You Go First with Lain Hensley

In this episode of the CEO Series, You Go First sits down with Reiner Wiederkehr , CEO of Fracht North & Central America , for a wide‑ranging conversation about global leadership, personal purpose, and the quiet power of a company that keeps the world moving. Reiner shares how his journey led him into executive leadership and what it means to guide a logistics organization through a landscape...

In the first installment of our CEO Series, You Go First sits down with Harold Earley , CEO of FXI, for a conversation that goes far beyond corner‑office leadership. Harold opens up about the internal work that shapes external results — the mindset, discipline, and personal clarity required to lead teams, navigate complexity, and build a culture that actually lives its values. Hosted by Lain Hensl...

🏀 "From Player to Pinnacle: The Greg Clink Journey" 🏀 Join us as we dive into the remarkable 16-year tenure of Greg Clink, the mastermind behind Chico State's transformation into a Division II powerhouse. Discover the passion and strategy that propelled the Wildcats to 12 postseason appearances, eight NCAA Championship Tournament berths, and an impressive collection of three NCAA W...

Jeremy, aka "The Hope Dealer" was born into almost all of the typical risk factors. From teen pregnancy to drug abuse, the streets of Long Beach, California would educate him and his brother on poverty, family, trust and commitment.  Surrounded by a chaotic world, young Jeremy found hope in his life and eventually excelled in sports, music and coaching.  Fate led him to become a preventi...

As a keynote speaker and team building expert, Todd is no stranger to helping people face challenges and have hard conversations.  Diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015, the typical tremors people get when stepping in front of an audience took on a whole new meaning for him and were unrelenting for almost 10 years. In this episode, Todd opens up about brain surgery and the impact his diagnoses ha...

We are pleased to introduce you to the 13th president of California State University of Chico.  We sat down with President Steve Perez and talked about Leadership, Family, Post Covid Education, A.I., and the Future of Chico State.  Enjoy a personal conversation and gain insights into his leadership style and the future of Higher Education and Chico State.

Gayle Hutchinson is California State University of Chico's first female president in the college's 135-year history. Pushed into the deep end at the start of her presidency, she hit the ground running to lead the university through the Oroville Dam Crisis, the Camp Fire Disaster, and COVID-19. Hutchinson's achievements as president include overseeing the completion of a new arts and sc...

Mari Ruddy is a true survivor and thriver.  She survived childhood sexual abuse, forty years as a type one diabetic, breast cancer twice and at her lowest lows two suicide attempts.  She has rebounded to complete a marathon, century bike rides and triathlons.  The endurance lifestyle is not just a sport for Mari Ruddy. She pushes herself in all areas.  She is soon-to-be a publi...

Grazina Herzog has gone first to pioneer in so many ways - as a mother, grandmother and educator. She grew up in Lithuania and immigrated to the United States when she was 8-years-old during the beginning of World War II. She fled with her family to escape the Russian and German Army. As Grazina settled in the U.S., she pursued a career as a teacher ultimately teaching Spanish, Russian, and French...

With more than thirty years experience consulting with leadership teams at Disney and other massive brands, Bob is quite frankly, The $#!+ As a trained psychologist he transferred his understanding of human behavior to the business leadership world. After ten years working with “The Center For Creative Leadership” he launched his private consulting company, Praxis Consulting. Bob knows how to clos...

This episode features Nick Harris. Nick lives an exceptional existence in that he knows WHY he has been placed on Earth. Nick knows that his purpose is to spread the Power of Positivity through his incredible talents, gifts, and decades of repetitious hard working habits. When Nick is not on tour as a drummer with his heavy metal band, Armed for Apocalypse, he can be found inspiring youth, exercis...

This episode features an interview with the amazing and inspiring Elise Siam. This Chico, CA native is a shining light!! She certainly has had to overcome a lot in her life including a tough childhood, the death of a good friend in high school, and a medical condition that's caused her hair to fall out. But she keeps bouncing back from adversity and finding ways to overcome misfortune and defeat.&...

In times of crisis or disaster, we rely on the courage and skill of Van DeWark and other first responders to help those affected.  But what about the well-being of those individuals? Who helps the helpers cope with the stress and emotions they feel as a result of their work?  On You Go First, we're seeking the answers to these questions. In this episode, Hensley interviews Alexander Van...

In this episode, Lain interviews Mike Walsh about his background, why he became involved in public education and what the future holds for California schools. Walsh is the former President of the California School Boards Association, a group representing nearly 1,000 California school districts and county offices of education. A seven-year veteran of the Butte County Office of Education Board, Wal...

Stephen Chollet is one talented dude who's always taking the initiative and trying to step up his game in all areas of life. Get this, he's an Emmy Award-winning Storyteller, Corporate Speaker, a Marketing Professional, Actor, Singer and his latest endeavor involves Mind-Reading. Talk about versatility! To keep up with Stephen, see his website: stephenchollet.com To learn more about the inception...

This episode features Karen Rose. She is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist with over 20 years experience helping people grow and overcome adversity. Working extensively with people in transition, Karen is well-versed in how to treat anxiety and depression. She is passionate about helping her clients integrate all parts of their experiences and persons to find congruence between ideals and reali...

The latest Episode of You Go First with Lain Hensley featuring Jason Weinrich is now live! Jason is a marketing consultant and content creator who has started a project working on his bucket list. He’s hoping to inspire others to write down and accomplish their own bucket lists through the sharing of his stories through video. To keep up with Jason, visit his website: https://www.jasonweinrich.com...

Doug was doing well, a very successful businessman whose diligence and motivation was helping a company bring in millions of dollars! But the high pressures of his job and the daily rigors of trying to stay on top of his game led to a life-altering experience and a heck of a story. One day while commuting and stopping at a coffee shop, Doug suffered a Widowmaker Heart Attack. But thanks to the swi...

Rick must have nine lives. He has lived more than two lives already and after a heart attack and a stroke just a few years ago, his wake-up call came with him weighing over 400 pounds, unable to speak and with three kids and a wife wondering if this was rock bottom. Rick was already a motivational speaker for over 25 years when his biggest challenges put him to the ultimate test. After months of r...

Jodi Palmer has a story all parents should hear. Heck, everyone should hear. It's about the pressures of being a teenager and the dangers of social media and cell phones. It's about how one decision can change the course of your life and the digital trail of tears that can follow. The impact each post can have on loved ones and the course of your life and theirs. There are so many important lesson...

You Go First with Lain Hensley is a podcast that brings together speakers, authors, and industry leaders to help you go first in your life. Deep thinker, philosopher, leader and mentor to many.  David is the UC Irvine Men’s Volleyball Coach, but uses the game to teach way more than just volleyball.  Volleyball has the most number of players in the smallest space of any sport, with an end...

You Go First with Lain Hensley is a podcast that brings together speakers, authors, and industry leaders to help you go first in your life. This episode features Dr. Robii Dotson. The list of his accomplishments is ridiculous. He's a motivational speaker, lecturer, educator, consultant, as well as an author, psychologist, and was the first black radio host in the LA area. He's also a behavioral sc...

Many moons ago "Bill went first" and, along with our host Lain Hensley, cooked up the vision of Odyssey Teams Inc.. Odyssey is now the industry-leader in corporate training and philanthropic team building. Bill's methods have inspired people around the world for over 30 years.  He has helped connect thousands of corporations to the 'Why of their work,' and produce over 55,000 prosthetic hands...

David Meade is a Business Leader, Keynote Speaker and Mind-Reader.  Over the past 15 years his work has inspired large and small audiences in more than 40 countries. He is a Broadcaster who stars on his own BBC show and lights up living rooms throughout the UK. He shares with us a rarely told deeply inspirational personal story regarding his young family. We at Odyssey Teams have the pleasure...