Key TakeawaysPersonal narratives often begin in the darkest of places, but they can lead to incredible transformations and growth.Suppressing emotions and bullying ourselves can be detrimental to our well-being, so it's crucial to open up and share our struggles.Fatherhood can bring unexpected struggles, and it's important to address feelings of guilt and shame.Seeking support from trusted individuals, like Paul's wife, can make a significant difference during tough times.It's okay to be vulnerable, seek help, and embrace our humanity in the fight, even if the head hasn't caught up yet, as long as the heart is on board.In This Episode:[00:33] The origin of Justin Wren's journey[01:47] Paul's struggle as a new father[03:31] The healing power of vulnerabilityNotable Quotes[01:47] “We've all been at these dark places, whether it's because of something external, like a bully or sometimes it's the power or dangers of our own self-talk.”[02:59] “ Life isn't supposed to be easy. And sometimes when we stay in our heads and we never let things out, it's almost like we're bullying ourselves.”[04:45] “Whenever you feel like you're in a rock bottom place, whether it's self-inflicted or maybe something or someone from the outside world, bring it on you.”Resources and LinksWin Monday Community (join here)Win Monday CommunityPaul EpsteinPaul's New Book: Better Decisions FasterPaul's Confidence QuizPaul's WebsitePaul's LinkedIn to ConnectPaul's Instagram to Follow

Key TakeawaysFinding your passion and using it as a tool for personal growth can help overcome struggles like bullying and addiction.Success is not just about physical strength, but the strength of one's reasons and purpose.Nothing in life happens without action.Self-care and asking for help are important for healing and personal growth.Confronting one's challenges and seeking help is a transformative step.In This Episode:[01:31] Justin’s formative years and experiences with bullying[05:08] Finding confidence through wrestling[09:53] The importance of having strong reasons for fighting[11:36] Justin’s practical advice for overcoming self-limiting beliefs and healing from the effects of bullying[12:01] What makes a hero?[13:02] Facing challenges and asking for help[18:57] Helping others find their reasons[20:46] How to support and get  involved in Justin's mission-driven work[24:59] The importance of taking action[29:58] Putting love and compassion into action[35:15] Justin’s practical ways and actions to win Monday Notable Quotes[00:05:08] "It's really hard to be confident whenever you have a record playing in your head that becomes your own self-talk, that's voices of somebody else but becomes your own voice saying you're worthless, you're not good enough.” - Justin[00:13:09] “Self-care isn't selfish and doing the right things for yourself. The strongest thing I ever did was ask for help. And it took me a long time to suicide attempts to sense that treatment until I finally said, I need help.” - Justin[00:13:29] “When you face it all, feel it all, that's where the magic happens. That's the birthplace of miracles. And so not avoiding it, not running from it, but facing it head on and inviting in help, that's a game changer." - Justin[00:18:26] “The most confident soldier or warrior, fighter, person isn't the person that's driven out of hate for the person in front of them. They're driven out of love by the people behind them or alongside them.” - JustinOur GuestJustin Wren’s influence has reached millions across the globe through his appearances on major media outlets such as CNN, NBC, CBS, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Joe Rogan Experience (nine times), The Ed Mylett Show, and Mike Tyson's HotBoxin'. Additionally, his TEDx Talks and his book, "Fight For The Forgotten: How a Mixed Martial Artist Stopped Fighting for Himself and Started Fighting for Others," have also left an indelible impact on countless individuals worldwide.Resources and LinksWin Monday Community (join here)Win Monday CommunityPaul EpsteinPaul's New Book: Better Decisions FasterPaul's Confidence QuizPaul's WebsitePaul's LinkedIn to ConnectPaul's Instagram to FollowJustin Wrenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thebigpygmy/https://www.fightfortheforgotten.org/https://www.facebook.com/FightForTheForgottenhttps://www.instagram.com/fightfortheforgotten/MentionedGeorge Floyd incident- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiSm0NuqomgBullying Prevention CurriculumHeroes in Waiting- https://heroesinwaiting.org/materials/Fight Club: https://www.fightfortheforgotten.org/fight-clubHunting Discomfort" by Sterling Hawkins: https://www.sterlinghawkins.com/huntingdiscomfort

Key TakeawaysUnderstanding the tactics and strategies of the world’s greatest leaders.Think about a leader and ask yourself why you would follow them?The qualities of a good leader and how they might differ from what you’ve been taught.Rank, role, title, and authority aren’t required to be a leader. In this Episode(00:35) – What do the greatest leaders in the world do?(1:00) – Auditing leaders in your life to find out why you’re a follower is important.(2:20) – Debunking the definition of a leader.(2:40) – The key ingredients of a leader. Notable Quotes (1:38) – “The odds are not only were they effective in leading you and others. They were also effective at leading themselves.” – Paul(2:39) – “They (leaders) listen, they share, they support, they were available, they respect, they organize.” – Paul(3:31) – “Before we lead others, we must first effectively lead ourselves.” – PaulResources and LinksWin Monday Community (join here)Win Monday CommunityPaul EpsteinPaul's New Book: Better Decisions FasterPaul's Confidence QuizPaul's WebsitePaul's LinkedIn to ConnectPaul's Instagram to Follow

Key TakeawaysBalancing work and familyLeadership starts with self and can be practiced by anyone, regardless of their position in the organization.The significance of having a best friend at work and how it can impact retention.The power of three questions that every employee and customer asks every dayPlanning ahead and the need to spend at least two hours on Sunday to plan the entire weekIn This Episode:[00:29] Introduction to Anton[01:57] Leadership lessons Anton learned from former President Obama[02:06] The importance of surrounding yourself with smart people[02:35] The significance of going big and making a difference[05:09] Strategies for prioritizing family amidst life's demands and distractions[08:19] The meaning of socially conscious leadership[11:10] Different types of people in organizations and their attitudes toward problems[12:53] Paralysis by analysis and living in oblivion[15:00] Social blindness in America[18:38] Strategies for thriving in the workplace and becoming an effective leader, regardless of positional authority[19:02] Building relationships at work and its impact on retention[21:01] Anton’s "Just Lead Toolkit" for becoming an admired leader[23:09] The significance of three questions: "Do you care about me?", "Will you help me?", and "Can I trust you?"[32:24] Anton’s tip for winning the day on Monday through planning and preparation.Notable Quotes[02:02] “The thing that I learned most from Barack Obama is to always surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. The job itself is so complex and so hard. Even if you are the president, it is not possible to be great at it if you're the smartest one in the room.” - Anton[03:45] “You gotta have that personal life side of you no matter what the job is, no matter how much you dive in the business, you've got to find those things that fill your cup and be unafraid about sharing that with other people, that you have this personal side.” - Anton[04:00] "Many of us want to be the perfect leader, we want to keep this Stoic framework about us, and it's all business all the time but you and I both know that that's a mistake, that's a huge mistake and so find your local spaces and that's what I got from him is find your family space."- Anton[32:29] "I take two hours on Sunday and I plan my entire week. I literally have a spreadsheet of what I'm going to do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. And I get it all figured out on Sunday for a couple of hours. You know what's coming, so the day doesn't surprise you." - AntonOur GuestAnton Gunn, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama and world-renowned expert in Socially Conscious Leadership. Bestselling author of "The Presidential Principles," international speaker, and consultant. CEO of 937 Strategy Group, empowering diverse high-performing teams.Resources and LinksWin Monday Community (join here)Win Monday CommunityPaul EpsteinPaul's New Book: Better Decisions FasterPaul's Confidence QuizPaul's WebsitePaul's LinkedIn to ConnectPaul's Instagram to FollowAnton Gunnhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antonjgunn/https://antongunn.com/https://www.instagram.com/antonjgunn/https://twitter.com/AntonJGunnhttps://www.facebook.com/AntonJGunn/MentionedThe Presidential Principles - https://www.amazon.com/Presidential-Principles-Inspire-Action-Lasting/dp/1642250201Anton Gunn's Just Lead Toolkit: https://antongunn.com/op/just-lead-toolkit/George Floyd incident - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiSm0Nuqomg

Key TakeawaysFinding a way and leading from the heart is crucial for personal and professional success.Prioritize happiness, success, significance, and fulfillment in decision-making.Avoid justifying things for external validation or remaining in toxic situations.Be honest with oneself and lead from the heart.Stay committed to the fight, even if the head hasn't caught up yet, as long as the heart is on board.In This Episode:[00:06] The importance of leading from the heart[02:31] The head-heart-hands equation[03:34] Staying in the fight when the heart is on boardNotable Quotes[01:09] “A life without heart is a life without truth. It's a life without authenticity. And it's a life that's not worth fighting for.”[03:27] “We're lying to ourselves when we're not leading from our heart.”[05:28] “Always remember to lead from your heart because it's become a forgotten art. And those of us that lead from the heart, we win Monday.”Resources and LinksPaul EpsteinJoin the Win Monday Community: https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/win-mondayTake the Confidence Quiz: https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/confidence-quizhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulepsteinspeaks/https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/Mentioned Better Decisions Faster: Unshakable Confidence When You Need It Most - https://www.amazon.com/Better-Decisions-Faster-Unshakable-Confidence/dp/1637555733?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Key TakeawaysMerril’s journey to the NFL began with a childhood dream, a corkboard, and a mantra - "find a way."Merril shares a personal story about setting a goal and facing discouragement. He reminded us that our mind is our most powerful tool, and we have the choice to control our minds or let them control us.Merril encourages listeners who may need more confidence to start by taking action, no matter how small. Paul’s belief is that by developing positive patterns and habits, we can make tough days less arduous.Merril agrees that winning the inner scoreboard – which includes joy, peace, and fulfillment, is more important than external achievements.In This Episode:[00:56] The origin story of "Find a Way"[02:34] Creating a wall of goals[08:20] The significance of helping others[10:56] Controlling the mind and developing resilience[17:03] The value of taking ownership[19:28] Building confidence through action[21:32] Merril's personal story about the value of taking a positive initial step, even if it's a small one[25:59] The concept of "we are what we repeatedly do"[28:13] The value of self-reflection[29:42] Finding peace and fulfillment with one's effortsNotable Quotes[05:50] “No matter what I'm dealing with, and what my challenge is, what my goal might be, I do something about the circumstance.” – Merril[06:20] “I don't think anybody can change another person's mind. So the best thing you could possibly do for somebody is open their mind.”- Merril[31:05] “When you work on the personal things in your life, nobody's going to hand you a trophy and a great job. But you can be rewarded with things like peace and joy and happiness.” – Merril[31:51] "I did my part, I got everything out of my God-given ability. That's what great peace is. – MerrilOur GuestMerril Hoge is a renowned international speaker, best-selling author, former NFL running back, on-air commentator, and passionate advocate for numerous causes. He possesses a profound ability to ignite inspiration within audiences. Guided by a powerful mantra, "Find. A. Way.," Merril has seamlessly woven it into the fabric of his life and illustrious career. Today, he extends the reach of this transformative message, spreading hope and resilience to people across the globe.Resources and LinksPaul EpsteinJoin the Win Monday Community: https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/win-mondayTake the Confidence Quiz: https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/confidence-quizhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulepsteinspeaks/https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/Merril Hogehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/merril-hoge/https://merrilhoge.com/findaway/https://www.instagram.com/merrilhoge/https://twitter.com/merrilhogehttps://www.facebook.com/merrilhogeFind a Way: Three Words That Changed My Life - https://www.amazon.com/Find-Way-Three-Changed-Second/dp/1645431800

Key TakeawaysDefining courage as standing tallest when fear and risk are highestMeeting people where they are to maximize connection and empathyThe Four C's of better decisions faster: clarity, confidence, conviction, and courageCourage as the outcome of doing all the right thingsIn This Episode:[02:20] The four C's of making better decisions faster[03:12] Clarity[03:23] Confidence [03:55] Conviction[04:02] CourageNotable Quotes[01:05] “Every time that we grow, and we rise, there are new challenges, but also those can be new possibilities and opportunities.” – Paul[01:21] “Courage is standing tallest, when fear and risk are highest.” – Paul[03:06] “The four Cs of clarity, confidence, conviction, and courage, they're sequential.” – Paul[04:18] “The more consistent you are, the more consistent you will be confident, the more consistent you will have conviction in your actions. And then the more consistent you will show up as your most courageous self, and courage. You will stand tall when fear and risk are high.” – PaulResources and LinksPaul Epsteinhttps://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/confidence-quizhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulepsteinspeaks/

Key TakeawaysUnshakable confidence is the key to success and happiness — no compromises!Ready to find the right ladder? Why you should define your success, align with your calling, and connect your actions to your goalsRemember, personal growth means priorities changeImposter syndrome is common. You're not alone.Break the cycle of pretending to be confident. Open up and have real conversations.In This Episode:[04:24] Is it worth going to Wonderhell?[06:32] Tactical steps to go from the wrong ladder to the right ladder[07:09] Defining success and consonance[09:41] Prioritizing personal definition of success[11:02] New levels equal new devils [11:22] Imposter syndrome and self-perception[13:20] The looking-glass self-theory[17:51] Following your passion vs investing in your passion[18:39] Laura’s biggest flops or face-plants[19:40] Laura’s story on the importance of being a grown-up business lady[25:06] Managing burnout and realizing your importance[31:20] How to build unshakable confidenceNotable Quotes[05:16] “If what you're pursuing is somebody else's version of success, then the answer's no, it's not worth all of it. But if you're pursuing your own, then actually the stress of the uncertainty, the anxiety, and the envy and all those things are actually not crappy feelings, they're actually signs that we're on the right track because we're living in that discomfort that we know is the only path to growth.” – Laura[13:00] “Every time we achieve something we haven't achieved before, we find ourselves in a room we've never been in before. And then we think we're impostors because we're like I didn't expect to be here, people are going to find out. But it turns out that everybody else in that room also didn't expect to be there either.” – Laura[13:32] “We're not who we think we are, we're not who others think we are. We're who we think others think we are.” – Laura[16:58] “In the end, I think we have to remind ourselves that, you know, we're so afraid not to be perfect, and we're so afraid to fail. But in every one of our moments of growth, it's come out of failure.” – Laura[22:58] “If you want to get past impostor syndrome, the best way to do that is to teach somebody something that you've already done.” – LauraOur GuestLaura Gassner Otting is a Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, keynote speaker, and Executive Coach. Laura’s debut book, Limitless reached #2 on The Washington Post Bestseller List. She is also the author of Wonderhell which was released in April 2023. With a 30-year entrepreneurial career, including serving in Bill Clinton's White House, Laura has a wealth of expertise. She has appeared on Good Morning America, TODAY Show, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily. Recognized for her ability to see greatness in others, Laura is an instigator, motivator, and provocateur.Resources and LinksPaul Epsteinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulepsteinspeaks/https://www.paulepsteinspeaks.com/Laura Gassner Ottinghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/heylgo/https://www.lauragassnerotting.com/Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life - https://www.amazon.com/Limitless-Ignore-Everybody-Carve-your/dp/1940858763Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn't Feel Like It Should . . . and What to Do About It - https://www.amazon.com/Wonderhell-Success-Doesnt-Should-About/dp/1646871227

Leaders of Self (ft. Eric Schurenberg, Editor-in-chief, Amplify Publishing Group)Eric Schurenberg’s principles of a values-driven careerOPENING QUOTE:“I think that the role of a leader in any organization is to convince the people that they have the privilege of leading, that they are part of something that is bigger than themselves. That they are part of a mission to make the world a better place.”—Eric SchurenbergGUEST BIO:Eric Schurenberg is a longtime business journalist and media executive, most recently the CEO of Iconic Media Brands Inc, and Fast Company. He is now dedicated to the fight against misinformation and disinformation, and to restoring trust in professional journalism.Eric was the founding editor of CBS Money Watch, managing editor of Money Magazine, assisting managing editor at Fortune, and Vice President at Goldman Sachs, earning record-setting accolades along the way that positioned him as a go-to guest on CNBC, CNN, the Today Show and Good Morning America.Show Links:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:24] - Build on ValuesA revolutionary ideaWhen Fast Company was founded in 1995, it was built on a novel idea: that work should be a mission. That you should be driven to find your purpose in your employment. It’s dedicated to the idea that work has meaning, that it should be innovative, stimulating, and aligned with your values. Today, this is one of the most powerful ideas in business — but back then, it was a concept rarely found in any organization. A person’s job should be part mission, part employment, and part stimulation, innovation, and excitement.[13:16] - Leaders of SelfWhat does a real leader look like?Ask Eric what exemplifies the best leaders, and he’ll reply with one word: authenticity. To him, it represents the values that you communicate in your role, whether you’re at the top of the masthead, or the middle, or the bottom. They’re the values that you live your life by. When you execute your role in a company that way, people notice. That’s the true path to leadership. People trust you because they know you’re not going to turn out to be someone different from what they expected, and trust is an absolutely essential facilitator of success and effectiveness at work.[16:48] - The 35% RuleBalancing improvement with moraleWhen Eric was a new editor at Money, it was very common for editors to heavily rewrite the copy that writers submitted. But a mentor told Eric that if your change isn’t going to improve the copy the audience's experience by 35% or more, don’t make it. It’s not worth it in terms of the damage you do to the morale of people you work with. In the military, it’s said that the needed improvement before you add values to someone’s idea is 80%.Whatever the percentage, the point is the same: correcting someone comes at a cost, and you should always be aware of what that cost is and whether it’s worth the improvement in quality.[32:33] - Beware the Attention EconomyTake control of where you spend your timeWe think of nationally recognized professional media companies as the ones stealing away our time and attention. But video games, sports, and anything else that competes for your attention are all culprits. You have to be aware of where they’re driving you. News and social media are often built to outrage you, disgust you, and shock you. This isn’t the path toward truth. Always be aware of what any platform or input is trying to get you to do or feel. Be a conscious consumer.[45:43] - The Most Underdeveloped SkillEric’s advice on where to focus your self-improvementWhen asked for one closing piece of advice, Eric doesn’t hesitate. “The best skill that people can develop, and the most underdeveloped (or certainly under-promoted) skill is listening.”Listening gives us insight into information that we would have never had from the wisdom of people who have different life experiences. From a reciprocal standpoint, listening to someone dignifies them, gives them a feeling of meaning and purpose, and shows them you recognize their value. That will in turn elevate you in a way that nothing else can.RESOURCES:[2:27] About Amplify[4:52] About Fast Company and INC[15:21] About Marshall Goldsmith[27:36] Recognizing Misinformation[33:32] About ProPublicaFollow Eric:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterYouTubeFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

A Ride Down the Cul-De-Sac (ft. Ken Sterling, Exec VP + Chief Learning Officer, BigSpeak)Change your mindset, change your lifeOPENING QUOTE:“You really get to the heart of it in any organization when you hit some turbulence. Hitting turbulence is going to happen and good leaders will anticipate this.”—Ken SterlingGUEST BIO:Ken Sterling is the Executive Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at BigSpeak, one of the world's top speaking bureaus on a mission to awaken the greatness within each and every one of us.Along with being an attorney and talent agent, he describes himself as a people whisperer. His background includes being homeless, a Ph.D., and everything in between. Ken is also a researcher at USC and teaches marketing and business ethics at UC Santa Barbara.Show Links:WebsiteLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[13:57] - Simple is Not EasyThe power of turbulence“Building something elegant— thinking of Steve Jobs and the iPod and the iPhone— which on the outside is so seemingly simple…that’s what good leadership does. When you're being a playmaker, you’re setting yourself up and your team up for success by doing the groundwork.”You’ll never be able to make difficult tasks easy for you or your people— but you can make them simple.[22:43] - Anticipate, Communicate, ExecuteA three-part framework for confronting challengesWhen facing turbulence, there are three steps to survival. The first is to anticipate what’s coming. Wear your knee pads, as Ken says. Next, communicate. Speak to the people you trust about what’s going on. Finally, execute. This is when you get to take action and do something. It’s the most powerful step of all, but it’s nothing without the foundation of anticipating and communicating.[33:45] - Life is a Cul-de-sac, Not a One-Way StreetKen’s perspective on adversitySometimes in life you’ll suddenly realize you’re going down a dark, ugly road that won’t get you where you want to be. But life isn’t a one-way street. It’s a cul-de-sac. You’re always able to go slowly, go around that street and come back out as quickly and as reasonably as you can. There’s no road you can’t turn back from in life.[37:35] - The “Five and Five” RuleLessons from being kicked out of schoolOne day as Ken was sitting in the principal’s office of his high school, about to be kicked out, his principal told him something he’s never forgotten. “Kenny, it’s all about five and five. There’s always going to be five people worse off than you, and five people better off than you.” As Ken puts it, “We don’t need to compare who’s been through more s***.” Don’t play the comparison game.[47:16] - Ken’s Parting AdviceCut down on screen timeKen’s an advocate for de-cluttering your mind by reducing your technology use. His advice is to start with a one-hour reduction each day, including the removal of your phone from the bedroom. Let yourself have peace at night and when you wake up in the morning. You owe it to yourself.RESOURCES:[0:54] About BigSpeak[20:59] Ken Sterling’s TEDx Talk[25:20] About the ACE Framework[35:32] About Insight Seminars Follow Ken:WebsiteLinkedInFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

There’s a Book Inside You (ft. Naren Aryal, CEO, Amplify Publishing Group)Naren Aryal on publishing and profiting from your passions OPENING QUOTE:“I advocate for sharing as broadly and as widely as possible. When you do that, you get the benefit of their review, their response, and more importantly, there are questions that are going to challenge you.”—Naren AryalGUEST BIO:As CEO of Amplify Publishing Group, Naren Aryal advises industry experts and thought leaders on the opportunities and challenges that exist in the ever-evolving world of publishing. He launched a company with a single title in 2003 and guided it to become one of the fastest growing and most respected hybrid publishing companies in the world. Prior to entering the world of books, Naren worked as a lawyer, advising tech companies in the DC area, and is now a frequent speaker on all things publishing and author branding.Show Links:Executive BioEmail: Naren@amplifypublishinggroup.comCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[20:13] - The Power of the One PagerWhere an idea begins its transformation into a bookHave an idea but don’t know how to turn it into a book? Naren advises starting with a one-pager. This is a single sheet of paper or Word document that contains: Proposed titleProposed subtitle5-6 sentences about what the book is; its “big idea”2-3 sentences about target market1-2 comparable booksThis one pager can then be shown to people whose opinions you trust to receive feedback, guidance, and inspiration. Now you have a launch pad for your book.[24:44] - The Subtitle’s Essential RoleYour contract with your readerNaren stresses the importance of a book’s subtitle, calling it “the contract you make with a potential reader where you tell the reader what the book is and the value it’s going to deliver.”A subtitle should be clear, catchy, and attention-grabbing. It should answer, “What’s in it for me?” If your readers don’t believe that their life, business, or career is going to level up because they took the time to read your book, then you don’t stand a chance. As Paul says, “You’ve lost the game before kickoff.”[32:42] - Framing Your BookUnderstanding and communicating your big ideaFraming your book and its central idea is essential to differentiate it from the hundreds of leadership books written every year. Your unique take should follow the 80/20 rule— 80% of what you say should fit into what people generally already believe, with 20% encompassing the brand-new, innovative, transformative ideas that are unique to you. It’s the “spoonful of sugar” concept— give people something that will shake them out of their comfort zone by delivering it in concepts they’re already comfortable with accepting.[40:44] - Feedback: The Lifeblood of New AuthorsDon’t hide away in a basement until your book is doneNaren is an advocate for sharing your one-pager, early drafts, and book ideas as broadly and as widely as possible, particularly with people you respect. When you do, you get the benefit of their review, their feedback, and questions they can ask that will challenge you. This process is extremely revealing and is the major step in turning that one-pager into a 10-page outline, then a rough draft, and finally a completed manuscript.RESOURCES:[1:52] The Power of Playing Offense[1:52] Amplify Publishing GroupFollow Naren:Email: Naren@amplifypublishinggroup.comFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

From Everest to West Point (ft. Alison Levine, Author, Speaker, Adventure-Seeker)Climbing the highest peaks in life and businessOPENING QUOTE:“If I want to know what it's like to be these explorers going to these remote mountain ranges, then I should go to the mountains instead of watching films about them.”—Alison LevineGUEST BIO:Alison Levine is a leadership expert, polar explorer, and mountaineer who is no stranger to extreme environments. She has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches— even a career on Wall Street— to then serve as Deputy Finance Director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid as the Governor of California. She would later become an adjunct professor at the US Military Academy at West Point, and in true Playmaker fashion, she continues to serve as a senior fellow at the Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics at Duke University. Show Links:WebsiteFacebookTwitterLinkedInInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[8:31] - The Definition of CourageWhat it means to be courageousInspired by Alison’s story, Paul shares his definition of courage: “Standing tallest when fear and risk are highest.” Growth and discomfort are non–negotiables. We’ll never get rid of things that scare us. Life is about taking calculated risks and, as Alison says, using fear to our advantage.[17:48] - “I Felt This Before, and I Made It”Lessons from KilimanjaroWhen altitude sickness strikes for the first time, it can very quickly feel life-threatening. But the more mountain climbers become acclimated to high altitudes, the more their bodies and minds adapt. The next time it hits, they recognize it— and know that they can make through to the other side, because they have in the past.[28:11] - A Lesson from ArnoldThe Governator’s focus on peopleWhile working on Arnold Schwarzenagger’s campaign, Alison passed him in the hallway and was surprised to hear him ask, “How’s our mountain climber doing today?” She says she learned that when you know something personal about every member of your team, you inspire them to push even harder for you and your vision.[39:03] - Back to Base CampOr the Power of a Two-Day InvestmentWhen preparing for a high-altitude climb, climbers often return to base camp multiple times in order to acclimate to the altitude. In life, we sometimes have to give up on our relentless climbs for a moment in order to ‘return to base camp.’ We get stronger, we refresh ourselves, and we invest in ourselves. Alison invests in “Mastermind days” where she sets aside all her day-to-day work to invest in herself. What could you achieve if you did the same?[45:46] - The Five ThingsAlison’s Parting AdviceSearching for your purpose? You don't have to come up with it today or tomorrow, or in two weeks. Just start by making a list of five things that are important to you, that bring you joy. If you start with those, then when it comes to making difficult decisions you know where to start. You set out on a path that will lead you toward your purpose.RESOURCES:[2:27] Conquer the Route Chocolate Stout[10:13] About the Khumbu Icefall[17:48] About Altitude SicknessFollow Alison:WebsiteFacebookTwitterLinkedInInstagramFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

People, People, People (ft. Howard Behar, Former President, Starbucks)When defining a life, it’s all about how you treat the people you serveOPENING QUOTE:“From the very beginning, I figured out almost from day one that it wasn't about coffee. It was about people, because of the people that I met, and how they talked about the coffee, and how they talked about each other.”- Howard BeharGUEST BIO:Howard Behar is hailed as a hero of conscious capitalism, a passionate advocate for leading with purpose, and a devoted student and teacher of the servant leadership model. Howard served for over 21 years as president of Starbucks North America, then as founding president of Starbucks International. During his tenure, he grew Starbucks from only 28 stores to over 15,000, spanning five continents.Post-retirement, Howard has since been serving as a speaker, advisor, mentor, and bestselling author of multiple books, including "It's Not About the Coffee: A Guide to Leading by Putting People First." Show Links:WebsiteTwitterLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[0:00] - “Caught It, Not Taught It”The power of being led by exampleHoward recalls seeing his parents treat each other and all the people they served with empathy, compassion, and respect. Simply by watching them, he formed his own values about putting people first. In life and business, we should never underestimate the power we have just by living our values and letting others witness.[21:08] - Howard’s Best and Worst Decisions at StarbucksGetting real about smart choices and bad mistakesHoward says the best decision he ever made at Starbucks was the decision to join. If he hadn’t been prepared for that opportunity when it came, his life would have turned out very differently. His biggest mistakes? “Keeping somebody too long.” He says that the most damaging decisions at companies are almost always people decisions, not product decisions— proving once again that it really is all about people.[28:56] - Howard Defines Servant LeadershipPutting words to the values Howard’s lived by“As leaders, our primary job is to help people achieve what they want out of their lives, help them grow as human beings, to grow as professionals. When we do that, then they want to serve us. When we serve our people first, they innately want to serve us. They want to serve the organization because they feel respected, they feel like they’ve been treated with dignity, they feel like they’re valued, they feel like you care about them, they feel like you love them, they feel like you trust them. All the things that go on in a family.”[52:56] - Marriage, Parenting & BusinessThe shared secret to making them all workHoward speaks of Microsoft, and how their new leader has made them a company centered on technology to a company centered on people. Empathy and listening, just as they do in a marriage, have given Microsoft new life. The things that work in business also often work in life.[54:57] - Live a Life of IntentionHoward’s parting advice“If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.” Howard leaves us with the counsel to spend time figuring out what we want out of this life, writing it down, and setting goals for yourself to achieve it. That doesn’t just apply to work. What do you want out of your family? What do you want out of your marriage? What do you want out of your values? Live with intention, knowing that you can erase and rewrite any time as those values change.RESOURCES:[1:18] It’s Not About the Coffee, by Howard Behar[4:24] Ed Mylett’s Website[43:04] Jim Collins’ BHAG Concept[45:00] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen CoveyFollow Howard:WebsiteTwitterLinkedInFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

The Champion of Change (ft. Cassandra Worthy, Speaker, Author, Change Enthusiast)Rethinking change and upheaval through the eyes of a Change EnthusiastOPENING QUOTE:"Whoa, change just hit. I'm feeling anxious, but that's got to mean good is in store. I'm in an opportunity. How am I going to choose to show up?" And then you start to transform that energetic signature and feel more of that excitement and enthusiasm.”—Cassandra WorthyGUEST BIO:Cassandra Worthy exploded onto the speaking scene in 2018 and is already seeing fees and volume that make even the most seasoned industry veterans blush. Her client list includes Procter & Gamble, Allstate, Johnson & Johnson, and WeWork. Before that, she spent 15 years in corporate America and began as a chemical engineer. Today, the only label that really fits the bill for Cassandra is change enthusiast.Show Links:WebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInYoutubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:05] - What is Change Enthusiasm?Going beyond growth mindsetsCassandra has applied a pragmatic, structured engineering approach to creating a step-by-step practice for having a growth mindset and seeing change as an opportunity. It’s a three-step process that includes the Signal, the Opportunity, and the Choice.[3:40] - The Signal, The Opportunity, and The ChoiceCassandra’s formula for Change EnthusiasmThe Signal represents the difficult emotions we face when going through change, such as frustration, anxiety, and fear. The first step is acknowledging those emotions and allowing them to exist, trusting them as gifts, and letting them invite you into an opportunity to grow. That’s the Opportunity— how can you grow in this moment? The third and final step is the Choice. It’s when you decide, What am I going to do to step up? It gives us power when facing uncertainty.[12:30] - Keep a Compliment JournalLet it guide your directionUnsure of where your strengths and passions lie? Cassandra was, too. Then she began jotting down the compliments she received about herself. Pretty quickly, she began to get a clear picture of where her true strengths might be. She began pursuing these potential passions and whittled down her direction from there.[33:00] - Be an Emotional ContagionSpread a virus worth spreadingCassandra writes about what she calls Emotional Contagion— the way we can literally catch the emotional energy of those around us. That’s why it’s so important that we take responsibility for that energetic signature that we bring into every room. Be your full authentic self, but recognize what you bring to the space.[44:41] - Turning the Spotlight on Quiet QuittingCassandra’s guidance for leadershipDon’t diminish negative emotions felt by your people. Acknowledge them and create productive avenues for them to flow. Meanwhile, be aware of change fatigue. Many fast-growing companies are in such constant flux— within a world that’s perpetually in flux itself— that people often find themselves simply worn out. Be aware of this, and find ways to re-engage with change in a positive way.RESOURCES:[7:00] Change Enthusiasm[19:09] Cassandra’s StoryFollow Cassandra:WebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInYoutubeFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

Live Your List (ft. Sebastian Terry, Speaker, Founder of 100things)Sebastian Terry on living a fulfilled life of purposeOPENING QUOTE:“It's about being self-aware, it's about identifying meaningful goals that are somehow anchored to a purpose, whether we know it or not. It's about sharing those goals and allowing collaboration, help, support with others. We're all in this together, and 100 Things Now is this beautiful organism where everyone is connecting and helping each other become better.”—Seb TerryGUEST BIO:Affected by the death of a close friend, Sebastian Terry had a moment of deep reflection and realized he wasn't leading a life true to himself. In a moment of darkness and uncertainty, he decided to pick up a pen and paper and began to make a list of all the things that he'd always wanted to do, but never had a chance to do. His mission: to find happiness. Dropping everything in his life to pursue each of his “100 Things,” Sebastian's journey has been turned into a bestselling book, a reality TV show, and a platform that inspires people to not only start their own list, but support others along the way.Show Links:WebsiteInstagramFacebookYouTubeLinkedInTwitter CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[4:07] - From What You’re Told to What You SeekSeb walks us through the mindset change that changed his lifeSeb’s entire mindset came about from a realization which came after a close childhood friend died tragically. He realized at that moment he could either spend his entire life doing what was expected, or he could fill every day of his life with the things that were most meaningful to him. So he made a list of the 100 things he wanted to do, and from there spawned a movement that’s transformed countless lives.[8:04] - Happiness is a Choice…MostlyModerating the ‘mind over circumstance’ discussionSeb is reluctant to claim that anyone, anywhere can think their way to happiness. There are real societal and circumstantial barriers many people face to fulfillment and security. But he does believe that pursuing happiness is a choice, one we can decide to make every day— or not.[27:57] - Are You Interesting or InterestedA key question with life-changing impactAll our lives, we’re told to be interesting. Demand attention, seek fame, and be the most fascinating person in any room. But Paul shares how the most fulfilled people are actually the most interested people— the ones who manage to get excited about anything and anyone, focusing on what excites them rather than trying to constantly excite others.[39:53] - The “Work-Life Balance” MythSeb’s unique perspectiveSeb fights against the concept of ‘work-life balance’ in his speaking and writing. Why? “Work and life, it’s the same thing. They need to be integrated.” He believes that the principles that guide our lives should also guide our work, and it shouldn’t be about separating out our ‘life selves’ from our ‘work selves.’ When we’re unified in our pursuit of happiness, [48:04] - Seb’s Parting AdviceTake 10 minutes to be selfish“For anyone listening who is interested in just doing a quick little check-in to make sure they're living in a way which is true to them, I would suggest giving yourself permission to be by yourself at some point over the next few days. Call it 10 minutes to make it easy. Put it into your calendar, make a contract to yourself that you'll do it, with the pure intention of thinking about yourself selfishly. And as you do that, think about things that are important to you.”Interestingly, many of us will find that when we think ‘selfishly’ in this way about what matters most to us, many of the things on that list will actually be selfless— spending time with people we love, service, etc. It’s about identifying what’s central to you and your passions, then integrating those passions into your daily life. RESOURCES:[2:17] The Benefits of Going Barefoot[3:32] Seb’s “100 Things” TedX Talk[19:36] Man’s Search for MeaningFollow Seb:WebsiteInstagramFacebookYouTubeLinkedInTwitterFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

Oxygen for the Soul (ft. Simon T. Bailey, Keynote Speaker, Author, Coach)Simon T. Bailey on encouragement, reinvention, and the unlimited power of womenOPENING QUOTE:“I think every Playmaker listening to us right now, be sure to remember that encouragement is oxygen for the soul. Who is one person that, after you hear everything we're talking about, you can go and encourage them via text, via video, or via a call? It's oxygen for the soul.”—Simon T. BaileyGUEST BIO:Simon T. Bailey’s purpose in life is to help you discover your brilliance through motivational speeches which have netted him Hall of Fame accolades. He also offers direct one-on-one coaching, has published nine personal and professional development books (including a number of bestsellers), hosts a national TV talk show program, and created a viral video with over 90 million total views. Simon’s framework for brilliance is based on his 30 years of experience in hospitality, including serving as sales director for the Disney Institute. His client roster includes Salesforce, Stanford Healthcare, General Mills, and Hilton Hotels.Show Links:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokFacebookYouTubeTwitterCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[10:42] - The Power of EncouragementBreathe life into the people around youBoth Simon and Paul share their perspectives on encouraging the people around us. For them, it’s a calling. We all have the power to breathe life into others. Interestingly, we’ll even find that in the times we feel most lifeless ourselves, lifting others up is what puts wind back into our own sails. As Simon tells us, encouragement is “oxygen for the soul.”[23:07] - Moments Matter When they Change BehaviorA life-changing moment must be allowed to change your lifeAfter a lifetime of emotional distance, Simon’s father shared his love for Simon only on his death bed. Rather than just a special moment, Simon allowed this to become transformative. He told himself that among his brothers, his children, and everyone in his life, he would always share how he felt about them and never let a moment pass him by. [28:06] - Ignite the Power of WomenFrom marginalized to empoweredAs Simon shares, “If we get it right with women, ensuring that they’re not marginalized, I become a better human being because I do right by women in my life.”That’s why he wrote Ignite the Power of Women, a book and movement about unlocking the potential of women in your life— and your own ultimate potential as a result.[32:22] - Lessons from the Disney InstituteLearning from a global leader in leadershipWhat are Simon’s top lessons from the Disney Institute? Number one: hire for attitude, train for success. Skills can be trained, but great attitudes are rare. Second: Customer service is a department, but customer love is a mindset. Disney understands they’re not in the theme park business, they’re in the business of creating magical moments for customers. You can’t do that unless you feel love. After all, studies show that every buying decision is, on average, 70% emotional and only 30% rational.[38:18] - Knowing When It’s Time for ReinventionHow do you read the signs that a change is in the cards?Simon has reinvented himself five times over twenty years. How do you know you’re ready for a reinvention? Simon tells us that you have to read the tea leaves— that means keeping track of the changes in the world and how they’ll affect your future. Are you in a future-proof field, or one on its way out? But it’s not just about strategy. You also have to make sure your heart and head are onboard before your hands take action. Are you doing what you want to be doing deep down? If not, it may be reinvention time.RESOURCES:[0:57] Simon’s Author Page[1:23] About the Disney Institute[12:02] Living a Life that Matters, by Harold S. Kushner[14:10] Be Where Your Feet Are, by Scott O’Neil[17:30] An Enemy Called Average, by John Mason[26:07] 30 Million Words, by Dr. Dana Suskind[28:06] Ignite the Power of WomenFollow Simon:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokFacebookYouTubeTwitterFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

Don’t Get Bored with Basics (ft. Alan Stein Jr., NBA Basketball Coach, Keynote Speaker, Author)From Kobe to Curry, Alan Stein Jr.’s lessons from the greatsOPENING QUOTE:“You have to learn to accept what is, and then decide on a response to it. And ever since I've adopted that mindset, my overall stress level has gone down significantly. And anytime I'm feeling stressed, I remind myself that I'm the one that's creating that stress because I'm resisting what is, and that goes back to the ownership component.”—Alan Stein Jr.GUEST BIO:A highly acclaimed basketball performance coach, Alan Stein Jr. spent 15 years working with the highest performing athletes on the planet, including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and the legendary and late Kobe Bryant.Today, he is blazing trails through the corporate keynote space on how leaders and teams can utilize the same approaches in business that elite athletes use to perform at a world class level, as evidenced by his clients—  American Express, Pepsi, Under Armor, Starbucks and more. Alan is also a bestselling author of Raise Your Game and the recently released Sustain Your Game: High Performance Keys to Manage Stress, Avoid Stagnation, and Beat Burnout.Show Links:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:32] - 4:00am with Kobe BryantAn unforgettable lesson from an unmatched workerAlan shares an incredible story about having the opportunity to attend a workout with late Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. After setting a 4am start time, Alan showed up to the gym at 3:30am hoping to beat Bryant there, only to find Kobe already in the gym in a heavy sweat, working on absolute basics. His explanation? “Why do you think I’m the best player in the world? Because I never get bored with the basics.” May we all never get bored with the basics.[19:31] - Self-Awareness: The Foundation for ChangeYou can’t improve something you’re oblivious toThe first chapter of Alan’s book is about awareness, calling it “the foundation on which everything else is built.” That’s because you’ll never improve on something you’re unaware of. Sometimes it’s as simple as bringing something that’s in our subconscious up to the conscious level, moving things from our blind spots to center stage in our mind. What might you be blind to that could be holding you back from your potential?[28:55] - Using StressCan our stress be harnessed like a tool?Alan uses the definition of stress as “the desire for things to be different than they are in the present moment.” We want to put ourselves in environments that are going to challenge us, that are going to keep us sharp, that are going to give us a little bit of butterflies and excitement before we take that stage or before we lean in to kiss a new partner or whatever it may be. Those things keep us sharp. We just don't want it to go to the point that it immobilizes us, or undermines our ability to perform.[38:20] - The Treadmill You’re OnPaul’s transformative lessonPaul recounts the day a mentor told him, “The easiest thing to do in life is stay on the treadmill you’re on.” For you, it might be a job, a relationship, a career path. Maybe you’re on the right treadmill. But maybe you’re not, and often when you’re on a treadmill it feels like the pressure is on to just keep running. But you’re in control, and the hardest step will always be that first step off the treadmill and onto a new one.[51:31] - The Best AdviceThe #1 tip Alan’s receivedAlan leaves us with a lesson he received from his middle school coach, who said: “Find what it is that you love to do, find what it is you’re naturally good at, and find where those two things intersect. The more time you can invest in your strength zone, the higher you’ll perform, but the more fulfilled you’ll feel.”Let’s all go find our strength zones, and attack them with all we’ve got.RESOURCES:[1:35] Raise Your Game and Sustain Your Game[3:13] Kobe Bryant’s Work Ethic[29:35] Eckhart Tolle’s Works[35:17] Jim Rome’s The Reinvention Project  Follow Alan:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterInstagramFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

Purpose and Petri Dishes (ft. Garry Ridge)On humility in leadership and growing a cultureOPENING QUOTE:“Ask yourself this question. Why do I believe what I believe? Are you really scared of something, or is it because you are making up the story in your own mind?”- Garry RidgeGUEST BIO:Garry Ridge is CEO of WD-40, having joined in Australia in 1987. He became head of the company’s Asia and Australia efforts in 1994 and CEO in 1997. Since joining the company, he’s expanded the company globally and broadened the product range— all while building an organization that is still true to its founding values. Additionally, he’s written several books on leadership and is Adjunct Professor of Leadership at San Diego University and an executive coach.Show Links:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[2:38] - The Three Most Powerful WordsOn the role of humility in leadershipGarry often says that the three most powerful words a CEO can say are “I don’t know.” Why? “We just have to be authentic in our heart, be tough minded but tenderhearted. Heart of gold, backbone of steel.” Being a leader doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means acknowledging when you don’t, and empowering the people around you to help find them.[14:33] - What to Look for in an OrganizationYou escaped a bad job. Now what?Garry has advice for anyone who has joined the Great Resignation (or, as he calls it, the Great Escape) and is seeking their next organization. “Number one, does the leadership openly admit that people matter? Can you feel that? Number two, is there a clearly defined purpose in the organization that actually attracts you? Number three, is there a set of values that are clearly defined? Number four, is there an atmosphere of not failure, but learning? Finally…is there a command and control atmosphere, or a coaching atmosphere?”[20:07] - The Person I Want to BeWhat’s on your list?Garry keeps a note taped to his computer that reads, “Am I being the person I want to be right now?” The question is, who is that person? Make a list of the traits you want to possess and live out in your day to day life. Grateful? Caring? Whatever they are, make sure you know them consciously. Then spend each day living those traits.[31:26] - Creating Culture…in Science ClassCulture is as much about what’s not there as what’s thereAs a child, Garry grew bacteria cultures in a petri dish. When toxins appeared, they had to be removed quickly or they would make the cultures go bad and fail to grow. In company culture, the goal is the same. You have to enhance what’s in there that you want to remain, and take out what shouldn’t be there as quickly and effectively as possible.RESOURCES:[0:56] History of WD-40[1:23] The One Minute Manager[1:28] Helping People Win at Work[8:27] “The Soul-Sucking CEO”[19:55] The Earned LifeFollow Garry:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

“Opportunity is a Matter of Perspective” (ft. Zion Clark, Speaker, Athlete & Author of Zion Unmatched)Multiplying your potential when life tries to subtract your possibilitiesOPENING QUOTE:“Part of growing is accepting what life is in that moment, and still pushing forward anyway. I accepted that my life was crappy, shitty, just not very desirable at all. But at the same time I was like, 'Well, whatever happens happens. I'm just going to keep trying my best every day.'”- Zion ClarkGUEST BIO:Zion Clark was born with a rare birth defect called Caudal Regression Syndrome, causing him to be born without legs. He was given up by his mother at birth, and Zion spent 17 years in foster care moving between nine different homes that saw him experience everything from lack of support to all-out abuse. Six months before aging out of the foster system, he was adopted by his now-mother who changed his life forever. He went on to become an elite wheelchair racer and star of a Netflix documentary on his way to Paralympic Gold.Show Links:WebsiteInstagramTikTokFacebookYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[5:40] - Survival Before SuccessRedefining what it means to “succeed”Before Zion could even dream of success or achievement, his life was a matter of survival. It’s a fact of life that many children in the foster care system and otherwise don’t have the same opportunities that others do. This is something Zion is working to change, and it’s up to all of us to recognize that success looks different depending on where you are and where you started.[17:18] - 10 Years of Ass KickingLessons from a decade of struggleIf there’s one thing Zion Clark knows how to do, it’s endure. He didn’t give up after a year of wrestling struggles, or five years, or ten years. Then, when he found the right coaches, it was like rocket fuel in his engine. He would go on to win match after match, and never looked back.[27:25] - Smiling with Bloody TeethIs it possible to enjoy being hit in the face?Zion speaks gleefully about his love for physical pain— “even if you hit me, I’m still smiling.” This comfort with discomfort, even at the physical level, is something we all can learn from in both our careers and our everyday struggles in life.[38:57] - Inspire Your WayFrom stage to fieldPaul does his inspiring on keynote stages. Zion does his at meets, wrestling matches, and in weight rooms. To inspire means to breathe life into something or someone. How do you breathe life into the people around you?RESOURCES:[1:30] ZION — Netflix Documentary[24:14] Team Body Shop[43:23] Zion Unmatched Follow Zion:WebsiteInstagramTikTokFacebookYouTubeFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com

Hunting Discomfort (ft. Sterling Hawkins)Shifting our perspectives on stress and setbacksOPENING QUOTE:“It's about surrounding yourself with people that are going to support your growth, that are more committed to your vision than your feelings.”—Sterling HawkinsGUEST BIO:Sterling Hawkins is the author of Hunting Discomfort, a chart-topping new book about breaking the status quo no matter what. Sterling believes we can all unlock incredible potential within ourselves, and he’s on a mission to support people, businesses, and communities and help them reach their potential regardless of circumstances. From a multibillion dollar startup to collapse, then coming back to launch before investing in and helping grow over 50 companies, Sterling brings his experience to some of the largest organizations on the planet and stages around the globe. His perspectives can be found in publications such as Inc., Fast Company, the New York Times, and Forbes.Show Links:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramFacebookLinkedInTwitterCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:18] - Every Day, No Matter WhatThe art and science of setting intentionsWhether small or large, you should set a goal to do something that brings you closer to your goal every single day. It might be five minutes of focused work or five hours of intense attention. But whatever your goal, you should make some amount of progress greater than zero every day. It builds confidence and courage within yourself, not to mention that it builds momentum towards your goals.[33:37] - “Don’t Say ‘Surrender’”Moving past the stigma of surrenderingSterling is often told that he should stop using the word ‘surrender’ in his talks and writings. He’s told that surrendering means to give up, but the truth is that surrendering means accepting things as they are and as they’re not. It’s synonymous with acceptance, and we can’t truly change anything until we accept it.[36:41] - From Head to HeartChanging where we spend our internal timeMany of us spend most of our lives in our heads— where the reasons, excuses, and circumstances live. Our approach to life becomes circumstantial and dependent on the world. But when you spend more time in your heart, you step out of reasons and excuses and find the courage to commit to transformation. You get over fear, over-analysis, and resistance and begin pursuing your passions.[40:16] - The Finite and the UltimateLessons from a German-American theologianPhilosopher Paul Tillich believes there are two primary focuses that human beings give their attention to— the finite and the ultimate. Finite concerns are things like paying rent, earning money, reaching business goals. Ultimate concerns are things like love, joy, peace, and happiness. These can never be taken away from you. When we remember that, all of our finite concerns become less concerning.RESOURCES:[0:54] Chasing Discomfort[12:55] A Servant to Servants, by Robert Frost[42:50] The Presence Process, by Michael BrownFollow Sterling:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramFacebookLinkedInTwitterFollow Paul:Keynote Speaking WebsitePlaymakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW PARTNER:The WHY InstituteAre you ready to find your ‘why’? Our partners at the WHY Institute have created the single most high-impact assessment for finding your personal why in life and work. In just five minutes, discover more about who you are, how you think, and why you do what you do than any other personal assessment available.  The best part? It’s completely free for Playmakers listeners. Are you ready to find our WHY in just five minutes? Take your assessment now.FREE ASSESSMENTABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | paul@paulepsteinspeaks.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@detroitpodcaststudios.com