The Playbook With David Meltzer

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Blaine Bartlett for a conversation on the difference between dreamers and builders. We break down why execution is the true separator between ideas and results, and how habits, discipline, accountability, and clarity create momentum. Blaine shares insights on developing a professional mindset, building systems that support consistent action, and staying focused on...

In today’s episode, I share a lesson that reshaped how I think about generosity, receiving, and abundance. Inspired by my mother’s example of selfless giving, I reflect on why some of the kindest and most generous people struggle financially and how many of us misunderstand the relationship between giving and receiving. I explain why giving value, kindness, love, and forgiveness creates far more i...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and collectibles pioneer Josh Luber, the co-founder of StockX, former Fanatics Collectibles executive, and founder of Ghostwrite. We discuss how he built multiple billion-dollar businesses by understanding the relationship between supply, demand, culture, and commerce. Josh shares why expertise and passion matter when building a company, how authent...

In today’s episode, I share why leaders build cultures, not just companies. I break down the values that shaped my life, from gratitude and forgiveness to accountability and effective communication, and explain why great leaders must be honest, repetitive, and even a little annoying. I reflect on losing everything, including my mom’s home, and how that pain became protection, promotion, love, and...

In today’s episode, I sit down with longevity expert Sanjiv Lal to discuss the growing noise surrounding health, peptides, stem cells, and regenerative medicine. After a severe battle with long COVID left him facing serious kidney complications, Sanjiv began searching for alternatives beyond traditional treatment paths, leading him into the world of longevity medicine. We talk about the importance...

In today’s episode, I speak with an entrepreneur navigating a major life transition after closing a salon business she spent 13 years building and ending a long-term relationship in the same season. We discuss the fear that comes with leaving behind an identity tied to past success, the challenge of facing uncertainty, and the mindset shift from seeing setbacks as losses to viewing them as opportu...

In today’s episode, I share the hidden law of long-term success and explain why most people misjudge time, not opportunity. Success is rarely an overnight event. It grows through compounding cycles that often take years before results become visible. I break down how impatience, comparison, and emotional attachment to short-term outcomes can interfere with progress, while consistency, discipline,...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur Dylan Conroy to talk about the journey from growing up with financial insecurity to building wealth, losing it all, and finding a greater purpose through faith and service. I share lessons learned from my time with Lee Steinberg, stories about negotiating major sports deals, and a memorable conversation with Ray Lewis that changed how I think about...

In today’s episode, I sit down with acclaimed writer, producer, and director Angelo Pizzo, the creative force behind Rudy, Hoosiers, and many other unforgettable films. We talk about Indiana University’s remarkable football season, why he believes its story is best told as a documentary, and the projects currently on his horizon. Angelo also shares how he approaches storytelling, from finding emot...

In today’s episode, I sit down for a candid conversation about the lessons that shaped my life, from growing up in a single-parent household and chasing financial success to losing everything in 2008 and rebuilding with a new perspective. I share how my mother, wife, and closest friends helped me recognize the difference between achievement and fulfillment, why scarcity thinking held me back, and...

In this episode, I remind you that the biggest results in life come from doing great things while they’re still small. Small actions and consistent habits aggregate, accelerate, and compound into extraordinary outcomes. I talk about becoming a student of your calendar, creating non-negotiable behaviors around sleep, health, family, faith, and finances, and why attachment to timing creates resistan...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, speaker, and bestselling author Stephen Scoggins to talk about identity, leadership, and the personal growth that comes from facing hard truths. We discuss why vulnerability creates stronger connections, the difference between authenticity and living from your essence, and how the words “I am” can reshape the way you approach success. Stephen share...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Blaine Bartlett to discuss the paradoxes that shape business, leadership, and personal growth. We talk about why doing hard things now often makes life easier later, how discomfort fuels growth, and why patience is essential when progress feels slow. We also explore the relationship between knowledge and awareness, the difference between discipline and devotion,...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Joe Hart, President and CEO of Dale Carnegie, to talk about leadership, fear, conflict, and the challenges facing younger generations. Joe shares why personal growth is still the best investment we can make, how preparation builds confidence, and why fear loses power when we confront it directly. We also talk about constructive conflict, the danger of unresolved...

In today’s episode, I share why giving isn’t about money, but about creating value and allowing others the opportunity to help. I talk about losing over $100 million, why that experience became one of the greatest gifts of my life, and how every problem already contains a solution waiting to be discovered. We discuss shortening the distance between setbacks and resolutions, learning from mistakes,...

In today’s episode, I’m sharing the mistakes, red flags, and hard-earned lessons that shaped who I am today. I talk about growing up with a single mom, building wealth, losing over $100 million, filing bankruptcy, and realizing that my greatest setbacks were actually protecting, promoting, loving, and perfecting me. I break down the “dummy tax” I paid, the warning signs I ignored, and why asking f...

In today’s episode, I share why time is my love language and why how we use it reveals what we value most. Blaine Bartlett joins me for a conversation on treating time as an asset, using the calendar as a truth teller, and separating what is urgent from what truly matters. We talk about clarity, prioritization, daily discipline, and the compounding effect of small actions done consistently over ti...

In this episode, I share the AAA Strategy—Alignment, Action, and Adjustment—and how it helps you turn setbacks into momentum. When your values, energy, and daily behaviors are aligned with where you want to be, or better, you create more opportunities, options, and touches of favor. I talk about building a foundation rooted in gratitude, empathy, accountability, and effective communication, while...

In today’s episode, I sit down with acclaimed speaker, writer, and life coach Tim Storey to talk about acting like the champion you already are. We talk about the ways shame, guilt, ego, and past setbacks can conceal the greatness God put inside of us, and how revelation, conviction, and action help bring it forward. I share how losing everything forced me to confront who I had become, while Tim o...

In today’s episode, I talk about the ways we unknowingly limit ourselves by assigning meaning to past failures, setbacks, and defining moments. I share why feeling stuck is often a sign of growth, how pain acts as a communicator instead of something to avoid, and why learning lessons is the key to finding resolution. I also break down the difference between intelligence and intuition in decision-m...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Sequel co-founders Matt Smith and Alex Macdonald, who bring together the worlds of professional sports, entrepreneurship, and early-stage investing. Matt shares how discipline, devotion, and constant self-improvement carried him from the lower levels of English football to the top tier, while Alex talks about building companies through rejection, resilience, and...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Blaine Bartlett to talk about the psychology, philosophy, and physiology behind effective marketing in a world where attention spans are shorter than ever. We break down why people buy on emotion before logic ever enters the picture, how identity and storytelling create loyalty, and why credibility is the foundation of influence. I also share why clarity strengt...

In this episode, I remind you that time shouldn’t control you—you should control your time. The key is becoming a student of your calendar and learning how to be productive, accessible, and gracious every day. I talk about non-negotiable behaviors around sleep, health, family, finance, faith, and studying your time. Small actions done consistently create momentum, compound results, and remove the...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and marketing strategist Kim Walsh Phillips alongside singer, actor, and American Idol breakout Justin Guarini to talk about the real difference between fame, celebrity, and authority in today’s business world. We break down how visibility creates opportunity, why authenticity only works when it’s consistent, and how the right relationships open doo...

In today’s episode, I sit down with business broker, entrepreneur, and What’s Your Deal? host Matt Uhler for a conversation about faith, accountability, coaching, and the habits that shape a meaningful life. We talk about the difference between mentors, teachers, and coaches, why non-negotiable time changed my perspective on health and family, and how fear and uncertainty interfere with our energy...