#212: Mike O’Connell serves as the associate lead pastor at Love Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He is also an entrepreneur, speaker and leadership coach. 

Mike’s story has been marked by overcoming obstacles. After a near fatal football injury in 2004, he turned down multiple football scholarship offers to walk on at Iowa. One week after the decision he was denied admission because he wasn’t in the top 50% of his graduating class, even with a 3.3 GPA. While meeting with the provost regarding the situation, he was told statistics indicated he would fail out in his first semester if they granted him admission.

Knowing failure wasn’t an option, he made the bold decision to walk on at Iowa State. With all the odds against him, he survived three coaching changes and went on to earn a scholarship, become a team captain and earn all Big 12 academic honors.

After one season of professional football Mike decided to lay down his dream of playing in the NFL. He moved from Los Angeles, California to Omaha, Nebraska with no job or place to live. Mike went on to work for Stryker as a medical device representative for two and half years before leaving corporate America to pursue his calling as a pastor.

Mike hosts the Backstage with Mike O’Connell podcast, as well as the Lead Different Experience. 

For more on Mike check him out on social, as well as lovechurch.org  and his website at mikeoconnell.com 

Enjoy the show!