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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Don Yeager joins Doug to talk about what he’s learned from influential leaders, storytelling, and his writing career.

About Don Yaeger: As an award-winning keynote speaker, an eleven-time New York Times Best-selling author, host of the top-rated Corporate Competitor Podcast, Executive Leadership Coach, and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, Don Yaeger has fashioned a career as one of America’s most provocative thought leaders.
He is primarily sought to discuss lessons on achieving Greatness, learned from first-hand work alongside some of the greatest sports and business legends in the world. Additionally, Don has been retained by companies and organizations to coach their leaders on building a culture of Greatness, using the framework built through his exhaustive study of Great Teams in sports and business, discerning the lessons we can learn from them. Throughout his writing career, Don has developed a reputation as a world-class storyteller, in fact, renowned thought leaders such as John Maxwell and Simon Sinek have called Don the best storyteller they have ever worked with! Because of these achievements, Don has been invited as a guest to every major talk show – from Oprah to Fox Business News, from CNN to Good Morning America.
Don began his career as a reporter for the San Antonio Light where he rose through the ranks to pen investigative features for the daily. He later moved on to the Dallas Morning News. Following his stint in Dallas, he worked as a political editor for the Florida Times-Union. After four years, he decided to dedicate himself to the pursuit of writing books. Don’s first book, Undue Process: The NCAA’s Injustice For All, was published in 1990. In the 30+ years since, he has penned more than three dozen books, including an incredible ELEVEN New York Times Best-sellers.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Don has traveled extensively through his career. A graduate of Ball State University where he was selected as one of the university’s “50 Graduates of Distinction” over its first century and subsequently was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2022, Don now resides in Tallahassee, Florida. He and his wife, Jeanette, have a son (Will) and a daughter (Madeleine).

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Don talks about how he’s been able to meet with and be mentored by various influential leaders throughout the years and shares some wisdom he’s learned about interviewing leaders.
2. He shares some tips for leaders who may want to get better at storytelling.
3. Don gives advice to people who want to write books.

4. He talks about some of the most influential leadership moments he’s witnessed and what he’s learned from those interactions. 

Quotes From the Episode:
“One thing that I always look for are ways to ask the hard question.”
“You need to be really passionate about whatever it is you’re going to write about.”
“We have to remember that what we do matters, and we have to be reminded who it matters to.”

Resources Mentioned:
Don’s Books

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Chad Willardson returns to the podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, shares tips for entrepreneurs looking to level up, and provides some basic financial advice to anyone who is pursuing financial freedom. 

About Chad Willardson: Chad is the president of Pacific Capital, a fiduciary wealth advisory firm he founded in 2011 that serves entrepreneurs and families. His best-selling first book, Stress Free Money has been featured in Forbes 21 books to read in 2021, NBC News, and Yahoo Finance.

In addition to serving the family office clients of Pacific Capital, Chad also manages the 450 million-dollar investment portfolio as the elected city treasurer of his community. Chad is recognized as one of the top wealth management experts in the country and has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Inc., US News and World Report, Investment News, Entrepreneur, and Financial Advisors Magazines. 

He lives in Southern California with his wife, Amber, and their 5 children.

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Chad talks about the changes brought about in the corporate banking world after the financial crisis of 2008, and why this drove him to start his own company in 2011 with no real entrepreneurship experience.
2. Distractions such as media can get in the way of growth and self-development.
3. Chad gives a lot of credit to Dan Sullivan for his personal development. Chad and Doug discuss the four freedoms that he’s learned about from Dan’s program.
4. He provides some general money advice for people who are looking to have more financial freedom.

Quotes From the Episode:
“Regardless of whether you own your own business or not, I believe that you should be working to maximize your own talents and gifts and doing something that you really have fun doing.”

“The more I use my time for things that matter, then the more that I can grow.”

“Don’t be miserly until some future retirement date, still enjoy your life. If you can’t enjoy the money you’re earning a little bit, then what’s the point? It’s not all about ‘I’m going to live life at some future date.’.

Resources Mentioned:
Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach
Smart Not Spoiled by Chad Willardson
Gravystack
Stress-Free Money by Chad Willardson
Beyond the Money by Chad Willardson
Die with Zero by Bill Perkins

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Taurea talks about lessons she’s learned in her leadership journey, what she learned during a dark season of her life, and her book writing process.

About Taurea Avant: Taurea went from Foreclosure in 2009 to producing millions in sales in the MLM industry. She is the creator of The System Mastery and Show Your Success Workshops, Author of 11+ self-published books. She has been seen on Fox News, ABC News, Sheen Magazine, Successful Women Radio Show, IHeartRadio and more!  

Taurea’s focus is on helping small-based business owners & independent distributors to develop, master, and remain committed to growing their businesses by providing valuable leadership and interpersonal skills. She offers timeless tips that support in real world interactions and discoveries on what it takes to be successful in today’s entrepreneurial world. She is a living example of creating a lifetime career and wants to help you get prepared for the journey. She knows what it takes to break through a multitude of challenges and focus on the future.

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Taurea talks about why she went from working in the business networking space to be a coach.
2. She talks about how John Maxwell has influenced her life and work.
3. Taurea shares what the darkest season of her life was like and how she came out on the other side of it.
4. She provides some valuable insight into what it takes to successfully write a book and then profit from their books.

Quotes From the Episode:
“Those that fail to plan, plan to fail.”
“People don’t remember you for the clothes you wore, they don’t remember you for the jewelry you owned or the cars you drove, they only remember you for the impact you have on their lives.”
“Stop being addicted to your own labor.”

Resources Mentioned:
Books by Taurea Avant
Happy Scribe
Taurea’s Masterclass

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Matt Keller returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, Donkey Mission, the importance of humility in leadership, and shares some vulnerable lessons he learned in a dark season in his life. 

About Matt Keller: Matt Keller co-leads Next Level Church with his amazing wife Sarah, which they started in 2002 in Fort Myers, FL (www.NextLevelChurch.com). He also oversees a family of churches who are on mission together called the Next Level Relational Network (www.NLRN.org). And last but not least, he loves watching baseball with his two adulting sons, Will & Drew. You can follow Matt on Instagram @matthewwkeller 

3 Key Takeaways:
1. Matt talks about his leadership journey and how his faith has helped him find his unique path as a leader.
2. He discusses where the saying “Fully Known, Fully Loved, and Fully Challenged” came from and what it means within the context of pastoring and leadership.
4. He shares with listeners what “threshold of scary” is and how to get through those difficult seasons.
3. Matt talks about his new book, Donkey Mission.

Quotes From the Episode:
“All of the great leaders walk with a limp.”
“We all have those donkey mission moments in our leadership journey.”
“Your future provisions are found in your donkey missions.”

Resources Mentioned:
Books by Matt Keller
NLRN - Known, Loved, Challenged
NLRN - Threshold of Scary Teaching
The Awe of God by John Bevere
NLRN - S Curve Teaching

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Megan Hyatt Miller talks about the lessons she’s learned from her father, Michael Hyatt, why mindset is everything, how to win at home and work, and more. 

About Megan Hyatt Miller: Megan Hyatt Miller is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Michael Hyatt & Company and the co-host of the popular business podcast, Lead to Win. She is also Michael’s oldest daughter. As the architect of Michael Hyatt & Company’s standout culture, she is committed to helping her team win at work and succeed at life, while also delivering phenomenal results to their customers. Under her leadership, Michael Hyatt & Company was named as one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces for 2020, which ranks the top companies in America for their employee engagement. When she’s not taking the company to new heights, she’s fully present at home with her husband Joel and five kids in Franklin, Tennessee.

5 Key Takeaways:
1. Megan discusses how having certain constraints can benefit your organization.
2. She talks about her personal experience as CEO and President of Full Focus.
3. Megan tells listeners how we can distinguish the difference between reality and stories that our “inner narrator” tells us.
4. She defines what a work-life balance is to her and how having a good balance can benefit everyone.
5. Megan gives advice to parents who are considering adoption and shares her experience with adoption.

Quotes From the Episode:
“Imagine a better story.”
“Having the margin you need outside of work actually drives results.”
“If you want to show up and do your best work for the long haul, you need to give your brain a break.”

Resources Mentioned:
Business Accelerator
Full Focus
Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller
Win at Work, Succeed at Life by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller 

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Dr. Cloud is back for another episode to discuss his new book, Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken, his views on mental health and leadership, and setting boundaries.

About Dr. Henry Cloud: Dr. Cloud is an acclaimed leadership expert, psychologist, and best-selling author. He draws on his extensive experience in business, leadership consulting, and clinical psychology, to impart practical and effective advice for improving leadership skills and business performance.

In his leadership consulting practice, Dr. Cloud works with Fortune 500 companies and smaller private businesses alike. He has an extensive executive coaching background, and experience as a leadership consultant, devoting the majority of his time to working with CEOs, leadership teams, and executives to improve performance, leadership skills, and culture.

His experience includes three decades as a consultant, and as an entrepreneur, he started and grew a successful chain of treatment centers in over 40 cities across the western United States. His experience running a business of this magnitude lends credibility to his expertise on leadership matters in the companies with which he works.

As a speaker, Dr. Cloud has shared the stage with many business and global leaders and experts, such as Tony Blair, Jack Welch, Condoleezza Rice, Desmond Tutu, Marcus Buckingham, and others.

Dr. Cloud is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, with a B.S. in psychology. He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Biola University and his clinical internship at Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. His philanthropic interests lie in homelessness in the inner city, as well as missions in the developing world. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Tori, and their two daughters, Olivia and Lucy. He enjoys golf, scuba diving, boating, and fishing.

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Dr. Cloud shares his views on the current mental health status of both leaders and the general population as a result of COVID.
2. He talks about trust and distrust in different institutions and shares examples of what that looks like.
3. Dr. Cloud talks about how trust can be repaired even if it is broken at some point. 
4. Doug and Dr. Cloud talk about setting boundaries and how context is essential for defining boundaries.

Quotes From the Episode:
“Find somebody who knows what they’re doing. A very good psychologist, psychiatrist, and mentor... Don’t go through this by yourself. There are people who know what to do.”
“Trust fuels investment.”
“You can be reconciled with somebody, but still not trust them.”

Resources Mentioned:
Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken by Dr. Henry Cloud
Books by Dr. Henry Cloud

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug shares what he’s learned about success and how we should define and measure success in our lives. 

About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others. 

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Doug talks about the ways in which he’s improperly defined and measured success in his life.
2. Understanding your own personal potential is key to happiness.
3. He talks about how having faith can put you on the path to success.
4. Not giving up is necessary for having a successful life.

Quotes From the Episode:
“If you’re defining and measuring your success in comparison to others, then I’m telling you, you have it all wrong.”
“I measure success based on my whole life, not just part of it.”
“If you don’t start where you are, you stay where you are.”

Resources Mentioned
Micah Tyler Episode

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Lisa Bevere and Doug talk about her ministry, raising kids, leadership, and her message to women in today’s world.

About Lisa Bevere: Lisa Bevere believes in women and empowers them by weaving the practical with the profound truth of God’s Word in award-winning curriculums and best-selling books (Lioness Arising, Fight Like a Girl, Nurture, Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry, and more). Her heart breaks over social injustice. As an advocate for change, she rallies others to be an answer to desperate problems near and far. She and her husband John Bevere co-founded Messenger International, an organization established to teach, reach, and rescue. Lisa is the mother of four sons and grandmother of three.

 5 Key Takeaways:
1. Lisa talks about how through her marriage, she found her calling in ministry.
2. She shares one of her difficult experiences as a woman in the church and how she was able to move past it.
3. Lisa gives advice to leaders on how to steward what God has given them in order to move forward in their ministry.
4. She talks about what worked for her and John as parents.
5. Lisa discusses her thoughts on modern-day femininity. 

Quotes From the Episode:
“I do believe that women were created to have a voice.”
“You’ll never look strong by making others look weak.”
“Let your critics refine you, not define you.”
“Pursue him and he’ll reveal you.”

Resources Mentioned
Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Al Lopus, cofounder, and CEO of Best Christian Workplaces Institute talks about the assessment he created that helps organizations assess, measure, and improve their overall health and engagement. He also talks about what factors play the biggest role in the health of an organization and some tips on the key elements to building a great organization.

About Al Lopus: Al Lopus is the CEO and Cofounder of Best Christian Workplaces Institute, founded in 2002. The Institute provides research-based measurement tools and culture change advisory services with a single vision: to help Christian organizations set the standard as the best, most effective workplaces in the world.At BCWI, Al has conducted the broadest-ever employee opinion survey of Christian workers. The comprehensive Employee Engagement Survey includes more than 300 churches and over 900 Christian organizations overall, representing 233,000 full-time employees around the world.  Al has also developed the Culture Consulting services and 360 Leadership Review process at BCWI.
Al is a recognized author, speaker, and consultant helping Christian leaders and organizations flourish. He publishes a weekly blog, highlighting a Best Christian Workplace, and The Flourishing Culture Podcast, featuring tips from Christian leaders on how to build a flourishing culture. 

Key Takeaways:
1. Al shares the background and the vision for Best Christian Workplaces.
2. He talks about the keys that boost and drive employee engagement.
3. Al talks about his experience with turning around the culture at an organization.
4. He shares his views on diversity within organizations and why he finds diversity is important for effectiveness within the workplace.

Quotes From the Episode:
“When you’ve got a lot of engaged employees, you’re going to make great progress as an organization.”
“It’s diversity that brings innovation and effectiveness as an organization.” 
“The leader’s first job is to understand and communicate reality.”
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions”.

Resources Mentioned:
Halftime by Bob Buford
Christianity Today Magazine
Global Leadership Summit
Best Christian Workplaces Employee Engagement Survey
Road to Flourishing by Al Lopus
Traction by Gino Wickman
Transitions by William Bridges
Saint John of the Cross by Fr. Donald Haggerty

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Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Heather talks about how to discern your calling in life, what it’s like to minister to leaders in Washington DC, advice to women in leadership, what she’s learned in politics and so much more.

About Heather Zempel: Heather Zempel is the Discipleship Pastor and Campus Ministries Director at National Community Church in Washington, DC. She is the author of several books, including Big Change, Small Groups, a how-to book for small group leaders of adult small groups. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband, Ryan, and energetic daughter, Sawyer. She loves growing as a leader, discipiling the next generation, and watching SEC football.

4 Key Takeaways:
1. Heather talks about when she knew ministry and discipleship were her calling.
2. She shares some insight into what it’s like working in DC.
3. Heather discusses how she’s worked to incorporate the church into local DC businesses.
4. She gives some valuable advice to women leaders who may find themselves faced with challenges.

Quotes From the Episode:
“Calling is multi-dimensional… There’s who we’re called to minister to,... there’s where we’re called to do it and there’s what we’re called to do.”
“I think so much of leadership rises and falls on your character.”
“Check your ego at the door.”

Resources Mentioned:
Practice of the Presence of God Brother Lawrence
Water from a Deep Well Gerald L. Sittser and Eugene H. Peterson
Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey
Books by Patrick Lincioni
Books by The Heath Brothers
Range David Epstein
The Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis

Connect with Heather:
 Twitter | Facebook | Instagram