The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

Start with what brings you alive.  Kirk Souder is the Founder at Leadership for Impact, where he guides people and organizations to free themselves from any self-created limitations and barriers, and connects them to the deep authentic energy underneath.  In his conversation with Ryan, Kirk delves into the depths of his personal journey, from confronting mortality at just 18 years old to unraveling the dichotomy between conditioned and unconditioned intelligence. The two discuss the transformative power of embracing life's transitions and shedding limiting beliefs to ignite the fire within, and Kirk describes what it means to be a relentless reflection for his clients. 

When you appreciate the good, the good appreciates. These are the words of Brian Dubow who is the Founder and CEO of Hit of Happiness. In this conversation, Ryan and Brian unpack Ryan's week long “Happiness Challenge” which was a response to the World Happiness Report recently unveiling the United States now outside the top 20 in happiest countries. With the intent of helping listeners get small wins on their path to happy, Ryan pressure tests his four-step challenge by Brian. Brian also adds one key challenge into the mix while sharing how long it takes each of us to enter into “flow state”. Through their discussion, they highlight the value of cherishing moments and mastering the mind to swiftly turn a bad day into a good one.

“If I’m not scared, I don’t know that I want to be doing it.” Amanda Dunks loves living outside her comfort zone.  As Senior Vice President of Brand Strategy and Creative Development at Caesars Entertainment, she's been making waves in the gaming world for over 12 years. In her conversation with Ryan, Amanda shares her insights from navigating mergers, emphasizing the value of learning through trial by fire and the abandonment of the pursuit of perfection. She discusses her approach to hiring, prioritizing potential over credentials, and the delicate balance between agency-like creativity and corporate structure. Amanda also explores the intersection of brand strategy and creative development, highlighting the importance of visionary leadership and practical implementation. Don't miss Amanda's advice to embrace fear as a sign of growth and her encouragement for authenticity in business, reminding listeners to pursue what they love.

Leader. Fighter. Athlete. Believer. TV Personality. Purveyor of Human Rights. Mexican professional soccer star Janelly Farias is a powerhouse on and off the pitch. At 34 years old, she is thriving as a professional soccer player, defying odds and stereotypes in the male-dominated world of Mexican sports while currently playing center-mid for club Juárez in the Liga MX Femenil. With resilience for a backbone, she shares her winding journey navigating injuries and familial rejection while staying true to herself as a strong gay woman. Janelly and Ryan delve into the importance of keeping it real in the era of curated social media personas.  Tune in as Janelly reflects on her mantra of embracing challenges fearlessly, knowing that true greatness lies beyond the confines of comfort.

In today's ever-changing work landscape, being adaptable is more important than ever. Corey and his team at PrismWork specialize in helping brands and leaders navigate the complexities of modern leadership, creating inclusive environments where everyone can succeed. Recently taking on his brave new role as CEO, Corey chats with Ryan about how he balances staying connected with his team while handling his endless list of responsibilities. He opens up about the challenge of stepping out of his comfort zone, a journey that ultimately helped him grow. Throughout this conversation, Corey talks about how he is fully embracing every opportunity in front of him with courage. Corey also shares what’s behind PrismWork’s proprietary HEARTI leadership assessment and stresses the significance of having diverse teams to avoid falling into echo chambers.

Hailing from the UK, Nick Bell's childhood consisted of collecting soccer stickers of his favorite athletes.  As an adult, he’s transitioned this passion to trading cards, reigning as CEO of Fanatics Live, the foremost platform for sports card breaking. Having previously held positions at tech giants Google and Snap, Nick delves into how he's using data to capitalize on the resurgence of the collectible trading card market. Ryan and Nick explore the intricacies of building relationships with iconic figures like LeBron James and reflect on Nick's experiences at Snap, including the complexities of taking the company public and the invaluable lessons learned, such as the importance of reverse-engineering goals to achieve success.

Wayne Partello's journey is a testament of his versatility, persistence and resilience. Spanning from his graduation from the police academy at 19 to establishing a thriving DJ business, and later, a decade-long stint in sports with the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Padres, Wayne now has a business of his own as the founder of his growing marketing firm, CUENTO. In his conversation with Ryan, the two swap stories of "figure-it-out-ability," advocating for patience and perseverance when tackling lofty goals. Later in the episode, Ryan and Wayne exchange insights on the indispensable role of courageous leaders and the importance of embracing individuality in the business landscape. 

While most of us were sleeping, the San Diego Padres were kicking off a new season on the other side of the world this week in South Korea. Joining them for the first of 150 baseball games he’ll witness this year is seasoned sports journalist Kevin Acee. With over 30 years of experience, Acee remains a road warrior as the Padres beat writer at The San Diego Union-Tribune. Despite his extensive career, baseball remains his true passion, marveling at the privilege of watching, writing, and discussing the game he loves. In this discussion, Acee shares how he churns out 3,000 words a day while navigating the demands of an eight-month Padres season.

Imagine spending a career helping brands figure out who they were only to wake up one day in a panic wondering who you were?  Bonnie Wan, a powerhouse in the brand strategy world, experienced just this. While she has made a living  molding narratives for Pepsi, BMW, and California Milk Processor Board ‘Got Milk?’, more recently she found herself in need of locking in her own powerful narrative. Hence, “The Life Brief” was born. Now? Her bestselling book, ‘The Life Brief’, derived from her experience aligning iconic brands with their core values, helps those who are willing achieve greater clarity, creativity and courage.  In this lively conversation with Ryan, we learn how Bonnie is helping people realize they cannot have it all; but they can have all that matters.

Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of shaping how organizations around the world make being coach-like an essential leadership competency. He is the author behind The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century. His most recent book, How to Work with (Almost) Anyone, shows how to build the Best Possible Relationship with the key people at work.  In his conversation with Ryan, Michael dives into some of his best advice for writing a “really good” book that not only educates readers, but gives them an audible chuckle in the process.  He also shares his next daring adventure, climbing the fiery volcano known as Cotopaxi, and reveals the secrets of nurturing ideas to fruition by letting them “ripen” on the vine.  Throughout the episode, Michael reminds us that the greatest risks often yield the most rewarding outcomes and that "You're awesome and you're doing great."