On this episode of the Adventure Capitalist Podcast, Austin Brawner and Cody Shirk are joined by Rear Admiral Mike Studeman (Ret.), author of Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity. In this in-depth interview, the retired two-star Navy admiral shares insights from his 35-year career leading intelligence operations and his book’s unique storytelling approach to leadership. From navigating language barriers and mastering Mandarin to tackling today’s leadership crisis, Studeman discusses core values, integrity in U.S. history, and the search for the next great American leader. He also offers practical advice on handling ethical grey areas, balancing work and life, and inspiring young people to lead with purpose. Dive into this episode to get inspired about where the world is going and learn about the upcoming challenges that we face!

Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - Welcome Mike! 02:57 - Challenge of a language barrier 05:36 - Learning about China through the Chinese language 07:24 - Lack of leadership today 09:09 - What are your core values? 14:47 - Integrity in US History 22:29 - Is the next "Washington" on the way? 32:14 - How to deal with the Grey Area 36:40 - Allies or Foes? 43:07 - Work-life balance 49:57 - Learning away from America 54:00 - Advice to young people 01:00:19 - Literature as a moral compass 01:03:52 - The next chapter 01:08:00 - Outro

📕 Get Might of the Chain: https://www.mikestudeman.com  📱 Follow Mike Studeman on X: https://x.com/MikeStudeman

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/V_ESNP3mLsg

Follow us on X: Austin - https://x.com/a_brawn Cody - https://x.com/CodyShirk