Red Shoes Living Podcast

"The way you act and behave is far more powerful than the words you use.  Attraction rather than promotion is the key to inspiring leadership." This is just one of the many nuggets of wisdom that Charlie Engle, Global Ultra-Endurance Athlete, shares with us on this Red Shoes Living podcast episode. This episode is packed with jaw-dropping experiences and powerful takeaways for leadership in today's ever-changing business landscape.

Charlie Engle is a global ultra-endurance athlete and the founder of the 5.8 Global Adventure Series, one of the most ambitious expeditions in modern history, trekking from the lowest to the highest points on all seven continents. He is also one of the most accomplished ultramarathon runners in the world, having placed in hundreds of races in dozens of countries.

His incredible athletic ability was profiled in the film, Running the Sahara, narrated by Matt Damon. The documentary highlighted his historic, record-setting journey across the world’s largest desert, running more than two marathons a day for 111 consecutive days, for a total of 4,500 miles. Charlie’s transcontinental run through deep sand and politically unstable countries remain one of the premier accomplishments in the ultra-endurance and adventure sports worlds. After crossing the Sahara and seeing the global water crisis first-hand, Charlie teamed up with Matt Damon to create H20 Africa, which later became the global humanitarian organization, Water.org.

Charlie’s memoir, Running Man, became a bestseller shortly after it was published in 2016. While the book details his inspiring life story, it is about more than just running. It is about facing demons, overcoming impossible odds, keeping your sense of humor, and discovering the redemptive power of putting one foot in front of the other, even when you feel like you can’t keep going.

His motivation to run and tackle extreme adventures stems from his battle with addiction to drugs and alcohol. Charlie has been in recovery since July 23, 1992, and he credits a large part of his recovery to the purposeful devotion and emotional release he experiences while running.

Charlie is a dynamic speaker who has enthralled audiences around the world, from keynotes at the Boston Marathon and Google to the National Geographic Society, NATO, the United Nations, and the deck of a nuclearclass U.S. Naval aircraft carrier.

He’s been featured in the New York Times, National Geographic Weekend, Outside, Runner’s World, NPR’s All Things Considered, Men’s Journal, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He lives with his wife, Astacianna Hatcher, in Durham, North Carolina.

In this powerful Red Shoes Living Podcast, Lonnie Mayne talks with Bronze Medal Olympian, Kellie Wells Brinkley. This is a special and talented woman you want to know. Her story keeps you on the edge of your seat and you find yourself cheering her on throughout the podcast. Kellie shares the incredible hurdles she powered through, over and conquered, to go on to win the Bronze Medal in 2012. It was considered one of the most dramatic stories in the history of the Olympic games.

Kellie shares with us her belief that "not all types of movement is progress. Sometimes, you have to stop to move forward." She also believes that when you think you have reached your "glass ceiling", set a new one and keep pushing. 

Kellie Wells hails from Richmond Virginia. She attended James River High School where she graduated with honors and then chose to attend Hampton University in Hampton Virginia. During her time at Hampton University, Wells was a four-year letterman, three year Captain, elected the school’s most valuable athlete, earned all Mid Eastern Athletic Conference honors, and made history by becoming the school’s first NCAA Division 1 All-American in any sport. While she thrived on the track, she managed to graduate college in three and a half years and go on into the University’s five year MBA program and complete that early as well. 

Kellie suffered a heartbreaking injury at the 2008 Olympic Trials where she was unable to compete in the finals due to a severe hamstring tear. Wells made an impressive comeback in 2011 by winning her first USA outdoor and indoor national titles and dominating the 100-meter Hurdles. Wells’ winning time of 7.79 at the 2011 USA Indoor Championships was the No. 1 time in the world for the year and at the ninth fastest of all time. In the summer of 2011, Wells also went public with another heartbreaking struggle she faced – being sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend. Wells moved out of the abusive house in the 10th grade and a few weeks later her mother passed away in a car accident along with her mother's boyfriend. Wells unknowingly drove past the accident site on her way home, not realizing her mother was in the car wreck. 

Her honors include: 

•  Four-time National Champion (100-meter hurdles); two-time National Champion (60-meter hurdles); Co-National Record Holder (55-meter hurdles)

•  2012 Presidential Rising Star Award; awarded by President Barack Obama 

•  Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame Inductee

•  Olympic Ambassador

•  United States Army Athlete Ambassador

•  USA Track and field ambassador 

•  US Olympic committee safe sports advisor and Ambassador 

Kellie has a foundation called “The Hits and Hurdles Foundation”, that services people that have taken major hits and overcome many obstacles in life. Kellie enjoys helping Men, Woman, and Children that have overcome obstacles, sexual abuse, and all types of violence. The foundation also teaches self-love, empowerment, and taking care of their Mind, Body, and Soul. Kellie prides herself on being a champion for the voiceless and empowering women to take back what was stolen from them and not only surviving but thriving. 

In this week's episode of the Red Shoes Living Podcast, Lonnie Mayne talks with former world record holder and Olympian, Willie Banks.

Willie talks with us about how to be a renaissance individual and leader. Every day starts with gratitude for Willie. His daily practice includes choosing positive words in all of his communication. He shares with us what it takes to go after a world record and personal best. Willie also lets us in on the five things that have helped him navigate the COVID pandemic.

For many years Willie has assisted cities bidding for international events like the Olympic Games. He has served as the Deputy Executive Director for the 1994 World Cup of soccer and the Director of Athlete Services for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Village. He is famous throughout the world and has represented his country in many ways. Taking note of Willie’s international popularity and outstanding personal character and leadership qualities, Time Magazine once dubbed him “The United States’ ambassador of track and field”.

Though Willie is a former world record holder and Olympian, much of his fame comes from his innovative approach to sports. Willie entertained the crowd and in response, the spectators rhythmically clapped while he ran down the runway for his jump. It became so popular that it set a tradition that is mimicked throughout the world to this day.

Willie is a leader. In 2019, Willie was elected to World Athletics, the international federation responsible for the sport of track and field (athletics). He currently also sits on the World Olympians Association Executive Committee. He is past-President of the US Olympians. He is a member of the Board of Directors for USA Track and Field, 1988 Olympic Team Captain, USATF Alumni President, and past chairman of the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee. While working on the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games the Martin Luther King, Jr. Women’s Association awarded Willie with their “Drum Major for Justice” award given to that individual who exemplifies a positive leadership image. During a critical time for US cycling, Willie raised funds to revitalize the Olympic Velodrome in Los Angeles and started the Southern California Velodrome Association which managed both the Olympic and San Diego velodromes.

This Red Shoes Living episode features the CEO and Founder of Red Shoes Living, Lonnie Mayne, himself. We have received so many requests for more solo podcasts and we will be doing more of these in the future.

Red Shoes Living is a timeless and powerful message. However, through this incredibly noisy and disruptive time in history, there is no better time for applying the Red Shoes Living mindset in your personal and professional lives than now!

COVID has been challenging for sure. With every adversity, there is also often opportunity. COVID has presented some fortuities for many that otherwise may have not been. Quarantine forced an opportunity for us to go deep within and make improvements in our lives whether it be in health, relationships, and professionally. It's presented a juncture for creativity in all aspects of our lives.

In this episode, Lonnie reviews the pillars of Red Shoes Living and how the pillars can help us all navigate these tough times. COVID gave us no choice but to step into what we are all facing. It is up to us to step through it, and then eventually, step up. This realization led us to create Red Shoes Rising. A thoughtful and important message for us individually, and as leaders, to help navigate what uncertainties and challenges we are all faced with.

If we apply the Red Shoes Living mindset in our lives, we will get through this, together. We are going to rise through this opportunity and step up to more fulfilling and satisfying personal and professional lives.

Lonnie's book, Red Shoes Living is available here. 

In this incredibly powerful episode, Lonnie Mayne talks with Dean McKee, a man wrongfully convicted more than 30 years ago for a murder he did NOT commit. Dean spent 30 years in prison and fought day in and day out to prove his innocence. The Innocence Project eventually took his case and in time were able to get his conviction overturned and he walked out of prison, a free man, January 9, 2018. 

Dean has never been compensated for his wrongful conviction and 30 years in prison. It would only make sense that he would be very cynical, angry, and bitter. Shockingly, he is not. Instead, he has forgiven those involved in this injustice and is full of gratitude for his life and his freedom and is working hard to build a life for himself and his wife, Danie. He has known Danie since they were 15 years old. Danie walked with and fought alongside Dean to help secure his freedom.

Dean and Danie now live in their beautiful home with their dog, Buddy. They enjoy working in their vegetable and flower gardens. Gardening was something that became a life-line for Dean while in prison. They have built a business together, Inside Ink Tattoo Studio, based in Largo, Florida. This was a dream of Dean's throughout his incarceration. 

Dean's attitude of gratitude and spirit is something special to behold. In his own words:
"I am so grateful for my life and my freedom and all of our family and friends that we have made, and who have supported us on this journey. Life outside is so different than what I’m used to after 30 years of prison, and I am forever grateful for the people that worked so hard to get me home."

In this special episode of the Red Shoes Living Podcast, Lonnie Mayne talks with Scotty and Tiffany Smiley about the tragic attack that Scotty endured by a suicide car bomber in Iraq, 2005. They discuss how, with Tiffany’s love, encouragement, unwavering support, and determination, Scotty, now blind from the attack, overcame his understandable hopelessness and rebuilt his life to go on to be hugely successful as a blind active-duty officer, father, husband, author, speaker, and athlete. Scotty and Tiffany have three beautiful sons and have built an inspirational and successful business. Hope Unseen. 

Major (Retired) Scotty Smiley became the first blind active-duty officer in military history following a face-to-face confrontation with a suicide car bomber in Iraq in 2005.  After his injury, Scotty’s faith led him to forgive his attacker and inspired him to rebuild his life while continuing to serve his country in the U.S. Army. 

A West Point graduate, he returned there to teach after he earned an MBA from Duke University.  He was named the Army Times “Soldier of the Year" and won an ESPY award for “Best Outdoor Athlete.”  He is the recipient of a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the Army’s prestigious MacArthur Leadership Award.  Following a position in the Gonzaga University ROTC Department, Scotty retired from the military in 2015. 

Scotty wrote his book Hope Unseen about his journey through overcoming adversity and now travels the country sharing his message of perseverance, courage, and hope.  Ever the adventurer, after the loss of his eyesight he has learned to surf, gone skydiving, climbed Mt. Denali, and became an Ironman.  Scotty currently works as an investment banker at Drexel Hamilton and is a regular guest on news networks such as NBC, CBS, and Fox.  He is married to his high school sweetheart Tiffany.  The couple lives in their hometown of Pasco, Washington with sons Grady, Graham, and Baylor. 

Tiffany Smiley is currently CEO and Founder of Tiffany Smiley Consulting and President and Co-Founder of Hope Unseen, a highly successful public speaking firm.  She has been featured on CBS News, CNN, C-SPAN, Dr. Phil, Fox News, The Katie Couric Show as well as in major publications such as People Magazine, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal.  Prior to that, Ms. Smiley served as a triage nurse and in other health professional roles.  She is a graduate of Whitworth University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  Ms. Smiley has been a fierce advocate for American veterans, working with high-ranking politicians, lobbyists, and the President to secure much-needed services.  She runs her consultancy and other businesses from Pasco, WA, where she lives with her husband and three sons. 

In this episode of the Red Shoes Living podcast, Lonnie Mayne and Dr. Daisy Robinton discuss what it takes to navigate and to truly bear witness to what we are all going through during these incredibly challenging times, and Dr. Robinton talks about the science of what is happening to the human psyche through these experiences. We learn how we as leaders need to stop and listen in order to be effective with our teams, and what will stay with us and what we will learn from these unprecedented, collective human experiences we are all sharing across the world.

We live in a really noisy world. The key to turning down the volume of negativity is to be aware of the Red Shoes moments that are happening all around you or by contributing something positive with a Red Shoes act of your own.

Do you ever feel like you just can’t be 100% in the moment? When you tune into this podcast episode, you’ll learn there is absolutely nothing wrong with you or your mind. Lonnie and his guests Dr. Wood and Dr. Leslie from the Inspired Performance Institute talk about how you can clear the glitches in your mind to gain clarity and focus to drive performance.

Dr. Wood and Dr. Leslie help individuals process traumatic events that occurred in the past, but continue to impact their minds and performance today. And, their work is for everyone—traumatic events and experiences effect us all from dealing with a bully in kindergarten to those who encountered abuse. Tune in to learn how to perform at your highest level.

Courtney Banghart, the head women’s basketball coach at Princeton who led her team to six Ivy League titles, was named the 2015 Naismith National Coach of the Year and one of The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine, was this week’s guest on the Red Shoes Living podcast. On and off the court, Courtney is a remarkable Red Shoes Living individual and a winner at every level.

Leaders in all stages of their career and in every industry will be inspired and motivated by Courtney’s words. She and Lonnie talk about the best way to start your day to make the biggest impact, the art of the possible and how to surround yourself with a diverse group of mentors (including those who would “still love you if you robbed a bank”) and people that fill your cup. At her core, Courtney is a servant leader who believes life is about who you are and who you help. Tune in to learn her “share and shoot it” philosophy that guides her players on and off the court.