The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

Blasting their satellites into space? Just another day for Viasat; a company known for consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation. Whether pioneering the latest advancements in satellite technology or extending high-speed internet access to remote and underserved regions, recent Vice Chairman Rick Baldridge has been an indispensable and straight-shooting force at Viasat over the past two de...

As the President and CEO of College Track, the nation's foremost college completion program, Dr. Shirley Collado is realizing her dream of advancing equity and educational justice for underserved students and communities. With a distinguished background as President Emerita of Ithaca College, where she became its first president of color, Dr. Collado brings a wealth of experience and leadership to...

As the official soft drink of the NBA and WNBA, you've likely encountered the vibrant yellow and green Starry logo gracing sidelines and megatrons nationwide. Serving as the Head of Brand Marketing for Starry at PepsiCo, Michael Smith stands as a pivotal force behind the innovative partnerships that have propelled Starry to its current rapid success. Engaging in a conversation with Ryan, Michael d...

Bill Neff loves a good adventure. As VP of Strategic Partnerships and Customer Experience at YETI, he's on a quest for two R’s: Realness and Relevance.  In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, Bill and Ryan delve into the art of forging genuine connections with audiences.  They get into details about certain tactics and strategies Bill has successfully implemented in his role at YETI, contribut...

Listed among the "30 Most Creative Women in Advertising" by Business Insider , Xanthe Wells is a driving force wherever she may be. Since joining Pinterest (from Google) in November 2022, Xanthe has been a key player behind the brand's creative evolution, introducing a new era of product-focused creative endeavors that have not only elevated the quality standard but also bolstered Pinterest's stan...

Brad Meltzer is an Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author, screenwriter, and host of his own TV Show on the History Channel. He is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction, Advice, Children’s Books, and even comic books, for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.  In his conversation with Ryan, Brad speaks on how the words “Sorry, kiddo” h...

John Assaraf is a 2x NY Times Best Selling Author, has been featured in 11 movies including “The Secret”, and is the CEO of NeuroGym, a neuroscience based coaching and training company that helps members strengthen their mindset and skills to achieve their biggest goals.  In his conversation with Ryan, John gives an overview of his journey from a troublesome high schooler on the brink of academic...

We’re excited for our second annual Year End Special where we switch things up a bit. This year Ryan is joined by his two partners at Courageous; Nicole Miller and Billy Collins. Together, they’ll represent the three pillars of Courage: Knowledge (Billy), Faith (Ryan), and Action (Nicole) as they are joined by three MYSTERY guests.  Taking a cue from Smartless , each mystery guest will have an opp...

“Dance! Nothing left for me to do but dance. Off these bad times I'm going through, just dance!” - Jamiroquai Mom. Marketer. Ball Room Dancer. Care-giving Nurse? In a blink, much had to change in the life of the multi-talented, marketing extraordinaire Erin Levzow since her last appearance on the Courageous Podcast.  At work, she left tacos for a sweeter treat, now serving as the CMO at MUSEUM OF...

Discovering what lights you up can be a dark journey.  Mary Olson-Menzel helps leaders by shining a flashlight on their path to help them illuminate where they want to go. As an Expert Coach, Facilitator, Speaker, and Author, Mary excels in fostering businesses grounded in profound connections, excellence, and sustained inspiration. In her conversation with Ryan, Mary delves into the art of cuttin...

Starting his career as an Aerospace Engineer where he launched 84 astronauts into space, Neal Bloom now spends his time launching tech companies.  As a Managing Partner at Interlock Capital, Neal helps find, evaluate, fund, and support the best technology companies through their venture fund and angel investor syndicate.  In his conversation with Ryan, Neal drops lots of gems for aspiring and seas...

Change is an inevitable force, and over the span of 16 years, Ruth Hughes has witnessed a significant transformation both in the world and her career at Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's). Currently serving as the General Manager in Europe of High Growth Markets, Ruth oversees operations across 28 countries, steering the ship for iconic brands such as Pringles, Rice Krispies, and Pop Tarts, among many...

What’s it like to board a rocket ship? Just ask Morgan Buehler Zanotti.  Morgan was in the flight deck as Co-Founder & President of Primal Kitchen through its explosive growth from 0-50 million in just 3 years. In her conversation with host Ryan Berman, Morgan takes us on the journey from her plans to start a surf-yoga retreat in South America, to leading Primal Kitchen’s acquisition by Kraft-Hein...

0-7 at home the year before. The 2nd and 3rd pick of last year's NFL draft. A first time Head Coach. The Houston Texans seemed to be moving in the wrong direction. At best? A slow cooked rebuild that could take 1000 days. But the NFL and its fans learned fast that this was anything but the truth. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we get a front row seat to witness a revamped culture that...

Over the past 4 years, Andrew Vassiliadis has been living a love story. Serving as Chairman of the San Diego Loyal SC, a team that was founded with soccer legend Landon Donovan, Andrew remained loyal to his mission of bringing professional soccer back to San Diego. In a candid conversation with Ryan, Andrew shares “all the feels” including his courageous decision to sunset his club with the arriva...

At the tender age of 11, Christopher Knight was a ubiquitous presence on small screens across America, portraying the iconic character Peter Brady. Fast forward to today, and Christopher has embarked on a new cinematic journey as the Co-founder of Former Prodigy Media, a production company he established alongside the two-time Emmy Award-nominated producer, Phil Viardo. In his conversation with ho...

Be the change .  Meryl Rosenthal is the CEO and Co-founder of FlexPaths, a company that has chaperoned meaningful change within organizations such as Guardian, Ameritas, The Greater Boston Food Bank, and many more.  For over two decades, Meryl and her team have brought future-of-work innovation, inspiration, and agility to today’s workplaces, advocating for flexible work before it was “cool”.  In...

Why interrupt the entertainment when you can create it?  Jae Goodman is Founder and CEO of Superconnector Studios, a Management Consultancy, Brand Entertainment Producer, and Talent-Led-Consumer-Product Accelerator.  His thesis that brands can create entertainment has earned him thirty-six Cannes Lions, seventeen Webby awards, four Emmys from twelve Emmy nominations, and four Gold Effies including...

This week we are featuring an episode of the podcast DNA of Purpose with Rebecca Maklad that Ryan was honored to be a guest on a few weeks ago.  The conversation spans across the globe from Rebecca’s studio in Australia to Ryan’s in California.  Ryan and Rebecca deep dive into courage. They discuss its evolution, especially in the post-pandemic world, and its personal manifestations urging transfo...

Persistence and focus.  These are the two most important words in James Heller’s business vocabulary.  James is CEO of Wrapify, a performance-driven ad tech platform for brands powered by OOH and the gig-economy.  With over 550,000 gig workers enrolled, Wrapify is changing the way companies connect online and offline advertising.  In his conversation with host Ryan Berman, James shares why the wor...

You can teach the skill, but you can’t teach the will. Meet proven marketing leader Doug Zarkin who has a remarkable track record of building brands and delivering for companies like Victoria’s Secret, Avon, and Pearle Vision.  In his conversation with Ryan, Doug shares a handful of gems from his forthcoming book, "Moving Your Brand Out Of The Friend Zone", a playbook to elevate your brand beyond...

The universe had different plans for Paul Hutchinson who, today, is the Executive Producer of  Sound of Freedom which grossed more than $100 Million in box office sales within its first 2 weeks. While he was training to be a doctor, Paul suffered a life altering injury in a horrible car accident. Unable to pursue his path in medicine, Paul pivoted and co-founded what turned out to be a multi-billi...

Kate Winick is a Social Media Swiss Army Knife. She is a keynote speaker, thought leader, and an elite player in building social media programs for brands like Clique, Elle, and, most recently, Peloton. Her work has appeared in ELLE, Who What Wear, Today, Yahoo, and Martha Stewart. In her conversation with host Ryan Berman, Kate shares her journey from journalist to social media guru and many less...

Unleash the power of play.  Gary Ware integrates playfulness into every aspect of his work. It’s not for the sake of play itself, but to help teams unlock and be more productive. He is an author, founder, speaker, and improv actor who quickly discovered that combining improv and play could be a powerful solution to achieving various business challenges. Thus, Breakthrough Play was born. In their c...

Don't be afraid to take the scenic route.   Shelby Stanger treats everything in life like an adventure.  Whether it’s writing her latest book, Will to Wild , or hosting her hit podcast Wild Ideas Worth Living , she embraces the peaks, valleys, and everything in between.  In her conversation with host Ryan Berman,  Shelby speaks on the transformational power an outdoor adventure can have to build c...