Glue Guys

Being "on top" doesn't spare anyone from fear of failure. Alex recounts self-doubt despite being the number one NFL draft pick. Shane talks about feeling the pressure of being the 4th-ranked seventh-grade basketball player in the country. Ravi talks about his fears as a CFO in the early days of Instacart. Why is fear of failure such a powerful force? How can we use it to fuel us rather than hold us back? What can we learn from listening to our fears instead of trying to drown them out?

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to ramp.com/gg to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus. 

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This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/glueguys and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

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Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlueGuys_Pod | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Glue Guys

(00:06:19) Shane’s High School Basketball Journey

(00:11:42) Alex’s Transition to College Football

(00:16:53) The Draft and Professional Football

(00:18:53) Facing Professional Challenges

(00:24:12) Corporate World and Fear of Failure

(00:26:45) Swallowing Pride and Starting Over

(00:27:48) Facing Financial Crisis at Instacart

(00:29:21) Embracing Worst-Case Scenarios

(00:30:09) Lessons from Dad: Accepting Harsh Realities

(00:34:33) Everyday Courage and Embracing Reality

(00:37:46) Parenting and High Expectations

(00:47:22) The Power of Support and Encouragement

(00:45:31) Becoming Antifragile

(00:49:42) The Glue Guy: Elevating Your Team

What is Alex Smith's story? Shane and Ravi turn the mic to Alex to tell his story front to back. From the moment he knew his life had changed forever to the decision not to amputate his broken leg to his first play back as quarterback after two years of recovery, resilience does not even begin to do this comeback justice. This episode gives new insight into the injury heard around the world and Alex’s fight to recognize his own anti-fragility.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Ramp, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to ramp.com/gg to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus. 

-----

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. Ahe Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/glueguys and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlueGuys_Pod | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Glue Guys

(00:05:13) Pre-Injury Life and Career Beginnings

(00:10:45) NFL Draft and Initial Struggles

(00:19:29) Mentorship and Mentality Shift

(00:24:17) Harbaugh's Influence and Playing Free

(00:29:21) Drafting Mahomes and Mentorship

(00:37:23) Career Year and Trade to Washington

(00:39:13) The Leg Injury: A Turning Point

(00:41:03) The Fight for Recovery

(00:57:23) Military Rehab: A New Hope

(01:07:21) Embracing Failure and Personal Growth

(01:08:40) Rehabilitation Journey During COVID

(01:10:11) Facing Uncertainty and Overcoming Doubts

(01:12:19) Return to Football and New Challenges

(01:20:00) First Game Back and Emotional Rollercoaster

(01:26:56) Reflecting on Resilience and Gratitude

What is the language of winning? Alex takes us behind the scenes at the line of scrimmage. Shane uses Chris Voss's tactics to negotiate. Ravi asks one of his founders, "Are you going to live today?" This episode recognizes great communicators and their strategies for bending reality to their will.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Ramp, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to ramp.com/gg to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus. 

-----

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. Ahe Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/glueguys and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlueGuys_Pod | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Glue Guys

(00:05:13) Handling Feedback and Negotiation Tactics

(00:09:33) Communication in Football: A Deep Dive

(00:15:52) The Complexity of Modern Offense

(00:24:31) Chatter: The Secret to Team Success

(00:35:28) Coach K's Strategy and Communication

(00:38:08) Modern NBA: Read and React

(00:41:44) Building Trust and Team Culture

(00:46:31) The Power of Storytelling in Leadership

(00:50:05) Loyalty and Trust in Teams

(00:56:57) Encouraging Bold Decisions

(01:00:43) Nicknames and Team Bonding

What do unsung heroes have in common? Alex talks about morning ‘wrestling’ practices with Urban Meyer at Utah. Shane recalls Steve Kerr flipping racks of basketballs. Ravi unpacks how to convince great founders to join forces. This episode sets the tone for three friends whose lessons, learnings, and values blur the lines between athletes, executives, and parents alike.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Ramp, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to ramp.com/gg to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus. 

-----

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. Ahe Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/glueguys and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlueGuys_Pod | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Glue Guys

(00:05:47) Udonis Haslem's Locker Room Influence

(00:08:09) Negotiating Contracts and Value

(00:12:22) Agent vs. Self-Negotiation

(00:16:05) The Myth of Family in Sports

(00:18:51) Pat Riley's Leadership Style

(00:25:10) Urban Meyer's Coaching Tactics

(00:37:53) The Power of Authenticity

(00:41:34) The Role of Glue Guys

(00:43:20) Instilling Leadership Qualities

(01:04:19) The Importance of Adversity

(00:01:13:51) The Value of Vulnerability

What makes a great coach? Shane talks about playing college basketball under Coach K. Alex highlights his time in Kansas City with Andy Reid. Ravi gives insight into his mentorship from legendary investor Doug Leone. We kick off with themes around humility, ego, authenticity, and the dance between seriousness and silliness in leadership.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Ramp, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to ramp.com/gg to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus. 

-----

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. Ahe Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/glueguys and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlueGuys_Pod | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Glue Guys

(00:06:22) Lessons from Hubie Brown

(00:08:11) Leadership and Accountability

(00:09:24) The Psychology of Coaching

(00:10:27) Corporate Leadership Insights

(00:13:55) The Role of Head Coaches

(00:18:58) The Personality of Teams

(00:25:37) The Hallmarks of Great Coaches

(00:31:04) The Power of Humility and Credit

(00:35:33) The Importance of Obsession

(00:37:43) Interviewing for Head Coaches

(00:44:43) Coach K's Obsession with People

(00:48:40) Belief and Individual Needs in Coaching

(00:51:48) Embracing Uniqueness and Individual Strengths

(00:58:14) The Importance of Following the Plan

(01:02:54) Coaching Philosophies

(01:07:47) The Role of Truth and Support in Leadership

(01:22:49) Memorable Coaching Moments and Motivational Speeches

What do a 3-time pro-bowler, 2-time NBA champion, and a Sequoia Capital Partner have in common? Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta are a uniquely decorated trio diving deep into what makes for great teams across sports and business in their new show, Glue Guys. Every Thursday, these three close friends will talk about business, teamwork, leadership, resilience, sports, and life through their unique perspectives. They reveal insights and stories about their collegiate and professional lives and dive into their passion projects and off-field interests alongside special guests.