The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Aubrey Marcus, entrepreneur and Onnit founder focused on holistic health and Total Human Optimization. He talks about tiny daily habits like cold exposure and mental override. He explains structuring one ideal day at a time and designing environments that support growth. He also shares lessons from building Onnit, risky product bets, and learning through hard personal work.

Tom Peters, legendary management author known for In Search of Excellence, argues excellence comes from people and practice. He discusses MBWA (managing by wandering around), building culture through care and character, making meetings energizing, deliberate training, and the power of handwritten thank-yous. Short, practical, and relentlessly human-focused.

Joey Coleman, customer experience expert and Chief Experience Composer at Design Symphony, outlines why the first 100 days after a purchase make or break loyalty. He walks through an eight-phase framework and rapid 60-second recap. Topics include retention vs acquisition incentives, low-cost surprise moments that build trust, handoffs between sales and operations, and using onboarding tactics to boost lifetime value.

Shep Gordon, legendary talent manager and creator of the celebrity chef phenomenon, shares colorful stories from Hollywood, music, and food. He describes building careers with bold stunts, the power of teams, and hosting world-class dinners. He also discusses serving others, learning from failure, and why he chose life on Maui.

Colin Nanka, Senior Director at Salesforce and endurance adventure racer, blends sales leadership with extreme racing. He talks about sustaining excellence through integrity and hard work. He shares why multi-day races restored perspective after career setbacks. He explains mentorship as learning from those above, beside, and below and how racing shapes resilience and leadership.

James Clear, author and researcher on habits known for the two-minute rule and marginal gains. He discusses the aggregation of 1% improvements, building systems versus chasing goals, reducing friction to make good habits automatic, the Goldilocks Rule for staying motivated, voluntary hardship like travel to broaden capability, and first-principles thinking for smarter decisions.

Benjamin Hardy, organizational psychologist and author of Willpower Doesn't Work, condenses high performance into practical habits. He explains how forcing functions, investing 10% of income in yourself, and creating peak moments push growth. Learn why environment, commitment devices, and platform-building tactics matter for sustained progress.

Patrick Lencioni, founder of The Table Group and bestselling author famed for leadership fables. He discusses advising pro sports teams, why teams often fail, and what to watch for when evaluating players. He explains his storytelling approach to leadership, the importance of hard conversations, and how leaders shape culture through behavior and small stories.

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: Episode 245: Maria Taylor - ESPN Gameday, Embracing The Grind, The Value Of Versatility Maria Taylor is in her sixth season as a host analyst & reporter. In the fall of 2017 Taylor will enter a new role as co-host on ESPN's College Gameday and sideline reporter for ABC's Saturday Night Football. Show Notes: How to quickly build rapport with the people you interview? Be prepared with a purpose, truly try to learn about them as a person (quickly), it's not just about their sport or their job. Care about them as a person Being viewed as an athlete -- "It's helpful working in the sports world that they know I played sports" "As an athlete I was always a perfectionist, I always over prepare." -- Maria sending her producers a copious amount of notes -- thoughts on situations/games/ideas How to earn promotions quickly? "I never said no to anything. I was never too big for any game." Maria did high school football games, ACC digital. She's traveled everywhere, stayed in bad hotels, etc. "You have to be comfortable in the grind, you can't get discouraged." "If I'm not doing something (work wise), I feel wrong." Why Kirk Herbstreit is the best in the business -- "He's the most invested person I've ever seen. He's always the most prepared person." Adnan Virk "Always show up." -- "They remember how you made them feel." Be conscious of that Balance? It will never be perfectly balanced. Think of it as a stew - vegetable and beef... Certain bites are vegetables and other times it's beef. That's work-life balance. There are moments where it is all work, all day, every day. There are other times where you can relax at home. It's never a perfect 50 50 balance. The story of Maria making the decision to be a sports broadcaster as a junior in college at Georgia... And then also earning her MBA as a backup plan! She grew up loving sports. Her dad played college sports. Maria was recruited to play both volleyball and basketball at Georgia. Our mutual feeling about the structure of being "in season" and how the routine helped us get better grades. The first 90 minutes of Maria's day: Start the day with gospel music (worship/faith) New York Times daily podcast Joyce Meyer podcast Why do multiple jobs? (Gameday, sideline reporter, women's basketball studio host) To diversify -- "I don't want to just be one thing. It's an opportunity to flex different muscles." "I try to investigate to find the best answer" "I like challenges" Person most enjoy interviewing? Nick Saban. "I try to steer him off the line he's trying to stay on." Receiving coaching as a broadcaster... Who provides it? SEC network producers Feedback is just as important to what you put into your body. It needs to be healthy and helpful -- "What are we filling our minds with?" How to handle "Twitter haters?" "Sometimes I'll put them on blast..." What is an ESPN Gameday production meeting like? A cast of characters - (listen around the 43:00 minute mark to hear the inside scoop) Winning Edge Leadership Academy Helping young women and minorities in broadcasting Focused on student athletes Doing a retreat in Miami The sense of responsibility Maria feels as an African American woman "Being black.... Half time spent assimilating and half time spent helping your people." The Jemele Hill story at ESPN... Maria's reactions Social Media: Follow Maria on Twitter: @MariaTaylor7 Connect with me on LinkedIn Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12 More Learning: Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Bill Curry, two-time Super Bowl champion, former college head coach and ESPN commentator, shares lessons shaped by legends like Lombardi and Unitas. He outlines six champion traits: show up, singleness of purpose, unselfishness, toughness, smart preparation, and never quitting. Conversations touch on fear, grit, great coaching, mentorship, team culture, and practical leadership practices.