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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith kicks off part one of his annual reflection series, sharing the most significant lessons he learned in 2025 and how they’re shaping his leadership in 2026. Drawing from his year-end review process, Doug offers honest insights on health, family, leadership presence, fatherhood, faith, and the unseen weight leaders carry.

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Why Doug does a year-end review every year
02:00 – Lesson 1: Taking ownership of your health before it’s too late
05:00 – Lesson 2: Big families are a gift worth fighting for
08:30 – Lesson 3: Your presence as a leader matters more than you think
11:00 – Lesson 4: The lifelong impact of being an intentional parent
14:00 – Lesson 5: The tension between progress and preservation
16:00 – Lesson 6: One day you’ll become a king—but not for the reasons you think
18:30 – Lesson 7: Not every battle deserves your energy
21:00 – Lesson 8: Want more *for* people than you want *from* them
23:00 – Lesson 9: Being the voice of leadership, not just the position
24:00 – Lesson 10: Leading well when life isn’t fair

Resources Mentioned:

• Fathered by God: Learning What Your Dad Could Never Teach You by John Eldredge
• Experience Jesus. Really: Finding Refuge, Strength, and Wonder Through Everyday Encounters with God by John Eldredge
• Why Do Black Christians Vote Democrat? – Phil Vischer (Video)
• Family Teams
• Gerald Brooks Leadership Podcast
• 🔗 Connect with Doug
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougsmithlive
    
    

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit www.andocia.com to learn more.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsF0cVdRu2oELJGpaHma7Ag

SUBSCRIBE TO: @l3leadership @dougsmithlive

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith sits down with returning guest Jeremy Pryor, founder of Family Teams, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, family, faith, and legacy. Jeremy shares how viewing the family as a team—not a temporary stage of life—can reshape how leaders think about generational impact.

00:00 – Welcome to the L3 Leadership Podcast
01:00 – Introducing Jeremy Pryor and Family Teams
04:00 – Multi-generational families and shared rhythms
09:00 – Sabbath dinners, hospitality, and family culture
17:00 – The biblical vision for a ruling household
26:00 – Generational leadership, wealth, and stewardship
36:00 – Why traditional discipleship models struggle
45:00 – Making disciples who make disciples
55:00 – Church, family, and leadership sustainability
1:03:00 – Final thoughts on legacy and long-term impact

Links:

🔹 People

• Jeremy Pryor – https://www.jeremypryor.com
  
  
• Doug Smith – https://l3leadership.org
  
  

🔹 Organizations & Programs

• Family Teams – https://www.familyteams.com
  
  
• 1000 Houses – https://www.1000houses.org
  
  
• Family Teams Accelerator – https://www.familyteams.com/accelerator
  
  

🔹 Books & Concepts Mentioned

• The Gospel Comes with a House Key 
• Ruling Household (book in progress) – Jeremy Pryor 

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders' visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

To find more leadership resources and helpful content for your leadership journey, check out our website at https://l3leadership.org/ today.

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith shares his year-end review process, which has been a cornerstone of his personal growth since 2004. Doug discusses the importance of reflecting on the year gone by to foster growth and documents his detailed approach to conducting a comprehensive year-end review. He includes practical tips and encourages creating a personalized review system. Additionally, the episode features a word from the sponsor, Andocia Marketing Solutions. Doug wraps up with thoughtful ways to conclude the review process and the benefits of such reflections.

00:00 - Welcome to the L3 Leadership Podcast
00:27 - The Importance of Year-End Reviews
00:58 - Sponsor Message: Andocia Marketing Solutions
02:08 - Starting Your Year-End Review
06:05 - Essential Tools for Your Review
08:23 - Creating Your Year-End Report
12:26 - Wrapping Up Your Year-End Review
14:29 - Final Thoughts and Encouragement

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders' visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

To find more leadership resources and helpful content for your leadership journey, check out our website at https://l3leadership.org/ today.

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Holiday Gift Guide Link

In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith delivers a reflective, practical lesson on leadership gifts worth sharing—especially when life gets busy. Using the backdrop of the holiday season, Doug unpacks a curated gift guide through the lens of leadership, family, personal growth, and mindful presence. He reminds leaders that tools, systems, and intentional habits don’t replace the work of leadership—they strengthen the person doing it.

00:00 Introduction & Doug’s return to personal lessons
01:00 Why sharing resources creates lasting leadership impact
02:15 The finish line thinking that shapes character first
04:45 Finance tools leaders rely on now
07:30 Family routines and training kids in stewardship
09:50 Being present and blocking distractions
14:20 Tech that supports productivity without clutter
18:40 Kitchen tools that encourage hospitality at home
21:10 Learning through business biography, faith, and leadership books
25:35 Expanding impact by inviting the right people into your goals
27:48 Doug’s encouragement to leaders heading into the holidays
29:05 Quote on generosity and finishing well

Key Takeaways
- Leadership starts with character, systems just support the leader.
- Intentional family habits build leadership muscle long before adulthood.
- Presence is not passive—it requires guarding focus.
- Small tools that reduce friction protect mental bandwidth for what matters.
- Investing in durable resources creates compounding value over years, not months.
- Leaders grow bigger by asking who, not just how.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/e4o5TLH87yE?si=ur3Ph7a40XzOQFv7 

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The L3 Leadership Podcast is produced and sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Thanks to Andocia for co-producing and supporting multi-channel leadership storytelling.

Want help translating leadership vision into execution? Reach out at Andocia.com

"Give generously—even with your ideas. Inspiration is one of the easiest gifts to share and the longest to remember."

Leaders don’t quit. Keep leading. The world desperately needs your leadership.

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith talks with Peter Ostapko, co-founder of Kinsman Journal and leader of the growing Kinsman community in Springfield, Missouri. Peter shares his journey from a career in banking to launching gatherings designed to help men find authentic brotherhood, friendship, and faith-driven connection.

Together they discuss the loneliness epidemic among leaders, why local community is essential, and how intentional gatherings can transform lives. Peter also opens up about parenting, navigating career transitions, and the importance of slowing down and creating space for what matters most.

Whether you’re a leader longing for deeper friendships, a father seeking wisdom, or someone discerning your next step, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

Episode Highlights:
00:00 Introduction and Peter’s passion for community
02:00 How Kinsman gatherings began and why men said, “I didn’t know how much I needed this”
06:00 The power of local connection vs. national networks
09:00 Structuring meaningful gatherings with intentionality
13:00 Friendship, brotherhood, and why men struggle to connect
17:00 Moving beyond transactional relationships
20:00 The annual Kinsman Summit and why environment matters
22:00 Publishing Kinsman Journal and the story behind it
25:00 Fatherhood lessons: being intentional, dealing with your stuff, and prioritizing your marriage
30:00 Discerning career transitions and leaning into curiosity
35:00 Why Kinsman became a nonprofit and Peter’s approach to fundraising
40:00 The importance of slowing down and creating space to rest
42:00 Best advice Peter has ever received
47:00 Bucket list dreams: Italy and visiting every MLB stadium with his kids
48:00 What Peter would tell his younger self
49:00 Legacy: being remembered as a faithful servant, husband, and father

🌐 https://kinsmen.org/ – A high-quality publication for men exploring themes of faith, fatherhood, and work. 

🌐 https://kinsmen.org/gatherings – Community events and annual summit hosted by Kinsman to foster brotherhood and authentic friendships.

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com
 to learn more.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/e4o5TLH87yE?si=ur3Ph7a40XzOQFv7

🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6huMUOmGFupQNjvrKALZ6u?si=7a9b9a2e1dcd4eac 

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SUBSCRIBE TO: @l3leadership @dougsmithlive

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug sits down with Matt Higgins, Executive Director of Hope Children’s Home in Tampa, Florida. Matt shares the powerful mission of providing a loving home and education to children from difficult circumstances, along with their new Bundles of Hope initiative that gives mothers in crisis pregnancies the gift of time and support.

Links:

• Hope Children's Home

Episode Highlights:
00:00 Doug introduces Matt Higgins and the story of how they connected
04:00 The mission and model of Hope Children’s Home
08:00 Four pillars: physical needs, family environment, education, and faith
14:00 Stories of transformation from children at Hope
17:00 Aftercare and staying connected with alumni
18:00 Bundles of Hope initiative and no-cost adoption vision
25:00 Matt on taking over as CEO after his father’s leadership
28:00 The unseen weight of leadership and why encouragement matters
31:00 How to become the obvious choice for leadership roles
33:00 Dealing with self-doubt and imposter syndrome
34:00 The power of mastermind groups and surrounding yourself with stronger leaders
39:00 Cutting meetings in half and lessons on leadership rhythms
44:00 What went well and what went wrong in succession planning
47:00 Best advice, parenting wisdom, and Matt’s legacy vision

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com
to learn more.

📺 WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/VYNKN__xefE?si=Ip8hs24aXl4pAHBG

🎙️ LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HJNhlqphdNFwt7xLTScpH?si=280a2dd8466e46bc 

🎙️ LISTEN ON APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-l3-leadership-podcast-with-doug-smith/id495751888?i=1000725681604

🎙️ ALL PLATFORMS: https://www.buzzsprout.com/5082/episodes/17808033

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares a personal lesson on 9 Ways to Develop Your Character. As Doug explains, character development is the most important development for any leader—because without integrity, everything else eventually crumbles. Drawing from his own journey and the wisdom of mentors, Doug outlines nine practical and powerful ways to strengthen your character so that you can lead well, finish well, and live with integrity in every area of life.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

00:00 Introduction to Doug’s personal journey in character development
01:00 Why only 2% of leaders finish well—and how to be one of them
02:00 Step 1: Get a vision for your finish line
03:00 Step 2: Follow God and allow Him to shape your character
05:00 Step 3: The most dangerous prayer you can pray for growth
06:00 Step 4: Surround yourself with people of high character
07:00 Step 5: Listen to the small checks and convictions in your heart
10:00 Step 6: Admit it, quit it, forget it
13:00 Step 7: Get some real friends who love you enough to challenge you
15:00 Step 8: Confess temptations before they become failures
17:00 Step 9: Realize you are always an example—whether you want to be or not
19:00 Doug’s hope: that every leader makes it to their finish line intact

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/e4o5TLH87yE?si=ur3Ph7a40XzOQFv7

🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6huMUOmGFupQNjvrKALZ6u?si=7a9b9a2e1dcd4eac 

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SUBSCRIBE TO: @l3leadership @dougsmithlive

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Rob Dube, author of Shine: How Looking Inward is the Key to Unlocking True Entrepreneurial Freedom, co-written with Gino Wickman. Rob shares powerful insights on how leaders can balance their drive with inner peace, manage their energy, and lead with humility. From understanding the nature of being “driven,” to implementing the 10 Disciplines that protect your boundaries and amplify your impact, Rob offers practical steps to help leaders align their inner and outer worlds.

00:00 Introduction to Rob Dube and Shine
01:00 Why looking inward fuels greater outer-world success
02:20 The power of sharing your inner story
04:55 Recognizing you’re not alone in leadership challenges
05:43 Discovery #1 – You’re driven: strengths, pitfalls, and management
07:52 Discovery #2 – Decisions from love vs. fear
11:23 Discovery #3 – It’s possible to be driven and have peace
14:55 The True Self Assessment and protecting your boundaries
17:10 Discipline #1 – 10-year thinking and living in the present moment
23:32 Discipline #5 – Knowing your 100% and working at your optimal capacity
27:35 Discipline #3 – Saying no with grace and setting mentoring boundaries
30:45 Discipline #10 – Being humble and practicing daily gratitude
35:02 Final encouragement to leaders: free your true self and shine

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith flips roles as he is interviewed by Ron Moore on the Living Grounded Podcast. The conversation delves into a variety of leadership topics, including whether leaders are born or made, the importance of failure in growth, and the value of mentorship and personal development.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Today's Episode

00:41 Starting the Interview with Ron Moore

01:28 Defining Leadership

04:19 Born Leaders vs. Made Leaders

11:55 The Role of Failure in Leadership

16:32 Parenting and Leadership

24:25 Authenticity and Character in Leadership

26:15 Foundations of Leadership

26:40 The Role of Vision and Inspiration

28:02 Team Building and Execution

29:04 Generational Leadership Challenges

37:33 Servant Leadership Defined

42:52 The Importance of Mentorship and Community

49:03 Final Thoughts and Prayer

The Living Grounded Podcast - Real stories. Genuine faith. Through triumph and tragedy, The Living Grounded Podcast shares powerful stories of lives transformed by Jesus, even through the highs and lows.

You can find The Living Grounded Podcast:
On YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@living-grounded
On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3yOO6tq4QgnGd2blHJJiWh?si=3bab186664b941b2
On Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-living-grounded-podcast/id1703404695

▶️ WATCH FULL EPISODE: https://youtu.be/-XOpbQwlFxs
🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SPOTIFY: ⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/b6ehe4ea
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SUBSCRIBE TO: @l3leadership @dougsmithlive

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders' visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

To find more leadership resources and helpful content for your leadership journey, check out our website at https://l3leadership.org/ today.

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In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith shares personal reflections and insights gained from turning 40. From expressing gratitude for life, emphasizing the importance of personal growth, to highlighting the significance of family and faith, Doug offers a comprehensive summary of his key takeaways over the years. 

00:00 Introduction and Purpose
00:32 Turning 40: Reflections and Gratitude
01:40 Life Lessons and Personal Growth
04:43 Finding Your Voice and Platform
12:34 The Importance of Family
15:53 Community and Personal Well-being
17:42 Health, Fitness, and Faith
21:11 Financial Foundations and Future Goals
22:36 Conclusion and Encouragement

The L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders’ visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.

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