Pressure Tested

What does it take to stay committed to something that matters, even when progress is slow?

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin sit down with Dulany Reeves Dent, CEO of The Nanny Network and Good People Care Alliance, to explore nearly two decades of entrepreneurship, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership.

From Division I athletics to building a business that supports working families, Dulany shares lessons on learning from failure, knowing when to persevere or pivot, using data and feedback to guide decisions, and balancing ambition with what matters most.

A conversation about discipline, conviction, and the power of playing the long game.

Great leadership isn't just about the decisions you make. It's about how you show up, engage with others, and create the conditions for your team to succeed.

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore what it takes to build an effective executive leadership team. From managing ego and strengthening self-awareness to embracing vulnerability, seeking feedback, and building a culture of trust, they unpack the behaviors that separate good teams from great ones.

A practical conversation about leading with intention, getting comfortable with discomfort, and deliberately practicing the skills that drive stronger teams and better performance.

Your energy walks into the room before you say a word. What impact does it have on the people around you?

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore the power of positive relational energy and its impact on leadership, culture, and team performance. Drawing on research, personal experiences, and practical strategies, they discuss how leaders can become more aware of the energy they bring, recognize behaviors that drain others, and intentionally create an environment where people thrive.

A conversation about self-awareness, the energy we give and take, and why how we show up matters as much as what we do.

Resources Referenced:

• Jon Gordon — The Energy Bus
• Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron — The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy
• Dr. Harry Cohen — Be the Sun

Growth rarely happens when we're comfortable. It happens when we challenge ourselves, embrace discomfort, and take on things that stretch our abilities.

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer sits down with Sarah McDevitt, learning, product, and entrepreneurship expert, to explore why doing hard things matters. They discuss the connection between challenge, learning, resilience, and personal growth—and why the willingness to step outside your comfort zone is essential to becoming a better leader.

A conversation about embracing challenges, building resilience, and finding growth in the hard things.

Brendan Hanley spent his career building—from surf shops and global brands to his own company, Pure Lure. He joins Chris Steer and Amy Larkin to talk about the competitiveness, grit, authenticity, and relationships that have shaped more than 35 years as an entrepreneur and leader.

Brendan shares what he’s learned about staying close to the work while learning to let go, developing people to take ownership, and building a business that can grow beyond its founder. Because sometimes the same instincts that help you build something are the ones you eventually have to evolve to build beyond yourself.

The energy you bring as a leader matters more than you think. Dr. Harry Cohen joins Chris Steer and Amy Larkin to explore the science and practice of heliotropic leadership; how positive energizers bring out the best in others, how seemingly small behaviors shape culture, and why leaders have to pay attention to the energy they create.

Harry shares practical ways to recognize when you’re bringing the “sun” or the “salt,” recover when you get it wrong, and intentionally do more of the behaviors that help people perform and flourish. Because as Harry reminds us you are the culture.

Failure is inevitable. The strongest leaders know how to use it.

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore what it means to lead with a failure-forward mindset. They discuss how vulnerability, honest reflection, and a “next play” mentality help leaders learn faster, rebuild momentum, and create cultures where people can take risks, innovate, and grow.

Because failure doesn’t have to hold you back. When handled well, it can become fuel for what comes next.

The strongest leaders don’t achieve results alone. They build teams capable of delivering without them.

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore the essential leadership shift from doing to developing. Drawing lessons from sports and business, they share how trust, clear expectations, self-awareness, and coaching help leaders strengthen their bench and multiply their impact.

Because winning isn’t about being the best player on the field. It’s about developing the people around you to perform when the pressure is on.

High performance isn’t built by pushing harder without pause. It requires knowing when and how to recover.

In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore why rest, reflection, and boundaries are essential performance strategies, not signs of weakness. They unpack how intentional recovery strengthens resilience, restores energy, improves decision-making, and enables individuals and teams to perform when the pressure is on.

The ability to sustain performance depends on how well you recover.

Pressure doesn’t just reveal talent. It reveals whether you’re willing to listen, adjust, and grow.

In this episode, Chris and Amy sit down with three Division I student-athletes (their children), Kendall Steer and Lauren Steer of Georgetown University and AJ Larkin of the University of Maryland, to explore what it really means to be coachable.

Through a candid conversation about feedback, accountability, humility, and trust, they unpack how high performers respond when challenged, corrected, or asked to change. While their experiences were shaped through athletics, the lessons extend far beyond the field into leadership, business, and life.

Because the best performers don’t have all the answers. They remain open to coaching, committed to growth, and ready to adapt when the pressure is on.