Everybody Pulls The Tarp

This week Andrew talks with former P.F. Chang’s CEO Damola Adamolekun. Damola took over as CEO during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic — and led the company & its 20,000 team members through a variety of monumental strategic initiatives. In this conversation, Damola shares a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership mindsets & philosophies he put in action to power one of the world’s most iconic brands to new heights. You’ll hear actionable lessons on how to manage during times of disruption, communicate a clear vision, achieve quick wins to build momentum, & so much more. This episode will get you hungry to take on your next big challenge.  

Programming Note: This conversation was recorded while Damola was still CEO at P.F. Chang’s prior to the recent announcement that he stepped down as CEO. 

Show Highlights: 

(2:30) - Decision to invest in P.F. Chang’s
(3:25) - Current vs. potential
(4:09) - Presenting investor pitch to John Paulson
(4:31) - Extrapolating to what’s possible
(6:38) - The power of being present
(8:32) - Using challenges/crisis to galvanize
(10:12) - Balancing parallel initiatives
(10:59) - Changing perceptions
(11:34) - Shifting mindset of an organization
(13:45) - Building momentum through quick wins
(14:23) - Restaurant operator going above & beyond
(18:34) - Attention to detail
(20:47) - Getting others excited about role
(23:51) - Damola’s morning routine
(24:38) - Starting your day with a conquest
(26:27) - Creating positive habits
(28:35) - Moving from Nigeria to US
(30:22) - Damola’s inspiration

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This week Andrew talks with Duke University Head Football Coach Mike Elko. In 2022, Mike was named ACC Coach of the Year — in just his first season at Duke. He took over a team that was 3-9 the previous season — and swiftly turned things around, leading Duke to a 9-4 record the following year. Andrew asks Mike about his career and the mindsets, tools, & leadership philosophies powering the turnaround he’s leading at Duke. You’ll hear actionable lessons on balancing competing priorities, communicating a clear vision, leading with authenticity, & so much more. This conversation is filled with powerful leadership & career lessons you can apply to anything.

Show Highlights:

(0:00) - Intro
(1:50) - Turning things around at Duke
(2:13) - First experience as head coach
(2:25) - Tailoring your approach
(2:35) - Building a Leadership Council
(3:34) - Finding “quick wins”
(4:43) - Prioritizing & compartmentalizing
(6:19) - Balancing competing priorities
(8:05) - Tarp pulling moments
(9:29) - Mike’s leadership philosophy
(9:37) - Communicating a clear vision
(11:38) - Relatability
(14:50) - Managing disruption
(15:05) - Quality control & driving efficiency
(17:40) - Two-way communication
(19:14) - Thinking about the why
(21:30) - Mike’s parents & childhood
(23:46) - Power of coaching

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This week Andrew talks with 2x World Series Champion & 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist. In 2000, Ben graduated high school and thought his baseball career was over.  Then, he dipped into his birthday money for $50 to attend a college tryout where he caught the attention of a college coach and landed a scholarship. He went on to become a 3x MLB All-Star and led both the Kansas City Royals & Chicago Cubs to historic World Series titles.  One of the most versatile & adaptable players of all-time, Ben played SS, 1B, 2B, 3B, & all 3 outfield positions. In this conversation, Andrew asks Ben about the mindsets, techniques, & philosophies that powered his journey into the baseball history books. Ben shares actionable ideas on increasing your self-belief, improving your focus, & maximizing your value by becoming more versatile. This conversation is filled with powerful life & career lessons that will help you achieve championship-level success in anything.

Show Highlights: 

(0:00) - Intro
(3:33) - 2015 World Series
(4:04) - Growing up in small town
(5:04) - College tryout
(6:54) - Increasing self-belief
(8:39) - Drawing inspiration from movies
(10:02) - Power of underdog stories
(11:27) - Building confidence
(13:55) - Becoming more versatile
(14:38) - Creating your own opportunities
(15:37) - Joe Maddon
(16:49) - Discipline & focus
(18:21) - Developing new skills
(18:58) - Transitioning between roles
(21:41) - Focus & mindfulness
(23:45) - Traits of champions
(25:53) - World Series titles
(27:47) - Letdown after success
(29:02) - 2016 Cubs World Series
(31:47) - Ben’s ‘Champion Forward’ program
(32:49) - Finding motivation

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This week Andrew talks with Furman University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bob Richey. In six seasons as head coach at Furman, Bob has amassed a .720 winning percentage which ranks in the top 15 among active Division 1 head coaches. In March, Bob took Furman to its first NCAA Tournament in 43 years — and the team upset fourth-ranked University of Virginia in the first round. This episode is about far more than basketball and is a deeply personal conversation about leadership, success, and the importance of building something that matters. Bob shares timeless lessons on turning adversity into opportunity, operating at the intersection of joy & urgency, and the power of stepping back to enjoy life’s big moments. This conversation is a stepping stone for anyone looking to achieve more success, fulfillment, & happiness in anything. 

Show Highlights:

(0:00) - Intro
(2:32) - Recent season
(2:51) - Finding time to reflect
(3:44) - Incremental steps to success
(3:54) - Turning adversity into opportunity
(5:47) - Building your leadership philosophy
(7:37) - Enduring through challenges
(8:24) - Speaking to team after tough loss
(11:47) - Moving forward following adversity
(13:12) - Hero’s journey
(14:31) - Navigating conflict
(15:05) - Win over UVA
(18:05) - First experience at March Madness
(19:28) - Intersection of joy & urgency
(21:25) - Lewis Barbecue outing
(23:50) - Not playing it safe
(28:57) - Bob’s childhood
(29:37) - Finding your purpose
(36:46) - Finding more fulfillment

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This week Andrew talks with 2x Major League Pickleball MVP Lee Whitwell. In 2017, Lee’s friend bribed her to play in her first pickleball tournament in exchange for a six pack of beer. Since then, Lee has become one of the top ranked pickleballers in the US and was named Major League Pickleball’s MVP in 2021 and 2022. In this conversation, Andrew asks Lee about the mindsets & techniques powering her extraordinary success in the fastest growing sport in the US. This episode is filled with important life & career lessons that span far beyond pickleball. You’ll hear actionable lessons on learning new skills, adapting on the fly, & unlocking the power of joy to fast-track your success in anything. 

Show Highlights:

(1:57) - Playing pickleball for first time
(3:04) - Overcoming assumptions
(3:23) - Learning a new skill
(3:56) - Embracing differences
(6:51) - Improving your focus
(8:12) - Planning ahead
(9:48) - Adapting on the fly
(12:09) - Unlearning
(14:07) - Teamwork & collaboration
(20:08) - Playing relaxed but not careless
(22:52) - Sustaining success
(24:17) - Why pickleball is growing so fast
(26:22) - Bringing communities together
(27:16) - How pickleball can impact the world

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This week Andrew talks with Hootie & The Blowfish drummer & 2x Grammy Award winner Jim Sonefeld. In 1989, Jim & bandmates Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, & Darius Rucker were playing gigs at small bars & fraternity parties at the University of South Carolina. In 1994, they released their first album Cracked Rear View — and it became a massive success. The band went on to win 2 Grammys, release 6 more studio albums, & sell over 25 million albums worldwide. In this conversation, Jim shares a behind-the-scenes look at his extraordinary career & the success secrets that have made Hootie & The Blowfish one of the most iconic bands of all-time. Jim also talks candidly about his battle with addiction & how he ultimately charted a path to recovery. He also shares a timeless lesson on the power of asking yourself “why not?” when trying to overcome fears. This conversation is a raw & emotional look at the highs & lows of success. 

Show Highlights:

(3:04) - First experience with Hootie & The Blowfish
(4:29) - Unique beginnings
(4:54) - Auditioning in self-storage unit
(7:20) - Simple mindset
(7:42) - Enjoying the process
(8:24) - Focus & attention to detail
(9:03) - Keeping things simple
(11:13) - Navigating rejection
(12:50) - Dealing with setbacks
(14:40) - Collaborating as a band
(16:12) - Adapting & evolving over time
(17:14) - Processing change
(19:24) - Maintaining connection with fans
(22:57) - Sustaining success
(25:30) - Addiction & recovery
(28:15) - Willingness
(30:44) - Darius Rucker’s solo career
(31:25) - 2019 tour
(33:56) - Childhood doubt
(34:05) - Overcoming fears

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This week Andrew talks with 6x AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Champion & Paris 2024 Olympic hopeful Betsi Flint. In 2015, Betsi burst onto the pro beach volleyball scene and was named AVP Tour Newcomer of the Year. Since then, she’s been one of the most effective & consistent beach volleyball players in the world. Named the AVP Best Server of the Year in 2019 & 2022, Betsi’s skills span both the physical & mental side of her sport — and she’s known for the cerebral, thoughtful nature of her game. In this conversation, Betsi shares tons of actionable ideas you can use to improve performance in anything. You’ll hear actionable lessons on learning new skills, increasing self-discipline, & turning weaknesses into strengths. Betsi also discusses a framework called “Think Box vs. Play Box” — a powerful concept she uses to increase her focus & be more present. 

Show Highlights:

(2:26) - Betsi’s journey to pro beach volleyball
(4:00) - Self-discipline
(4:28) - Building a training program
(6:55) - Early success & newcomer of the year
(8:16) - Building upon strengths
(8:28) - Mindfully focusing on growth
(11:24) - Think box vs Play box
(13:20) - Filtering distractions & negative thoughts
(16:01) - Maintaining an aggressive mindset
(18:36) - Building a successful partnership
(19:12) - Nonverbal communication
(23:19) - Road to Paris 2024
(23:54) - Peaking at the right time
(25:23) - Positive self-talk, leading by example
(29:10) - Talking to stuffed animals

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This week Andrew talks with Rand Pecknold, the head coach of the 2023 NCAA National Champion Quinnipiac University Men’s Hockey Team. In 1994, Rand took the head coaching job at Quinnipiac for a $6,700 salary. Quinnipiac was playing Division 3 hockey, coming off of a dismal 6-18 season, & practicing at midnight — the only time available at the local rink. Over the past 29 years, Rand catapulted the program to national prominence and recently led the team to its first national championship. In this conversation, Andrew & Rand explore the success secrets that powered Quinnipiac’s David vs. Goliath-like journey from hockey obscurity to national champions. This episode is filled with actionable lessons on leadership, coaching, & success. You’ll hear advice on developing a winning mindset, improving in anything through marginal gains, & how to maximize your success by focusing on the little details. This episode will get you ready to go toe to toe with your competition — no matter who they are. 

Show Highlights:

(3:05) - Rand’s decision to take Quinnipiac job
(3:30) - Breaking into a new industry
(5:12) - Using adversity as advantage
(5:30) - Recruiting talent that fits your culture
(6:35) - Performing an “audit” on past performance
(8:16) - Managing an unhappy team member
(10:35) - Communicating expectations
(13:15) - Competing with intensity
(14:02) - Preparing relentlessly
(15:05) - Driving continuous improvement
(18:37) - Coaching team to be selfless
(21:27) - Improving with small details
(26:19) - Frameworks for knowledge sharing
(27:55) - Learning from NHL teams
(30:05) - Learning by teaching
(32:10) - Rand’s reflections on national championship

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Andrew talks with New York Times bestselling author Andrea Bartz. In 2021, Andrea’s thriller novel We Were Never Here became an instant New York Times bestseller & a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Andrew is also joined this week by special guest co-host Nathan Baugh who studies the world’s best storytellers & tweets about it to over 220,000 people every day. Nathan also writes World Builders, an email newsletter about storytelling that he sends to over 60,000 people each week. In this conversation, Andrew & Nathan ask Andrea about her new book The Spare Room—and explore the secrets behind her creative process. You’ll learn how to capture new ideas, overcome creative doubt, & shape stories that resonate deeply with others. This episode will help you develop your craft as a storyteller—a powerful skill critical to forming deeper connections with others and communicating ideas that stand the test of time.

Show Highlights:

(2:40) - Writing stories as a child
(5:28) - Imitating writers you enjoy
(6:22) - Studying journalism in college
(7:58) - Pursuing a new career after layoff
(10:12) - Sunk cost fallacy
(10:39) - Learning from others
(11:23) - Writing first and refining later
(14:02) - Polishing a draft
(15:15) - Capturing new ideas
(16:40) - Exploring ideas through writing
(19:09) - Role of conflict
(20:13) - Picking timely topics to write about
(26:57) - Improving as a writer
(29:08) - Overcoming doubt & intimidation
(33:35) - Pursuing new challenges
(35:09) - Trying new things

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This week Andrew talks with Washington Commanders star Charles Leno Jr. In January, Charles made his 127th consecutive regular season NFL start—continuing one of the NFL’s longest active consecutive game streaks. In addition to always being there for his teammates on the field, Charles is also a consistent presence off-the-field in the community. He was a 2022 nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes NFL players for outstanding community service and excellence on the field. In this conversation, Andrew asks Charles about the mindsets & techniques that have made him one of the NFL’s most consistent players. You’ll hear important lessons on creating effective routines, building confidence, increasing focus, & so much more.

Show Highlights:

(3:07) - 127th consecutive NFL game
(4:31) - Creating an effective routine
(7:20) - Getting back on track
(8:58) - Being available and present
(9:19) - Advice from Ron Rivera
(9:30) - Living in the moment
(11:18) - Mindset tools to increase focus
(15:56) - Reading body language
(18:15) - Navigating change
(21:14) - Building confidence
(23:25) - Community service
(29:20) - Finding your passions

** Follow Andrew On Social Media **

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Instagram: @AndrewMoses123

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