Defining Moments with Dustin

What happens when failure becomes one of your greatest advantages?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Daniel Oladejo to explore the experiences that shaped him as an athlete, leader, and business professional.

Daniel shares how being cut from teams, sitting on the sidelines for years, and facing pressure at the CFL Combine helped build the resilience and discipline that continue to guide him today. He also explains why learning how to respond to failure matters far beyond sport.

The conversation covers leadership under pressure, building trust through shared experiences, performing with freedom instead of fear, and why significant failure can be one of the most valuable experiences for young athletes.

Daniel also reflects on his transition from professional sport into business development and leadership coaching, and how the lessons he learned on the field continue to shape the next chapter of his career.

What happens when the lessons learned at the highest level of sport become lessons for leadership?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Olympic gold medalist Susanne Wereley to explore the defining experiences that shaped her journey from the rowing boat to the boardroom.

Susanne shares the moment Canada's women's eight realized they were capable of something special, how finishing fifth at the Rio Olympics changed her relationship with success, and how that experience helped the team redefine excellence on their path to Olympic gold in Tokyo.  

They also discuss what high-performance sport can teach us about leadership, including taking responsibility before blaming others, staying open to difficult feedback, communicating consistently, building trust, and recognizing that even champions always have something they can improve.  

Now serving as President of AthletesCAN, Susanne is helping amplify athlete voices and advocating for athletes to have a meaningful seat at the table. She and Dustin also explore how Canadian sport can create clearer pathways and greater opportunities for the next generation.  

It’s a conversation about resilience, accountability, communication, athlete advocacy, and what it really means to pursue excellence without expecting perfection.

Are we raising better athletes, or are we taking the joy out of sports?

In this episode of Defining Moments, host Dustin Heise sits down with Skip Gilbert, Executive Vice President at Capelli Sport and former CEO of US Youth Soccer and USA Triathlon, to explore what it really takes to build successful athletes, strong leaders, and lasting sports organizations.

With decades of experience across youth sports and the Olympic movement, Skip shares why the future of sports depends on creating opportunities for everyone, not just those chasing elite competition.

Together, Dustin and Skip discuss the growing pressure placed on young athletes, the importance of recreational and competitive pathways, and why encouraging kids to play multiple sports can help build a lifelong love of physical activity.

Skip also draws powerful connections between sports and business, explaining how preparation, resilience, integrity, and passion shape high-performing teams. He shares his approach to leadership, from building values-driven cultures to putting the right people in the right roles.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple message: Sports should be about more than winning. They should help people grow, stay active, and find joy in the journey.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why youth sports need both recreational and elite pathways.
• How early pressure can push young athletes away from the games they love.
• Why playing multiple sports matters for lifelong participation.
• How preparation and practice translate into business success.
• What it takes to build a values-driven, high-performance culture.
• Why passion and enjoyment can matter more than talent alone.
• How leaders can create stronger organizations by putting people in the right roles.

Whether you're a coach, parent, athlete, or business leader, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on building success without losing sight of what makes sports meaningful.

Tune in to discover why the greatest impact of sports may have nothing to do with the scoreboard.

What if the true impact of sport goes far beyond medals and podiums?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Matthew Bongiorno, Manager of Government Relations and Public Affairs at the Canadian Olympic Committee, to explore how sport can unite communities, strengthen national identity, and create lasting change.

Matthew shares how the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games shaped his career and showed him the power of partnerships. He also takes us behind the scenes of the Canadian Olympic Committee and its work to support athletes, strengthen the national sport system, and advocate for greater investment in Canadian sport.

Dustin and Matthew also discuss authentic leadership, the legacy of hosting major sporting events, the rise of women’s sport in Canada, growing barriers to participation, and Team Canada 2035’s goal of getting one million more young people involved in sport.
This conversation is a reminder that sport is more than competition. It can create belonging, build confidence, develop leaders, and bring people together around something bigger than themselves.

What does it take to rebuild a culture, put athletes first, and lead an Olympic organization toward its biggest stage?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Adam Andrasko, CEO of USA Artistic Swimming, to explore the leadership lessons behind the organization’s transformation. Adam shares why culture can take years to build but only a day to destroy, and how consistent actions helped rebuild trust and belief within the organization. 

Adam also reflects on his unexpected path from studying biology and playing college football to building a career within the Olympic movement, and why sport became the platform through which he could make an impact. 

The conversation dives into athlete-first leadership, the realities of making difficult decisions as a CEO, and the importance of caring before coaching. Adam also looks ahead to the road toward LA28 and the opportunity to build lasting competitive and financial strength for USA Artistic Swimming. 

What does it take to turn the power of sport into lasting impact?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Sara Toussaint, Co-CEO of TMJ and a longtime sports business executive whose career has taken her across Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, brand partnerships, athlete representation, and professional team ownership.

Sara shares how growing up on Chicago’s South Side showed her firsthand the unique ability of sport to bring people together. She reflects on the career leap that tested her resilience during the 2008 recession, the relationships that shaped the way she leads, and why even a simple response can make a lasting difference in someone’s career.

The conversation also explores the momentum behind women’s sports, why greater media visibility and brand investment are essential to sustaining that growth, and Sara’s vision for making women footballers from around the world household names.

From navigating failure to building trust and creating opportunities that extend far beyond the scoreboard, Sara shares the defining moments that have shaped her approach to leadership, business, and the future of sport.

What if access to great coaching didn’t depend on where you lived or how much money your family could afford?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Victor Bergonzoli, CEO of SportsEdTV, Emmy Award winner, and co-founder of the International Sports Technology Association.

Victor shares the defining moments that took him from a successful corporate career to entrepreneurship, including the risk of leaving a secure job to help build Dartfish and the unforgettable moment, years later, when Olympic gold medalist Jon Montgomery thanked him for the role the technology played in his success.

They explore the resilience Victor developed through competitive sport, the lessons he carried into business, and why he believes the rising cost of youth sports is one of the biggest challenges facing the next generation.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea: sport has the power to change lives, and quality education and coaching should be accessible to everyone.

From technology and leadership to youth development and the future of sports education, this conversation is about using success to create opportunities for others—and building a legacy measured by impact.

What does it take to build a world-class sports organization from the ground up?

On this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Danny Da Costa, CEO of the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre, to explore the leadership decisions behind the growth of one of Canada’s premier year-round tennis facilities. Danny brings three decades of experience leading sport organizations and has helped build the Centre from an idea on paper into an organization with more than 70 employees.
Danny shares why his defining moment came when he realized they had assembled the right team, and how a people-first culture became the foundation for everything that followed. He and Dustin discuss empowering employees without over-managing, knowing when a leader should stay at a higher altitude, navigating organizational change, and making sport more accessible and inclusive.
They also look toward the future of sport leadership, from AI and data-driven decision-making to infrastructure, funding, technology, and the growing need for year-round facilities. Danny shares the ambitious expansion plans that could ultimately grow the Alberta Tennis Centre to 27 courts and make it the largest tennis facility in Canada.
It’s a conversation about building something that lasts by investing first in people, culture, community, and purpose.

What does it take to compete at the highest level while helping shape the future of your sport?

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Madison Richardson, professional climber, Canadian National Climbing Team athlete, and Chair of Climbing Escalade Canada’s Athletes Commission.

Madison shares the journey that took her from a young climber to competing on the world stage, including the breakthrough performances that proved to her what was possible when she fully committed to her goals. She also opens up about the pressure that comes with high-performance sport, learning to separate self-worth from results, and the mental work required to keep growing.

The conversation explores Madison’s evolution from athlete to leader, her work advocating for athletes within Canadian climbing, and the realities of competing in a sport where resources can be limited. She explains why athlete voices matter in organizational decision-making and how sharing both victories and struggles can help strengthen an entire sporting community.

Madison also looks ahead to one of the biggest challenges of her career: pursuing a place at the 2028 Olympic Games. With women’s bouldering becoming its own Olympic discipline, she discusses learning to trust her preparation, embrace the pressure, and give herself permission to see just how far she can climb.

It’s a conversation about resilience, leadership, community, self-belief, and continuing to evolve when the next challenge gets higher.

On this episode of Defining Moments, Dustin Heise sits down with Rob Ohno, President and CEO of the ANNIKA Foundation, to explore how sport can shape character, leadership, and lives far beyond competition.

Drawing from decades of experience across the PGA Tour and global sport, Rob shares why the greatest lessons in athletics have little to do with winning. From coaching his own children to leading a foundation that empowers young women through golf, he reflects on the defining moments that changed his perspective on success, failure, and purpose.

The conversation explores why great leaders prioritize learning over results, how community transforms performance, and why every athlete has more than one mountain to climb. Rob also shares the ANNIKA Foundation's mission to develop future leaders through golf and explains why the lessons learned in sport can become the foundation for an extraordinary life.

Whether you're a coach, parent, athlete, or leader, this episode is a powerful reminder that the greatest victories aren't measured on a scoreboard—they're measured by the lives we impact.