Career and Job transition – The Mentors Radio

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with former U.S. Senator William W. “Bill” Bradley and how he navigated major life transitions, why he shares very personal stories; you’ll even hear Bill sing a Van Morrison song to demonstrate his latest passion. Senator Bradley represents a rare convergence of elite performance across athletics, academics and public service. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 – 1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was an Olympic gold medalist and a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks during which time they won two (2) NBA championships. In 1982, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Senator Bradley holds a bachelor’s degree in American History from Princeton and a master’s degree from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Senator Bradley is a Managing Director of Allen & Company and hosts American Voices, a weekly show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of Americans, both famous and unknown. He has authored seven books on American politics, culture, and the economy, and his performative autobiography, Rolling Along, has been viewed more than 20 million times. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

BILL BRADLEY:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Vienna Pharaon, a highly regarded licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in New York City and author of an off-the-charts best-selling book, The Origins of You: How Breaking Family Patterns Can Liberate the Way We Live and Love. This episode addresses some of the most fundamental and powerful forces in each of our lives that directly affect our individual ability to reach our full potential, in life, relationships, athletics, and in literally any endeavor we pursue, including business. Vienna Pharaon’s insights on human behavior and a common “why” behind what we individually choose, can be—and often are, literally, transformative and life-changing. Her book, The Origins of You, has become a global phenomenon, a national best-seller, and already has been translated into 24 languages. In the book, Vienna offers a profound analysis of how unresolved childhood wounds fundamentally reshape our relationship and our professional trajectories… and if not addressed, can put our career or lifestyle at risk. We may discover we are living a story we never actually chose. In this episode, you’ll uncover the hidden forces and childhood patterns that are secretly threatening our leadership, our organizations and our personal lives. Learn how to get the wisdom YOU need to protect YOUR future and break any destructive cycles. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

VIENNA PHARAON:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with global advisor Ram Charan on whether your career and lifestyle are at risk from China’s “90% Strategy”. Ram Charan has been a foundational force in global business strategy for more than six decades, sought after for growth strategy and advice by CEOs including Jeff Bezos and more. Widely recognized as the advisor who tells you what you need to hear—not what you want to hear—Ram joins us for his sixth appearance to deliver a message essential for every leader, entrepreneur and citizen. The focus of this episode is on Ram’s new work, China’s 90% Model: China Has America by the Throat: Here’s How to Fight Back and Win. In this book, Ram offers a profound analysis of a systematic strategy of industrial dominance that is fundamentally reshaping the global order. This is not just a conversation about market competition; it is a look at the very survival of Western industrial capacity. While the subject may seem geopolitical, it is vital to understand because these are the forces putting our organizations at risk—the very factors that will shape the world that our children and grandchildren inherit. To protect our legacy and guide the next generation, we must see the road ahead with absolute clarity. This episode exposes the wisdom you need to protect the road ahead, your future.    LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

RAM CHARAN:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with MIT Professors Nelson Repenning and Don Keiffer to discuss their new book, There Has Got to Be a Better Way- How to Deliver Results and Get Rid of the Stuff That Gets in the Way of Real Work, describing Dynamic Work Design.  Work design is the primary reason work often fails to get done well, and why leaders need to thoroughly know the business and get involved with the front line to be effective and respected. Nelson is the Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center and the Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Nelson received the International System Dynamics Society’s Jay Wright Forrester Award, which recognizes the best work in the field in the previous five years and he received the Jamieson Prize for Excellence in Teaching. He was recently recognized by Poets and Quants as one of the country’s top instructors in executive education. Don’s 40-year career in operations spans from front-line work to executive roles, including 15 years at Harley-Davidson where he was VP of Operational Excellence. He is currently advising executive teams around the globe in operational strategy and improvement. He is a Senior Lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and AVT Business School in Copenhagen. Don and Nelson are partners in ShiftGear Work Design.   LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

NELSON REPENNING and DON KEIFFER:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Shirin Behzadi, author of The Unexpected CEO and an extraordinary leader who has lived what many would call three lifetimes in one. Shirin’s journey is a masterclass in perseverance, resiliance and what some would describe as anti-fragility. She rose from being alone, as an 18-year-old immigrant, working behind bulletproof glass as an all-night gas station cashier, to becoming the CEO of a billion-dollar home improvement franchise network. Along the way, she navigated a high-stakes, nine-figure private equity exit and overcame a life-threatening health crisis—a brain tumor—that forced her to redefine everything she knew about leadership. In this episode we dive deep into why your point of view—not your ability—is often your greatest limitation and how to transform adversity into your ultimate competitive advantage.  

LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

Key Wisdom from this Episode includes:

SHIRIN BEHZADI:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Ginni Rometty, who was the ninth Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of IBM. Under her leadership, the 100-year-old company reinvented 50 percent of its portfolio, built a $25 billion hybrid cloud business, and established leadership in AI and quantum computing.  IBM acquired 65 companies during Ginni’s tenure as CEO, including Red Hat, the largest acquisition in the company’s history.  She also drove record results in workforce transformation and supported the explosive growth of an innovative high school program to prepare the workforce of the future in over twenty-eight countries.  Through her work with the Business Roundtable, Ginni helped redefine the purpose of the corporation. She has been named Fortune’s #1 Most Powerful Woman three years in a row, is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and has been honored with the designation of Officer in the French Légion of Honor. Today, Ginni Rometty serves on multiple boards and co-chairs OneTen, a coalition committed to upskilling, hiring and promoting one million Americans without four-year degrees by 2030 into family-sustaining jobs and careers. She is the author of the bestselling book Good Power: Creating Positive Change in Our Lives, Work and World, which is full of lessons she learned from important mentors, both inside and outside of IBM.   LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

GINNI ROMETTY:

In today’s episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist and the founder of Dementia Careblazers. Did you know that right now, one in four adults in the United States is providing care for someone else? That represents 63 million Americans—a silent army navigating complex medical needs, crushing financial pressures, and heavy legal responsibilities. As our population ages, this role is rapidly becoming one of the most defining experiences of our time. But what if we looked at caregiving differently? What if, rather than just a burden, we viewed it as a profound masterclass in being human? It is a form of sacrificial love that teaches us to listen without words, to read non-verbal signals, and to master the art of patience. It challenges us to become better leaders and more available to the people who need us most. In this episode, you’ll learn how Dr. Natali Edmonds transitioned from helping her clients one-on-one as a doctor, to becoming an “accidental entrepreneur” helping millions of caregivers and building a global movement not just by offering medical advice, but by giving caregivers the tools to protect their own well-being. Whether you are in the trenches right now or simply want to learn how to be more present in your own life, this conversation is for you. You’ll also learn how serving others can actually help us to find ourselves. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

DR. NATALI EDMONDS:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Jim Loehr, a world-renown human performance psychologist, about how to ensure you are leading with character and purposely pursuing what matters most. Loehr knows what he’s talking about. He has literally transformed hundreds of lives, including the most elite tennis competitors in the world, as well as business executives at all levels, and the millions of individuals who have read his books or taken his courses over many yeas. Jim’s ability to transform an individual’s energy so that he or she can easily and dramatically improve their sustained energy level is remarkable. His work and coaching unleashes an individual’s unique potential and peak performance, regardless of whether they are a top tennis athlete, or a company executive, entrepreneur, or a student in college. Jim knows first-hand that better sustained energy and better focus results in Peak Performance and Achievement. Every. Time. Jim Loehr is the co-founder of the Orlando-based Human Performance Institute, and the author of 17 easy-to-read, down-to-earth yet life-transforming books, including best-sellers: “The Power of Full Engagement,” “The Power of Story,” and “Leading with Character.” Listen to the radio podcast of this episode below (posted after the episode’s radio airing)… Subscribe for free here to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast so you never miss an episode!

JIM LOEHR, PhD:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jerome Bettis (also known as “The Bus”), who is a Hall of Fame running back and Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year. Jerome describes how he “broke the cycle” of shunning rookies in the locker room and instead focused on encouraging and mentoring them. He also talks about how the generosity of one pro football player he met as a kid drove him to develop the habit of giving a “hand up” to those in need; a habit that he knows he will continue for the rest of his life. “The Bus” is also the title of Jerome’s bestselling autobiography, which tells the story of Bettis’ rise from a Detroit ghetto to an illustrious collegiate and professional football career. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the league’s all-time leading rushers, Jerome retired in 2006 after helping the Steelers win the Super Bowl, and in 2022, at age 50, Bettis received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother when he left college for the NFL draft a year before graduation! LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

JEROME BETTIS:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Rusty Gaillard, a man who built one of the quintessential “A-student” careers of our time: Princeton engineering, GE under Jack Welch, an MBA from Stanford, and ultimately 14 years at Apple, where he served as Worldwide Director of Finance. By any external measure, he had “made it”. But internally, Rusty hit a wall — a wall many high achievers eventually reach. That crisis led to deep introspection, divorce, reinvention, and ultimately the insights behind his book, Breaking the Code: Stop Looking for Answers and Start Enjoying Life — a guide to upgrading what he calls your code or your “InnerTech,” the internal operating system that shapes your life. Rusty eventually left Apple to become a transformational executive coach, helping leaders navigate transitions and create meaningful, sustainable success. In this episode, they explore what drove Rusty to the breaking point, how he rebuilt his life, and what he has learned coaching others through change. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

RUSTY GAILLARD: