Building Excellence

#285: Coach Jim Larrañaga is a veteran college basketball coach who built a remarkable career defined by leadership, perseverance, and the ability to elevate programs beyond expectations. In 2006, he led George Mason University on an unforgettable run to the NCAA Final Four, defeating several of the nation’s top teams and establishing one of the most memorable underdog stories in sports history. He continued his success at the University of Miami, leading the Hurricanes to their first-ever Final Four in 2023 and establishing the program as a national contender. Over the course of his career, Larrañaga earned widespread respect for his positive approach to leadership, emphasis on relationships, and commitment to developing players both on and off the court. He retired in 2024 after more than 40 years in college coaching, leaving a lasting impact on the game and the many players and coaches he influenced.

#284: Brandon Boyd is a longtime collegiate ministry leader with Cru at Oklahoma State University, an author, husband, father, and passionate follower of Jesus Christ. For nearly three decades, he has devoted his life to helping college students grow in their faith and discover the joy of following Christ. Brandon and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Ethan and Ben. Their journey as parents, particularly raising Ben, who has FOXP1 syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects development and communication, profoundly shaped Brandon’s understanding of faith, love, and the value of every human life. In 2026, he published Delighting in Ben: A Father and a Son, Discovering the Delight of God, a deeply personal account of how his son has taught him about God’s character, the beauty of unconditional love, and finding joy amid life’s unexpected challenges. Through his story, Brandon hopes to encourage families raising children with disabilities and help others recognize the dignity and immeasurable worth of every person. 

Coach Brad Soucie is a veteran college basketball coach whose career spans decades of experience at the highest levels of collegiate basketball. He has worked alongside respected coaches, including Tony Bennett at the University of Virginia and Ritchie McKay at Liberty University, where he has contributed to player development, program building, and team culture. As a former college player at Eastern Michigan, Soucie helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Tournament in 1986 and made eight three-pointers in a first-round game against Pittsburgh. Beyond basketball, Soucie is recognized for his character and faith, receiving the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' John Lotz Barnabas Award in 2021. His career reflects a commitment to developing players, building relationships, and making a lasting impact on and off the court.

#282: Mayor Yemi Mobolade is the 42nd Mayor of Colorado Springs and a Nigerian immigrant whose remarkable journey to public leadership began with entrepreneurship, faith, community development, and a deep commitment to serving others. 

After moving to Colorado Springs in 2010, Yemi founded a church, co-founded multiple businesses and community organizations, served in economic development and city government, and helped unite more than 100 churches through COSILoveYou. In 2023, he made history as the city’s first elected Black mayor and first immigrant mayor, winning as an independent political outsider. As mayor, he has focused on public safety, infrastructure, housing, economic growth, and strengthening neighborhoods while championing a philosophy of collaboration and bringing people together to solve problems. 

At the heart of Mayor Mobolade’s story, however, is not his title or accomplishments, but the character of the man behind them—a husband, father, servant, and man of deep faith who believes leadership begins with humility and a willingness to serve others. His life is a testament to what can happen when faith, courage, integrity, and a genuine desire to make a difference guide the way you lead and live.

Enjoy the show!

#281: Greg Sands is the longtime head coach of Texas Tech Men’s Golf and one of the most accomplished coaches in collegiate golf. 

Since taking over the Red Raiders program in 2001, Sands has transformed Texas Tech into a perennial national contender, leading the program to 27 team tournament titles, 33 individual tournament victories, 27 NCAA Regional appearances, and 17 NCAA Championship appearances. 

Under his leadership, Texas Tech has produced numerous All-Americans and Big 12 standouts, including three-time First-Team All-American and 2023 Big 12 Player of the Year Ludvig Åberg. Sands was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2021, was named the GCAA Central Region Coach of the Year, and served as the United States head coach at the 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup.

But perhaps what makes Sands' story most compelling goes beyond the wins and championships. For more than two decades, he has developed young golfers into elite competitors while emphasizing academics, character, preparation, and the habits required to perform at the highest level. His players have gone on to professional golf, including PGA TOUR success, while Texas Tech has consistently remained one of the nation's top collegiate golf programs. 

On this episode Coach Sands shares what he has learned about developing people, building a championship culture, handling pressure, and pursuing excellence not just in golf, but in leadership and life.

Enjoy the show!

#280: As the co-founder and CEO of Vari®, Jason McCann’s mission is to help companies create environments that elevate people, cultures, and communities. 

A lifelong entrepreneur, Jason has more than 30 years of experience building and running successful companies. He learned the importance of putting the customer first early-on while working in his mother’s hair salons as a child.  

Jason co-founded Vari (formerly known as VariDesk) in 2013, and the brand quickly became synonymous with sit-stand desks. Under his leadership, the company grew at an incredible pace, expanded to over 4 million users of its products across 120 countries. 

Today, Vari has grown into a workspace innovation company with a full suite of over 300 products and offers workplace strategy, design, installation, and transformation services, providing everything high-growth businesses need to unlock the potential of their workforce. In 2019, they launched VariSpace, a multi-tenant ideation center, showroom, and campus designed to elevate the way businesses approach office. VariSpace is a space-as-a-service offering fully furnished suites, and flexible lease terms to enterprise-level clients. 

In 2021, Jason won CEO of the Year from D CEO Magazine, the award for 2016’s fastest growing company in the Dallas area at the annual SMU Cox Dallas 100™ Awards Ceremony. In 2017, he received EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year.

He is a board member of The Real Estate Council and a member of Eric’s Club, a distinguished and select group of University of Houston’s Hilton College that build a legacy of student inspiration. Jason is actively involved in his local community and regularly speaks to students about entrepreneurship, servant leadership, and culture.

For more on Jason check out social as well vari.com  and varispace.com 

Enjoy the show! 

#279: Hal Donaldson is the president and CEO of Convoy of Hope, a global, faith-based, nonprofit organization that works with communities to address root causes of poverty and hunger.

According to Forbes, Convoy of Hope is among the 50 largest charities in the United States.

Through its disaster responses and community development programs, Convoy has distributed more than $2.5 billion worth of food and supplies to more than 250 million people and currently feeds more than 677,000 children every school day.

Hal is an award winning journalist & speaker, as well as received numerous public service awards. He is also the author of the great book What Really Matters: How to care for yourself and serve in a hurting world. 

He has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from San Jose State University and a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies from Bethany University. 

For more on Hal, his book, & Convoy of Hope you can check out social as well as www.haldonaldson.org and www.convoyofhope.org

Hal was great as well patient during some technical difficulties, but I know you will be inspired and tremendously impacted by Hal’s story. 

Enjoy the show! 

#277: Scott Spiezio is a two-time World Series champion and former Major League Baseball player who spent 12 seasons with the Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals. He is the only father-son duo to win a World Series ring with the same organization (St. Louis Cardinals). An All-American at the University of Illinois and the school’s career home run leader, Spiezio is best known for his pivotal home run in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series that helped lead the Angels to their first championship.

After reaching the highest level of professional baseball, however, Spiezio's life began to unravel through alcohol addiction and substance abuse. His struggles eventually cost him his career and brought significant personal and professional consequences. Rather than hiding from that chapter of his life, Spiezio has increasingly made his story one of honesty, accountability, recovery and helping others.

His new memoir, The Hardest Comeback, chronicles that journey—from childhood and baseball success to addiction, losing nearly everything, and finding a path forward to redemption. His book is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. His story is also the subject of the documentary SPIEZIO, premiering on September 10 in St. Louis as the city celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Cardinals' 2006 World Series championship and then will be streaming on Re-Discover TV.

Scott is also available for public speaking and personal appearances. 

For more on Scott his book and speaking check out ScottSpiezio.com as well as social media. For his new documentary check out spiezio.info 

Enjoy the show! 

#276: Arun Gupta is a venture capitalist, educator, author, and mission-driven leader who has spent more than two decades operating at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, national security, and public service. He is the CEO of NobleReach Foundation and previously spent 18 years as a Partner at Columbia Capital, where he helped lead investments in cybersecurity, AI, government technology, and cloud infrastructure. 

Arun also teaches entrepreneurship and venture capital at Georgetown University and Stanford University, and is the author of the national bestseller Venture Meets Mission and co-author of The Mission Generation. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School, Arun is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and leaders use innovation not simply to create financial success, but to solve some of the most important challenges facing society.

For more on Arun check out social as well as www.noblereach.org 

Enjoy the show!

#275: Daniel Coyle is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and journalist whose work focuses on how individuals and teams develop excellence, build strong cultures, and reach their full potential. He is the author of The Culture Code, The Talent Code, and The Little Book of Talent, and has studied some of the world’s highest-performing organizations, including Navy SEALs, the San Antonio Spurs, Pixar, and other elite teams. Coyle serves as an advisor to organizations across business, sports, education, and the military, helping leaders create cultures where people can perform at their best. His work has made him one of the leading voices on leadership, teamwork, talent development, and the science behind high performance. 

His newest book Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, & Fulfillment, is out now. 

For more on Daniel you can check out www.danielcoyle.com as well as social media. 

Enjoy the show!