HawkeTalk

Every four years, millions of viewers sit in front of their screens to watch the Olympics. Viewers are awed by the immense athletic gifts they see in front of them, stirred by medal ceremonies, and often walk away with the thought that one day the person on that podium could be them. But in reality, only a handful of people have what it takes to make that dream become a reality. It takes hard work, dedication, and a level of discipline that is unimaginable to the common person. 

My guest today is Anna Tobias, and she is one of the few who have sat, watched the Olympics, and decided that would be her destiny. A native of Dunkirk, England, Anna was exposed to the sport of sailing at an early age. It wasn’t, however until she landed in the United States did that interest transform into a passion, a passion that would lead to her becoming a fixture on the Olympic and World Championships stage. Today she stops by to talk with us about how she found her calling, the struggles she had along the way, and why she’s targeting the 2024 Paris Olympics for her comeback. It’s an amazing conversation with an incredible competitor.

In this episode

• (2:34) – Anna reveals that she has been sailing since the age of 2.
• (5:31) – Anna ran cross-country track and other sports during high school. 
• (11:51) – Losing her mental edge helps put everything into perspective. 
• (17:01) – Falling flat in her first international event. 
• (21:41) – The impact of the third-place finish on her Olympic dreams. 
• (25:31) – Just sail and go for it and get the Gold was her attitude!
• (30:00) – The London Olympics and retirement. 
• (30:40) – Anna laments the costly mistakes that cost her gold in 2012.
• (35:57) – Anna gets back into sailing and still competing in CrossFit. 
• (37:27) – Anna reveals how and why she got her sailing passion back. 
• (38:03) – Her desire is for an American to bring home the gold in 2024.

Our Guest

Anna Tobias, a successful American sailor and former Olympic gold medalist in the laser radial class (2008), transitioned to CrossFit in 2011 during her preparation for the 2012 Olympics. Although she qualified for the Southeast CrossFit Regional, Tobias opted to prioritize her Olympic training. In 2013, she made her CrossFit Games debut, consistently ranking in the top 22 in subsequent years, achieving her personal best of 9th place. Notably, Tobias claimed the overall victory in the Masters Class at the 2018 CrossFit Games. Today, she dedicates her time to training, coaching other athletes, and managing T2 CrossFit in South Fayette, Pennsylvania. 

Hawke Media

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
• https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en 
• https://hawkemedia.com/
• https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
• https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

Anna Tobias

• https://www.instagram.com/atunnicliffetobias/
• https://www.ussailing.org/news/coach/anna-tobias/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every four years, millions of viewers sit in front of their screens to watch the Olympics. Viewers are awed by the immense athletic gifts they see in front of them, stirred by medal ceremonies, and often walk away with the thought that one day the person on that podium could be them. But in reality, only a handful of people have what it takes to make that dream become a reality. It takes hard work, dedication, and a level of discipline that is unimaginable to the common person. 

My guest today is Anna Tobias, and she is one of the few who have sat, watched the Olympics, and decided that would be her destiny. A native of Dunkirk, England, Anna was exposed to the sport of sailing at an early age. It wasn’t, however until she landed in the United States did that interest transform into a passion, a passion that would lead to her becoming a fixture on the Olympic and World Championships stage. Today she stops by to talk with us about how she found her calling, the struggles she had along the way, and why she’s targeting the 2024 Paris Olympics for her comeback. It’s an amazing conversation with an incredible competitor.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making it to the Olympics is quite an accomplishment. Athletes train for years to be at their peak for a sliver of time, shunning the outside world, driven by a singular focus of being recognized as the best in their chosen sport. When you sit back and think about how incredible it must be to reach that point, you can’t help but stand in awe of their immense talent and greatness. The only thing greater than making it to multiple Olympics … is making it to multiple Olympics in different sports.

Today on HawkeTalk, we’ll spend time with Sarah Storey, a woman who has done just that. She’s the most decorated Paralympian in history who first burst on the scene as a swimming phenom. Once she decided to hang up her goggles instead of swimming off into the sunset, she grabbed a bike and became a world-class cyclist, dominating the road in the same fashion she did in the pool. She joins us today to discuss her path to greatness, how she overcame her disability, and the advice she gives others dealing with their own. If you’ve been sitting back, too afraid to jump into the game of life, listen to Sarah Storey, and you’ll get all the inspiration you need!

In this episode:

• (1:42) – Sarah’s athletic career begins at age 6.
• (4:28) – Sarah discusses the disability in her left hand. 
• (10:30) – At 12, the level of competition grows.
• (15:54) – Two golds, three silvers, and a bronze medal at 14 at the Barcelona Olympics. 
• (20:26) – Socialization challenges lead to mental health and eating disorders. 
• (30:00) – Looking at the 2012 Olympics.
• (36:54) – Sarah is committed to making it to the Paris Olympics. 
• (37:20) – Sarah discusses her future, but she has no concrete plans. 
• (38:53) – Sarah encourages listeners to be extraordinary instead of ordinary.

Our Guest 

Sarah Storey is the most decorated female Paralympian in history, with 16 gold medals, five silver medals, and three bronze medals. Born in Eccles, just outside of Manchester, she is a 29-time world champion in both cycling and swimming and an 18-time European champion. In 2005, a persistent ear infection caused her to switch full-time to cycling. Upon making the switch, her dominance continued as she set the para world record in the Women’s 3,000 individual race, breaking the record she previously set at The Tokyo Olympics. Sarah is a true champion and a shining testimony of the relentless human spirit and the willingness to persevere against all odds.

Hawke Media

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
• https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en 
• https://hawkemedia.com/
• https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
• https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

Sarah Storey

• https://www.paralympic.org/sarah-storey
• https://www.instagram.com/damesarahstorey/?hl=en
• https://twitter.com/damesarahstorey?lang=en

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making it to the Olympics is quite an accomplishment. Athletes train for years to be at their peak for a sliver of time, shunning the outside world, driven by a singular focus of being recognized as the best in their chosen sport. When you sit back and think about how incredible it must be to reach that point, you can’t help but stand in awe of their immense talent and greatness. The only thing greater than making it to multiple Olympics … is making it to multiple Olympics in different sports.

Today on HawkeTalk, we’ll spend time with Sarah Storey, a woman who has done just that. She’s the most decorated Paralympian in history who first burst on the scene as a swimming phenom. Once she decided to hang up her goggles instead of swimming off into the sunset, she grabbed a bike and became a world-class cyclist, dominating the road in the same fashion she did in the pool. She joins us today to discuss her path to greatness, how she overcame her disability, and the advice she gives others dealing with their own. If you’ve been sitting back, too afraid to jump into the game of life, listen to Sarah Storey, and you’ll get all the inspiration you need!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being an Olympian requires grit, drive, dedication, and the type of discipline most of us will never quite understand. The sacrifices these incredible athletes make daily are unimaginable as they hone and fine-tune their bodies for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that comes every fourth year. Now, imagine you do this five times. That’s right. Training to be an Olympian for two decades seems unfathomable, but our guest did that today. 

On today’s episode of HawkeTalk, we meet the incomparable Kikkan Randall. She’s a five-time Olympian and Breast Cancer survivor who knows a thing or two about how to survive the tough times and make it to the other side. Today, she’ll give us an inside look at the hard work it takes to be a world-class athlete and how she leveraged those experiences to become a Cancer survivor. If you’ve been looking for someone to inspire you to get off that couch and begin going for it and putting your best foot forward, look no further!

In this episode:

• (1:45) - Kikkan reveals that she began skiing at the age of 1. 
• (5:21) – Kikkan reveals why she went back to being a cross-country skier. 
• (10:00) – Making the Olympics as a youngster.
• (16:53) – Competitive life after the Olympics is discussed.
• (20:10) – The inspiration to build a women’s team emerges for Kikkan.
• (25:50) – The shocking performance of Kikkan and falling short of expectations. 
• (29:52) – Kikkan develops a stress fracture in her foot and begins to worry.
• (35:38) – Her racing career officially comes to an end.
• (36:37) – The Breast Cancer diagnosis. 
• (40:01) – Family becomes first, specifically her young son.
• (43:00) – Family and health are her top priorities. 
• (44:50) – Closing advice for listeners.

Our Guest

Kikkan Randall is a 5-time Olympian, Breast Cancer survivor, public speaker, and mother. When it comes to skiing, she’s royalty, and for more than two decades, her name was synonymous with the sport. A native of Salt Lake City before moving to Alaska, she became an icon early on, qualifying for the Olympians while just a teen. From there, her life as an athlete ascended, and she became the American face of the sport. Her 2018 Olympic Gold Medal race is one of the most captivating moments in the sport's history and the signature moment of those games. After retiring, Kikkan has continued championing the sport while grooming the next generation of American skiing professionals.

Resources and Links

Hawke Media

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
• https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en 
• https://hawkemedia.com/
• https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
• https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

Kikkan Randall

• https://www.kikkan.com/about/
• http://instagram.com/kikkanimal
• https://twitter.com/kikkanimal

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being an Olympian requires grit, drive, dedication, and the type of discipline most of us will never quite understand. The sacrifices these incredible athletes make daily are unimaginable as they hone and fine-tune their bodies for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that comes every fourth year. Now, imagine you do this five times. That’s right. Training to be an Olympian for two decades seems unfathomable, but our guest did that today. 

On today’s episode of HawkeTalk, we meet the incomparable Kikkan Randall. She’s a five-time Olympian and Breast Cancer survivor who knows a thing or two about how to survive the tough times and make it to the other side. Today, she’ll give us an inside look at the hard work it takes to be a world-class athlete and how she leveraged those experiences to become a Cancer survivor. If you’ve been looking for someone to inspire you to get off that couch and begin going for it and putting your best foot forward, look no further!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Child prodigy is a phrase that’s often overused. Some youngsters are indeed talented, but to classify them as prodigious is, in so many cases, a reach, to say the least. Prodigies are once-in-a-lifetime talents who grow their gift in unimaginable and seemingly unreasonable ways. And while they can’t always be defined or understood, when the world sits back and marvels at the blossoming of their gifts, it is truly something to behold. What’s even more incredible is how they apply themselves and their special talents to change those around them and, to a larger degree, the entire world for the better. 

You may characterize a prodigy by my guest today. Vercel founder Guillermo Rauch is a digital genius who started entrepreneurship as a preteen. His contributions to tech are legendary, and he continues to support innovation and pioneer new solutions, ideologies, and application theories. He joins us today to share his fantastic journey, looking back and forward and revealing the amazing job he and his organization are doing. You must listen to this discussion if you've decided to make your mark.

In this episode:

• (1:12) – Guillermo discusses how his journey began. 
• (8:24) – The sky is the limit with Open Source.
• (9:40) – At age 11, he becomes obsessed with becoming a hacker.
• (19:52) – Working on React with social media leader Facebook. 
• (26:02) – The birth of Vercel.
• (34:33) – Vercel and AI. 
• (36:04) – There is no shortcut to success. 

Our Guest

Guillermo Rauch is a Software Engineer and CEO of Vercel. A native of Lanus, Buenos Aires, Argentina, he made his name and career via the web and Open Source. His early teens were spent advocating for and teaching others how to use solutions like Linux before later working with JavaScript and other web development. Guillermo later joined MooTools core team and got his first full-time job at the age of 18 after relocating to the United States. A serial entrepreneur, his first company was Cloudup, which was later acquired by Automattic, which powers WordPress. After several high-profile opportunities, he founded Vercel, where he currently guides their corporate vision servicing companies like The Washington Post, Porsche, Under Armour, and Nintendo. 

Resources and Links

Hawke Media

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
• https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en 
• https://hawkemedia.com/
• https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
• https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

Guillermo Rauch 

• https://vercel.com/ 
• https://rauchg.com/about
• https://twitter.com/rauchg
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rauchg
• https://www.instagram.com/guillermorauch/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Child prodigy is a phrase that’s often overused. Some youngsters are indeed talented, but to classify them as prodigious is, in so many cases, a reach, to say the least. Prodigies are once-in-a-lifetime talents who grow their gift in unimaginable and seemingly unreasonable ways. And while they can’t always be defined or understood, when the world sits back and marvels at the blossoming of their gifts, it is truly something to behold. What’s even more incredible is the many ways they apply themselves and their special talents to change those around them and, to a larger degree, the entire world for the better. 

My guest today is a man who checks every box if you’re looking to define a prodigy. Guillermo Rauch is the founder of Vercel and an amazing technology talent who began his entrepreneurship journey when he was a pre-teen. Since then, his contributions to the tech world have been legendary, and he continues to be a true champion for innovation while pioneering new solutions, philosophies, and application theories. Today, he joins us to discuss his amazing path, looking back and looking forward while giving us a glimpse into the incredible work he and his organization are focused on. If you’ve decided the time is right to begin making your mark, this is the discussion you’ve got to be a part of.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Water is essential to life, and each day, the world consumes millions of gallons… from plastic bottles. Whether we want to accept it or not, plastic bottles are damaging our world immensely. We’re at a tipping point, and someone must make a stand if we’re ever going to get moving in the right direction.

Our guest today is indeed making a stand and building a global brand. He’s Shadi Bakour, CEO and Co-Founder of PATHWAY, a company focused on breaking our addiction to bottled water while creating out-of-the-box paths to sustainability. Today, he’ll share his successful journey, why the struggle has been the greatest reward, and how he went from dreaming about Wall Street to a world free from bottled water.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask any successful person, and they’ll more than likely tell you it didn’t just happen; it was a journey. It took time, sacrifice, compromise, and hours upon hours of honing their gifts. From writers to actors, public speakers, and pioneers in medicine, people at the top of those fields sacrificed their proverbial blood, sweat, and tears to get to the top. The same can be said of athletes who, while they make it look so easy, rest assured it’s those countless hours behind the scenes that make it look so effortless. 

Our guest today knows a lot about putting in work, compromising, rising to the top, and the sacrifice it takes to get there. At an early age, Michael Andrew was recognized as a swimming prodigy with a gift for the sport that made him a legend on the competitive circuit. He eventually parlayed that success into Olympic dreams, and he’s here today to share his journey and the obstacles he overcame on his way to becoming a World Champion. If you’re ready to begin pushing through and focusing intensely on achieving your dreams, this is an episode you’ll definitely want to hear.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.