Through the Storm

On this episode of the Through the Storm podcast with Dr. Travis Hearne, Travis sits down with former NFL linebacker, leadership expert, author, and all-around amazing human, Thomas R. Williams.

Since 2018, Thomas R. Williams has been a proud member of The Jon Gordon Speaking Team, dedicated to developing positive leaders and fostering stronger, more connected teams. With his signature passion and energy, Thomas helps organizations apply transformative principles from The Energy Bus, The Power of Positive Leadership, and The Power of Positive Teams to build winning cultures driven by positivity and purpose. Before stepping into the world of leadership development, Thomas built an impressive career in sports.

As a standout linebacker at the University of Southern California (USC), he played a pivotal role in leading his Trojan teams to an incredible combined record of 59-6, securing two National Championships along the way. His success on the field led him to the 2008 NFL Draft, where he spent five years competing at the highest level, going head-to-head with the best and learning from world-class coaches. Through these experiences, Thomas gained invaluable lessons in leadership, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

But life had different plans. After a career-ending neck injury forced him to hang up his cleats, Thomas didn’t let adversity define him—he used it to redefine his purpose. Instead of being a game-changer on the field, he set out to become a life-changer in the world. Now, he’s on a mission to help others discover their greatness, face challenges head-on, and unlock their full potential.

Thomas is fired up and ready to empower you with the mindset, tools, and energy to achieve extraordinary results.

On this episode of the Through the Storm podcast, Dr. Travis Hearne once again talks to CEO, leadership educator, speaker, fitness professional and retired Marine, Marc Rodriguez, a man whose career embodies resilient leadership. Rodriguez, who first appeared on the show to share his journey from the Marine Corps to a CEO, returns to explore what it takes to lead with strength, purpose, and humility through life’s toughest challenges.

Rodriguez shares how his latest movement, The Gentlemen’s Circle, is redefining leadership and modern masculinity. What began as a simple list of friends’ names has grown into a powerful community of men committed to becoming better leaders, fathers, and citizens. Built on accountability, service, and connection, The Gentlemen’s Circle challenges men to rise above ego and lead with resilience and integrity.

Drawing on his Marine Corps background and entrepreneurial journey, Rodriguez reminds listeners that true strength isn’t about dominance—it’s about responsibility, discipline, and courage. His philosophy centers on restoring accountability, integrity, and purpose among men and entrepreneurs—not through “alpha” energy, but through service, discipline, and community. By sharing his journey from a rigid military mindset to one rooted in empathy and adaptability, Rodriguez illustrates how resilient leadership can transform not only organizations but also the lives of those who lead them.

Chase Harris is a father, husband, entrepreneur, and all-around force of light. Alongside his wife, Carly, and their son, Cash, he has inspired millions online through messages of resilience, faith, and family. Their story is one of turning adversity into action — and hardship into hope.

“We knew early on that Cash had this special gift of influence,” Chase shares. “He is bold and lives his life on purpose. He lights up any room he rolls into! The phrase, ‘my resilience is greater than life’s resistance,’ speaks to Cash’s tenacious attitude towards life. Cash’s adversity and the challenges he faces never stop him from accomplishing his goals and desires.”

Born with spina bifida, Cash’s journey has shaped the Harris family into powerful advocates for accessibility, empathy, and perseverance. What began as sharing their daily life online evolved into a platform for awareness, especially during Spina Bifida Awareness Month, as the family realized how many others were walking similar paths. Their openness and positivity have inspired countless families to find strength through their own challenges.

This mission of service led to the creation of the Harris Family Accessibility Assist, a nonprofit providing therapy, mobility aids, and adaptive equipment for children with disabilities—filling the gaps left by limited insurance coverage. Grounded in faith, the Harrises continue to use their growing influence to uplift others, reminding the world that resilience, compassion, and purpose can turn adversity into light.

Captain Stephanie Simon (USMC) is currently a professional boxer (2-0), a boxing instructor, and a Marine Corps reservist. She is the 2024 Olympic Trials Boxing Champion, 4x Elite National Boxing Champion, 3x National Collegiate Boxing Champion, and United States Marine Corps Boxing Hall of Famer.

Stephanie Simon is originally from Atlanta, GA, grew up in Vancouver, WA, and is currently living in Los Angeles, CA. After graduating from Evergreen High School in 2012 as an all-American wrestler, all-state discus thrower, and honor roll student, Stephanie was accepted to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. There, she learned how to box and eventually became a 3x collegiate national champion. She was also the team captain of the track team and a member of the Glee Club. In 2017, Stephanie was commissioned as a US Marine Corps officer and became an Amphibious Assault Officer, where she led 50 people and commanded 20 Amphibious Assault Vehicles. She was honored to be a part of the first wave of women to serve in combat arms in USMC history.

In this episode of the Through the Storm podcast, Dr. Travis Hearne speaks with jewel thief, computer hacker, and world-changing leader, Lisa Bischoff. Lisa's life is a testament to the power of transformation. Her journey has taken her from being an electrical engineer to a hacker, a jewel thief, and now, a transformational coach dedicated to helping others navigate life’s storms. Through her work as the founder of Fit2Xist and co-founder of Life Reimagined, Lisa shares practical strategies and her personal story to inspire individuals to overcome limiting beliefs, embrace growth, and step into their purpose. Her approach, which blends mindset, wellness, and faith, has helped countless people rewrite their own stories and create lives of healing, purpose, and fulfillment.

On this episode of the Through the Storm podcast, Dr. Travis Hearne speaks with Retired U.S. Air Force Pilot, Global Keynote Speaker, and all-around badass, Jason O. Harris. Lieutenant Colonel Jason Harris is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, best-selling author, expert thought leader, and professional pilot.

As a fourth-generation military member, Jason’s distinguished career in the US Air Force has spanned more than two decades. He has served (continuously) on active duty and currently as Squadron Commander in the Air Force Reserve Command. Since graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, he has flown multiple aircraft over the course of his career including 11 deployments with more than 2,000 combat hours and 470 combat sorties around the globe.

These high-risk combat experiences have all served as the launching point for his proprietary “No Fail Trust™” methodology. His proven methodology serves organizations and teams as a tool to empower executives and team members to foster an environment of mutual trust, responsibility, and productivity.

Lt. Col. Harris is an established, nationally recognized keynote speaker in the areas of Leadership, Corporate Culture, High Performance Teams and Psychological Safety. He has shared his expertise with numerous high-level associations and Fortune 500 companies including Cisco Systems, Caterpillar, Ford and Lockheed Martin. Additionally, his insights have been featured in publications like Forbes magazine, multiple podcasts and, most recently, on a six (6) part docu-series airing on the History Channel.

While his impressive resume continues to grow with accolades, achievements and contributions, Jason Harris remains steadfast in his commitment to serve. Leveraging his experience and work alongside the most senior military leaders, Congressional Leaders and even the Vice President, Jason Harris’ mission is clear: To relentlessly dedicate himself and those he serves to develop a culture of commitment, accountability and trust.

To learn more about Jason, check out his website and on social media: https://jasonoharris.com/

As the CEO and Founder of Tribe + Purpose, Otis McGregor provides the guidance and expertise to reshape the culture and structure of small businesses and launch them to the next stage of growth. With over 13 years of experience as a leadership and success coach, Otis McGregor has helped hundreds of clients around the world achieve their goals and make an impact.

Otis' mission is to create a legacy of leaders who create great organizations that improve the world. As a former Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel, he leverages his unique blend of heart, passion, violence of action, and experience in leading the top 1% of the greatest men the USA has ever produced. He is also a TEDx speaker, an author, and a podcast host, where he shares his insights and stories on life, leadership, and team building. According to Otis, great organizations create great communities, and with great communities, we create a better world.

Sterling Hawkins, best-selling author, investor, entrepreneur and keynote speaker, who is globally recognized as a leading expert in organizational culture, joins Dr. Travis Hearne on the Through the Storm podcast to talk about the storms of failure. Founder of the No Matter What Movement, he shows people how to practice trust to achieve the results they want regardless of obstacles.

Sterling developed his trust-powered success system to learn from the painful collapse of his multi-billion dollar startup involvement. He's since combined his business background, research, study and practice to come back and launch, invest in and grow more than 100 companies. He's taken that experience to work with C-level teams and leaders and speak on stages around the world. He's been featured in magazines like Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times and Inc.

He believes that the depth of your trust determines the extent of your growth and success in life and business. Getting results requires being brave, declaring big goals and stepping outside your comfort zone. To inspire people to unlock their own inherent potential, he shares five practices that help us push beyond our perceived limits to make a difference for our companies, communities and families. When he's not at home in Colorado, he may be out skydiving, swimming with sharks or adventuring with the No Matter What Movement.

For more information, visit SterlingHawkins.com

Dr. Travis Hearne links up with Retired Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel, Scott Mann, on the newest edition of the Through the Storm podcast. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours all over the world, including Colombia, Peru, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a warrior storyteller and the founder of Rooftop Leadership, where he shares the rapport-building and storytelling skills he learned in Special Forces to help today's leaders make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust engagements.

Scott is the author of the instant New York Times Best-Seller, Operation Pineapple Express, a third-person narrative detailing the harrowing stories of the Veterans, volunteers, and Afghan Allies who navigated the US abandonment of Afghanistan in August of 2021. The Gary Sinise Foundation partnered up with Scott to bring his play, Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret, to stages across the country in an effort to provide healing to our Veterans and Families of the Fallen, as well as providing insight to our citizens on the personal cost of the longest war in our Nation’s history. His newest book, "Nobody is Coming to Save You, A Green Beret's Guide to Getting Big Sh*t Done" is an instant classic, packed with tips on how to get huge things done well!

To learn more about Scott’s full body of work, visit ScottMann.com.

Keynote speaker and leadership expert Waldo Waldman is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo. He teaches tactics on how to build trusting, revenue-producing relationships with employees, partners, and customers while sharing his experiences as a decorated fighter pilot and sales expert. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, he holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior and is a former top-producing sales manager.

Waldo Waldman is a retired Lt Col who overcame massive claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a decorated fighter pilot with 65 combat missions and 2,650 flight hours. He was deployed worldwide and led combat missions in Iraq, SE Asia, and Kosovo during Operation Allied Force.

His greatest honor is being a father to his son Ace and a partner to his loving wife Dana. He is passionate about 80's music, fitness, big dogs and Thai food. He shares his Atlanta home with his Great Dane “Willie” and two cats – Olive and Fig.