Big Swings Only

We don't get dopamine at the finish line — we get it in the chase. Which means every goal you're killing yourself to reach is quietly wired to disappoint you the moment you arrive. Jess Ekstrom found this out the hard way. She scaled Headbands of Hope to millions in revenue, got acquired, hit the Inc. 500 — and felt nothing within minutes. Her new book, Making It Without Losing It, is the framewor...

This episode is a special reverse interview. Kwame was invited onto Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby's Love, Happiness and Success podcast, where she turned the tables and dug into the psychology, personal history, and hard-won inner work that built the negotiation expert you know from this feed. If you've ever wondered who taught the teacher — this is that conversation. Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby, LP, LMFT is a li...

In this episode, world-renowned chef and entrepreneur Robert Irvine reveals the turning point that changed his leadership forever.  He built his empire through grit and command — but it wasn’t until he embraced empathy that everything truly leveled up. Robert shares the raw, behind-the-scenes lessons that reshaped how he leads people, grows businesses, and connects in high-stakes negotiations. If...

They judge you in milliseconds — before you say a single word. And if your presence doesn’t match your message, you're not just being ignored — you're being dismissed. In this episode, Kwame Christian sits down with presence expert Evan Weiner to explore the hidden science behind how people experience you — and why that can instantly boost or sabotage your power in negotiation, leadership, and lif...

What if the hardest part of negotiation isn’t the other person — but the story you’re telling yourself? In this masterclass episode of Negotiate Anything, two expert perspectives reveal how identity, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence shape every conversation you have. Columbia professor Beth Fisher-Yoshida shares how slowing down, asking better questions, and resisting snap judgments can...

Most high achievers don't have a skills problem. They have a belief problem — and the scariest part? The very belief that made them successful is often the one quietly holding them back. Muriel Wilkins is an executive coach with over 20 years of experience, co-founder of Paravis Partners, host of the Coaching Real Leaders podcast, and author of Leadership Unblocked: Breakthrough the Beliefs That L...

Most people are failing at their goals because they’ve been taught the wrong way to set them. ⁠⁠Buy Now: Big Goals: The Science of Setting Them, Achieving Them, and Creating Your Best Life by Caroline Miller⁠⁠ In this transformative episode, Caroline Miller, a leading expert in goal setting and positive psychology, exposes the fatal flaws of the widely accepted SMART goals approach. Caroline revea...

Andy Henriquez turned a rejected job application into a masterclass in human influence — and the only tool he used was a 30-second story. Andy Henriquez is a business storytelling coach, founder of the Master Storyteller Academy and the Million Dollar Storyteller Mastermind, and a keynote speaker who has trained executives at Google, Accenture, Bacardi, and Pratt & Whitney. He's a protégé of the l...

What if the life you want isn’t on the other side of a risky leap — but quietly waiting for you to build it, step by step, right where you are? In this powerful episode, Mitch Matthews shares a refreshingly practical roadmap for turning untapped expertise into real impact — and real income — without burning down your current career. From hustling for his first dream job at 13 to building a thrivin...

What if the biggest mistake in your next negotiation isn’t what you say—but when you say it? In this masterclass episode, Negotiate Anything pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood—and most high-stakes—moments in your career: the conversation that determines your value. From first impressions to final offers, you’ll hear how elite negotiation minds approach the same challenge from...

What if the real reason money conversations feel so uncomfortable… has nothing to do with money at all? In this Masterclass Episode, we unpack the deeply emotional, psychological, and relational layers behind how we talk about money — and why so many of us avoid it. Through powerful conversations with financial experts and real-life stories, you’ll discover that money isn’t just numbers — it’s ide...

When a negotiation catches you off guard, the real battle isn't with the other person — it's with your own mind. ⁠⁠Buy the Book Sharp 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ In this eye-opening conversation, cognitive scientist Dr. Therese Huston joins Kwame Christian to reveal how to recover quickly, stay calm, and turn u...

Damon West, Coffee Bean author & ex-felon sentenced to 65 years, reveals the 4-word message from a jail cell that flipped a life sentence into a global movement — and the exact mindset that can do the same for your hardest negotiations. Connect with Damon damonwest.org Contact ANI ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

From sleeping on the beach to building a billion-dollar empire — this episode proves that adversity isn’t the end of your story, it’s the beginning of your edge. In this powerful masterclass from Negotiate Anything, you’ll hear how top performers across industries transform setbacks into strategic advantage—and how you can do the same. Entrepreneur Shaheen Shahn unpacks the mindset behind masterin...

If you've been pushing hard but feeling empty, this episode will challenge everything you believe about high performance. DJ Vanas — Air Force veteran, member of the Ottawa Nation, and author of The Warrior Within (Penguin Random House) — brings centuries of tribal wisdom into a single, urgent message: you cannot be of service to anyone when you are falling apart. DJ has spoken at Fuqua School of...

Ben Swire is an organizational consultant, facilitator, and author whose work with Fortune 500 teams, law firms, and schools reveals a hard truth: what passes for "connection" at work is mostly just noise. Water cooler talk. Weekend recaps. Friendly but forgettable. [0:08] Ben has built his entire methodology — called Safe Danger — around a single, deceptively simple idea: real trust only forms wh...

In this engaging episode, Lauren Sabo takes the reins to explore negotiation strategies with challenging clients. The conversation delves into the intricacies of managing client expectations, recognizing the characteristics of difficult interactions, and setting effective boundaries in professional relationships. Drawing from both their experiences and professional backgrounds, Christian and Sabo...

What if the secret to winning any negotiation isn’t what you say—but what you notice about yourself in the moment? In this masterclass episode, we dive deep into the hidden power of curiosity—and how turning inward can completely transform the way you show up in high-stakes conversations. From unpacking the “mental baggage” we bring into every interaction to mastering subtle behavioral cues that i...

They told us that vulnerability was a flaw — a sign of weakness. But what if the truth is the opposite? In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Kwame Christian, bestselling author and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute, sits down with Jamie Librot, former Global Head of Executive Talent Management at JPMorgan and author of Find Your Gobi. Together, they flip the script on what real...

Joshua Weiss—co-founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University—explains why your greatest set of facts will always lose to a compelling narrative. Josh has spent years collecting real-world experiences through the Negotiation Stories Project to show how conflict actually works when emotions run deep and the "ivory tower" theories hit the real world. If you’ve ever felt like you...

AI can write, edit, even cast—but it still can’t do what made TV legend Bonnie Hammer unstoppable: read the room. In this candid conversation with Kwame Christian, Bonnie unpacks the human meta‑skill behind great leadership and negotiation—reading people and context in real time—and how it powered her “Blue Skies” era at USA & SYFY (Monk, Psych, Burn Notice). She shares why “fake it till you make...

Master the secret tactics spies use to win trust and uncover the truth. In this gripping episode, Jeremy Hurewitz, corporate intelligence expert and author of "Sell Like a Spy," reveals the secret persuasion tactics used by the CIA, FBI, and elite intelligence officers. Hurewitz draws on his years of experience working alongside former CIA case officers, FBI negotiators, and counterintelligence ex...

Aaron Calafato — master storyteller, consultant, and creator of the 7 Minute Stories podcast — reveals why showing up as your real self in high-stakes moments is actually a skill you have to train, and exactly how to build it. Aaron has spent 15+ years helping leaders, founders, and sales professionals communicate with genuine confidence. He's built a global audience across Apple Podcasts, Spotify...

What if the biggest deal you’re negotiating… is the one you’re making with yourself every single day? In this powerful masterclass episode, we unpack the hidden cost of stress, burnout, and emotional overwhelm—and why pushing harder might actually be the worst strategy you can choose. From the front lines of emergency medicine to the depths of somatic psychology, you’ll hear two expert perspective...

Energy beats strategy — and former Siemens & Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld reveals the playbook to end burnout, regain focus, and execute at the highest level. In this conversation, Klaus Kleinfeld breaks down why energy management—not tactics—separates elite leaders from exhausted teams. You’ll hear how to turn purpose into a “laser,” control emotions under pressure, win buy‑in without formal authori...