Episode 232: It's Time To Go ALL IN (With Doug Meyer & Greg Meredith)

"Here's the issue:If you're going to pursue a low odds game, the reality is that at some point the odds will go to zero if you don't commit fully. You're never going to get across that chasm if you're going to keep yourself tethered to one side but that doesn't mean taking an unfounded leap into the wild beyond." Jim Collins gave me that advice on Episode #216 here On The Learning Leader Show. I've fired a lot of bullets over the past three years building this show and this platform while working a full time job at a big international corporation. The purpose of this episode is to announce that I have left my full time job to pursue my passion... My love: This show, this platform, this work, on a full time basis. It's time for me to go All In.

The featured leaders tonight are two of my business partners (and friends), Doug Meyer and Greg Meredith.  Doug Meyer is one of the founding partners of Brixey & Meyer.  In his role as Managing Director, Doug serves as a trusted business advisor to Business Owners, CEOs, CFOs and Boards of Advisors, driving value and accountability.  Greg Meredith runs Brixey & Meyer’s Business Advisory Services team, which helps clients with strategic planning, project management, sales strategy, business process and system optimization and more.  I am bringing The Learning Leader brand to Brixey & Meyer full time to run the Leadership Advisory Services team.  In addition to the podcast, I'll be focused on helping clients be more effective leaders, managers, and coaches.  This is done through: consulting projects, 1 on 1 coaching, leadership circles (Mastermind groups), creating written content (book and articles online), and much more.  I could not be more excited to get started!

 "Following your genuine intellectual curiosity is a better foundation for a career than following whatever is making money right now." - Naval Ravikant

Show Notes:

• 3:06 - My career, what I've done, why I haven't named the companies I've worked for, who has supported this, who hasn't.
• 5:05 - Why I'm making this move to do it full time, the first lunch I had with Doug, the impact that lunch had on me, how long this has been in the works, advice that was given to me... The phone call I made to my wife Miranda after that meeting informing her of what I wanted to do...
• 6:40 - The exercise that Doug and I did -- "Write down everything you love to do... And write down the things people have paid for.  Let's build the business based on that information." -- The dream job scenario
• 8:03 Doug sharing why Brixey & Meyer is different from other firms and why... - The values: Having fun, providing value, passionate, driver of change, accountability, responsibility to the people of the firm
• 10:01 Doug sharing how The Learning Leader Show has positively impacted his life
• 11:48 - Greg describing The Business Advisory Practice he leads at Brixey & Meyer
• 12:07 - How Brixey & Meyer evolves and adapts -- Taking it to another level
• 13:02 - Why I decided to leave my job as VP of Sales at a large international company
• 14:09 - Finding a way to love what you do everyday
• 14:44 - “Following your genuine intellectual curiosity is a better foundation for a career than following whatever is making money right now.” - Naval Ravikant
• 16:24 - The scary part about making this change -- Side hustle to full time job creates a lot of pressure
• 16:56 - The incredible support from all of the people at Brixey & Meyer
• 17:47 - Why I'm motivated by people who believe in me... And my desire to prove them right
• 18:52 - "You're work is going to fill a large part of your life... And the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.  And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs
• 19:34 - The biggest challenge for Doug (managing my expectations)
• 20:25 - Doug describing that this was an opportunistic hire... Not something they were looking for, but why it was a no brainer when the opportunity arose
• 21:52 - The day to day actions - Helping leaders be more effective. Keynote speeches, leadership circles (Mastermind groups), Consulting projects, producing podcasts, creating content (books, online courses/articles), and much more
• 25:18 - Doug and Greg describing their current leadership circles and why they've been so effective (and will continue to be)
• 27:53 - The power in the peer to peer learning model that is created from Leadership Circles
• 29:22 - Rapid fire questions (for Ryan):
  • Dream guest? Elon Musk
  • Favorite thing to do with my daughters? Coach their sports teams
  • Learn more from success or failure? I remember my failures more, but I try to learn from both success and failure
  • Most impactful book in the last 12 months? The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
  • Favorite episode? #078 With Kat Cole
• 33:13 - Rapid fire questions (for Doug):
  • Favorite episode of The Learning Leader Show? #200 With Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk
  • Smartest person in the Meyer family? daughter, Jocelyn Meyer
  • Are you a Visionary or Integrator? Tough question. People think of him more as an integrator
  • Best Advice: From Bill Matthews - "I was frustrated with team members." And Bill said, "Doug, it's not them, it's you."
• 36:37 - How will you define success? "Success is fun. I want this to be fun. We are going to add value and be agile."
• 38:38 - The phone call I made to Doug when he thought I was turning him down...
• 39:06 Why 99 out of 100 people would not have left the corporate job to do this?  Doug's thoughts... And why I did.
• 40:35 - Defining your personal hedgehog
• 41:46 - The unique qualities I will bring to this role -- What's different from books or articles
• 45:54 - How I define the makeup of a great leader... The qualities they possess
• 48:43 - “The path to fulfillment in life, to emotional satisfaction, is to find what really excites you and channel your all into it.” - Rich Roll
• 49:01 - Doug describing his beliefs: Energy, Passion, Fun
• 49:26 - Why Doug wanted me to be part of his business -- Natural curiosity, thought provoking questions, attitude, helping others
• 51:06 - What's most important -- To find your WHO
• 51:47 - The story Doug shared that created an emotional and powerful moment... And convinced me to say, "Yes, I am doing this, I want to work with a guy with this much integrity, honesty, and love."
• 55:28 - Doug's excitement to unleash the potential for what we can do
• 56:45 - Acknowledging how instrumental Greg has been in the growth of The Learning Leader brand over the last three years. His honest feedback and mentor-ship has been monumental
• 58:28 - One of my favorite artists, Tom Petty said "It's time to move on, it's time to get going. What lies ahead I have no way of knowing... But under my feet, baby, grass is growing, it's time to move on, it's time to get going."

"You're work is going to fill a large part of your life... And the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.  And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs

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More Learning:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why