GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor

On this episode I had the fortune of speaking with the commissioner of the West Coast Conference, Gloria Navarez who is the first Latin American Woman to achieve the title of commissioner within a Division 1 NCAA conference. It is evident throughout Gloria’s journey that she has paved her way to such historical highs thanks to her work ethic and her willingness to seize upon opportunities no matter how daunting a task it may have seemed to those around her. This is a Woman changing the World because she has proven time and time again that there is a place for women within every level of collegiate athletics, but more specifically, a place for diversity!

We open up the discussion with Gloria telling us about her role today (4:40) as well as her sport of choice growing up and through college (5:45). Gloria opens up about her philosophies on what playing sport growing up does for women in their careers (7:10) as well as when she realized how playing sport made an impact on her career (8:15). Other topics discussed include knowing your role and doing it to the best of your ability (9:15); the evolution of how careers for women have changed within college sports over her time within the profession (12:23); the ways in which she is doing for others now what leaders did for her coming up through her career (18:30); why diversity within the workplace should be paramount when it comes to having as many perspectives represented (21:05); how she and her conference are tackling some of the culturally relevant happenings going on within the country today (22:45); and the career competitor “keys to success” that Steve took from the interview (26:13).

I sit down with Vice President & General Manager at IDEA Fitness, Amy Thompson on this episode to learn about how her backgrounds within the sports of basketball and volleyball – along with a unique upbringing – shaped her into the ultimate career competitor. Amy has had a self-starter attitude from the outset of her 25-year career within the health and fitness industry and she is now fueled to impact as many professionals as possible thanks to her desire to provide purpose to others. A woman who refused to accept the obvious or easy job throughout her career, Amy is a woman changing the world thanks to the enormous network of health and fitness professionals around the globe she is able to influence today.

We learn all about Amy’s role today (5:04) and how she fell into the world of competitive sport (6:02) that led her to the career she has today. We learn firsthand about how her upbringing shaped the competitor she became and still is today (10:13); what the first opportunities looked like for a woman 25 years ago getting started in the health and fitness industry (14:10); how she was always willing to make opportunities happen for herself as a self-starter (17:04); the story of her career rise to the impactful role she holds today (20:22); the history of her leadership philosophy and how she conducts her many responsibilities as a leader today (23:50); how she recommends any person listening to approach a career that seems to not provide the opportunities you seek (30:45); the philosophy of IDEA Fitness that is incorporated around the world (34:19); and the career competitor keys to success (35:17).

Today I speak with Brianna Salvatore-Dueck who is a consultant for sports & entertainment at Nielsen, a Sports for Development Ambassador and a former professional basketball player. This episode brings to light the power Brianna has had on sports development on a global capacity as she has worked with organizations such as UNESCO on bringing the world closer together through the power of sport; when it comes to a “woman changing the world”, Brianna is working diligently towards doing that very thing!

We welcome Brianna to the show and immediately discuss her background within the sport of basketball (5:12) and what the process looked like for her when it came to pursuing the sport professionally (8:27). Some of the major talking points within the episode include how she dealt with figuring out when and the best ways to pursue her passions outside of basketball (11:00); the way the leaders she has had within basketball and her career have shown the power of transferable skills (13:55); the sinking feeling a former athlete can have sometimes of being behind in their career development due to the sacrifices made toward their sport (16:52); what Brianna is doing within her work within sports development (23:57) on a global scale, her keys to success for all women heading into a career (33:10) and of course the career competitor keys to success (35:15)

We open this series with the Senior Coordinator for Baseball Development, Player Programs, & Diversity at Major League Baseball, Liz Benn. When you talk about working within your passion, look no further than Liz as she fell in love with the sport of baseball at a young age and worked her way to where she is today by following her passion in life! Liz is a woman that is changing the world because she has established what the “glass ceiling” is for women everywhere within baseball, and continually smashes through it with every milestone she achieves within her career today.

Within this episode we welcome Liz (4:47) by learning all about what it is she is doing within her role today (5:32) and also learn all about her background as a baseball player (6:52) growing up in Canada. Some of the key talking points within the episode include when Liz first realized that as a woman she could have a future in this historically male-only sport (11:23); when she started to feel like women were getting more opportunities within MLB (13:50); the way she feels she was able to establish respect for herself within the game (19:22); the benefits she believes Major League Baseball get from having women involved within front offices; the responsibility within her job that she is most passionate about (26:47); and the Career Competitor “keys to success” that we took from the interview.

On the season finale we welcome on lifetime athlete, Jake Maulin who is the owner of Cycle Bar, Naples.  

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Jake and his team have not only strengthened their cycling community, they have grown it far beyond the geographic reach of the studio they are based at. 

Jake has been an entrepreneur for over a decade and in that time he has educated himself on the multi-faceted world that is the Health & Fitness industry. He has done this through remaining honest with who he is and what he wants from this career at all times, while embracing the fact that at any time failure may come his way. 

Jake opted to not let the limitations put onto his business due to CVOVID-19 be a reason to stop, he actually saw these parameters as something that he could not control and simply focused on accomplishing things he could control. 

This episode provides some incredible content on the power of remaining true to your passions in life, allowing yourself to be vulnerable to failures, and making sure that you are always prioritizing the mission of your work to empower and strengthen the community that it exists within. 

On this episode we welcome licensed family therapist and former collegiate Softball player, Sammy Jo Diffendaffer to discuss her journey from Walk On at Oklahoma State University to starting player at a College World Series. 

As a mental health professional, Sammy is one of the many in her field that are currently having to work online to support so many people through the COVID-19 pandemic as we adapt to daily changes within our lives. 

Specific to the episode, Sammy presents some excellent motivation into why we should always fight for ourselves and never back down to a challenge, no matter how bleak things may seem. She also offers a unique perspective for athletes on what they might need to do when transitioning into a field away from their sport. 

Show Notes from this episode include; Sammy's experience with the competitive sport of Softball (6:47); the ability to not worry about what is fair and focus on what must be done (11:57);  how we must not fear opportunities to assert ourselves (15:50); how we might need to "unlearn" a few things when we transition away from the life of an athlete (21:15); the process Sammy went through to establish her practice (23:33); finding the connections between Sammy the Softball player and Sammy the Therapist (26:10); the status of Mental Health within society today (29:13); and Steve's 3 "Key's to Success" that he took from Sammy's interview (33:16)

Former Football Player turned HR Professional, Butch Reiser joins us this week during these difficult times with so much uncertainty with employment. Butch is giving back 25 Years of hiring expertise with his company ALL PRO INTERVIEWS which he does in addition to his full time role as an HR Partner of Little Caesars.

Right now we are in a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and some of us are in situations where we are without work and in need of finding employment elsewhere. Within this interview we discuss how we need to believe in giving in order to receive and  the importance of building enough respect through your actions before expecting your voice to be heard

WE WANT THIS EPISODE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO FIGHT FOR NEW CAREERS OR THE ONES THEY ARE IN AND TO HELP COACH THOSE GRADUATING SOON WITH PLANS FOR NEW CAREERS

This episode allows us all to gain fantastic insight from an expert in hiring and organizational structure on some key tips for succeeding within an interview and making a long term impact within your company!

We cover topics that include; learning how Football can in fact be a great sport for helping develop some of the key attributes for an HR Professional (5:52); dealing with the "hiring & firing"role that comes with working in HR (9:15); how Butch's daily purpose comes from wanting to  "give back" to those he works with (12:24); tips on how to succeed within a job interview using the "5-Fingers" approach (13:26); big questions to prepare for when you enter an interview (16:32); Butch's experience working with athletes (18:50); how we can rely on one another during these uncertain times (21:30); how we can all benefit from recognizing the little victories each day (25:11); and my Career Competitor "Keys to Success" (27:28).

On this episode we welcome our latest Olympian in that of 3-time Olympic rower for Ireland, Gearoid Towey who today resides in Sydney, Australia as the founder of Crossing the Line and The Athletes Advantage, two companies that exist to service the personal development of current and former athletes.

Following a world-class rowing career that spanned 12 years at the highest level, Gearoid brings a perspective of someone that has dealt with the highs of achieving life-long goals while also having to embrace the greatest adversities that come with the expectation of being an ever-present at the highest level.

Furthermore, Gearoid walks us through the evolution of how his organizations came into existence because the very services he now provides were things he felt he needed upon retirement from sport that simply were not available. This episode highlights how he was very much a trailblazer in the support systems we now take for granted that are available to current and retired athletes, and it has so much to do with his initial vision 10 years ago.

We get tremendous insight into what it means to work within cycles and how to deal with the peaks and troughs that come along with that (7:12); what it looks like when we hit a mental wall so big that we require a complete change of environment to overcome it (10:32); how we can all gain clearer perspective on working efficiently towards goals by managing the intensity we work with (13:32); the ways in which the negative stigma that has been forever associated with admitting mental weakness is starting to lessen (24:32); and Steve’s 3 main lessons he took from the interview in the Career Competitor “Keys to Success” at the end of the show (28:30).

The work that Gearoid and his organizations are doing can be accessed through crossingtheline.com and theathleteadvantage.com and we encourage you to take the time and look into some of the great services they offer and the many ways you can in fact get involved.

We welcome former NBA player and 15 year pro of the sport of Basketball, Bracey Wright to the show. Having recently retired from the game in the past 12-months, he brings a unique perspective of dealing with his new career after a lifetime in his sport. 

Trying to move on from sport is hard enough, but when you have spent every day of your life for 25 years (ages 10-35) chasing performance at the highest level, one can only imagine how difficult that moment must be when it is all gone.

For Bracey, he is an example of what can be achieved when you are willing to invest time in exploring yourself and working on establishing your purpose and identity away from the sport. 

This has allowed him to move into a career now as a Personal Mastery Coach where he can help people establish the truest and most effective form of themselves using the very methods that have allowed him to get to where he is today. 

You can also gain amazing insight into the way Bracey works through his website armanbraceycoaching.com and also on his podcast "House of Insight". 

Some key topics within the episode include; where Bracey is with his career today (4:30); his Basketball journey (5:42); how he is remaining a competitive athlete even after retirement (10:05); how his most difficult transition was actually while still playing the game (12:12); how his greatest adversity allowed him to establish his "why" (16:12); how he realized it was time to retire once asking himself "what am I still chasing?" (19:42); defining basketball as his "creative expression" as opposed to identity (23:43); how he is using his approach and traits from basketball in his work now (26:37); my career competitor Keys to Success (30:05)

I welcome Air Force Reserve Officer and the current COO of Icon Source, Pace Stead to the show to have a discussion unlike any we have had before on Career Competitor. 

The military is an area that I have always seen great parallels with in relation to the dedication and sacrifice that comes with sport, but obviously the military exemplifies this on all levels!

Pace's story offers such a unique insight into the power of leading by caring for others and why this allows for operations to run efficiently and effectively in the most intense environments. 

We also learn all about Icon Source which is a platform that offers athletes the optimal levels for building their brand awareness, and brings multiple parties together so that everyone can benefit. 

Within the interview we learn about what Pace is doing on behalf of the Air Force in the present day (3:26); his story of how he became involved with the Air Force and his career within it (4:55); how Operational Research is used in his work (9:30); the way leadership starts by taking an interest in every member of a team (12:12); the power of goal setting day-to-day as opposed to long-term (16:14); his belief in 2 people meeting half way to achieve the best result (18:57); what Icon Source is and the history of how he became involved (20:14); an amazing gesture he played a major part in for the Air Force graduating class (26:47); and my Career Competitor "Keys to Success"

You can learn more about Icon Source at Iconsource.com and reach out to Pace through LinkedIn by searching for "Pace Stead"