Business Isn't Hard

In this episode of Business Isn’t Hard, I sit down with Professor Eric Knott to break down what early career growth really looks like and why you don’t need to have everything figured out right out of college. Drawing on over 25 years of experience in HR leadership, consulting, and teaching at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Eric shares practical advice on approaching your first roles, learning what you enjoy, and avoiding analysis paralysis.

The conversation explores the power of networking, why students and young professionals often underestimate their advantage, and how relationships can accelerate careers faster than resumes. Eric also explains why business awareness matters and why understanding finance, marketing, and the broader business environment is critical for long-term success.

Finally, Eric discusses one of the biggest career derailers he sees in leadership: ego. He breaks down what healthy confidence looks like, how unchecked ego damages careers and culture, and how to lead with humility, empathy, and accountability.

In this episode of Business Isn’t Hard, Mark Beauvais shares practical insights from decades of experience in leadership, strategy, and real estate. The conversation focuses on data-driven decision making, building strong business models, and staying adaptable in competitive environments.

You will also hear lessons on the importance of relationships, disciplined thinking, and perseverance over the course of a long career. This episode offers clear, actionable takeaways for anyone looking to think more strategically and build lasting success in business.

In this episode, Tony Imperato shares the mindset and habits that have shaped his career—from the internal drive that pushes great leaders forward to the disciplined routines that create long-term momentum. He breaks down how to recognize real opportunities, build the kind of consistency that compounds, and develop the emotional intelligence needed to lead people effectively. It’s a practical, clear, and motivating look at what actually moves careers and businesses ahead.

In this episode, I sit down with Parisa Zander, a global leader in partner experiences whose career spans Microsoft, Samsung, and Meta. Parisa shares the pivotal lessons that shaped her leadership, from operating with a startup mindset inside massive organizations to navigating the difficult transition from peer to manager. She breaks down how real culture is built through consistent actions, not corporate slogans, and why emotional intelligence is the backbone of every high-performing team.

Listeners will walk away with insights on setting boundaries, reading team dynamics, and leading with empathy in environments that are constantly evolving. Whether you’re early in your career or stepping into leadership for the first time, this conversation offers a grounded, honest look at what it takes to create meaningful impact inside fast-moving companies.

Tune in to learn the principles that help good leaders become great ones.

In this episode, Luke Crihfield shares lessons from his journey through consulting and startups, from taking ownership early in your career to leading with curiosity and deep listening. He explains how to find environments where your impact matters, bring solutions instead of problems, and build the skills that fuel long-term growth.

In the final episode of this four-part mini series, I bring everything together... not by talking theory, but by showing how ideas become action.

After weeks of exploring success, mindset, and growth, this episode asks the real question: What does it look like to actually live these principles every day?

Drawing from dozens of interviews with CEOs, founders, and executives, Oliver uncovers the quiet, consistent behaviors that separate those who just talk about success from those who build it. From how they learn to how they lead, these stories reveal the moments - often small, unseen ones - that create lasting impact.

Whether you’re starting your career or leading a team, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, leadership, and the habits that truly move you forward.

At the heart of every great leader’s journey lies one thing: mindset. Skills can be taught and opportunities can be created, but without the right mindset, progress never takes off. In this episode, we explore the seven core attributes that consistently show up across every interview: the traits that shape how leaders learn, lead, and connect with others.

From growth and attitude to resilience and authenticity, this episode breaks down the mindsets that fuel personal and professional success. You’ll learn how great leaders think, how they bounce back from setbacks, and how they stay grounded in who they are.

This is the mindset that powers the Learning–Leading Spiral, and the foundation for lasting growth in any career.

This episode marks Part 2 of a four-part series unpacking the key themes of the Business Isn’t Hard thesis: a deep dive into what truly drives success among business leaders.

In this chapter, we explore the Learning–Leading Spiral, a framework that explains how great leaders continuously evolve by cycling between two core states: learning and leading. Rather than operating on autopilot, successful individuals move fluidly between gaining new insights and applying them to help others grow.

We’ll look at how this cycle unfolds both across an entire career and within everyday decisions - how leaders learn by doing, take risks, and adapt, then shift toward guiding, mentoring, and influencing others. When growth is added as a third dimension, the result is the Learning–Leading Spiral - a continuous, upward progression of development that defines long-term success.

At the center of it all lies one constant: people. Learning happens through people, leadership exists for people, and growth is sustained by the relationships we build along the way.

Tune in to discover how understanding and applying the Learning–Leading Spiral can help you approach your own career with greater intention, clarity, and purpose.

Welcome back! Today, I'm starting a 4 part mini series, going over the biggest takeaways and finding from my thesis project, which this podcast is a part of. Today, we talk about what success actually looks like for business leaders, defined by 5 key elements: personal fulfillment, financial wellbeing, personal growth, energizing work, and helping others.

The regularly scheduled interviews will be back soon, so don't worry!

Breaking into the sports industry - or any competitive field - takes more than talent. It takes discipline, relationships, and vision. In this episode, I talk with Tanner Natzke, Manager of Premium Sales at Tepper Sports & Entertainment and host of the Attitude, Effort, Results podcast. Tanner shares how he’s built his career by stacking daily habits that fuel energy and focus, building genuine relationships in every direction, and showing up face-to-face when it matters most. We also dive into leadership and why the best leaders dream big enough that others can find their place inside that vision.