I Have Some Questions...

After sitting down with Jake Stahl, Erik reflects on the biggest insights from their conversation about neuro-strategy, influence, and the subtle ways leaders can shape trust. He pulls forward Jake’s key practices and maps them onto his own curiosity-driven approach to leadership and coaching. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Preparation shapes influence : First impressions begin long before the...

In this conversation, Erik sits down with Jake Stahl, CEO of Orchestraight, to dig into the nuances of adaptability, trust, and leading with presence. From reframing how we think about time to building spaces where people feel seen, Jake offers a refreshingly human approach to leadership growth. 👤 About the Guest Jake Stahl is the CEO of Orchestraight, a consultant, and a coach who helps organiza...

Erik unpacks the art and science of giving feedback that doesn’t just land—but transforms. Drawing from leadership trenches, he challenges the old “feedback sandwich” cliché and lays out a sharper, more human way to communicate with clarity, care, and conviction. ❓ The Big Question How do you give feedback that someone can truly hear —without defensiveness, confusion, or dismissal—and actually us...

Coming off an intense, vulnerable conversation with Troy Karnes , Erik reflects on what it means to be trained to be human — and how most of us simply haven’t been. This episode is less a summary and more a reckoning: with parenting, leadership, addiction, loneliness, and the self-sabotaging decisions we make when we’re just trying to survive. Troy’s story — addiction, family fracture, and a surre...

In this raw and revealing conversation, Erik sits down with entrepreneur and systems thinker Troy Karnes to explore what happens when your ambition starts to burn you out — and how to rebuild from the inside out. They dig into the identity loops that trap high performers, the hard cost of playing it safe, and what it means to take control of your own narrative when life no longer fits the script....

In this episode, Erik breaks down how to earn trust, build consensus, and handle the uncomfortable conversations that come with stepping into leadership when the room isn’t exactly rooting for you. ❓ The Big Question How do you earn trust and lead effectively when your team believes someone else should have gotten your job? 💡 Key Takeaways You don’t owe anyone an explanation for why you got prom...

Losing a top performer is brutal—and often preventable. In this episode, Erik goes beyond the cliché of “people don’t leave companies, they leave managers” to unpack the real reasons your best people walk out the door. He reveals three leadership moves that will keep your rock stars engaged, growing, and aligned—without relying on promotions, titles, or raises. ❓ The Big Question What can you do...

Check-ins are killing your calendar. In this episode, Erik breaks down why endless reminders are actually a symptom of low confidence and poor expectation-setting—and he teaches a simple leadership “play” that flips the script. Instead of you chasing progress updates, your team will push you the information you need—freeing up your time, building accountability, and strengthening trust. ❓ The Big...

In this solo episode, Erik tackles one of the most common—and most misunderstood—questions leaders and high-achievers ask: How do I make more time? Instead of chasing productivity hacks, he offers two practical tools to get clear on what really matters and what can wait. The episode blends strategic thinking with real-life examples, helping listeners stop defaulting to “more hours” and start align...

This reaction episode offers a reflective deep dive into the most resonant themes from Erik’s conversation with Sam Bennett—improviser, coach, and author of Start Right Where You Are . Erik explores the real-world value of improv training, redefines creativity through a leadership lens, and shares how Sam’s abundance mindset reminded him that leadership isn’t about having all the ideas—it's a...

In this deeply human, laugh-out-loud insightful conversation, Erik sits down with the brilliant and hilarious Sam Bennett —actress, writer, leadership coach, and improv-trained creativity wizard. They explore the subtle power of curiosity, how theater prepares us for leadership, and why treating people like you actually like them is the secret to better business and better life. Together, they unp...

This episode is a bold challenge to the myth that leaders need to have all the answers. Erik breaks down the real reason many leaders avoid tough conversations—and how a single mindset shift can radically reduce stress, spark better performance, and create more self-sufficient teams. This is about turning pressure into presence, and questions into your most powerful leadership tool. ❓ The Big Que...

🧠 Erik’s Take In this reflection, Erik unpacks his recent interview with Peter Awad—a powerful, purpose-driven conversation that left him wanting more time. The episode explored how discovering your “why” is far less about lightbulb moments and far more about long-haul self-inquiry. Erik doesn’t just review their dialogue—he reveals how his own journey mirrored Peter’s, including the patience, pa...

In this powerful conversation with coach and entrepreneur Peter Awad, Erik digs into what happens when high-achieving people drift through life without a clear why . Together, they explore the subtle decay that comes from comfort, the courage it takes to pursue voluntary discomfort, and why most people wait too long to ask the deeper questions. This isn’t a surface-level chat about purpose—it’s a...

In this solo episode of I Have Some Questions... , Erik goes straight into the heart of what most leaders avoid: hard conversations. If you've ever dreaded giving feedback, delayed the tough talk, or spiraled into overthinking how it'll be received — this one’s for you. Erik breaks down why we avoid these conversations and offers a simple, repeatable framework to make them easier, more h...

After an energizing and raw conversation with Chris Jones, Erik reflects on what it actually means to be relentless—and why so few of us live that way. In this solo reflection, Erik opens up about his own honest recognition that he’s not relentlessly wired, at least not by default, and explores what it takes to become someone who is. This isn’t just a pep talk. It’s a tactical, psychological dive...

What does it really take to become relentless—and why is fun an essential part of the formula? In this candid, high-energy conversation, Erik sits down with best-selling author and EOS coach Chris Jones , a leader who’s navigated failure, burnout, and massive business pivots to find the intersection of intensity and joy. Together, they explore how clarity, courage, and self-awareness shape the pat...

In this episode, Erik drops the hammer on one of leadership’s biggest illusions: that great teams are discovered, not developed. He challenges listeners to let go of the fantasy of “perfect hires” and instead master the craft of building greatness from within. From training and development to retention and real-time coaching, Erik lays out a clear, repeatable path to elevate every player on your t...

In this recap, Erik distills the key leadership insights from his conversation with Dr. Ian Beaty, highlighting the gap between technical skill and leadership ability. He reflects on the all-too-common failure point: we promote people because they’re good at something, not because they’ve been trained to lead. Erik explores how this creates a cycle of unprepared leaders who are under-equipped and...

Erik sits down with Dr. Ian Beaty—Major in the Oregon Army National Guard, military recruiter-turned-educational liaison, and founder of Maven Speaks. With 24 years of service and a doctorate in education, Ian’s insight cuts through the noise on what real leadership looks like, why bad leadership is so common, and how he’s bridging bureaucratic silos between the military and the education system....

In this reflective follow-up to his interview with Amanda Bedell, Erik gets honest about the uncomfortable truths business owners face when it comes to profit. Most of us think we’re “doing okay” because revenue is coming in—but Amanda forces a deeper look. What stuck with Erik most wasn’t just Amanda’s strategic brilliance—it was how she translated financial complexity into real leadership decisi...

In this episode, Erik sits down with Amanda Bedell, a no-BS profit strategist with a story that flips the script on what most entrepreneurs think running a “successful” business looks like. Amanda unpacks the painful lessons from building a $2M+ bakery—with zero profit—and how that failure catalyzed her mission to help founders build profitable, sellable businesses. The conversation gets tactical...

In this mid-year solo riff, Erik dismantles the anxiety and avoidance that plague performance reviews. Instead of dreading the annual ritual, Erik lays out a practical, human-first framework that transforms reviews into accountability-driving, career-shaping conversations. Whether you're leading five or fifty, this episode offers a process that helps your people grow and helps you lead with c...

Coming off the conversation with Justin Coats, Erik reflects on what stood out most — not just in what was said, but in the tone of how it was said. Justin’s outlook on AI is refreshingly optimistic, and not in a techno-utopian way. His confidence stems from deep proximity to the tools, but also from the pattern recognition of someone who’s rebuilt himself multiple times. This reaction is Erik’s w...

Erik sits down with AI implementer, systems thinker, and neesh.ai founder Justin Coats for a future-forward conversation that spans war zones to workflow. From wrenching helicopters in the Marines to designing AI frameworks for SMBs, Justin's journey is anything but linear — and that’s exactly why his perspective hits so hard. Together, they explore the human side of exponential tech, the slo...