

Thirty Minute Mentors
Adam Mendler
Leadership guru Adam Mendler goes one on one with America's most accomplished and insightful people on how they made it to the top and how you can too. Each episode features a wealth of practical, actionable advice from a leading CEO, founder, athlete, celebrity, influencer or general / admiral. Learn how to lead in today's landscape, become your best self and excel personally and professionally – in thirty minutes.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 24, 2026 • 37min
Episode 324: Hazelden Betty Ford CEO Joseph Lee
Dr. Joseph Lee is the CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the largest nonprofit treatment provider in the United States. Joseph joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Joseph and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, transitioning from an individual contributor to a leader, hiring, humility, developing a winning mindset, and much more.

Mar 17, 2026 • 40min
Episode 323: Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Miller
Shannon Miller is one of the greatest gymnasts in American history and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Shannon led the Magnificent Seven to the United States' first-ever Olympic women's gymnastics team gold in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Shannon joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Shannon and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: attaining greatness and peak performance, goal setting, developing a winning mindset, leadership and coaching, resilience, performing under pressure, and much more.

Mar 10, 2026 • 46min
Episode 322: Lieutenant General Karen Gibson
Lieutenant General Karen Gibson is one of the highest-ranking women in the history of the United States Army and served as the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate upon retiring from the Army. LTG Gibson joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. LTG Gibson and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: career success, inspirational leadership, crisis leadership, leadership development, managing change, and much more.

Mar 3, 2026 • 40min
Episode 321: Zillow Co-Founder David Beitel
David Beitel is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Zillow. David was previously the CTO and one of the earliest team members of Expedia. David joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons learned along the way. David and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, leading remotely, how leaders can leverage AI, how technical contributors can develop soft skills and as leaders, career success, product development, and more.

16 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 37min
Episode 320: Award Winning Actor Ian Somerhalder
Ian Somerhalder, award-winning actor and entrepreneur known for Lost, The Vampire Diaries, and founding health and nonprofit ventures. He discusses discovering purpose, resilience through major financial and health setbacks, building mission-driven businesses, biohacking routines, and leadership rooted in compassion and grit.

Feb 17, 2026 • 37min
Episode 319: Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Muffet McGraw
One of the greatest coaches in the history of women's basketball and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Muffet McGraw spent four decades coaching college basketball, including 33 years as the head coach at Notre Dame, winning two national championships and three consensus National Coach of the Year honors. Muffet joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Muffet and Adam discuss leadership, coaching, building winning teams and cultures, building confidence, handling losing, and much more.

Feb 10, 2026 • 34min
Episode 318: Jiffy Lube Co-Founder Stephen Spinelli
Stephen Spinelli is the co-founder of Jiffy Lube International and the President of Babson College. Stephen joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Stephen and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, mentorship, personal and professional growth, goal setting, value creation, customer centricity, communication, conflict, and much more.

Feb 3, 2026 • 42min
Episode 317: Former Cisco CEO John Chambers
John Chambers, former Cisco CEO and founder of JC2 Ventures, transformed Cisco from $2B to nearly $50B. He discusses resilience from dyslexia, turning setbacks into strengths, building culture and teams, leading through crises, and the huge potential and risks of AI. Short, practical advice on hiring, motivation, and constant reinvention.

Jan 27, 2026 • 39min
Episode 316: Peloton Co-Founder John Foley
John Foley is the co-founder and former CEO of Peloton - where he built and led a company that changed the way millions of people exercise - and is the co-founder and CEO of the interior design startup Ernesta. John joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. John and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, entrepreneurship, career success, risk-taking, growth and scale, leveraging AI, and much more.

Jan 20, 2026 • 37min
Episode 315: Award Winning Actress Nikki Reed
Nikki Reed is an award-winning actress turned entrepreneur. Nikki starred in The Twilight Saga and in Thirtreen before co-founding multiple businesses, including the supplement company The Absorption Company. Nikki joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Nikki and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: defining and attaining personal and professional success, reinvention, leadership, mentorship, confidence, authenticity, and much more.


