The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

Roi Ben-Yehuda has built a career exploring the dragons that get in the way of courageous action…and how to slay them. He’s the founder of NextArrow, where he works with leaders at companies like Twitch, Sony, and Angi to build cultures rooted in clarity and bold thinking. In this episode, he and Ryan dig into what courage looks like in the real world, and why most people know what to do but struggle to do it. They unpack Roi’s formula and how fear, ego, and self-doubt can quietly erode performance and talk about the role of humor, play, and storytelling in creating safer, stronger teams.

Ed Roberson is a conservationist, endurance athlete, and the creator of Mountain & Prairie, a podcast rooted in the stories and landscapes of the American West. But long before that, he was chasing a very different life—until a sudden health scare forced a reckoning that changed everything. In this episode, Ed and Ryan talk about discomfort as a compass, the pull of wild places, and the quiet transformation that happens when you choose effort over ease. Ed opens up about rewiring his ambition, leaving behind the shallow chase for success, and leaning into a slower, more deliberate path. They unpack the practices that keep him grounded, from long runs to long-form interviews, and the clarity that’s come with doing hard things on purpose.

Brent Gleeson is a Navy SEAL combat veteran, bestselling author, and business transformation expert who has built his life around high performance, in every sense of the word. As the founder of EXCELR8 and author of Embrace the Suck, Brent brings a rare blend of battlefield experience and boardroom wisdom.  In this episode, he and Ryan talk about what it means to lead with clarity, consistency, and conviction. Brent shares how sobriety reshaped his perspective, and how his work today helps teams grow through change instead of getting buried by it. Discipline, in Brent’s world, isn’t just a driver of performance—it’s a guardrail for everything that matters.

Jill Schulman is a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, leadership expert, and founder of Breakthrough Leadership Group. Her new book, The Bravery Effect, offers a science-backed approach to building courage. In this episode, she and Ryan go deep on what it means to run toward hard things instead of away from them. Jill shares the story of how a Minnesota kid who looked like Elle Woods became the top Marine in her officer class, how bravery became the throughline of her work, and why so many people confuse discomfort with failure. Together, they unpack the mindset shifts that unlock transformation, the self-talk that separates progress from paralysis, and the personal leap Jill is making right now as she doubles down on her mission. 

Sterling Doak is a seasoned marketing executive with more than two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of music, culture, and lifestyle. Today, he serves as Vice President of Marketing at Gibson, where he leads with equal parts creative instinct and operational rigor inside one of the most iconic brands in the world. In this honest and often hilarious conversation, Sterling and Ryan reflect on their early agency days, the lessons that stuck, and the realities of leading with intention as the stakes get higher. Sterling shares how curiosity—not confidence—has fueled his biggest leaps, what it means to build trust without burning out your team, and why vulnerability is often the most courageous choice a leader can make.

In this edition of the Courage Brands Spotlight, Ryan, Billy Collins, and Kimberly Voorhis unpack three brands that turned overlooked moments into loyal movements. Ryan kicks things off with Goldbelly, the mail-order marketplace delivering regional food favorites nationwide—think deep-dish from Chicago or crab cakes from Maryland. Kimberly sings the praises of Trader Joe’s, a grocery chain that proves simplicity is courageous, where decision fatigue fades, handwritten signs spark delight, and hidden monkeys keep kids smiling. Billy closes with Scrub Daddy, the Shark Tank sponge that scrubbed away boredom and built a half-billion-dollar empire with flex-texture tech, irreverent TikTok humor, and holiday-themed clean-up companions. These brands may serve very different needs, but each one earns its place through conviction, creativity, and the courage to make everyday things feel a little more magical.

Dr. Michelle K. Johnston believes the future of leadership starts with connection. As a professor, executive coach, and co-author of The Seismic Shift in You, Michelle is on a mission to help leaders rewire how they show up—starting with energy, perspective, and a deeper sense of humanity. In this episode, she and Ryan talk about the real cost of disconnection, why great leadership isn’t about control, and how shifting small habits can trigger massive cultural impact.  She also shares powerful stories from her research, including how Drew Brees helped unify post-Katrina New Orleans, and why even virtual energy can be contagious

With a career spanning Nike, Converse, Tom’s, and now MOOVLAB, Magnus Wedhammar is fueled by a passion for purposeful movement. In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, Magnus reflects on navigating Tom’s through the chaos of early 2020, shifting its iconic one-for-one model, and leading with transparency in a world that changed overnight. He shares what it means to build something from scratch after decades inside global brands, why he values scrappiness over slide decks, and how MOOVLAB aims to reimagine the chair not as furniture, but as a tool for better health. For Magnus, courage isn’t ego—it’s authenticity, action, and a belief that better is worth building.

Fear. Joy. Anger. Sadness. For Oscar-nominated screenwriter Meg LeFauve, these characters aren’t just creations — they’re living, breathing beings who rely on her to get their stories out of her head and onto the page. And Meg doesn’t take that responsibility lightly. In this wide-ranging conversation, the writer behind Inside Out, Inside Out 2, The Good Dinosaur, Captain Marvel, and more shares the sacred, deeply human process of storytelling. She talks about why fear is never the enemy, the real work behind cultivating curiosity, and how Pixar’s legendary “brain trust” taught her to embrace failure faster. Meg opens up about her lifelong companion (anxiety) and the rituals that help her keep showing up for her characters, even when doubt floods in. She also reflects on writing with her husband, honoring creative timing, and the everyday courage it takes to evolve — both on the page and in life itself.

Pri Narang likes to go fast. It’s no surprise, then, that she’s sprinting toward the very edge of what’s possible. While most are currently navigating an AI conversation, Pri — a Caltech-trained quantum physicist, award-winning professor, and U.S. Science Envoy — is pioneering the quantum frontier to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges. In this episode, she and Ryan unpack “quantum theory” including what it takes to lead when the roadmap doesn’t exist. Pri also shares how she equips teams to solve problems no one’s ever cracked, what her endurance training has taught her about resilience, and why the emotional journey of discovery is just as important as the science. This is a conversation that spans research, policy, purpose, and the power of going full speed into the unknown.