The Sean Trace Show

In this episode, I sit down with Ivy Forero to talk about what happens when you stop chasing certainty and start trusting yourself.  We get into the real stuff, moving across the world without a safety net, becoming a parent while rebuilding your identity, letting go of old roles, and learning how optimism becomes a daily choice instead of a personality trait. Ivy shares her journey from Colombia...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Ben Cochrane, a lifelong marketer who runs an agency in New Zealand and has worked with major global brands, to talk about what real leadership looks like when the work is fast, stressful, and full of opinions. We get into why investing in people is the most underrated leadership skill, not “training programs,” but real coaching, real feedbac...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Anne Grady to talk about resilience in real life, not the Instagram version.  We get honest about anxiety, depression, burnout, parenting through chaos, leadership under pressure, and why life doesn’t magically get easier when you hit the next milestone. Anne shares her framework for evolvability, the skills that help you move from reacting t...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Miriam Katz, a public speaking coach, improv performer, actor, and creator of the Ex Appeal podcast, to unpack what actually makes someone compelling when they speak.  We get into why “polished” can sound robotic, how humor pulls you into deeper truth instead of avoiding it, and why the real unlock is learning to talk the way you talk to your...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Kevin Stark, a retired Navy SEAL with 22 years of military experience who now leads men’s retreats and does leadership consulting and coaching.  We talk about why grit alone eventually breaks you, and how sustainable high performance really comes from learning to pulse your energy through life, push hard, recover on purpose, then come back st...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with firefighter, paramedic, father, and leadership author Jared Vermeulen to explore what it really means to stay calm when life hits hard.  We talk about leadership under pressure, emotional control in chaotic environments, and why calm as a leader becomes contagious to your team and your family. Jared shares powerful lessons from the fire servi...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with physician, speaker, coach, and consultant Dr. Kim Nichols to unpack why the most powerful leadership skill is way less flashy than people think, it is the ability to watch, listen, and actually notice what is in front of you.  We talk about mentorship, why so many high potential people never realize what they are good at until someone names i...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Dr. Kevin Ahmaad Jenkins, a University of Pennsylvania lecturer and the founder of Concord Healthcare Solutions, to talk about equity, empathy, and what it actually looks like to show up when it counts.  We get real about bias, not as a buzzword, but as something you can notice, challenge, and use to become a better human and a better leader....

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Dr. Alison Kole, a triple board certified sleep medicine specialist and the host of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, to unpack what actually happens in your brain while you sleep and why sleep is one of the biggest levers for health, performance, and emotional stability.  We talk about the glymphatic system and how sleep helps your brain clear out...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show I sit down with ultra endurance adventurer turned high performance leadership coach Luke Tyburski to unpack what mindset really is and why he says self belief is not even real.  We talk about running down Mount Everest, crossing the Sahara, and building a world first 2000 kilometer triathlon from Morocco to Monaco, then translate those lessons into parenting,...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with communication coach and TEDx speaker coach Michael Ashford to unpack what it really means to talk like a human in an AI driven world. We dive into everything from storytelling and conflict resolution to thinking on your feet and asking better questions. We explore why presence and attention are the real flex, how to train curiosity so your in...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with executive coach and leadership expert Chris March to talk about what real leadership looks like in 2025, far beyond the fake it till you make it mindset.  We start with our shared love of basketball and Kobe Bryant, breaking down the mamba mentality, how Kobe reset the culture of the Redeem Team, and what it means to set a standard that pulls...

In this solo episode, I open up about something we all struggle with: quitting too soon. I talk about how, growing up, I bounced between instruments and sports, never sticking long enough to see progress. I even joke about faking guitar in my wife’s music videos because, honestly, I quit before I ever got good. But that’s the point! We all hit “the dip,” that frustrating middle zone where exciteme...

I sit down with New York Times bestselling writer Bill Blankschaen to unpack how your real breakthrough starts when you start with your story, for real, and we get into leaving safe gigs, choosing the calling, and building StoryBuilders to help leaders craft books and content that actually move people.  We talk mindset, faith as action, the hero’s journey, the normalcy trap, and how motion creates...

I sat down with leadership coach Hugo Breton to talk about one of the hardest jumps in any career, going from being the best individual contributor on the team to actually leading one. We got real about the gap between management and leadership, learning to delegate, building trust through authenticity, and why communication is everything. Hugo shared how great leaders set a clear North Star, keep...

In this podcast, I sit down with science communicator Erin Winick Anthony, formerly MIT Tech Review and NASA, now founder of Steam Power Media, to design the next space station from the ground up.  We unpack how modular stations get to orbit, what materials and shielding protect crews from radiation and micrometeoroids, and why robots like AstroBee will take routine tasks off astronaut schedules....

In this solo episode of The Sean Trace Show , I open up about one of those weeks when everything seems to hit at once.  I got sick, felt worn out, and started questioning my balance between work, family, and purpose. But through that chaos, I was reminded of something powerful: storms are inevitable, but panic is optional. I share lessons from martial arts, stoicism, and leadership about how to st...

This Monday on The Sean Trace Show, I went solo to talk about one of the most important skills we can develop: staying calm under pressure.  It started with a funny but stressful moment when a cockroach flew into my daughter’s eye on the motorbike ride home from Muay Thai, and it led us into a powerful conversation about why panic never solves the problem. I shared stories from my own life, from p...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Nina Purewal, the founder of Pure Minds and the international bestselling co-author of Let That Sh* t Go.  We dive deep into what it really takes to let go, from breaking free of negative self-talk to facing imposter syndrome head on. Nina shares her journey from the corporate grind to mindfulness and leadership, and we explore how awareness...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show , I sit down with astrophysicist and professor Erika Hamden for an incredible conversation about curiosity, failure, and finding joy in the process of discovery. Erika has dedicated her life to exploring the universe, from building telescopes to studying the stars, but what stood out most in our talk was her wisdom on how science mirrors life. We discussed wh...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show , I sit down with leadership expert and author Julie Winkle Giulioni to explore what it really means to grow, both as individuals and as leaders. Julie shares why intentionality matters in every decision we make, how small choices can shift the entire trajectory of our lives, and why leadership today is less about titles and more about earning trust. We dive...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show , I speak with Tyler Clark, co-founder of Zawadie, a company turning refugee camps into places of opportunity. Tyler shares stories of resilience from people who, despite living on as little as $7 a month, remain hopeful and generous. We dive into how Zawadie connects skilled refugees with U.S. companies, creating real jobs in customer service, tech, and more...

I sit down with astrobiology PhD student and astronaut hopeful Alyssa Carson for a real talk about what it actually takes to get space ready. We jump straight into facing fear and building courage, from skydiving when your body wants to freeze, to floating in microgravity and learning how to stay calm when everything is weightless. Alyssa walks me through a 9G jet turn that tunnels your vision to...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show , I sit down with speaker and author Steve Gamlin to talk about designing a life that actually fits you. We dig into vision boards that go beyond cars and cash, building habits one small action at a time, and why measurable goals matter. Steve opens up about losing his wife, how he is processing grief with honesty and humor, and the simple daily practices tha...

In this episode of The Sean Trace Show , I sit down with Maynard Okereke, also known as the Hip Hop MD. We dive into why science literacy matters more now than ever, how curiosity fuels discovery, and how merging pop culture with science can inspire the next generation. Maynard shares his journey breaking into science communication, the challenges of representation in STEM, and why empowering kids...