Maps Are Dead

Summary Bobby Bitton started OPositive at 23, in a category most companies avoided. The early wins came fast and the lessons came after. Mike sits down with the co-founder and CEO to ask what stays on the compass once a company has something to lose. They get into what positivity looks like when it faces the problem, how fast to ship, and what a founder lets go of. About Bobby Bitton Positivity Fu...

Summary You made the plan, the numbers are right, and something still feels off. Mike talks with his friend Ross Blankenship, PhD, an organizational psychologist and executive coach, about Friction, the book he wrote with Dr. Maggie Sass, and the word they use for what sits underneath work and leadership. They get into how to tell what kind of hard thing you’re facing, how your strengths show up i...

Summary Jacques Spitzer started Raindrop as a one-person shop and grew it into a creative agency of about a hundred people. He and Mike get into what it takes to keep your footing when the work, the tools, and the industry keep shifting under you. Jacques makes the case that people buy for only two reasons, that being "anti-niche" is a strength rather than a liability, and that the hard...

Summary On August 15, 2021, Aref Dostyar was Afghanistan's Consul General in Los Angeles. By the end of the day, the government he represented no longer existed. His map wasn't running out. It was being erased while he stood on it. Aref and Mike talk about what you steer by when the plan disappears in an afternoon. How Aref and his staff wrote a plan on a Friday they didn't yet know th...

Summary Mike sits down with Danny Kim, a classically trained violinist turned pastor turned organizational psychologist who has changed careers about every eighteen months and calls each leap an invitation, not a crisis. Danny grew up without a map. The only Asian kid in a white neighborhood, a first-generation Korean American, he learned to chart his own course before he was old enough to drive....

Summary Have you ever been lost? Not turned around in the woods, though Joseph has a story about that too, but lost in your own life. Joseph Pietrocini is 26 and running three companies at once, and he has spent his whole life navigating toward a vision most people never let themselves name. Mike sits down with a friend he has coached since the eighth grade to unpack what it takes to move when the...

Summary Destry Wardle has spent nearly two decades helping people go backward before they can moveforward. Today she's turning that lens on the man across the table from her. Mike sits down with his longtime coach, collaborator, and self-described “sister voice in my head” to unpack why healing isn't a straight line, why thetools that kept you alive as a kid can quietly sabotage you as an...

Summary Katie Kennedy is seven years old, hand raised in art class, waiting for her teacher to just tell her what to do next. Twenty years later, she's a senior manager at Twin Cities agency OVATIVE Group, and she's still catching herself waiting for someone else to hand her the next step. Mike sits down with his longtime friend to unpack why people-pleasing might be the most manipulative...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with Serena Tillman, licensed master social worker, certified personal trainer, Pilates instructor, and founder of a women's community group called Esther's Daughters, for one of the most honest conversations of the season. Mike and Serena have known each other for 28 years. That history shows. This isn't a polished success story. It&#3...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with Barbara Macnish, Gallup-certified strengths coach, founder of TriQuester Teams, and one of the first coaches to join The Dauphinee Group, for a conversation about what it means to navigate without a map. They go back nearly 20 years, to a strengths session in Portugal that changed Barbara's career before she even knew she wanted to be a co...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with Sarah Hassaine — global inclusion and diversity leader, TEDx speaker, and founder of Effective Immediately, for a conversation about what it actually takes to build cultures that work, and why the most human problems require the most disciplined strategy. Sarah has spent a decade doing the work that most companies rush to label and few actuall...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with Kirsten Hogan, Chief Retail Officer at Dr. Squatch, for a conversation about what it actually takes to reclaim your story, and build a career you genuinely love. Kirsten grew up in a town of 900 people in northern Maine, made a deliberate choice to point herself somewhere different, and never stopped making deliberate choices after that. She s...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with Amol Dhargalkar — Chairman and Senior Managing Director at Chatham Financial, for a conversation that challenges one of the most common assumptions in modern career culture: that staying is settling. Amol has spent 25 years at a single firm, growing from its youngest undergraduate hire to Chairman of the Board. Not because he had no other opti...

Summary In this powerful season two opener, Mike Dauphinee sits down with mental performance coach Johan Martinez to explore what it really means to build an internal compass, not as a concept, but as a lived practice forged through real adversity. From navigating the streets of inner-city Chicago as a child, to coaching championship-level athletes and high-performing executives, Johan unpacks the...

Summary In the final episode of season one of the Maps are Dead podcast, Mike Dauphinee reflects on the journey of the podcast, the lessons learned, and the concept of navigating life without reliable maps. He emphasizes the importance of self-trust, understanding one's strengths, and the need for a new approach to decision-making in a rapidly changing world. The episode also introduces upcomi...

Summary In this powerful episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with elite performance coach Damon Goddard to explore the link between physical movement, decision-making, and the mental frameworks that shape our lives. From training world-class athletes to guiding CEOs through burnout, Damon unpacks how compensatory patterns, both physical and psychological, have expiration dates. Together, they challe...

Summary In this engaging conversation, Mike Dauphinee and Dr. Luke Powery explore the intricate relationship between decision-making, spirituality, and personal growth. They discuss the importance of mentorship, the pressures faced by today's youth, and the role of faith in leadership. Luke shares his journey from Miami to Stanford and Princeton, emphasizing the significance of relationships a...

Summary In this episode of Maps are Dead, Mike Dauphinee engages in a deep conversation with Destry Wardle, exploring the complexities of life transitions, personal growth, and the importance of community. Destry shares her journey from clinical counseling to coaching, emphasizing the significance of embracing discontent as a catalyst for change. The discussion highlights the role of authenticity...

Summary In this conversation, Mike Dauphinee and Beth Scheer discuss the intricacies of navigating early-stage ventures, the transition from corporate roles to venture capital, and the importance of self-awareness in decision-making. Beth shares her experiences at Homebrew, emphasizing the hands-on approach they take with founders and the significance of building trust and relationships. They expl...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee interviews Nate Cadieux, a developer and founder of Purpose Real Estate Group. They discuss Nate's journey in real estate, the challenges of decision-making, the burden of expectations, and the importance of communication and vulnerability in both personal and professional relationships. Nate shares insights on resilience, the cost of success, and the courag...

Summary In this episode of Maps are Dead, Mike Dauphinee and Jeremy Pietrosini discuss navigating significant life changes, particularly the decision to launch a new business. They explore the importance of understanding one's strengths, overcoming perfectionism, and the role of belief and connectedness in decision-making. The conversation emphasizes the value of collaboration, facing fears, and t...

Summary In this episode, Mike Dauphinee and Dana discuss the journey of personal development through coaching, the importance of understanding one's strengths, and the challenges of navigating life's uncertainties. They explore how communication styles impact relationships, the role of fear in decision-making, and the significance of self-awareness in achieving clarity. Dana shares her exp...

Summary In this episode of Maps Are Dead , Mike Dauphinee sits down with Michelin-starred chef Erin Sykes to explore resilience, grit, and redefining success in high-performance environments. Erin shares her unlikely path into fine dining, starting at 25, fighting to be taken seriously, and eventually becoming the only female Michelin-starred chef in Denmark this year. They dive into the mental to...

Summary In this episode of 'Maps are Dead', Mike Dauphinee speaks with MLB player Kyle Stowers about his journey in baseball, the challenges of performance, and the importance of communication and understanding in both sports and life. They discuss the mental aspects of the game, the significance of having a supportive environment, and the ongoing journey of self-discovery and growth. Kyle...

Summary Paul Seibert is a door-off-the-chopper aerial photographer. But he didn’t start there. He started as a jazz saxophonist. Then a landscaper. Then a guy with a camera who couldn't not take pictures. In this episode, we talk about how purpose creeps up on you. We dig into his strengths, his leap into full-time photography, and how he’s navigating a creative industry in the age of AI. Paul...