Corporate Competitor Podcast

Ep. 233: This CEO's high school was so tiny that it didn't have a track team, so he started a squad from scratch, built up the roster and even coached them, all while running a swift 4:25 mile along the way.

That mindset—identifying a challenge and pursuing a solution—never left him. Years after starring on the team, Sanford saw an opening in the real estate market. He realized that the future of the business was online. So, he acted.

Today? 📈 85,000+ agents 🏆 Publicly traded 🏅 Named one of Glassdoor's Best Places to Work

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Shon Kokoszka, Lauren Stecker, and Andrew Levin for making this episode possible.

Ep. 232: Training for her ultramarathon in Spain helped Heidi break big goals into small, achievable steps. Her approach offers a compelling blueprint for building trust, inspiring teams, and elevating the customer experience.

Rooted in small-town Kansas values and shaped by global experience, you will learn in this conversation how to stop treating customers like transactions.

1. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

2. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

3. Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Alissa Pupich and Karson Hills for making this episode possible.

Ep. 231: How does a moment become momentum? You will learn the model to capture, accelerate, and reverse momentum as featured in my new book with Gen. Bernard Banks.

From commanding in Desert Storm to teaching at West Point and Rice University to transforming organizations, Bernie's perspective is battle-tested, data-backed, and built to help leaders at every level create their own momentum shift.

1. Order your copy of the book here!

2. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

3. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

4. Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Ep. 230: From college football to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, John Tuttle has always thrived in competitive arenas. Now as President of Acrisure, he leads 19,000 employees in one of the fastest-growing fintech companies on the planet.

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Anthony Dickinson and Guillermo Orellana for making this episode possible.

Ep. 229: Playing for The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys shaped the creator of Babcock Ranch—America's first solar-powered town. You will learn:

• Why Syd requires every team member to sign a Team Agreement—and what happens when they don't.
• How a quarterly Day of Service strengthens company culture and community impact.
• Why great leadership means turning observations into innovations.

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Karson Hills and Anthony Dickinson for making this episode possible.

Ep. 228: Get excited for the Kentucky Derby with Spectrum Vice President Mark Kornegay! "Horses are like people—they can burn themselves out trying to keep up with the fastest ones, instead of running their own race," he shared on this episode.

Mark's career also includes leadership roles at Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and he served as a Special Agent for the FBI and an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

You will learn why preparation is everything and the best performers understand their strengths and craft a strategy that suits them.

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Samantha Clark and Guillermo Orellana for making this episode possible.

Ep. 227: A devastating injury during the National Championship game left Robert paralyzed from the neck down. Told he'd never walk again, he began a new journey, one fueled by his three-word mantra: "Compared to what?"

Robert shares how that question helped him shift from victimhood to victory—and how you can use the same mindset to lead through adversity.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why asking "Compared to what?" cuts big challenges down to size.
• How to reframe your pain into purpose and lead from a place of strength.
• What it means to truly forgive—and how it frees your energy to focus forward.

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Alissa Pupich and Karson Hills for making this episode possible.

Ep. 226: Running marathons shaped this CEO's 35-year rise from "Amway Project Intern" to the corner office. From his first days at Amway to overseeing 14,000 employees in 100 countries, Michael reflects on his journey to teach you:

• How to avoid creating a culture where people are panicked to fail
• Why raising your hand opens the door to leadership growth—and what it really means to say yes to opportunity
• What running marathons taught him about clarity and leadership

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Joey Morris and Anthony Dickinson for making this episode possible.

Ep. 225: Our conversation explores powerful leadership lessons in radical transparency—revealing why honest reporting, even when the news isn't good, is essential for real progress. Learn how the Ford executives brought challenges to the table to solve them together.

If you missed part 1, listen here: https://donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast/episode-224/

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Dave Calder and Dillon McDonald for making this episode possible.

Ep. 224: Former Boeing and Ford CEO went to Kansas on a gymnastics scholarship and later competed in a semi-pro tennis circuit. Learn how sports shaped one of Fortune's "World's Greatest Leaders."

To listen to PART 2 of the conversation, visit: https://donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast/episode-224/

Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

Special thanks to Dave Calder and Dillon McDonald for making this episode possible.