The Action Catalyst

Joel Green , CEO of Pro Level Training , National Director of Nike Sports Camps , and a former professional basketball player, talks about growing up in an abandoned home, explains the concepts of “filtering” and “camouflage opportunities”, striking deep and striking gold, why fun doesn’t come first and insecurity is the ground for improvement, recounts playing professional basketball in Europe, h...

Jamie Beaton, co-founder and CEO of Crimson Education , the world’s leading US and UK university admissions support company, explains how his algorithm works, taking a full, holistic look at students and their entire background to calculate probability when guiding that student into the collegiate world, in a way not unlike the "Moneyball" system that revolutionized major league baseball. Hear Jam...

Adam Outland , Partner at Southwestern Consulting , Elite-Level Sales and Leadership Coach, and host of the "Inside Great Minds" Podcast explains the importance of learning how NOT to be and how to let go graciously, the equation for creating a personal mission statement, nurturing youth leadership and teaching emotional intelligence, the virtue of deferred gratification, debunking antiquated psyc...

Karen Arrington , author, global philanthropist, and Goodwill Ambassador to Sierra Leone, explains how to assemble your “power entourage”, a group of people providing resources and support for any situation life may throw at you, as well as who NOT to include in the group. Hear Karen’s full interview in Episode 401 of The Action Catalyst.

Jamie Beaton , co-founder and CEO of Crimson Education , the world’s leading US and UK university admissions support company, talks about his new book, “Accepted”, increasing student admissions, helping exceptional students overcome self-doubt, the “Moneyball” approach to college acceptance, the role that parents should play in the process, tackling ageism and skepticism, and geeking out to Warham...

Jason Feifer , editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine , author, and podcast host, talks about the misconceptions around career trends and new job creation, including historical examples of huge oversights and follies by the likes of Kodak, Blockbuster, and a particularly furious John Philip Sousa. Hear Jason’s full interview in Episode 400 of The Action Catalyst.

Karen Arrington , author, global philanthropist, and Goodwill Ambassador to Sierra Leone, shares some of the 7 rules of power, confidence, and opportunity for black women in America, the massive opportunity of small grants, how to find your tribe and eliminate or renegotiate exhausting relationships, explains how to see what you DON’T want to see what you DO want, and talks about working internati...

Julia Boorstin , Senior Media & Tech Correspondent for CNBC, shares a few of the specific strengths that women bring to leadership roles, and explains why, although a high-profile example, Elizabeth Holmes is not particularly representative of successful female leadership attributes. Hear Julia’s full interview in Episode 399 of The Action Catalyst.

Jason Feifer , editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine , author, and podcast host, explains "wouldn’t go back" moments, thinking vertically instead of horizontally, the 4 phases of change, the lessons learned from a Baltimore wig shop, and how entrepreneurs are adapting in Ukraine, talks John Philip Sousa and “the menace of mechanical music”, and details the forward-thinking theory of work that l...

John and Mark X. Cronin, father and son co-founders of the largest sock store on the planet, John's Crazy Socks , share the story of how their fun socks sparked a friendship with former President Bush, and won them a big fan in Nancy Pelosi. Hear John and Mark’s full interview in Episode 398 of The Action Catalyst.

Julia Boorstin , Senior Media & Tech Correspondent for CNBC, talks about what inspired her new book, “WHEN WOMEN LEAD - What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn from Them”, and touches on the changing face of leadership, contextual thinking and communal leadership, the unusual case of Elizabeth Holmes, the gender issue in tech and computer science, being camera-ready in 40 min...

Ariel Garten, neuroscientist and the co-founder of tech startup Muse , explains how her company’s revolutionary technology helps you become the coach and the guru inside your own brain, the broader mission of her work, and how if you don’t know what to do for yourself, do something for someone else. Hear Ariel’s full interview in Episode 397 of The Action Catalyst.

John and Mark X. Cronin, entrepreneurs, advocates for Down Syndrome, and co-founders of the largest sock store on the planet, John's Crazy Socks , explain the 5 essential pillars of business, the joys and the challenges of working as a father and son team, a small problem they ran into with opening a food truck, making friends with Washington elite, and the importance of uplifting differently-able...

David Stuart, Founder and President of Southwestern Insurance Group , describes the current state of the insurance industry, and what sets his company apart from others in the ever-more-competitive insurance landscape. Hear David’s full interview in Episode 396 of The Action Catalyst.

Ariel Garten, neuroscientist, former psychotherapist, and the co-founder and visionary of tech startup Muse , explains the mission behind her company’s revolutionary technology, the way inspiration can translate from art to science, hitting the research lab at the age of 17, the power of naivety, her responsibility to society, calming the nervous system and relying on yourself, and how if you don’...

Patty Hoppenstedt, Chief Operations and People Officer for Southwestern Family of Companies , shares the story of the tragic natural disaster that nearly changed the course of her family’s history, and how the kindness demonstrated by strangers helped shape who she is today. Hear Patty’s full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst. Mentioned in this episode: This episode is...

David Stuart, Founder and President of Southwestern Insurance Group , shares successful philosophies on expanding your team, why hindsight is the best foresight, how your trials are someone else’s inspiration, and what it means to define “fun” in business, plus covers his adventures in water polo, getting hit in the face, and the similarity between himself and Mark Wahlberg. Mentioned in this epis...

Gary Garfield, speaker, author, and former CEO of Bridgestone Americas, shares a few times when he empowered his workforce to speak truth to power, drive innovative ideas from within, and speak up for themselves, resulting in one of Bridgestone's most well-received initiatives. Hear Gary's full interview in Episode 395 of The Action Catalyst. Also be sure to check out Gary's first appearance on th...

Patty Hoppenstedt, Chief Operations and People Officer for Southwestern Family of Companies , shares her upbringing in Central America and the natural disaster that helped shape her early life, to her beginnings in security in the 9/11 era, stint in city management, and the influences and determination from her unique background that help her create the safest, most inviting work environment for e...

Author and mental scientist Dr. Hank Seitz shares the unbelievable story of his time as a double agent for the Korean mafia and the CIA and explains how the conscious and the subconscious minds shape our beliefs. Hear Dr. Hank’s full interview in Episode 394 of The Action Catalyst.

Gary Garfield , speaker, author, and former CEO of Bridgestone Americas, shares the "rules of the road" from his new book, "Driving Results", including why humility is freedom from arrogance, the advice from the best boss that HE ever had, the equation to creating a productive and trusting company culture, the discrepancy between professional auto testing and consumer driving, creating innovation...

Bill Ottman, CEO and co-founder of blockchain based, open source social network Minds , discusses the next frontier of social media, addressing matters of privacy, new capabilities brought by Web 3.0, and the Metaverse. Hear Bill’s full interview in Episode 393 of The Action Catalyst.

Author and mental scientist Dr. Hank Seitz explains how he overcame what he was told was a permanent disability, talks quantum science and molecular biology, the conscious mind and the subconscious mind, the 3 steps that create experience, answers of the question of “What ARE beliefs?”, and shares the unbelievable story of his time as a double agent for the Korean mafia and the CIA.

Dr. Julia DiGangi , a neuropsychologist, author, and expert in the brain’s relationship with stress, resilience and relationships, explains the 2 drivers of the brain that create nearly all interpersonal problems, including how new studies suggest your co-workers really can have a lasting impact on your neurological makeup. Hear Dr. DiGangi’s full interview in Episode 392 of The Action Catalyst.

Bill Ottman, CEO and co-founder of blockchain based, open source social network Minds , talks to host Dan Moore about systems theory, web 3.0 and the decentralized internet, Facebook and the dawn of the Metaverse, cryptocurrency, hanging out on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and more, in this wide-ranging, forward-looking interview.