race course climbs and descends 15,600 feet, with elevations rangin...

This week’s conversation is with Jim Zorn, a former NFL quarterback and coach who currently serves as head coach and general manager of the Seattle Dragons of the second incarnation of the XFL. Jim was the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks during their first eight seasons as a franchise and is a Seattle legend. He’s known as one of the more prolific scrambling quarterbacks of his day a...

This week’s conversation is with Raja Dhir, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Seed Health, a microbial sciences company pioneering applications of bacteria to impact human and environmental health. Now some of you may already be familiar with what the microbiome is but for those who aren’t, I’ll share a brief summary of it via Harvard’s School of Public Health. Picture a bustling city on a weekday morn...

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist, better known as the “Sleep Doctor.” Michael is both a Diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He was one of the youngest people to pass the Board at age 31 with a specialty in Sleep Disorders. Michael was also recently named both the Top Sleep Specialist in...

This week’s conversation is with Missy Franklin, a five-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FINA World Swimmer of the Year. Missy retired from swimming in December of 2018 after an incredible career. In 2011, she established herself as one of the top swimmers in the world when she won five medals – three of them gold – at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai. At the 2012 Olympic Games...

This week’s conversation is with Stephan Moccio, a producer, composer, recording artist and musician behind some of music’s most massive, inescapable global hits. In 2013, Stephan co-penned the quintuple-platinum song “Wrecking Ball” with Miley Cyrus. Following the song’s success, Stephan quickly became one of the industry’s most sought-after and in-demand producers and songwriters,...

This week’s conversation is with NFL Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott. Ronnie has been a champion and a leader his entire life. After graduating high school in 1977, Ronnie went on to the University of Southern California where he helped his team win the 1978 national championship. He was a unanimous All-American and team captain in 1980 and graduated in 1981 with a degree in public administration. Short...