What You’ll Get From This Episode

In this episode, I sit down with J.M. Ryerson—performance coach, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Let’s Go Win—for a raw and grounded conversation about success, adversity, and identity. JM opens up about the moments most people never see: personal loss, physical setbacks, business failures, near-divorce, and the internal reckoning that forced him to redefine what winning actually means.

Together, we explore values versus ego, luck versus skill, vulnerability versus transparency, and why growth mindset isn’t a buzzword—it’s a daily choice. This episode challenges leaders to stop performing success and start living in alignment, so they can win at work without losing at home.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educatorYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementalEducatorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elemental.educatorWebsite: https://www.elementaleducator.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-comeau-961a49310/

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J.M. RyersonWebsite: https://letsgowin.com Win From Within Program: https://www.letsgowin.com/win-from-within Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-go-win-podcast/id1517669567 Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NXkgcxlZ0moDtlKZRio2G LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jm-ryersonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsgowin365 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsgowin365 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@letsgowin Twitter: https://x.com/Letsgowin365 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@letsgowin365

#WinningFromWithin#LeadershipDevelopment#HumanCenteredLeadership

The Elemental Educator explores leadership through four foundational forces—Earth (values), Air (adversity), Water (change), and Fire (decision-making). Each conversation transforms lived experience into practical clarity, helping leaders align who they are with how they lead, so success doesn’t come at the expense of wellbeing.

What You’ll Get From This EpisodeIn this episode, two of Alberta’s most respected educational leaders — Ray Hoppins and Kurt Sacher — unpack the realities of leadership that most people never see. Across decades of service as principals, superintendents, mentors, and system-builders, their insights cut beyond theory into the lived experience of leading people, culture, and complex organizations.Together, we explore the leadership moments that define careers: the values that hold under pressure, the misunderstandings that come with authority, the trust required to grow others, and the inner work leaders must do to stay grounded. If you want to understand how exceptional leaders think, decide, and elevate others, this conversation is your blueprint.00:00 — What would you tell your younger self before stepping into leadership?00:43 — How did Ray’s early life shape how he leads today?06:33 — What do leaders truly value when the pressure hits?07:13 — How do your values show up when you’re forced to choose?28:24 — Why does trust come before proving yourself as a leader?28:55 — What comes first: responsibility or belief in the person?29:04 — How do leaders create environments where people rise instead of retreat?36:59 — How do great leaders stay grounded when everything speeds up?37:40 — What’s the fastest way to break stress before it breaks you?37:54 — How do leaders regain focus instantly when distractions spike?These are the strongest, most high-impact leadership moments across the entire episode.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educatorYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementalEducatorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elemental.educatorWebsite: https://www.elementaleducator.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-comeau-961a49310/For speaking, consulting, coaching, guest recommendations, or other inquiries:[email protected]CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTSRay HoppinsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayhoppins/Website: https://www.hoppins.ca/homeKurt SacherWebsite: https://www.sachersolutions.caLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-sacher-71243665/#LeadershipAtItsHighestLevel#EducationalLeadership#HumanCenteredLeadership

What You’ll Get from This Episode In this conversation, human physiologist, author, and performance expert Dr. Greg Wells reveals the mindset shifts that turn adversity into adaptation. From breaking his neck at 15 to rebuilding his career after COVID, Greg has faced the kind of “shatter points” that force complete reinvention. He shares how radical responsibility, curiosity, and resilience shape true growth—and why our biggest breakthroughs often arrive disguised as setbacks. This episode challenges you to reframe difficulty, embrace failure as data, and lead yourself through uncertainty with calm and clarity. Connect With Me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educator YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementalEducator TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elemental.educator Website: https://www.elementaleducator.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-comeau-961a49310/ For Speaking, Consulting, Coaching, Guest Recommendations, or Other Inquiries [email protected] Connect With Our Guest Website: https://www.drgregwells.com Podcast: The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast Books: Rest, Recharge, Refocus | The Ripple Effect | Powerhouse #RadicalResponsibility #GrowthThroughAdversity #PerformanceMindset About the Elemental Educator The Elemental Educator podcast examines the four forces of lasting leadership — Earth (values), Air (adversity), Water (change), and Fire (decision-making). Each episode bridges lived experience with research-backed insight, helping leaders act with courage, discipline, and clarity in the moments that matter most. Timestamps 0:00 - Trailer to Show 1:02 - The Biggest Influence 3:03 - Advice to Younger Self 5:35 - Luck vs Skill 8:45 - Guest Introduction 10:57 - Grounded Moments 11:10 - First Job (game) 18:00 - Top 3 Things in Team Members 29:45 - Headwinds and Tailwinds 30:10 - The Hot Seat (game) 31:50 - Something to Unlearn 42:10 - Flip the Script (game) 44:25 - Ripples of Change 44:55 - Quick Tips (game) 47:50 - Change Process Steps 53:00 - A Lasting Impact 55:35 - Spark or Burn 55:55 - Final Answer (game) 59:35 - Separating Emotion from Logic 1:05:45 - One Year Left to Live 1:07:45 - Wrap Up

Dr. Albert Bramante is a talent agent, performance psychologist, and mindset expert who has spent over 20 years helping high performers conquer their inner limits. In this conversation, he shares how people-pleasing nearly cost him his career, how burnout reshaped his understanding of leadership, and why setting boundaries isn’t rejection — it’s self-respect. Together we explore what it means to be coachable, how to dismantle inherited beliefs that hold you back, and why “no” is often the most empowering word in leadership. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth starts when you stop trying to be everything to everyone. Connect With Me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educator YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementalEducator TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elemental.educator Website: https://www.elementaleducator.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-comeau-961a49310/ For Speaking, Consulting, Coaching, Guest Recommendations, or Other Inquiries [email protected] Connect With Our Guest Instagram & LinkedIn: @albertbramante #LeadershipBoundaries #Coachability #AuthenticGrowth About the Elemental Educator The Elemental Educator podcast explores the four foundations of lasting leadership — Earth (values), Air (adversity), Water (change), and Fire (decisive action). Each conversation turns lived experience into insight you can apply immediately, helping you lead with clarity, courage, and purpose. Chapters 00:00 Overcoming Early Challenges and Building Self-Belief 03:10 Advice to Younger Self and First Impressions 04:58 Grounded Moments: Values and Principles 07:54 Identifying Key Traits in High Performers 09:43 The Importance of Self-Awareness in Interviews 12:37 Authenticity vs. Perfection in Job Interviews 13:41 The Power of Rejection and Perspective 19:59The Importance of Coachability 21:15 Facing Adversity: Learning from Mistakes 25:33 Unlearning Limitations and Embracing Resilience 27:58 Unpacking Limitations and Mindset Shifts 39:25 The Importance of Boundaries in Leadership 46:43 Taking Action: The Path to Change 55:10 Final Reflections and Future Directions

What You’ll Get from This Episode

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About the Elemental Educator

Empathy is often mistaken for softness, kindness, or emotional sensitivity. But in this conversation, empathy advocate and author Mimi Nicklin shows us something fundamentally different: empathy is a hard skill rooted in the brain, essential for psychological safety, leadership, collaboration, and even human survival.

We explore why so many leaders struggle to listen, how stress and urgency shut down empathy neurologically, and why patience and consistency are the real engines of cultural change. This episode is a call to rethink how we lead — not with more control, but with deeper understanding.

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The Elemental Educator is a global platform exploring leadership through four human forces:

What You’ll Get from This Episode

This episode challenges every leader, educator, and creator to reconsider how they build connection, give feedback, and define success in environments that often reward performance over people.

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#AuthenticLeadership #Vulnerability #TraumaInLeadership #HumanConnection

About the Elemental Educator

What You’ll Get from This Episode

Connect With Me

For Speaking, Consulting, Coaching, Guest Recommendations, or Other Inquiries

#AuthenticLeadership #ValuesInAction #TeacherWellbeing

About the Elemental Educator

Power isn’t about titles... it’s about influence, intention, and integrity. Microsoft leads with empathy. Spotify leads with freedom. Apple leads with perfection. Each has redefined what power feels like inside an organization — and what it costs. In this video, we’ll break down how these three leadership philosophies are reshaping business, culture, and human connection. 💭 Question for you: If you could choose one kind of power — Empathy, Freedom, or Control — which would you lead with? Drop your answer in the comments before you see mine. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:20 - What Satya Nadella and Microsoft Taught us About Leadership 1:45 - What Spotify Taught us About Leadership 3:25 - What Tim Cook and Apple Taught us About Leadership

What You’ll Get from This Episode In this conversation, creator, strategist, and educator Mike Saad breaks down what it really takes to build a brand that lasts. From content that converts to the discipline behind creativity, we explore why most creators get stuck in volume over value—and how to shift toward clarity, consistency, and community. Mike and Tyler unpack the difference between chasing views and leading with purpose, revealing why trust and transparency remain the most sustainable growth strategies in the creator economy. Connect With Me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educator YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementalEducator TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elemental.educator Website: https://www.elementaleducator.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-comeau-961a49310/ For Speaking, Consulting, Coaching, Guest Recommendations, or Other Inquiries [email protected] Connect With Our Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmikesaad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsmikesaad Skool: https://skool.com/the-content-classroom-3968 #AuthenticLeadership #ContentStrategy #CreatorMindset About the Elemental Educator The Elemental Educator podcast bridges leadership and creativity, offering actionable insights rooted in values, resilience, adaptability, and bold decision-making. Each episode is designed to challenge your thinking, sharpen your purpose, and equip you to lead with clarity in a noisy digital world.