The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

Sportbike racer, track & field All-American, multi-patent holder, biometric lab creator, The Wall Street Journal’s Marketers That Matter Visionaries, and Adweek’s 50 Most Important People are just a few of Walter Geer’s self-earned accolades. Currently the Chief Creative Officer of Innovation at VML, he has developed commercials, ad experiences, products and implemented creative strategies for bra...

Be fierce with the fierce.   Scot Chisholm is a four-time founder with over 20 years of experience in building and leading companies. He founded Classy, which he scaled to over $100 million in revenue and led significant strategic investments and acquisitions, including the sale of Classy to GoFundMe in 2022. Currently, Scot is building Highland, a private accelerator and community designed to sup...

Kevin Swanepoel is CEO of The One Club, the world's foremost non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the global creative community. Through The One Club, he directs prestigious award shows like the One Show, ADC Annual Awards, and Young Guns, as well as several education related initiatives. In his conversation with Ryan, Kevin stresses the importance of taking initiative w...

Molly Tschang helps senior management and their teams Win As One . She has helped executives navigate over 80 mergers and acquisitions and the human after-effects of intense change. In her conversation with Ryan, Molly shares her notion that to be a good leader is to be a good coach. She points out that good leaders really want to know the truth, and why having a ‘shared reality’ between all level...

“Defining myself / Is like confining myself / So I undefined myself / To find myself”.  IN-Q is an Emmy nominated poet, multi-platinum songwriter, world renowned keynote speaker, and the best-selling author of Inquire Within.  The Never Ending Now, his recent spoken word album and poetry journal, explore the importance of creativity for emotional and mental well-being.  In his conversation with Ry...

Good leaders truly listen.  Stephen Shedletzky, or “Shed” to his friends, helps leaders make it safe and worth it for people to speak up. A sought-after speaker, coach, and advisor, Shed has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops, and leadership development programs around the world.  In his conversation with Ryan, Shed speaks on some of his early inspirations that set a foundation for h...

Brad Montague is creator of the hit web series  Kid President  and author of  Becoming Better Grownups , the  New York Times  best sellers  Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome  and  The Circles All Around Us.  All of Brad’s work has been guided by one key phrase: ‘be who you needed when you were younger’.  In his conversation with Ryan, Brad reflects on his role as a “helper” and how his missio...

Eric Ryan is a serial entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and father. He is the co-founder of multiple household brands including method, OLLY, Welly, Cast, and WILL Perform. Eric has been named an eco-leader by Vanity Fair, was PETA's Person of the Year, and can be found on Fortune’s 40 under 40 list. In their conversation, Eric gives listeners an inside look on what it takes to be a serial entrepre...

Count your Mondays.   Jodi Wellman is a Speaker, Author, and Founder of Four Thousand Mondays where she isn’t afraid to stare death in the face in the pursuit of living her most fulfilling life.  As the author of "You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets", Jodi tackles the lively topic of mortality to help people make the most of their lives while they're still lucky to be abov...

You can see it, you can be it.  Artis Stevens is President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) – the nation’s foremost one-to-one youth mentoring organization. As the first Black CEO in BBBSA’s 100+ year history, Artis is spearheading a powerful mission to leverage mentorship as a transformative solution to society’s greatest challenges – from equity and access to justice and oppo...

Get ready for an electrifying episode of The Courageous Podcast with your host, Ryan Berman! Today, we're joined by the brilliant Cheryl Goodman, a renowned tech expert and leading authority in artificial intelligence. In a world where many are fearful of AI's rapid advancements, Cheryl's insights and innovations offer a beacon of understanding and optimism. Today, she unveils her latest masterpie...

The Niche is You .  Matt Gottesman is a multidisciplinary creative, 2x founder, podcaster and writer with a background in helping some of the world’s most iconic brands (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) realize their potential… digitally.  His mission is to uncomplicate life and business and help millions do more of what they love at scale.  In his conversation with Ryan, they explore the concept of s...

At 16, Mandy Salas was a nationally ranked soccer player, eagerly preparing to submit college applications and step into the next exciting phase of her life. All signs were a go to continue her soccer career — most likely at Stanford — until an event occurring during a summer trip to Argentina abruptly altered this trajectory. In her candid conversation with Ryan, Mandy reflects on her time in Arg...

Start with what brings you alive.  Kirk Souder is the Founder at Leadership for Impact, where he guides people and organizations to free themselves from any self-created limitations and barriers, and connects them to the deep authentic energy underneath.  In his conversation with Ryan, Kirk delves into the depths of his personal journey, from confronting mortality at just 18 years old to unravelin...

When you appreciate the good, the good appreciates. These are the words of Brian Dubow who is the Founder and CEO of Hit of Happiness. In this conversation, Ryan and Brian unpack Ryan's week long “Happiness Challenge” which was a response to the World Happiness Report recently unveiling the United States now outside the top 20 in happiest countries. With the intent of helping listeners get small w...

“If I’m not scared, I don’t know that I want to be doing it.” Amanda Dunks loves living outside her comfort zone.  As Senior Vice President of Brand Strategy and Creative Development at Caesars Entertainment, she's been making waves in the gaming world for over 12 years. In her conversation with Ryan, Amanda shares her insights from navigating mergers, emphasizing the value of learning through tri...

Leader. Fighter. Athlete. Believer. TV Personality. Purveyor of Human Rights. Mexican professional soccer star Janelly Farias is a powerhouse on and off the pitch. At 34 years old, she is thriving as a professional soccer player, defying odds and stereotypes in the male-dominated world of Mexican sports while currently playing center-mid for club Juárez in the Liga MX Femenil. With resilience for...

In today's ever-changing work landscape, being adaptable is more important than ever. Corey and his team at PrismWork specialize in helping brands and leaders navigate the complexities of modern leadership, creating inclusive environments where everyone can succeed. Recently taking on his brave new role as CEO, Corey chats with Ryan about how he balances staying connected with his team while handl...

Hailing from the UK, Nick Bell's childhood consisted of collecting soccer stickers of his favorite athletes.  As an adult, he’s transitioned this passion to trading cards, reigning as CEO of Fanatics Live, the foremost platform for sports card breaking. Having previously held positions at tech giants Google and Snap, Nick delves into how he's using data to capitalize on the resurgence of the colle...

Wayne Partello's journey is a testament of his versatility, persistence and resilience. Spanning from his graduation from the police academy at 19 to establishing a thriving DJ business, and later, a decade-long stint in sports with the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Padres, Wayne now has a business of his own as the founder of his growing marketing firm, CUENTO. In his conversation with Ryan, t...

While most of us were sleeping, the San Diego Padres were kicking off a new season on the other side of the world this week in South Korea. Joining them for the first of 150 baseball games he’ll witness this year is seasoned sports journalist Kevin Acee. With over 30 years of experience, Acee remains a road warrior as the Padres beat writer at The San Diego Union-Tribune. Despite his extensive car...

Imagine spending a career helping brands figure out who they were only to wake up one day in a panic wondering who you were ?  Bonnie Wan, a powerhouse in the brand strategy world, experienced just this. While she has made a living  molding narratives for Pepsi, BMW, and California Milk Processor Board ‘Got Milk?’, more recently she found herself in need of locking in her own powerful narrative. H...

Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of shaping how organizations around the world make being coach-like an essential leadership competency. He is the author behind The Coaching Habit , the best-selling coaching book of the century. His most recent book, How to Work with (Almost) Anyone , shows how to build the Best Possible Relationship with the key people at work.  In his conversation with...

From exploring the farthest reaches of the planet to experiencing a life-changing accident,  Albert Lin’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and unwavering courage.  Albert is, quite literally, a modern-day high-tech explorer, blurring the boundaries between man and machine while redefining how we explore our own humanity. In his conversation with Ryan, Albert takes listeners on an awe-inspiri...

It’s 3:30am.  While most of us are still asleep, Tom Braun is in mid routine running his daily 5 miles, contemplating what it takes to push boundaries, win over Los Angeles, and redefine success in the world of Major League Soccer. In this episode of The Courageous Podcast, Ryan sits down with Tom as he prepares for a new MLS season - his first as President of the LA Galaxy. Tom and team kick off...