Big Swings Only

By Kwame Christian Esq., M.A.Business Education Self-Improvement

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Typical duration
63 min
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Big Swings Only episodes

June 17, 2025 Mediocrity Is the Only Sin — Lessons from a Founder Who Said No to Google and Built Millions
That’s the rule Sharmin Ali lives by — even when it almost killed her.

Buy now the book ⁠Bitch, Stop! Please . . . : An Entrepreneur's Journey of Innovation, from Chaos to Clarity⁠ by Sharmin Ali

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Sharmin reveals what it takes to walk away from Google, build two multi-million dollar companies across continents, and face the brutal cost of ambition.
We go deep into the art of negotiating exits, building trust from scratch, and why most people fail — not because they lack talent, but because they never learned to hear themselves.
If you’ve ever felt like you're too intense, too chaotic, or too much for the system you're in... this episode is your permission to go all in — without losing yourself.

Connect with Sharmin Ali
sharminali.com
Buy now the book Bitch, Stop! Please . . . : An Entrepreneur's Journey of Innovation, from Chaos to Clarity by Sharmin Ali

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
46 min
June 16, 2025 Harvard’s Sheila Heen Reveals Why We’re All Negotiating the Wrong Way
Blame is easy. But real power? That comes when you take responsibility for your part — and invite others to do the same. In this masterclass with Sheila Heen, we dismantle the blame game and show you the negotiation move that changes everything.

Connect with Sheila Heen:
⁠Follow Sheila on LinkedIn⁠
Buy the Book: ⁠Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most ⁠
⁠triadconsultinggroup.com ⁠
⁠Help Yourself

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
43 min
June 15, 2025The Real Reason No One Follows Your Vision
If no one’s following you, it’s not your message — it’s your mindset.
In this raw and revealing episode, change strategist Pam Marmon exposes the hidden forces that sabotage even the smartest visions: fear, control, passive resistance, and the lie we keep telling ourselves — that change is just “hard.”
You’ll learn:
Why employees resist you, not just the change

The subtle ways leaders micromanage without realizing it

How your need to “get it done” is killing your influence

The three forms of resistance and how to defuse each one

What real listening looks like — especially when no one is talking

Why every failed transformation begins with the wrong belief
Whether you're rolling out a new initiative, rebranding your business, or simply trying to get your team to care — this conversation is your crash course in becoming the kind of leader people want to follow.
Because if your people feel like change is happening to them, not with them — you’ve already lost.

Contact Pam
⁠Buy the book "No One's Listening and It's Your Fault"
⁠Marmon Consulting⁠
⁠Pam's LinkedIn

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
35 min
June 14, 2025Empathy Isn’t Weak — It’s Your Most Dangerous Advantage
If you think empathy makes you soft, you’ve already lost the negotiation.
In this masterclass, psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr. Judith Orloff dismantles the myth that empathy is a weakness — and reveals how it can become your sharpest strategic edge in business, leadership, and life.
You’ll learn:
Why emotionally detached “logic” leaders burn out — and how to fix it

How to disarm aggression and navigate conflict with strength and clarity

The difference between performing empathy and actually living it

How to lead teams without shame, ego, or bulldozing ideas

When empathy can fail — and how to spot narcissists before they exploit you

Tactical ways to respond when you're out of time, out of patience, or totally disagree
Dr. Orloff shares practical, actionable tools from her book The Genius of Empathy (with a foreword by the Dalai Lama), including strategies for tough conversations, emotional self-protection, and leading with intention — not intimidation.
If you want to be respected, trusted, and heard — this episode is your blueprint.

Connect with Judith
⁠judithorloff.com ⁠
⁠Follow Judith Orloff on LinkedIn⁠
⁠Dr. Orloff’s Shop⁠
⁠Order Now The Genius of Empathy by Dr. Judith Orloff

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
38 min
June 13, 2025They’re Not Difficult — You’re Just Not Reading Them Right (Yet)
You don’t have a “difficult people” problem — you have a perception problem.
Most of the tension you feel with others doesn’t come from who they are — it comes from how you’re reading them. In this masterclass episode, Kwame Christian breaks down the psychological patterns that make certain personalities seem “impossible” — and shows you how to turn frustration into collaboration using practical, repeatable strategies.
You’ll learn:
The 5 personality traits you must understand to lead and persuade anyone

How to quickly assess someone’s behavior — without labeling or judging

Why your best leadership tools stop working with certain people (and how to adapt)

How to handle pushback, coldness, or resistance without losing your cool

A real-time script for giving feedback without triggering defensiveness

Why emotional control, not charisma, is your most persuasive asset

How to reframe every tense moment — even with bulldozers, skeptics, and cynics
If you’ve ever said “I just don’t know how to deal with this person,” this episode is your playbook.

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
1 hr 7 min
June 12, 2025You’re Not Bad at Negotiating — You’re Just Missing the Moment
Most people think they’re bad at negotiating. The truth? They’re just not noticing when the negotiation begins.
In this episode, professor and global negotiation expert Suzanne de Janasz joins Kwame to reveal why missed moments — not missing skills — are what keep most people stuck. Whether it’s asking your partner for help, challenging unfair dynamics at work, or speaking up about the “small things” before they blow up, negotiation is happening everywhere… even if you don’t see it.
You’ll learn:
Why timing is strategy — and why ambushing never works

How small annoyances become big problems when you stay silent

How to evaluate if something is worth negotiating — or worth letting go

The invisible labor women take on without realizing it

Why sarcasm, snark, and silence are all signs of negotiation avoidance

A simple mindset shift to start recognizing negotiation opportunities in daily life
If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking “I should’ve said something…” — this one’s for you.

⁠Follow Suzanne de Janasz on LinkedIn

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
38 min
June 11, 2025 Your Body Speaks First—Make It Count
They read you before they hear you.
In this episode, Dr. David Matsumoto—renowned psychologist, judo black belt, and expert in nonverbal behavior—reveals how your body language shapes every negotiation before a single word is spoken. You'll learn the critical difference between nonverbal behavior and nonverbal communication, why observation is your most underused superpower, and how to project confidence without faking it. Whether you're in the boardroom or on the mat, this conversation will change how you see others—and how they see you.

Contact David Matsumoto, Ph.D.
⁠Humintell: https://www.humintell.com/⁠
⁠Follow David on LinkedIn

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!

33 min
June 10, 2025 Why Tough Leaders Fail — And What Robert Irvine Learned Too Late
In this episode, world-renowned chef and entrepreneur Robert Irvine reveals the turning point that changed his leadership forever.

He built his empire through grit and command — but it wasn’t until he embraced empathy that everything truly leveled up. Robert shares the raw, behind-the-scenes lessons that reshaped how he leads people, grows businesses, and connects in high-stakes negotiations. If you think success is just about pushing harder, this conversation will flip that idea on its head.

chefirvine.com

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
58 min
June 09, 2025 This Is Why People Trust You (Or Don’t) — Backed by Real Stories
People don’t trust who you are—they trust what they feel around you.

In this powerful episode, Kwame Christian sits down with Shawn Anthony—entrepreneur, talent manager, and host of School’s Over… Now What?—to reveal the hidden mechanics behind trust, influence, and real connection. Discover how Shawn turned his ability to connect people into a six-figure side hustle and then a thriving media business. From the boardroom to the podcast studio, Shawn shares real stories and strategies about building credibility, creating opportunity through generosity, and using podcasting as a tool for persuasive leverage.
Whether you're trying to grow your brand, gain buy-in, or lead with confidence, this episode shows you what actually makes people believe in you—and what quietly pushes them away.

Connect with Anthony
podpromax.com

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
31 min
June 08, 2025 The Real Way to Stand Out — No Shouting Required
If self-promotion makes you cringe, you're not alone
In this episode, Emmy-winning journalist turned communications coach Jessica Chen shares a new, smarter way to stand out at work — especially if being loud, flashy, or self-congratulatory just isn't your style. Drawing from her book Smart, Not Loud, Jessica explains how to build executive presence, advocate for yourself, and get noticed for all the right reasons — without betraying who you are.
She and Kwame explore why common workplace advice doesn’t work for everyone, how cultural values shape confidence, and what it really means to be assertive on your own terms. Whether you're naturally reserved or just tired of being told to "speak up more," this conversation offers a refreshing, actionable path to visibility, respect, and career growth.

Connect with Jessica
⁠Follow Jessica on LinkedIn⁠
⁠Jessica Chen’s Services⁠
⁠https://soulcastmedia.com/⁠
⁠Podcast: Communicating Confidently With Jessica Chen⁠
⁠Buy the book Smart, NOT LOUD: How to Get Noticed at Work For All the Right Reasons

Contact ANI
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
31 min

About Big Swings Only

From the publisher's feed

Playing it safe is easy. It’s comfortable. And it will never take you to the next level.If you’ve got what it takes to hit the ball out of the park, the only thing holding you back is whether you’re brave enough to take a big swing.Big Swings Only is for people who were meant for more — the ones done playing by rules that were never built for them.Hosted by Kwame Christian, each week brings you the real stories of people who fought their fear, went after the life they actually wanted, and became who they had to become to get it.The psychology behind the swing. The strategy behind the risk. The nerve it takes to go all in.You were built for more, and this show was built for you. Subscribe now.