Live Like a Leader with John Bates

Today, I sit down with Tracey Ivanyshyn, a serial entrepreneur, culture builder, corporate grief educator, death doula, and co-founder of Kindness at Work. After more than 25 years leading purpose-driven businesses and a team of over 100 people, Tracey has turned her attention to helping organizations build trust, belonging, and the capacity to meet loss with greater humanity. Tracey and I met on...

Today I sit down with my dear friend Sebastian Bates. Seb and I first met when he was a client of mine, and from the beginning, I was deeply impressed by him—by his drive, his heart, his courage, and the sheer scale of what he is building in the world. He is one of those rare people who combine intensity with purpose, and ambition with service. I respect him tremendously. In this conversation, Seb...

Today, I sit down with Matt Hunter, executive coach and co-author with John Baird of Tough Enough: How to Lead a Team to Greatness Without Being a Jerk . Matt and I met several years ago on Necker Island, and I’ve liked and respected him ever since. When I saw what he and John were taking on with this book, I wanted him on the show. Because they’re walking straight into a leadership question I car...

Today I sit down with Dr. Nicole Butts,  best-selling and award-winning author, speaker, and organizational culture strategist and expert, whose new book is SHIFT: A Transformational Journey from Playing Small to Unapologetically Thriving . This conversation is a masterclass in what happens when high-achieving leaders (especially women) finally stop outsourcing their worth to other people’s approv...

Today I'm joined by Joel Steele, co-founder of Steele Financial Solutions and author of the powerful new book Life Switch. Joel’s journey from owning a failed healthy fast food restaurant to building a multi-million-dollar financial firm is inspiring, vulnerable, and packed with leadership gold.   We dive into how devastating failures can unlock hidden potential and why Joel refused to declare ban...

Today I sit down with Freddie Pullen—founder of The Healthy Entrepreneur Podcast and the founder of Recognized (recognized.global)—and we go straight at a problem I care about deeply: There are too many truly capable experts who stay invisible… while louder, less-qualified voices dominate the conversation.   Freddie helps experts become recognized for the value they already have—and then monetize...

Today I sit down with Camden Francis—a 21-year-old founder in the Boston area who’s already lived a few lifetimes worth of leadership reps.   We talk about the real story behind the highlight reel: how Camden co-founded a pandemic-era food distribution charity that moved $100,000 worth of food and resources, how that experience became a launchpad into the startup world, and why his newest projects...

Some conversations arrive exactly when they’re needed. This is one of them.   In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Edwards, my friend and the co-founder of Camino5, for a conversation that’s been years in the making. Ryan and I first met at one of my live events in Los Angeles, and ever since, he’s been one of those people who quietly shifts how I see the business landscape. He has a rare vantage...

Today I sit down with Pete Sacco —entrepreneur, technologist, “modern-day mystic,” and a 30-year veteran of designing, building, and operating serious data centers . Pete is also the founder of Gray Wolf Data Centers , and he has a front-row seat to what AI is about to demand from our infrastructure—and from us as leaders.   What I loved about this conversation is the range: we go from the brutall...

Today I sit down with Jess Jensen , founder and CEO of Copilot Communications , where she helps executives build trust, credibility, and warmth online so they can open doors to clients, partners, and opportunity.   Jess has lived through the “birth, boom, and backlash” of social — from launching the first Adidas Facebook page in the early days of brand pages, to building global governance at Micro...

In this episode of Live Like a Leader , I sit down with organizational development expert Gil Crosby ( https://www.crosbyod.com/) to explore timeless principles for change, leadership, and frontline empowerment. Learn why most “programs” fail, how to balance authority with freedom, and how leaders can unlock performance by listening to the people closest to the work. Gil Crosby has been an Organiz...

🧠 Key Topics we discussed in this episode: Dean’s path from West Point to entrepreneurship How Ranger School forged his leadership mindset What “authentically American” really means—and why it matters The challenges (and joys) of building a mission-led brand Innovation in apparel: soft shirts, secret prints & national pride Why values like integrity, faith, and country still lead the way   🙌 Con...

We dive into: Why your beingness is the brand—and how to access it The quiet resistance most leaders carry that keeps them from full expression Her philosophy on “branding from the inside out” How she helps clients identify and speak from their core essence, not just what they do The real story of how she and I met—and why she decided I needed a podcast This conversation goes far beyond brand stra...

In this episode, we cover: ✅ How Jeremiah went from bootstrapping websites during the dot-com boom to building a global cybersecurity business. ✅ Why most cybercrime isn’t about “hacking systems,” it’s about hacking humans. ✅ The emotional tricks scammers use, and how to spot them before you get duped. ✅ Real-world stories of cybercrime that cost companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in s...

In this episode with Thom Shea, we cover: What makes someone truly “unbreakable” How to survive the worst day of your life, and what happens if you don’t give up Why “just doing the basics” is often the most advanced move you can make His life-saving experience during a firefight in Afghanistan that earned him the Silver Star The Rule of Three; how simplifying complexity transforms business, healt...

We get into interesting topics like: Why communicating with human beings isn’t logical—it’s biological What Navy SEALs, elite surgeons, and business leaders all get wrong about stress and recovery The surprising ways trauma shows up in leadership, relationships, and performance And the decisive importance of celebration in reprogramming the nervous system Whether you’re a high-performing executive...

In our conversation, we explore: What it was like to fly the legendary F-4 Phantom into combat. The moment his jet exploded — and the life-altering seconds that followed. What helped him survive nearly six years as a POW. The power of faith, friendship, and camaraderie under unthinkable conditions. One of the lowest moments of his time in captivity, and the lesson we can all learn from it.  Why ho...

In this episode, you’ll hear: Why TEDx is hyper-local —and why that matters more than you think. The one mistake I made in my first TED experience (and what it taught me). Why feedback must start with self-awareness. What makes group presentations succeed—or fail—and how to avoid pitch disasters. Why listening to yourself on video is brutal but necessary (and how to make it less painful). Ruth is...

Kijuan doesn’t just talk about resilience—he embodies it. Whether you’re going through a tough season or just need a reminder of how strong you really are, this episode will leave you inspired and empowered.   💥 Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: A behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to refuel aircraft mid-flight (including wild SR-71 and F-4 Phantom stories) The life-altering accident...

From snapping shrimp to blue whales, from silence to soundscapes, we cover: Why diversity of opinion is vital in leadership How sound affects everything from productivity to health Simple daily practices to instantly improve your listening, and be heard more clearly in return What business gets wrong about audio—and how to fix it The importance of designing your acoustic environment with intention...

Jennifer Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Evolve Public Relations and Marketing, a premier PR agency she established in 2010 to help businesses and professionals authentically tell their stories. With a communications degree from Arizona State University and an entrepreneurial spirit, Jennifer has dedicated her career to elevating brands, building trust, and fostering meaningful connections. Jenni...

What You’ll Learn: Why real leaders don’t always have the title—or the power How Becky’s Stoic-inspired Choose the Handle That Holds became a guidebook for life and leadership The difference between authentic vulnerability and oversharing A live demo of STOA: a goal-setting tool you’ll want to use immediately How to model leadership for your team, your family, and yourself   🧠 Leadership Insight:...

What You’ll Learn: Why the “Rule of Three” is a leadership game changer The origin and impact of Atlas’ TEDx talk: Start with Who What pirate leadership teaches us about trust and motivation Why success leaves clues—and how to collect them The mindset shift from chasing opportunities to choosing legacy   Leadership Gold: “Every leader I’ve admired kept it simple: People. Time. Money.” The Rule of...

What You’ll Learn: How adversity can become your most powerful teacher The surprise that “everything’s still in color” after a bankruptcy Why “Don’t be nervous, be at their service” is more than just a sticker—it’s a leadership principle How metacognition gives you the power to shift from victim to agent What the “Influence Quadrant” is—and how it can transform your communication and leadership  ...

💡 “What if Hell Week was a Celebration?” Diego failed SEAL training the first time—broken bones, broken dreams, and broken expectations. But it wasn’t the end. He came back ten years later , fully transformed, and turned the infamous Hell Week into moment after moment of gratitude. Lesson : When you reframe suffering as growth, everything changes. “I wasn’t being punished—I was being tested, tran...