Make a Difference! – The Mentors Radio

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jerome Bettis (also known as “The Bus”), who is a Hall of Fame running back and Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year. Jerome describes how he “broke the cycle” of shunning rookies in the locker room and instead focused on encouraging and mentoring them. He also talks about how the generosity of one pro football player he met as a kid drove him to develop the habit of giving a “hand up” to those in need; a habit that he knows he will continue for the rest of his life. “The Bus” is also the title of Jerome’s bestselling autobiography, which tells the story of Bettis’ rise from a Detroit ghetto to an illustrious collegiate and professional football career. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the league’s all-time leading rushers, Jerome retired in 2006 after helping the Steelers win the Super Bowl, and in 2022, at age 50, Bettis received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother when he left college for the NFL draft a year before graduation! LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

JEROME BETTIS:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Rusty Gaillard, a man who built one of the quintessential “A-student” careers of our time: Princeton engineering, GE under Jack Welch, an MBA from Stanford, and ultimately 14 years at Apple, where he served as Worldwide Director of Finance. By any external measure, he had “made it”. But internally, Rusty hit a wall — a wall many high achievers eventually reach. That crisis led to deep introspection, divorce, reinvention, and ultimately the insights behind his book, Breaking the Code: Stop Looking for Answers and Start Enjoying Life — a guide to upgrading what he calls your code or your “InnerTech,” the internal operating system that shapes your life. Rusty eventually left Apple to become a transformational executive coach, helping leaders navigate transitions and create meaningful, sustainable success. In this episode, they explore what drove Rusty to the breaking point, how he rebuilt his life, and what he has learned coaching others through change. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

RUSTY GAILLARD:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with Sahil Bloom, author of The 5 Types of Wealth—A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life to describe how important Time, Social, Mental, Physical, and Financial wealth are to leading one’s dream life, and how important it is not to sacrifice one kind of wealth in pursuit of another.  In addition to his debut book, Sahill captivates millions of people every week through his insights and biweekly newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle. Sahil is a successful entrepreneur and the managing partner of SRB Ventures, an early-stage investment fund. He holds bachelors and masters degrees from Stanford University, where he was a four-year member of the baseball team.

SAHIL BLOOM:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Thom Weisel, a guest whose influence has not only shaped companies, but also culture. A financier and sports leader, Weisel is both Senior Managing Director and a Director of Stifel, a diversified global wealth management and investment banking company. Previously Thom was Chairman and CEO of Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. and Montgomery Securities, one of Silicon Valley’s famed “Four Horsemen”. Thom helped build the financial infrastructure that fueled Silicon Valley’s explosive rise, often referred to as “Wall Street West”. He led the financings behind companies that transformed medicine, semiconductors, and the internet itself. In addition, Weisel was responsible for raising the iconic KLEINER PERKINS’ first venture fund. Along the way, he also exercised his leadership skills toward something entirely different and arguably just as consequential: rebuilding the governance and funding models behind U.S. skiing and U.S. cycling—helping save those sports and elevate American athletes on the world stage. Growing up, Weisel was a five-time U.S. National Junior Champion in Speed Skating, ranked Third in the 1959 U.S. Olympic Trials for the 500 meter in Speed Skating. He remained athletically active the rest of his life, including ranking Third overall in the 1982 U.S. National Master Alpine Championship, in ’85 he launched the Montgomery Cycling Team, four years later he won 2 Gold Medals in 1989 Cycling Kilo & Sprint in the World Master Games in Finland, the following two years he picked up 5 more Gold Medals and a 6th Gold in World Cup Masters Cycling in Kilo in 1991, the same year he was named Masters Athlete of the Year for U.S. Cycling. In 1999, he received the U.S. Ski Association Julius Blegen Award, its highest honor… his athletic achievements continued and in 2018 he was inducted in the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame…. all while pursuing advanced college degrees and innovative business building and exceptional entrepreneurial leadership. Thom Weisel’s is a story of ambition and resilience; of building institutions, losing them, and building again. It’s about competition, yes…but it is also about patience, stewardship, and meaning. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

THOM WEISEL:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Daniel Levintin, PhD, a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, musician and best-selling author whose newest book, I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine, explores how music changes the brain, strengthens memory and restores joy. Dr. Levitin’s research explains why that happens. He’s a Founding Dean of Arts and Humanities at Minerva University in San Francisco, James McGill Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, and the author of ten acclaimed books, including This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind. Before turning to science, he spent years as a studio musician and producer, working with artists like Sting, Joni Mitchell, and Steely Dan—so he understands music from the inside out. Today, we’ll explore why music is remembered when everything else fades, how it reduces pain and loneliness, and how we can use it as a form of service — to comfort others, strengthen connection, and even rediscover ourselves. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

DANIEL LEVITIN:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with Robert L. Dilenschneider, who has been called “the Dean of American Public Relations Executives,” to discuss his just-released book, his nineteenth, Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time.   In 1991, Bob formed The Dilenschneider Group, providing strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies, leading families, and individuals around the world. He is well-known for his experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions, crisis communications and marketing, to government affairs and international media. Prior to forming his own firm, Bob served as the President and CEO of Hill and Knowlton for 15 years. In 2012, he established the Civility in America Lecture Series, featuring many of the nation’s leading thinkers, which provides a perspective on what can be done to restore civility in our Country.  Bob discusses why respecting others and their points of view is so important as well as lessons he learned from his decades leading public relations firms.  LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

ROBERT L. DILENSCHNEIDER:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Cathy Lanier, whose amazing story continues to inspire. At age 14, Lanier got pregnant, ran away from home, dropped out of high school. But by age 39, this single mother became Washington D.C.’s Chief of Police, earned two master’s degrees, and now serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer for the National Football League (NFL). In her role with the NFL, Lanier coordinates the efforts of the League offices—that is, all 32 clubs!—and federal, state and local law entities to ensure the security of the NFL’s venues, fans, players, staff and infrastructure. Cathy served as Chief of Police in Washington, D.C. from 2007 to 2016, where she was not only the first female police chief but also the longest serving chief, serving under three mayors. Her innovative strategies were credited with reducing violent crime in Washington, D.C. by 21 percent from 2007 to 2015 while the city’s population grew by 15 percent. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

CATHY LANIER:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Carmen Policy, former President and CEO of the Cleveland Browns. But Policy is best known for his years as President and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers where he played a key role in all five of the 49ers’ Super Bowl winning teams — helping shape an organization that became widely viewed as the hallmark sports franchise of the ’80s and ’90s. Both The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly named Carmen Policy the NFL Executive of the Year in 1994, the latter award having been determined by a vote of NFL owners and executives. The Sporting News and GQ Magazine have also named him as one of the most influential people in professional sports. An ardent believer in public service, Carmen formerly served for several years on the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He’s earned numerous honors, including being inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Carmen and his wife Gail also make a highly-decorated wine, Casa Piena. In this episode, Carmen shares his very interesting career journey, his leadership lessons, and what it means to “Win With Class.” Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!

CARMEN POLICY:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ed Kopetsky, retired and award-winning Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Stanford Health’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford’s Children’s Health. Kopetsky now focuses on mentoring families whose lives have been turned upside down due to drug addiction. In 2017, Kopetsky tragically lost his 31-year-old son to an opiod overdose. In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Ed shares 17 years of frontline experience, including invaluable insights on addressing addiction within families and communities. “There is no one I know who is better to provide guidance on dealing with addiction within a family than Ed,” says host Tom Loarie. Kopetsky has served as the Board Chair for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and he is the founder and serves today as the Co-Chair of the CHIME Opiod Task Force. He was awarded the John Gall “CIO of the Year Award” by CHIME and HIMSS. CHIME CEO Russell Branzell describes Ed Kopetsy as “one of the most courageous people I know.” HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf adds that Kopetsky “epitomizes values and traits all in health strive to achieve.” This episode showcases the epitomy of ethical leadership and human compassion, honed from deeply held principles and clear leadership that transforms lives, companies, families and communities. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!

ED KOPETSKY:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Dana Gower, Vice President of Talent and Client Services at CareerPro, and co-author of Job Hunting in the AI Era, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the job hunt. Gower is also the founder of JobWorks Career Ministry and co-author of Careering. He has personally lived through three periods of unemployment, each followed by a major rebound. Dana Gower has been guiding people through some of life’s toughest moments—job loss and career transition—for years. His ministry is built around a provocative reminder, as he puts it: “How to waste valuable job search time and NOT get a job!” This is not a lesson he teaches, but instead a warning he has seen too many job seekers live out. Dana’s focus is on showing people a better way, including practical strategies, rooted in both human wisdom and today’s AI tools, to help you move forward with confidence. In this episode, Dana shares practical insights on navigating career transitions, tapping into the hidden job market, optimizing resumes and LinkedIn profiles with AI, and—most importantly—why human connections still matter more than ever. Whether you’re between jobs or planning your next move, this conversation offers powerful, practical advice for thriving in the AI era of job searching. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!

DANA GOWER: