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Alpha Coffee co-founder and retired Army lieutenant colonel Carl Churchill joins Joe for a candid conversation on leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to build something that lasts after the uniform comes off.

After serving more than two decades in the Army, Carl found himself facing an unexpected second career shaped not by careful planning, but by crisis. In the wake of the Great Recession, he and his wife Lori cashed out their savings and took an all-in leap to build Alpha Coffee from their basement—navigating years of uncertainty, near-misses, and hard-earned lessons before the business finally found its footing. Drawing on his military background, Stoic philosophy, and a refusal to quit, Carl shares how discipline, culture, and clarity of purpose carried him through nearly a decade of struggle.

In this conversation, Joe and Carl explore what leadership looks like when there’s no rank to hide behind: how military lessons translate into entrepreneurship, why culture matters more than strategy, and how leaders must adapt their style as contexts and generations change. Along the way, they reflect on stress, perspective, boundaries, and the quiet confidence that comes from having faced truly hard things before.

In this episode, Joe and Carl also explore:

• Tips for making great coffee
• Why Carl chose to walk away from promotion to keep leading people, not staffs
• What “burning the boats” looks like when your family and future are on the line
• How military hardship inoculates leaders against stress and uncertainty
• Why culture—not strategy—is the true differentiator between great and failing teams
• Leading younger generations without abandoning standards or expectations
• The challenge of setting boundaries when you genuinely love your work

Whether you’re navigating life after military service, building something from scratch, or leading people through uncertainty, this episode offers a grounded reminder that the habits forged in discipline, humility, and persistence still matter—long after the mission changes.

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Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, Top Gun instructor, and leadership consultant Dave Berke joins Joe for an honest conversation about ego, responsibility, and what it truly means to lead—both in the arena of combat and in everyday life.

As the bestselling author of The Need to Lead, Dave pulls back the curtain on the high-pressure world of fighter aviation, the chaos of ground combat in Ramadi, and the quiet challenges of becoming a better leader at home.  He reveals how his biggest breakthroughs came not from triumphs, but from failure—from dogfights he should have won, leadership roles he wasn’t ready for, and moments where ego clouded judgment.

In this episode, Joe and Dave also explore:

• Why ego is the most dangerous threat to good leadership—and how to recognize the voice that “loves you to death”
• How Top Gun actually works (and why the instructors are more humble than Hollywood suggests)
• Lessons from Ramadi—operating in chaos, fighting self-doubt, and learning fast under pressure
• Why leaders fail when they cling to control instead of developing others
• The danger of complacency—and how one “guaranteed win” dogfight changed Dave’s approach to preparation
• Preparing for your own departure as a leader—why good leadership outlasts the leader
• The hard emotional work of transition and why believing in your next mission matters more than salary, title, or prestige

Whether you’re leading in uniform, managing a team, or navigating a major life transition, this episode offers hard-earned wisdom on how to stay grounded, remain teachable, and build teams capable of enduring whatever comes next.

Dave Berke is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, former TOPGUN Instructor, and now the Chief Development Officer and a leadership instructor at Echelon Front. As an F/A-18 pilot, he deployed twice from the USS John C. Stennis in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later spent three years at TOPGUN as an Instructor Pilot, Training Officer, and senior staff pilot overseeing the course.

He also served on the ground in Ramadi in 2006 as an ANGLICO Forward Air Controller with the Army’s 1st AD, leading his team on scores of combat missions and accompanying SEAL Task Unit Bruiser on nearly every major operation of the Battle of Ramadi.

Dave was the only Marine selected to fly the F-22 and became the first operational pilot qualified in the F-35B, later commanding the Marine Corps’ first F-35 squadron. He holds a Master’s in International Public Policy and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

After retiring, Dave joined Echelon Front, bringing deep experience in combat leadership, decision-making, risk mitigation, and building high-performance teams.

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Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Dr. Joseph Loconte joins Joe for a powerful exploration of faith, imagination, and courage in times of crisis—how two Oxford professors used story to resist the darkness of their age and inspire generations to come.

As a historian and author of The War for Middle-earth: J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945, Dr. Loconte reveals how the trauma of the First World War and the rise of totalitarianism shaped the moral imagination of both Tolkien and Lewis. While fascism, communism, and nihilism were eroding meaning across Europe, these two friends responded with mythic tales that reawakened the timeless virtues of courage, friendship, sacrifice, and faith.

In this conversation, Joe and Dr. Loconte unpack what it means to lead with conviction in an age of cynicism—how to confront “the gathering storm” of fear and confusion not through force, but through imagination, integrity, and truth. They explore how literature can serve as resistance, how belief can ground moral clarity, and why cultivating the inner life is essential for any leader facing dark times.

Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of the moral lessons behind The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia—and how these works still speak to the leaders, soldiers, and citizens called to stand in the breach today.

In this episode, Joe and Dr. Loconte also explore:

• How the First World War shaped Tolkien and Lewis’s understanding of evil and heroism
• Why the 1920s and 1930s created a “crisis of meaning” across the Western world
• How their friendship became a creative alliance and a moral counteroffensive
• Why The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia are, at their core, acts of defiance against despair
• What “the cataract of nonsense” teaches us about propaganda and the need for historical literacy
• The spiritual courage required to use one’s gifts—even when the world seems to be falling apart
• How both men modeled leadership through faith, fellowship, and imagination

Whether you’re leading in the military, education, or business, this episode offers timeless lessons on how conviction, creativity, and courage can help us navigate our own modern storms—and remind us that even in the darkest times, grace and goodness still have the final word.

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Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Phil Gilbert joins Joe for a masterclass on leading lasting change—how to move large organizations, overcome cultural antibodies, and build systems that make transformation stick.

As the former head of design at IBM, Phil was tasked with one of the most ambitious corporate transformations of the last decade: to reignite creativity, collaboration, and speed inside a century-old company known for its consistency. Drawing from his new book Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success, he shares the playbook that helped shift IBM’s mindset from compliance to commitment—and what leaders in any field can learn from that journey.

In this conversation, Joe and Phil unpack what it really takes to drive change at scale: how to earn voluntary adoption instead of forcing compliance, why culture must evolve alongside strategy, and how language, branding, and storytelling can make or break a transformation. They explore lessons that resonate from boardrooms to battlefields—how to lead people through uncertainty, protect the integrity of a mission, and create a culture that thrives on iteration and learning.

Listeners will come away with an actionable framework for driving change—one rooted in human behavior, organizational design, and the power of intentional leadership.

In this episode, Joe and Phil also explore:

• Why the status quo is resilient—and how great organizations learn to challenge it continuously
• How IBM’s “Hallmark” program turned change into a desirable brand, not a mandate
• The formula behind lasting culture: people + practices + places
• Why forcing compliance breeds “antibodies,” and how to inspire genuine belief instead
• How storytelling and small-team “boot camps” made transformation go viral inside a 400,000-person company
• The role of senior leaders in rewarding behavior and reinforcing new norms
• What the “magic people” and The Captain Class teach us about influence from within teams
• Why great leaders think like designers—iterating, prototyping, and refining as they go

Whether you’re leading a military unit, a corporate team, or a creative project, this episode offers a field-tested blueprint for driving change that lasts—one built on empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for the craft of leadership.

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Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer joins Joe Byerly for a candid and provocative discussion about power—what it is, how it works, and why more good people need to learn to use it. Drawing from his influential books Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t and The 7 Rules of Power, Pfeffer challenges listeners to see the world as it really operates—not as we wish it to be.

In this conversation, Joe and Dr. Pfeffer unpack why power isn’t inherently bad, how to build influence without losing integrity, and why refusing to “play the game” guarantees you’ll lose it. They explore lessons that apply equally to military leaders, executives, and anyone who wants to make change in complex organizations—from overcoming imposter syndrome and likability traps to mastering visibility, networking, and personal branding.

Listeners will come away with a sharper understanding of human nature, organizational dynamics, and what it really takes to lead with impact and authenticity in competitive environments.

In this episode, Joe and Dr. Pfeffer also explore:

• Why power is a skill—and how good people can learn to use it for good
• The critical difference between power and influence
• Why authenticity, likability, and imposter syndrome can quietly sabotage effectiveness
• The importance of appearing powerful—and how confidence often signals competence
• How building a personal brand and network expands your ability to lead and shape change
• The real costs of opting out of power—and how to navigate ambition without ego
• Why leaders need a “personal board of directors” to stay grounded once they gain power

Whether you’re leading soldiers, managing teams, or influencing from the middle, this episode offers a masterclass in understanding power—how to earn it, wield it wisely, and ensure that good people rise to positions where they can make a difference.

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Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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New York Times bestselling author Ryan Holiday returns to From the Green Notebook for his third conversation with Joe—this time diving into the themes of his latest and final book in the Stoic Virtues series, Wisdom Takes Work. 

In this wide-ranging conversation, Ryan and Joe discuss the importance of curiosity, humility, and deep reflection in a world where shortcuts and surface-level thinking often dominate. They explore how writing, reading, and journaling serve as tools for developing wisdom—and how, for both leaders and creators, clarity of thought begins with clarity on paper.

Listeners will gain insights into Ryan’s approach to writing books, the power of writing as intellectual accountability, and what he’s learned from studying figures like Montaigne, Lincoln, and even Elon Musk. Along the way, Ryan opens up about his own evolution as a writer, the dangers of intellectual arrogance, and why the pursuit of wisdom is a lifelong endeavor.

In this episode, Joe and Ryan explore:

• Why wisdom isn’t something you have but something you earn through continuous effort
• How writing forces clarity, accountability, and humility in thinking
• The danger of “bad bricks” in our belief systems—and how to guard against misinformation
• Why note-taking and reflection are a form of “time travel” that benefit your future self
• How curiosity and skepticism help protect us from manipulation in an AI-driven world
• The difference between intelligence and wisdom—and why power without self-awareness can be destructive
• Why Ben Franklin remains a model of intellectual and social intelligence

Whether you’re leading a team, writing your next book, or simply trying to think more clearly, this episode offers a masterclass in slowing down, asking better questions, and doing the hard work of becoming wiser.

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Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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This is the longest episode ever of From the Green Notebook—and for good reason. Joe brings you a special LANDEURO Talks edition of the podcast, recorded at AUSA’s inaugural LANDEURO conference in Germany back in July.

While at LANDEURO, Joe participated in both the Generation Next Forum and the Leadership Forum, hosted by the AUSA Center for Leadership. These gatherings were designed to educate, inspire, and connect leaders across the Army, NATO, and European partners. During the conference, Joe also caught up with three impressive leaders for one-on-one conversations about community, leadership, and the pivotal moments that shape a career.

In this episode, Joe highlights three powerful conversations with leaders whose stories capture the spirit of growth and connection at the heart of LANDEURO.

• LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith on how losing his father as a child shaped his life, and how the “village” of family and community taught him the importance of the people we surround ourselves with.
• CSM Phil Blaisdell (44: 06), whose decades of service provide timeless lessons on leadership from the perspective of a noncommissioned officer.
• Sarah Draper (01:26), former Army officer and retired FBI Special Agent, who joins Joe for a fireside chat about career turning points, resilience, and leading through transition.

Together, these stories remind us that leadership is not about titles or positions—it’s about people, connection, and the communities that shape us.

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Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Dr. Galena Rhoades, coauthor of Fighting For Your Marriage, returns to From the Green Notebook to talk with Joe about the strain that deployments, training, and time apart place on military marriages—and how couples can stay connected through it.

Drawing on years of research and her work helping couples strengthen relationships, Galena explains why separation creates unique challenges, how communication often falls into “just logistics,” and what it takes to keep connection alive across distance. Together, she and Joe unpack lessons that every military family can use—lessons Joe wishes he had known during the nearly five years he spent away from home over his career.

In this episode, Joe and Galena explore:

• How to keep communication from becoming only about schedules and logistics
• Why friendship talk, support talk, and even conflict talk are essential during separation
• The “alternate universe” of deployment, and how to bridge that gap with your partner at home
• The emotional boundaries that can erode if couples aren’t intentional about protecting them
• Why reintegration isn’t about picking up where you left off, but about building a new relationship on the same foundation

Whether you’re facing your first deployment or your fifth, these insights will help you and your partner navigate the hard parts of separation and come back together with greater strength and understanding.

Galena K. Rhoades, Ph.D., is a research professor and the director of the Institute for Relationship Science in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. Her research focuses on romantic relationship formation processes, such as dating and living together, and predictors of relationship success. She also conducts studies on the effectiveness of relationship interventions offered by community organizations across the United States. She has more than 140 publications in these areas. 

Dr. Rhoades founded a nonprofit in Denver called Thriving Families. This organization offers MotherWise, a relationship education program for women during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as mental health services for families. Dr. Rhoades is also a practicing clinical psychologist. In her private practice, she primarily sees couples and families.

A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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In this special Notebook Notes episode, Joe sits down with Sergeant Major Urzua and Sergeant Major Brady to discuss the Army Directive 2025-18, with a guest appearance from Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer.

• The intent behind the new Army directive and what it means for Soldiers and leaders
• Why appearance reflects discipline, professionalism, and Army values
• How commanders and NCOs are empowered to enforce standards
• Clarifications on what’s included—and not included—in this directive
• Timelines for implementation
• Broader leadership insights from SMA Weimer on professionalism, trust, and readiness
• Why SMA Weimer doesn't wear Army PT shorts (for now)

Click here to read AD 2025-18 so you can stay informed. 

A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

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Author and researcher Dr. Colin Fisher joins Joe to unpack the invisible forces that shape teams—and why leaders ignore them at their own risk.

From his book The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups Dr. Fisher shows how group dynamics are always at play, whether in a locker room, a boardroom, or on the battlefield. Together, he and Joe explore why the myth of the lone genius persists, why synergy is real but rare, and how leaders can deliberately build trust, structure, and norms that drive high-performing teams.

In this episode, Joe and Colin explore:

• Why the Sorting Hat—not Voldemort—might be the real villain of Harry Potter
• How the “lone genius” narrative hides the reality of collaboration behind breakthroughs
• What synergy really means and why structure—not speeches—is the leader’s most powerful tool
• The difference between relational trust and task-based trust, and why the latter makes teams excel
• How group norms emerge, and why they can drive both excellence and dysfunction
• Why psychological safety is about the freedom to disagree, not surface-level harmony
• How power changes leaders’ relationships with others—and why who you surround yourself with matters

Whether you’re leading a squad, running a company, or just trying to understand the groups you’re part of, this episode will change how you see teamwork—and give you tools to lead with intention.

Since his days as a professional jazz trumpet player, Dr. Colin M. Fisher has been fascinated by group dynamics. As Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London’s School of Management, Colin’s research has uncovered the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He has written about group dynamics for both popular science and management audiences, and his work has been profiled in prominent media outlets such as BBC, Forbes, NPR, and The Times. Originally from Redmond, Washington, he now lives in North London with his wife and two children.

A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind.