What if “work-life balance” was the wrong question?

In this electrifying episode of Second Life Leader, Doug Utberg sits down with executive coach and former Fortune 500 insider Lindsay Barnett to dismantle the productivity cult and offer something radically more powerful: work-life harmony.

This isn’t another burnout sob story. It’s a tactical reframe for warriors, rebuilders, and sovereigns ready to stop apologizing for wanting more—and start structuring their life around energy, not just time.

Inside this episode:

* Why “busy” has become a socially sanctioned addiction—and how to detox from it

* The 3 Energetic Levers: Creative, Connection, and Completion Energy (this framework alone is worth the listen)

* How to build presence into your workflow without pretending your inbox doesn’t exist

* Why work-life balance is a corporate myth—and how real leaders orchestrate their days like symphonies, not spreadsheets

* Doug’s personal ritual of sovereignty: baking bread, brewing kombucha, and anchoring presence through food

Lindsay brings decades of high-level HR and coaching wisdom, but this isn’t corporate fluff. It’s a blueprint for reclaiming your day, your energy, and your soul—without waiting for someone else to give you permission.

🔗 Listen now and reclaim your rhythm.

Lindsay’s tools: https://workinghelltoworkingwell.com

Connect with Lindsay: https://barnettcoaching.com | LinkedIn

🧨 If you're still trying to “balance” your life, you're already losing. Harmony is the new sovereignty—and it starts here.

Call To Action

If this hit—don’t scroll past it. Take the Second Life Leader Quiz to see where you’re powerful, where you’re blocked, and what to do next: leaderquiz.app. Then share this with one man who’s rebuilding.

https://leaderquiz.app

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

What if your greatest limitation isn't a skill gap—but a silent script you're still obeying?

In this episode of Second Life Leader, I’m joined by Kevin Palmieri, host of Next Level University, for a direct, unsanitized conversation about core wounds, hidden rules, and the unspoken patterns that govern performance—at work, in leadership, and in life.

We unpack:

* Why some people fear failure—and others secretly fear success

* How emotional wounds shape behavior long after the story has faded

* The subtle difference between leaning into a weakness and confronting a wound

* How to build psychological safety without coddling mediocrity

* And why true leadership starts with self-exposure—not authority

This is not performative vulnerability or manufactured growth content. No buzzwords. No funnels. Just the hard-earned truth behind what really helps people evolve—and how leaders can either perpetuate old pain or become the space where transformation happens.

If you’re rebuilding something real, this episode pulls no punches.

Listen now. Share it with someone who’s done pretending.

Call To Action

If this hit—don’t scroll past it. Take the Second Life Leader Quiz to see where you’re powerful, where you’re blocked, and what to do next: leaderquiz.app. Then share this with one man who’s rebuilding.

https://leaderquiz.app

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

🎙️ Think Fast. Work Smart. Improv Your Way Through the Corporate Jungle.

What if the key to smarter, faster, more adaptive leadership wasn’t another MBA… but improv?

In this episode of Second Life Leader, I sit down with Andrew Davies, improv coach and founder of Artly Working, to unpack the unexpected power of improvisation inside the office jungle. We’re not talking about cheesy trust falls or drama class antics—we’re talking about real-world mental elasticity, team collaboration, and the kind of adaptable thinking that turns meetings from monologues into momentum.

We cover:

* Why most corporate meetings are a productivity graveyard (and how to fix them)

* How to train your team to actually think together instead of just perform individually

* The “Beastie Rap” technique that sharpens team focus and builds trust

* Why bad ideas are the gateway drug to breakthrough ones

* The real metric of meeting success (spoiler: it’s not attendance)

Whether you’re rebuilding after burnout or leading a team through chaos, this episode is your playbook for staying sharp when the plan falls apart.

🔥 This isn’t about followers. It’s about freedom. And freedom isn’t granted—it’s forged.

If you want to know more about Andrew, click below:

www.artlyworking.com/podcast

Call To Action

If this hit—don’t scroll past it. Take the Second Life Leader Quiz to see where you’re powerful, where you’re blocked, and what to do next: leaderquiz.app. Then share this with one man who’s rebuilding.

https://leaderquiz.app

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

When life overloads you with noise, you don’t need more information—you need a play sheet.

In this episode of Second Life Leader, Doug Utberg sits down with Brian Hurtak, corporate strategist and author of The Play Sheet, to explore how football coaches manage complexity—and how you can do the same in your career, relationships, or personal reinvention.

⚔️ Whether you're facing a divorce, a re-org, or just trying to reclaim your edge, this conversation breaks down how elite coaches condense chaos into clarity. We talk:

* Why a 400-play playbook is useless without a focused 28-play game plan

* How college football schemes teach the art of simplification under pressure

* What to do when your OneNote is a hot mess of forgotten insights

* The real reason most professionals never reach mastery (hint: it's not talent)

Doug also shares his observations from the West Coast offense, 49ers dynasty days, and why throwing before the break matters—in football and in life.

This episode is for sovereign men and rebuilders who don’t just want to survive complexity. They want to cut through it and execute with precision.

📘 Learn more about Brian’s work at myplaysheet.com🧭 Subscribe to the Second Life Leader newsletter at dougutberg.com

Because freedom isn’t granted.**It’s forged.**🔥

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Ken Cox about how AI can be deployed in small businesses to generate tremendous value.

One of the biggest things most small businesses can do to increase their revenue is to ensure the phones are always answered. However, this is frequently difficult since business owners must choose between operating their business and answering the phone to potentially intake new clients who are responding to their advertising, referrals or a search listing.

As it turns out, this is a place where AI can create tremendous value since callers can be routed to an automated agent that will diagnose their needs and roll over to a virtual assistant who gathers information and sets an appointment for you to call them back.

This is one of many ways Ken and I discuss that AI can benefit small businesses.

If you want to know more about Ken, click below:

https://inlink.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kencox/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Kamran Loghman about how the ‘Warriors Mindset’ from eastern philosophy can be brought into the work and lives of people in the West.

In a world that worships comfort, distraction, and cheap dopamine, we stand for something ancient.

This isn’t your typical pep-talk on grit. It’s a deep dive into the timeless warrior mindset—drawn from the stoic sword of Japan’s samurai, the disciplined breath of India’s yogis, and the still waters of Zen monks.

We decode Eastern philosophies—Bushido, Taoism, Buddhist detachment—and forge them into practical, hard-hitting tools for Western living. No incense required. No chanting in Sanskrit you don’t understand. Just fierce mental clarity, emotional discipline, and the quiet, sovereign confidence of someone who knows who they are and what hill they’d die on.

Each episode arms you with a principle or story, then translates it into daily, actionable strategy—whether you’re building a business, navigating love, or fighting your own inner chaos.

Because true strength isn’t found in the gym or the boardroom. It’s in the mind.

If you want to know more about Kamran, click below:

https://www.riseofgiants.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamran-loghman-b1a50a24/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Giorgio Natili about the importance of trust when leading.

Our conversation took place specifically within the context of technology companies, since many engineers are promoted to management based on technical expertise. As it turns out, leading people requires a much different skillset, which is what we discuss.

If you want to know more about Giorgio, click below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/giorgionatili/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Dale about the importance of adaptability in leadership.

In the world of leadership, one of the most important things we can do is ask ‘why’ and take our curiosity out to the people we are looking to lead and influence.

If you want to know more about Dale, click below:

https://leadadaptimpact.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleturnbull/

If you’re a business leader who prioritizes people and the planet ahead of profits, please apply to be a guest on the show HERE.

https://forms.gle/VLTgHs8sjJJRZ7kj7

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Elona Lopari about incorporating purpose into a profit generating business.

There is a tendency in the business world to emphasize the ‘bottom line’ to the exclusion of other value drivers. In this episode, we discuss how purpose is one of those key value drivers, and the way to integrate it into a business and make it even more successful.

If you want to know more about Elona, click below:

https://www.elonaloparicoaching.com/

If you’re a business leader who prioritizes people and the planet ahead of profits, please apply to be a guest on the show HERE.

https://forms.gle/VLTgHs8sjJJRZ7kj7

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Doug speaks with Jeremy Barker about his journey through two bankruptcies to tremendous success with Murphy Door and Murphy Ladder

Much of what our conversation revolved around was the difference between having access to resources and being resourceful. Many businesses stop trying to solve hard problems once they have resources, and Jeremy sees that as a big area for weakness. Because of this, he endeavors to continually operate with a mindset like he is still broke and needs to figure out how creatively solve problems.

If you want to know more about Jeremy, click below:

https://murphydoor.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-barker-02007648/

If you’re a business leader who prioritizes people and the planet ahead of profits, please apply to be a guest on the show HERE.

Guest Application Form

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com