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Pre-Zero Sports Talk
Pre-Zero Sports Talk episodes
- Cancer, Faith, and Resilient Leadership | Dr. Matthew Kutz
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How do faith, family, and purpose hold up when suffering becomes real?
In Episode #90 of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, Sid Bensalah sits down with Dr. Matthew Kutz, global leadership expert, scholar, prostate cancer survivor, and founder of Battle for the Bulge, for a powerful conversation on cancer, faith, resilience, identity, and leadership through adversity.
Diagnosed with advanced metastatic prostate cancer, Matt shares how pain became a teacher, how hope deepened through suffering, and how faith, family, marriage, fatherhood, and community helped him keep moving forward.
This episode explores prostate cancer, resilient leadership, faith in the face of adversity, emotional growth, vulnerability, marriage, fatherhood, community support, the EPIC framework, the Battle of the Bulge, legacy, and finding purpose in pain.Full episode details: https://prezerosportstalk.com/podcast/dr-matthew-kutz-on-resilience-faith-leadership-through-cancer/
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Support the show: Fuel our MissionSupport the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
2 hr 5 min - Athlete to Entrepreneur: Resilience, Loss, and Leadership | Kandace Kalin
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How do you rebuild your life and career after loss, grief, and professional setback?
In Episode #89 of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, Sid Bensalah sits down with Kandace Kalin, former elite synchronized swimmer, founder of O2 Sports Insurance, and purpose-driven entrepreneur.
Kandace shares how competitive sport shaped her discipline, structure, and resilience, and how grief, wrongful termination, and personal loss pushed her to rebuild her career with deeper purpose.
This episode explores athlete-to-entrepreneur transformation, female leadership, sports insurance, women in business, resilience after loss, identity after athletics, mental health in the workplace, parenting, purpose, and building a mission-driven company that supports athletes and communities.Full episode details: https://prezerosportstalk.com/podcast/from-setback-to-ceo-kandace-kalins-playbook-for-rebuilding-after-loss/
If this conversation moved you or gave you perspective, consider supporting the show.Fuel our Mission
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
52 min - Purpose in Sport: Storytelling, Strategy, and Social Impact | Radha Balani
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How can sport use storytelling, strategy, and purpose to create real social impact?
In Episode #88 of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, Sid Bensalah sits down with Radha Balani, Partner and Director of Strategy at Think Beyond, to discuss purpose in sport, sports storytelling, commercial growth, community impact, and measurable change.
Radha explains why sport cannot fake purpose, how storytelling connects fans to values, and what it takes to turn corporate language into real action. She also shares lessons from major clubs and brands, including Liverpool FC, and explains the shift from philanthropy to shared value.
This episode explores purpose in sport, sports strategy, storytelling, social impact, sustainability, fan engagement, gender inequality, women’s sports, athlete activism, shared value, leadership integrity, and how sports executives can build impact with credibility.Full episode details:https://prezerosportstalk.com/podcast/how-storytelling-drives-purpose-in-sport-with-radha-balani-of-think-beyond/
If this conversation moved you or gave you perspective, consider supporting the show.Fuel our Mission
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
58 min - Family Meals, Food Waste, and Mindful Leadership | Janet Irizarry
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Can the kitchen teach leadership, empathy, gratitude, and legacy?
In Episode #87 of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, Sid Bensalah sits down with Janet Irizarry, founder of My Mindful Kitchen, for a heartfelt conversation on family meals, food waste, mindful cooking, sustainability, and the values we pass on through daily routines.
Janet shares her journey from owning restaurants to launching a food advocacy movement, sparked by a powerful line in her son’s college essay: “There was never food in the house.”
This episode explores family meals, mindful cooking, reducing food waste, food insecurity, emotional intelligence, sustainability, climate impact, eating local and seasonal, gratitude, parenting, leadership, legacy, and how the kitchen can become a classroom for values.Full episode details: https://prezerosportstalk.com/podcast/family-meals-food-waste-mindful-cooking-janet-irizarry/
If this conversation moved you or gave you perspective, consider supporting the show.
Fuel our Mission
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 15 min - How Cities Can Cool Themselves: Climate Design with Joshua Harrison
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In this powerful episode, host Sid Bensalah is joined by Joshua Harrison, co-founder of Leaf Island and co-director of the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure. Together, they unpack how cities around the world can use nature—not just to survive climate stress—but to regenerate and thrive.
This isn't theory. It's about real solutions already in play.
We explore:
- Turning recycled Styrofoam into high-performance green roof soil
- Rethinking urban metabolism using modular plant systems
- Confronting the empty promises of COP climate summits
- And how clean progress can start on your rooftop—not in a faraway boardroom
Joshua brings sharp insight from the field, from composting in NYC to working with island communities in the Caribbean, blending systems thinking, urban ecology, and creative storytelling into one timely conversation.
00:00 How Cities Can Cool Themselves: Climate Design with Joshua Harrison
00:32 Composting and Recycling in Cities
02:20 UN Climate Conference and Environmental Irony
02:54 Indigenous Protests and Global Climate Events
04:04 Challenges of Hosting Global Conferences
07:05 Introduction to Joshua Harrison
07:36 The Role of Nature in Urban Regeneration
09:24 Cultural Development in the Caribbean
19:22 Climate Migration and Global Inequality
30:03 The Importance of Storytelling in Climate Systems
35:22 Innovative Green Roof Solutions
38:54 Introduction to Bioactive Soil
39:21 Hydroponics vs. Traditional Soil
39:53 Benefits of GaiaSoil™
41:09 Urban Greening and Climate Impact
44:33 Economic and Community Benefits
48:40 Challenges and Solutions for Green Cities
52:06 Leadership and Climate Action
56:01 Youth Activism and Global Climate Efforts
58:51 Reflections on Climate Leadership
01:06:50 Hope for the Future
01:10:54 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsSupport the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 14 min - Searching for Father: Faith, Legacy & Leadership with Mark Motsenbocker
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In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Sid Bensalah sits down with Mark Motsenbocker, a seasoned executive, mentor, and author of “Searching for Father: Lessons From a Son’s Journey.”
Mark opens up about the life-altering loss of his parents in a tragic car accident when he was just 8 years old. With raw honesty, he shares how that trauma shaped his journey, and how his grandmother and a series of father figures stepped in to guide him toward leadership, character, and faith.
The conversation goes far beyond personal grief, touching on universal themes like fatherlessness, community support, resilience, mentorship, faith, and legacy. From boardrooms to backyards, Mark’s life story is a masterclass in turning suffering into service, pain into purpose, and hardship into hope.
00:00 – Searching for Father: Legacy, Loss & Leadership
00:12 – A Tragic Loss and Its Impact
00:45 – The Role of Grandmother
01:07 – Fatherlessness: A Silent Epidemic
05:21 – Community Support and Resilience
08:47 – The Power of Presence and Giving
10:43 – Influence of Father Figures
13:09 – Acts of Kindness and Community
32:46 – Teaching Values to the Next Generation
39:20 – Coping with Loss and Discovering Optimism
42:00 – The Power of Hope and Faith
49:24 – Leadership and Mentorship
01:03:09 – Family, Legacy, and Living with Intention
01:05:06 – Writing and Publishing “Searching for Father”
01:14:57 – Final Reflections and Timeless Wisdom
Key Takeaways
- Fatherlessness is a silent epidemic. Mentorship matters.
- Grief can shape character when met with love and presence.
- True leadership is about consistency, humility, and service.
- Legacy lives in everyday acts of kindness and giving.
- Faith, family, and community are the pillars of lasting impact.
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 18 min - The Pickleball Boom: How Miles Reynolds Is Building More Than Courts
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Miles Reynolds, a sports entrepreneur, founder, and president of Legendary Sports Construction, host of the Pickleball Builders Podcast, and board member of Southern Nevada Pickleball, has become one of the most influential voices in America's fastest-growing sport. With experience in business development, community outreach, and youth engagement, Miles has helped elevate pickleball from a backyard activity into a cultural and commercial movement.
In this conversation with Sid Bensalah, Miles shares his experience of surviving colon cancer, his commitment to staying grounded in faith and gratitude, and how pickleball has influenced his family life.
He offers his perspective on youth development, what makes a pickleball community thrive, and the sport's potential to become an Olympic event.
00:00 – The Pickleball Boom: How Miles Reynolds Is Building More Than Courts
00:01 – Introduction and Welcome
00:04 – The Rise of Pickleball
00:58 – Sustainable Growth in Pickleball
02:11 – Miles Reynolds: A Journey in Sports Entrepreneurship
10:35 – The Impact of the Pandemic on Pickleball
20:01 – Challenges and Costs in Building Pickleball Courts
26:31 – Personal Stories and Family Moments
30:02 – A Surprise 50th Birthday Party
31:52 – The Importance of Youth Engagement in Pickleball
35:06 – Promoting Pickleball in Schools
37:46 – Pickleball as a Corporate and Community Activity
40:02 – Surviving Colon Cancer: A Life-Changing Experience
44:26 – Faith and Resilience Through Adversity
50:06 – The Ideal Pickleball Community
53:41 – Pickleball's Olympic Potential
55:29 – Lightning Round: Fun and Personal Insights
58:37 – Final Thoughts and AdviceThis episode combines sports, leadership, community, and resilience into a story that inspires and informs. Whether you're a fan, coach, builder, or just curious about pickleball, there's something here for you.
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 1 min - No Ordinary Risk: Chris Baron on Storytelling, Survival & Leading in the Unknown
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Chris Baron is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, Series Producer for National Geographic and the BBC, and host of the No Ordinary Monday podcast.
He has filmed in some of the most extreme environments on the planet. From volcanoes to minefields, from deep caves to active war zones, his career is defined by curiosity, courage, and calculated risk. In this episode of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, host Sid Bensalah dives into Chris’s transition from molecular microbiology to documentary filmmaking and what it takes to lead, observe, and create under pressure.
This conversation explores how fear can be a tool, why leadership matters most in chaos, and how real innovation often happens where no one’s looking.
Pre-Zero Sports Talk brings you stories of sports, leadership, faith, performance, coaching, community, innovation, and clean progress from Sweden to the world.
00:00 Intro
00:01 Meet Chris Baron, From Science to Storytelling
01:40 The Journey from Lab to Lens
07:43 Challenges and Lessons in Documentary Filmmaking
17:46 Leadership in Extreme Conditions
24:37 Creative Problem Solving in Filmmaking
30:58 Audience and Success in Documentary Production
35:08 Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity
35:59 The Thrill of Facing Fears
37:25 Diverging Views on Horror Films
41:23 Understanding Fear, Helpful vs Harmful
42:41 The Inspiration Behind No Ordinary Monday
45:14 Memorable Podcast Conversations
48:38 The Interfaith Church Experience
51:20 Passion vs Purpose in Filmmaking
52:55 The Realities of Working in Television
01:02:05 Finding Wonder in Science and Nature
01:06:50 Reflections on Life, Death, and Purpose
01:09:13 Hope for the Future
01:10:27 AI in Filmmaking
01:14:36 Embracing AI, Challenges and Opportunities
01:16:09 Lightning Round, Quick Questions
01:21:02 Closing ThoughtsSupport the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 23 min - Confidence Isn’t Yelled, It’s Built — Flip the Switch with Sandy Cohan
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In this episode, Sid Bensalah sits down with Sandy Cohan, an elite mindset architect, former professional hockey coach, global keynote speaker, and best-selling author of the UNSHAKABLE: 99 Rules series.
Together, they unpack what it really takes to perform under pressure—on the field, in the locker room, at home, and in life. Sandy shares how true confidence is built over time, not through hype or hustle, but by doing the reps, reflecting on mistakes, and recovering with purpose.
From youth sports to elite performance, this episode offers practical tools, real-life stories, and valuable insights for anyone in sports, leadership, or high-performance roles.
00:00 Flip the Switch: Building Grit, Belief, and Mental Clarity with Sandy Cohan
00:04 Building Confidence: Reps, Reflection, and Recovery
01:26 Exploring Mental Performance in Sports
02:05 Sandy Cohan’s Journey and Insights
02:39 The Importance of Mindset in Sports
06:58 Leadership and Clarity in Team Sports
09:51 Flipping the Switch: Compete Mode
11:50 The Seven Pillars of the Mental Edge Blueprint
13:34 Focus and Grit: Keys to High Performance
15:01 Handling Pressure and Mental Toughness
20:53 Identifying and Preventing Burnout
31:39 Parental Support in Youth Sports
38:44 Reframing for Problem Solving
39:47 The Ride Home After a Game
41:22 Staying Quiet and Letting Kids Process
44:27 Coaching Parents and Young Athletes
46:05 Common Mistakes Parents Make
47:30 Understanding Athlete Psychology
49:39 Socioeconomics in Sports Development
52:54 Building Belief and Confidence
59:52 Sandy's Book Series: Unshakeable
01:10:05 Lightning Round Q&ALearn more → https://www.mentaledgehockey.com/
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
1 hr 14 min - From Ice Rinks to Industry: Lesle Lane on Discipline, Legacy & Leadership
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In this episode, host Sid Bensalah welcomes Lesle Lane, founder and lead photographer at Studio 13 in Indianapolis and a former U.S. national-level figure skater. Lesle’s story blends high performance, artistic leadership, and entrepreneurial grit.
From her early mornings on the ice to reimagining a third-generation photography business, Lesle unpacks the mindset, mentorship, and moments that shaped her purpose. She reflects on failing a skating test seven times and how that grit carried over into running a creative business, mentoring photographers, and leading with authenticity.
You’ll also hear her take on gender bias in the creative industry, how she’s embraced AI in commercial photography, and what legacy means when balancing personal standards with community impact.
00:00 From Ice Rinks to Industry: Lesle Lane on Discipline, Legacy & Leadership
01:07 Leslie Lane's Background and Early Passion for Skating
01:40 The Discipline and Independence of Skating
03:31 Lessons from Coaches and Dealing with Failure
06:47 Transition to Photography and Overcoming Business Challenges
10:57 Balancing Personal and Professional Life
25:28 Taking Over the Family Business
27:34 Challenges of Being a Female Photographer
29:28 Proud Achievements and Milestones
31:45 Navigating Gender and Age Bias
33:40 Advice for Women Leaders
35:34 Importance of Mentorship
37:49 Adapting to Technological Changes
44:09 Personal Legacy and Impact
48:11 Lightning Round Q&A
Key Takeaways
- Sports can teach lifelong discipline and leadership
- Grit is built through failure and tested in business
- Coaching others reveals more about yourself
- Being a female leader in commercial photography requires courage and clarity
- AI is changing the creative space, but not replacing human vision
- Mentorship isn’t optional; it’s a responsibility
- Legacy is built moment by moment, with intention
Support the show
Stay Connected with Pre-Zero Sports Talk.
Join host Sid Bensalah and the Pre-Zero Sports Talk community for real conversations beyond the game, where sport meets leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
Listen, watch, and follow:
Spotify Video: Watch full episodes
YouTube: Subscribe and join the conversation
X: @PreZeroST
Instagram: @PreZeroSportsTalk
LinkedIn: Connect with the Community
TikTok: @PreZeroSportsTalk
Substack: Sid BensalahGot feedback, a topic idea, or a guest suggestion?
Send your thoughts here: https://prezerosportstalk.com/contact/Support the Podcast: https://prezerosportstalk.com/donate/
56 min
About Pre-Zero Sports Talk
From the publisher's feed
Pre-Zero Sports Talk is where sport meets leadership, performance, purpose, community, innovation, faith, and the realities behind the polished narratives.
Hosted by Sid Bensalah,…
who brings more than 30 years of international sports industry experience, the show brings together voices from inside and outside sport to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and explore what the sports industry can learn from people who see the world differently.
The idea for Pre-Zero began with a simple frustration: too often, the public conversation around sport focuses on promises, polished narratives, targets, achievements, and impact claims while the difficult questions remain unanswered.
So we created a different kind of conversation.
Athletes, coaches, executives, entrepreneurs, scientists, educators, psychologists, technologists, conservationists, faith leaders, and people shaped by extraordinary life experiences join Sid for honest, long-form discussions without talking points or hidden agendas.
But performance and achievement are only part of the story.
Many high achievers spend their lives chasing the next win, title, promotion, deal, record, or milestone, only to discover that outward success does not automatically bring fulfilment, peace, wisdom, or meaning.
Pre-Zero also explores the questions behind achievement: What is success really for? What gives life purpose? What happens when winning is no longer enough? And where do faith, identity, family, service, responsibility, inner peace, and wisdom fit?
The name Pre-Zero originated during the global push toward Net-Zero commitments. Before reaching zero, what are organisations actually doing today? What is measurable? What works? What does not?
That question now reaches far beyond environmental issues.
Before the result, what happened in preparation? Before leadership, how did we behave? Before impact, what changed? Before the promise, where is the action? And before chasing the next achievement, do we understand why we are chasing it?
Pre-Zero also believes in practical environmental progress. Clean air, clean water, healthy soil, conservation, and measurable results matter more than slogans.
Sport is the starting point, not the boundary.
These are real conversations beyond sport, exploring what helps people, leaders, organisations, and communities perform better, live with greater purpose, and make meaningful progress.