Student of the Game

College recruiting has changed more in the last 18 months than in the previous decade. In this episode of Student of the Game, host Brad Noll sits down with old friend Dr. Enzley Mitchell, Owner of PrepSearch, to explain what families are up against now. Enzley grew up in Fort Wayne and played at Snyder High School and Spring Arbor University. He went on to play overseas, work in banking and finan...

Brad Noll sits down with Adrien Gentie, Owner of Gentie Media, a French-born entrepreneur who traded the vineyards of southwest France for a running scholarship at Huntington University in Indiana. Adrien came to the States at 18 chasing a film career in Los Angeles and ended up building a content creation and media production company in the Fort Wayne area instead. The story of how that happened...

Brad Noll sits down with Dan Baker, Area Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), for a conversation that trades the sales floor for the sidelines and gets right to the heart of what leadership actually demands. Dan leads the local FCA chapter, a role he stepped into about four years ago after roughly 20 years in youth ministry. That background, from Huntington University to stops i...

Brad Noll sits down with his daughter Delaney Noll, a Homestead High School basketball player in the class of 2028 with multiple Division I offers, for a conversation that has almost nothing to do with the offer list and everything to do with the person behind it. Delaney unpacks the values that guide her, believe, basketball, and bloodlines, and the family values she was raised on: love God, fami...

Brad Noll sits down with Judy Filler, an independent wine representative for One Hope Wine, for a conversation that starts by popping a bottle of 90-point sparkling brut and ends with a masterclass on building a business around purpose. Judy is a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based representative for One Hope Wine, a purpose-driven wine company that donates a portion of proceeds to nonprofits. A Ball State...

Brad Noll welcomes Christine Lyons, Manager of Philanthropic Partnerships at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fort Wayne, for a conversation about what it really takes to move a mission forward. With over 20 years of business development experience, a background that includes work at a restoration company doing rebuilds, and a relationship with Habitat that stretches back to her high school service...

Brad Noll sits down with Zach Kessie of Clounie Landscaping, Inc. for a conversation about the long, unglamorous road that turns a seventh-grader mowing a construction company's yard into the owner of a landscaping business. Zach traces his path from Warsaw, where he likely would have followed the ortho manufacturing route, to a single chance in seventh grade that pointed his life in an entirely d...

When Bobby Petras's sister showed up to Thanksgiving dinner with a case of wine, an easel, and an org chart, nobody at the table had any idea they were about to quit their jobs and bet everything on an assisted living company. Seventeen years later, that company, Priority Life Care, employs more than 3,700 people across 65 communities in over a dozen states. In this episode of Student of the Game,...

Brad Noll sits down with Erica Hyatt, founder of Breastie Boxes and a five-year breast cancer survivor, to talk about turning a life-altering diagnosis into a mission that has now reached more than 3,700 patients across Northeast Indiana and beyond. Erica was a 39-year-old elementary teacher and mom of four when a routine high-risk MRI led to a stage two HER2-positive diagnosis in 2021. Nine month...

Mitch Kruse grew up in a family that helped invent the modern collector car auction. By 18 he was the youngest licensed Realtor in the country. By 20 he had sold the first car to ever change hands for a million dollars cash, delivered to Tom Monahan at home plate in Tiger Stadium. By 27, an IRS raid and a recession nearly took it all down. What happened next is the heart of this conversation. Brad...

From Buffalo to Fort Wayne, from NCAA Final Four glory to pro courts across Italy, Russia, Brazil, and beyond, Jeff Ptak turned a decade-plus volleyball career into a second act as one of Fort Wayne's most sought-after salon owners. In this conversation, Brad Noll and Jeff unpack how fundamentals, client experience, and authentic relationships translate across sports, small business, and life. Key...

Jon Good, owner and publisher of Fort Wayne Real Producers and national training director for 130 markets, shares how selling Cutco knives at 18 launched an entrepreneurial journey that transformed the real estate community. From athlete to business owner, Jon unpacks the fundamentals of adding value, taking steps of faith, and closing the integrity gap between intention and action. Key Takeaways...

This week, Brad speaks with Tyler Davis, owner of Triumph Studios. From navigating personal adversity and overcoming substance misuse to building a thriving business, Tyler breaks down the real foundations of success that go far beyond strategy. They discuss what it truly means to master the fundamentals of small business ownership, highlighting the importance of self-awareness, strong team dynami...

This week, host Brad Noll shifts gears from the field to the front office to take a closer look at the people side of performance and how great leadership off the field drives success. Brad talks with Matt Ransbottom, HR Manager at OmniSource, to break down what coaches and sports business leaders can learn from strong human resource practices. They dive into how building the right culture, hiring...

This week, Brad is joined by Keion Henderson, a renowned pastor, leader, and visionary, to explore the importance of mastering the fundamentals in every area of life. Keon shares powerful insights on why consistent practice is essential, not just for athletes or business leaders, but for anyone striving toward excellence. Their conversation dives into the role of resilience, showing how life’s cha...

In this episode of the Student of the Game podcast, host Brad Noll sits down with Kara Kelley, president and co-owner of distinguished marketing firm Asher Agency, to unpack what really makes a brand stand out. Together, Brad and Kara dive into the heart of branding, why it’s more than just a logo or tagline, and how it starts with truly knowing who you are, what you stand for, and who you’re tryi...

This week, Brad and guest Eric Touchet, owner of Touchet Performance Golf , explore the powerful parallels between mastering the fundamentals of golf and building a successful business. Eric walks through the evolution of his business, from the early challenges of getting started to the lessons learned about teamwork, relationships, and growth. Along the way, he offers stories and insights that re...

In this episode of The Student of the Game, Brad talks about the essential difference between knowledge and action, a gap that frequently stalls growth in both personal and professional life. He explores why decisive action matters, arguing that preparation alone holds little value without execution. Brad shares three key themes: first, that taking action is the driving force behind success; secon...

 In this episode of The Student of the Game, Brad dives into the powerful role artificial intelligence is playing in today’s business world, especially in real estate. Joining us is Michael Doerffler, an intern with Noll Team Real Estate, who breaks down how AI and business analytics are helping companies work smarter, make better decisions, and stay ahead of the curve. They talk about real-world...

This week, Brad sits down with Tiffany Ham to explore the impact of the internship program at Noll Team Real Estate. Tiffany, a former educator with a strong teaching background, shares how the program has become a powerful tool for growth for interns and the team. She explains how the initiative offers students real-world experience while also injecting fresh energy and new ideas into the organiz...

In this episode of The Student of the Game, Brad tackles the challenge of staying focused and productive during the summer months, a season known for its distractions and potential to derail progress. He explores the idea of keeping “one oar in the water,” a metaphor for maintaining forward motion even when family events, vacations, and downtime start to pull you off course. Midway through the yea...

In this episode of The Student of the Game, Brad Noll dives into the Relationships Win framework, a powerful approach to building business success through real, intentional relationships. We explore why connecting with people without expecting anything in return is key to creating genuine conversations and meaningful opportunities. At its core, this framework is all about solving problems. Busines...

This week, Brad dives into a game-changing mindset shift: the value of making thoughtful introductions instead of just asking for referrals. He unpacks the “relationships win” framework—a powerful approach that puts connection and service at the center of your network-building strategy. Brad shares practical steps for making meaningful introductions that create lasting impact, showing how a proact...

Success, both in business and in life, starts with relationships. Using the "Relationships Win" framework, Brad walks us through how genuine connection is the first base in any game worth playing. From there, meaningful conversations follow, leading to trust, insight, and impact. This isn’t about quick wins or surface-level networking. It's about showing up with intention, listening well, and serv...

This week, Brad revisits one of the most important themes from the show: the essential role relationships play in achieving success in both business and life. Brad breaks down the "Relationships Win" framework, offering practical insights on how to build trust, spark meaningful conversations, and nurture lasting connections. Through personal stories and relatable analogies, he highlights the impor...