Servant Leadership Podcast

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Zahi Hawass. Dr. Hawass is one of the world’s most renowned archaeologists and Egyptologists, best known for his leadership in uncovering and preserving some of the most significant discoveries in ancient Egypt. In this episode, Dr. Hawass shares stories from decades of leadership at the highest levels of archaeology, including what it t...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast we welcome James Ackerman. James previously served as CEO of Prison Fellowship, the largest Christian nonprofit supporting prisoners, former prisoners, and their families. In this episode, James shares how his leadership journey was shaped by personal loss, deep faith, and a calling to serve some of the most overlooked people in society. He talks about the t...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast we're joined by Daniel Kwak. Daniel and his brother immigrated from Korea as pastor’s kids, grew up in poverty in Chicago, and launched their first business as teenagers. When Daniel realized he needed a long-term career, he moved into real estate and built an eight-figure portfolio in his 20s. His journey forced him to confront what actually drives a le...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast we welcome Peter Herschend. Peter and his brother Jack built one of the largest family entertainment organizations in the world, but their story didn’t start with theme parks, acquisitions, or millions of guests. Peter shares how Silver Dollar City grew from a 5,000-visitor cave operation into a nationwide portfolio of parks and attractions that now serve ov...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast we welcome Rebecca Bender. Rebecca is a survivor of human trafficking. She has used her story of transformation to inspire people around the world. After escaping her traffickers, she rebuilt from nothing—eventually founding the Rebecca Bender Initiative and Elevate Academy, the largest online school for survivors. Rebecca has been a part of training more th...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Pete Briscoe. Pete spent nearly three decades leading a thriving megachurch in Dallas before walking through one of the hardest seasons of his life, that led him into rehab, recovery, and ultimately, renewal. In this episode, Pete opens up about burnout and what it looks like when everything on the outside seems successful, but the inside is brea...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Shane Claiborne. In this episode, Shane shares what it was like to serve with Mother Teresa and how her humility and compassion shaped his faith and the founding of The Simple Way. Shane talks about finding your own “Calcutta” and how courageous love can transform the world around us. Mother Teresa often shared that not all of us can do great thi...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Bobby Gruenewald, entrepreneur, innovator, pastor, and the founder of the YouVersion Bible App. Before stepping into ministry at Life Church, Bobby was a serial entrepreneur — launching one of the early web hosting companies and later building a subscription-based entertainment streaming company. At Life Church, Bobby helped pioneer church o...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Heidi St. John. Heidi’s story is one of healing, grit, and grace. She’s a bestselling author, national speaker, and longtime podcaster whose show has reached tens of millions. She founded a Homeschool Resource Center in the Pacific Northwest and even ran for Congress, driven by a simple mantra: see a problem and serve. In this conversation, Heidi...

Thank you to Thrivent for partnering with us on the Servant Leadership Podcast. If you or anyone you know is looking to join a great team, learn more about open career opportunities at Thrivent: https://bit.ly/chicago-thrivent Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Anne Beiler — best known as the founder of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Anne's story goes far beyond the success of a glob...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Mark Whitacre—whose life inspired the Matt Damon film The Informant! At 32, Mark was a divisional president and corporate VP at ADM, groomed for the top. When a global price-fixing scheme came to light, he wore a wire for the FBI—ten hours a day, for three years. The fallout cost him his career and his freedom, but it also led to mentors who help...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Nancy Ortberg. Nancy’s leadership journey has been anything but linear—starting in nursing and spending nearly a decade in hospitals and emergency rooms before moving into church leadership at a megachurch and later consulting alongside Patrick Lencioni. For the past ten years, she has helped lead a major nonprofit movement across the Bay Area an...

Thank you to Thrivent for partnering with us on the Servant Leadership Podcast. If you or anyone you know is looking to join a great team, learn more about open career opportunities at Thrivent: https://bit.ly/chicago-thriventToday on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by David Horsager — a global authority on trust and leadership, and the CEO ofthe Trust Edge Leadership Institute. David...

Thank you to Thrivent for partnering with us on the Servant Leadership Podcast. If you or anyone you know is looking to join a great team, learn more about open career opportunities at Thrivent: https://bit.ly/chicago-thriventToday on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Dave Ferguson—someone who has spent his life shifting from being the hero of the story to becoming a hero maker. He’s...

Thank you to Thrivent for partnering with us on the Servant Leadership Podcast. If you or anyone you know is looking to join a great team, learn more about open career opportunities at Thrivent: https://bit.ly/chicago-thrivent Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Jon Gordon —a voice that millions have turned to for strategies to unlock the power of their mindset and reach their...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Mark Chassman. From starting in Hollywood’s talent agencies, to leading broadcast television turnarounds in Alaska to being one of the first 50 employees at Facebook, Mark has spent decades at the intersection of business, leadership, and innovation. What makes Mark's story so compelling isn’t just his tech startup stories; it’s the shift he...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Steven Trulaske — CEO of True Manufacturing. If you’ve ever ordered food at a stadium, picked up a drink at a gas station, or been in a commercial kitchen, you’ve probably interacted with True Manufacturing without even realizing it. Over the last 80 years, they’ve quietly become one of the largest refrigeration companies in the world. True...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Jeff Korzenik. Jeff is the Chief Economist for Fifth Third Bank and a leading voice on one of the most overlooked issues in our economy. His focus is on helping bring people with criminalrecords back into the workforce. In his book, Untapped Talent, Jeff makes a compelling case for why second-chance hiring isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s o...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Bill High. Bill’s journey took him from poverty… to becoming a partner in a major law firm… to guiding some of the most influential families in the world on how to build a legacy. Through his work with high‑net‑worth families at Legacy Stone and co‑authoring books with Hobby Lobby founder David Green, Bill has helped leaders see that the greatest...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Alex Weber. You’ve probably seen him hosting American Ninja Warrior, but what makes Alex stand out isn’t the obstacles he’s overcome as both host and competitor… It’s the ones he’s faced in life. From battling self-doubt and loss to rebuilding after hitting rock bottom, Alex has become a voice for what it really means to lead with passion, empath...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Garry Ridge — the legendary former CEO of WD-40. For over 25 years, Garry didn’t just grow revenue — he built one of the most admired workplace cultures in the world. At WD-40, 98% of employees said they loved coming to work. They felt trusted. They were empowered. Their work had purpose. In this episode, Garry shares how they built a tribe where...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by David Ashcraft — president of one of the most influential leadership organizations in the world. As CEO of the Global Leadership Network, David leads the Global Leadership Summit, which equips millions of leaders across more than 120 countries. Before stepping into his role at the Global Leadership Network, David spent over three decades pas...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we have superbowl winner, Don Beebe. Don is a true underdog turned NFL legend. Don’s journey to the NFL is one of incredible perseverance, faith, and humility. From his small-town roots and unexpected path to professional football, Don’s story defies the odds. Over the course of his career, he played in six Super Bowls, became a superbowl champion with the...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Frank Carone, ranked as one of the most powerful people in New York. Frank Carone has spent his life navigating law, politics, and business at the highest levels. He built one of Brooklyn’s top law firms and has advised some of the most influential leaders in the country, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, whom he served as Chief of S...

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Steve Preston — a leader who has served at the highest levels of both business and government, and now leads dwill Industries, a Fortune 500 CFO, and a senior government official — serving as Administrator of the Small Business Administration and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Today, he oversees one of the largest nonprofit netw...