Corporate Competitor Podcast

Ep. 275: College baseball shaped the CEO of one of the largest financial institutions in the country. You will learn: Why he gives people jobs they're only 80% qualified for, and then holds them accountable How to stay steady when times are good, watch for the trapdoors, and remember it's always darkest before the dawn What he learned about decisiveness, endurance, calm and communication from four...

Ep. 274: Playing football and basketball shaped this CEO who oversees 32,000 financial advisors and $2.6 trillion in assets. You will learn: What getting benched after an 0-6 start to his high school football season taught Rich about the impact of his effort on others. Why HOW you win matters just as much as WHAT you accomplish—and why LPL uses it as the deciding factor when evaluating talent. How...

Ep. 273: Six months before his daughter's wedding, he got a diagnosis: liver cancer, less than six months to live. Three years of treatment later, and now he's Chairman, President and CEO of Southern Company — a company that just ranked #1 in its industry on Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies list. On this episode, you will learn:  Why he tells his team "I can't do anything by myself" — and...

Ep. 272: The Business of Storytelling hit shelves this week and Simon Sinek is here to celebrate! Join us for this special edition episode to learn: Why you should treat every story like a jigsaw puzzle Why AI can write a great story, but can't make you a better storyteller The Disneyland detail that reveals the real power of a company's origin story Why "I've heard this story..." might be the mos...

Ep. 271: The captain was given a choice: grab a rag to help the team wash the windows or hand over the boat. He tapped his epaulettes signaling his rank, "I'm the captain." John fired him. Why? Because the problem was never the windows. It was the belief that his title made certain jobs beneath him. Today, John Waggoner, Founder and Chairman of Victory Cruise Lines, still tells that story during e...

Ep. 270: Linfield basketball alum Dan McMillan shares how empowering your team to GIVE can create a ripple effect. A grieving customer once received a box of gourmet pears from his insurance company because a claims employee sensed he needed something extra. It turned out pears were his late wife's favorite fruit. Dan, now President and CEO of The Standard, shared the story with his executive team...

Ep. 269: Team Penske has raced in more than 6,600 races and won 10% of them — and they're the winningest team in IndyCar history. This summer, Bud is leading the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the first-ever IndyCar race in the nation's capital, down Pennsylvania Avenue August 22–23. In this episode, you will learn how a dinner-table idea turned into a presidential executive order and lessons in: Why "it...

Ep. 268: Stonepeak CEO was shaped by rugby league, cricket, and growing up in a working-class farming town in Australia. Today he's built a career on Wall Street, but the personality that took him there was forged on fields where teammates and opponents alike gave each other unfiltered honesty — and expected the same in return. Want to become a better storyteller?  Pre-order Don's new book The Bus...

Ep. 267: Harvard Golf and playing at Whisper Rock alongside Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, and Max Homa shaped Josh Isner's understanding of what winning really requires — and it shows in how he leads one of the most competitive companies in America. Axon is the $45 billion public safety company behind body cameras and life-saving technology protecting law enforcement and first responders across the cou...

Ep. 266: Long before he was CEO of Deloitte US, Jason Girzadas was on the pitcher's mound with the bases loaded, his team up by one run, and his coach walking out to deliver the kind of feedback that sticks for a lifetime. In this episode, you will hear the lesson he learned, PLUS: How to fight complacency inside a historically successful organization — and keep your people hungry Why "know yourse...

Ep. 265: As Head of Client Solutions and Wealth Management at Guardian Life Insurance, Mike has learned that the most transformational moments in business look a lot like cycling: riders who trust each other, rotate leadership, and communicate constantly can cover ground together that no one could cover alone. In this episode, you will learn: How finding a coach — whether on a bike or in a boardro...

Ep. 264: Playing high school golf in Michigan and winning the Upper Peninsula State Championship shaped this CEO who led Wendy's through a decade of global growth before stepping into the CEO role at Papa John's after a very brief retirement. Today, Todd Penegor brings that same team-first mentality to every leadership table he sits at — and in this conversation, he shares exactly how. In this con...

Ep. 263: With a resume that includes StubHub President and Google President of Asia Pacific and Latin America, this technology exec joins the show talk about how tennis shaped her, and the way she now is involved in ownership of the Toronto Tempo! In this episode, you will learn: Why pre-morteming failure shrinks fear and drives real action Why the who you work for will always matter more than the...

Ep. 262: What conditions do you actually need to perform at your best? Emmy award-winning chef Giada De Laurentiis shares that knowing your non-negotiables is the key ingredient. Don't miss these amazing stories on this episode:  Food is connection. When Giada moved to the US from Italy, she struggled with the language barrier. But food became the great translator. "Food was the thing that could c...

Ep. 261: Just months after winning his first IndyCar race, Sam Schmidt hit a wall at nearly 200 miles per hour during preseason testing. He was paralyzed from the neck down at 35 years old. Doctors told his wife he wouldn't make it through the night.   Twenty five years later, Sam has co-founded championship racing teams, driven a car at 107 miles per hour using only his head, stood in an exoskele...

Ep. 260: The Harvard water polo co-captain, who had never played the sport before joining the team,now leads one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the countrywith the same philosophy that earned her that captaincy: it's not about being the most valuable player. It's about creating the most valuable team. In this episode, you will learn: • Why the "zone of discomfort" is where real leadersh...

Ep. 259: After a decade at Microsoft where he was responsible for more than $17 billion in revenue, Eric used lessons from the baseball field—failure, resilience, and belief—to build award-winning cultures at Nextiva, Accordo, and Calero. You will learn: • Why people commit to stories—not spreadsheets • How to build belief in your team after failure • Why clarity—not control—is the foundation of g...

Ep. 258: Former Wendy's U.S. President and now CEO of the nation's largest lawn care company, Kurt Kane, shares a powerful truth: "We are the leaders we've been waiting for." In this episode, you will learn: • Why protecting your position can hold back your growth • How great leaders use questions to focus an entire organization • The power of simplifying complexity to drive results Our BONUS RESO...

What if your biggest leadership problem isn't results—but process? In this new mini series, we break down lessons from leaders at Ritz-Carlton, Aflac, and more who transformed performance by refining the details. In this episode you will learn how to identify friction, improve systems, and build repeatable excellence.  To listen to each guest's FULL episode click below: Lumen's Kate Johnson Ritz-C...

Ep. 256: What if culture isn't built by slogans, but by what you reward? In this episode, you will learn:  How Kevin makes values account for 50% of performance on his team When walking away from a deal is the smartest move a leader can make Why calm leadership matters Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply...

Ep. 255: The original "No-Stat All-Star" won Teammate of The Year playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Here he teaches you why being selfless and studying your opponent are the two secrets to success. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.  Do you want to write a bo...

Ep. 254: A black eye in her first Cornell rugby match taught Shannon she could do hard things—and that lesson still shapes her leadership today. A four-time New York City Marathon finisher, she believes leadership isn't about forcing people into the same mold.  Like rugby, every role matters, every player brings strengths, and every stride counts. Don't miss: The two questions she asks every mente...

Ep. 253: Baseball shaped this researcher who led the largest growth mindset experiment in history. His work spans from sports teams to global corporations like McDonald's and Walmart, where mindset shifts are boosting performance and reducing turnover. In this episode, you will learn: Strategies for building teams where curiosity, not fear, drives improvement. A two-part mindset shift that can tur...

Ep. 252: What do black diamond ski slopes and working with Shaquille O'Neal have in common? For Amy Jo Martin, both became defining lessons in bravery, brand, and leadership.  In this episode, you will learn: How to practice "calendar integrity" so your time matches your values. Why deleting, delegating, and divesting are the keys to capacity. A simple strategy for manufacturing bravery in high-st...

Ep. 251: As longtime Executive Director of the TB12 Foundation, Lisa helped carry forward Tom Brady's mission to redefine health and longevity. Before that, she spent 18 years leading the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, guiding families through some of life's hardest challenges and helping turn advocacy into action.  In this episode, you'll learn: How genuine curiosity builds trust and unlo...