The Action Catalyst

Speaker, author, and President & CEO of OCLC, Skip Prichard , shares the insightful way that people can often be like nickels....but you shouldn't want to be. Hear Skip's full interview in Episode 230 of The Action Catalyst.

Mickie Kennedy , PR expert and the founder of eReleases , a leading press release distribution service, dives into why press releases aren’t just for the big boys, how to create the best one for maximum attention, and what to do in a damage-control setting, plus shares his “3% rule”, and explains how even local press can net BIG wins for your business. Mentioned in this episode: The Puppet Masters...

Today on the podcast, we’re excited to feature a conversation from  Think Big, Buy Small , produced by our friends at Harvard Business School. Hosted by HBS professors (and former Action Catalyst guests) Rick Ruback and Royce Yudkoff,  Think Big, Buy Small  explores the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA), highlighting how ambitious leaders build lasting wealth and c...

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, co-founders of Beekman 1802 skincare, partners in both business as well as life, explain the "51% rule" for decision making, both professionally, and personally. Hear Brent and Josh's full interview in Episode 494 of The Action Catalyst.

Speaker, author, and President & CEO of OCLC, Skip Prichard , shares his unusual childhood background, the research on near death experiences, why to fail faster, how people are often like nickels, and the philosophy of working harder on yourself than you do on your job.

CEO and Founder of Dream University , Marcia Wieder , explains the value of realism, self-confidence, and risk taking in dreaming, how to break down big dreams into small projects, and why you should want to be PIE (but not the baked good). Hear Marcia's full interview in Episode 134 of The Action Catalyst.

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, a.k.a. the “Fabulous Beekman Boys”, co-founders of Beekman 1802 skincare, recount settling in with Farmer John and his goats and packing 52,000 bars of soap, and chat about making neighbors, not customers, making hay while the sun shines, NOT Shark Tank-ing every business, making kindness part of the business model, working with your partner, reframing work-lif...

Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard , the tech entrepreneur known as the “ father of the cable modem ", explains what things like broadband and cable modems REALLY are, and how their invention quickly impacted producers, consumers, and the broader economy. Hear Rouzbeh's full interview in his special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

CEO and Founder of Dream University , Marcia Wieder , explains the difference between dreams, fantasies, and goals, the value of realism in dreaming, how intention and integrity work together, breaking down big dreams into small projects, separating dreams from doubts, the 3 little words that breed self-sabotage, and why you should want to be PIE (passionate, interested, excited, not the baked goo...

Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Senior Partners at Southwestern Talent , explain why offshoring isn't really what it used to be anymore, it's present-day benefits, and how the South African people are creating a world-class talent pool. Hear Hattingh and Werner's full interview in Episode 493 of The Action Catalyst.

Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard , the tech entrepreneur known as the “ father of the cable modem ", explains the two experiences he brought together to create the revolutionary device, what things like broadband and cable modems REALLY are, why he gave it all away free of royalties, and the role of homemade Persian food in making it all possible. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Rouzbeh Yassini-Fa...

Author, executive coach, and culture consultant Chester Elton breaks down the idea of "the noble cause" in business, and how Texas Roadhouse restaurants are a shining and enduring example of the idea in action. Hear Chester's full interview in Episode 35 of The Action Catalyst.

Overtime with Outland is Action Catalyst host Adam Outland's reflections and commentary on discussions with each of his esteemed and accomplished guests. In this segment, Adam dissects Episode 493, with Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Senior Partners at Southwestern Talent .

Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Senior Partners at Southwestern Talent , explain the unique career history that spawned the business, the professional services gap that they are filling and why it exists, why offshoring isn't really offshoring anymore, how the South African people create a world-class talent pool, overcoming start-up pain points, and why sometimes the low-tech solution is the...

Mike Johnson, the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives , as well as an alum of The Action Catalyst's parent company, Southwestern , explains why his participation in the Southwestern Advantage program was "the best thing he ever did". Hear Speaker Johnson's full interview in his special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

Author, executive coach, and culture consultant Chester Elton walks us through how to create an all-in culture in our business, including managing culture during crisis, and why the customer experience will never exceed the employee experience.

Speaker, author, and coach Bruce Van Horn explains the best ways to be "other-focused" on social media, and provide more value to, and thereby get more loyalty from, your audience. Hear Bruce's full interview in Episode 11 of The Action Catalyst.

Mike Johnson, the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives , as well as an alum of The Action Catalyst's parent company, Southwestern , breaks down his unique path to the speakership and the big role Southwestern played in getting him there, recounts danger in Tucson and getting a little help from Brett Favre, delivers an absolutely killer Trent Lott impression, outlines the impo...

Dr. Angela Jackson , the founder/CEO of Future Forward Strategies and a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, explains the REAL cost of turnover in organizations, and the numbers may surprise you. Hear Dr. Jackson's full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

Speaker, author, and coach Bruce Van Horn shares Twitter/X tips for movers and shakers, including the critical importance of authenticity, putting connection over saturation, and the most common-sense advice that you probably overlook all of the time.

Culture strategist and leadership coach Jenni Catron shares why it’s important to lead with the heart as well as strategy, and how developing the awareness to do both can be a challenge. Hear Jenni's full interview in Episode 128 of The Action Catalyst.

Dr. Angela Jackson , the founder/CEO of Future Forward Strategies and a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, reveals the lessons learned from studying Fortune 500 companies, the REAL cost of turnover, why top-down decision making is dead, and the two main takeaways for small business owners.

Greg DeVore , CEO and co-founder of ScreenSteps , lays out his “Find & Follow” philosophy to reduce supervisor burnout and improve employee performance, including concepts like actual vs. foundational knowledge, the value it can provide in the event of a sale, and the knowledge operations maturity model. Hear Greg's full interview in Episode 492 of The Action Catalyst.

Culture strategist and leadership coach Jenni Catron shares “The Grand Commandment” and how it pertains to leadership, why it’s important to lead with the heart as well as strategy, the value of creating a safe space for honest feedback, the delicate balance of being bold but respectful, the role of faith, and why leadership is sacred work.

Author, entrepreneur, and “overwhelmologist” Ari Meisel reveals how to optimize, automate, and outsource, the shockingly straightforward system for keeping work, and anxiety, from piling up. Hear Ari's full interview in Episode 122 of The Action Catalyst.