Glue Guys

Patriots legend Tedy Bruschi joins the Glue Guys to share how he went from wearing tennis shoes to football tryouts to becoming one of the most feared defenders in NFL history. Tedy learned different kinds of strength from three Hall of Fame coaches—Bill Parcell, Pete Carroll, and Bill Belichick. But when a stroke threatened his life at the peak of his career, this three-time Super Bowl champion d...

The guys dive deep into the complexities and joys of modern fatherhood. Alex, Shane, and Ravi share personal stories about their experiences - how they approach discipline differently than their own fathers did, their strategies for developing resilience in their children, and their wrestle with today’s parenting challenges like screen time and academic pressure. Through conversation about both th...

How do you turn overlooked data into bestselling stories that change industries? Michael Lewis reveals his process for finding and telling groundbreaking narratives, from Moneyball to Flash Boys to The Big Short. He also explains how he came across Shane’s unique impact on basketball, and how Kobe Bryant secretly studied his profile––“No Stats All-Star”––to counter Shane’s tactics. Jump inside the...

What does it mean to face a new year with purpose? The guys talk resolutions and the methods to their madness. From Shane's 'Jar of Awesome' to Alex's Hall of Fame induction, and Ravi sharing the art of saying ‘no,’ there is a lot to unpack headed into 2025. Learn practical methods for reflection and relationship-building and hear their takes on giving honest feedback and building trust. Whether y...

This is Shane Battier. It’s hard to put into words what Coach Mike Krzyzewski has meant to me, but I’ll try. For four incredible years at Duke University, I learned from a man who redefined leadership, resilience, and what it means to chase excellence. His record speaks for itself—five national championships, 15 Final Four appearances, three Olympic gold medals—but those numbers barely scratch the...

From a family of fishermen in southern France to CEO of Instacart – Fidji Simo's path breaks every convention. After becoming her family's first high school graduate and attending France's leading university, she rose to lead the Facebook app before taking the helm at Instacart. She shares how she ‘finds the magic’ in people while delivering incredible outcomes. Beyond business, Fidji opens up abo...

Is confidence something you're born with or something you build? Alex, Shane, and Ravi challenge the stereotype of the naturally confident leader through raw stories of their own moments of self-doubt. The conversation speaks to the surprising truth that many top athletes and business leaders experience profound insecurity, but what sets them apart is their ability to grow confidence through delib...

What does it take to be the player every championship team needs? Shane Battier’s journey from a suburban outcast to hoisting NBA championship trophies is a masterclass in discipline, adaptability, and leadership. In this episode, Shane shares the secrets behind his two NBA championships, life-changing lessons from Coach K at Duke, and the experience of playing alongside legends like LeBron James....

How do you lead a team of 2.1 million people? Whether you're managing five people or fifty, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's leadership principles apply at any scale. He joins Glue Guys to share his journey from unloading trucks at Walmart as a teenager to leading a company that makes $1.7 billion in sales daily, serving 240 million customers weekly across 10,500 stores. Doug shares leadership lessons...

What drives the most unstoppable leaders? ESPN analyst Jay Bilas takes us inside Coach K's daring early years building Duke's dynasty and shares how a profound lesson about relentlessness changed his understanding of greatness. From behind-the-scenes stories of culture-building to candid insights on today's evolving college sports landscape with NIL, he challenges listeners to examine their own pu...

Can saying ‘happy birthday’ really transform team culture? Alex, Shane, and Ravi explore the power of "uncommon sense" - those simple but profound leadership practices that are rarely implemented despite their obvious impact. From Jim Harbaugh's birthday messages to every member of his team to Alex Smith's mentorship of Patrick Mahomes, the guys break down why the small moments are what build the...

What's the real game you're playing with your money? “Psychology of Money” author Morgan Housel joins Glue Guys to talk about the importance of running your own race. He engages Ravi, Shane, and Alex on the topic of ego and how it plays a leading role in wealth dynamics. From pro athlete salaries to the “keeping up with the Joneses” mindset to even handling your own money (spoiler: there is no uni...

What does parenting have to teach us about leadership? How can we help raise the next generation to be the best they can be? It’s a topic our hosts–parents themselves!–are endlessly curious about and this week they’re joined by psychology professor and expert in the science of motivating young people, David Yeager. David’s "mentor mindset" approach explains why the best leaders are neither drill s...

What is Ravi Gupta's story? Despite Ravi's initial discomfort, Alex and Shane go deep on his life and background. We learn about the family members who shaped him and how his career path has been anything but a straight line. Ravi reflects on how the people around him have always been "demanding and supportive", how it changed his life, and why it's so important for him to live that every day with...

David Senra is in pursuit of one goal: helping people learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs. In a world obsessed with quick wins and overnight success, David has spent eight years building Founders podcast and distilling decades of sage advice. In the spirit of Glue Guys, David joins us to connect the dots between sport's GOATS and business legends, and as it turns out - being slightly crazy...

If you’re looking for a model in authentic leadership, Hubspot founder Brian Halligan is your guy. He joins the Glue Guys conversation this week to talk as much about how he grew his company into a multi-billion-dollar company, as how he’s grown as a person. From the adrenaline-pumping tale of a near-fatal snowmobile accident that dramatically altered Brian's perspective to his candid revelations...

How do you get the most out of your team? How do you get the most out of yourself? When is it a good thing to have a chip on your shoulder? Alex talks about the impact of negative coaches. Shane talks about how Coach K commits to treat everyone fairly, rather than equally and also shares a memorable quote from Pat Riley about the alchemy of teams. Our hosts realize that each of their most inspirat...

Teams that gel. It’s every leader’s ambition. And legendary college football coach Urban Meyer’s specialty. His approach earned him 17 championship titles, 3 perfect seasons, 5x coach of the year, and one of the most winning records in history (187-32). What does it take to go from a collection of players to a winning institution? Alex and Coach reflect on their time together at Utah. Coach Meyer...

Steve Young joins Glue Guys and lets us in on the moments and lessons behind his legendary career. We discover how he learned to throw a football at 18 from Jim McMahon and what it taught him about latent talent. Steve shares how the unstoppable Reggie White’s emotional athleticism was even more impressive than his physical athleticism. We learn about him attending law school the day after playing...

Being "on top" doesn't spare anyone from fear of failure. Alex recounts self-doubt despite being the number one NFL draft pick. Shane talks about feeling the pressure of being the 4th-ranked seventh-grade basketball player in the country. Ravi talks about his fears as a CFO in the early days of Instacart. Why is fear of failure such a powerful force? How can we use it to fuel us rather than hold u...

What is Alex Smith's story? Shane and Ravi turn the mic to Alex to tell his story front to back. From the moment he knew his life had changed forever to the decision not to amputate his broken leg to his first play back as quarterback after two years of recovery, resilience does not even begin to do this comeback justice. This episode gives new insight into the injury heard around the world and Al...

What is the language of winning? Alex takes us behind the scenes at the line of scrimmage. Shane uses Chris Voss's tactics to negotiate. Ravi asks one of his founders, "Are you going to live today?" This episode recognizes great communicators and their strategies for bending reality to their will. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here....

What do unsung heroes have in common? Alex talks about morning ‘wrestling’ practices with Urban Meyer at Utah. Shane recalls Steve Kerr flipping racks of basketballs. Ravi unpacks how to convince great founders to join forces. This episode sets the tone for three friends whose lessons, learnings, and values blur the lines between athletes, executives, and parents alike. For the full show notes, tr...

What makes a great coach? Shane talks about playing college basketball under Coach K. Alex highlights his time in Kansas City with Andy Reid. Ravi gives insight into his mentorship from legendary investor Doug Leone. We kick off with themes around humility, ego, authenticity, and the dance between seriousness and silliness in leadership. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned...

What do a 3-time pro-bowler, 2-time NBA champion, and a Sequoia Capital Partner have in common? Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta are a uniquely decorated trio diving deep into what makes for great teams across sports and business in their new show, Glue Guys. Every Thursday, these three close friends will talk about business, teamwork, leadership, resilience, sports, and life through thei...