Send us a text

Let’s be real—hiring the right people can make or break your company. Get it right, and you’ve got a rocket ship. Get it wrong, and you’re burning time, money, and energy you can’t get back.

In this episode of Mork Unfiltered, I sit down with Alfredo Vaamonde, a three-time founder and co-founder of Papa (the health-tech unicorn tackling loneliness), to talk about his latest venture: Mission Hires.

Alfredo’s company is rewriting the rules of recruiting using AI to match companies and nonprofits with talent that truly aligns with their mission and values—not just candidates chasing the next shiny startup.

We get into:

• Why most hiring processes are broken and what it’s costing companies
• How AI is transforming the way we find, screen, and engage top talent
• Why mission-driven hiring is the key to resilience and retention
• Alfredo’s personal journey as a founder—from Venezuela to scaling a unicorn
• The loneliness of entrepreneurship, and how to cope when the grind gets real

Whether you’re a founder scaling your team, a leader trying to find better hires, or a candidate frustrated by today’s broken recruiting process, this episode is going to change the way you think about hiring.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

What would make you walk away from a stable corporate career with no backup plan?

For Tara LaFon Gooch, it was the realization that she was living a version of success that wasn’t hers. Once afraid to even speak up on a Zoom call, Tara went on to become a TEDx speaker, bestselling author, CEO, and creator of the GRASP Method — a framework for building confidence from the inside out.

In this candid conversation, we dive into:

• The day she put public speaking at the center of her vision board — despite being terrified of it.
• Why redefining success was the first step toward real freedom.
• How small daily acts of giving can completely shift your mindset from scarcity to abundance.
• The neuroscience behind manifestation — and why action is just as critical as vision.

If you’ve ever felt stuck chasing someone else’s dream, this episode will help you take back the pen and write your own story.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

What happens when everything you’ve worked for—fame, fortune, identity—comes crashing down?

In this raw and powerful episode, former NFL offensive lineman Marques Ogden joins Patrick Mork to share his extraordinary story of success, failure, and reinvention. From signing a million-dollar contract in the NFL to scrubbing toilets for $8/hour, Marques opens up about the bankruptcy that destroyed his business, the ego that almost killed his future, and the mindset shift that saved his life.

Now a sought-after speaker and coach to Fortune 500 companies, Marques gets brutally honest about the toxic side of success, the struggle of rebuilding from nothing, and why true leadership begins when the mask comes off.

If you’re building, rebuilding, or rethinking what success really means—this episode will move you, challenge you, and change the way you lead.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

Mork Unfiltered: Success is a Lie! – A Conversation with Barbara Martin Coppola

Welcome to Mork Unfiltered, folks! In this inspiring episode, Patrick Mork sits down with Barbara Martin Coppola, a truly global and purpose-driven leader. As the former CEO of Decathlon, and with extensive experience in senior leadership roles at IKEA, Google, Grubhub, and Samsung, Barbara has spearheaded bold transformations across three continents.

Dive into a candid conversation where Barbara shares her unique insights on:

• The Power of Purpose: Discover why leading with an authentic mission is paramount, going beyond financial goals to drive profound impact.
• Global Identity in Leadership: How her diverse cultural background (French, American, Spanish) and international career shaped her adaptable and effective leadership style.
• Balancing Career & Family: Practical strategies and personal reflections on prioritizing motherhood while excelling in demanding executive roles.
• Navigating Self-Doubt & Building Resilience: Learn Barbara's techniques for overcoming challenges, embracing new industries, and fostering resilience within herself and her organizations.
• Authenticity & Values-Driven Change: The critical importance of instilling core values and fostering genuine engagement to drive large-scale transformation.

Barbara, a proud INSEAD graduate and board member, reveals how she strives to leave a proud legacy and believes that with purpose, the impossible is truly possible. This episode is a masterclass in human-centric leadership and a must-listen for anyone aiming to make a significant difference in the world.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

In this episode of Mork Unfiltered, Patrick Mork sits down with Leela Srinivasan, CEO of Parity and marketing veteran of companies like LinkedIn, SurveyMonkey, and OpenTable. Leela’s career has been anything but linear—from sales in Fort Lauderdale to consulting at Bain, to now leading a mission-driven organization focused on gender equity in sports.

Leela opens up about what it really means to lead with values, how purpose guided her biggest career moves, and why knowing when to leap is more important than following a perfect plan. Whether you’re navigating a career pivot or looking to reconnect with your “why,” this episode offers real, grounded wisdom from someone who’s walked the talk.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

2025 hasn’t been kind to founders — especially if you’re not riding the AI wave. It’s been a grind, and let’s face it: trust in investors isn’t exactly at an all-time high. Between investors seemingly wanting the "perfect business and metrics" and many too swamped to get back to founders, let alone provide meaningful feedback, frustration among some founders has reached Parisian pitchfork levels.

That’s why this conversation hits different.

In this episode of Mork Unfiltered, I interview Gopi Rangan — founder of Sure Ventures and one of the few investors out there who genuinely leads with purpose and geniunely cares about founders - even if he doesn't invest in them. Gopi doesn’t just invest for financial return. He backs companies solving real-world problems in insurance, fintech, and climate — with a deep focus on mission, trust, and integrity.

Here’s what we dive into:

• Why trust is Gopi’s #1 investment filter
• How clarity of mission makes founders more fundable
• Why kindness builds better companies — and stronger founders
• Why purpose is a performance driver — not a soft skill
• Gopi’s strategy for evaluating early-stage founders in minutes
• Why inner work matters more than most VCs want to admit

Even founders who don’t get a check from Gopi walk away better for the conversation. If you’re trying to build something that matters — not just pitch another round or build a unicorn — this episode will rock your world.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

Are you stressed out, anxious or feeling overwhelmed?

You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. In this powerful solo episode, keynote speaker, 2x founder, executive coach and best-selling author Patrick Mork shares the real reason we often feel stuck: we don’t have a reliable way to make aligned decisions.

Patrick opens up about a life-defining choice—leaving his career in Silicon Valley to move to Chile—and how a values-based tool helped him find clarity in chaos. You’ll learn how to uncover your top 5 core values and use them to guide even the most difficult decisions in work and life.

🔹 Discover the root cause of indecision, stress and burn out

🔹 Learn a FREE tool to identify your core values and make better decisions

🔹 Get a clear framework for making decisions with purpose and confidence

This episode is your crash course in cutting through confusion, getting unstuck and reducing burnout—for good.

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

Before he led billion-dollar ships through hurricanes—both literal and economic—Adam Goldstein was flat on the floor of his Princeton dorm, battling chronic pain and just trying to get through the day.

In this episode of Mork Unfiltered, we explore how early adversity shaped Adam’s capacity to navigate crisis after crisis in one of the world’s most unforgiving industries. From leading Royal Caribbean through 9/11, the 2008 crash, and the complete shutdown of cruising during COVID, Adam’s story is a deep dive into what it really means to be resilient.

What you'll get:

• The untold story of chronic pain and grit at Princeton

• How adversity prepared Adam to lead through 3 global crises

• The mindset it takes to lead when the industry you love becomes the face of a global pandemic

• Why real leaders don’t avoid storms—they prepare for them

This is a conversation about resilience—not as a soundbite, but as a survival strategy.

Did you know Resilience is a muscle? That's right and you can train and develop it to make it stronger. Download Mork's Guide to Resilience to get started right here!

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick

Send us a text

Ever looked in the mirror and asked, “What the hell happened to me?”

Yeah — me too. Except my version included getting fired (twice) in 18 months, divorced, and nearly becoming a hood ornament on a garbage truck.

This episode is the wake-up call — the one I wish I didn’t need. I’m pulling the curtain back on the crash that forced me to confront the truth: I was lost and had no way to figure it out on my own. Chasing someone else’s idea of success. And it nearly cost me everything.

Here’s what you’ll get in this no-holds-barred first episode of Mork Unfiltered:

• The full story of how I burned it all down — and why it was the best thing that ever happened
• The near-death moment that slapped me awake
• How I asked for help and the coaching journey that helped me find my true north
• A dead-simple Japanese tool (Ikigai) to help YOU figure out your purpose and direction in life

In case you’re wondering who the hell I am…

I’ve lived in 11 countries, survived 33 moves, coached execs on 5 continents, and lived through a near civil war in a country 6,000 miles from home. I’ve launched billion-dollar products at Google, scaled startups from zero to rocketship, and gotten my ass handed to me more times than I care to count.

I’ve seen the top. I’ve hit the bottom. And I’ve rebuilt something real.

This episode is your invitation to stop the noise, ask better questions, and take the first step toward a life that actually matters.

The best part? None of this is rocket science. Not of this requires a fancy degree nor tons of money. It just requires you to go deep inside yourself, ask some uncomfortable questions and get real.

Ready? Let's go!

If this episode moved you or gave you a different lens on adversity and growth, I want to invite you to go deeper.

I wrote Step Back and Leap for people exactly like us. People building through chaos. People trying to find meaning inside uncertainty. People choosing purpose over comfort. You can get it here:
https://a.co/d/e4nd8RT

And if you want practical tools you can use today to strengthen your resilience, I created a short, tactical guide you can download immediately. It’s called The Mork Guide to Resilience and it is designed to help you build inner strength, recover faster, and lead from a grounded place:
https://aa5c-ea.systeme.io/resilience

Because sometimes the most powerful leaps forward start with stepping back, grounding yourself, and reconnecting to why you are here in the first place.

— Patrick