Game Changers with Molly Fletcher

At age 9, John O'Leary suffered burns to 100% of his body after a gasoline explosion in his family home. He was given a 1% chance to live. John not only survived, he made it his life's mission to inspire others. Today as an author and keynote speaker, John shares the lessons he learned through his experience and celebrates the everyday heroes who stepped into his life to help him on his journey. O...

Our culture today is all about getting a head start. Start early, focus intensely and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as you can. But what if that's actually not the best path to success? In his new book Range, author David Epstein argues going broad—not narrow—is the best route to success. On this episode, we talk about the dangers of early specialization, the value of breadth of exp...

Navigating change is hard, particularly inside of organizations. Most people are resistant and afraid. Yet we all have to confront change- personally and professionally- and the pace of change is faster than ever. Beth Comstock led companies like NBC and GE through periods of transformational change. Her book, Imagine It Forward ,  encourages people to become change makers by leading with imaginat...

Why would a successful criminal defense attorney leave a lucrative career to start a chocolate company? That's the incredible story of Shawn Askinosie, founder of the award-winning Askinosie Chocolate. In his book Meaningful Work,  Shawn shares his insights into doing work with heart and creating a business with a soul. Named one of the 25 best small companies in America by  Forbes , Askinosie Cho...

Carli Lloyd is one of the most accomplished soccer players in the world. She's a three-time Olympian, two-time gold medalist, and two-time FIFA Player of the Year. Her clutch performances- a hat trick in the 2015 World Cup Final and gold medal-winning goals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics- only added to her legacy. This summer, Carli co-captains Team USA in her fourth World Cup. But her journey to t...

Adam Grant is the youngest tenured professor at Wharton and an expert on how we can make workplaces more collaborative, creative and productive. One of the world's most influential management thinkers, Adam has worked with clients like Google, the NBA, and Disney Pixar as a speaker and consultant. His TED Talks have been viewed more than 16 million times, and he's the author of three New York Time...

Notre Dame women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw is leaving a legacy on and off the court. In 32 seasons in South Bend, Muffet has led the Fighting Irish to two national championships, seven trips to the title game, and nine appearances in the Final Four. She's a vocal champion for gender equality in the workplace and sparked an important conversation on the need for women in leadership. We talk...

In her wildly popular TED Talk , Angela Duckworth shares why grit- more than talent, IQ or luck - is a powerful predictor of success. Angela has explored the correlation between grit and achievement in settings like West Point, the National Spelling Bee, and New York City public school system. Her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance , has appeared on the New York Times  bestseller lis...

Author and leadership expert Michael Hyatt shares his personal productivity framework in his new book, Free to Focus. Productivity isn't about getting more  things done at a faster speed; it's about getting the right  things done. On this episode, Michael shares how we can free up our schedules for the people and projects that matter most. Learn how to eliminate distractions, set boundaries that p...

Called "the most inspirational data geek you'll ever meet," Marcus Buckingham is re-defining the future of work. After spending nearly two decades as a senior researcher at Gallup and then starting his own company, Marcus now guides the vision of ADP Research Institute as Co-Head and Talent Expert. In his new book, Nine Lies About Work , Marcus challenges our assumptions about organizations, talen...

Less than six years ago, University of Buffalo men's basketball coach Nate Oats was teaching math and coaching high school basketball in Detroit. Fast forward to today and he is one of the hottest coaches in college basketball, leading the Buffalo Bulls to three NCAA tournament appearances in four seasons as head coach. On this episode, we talk about his unconventional rise to the top of the coach...

As the CEO of the Oakland Raiders, Amy Trask served as the highest-ranking female executive in the NFL. Today she's a football analyst for CBS Sports and serves as Chairman of the Board of Ice Cube's BIG3. In her book, "You Negotiate Like a Girl," Amy reflects on her career in the NFL and the leadership lessons she learned on her journey. We talk about how she carved her own path from intern to CE...

Celeste Headlee's TED Talk " 10 ways to have a better conversation " has been viewed more than 17 million times. She's an award-winning journalist and the author of  We Need To Talk – How To Have Conversations That Matter .  On this episode, Celeste shares the simple communication tools she's learned through her research and job as a public radio host interviewing hundreds of guests. Her smart str...

As a college football player, Inky Johnson dreamed of playing in the NFL to make a better life for his family. Inky was on the way to achieving his dream when an injury changed everything. What should have been a routine tackle led to a life-threatening injury that ended his football career and permanently paralyzed his right arm. Instead of being defeated, Inky channeled his hardship into a power...

From the NFL football field to the stage of America's Got Talent , Jon Dorenbos has captured the hearts of fans with his incredible story of perseverance. After the tragic murder of his mother by his father when Jon was 12, magic and football became his two outlets. He went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL- the majority with the Philadelphia Eagles- before a life-threatening heart condition ended...

Daymond John is a branding expert, investor, TV personality, author and motivational speaker. He made a name for himself as the founder of the lifestyle brand FUBU, growing the business from a makeshift factory out of his home into a multibillion-dollar company. Today millions of viewers know him as a judge on ABC's Shark Tank. On this episode, Daymond shares his story of relentless perseverance a...

This special edition of  Game Changers with Molly Fletcher  features clips and insights from some of our most downloaded episodes of 2018. Hear from guests like bestselling authors Patrick Lencioni, Seth Godin and Daniel Pink, athletes and coaches like NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson, Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, and Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney, and business leaders like Ginger Hardage (S...

Greg McKeown is the author of the New York Times bestseller " Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less ." Essentialism isn't about getting more done in less time; it's about getting the right things done so that you can make your highest possible contribution. On this episode, we talk about how to determine what is absolutely essential and eliminate what is non-essential, so that we can focus...

Leila Janah is the founder and CEO of Samasource and LXMI , two companies that go beyond charity to give work to low-income people around the world to generate life-changing income. Leila is the author of the book  Give Work . She was named to Fortune's 40 Under 40 list and honored as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Women in Tech . On this episode, we talk about what's broken about the tradi...

Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, brilliant marketer and speaker who's known for "making a ruckus." He's written 19 bestselling books including Permission Marketing, Tribes, and Purple Cow and has the most popular business blog in the world. Seth also runs the altMBA, a four-week online leadership and management workshop, and hosts the podcast akimbo . On this episode, we dig int...

Shabnam Mogharabi is the CEO of SoulPancake, an award-winning entertainment company she co-founded with actor Rainn Wilson (better known as Dwight from The Office). SoulPancake spreads joy and celebrates the human experience by producing and curating thought-provoking, uplifting video content. Shabnam is also a New York Times bestselling author of SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions . On thi...

Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz loved the big stage. The only Atlanta Braves player to be part of the franchise's historic run of 14 consecutive division titles, Smoltz helped the Braves to five World Series appearances and the 1995 title. In his 21-year career, Smoltz shifted between starter and closer, making history as the only player in big league history with at least 200 career wins and at...

The New York Times  calls him "a sought-after guru to NFL coaches, Olympians, hip-hop stars and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs." Ryan Holiday is a marketing expert who made a name for himself as the director of marketing for American Apparel and has gone on to work with clients like Google, Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss. He's the bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy,  an...

Ron Clark is more than just an educator. He has been featured on Oprah  and The Today Show , and his school, the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta, is known around the world for its innovative teaching methods. Nearly 50,000 educators, teachers and administrators have visited the Academy to learn the "out-of-the-box" methods for student success, and you've probably seen some of the viral videos o...

Dubbed a "modern-day Jane Austen," by Vanity Fair,  author Emily Giffin has touched the hearts of millions of readers with her bestselling novels. Her books have been translated into 31 languages and sold more than 11 million copies worldwide. Her latest book, All We Ever Wanted,  is out now. On this episode, Emily talks about the creative process and finding the courage to pursue your dreams.