Winners Find a Way

The difference between people who talk about winning… and people who actually win.

In this Winning Ways solo episode, host Trent M. Clark breaks down the habits, mindset, and daily disciplines that separate high performers from everyone else.

Drawing from decades in professional sports, entrepreneurship, and leadership coaching, Trent shares lessons learned from championship environments—lessons that apply directly to business, leadership, and life.

From the power of hyper-learning to the reality of the Pain Exchange, this episode challenges listeners to take ownership of their habits, their discipline, and their results.

Because winners don't stumble into success.

They train for it daily.

Key Takeaways from This Episode 1. Champions Are Hyper-Learners 2. Coaching Accelerates the Journey 3. The Pain Exchange: Discipline vs Regret

4. Beware the Four Losing Behaviors

5. Winners Take Responsibility for Results 6. Interested vs Committed 7. Winning Starts with the Day Trent's Weekly Challenge

Ask yourself one simple question:

What is one habit you need to stop doing immediately?

It might be:

• Sleeping in

• Procrastinating

• Poor preparation

• Lack of communication

Remove that one behavior this week.

Small habit changes create massive long-term results.

Support the Olympic Mission

Trent also highlights the journey of USA Skeleton athlete Andy Whittier, who is pursuing his Olympic dream while serving in the U.S. Army.

Support Andy and learn more about his upcoming book "Life Head First."

Resources Mentioned

• Leading Winning Teams – Trent M. Clark

• Bloom Growth Coaching System

• Andy Whittier Olympic Support Mission

Connect with Trent M. Clark

Podcast: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GAwyvYA7OY1L2JOjegX7D

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/winners-find-a-way/id1578413577

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

Website: https://Leadershipity.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentmclark/

🎁 FREE RESOURCE – Download Trent's Pyramid of Leadershipity here: https://pyramidofleadershipity.trent-clark.com/pyramid-of-leadershipity

The Brands That Win Care More.

In baseball, you can feel when a team cares.

You walk into the clubhouse… You watch how players treat the equipment manager… You see the energy in batting practice.

You know immediately.

The same thing happens in business.

Customers can feel when a company actually gives a damn.

And when they do… they become your biggest promoters.

In this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, Trent Clark sits down with Justin Ricklefs, founder of Guild Collective and author of Give a Damn, to talk about the real competitive advantage in business today: human connection.

Justin shares how brands win when they stop shouting about their products… and start telling stories that connect with people.

This conversation covers:

• Why your brand story matters more than your marketing budget • The biggest mistake companies make when communicating with customers • Why Chick-fil-A, Nike, and Apple dominate through emotional connection • How great leaders build companies that people actually care about • The power of customer delight in a noisy marketplace

As Justin says:

"Your brand is the story people tell about you when you're not in the room."

Winners Find a Way_ Guest-Justi…

The question every leader should ask is simple:

What story are people telling about your company?

ABOUT THE GUEST

Justin Ricklefs is the Founder and CEO of Guild Collective, a Human-First brand agency helping organizations grow through clarity, connection, and creativity.

Before launching Guild Collective, Justin spent years working in sports organizations including the Kansas City Chiefs, helping build partnerships and revenue through strategic storytelling.

Justin is also the author of Give a Damn: The Catalyst for Caring Companies, a book that challenges businesses to rediscover the power of caring about customers, employees, and community.

He lives in Kansas City with his wife Brooke and their five children.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Justin Ricklefs Website: https://guildcollective.com Book: Give a Damn

Connect with Justin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinricklefs/

WATCH / LISTEN TO THE EPISODE

📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

🎧 Podcast Page https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

Our friend Andy Whittier is chasing his Olympic dream in Skeleton for the 2026 Winter Olympics — a sport where athletes race head-first down an ice track at nearly 80–90 mph.

Olympic athletes often fund much of this journey themselves.

If you'd like to support Andy and the mission, you can contribute here:

👉 Support the Olympic Journey https://trent-clark.com/olympic--2026

Baseball is generational.

I grew up listening to Tigers games on the radio. The game meant something. It still does.

So when the Hall of Fame misses on greatness — it matters.

In this episode, I sit down with baseball historian and author David W. Gue to challenge the current voting system and ask a bold question:

Are we honoring excellence… or protecting narratives?

🧠 What We Cover The Voting Problem

The Barry Bonds Debate

Tommy John & The Forgotten Greats

🔥 Leadership Takeaway

If a system doesn't reward performance, it loses credibility.

That's true in baseball.

That's true in business.

Leaders fix broken systems.

Winners find a way.

👤 About the Guest

David W. Gue is the author of The Baseball Hall of Fame: A Fan's Statistical Analysis, advocating for a fair, measurable Hall of Fame voting process.

🎧 Watch or Listen

📺 YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

🎙 Podcast:

https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

👉 Learn more about Trent's Bloom Growth coaching framework here:

https://www.bloomgrowthcoach.com/coaches/trent-clark/

Support the Olympic dream: 👉 https://trent-clark.com/olympic--2026

We've built elite athletes.

But are we building strong humans?

In this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, I sit down with Gary Thrapp — youth sports advocate, author, and owner of Beyond The Baseline — to talk about where youth sports is headed… and what it's costing us.

This conversation isn't soft.

It's real.

About Gary Thrapp

With over 40 years in youth sports, Gary Thrapp has facilitated more than 50,000 games at his facility in Davenport, Iowa

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. He's the owner of Beyond The Baseline, a premier basketball and volleyball event center, and author of The Wild World of Youth Sports.

Gary focuses on:

• Leadership development

• Character formation

• Community engagement

• Creating equitable opportunities for kids

He works on the front lines of youth development every single day

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.

And what he's seeing should get every parent's attention.

What We Covered 1️⃣ NIL & The Business of Youth Sports

The money conversation isn't going away.

But when recruiting replaces development… When metrics replace fundamentals… When ego replaces effort…

We have a problem.

We talked about:

• NIL filtering down to youth levels

• The transfer portal mindset

• Winning vs. developing

• Recruiting talent vs. building skill

2️⃣ The Hidden Epidemic: Phones & Attention

Gary told a story that hit me hard.

A third grader asked him:

"Why are you making us work while the adults are staring at their phones?"

That's leadership.

From a third grader.

We discussed:

• Attention spans collapsing

• Coaches competing with TikTok

• Parents missing the moments

• The competitive edge of focus

If you want your child to have an advantage? Put the phone down.

3️⃣ Developing a Success Map

Gary's book Developing Your Success Map centers on one powerful idea:

Ask kids what matters to them.

Not what matters to you.

We talked about:

• Purpose

• Dreams

• Monthly and daily goals

• Asking questions instead of lecturing

You don't build resilience by talking at kids.

You build it by engaging them.

4️⃣ Character > Highlight Reels

You can recruit talent.

Or you can develop it.

You can chase wins.

Or you can build people.

The scoreboard isn't the ultimate measure.

Character is.

Resources Mentioned

• GaryThrapp.com

• BeyondTheBaseline.net

• The Wild World of Youth Sports (Available on Amazon)

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• Leading Winning Teams (Trent M. Clark)

🎧 Watch & Listen

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity 🎙 Podcast Page: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

And if you believe in building disciplined, resilient athletes — support the Olympic journey here: 👉 https://trent-clark.com/olympic--2026

If you care about your kids. If you coach. If you lead.

This one's for you.

Because winners don't drift.

Winners Find A Way.

Most companies don't have a marketing problem —

they have a response problem.

In this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, Trent Clark sits down with direct-response master John Dwyer to unpack why incentives, personalization, and execution still outperform brand-only marketing — and how even small businesses can scale fast without massive budgets.

About the Guest

John Dwyer is a world-renowned direct-response marketer and Founder of The Institute of Wow. His work spans global brands like Disney, McDonald's, Kellogg's, Hilton, and challenger brands that needed fast, measurable growth. He's also known for his legendary campaign that featured Jerry Seinfeld for an Australian financial institution — built not on branding fluff, but bold response-driven strategy.

John's philosophy is simple:

👉 Don't make people fall in love with your brand first —

👉 Get them to experience value, then loyalty follows.

Key Moments & Ideas

• Why direct response ≠ infomercial marketing
• Disney's "Plus One" philosophy and how it applies to leadership
• How personalization turns customers into advocates
• The psychology behind incentive-based marketing
• Facebook lead contests that generate red-hot, self-qualified leads
• Why most businesses hear great ideas — but never implement them
• The difference between branding spend and measurable ROI
• How Seinfeld said "yes" after relentless (and smart) persistence

Resources Mentioned

• 🌐 https://theinstituteofwow.com
• 🌐 https://leadscontest.com
• John Dwyer media & bio: https://theinstituteofwow.com/media-resources-2/

🎯 If your growth feels stuck, stop guessing and start responding.

▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

🎧 Listen on the Podcast: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

Trust is the real currency of leadership—and most leaders are bankrupt.

About the Guest

Gal Borenstein is the Founder of the Borenstein Group and a globally respected voice in branding, digital strategy, and trust-based leadership. A former military journalist, immigrant entrepreneur, and author of multiple books—including Don't Believe the Hype and Beating Goliath with AI—Gal brings uncommon clarity to what really drives growth in a noisy, AI-driven world.

In this conversation, Coach Trent and Gal go deep on:

• Why trust builds brands—not marketing
• How COVID and remote work fractured leadership credibility
• Why AI is a tool, not a replacement for judgment
• How small businesses beat giants by staying nimble
• What leaders must do now to re-earn trust internally and externally

This episode is a masterclass in leadership reality—no hype, no fluff, just truth.

Resources Mentioned

• Don't Believe the Hype – Gal Borenstein
• Beating Goliath with AI – Gal Borenstein
• Activate – Gal Borenstein
• What Really Counts – Gal Borenstein
• The Borenstein Group
• LinkedIn (connect with Gal to receive a free ebook)

If this episode challenged your thinking:

• 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity
• 🎧 Listen to all episodes: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast
• 📞 Book a 15-minute call with Coach Trent and get the Flourish Growth Playbook

Winners don't wait. Winners find a way.

You don't rise to your potential—you recover to it. Sleep isn't a luxury. It's a skill.

On this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, Trent M. Clark sits down with Mollie Eastman, founder of Sleep Is a Skill and host of one of the top sleep podcasts in the world, to tackle one of the most overlooked performance levers in leadership, entrepreneurship, and elite athletics: sleep and recovery.

From HRV and wearables to circadian rhythm, wake-ups at 3am, sleep anxiety, and data overload, this is a masterclass in how top performers actually win—by mastering the downshift.

This conversation isn't theory. It's practical, real-world, and immediately actionable.

About the Guest

Mollie Eastman is a leading voice in sleep optimization, founder of SleepIsASkill.com, and creator of the Sleep Obsessions newsletter. She works with entrepreneurs, Special Forces operators, high-stakes performers, and professional athletes to transform sleep from a liability into a competitive advantage.

Her work bridges cutting-edge science with practical implementation—without fragility, gimmicks, or excuses.

Key Topics Covered

• Why sleep is a trainable skill, not a genetic sentence
• The difference between stress vs. distress in performance
• HRV, wearables, and when data helps—or hurts
• The real reasons people wake up at 3–4am
• Circadian rhythm > night routines alone
• Why elite performers must master day mode vs. night mode
• How leaders unknowingly model poor recovery for their teams

Resources Mentioned

• Sleep Is a Skill – https://sleepisaskill.com
• Sleep Obsessions Newsletter
• Books:
  • The Power of the Downstate
  • Mind After Midnight
  • The Upside of Stress
• Tools & Concepts:
  • HRV Tracking
  • Oura Ring / WHOOP
  • Circadian Rhythm Intermittent Fasting
  • CBT-I & ACT-I approaches to insomnia

🎧 Watch & Subscribe on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

🎙️ Listen to the full episode here:

https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

For information and a discount to Mollie's new course SLEEP IS A SKILL, please email [email protected] and mention the WINNERS FIND A WAY podcast or WFAW!

📩 Want help optimizing your performance?

Book a 15-minute call with COACH TRENT and get on the schedule.

Success doesn't come from flashy moments. It comes from showing up—every day—long after most people quit.

In this episode, Trent sits down with Tyler Morris—entrepreneur, investor, and what Trent calls a professional grinder.

Tyler didn't come from privilege or shortcuts. He grew up in a small town, learned early how to work without recognition, and built his career by outworking, outlasting, and out-learning the competition. After a successful eight-figure exit, Tyler didn't slow down—because grinding isn't a phase, it's who he is.

Together, Trent and Tyler unpack:

• Why being underestimated can be a competitive advantage
• The difference between grinding and burning out
• Why alignment beats talent every time
• How delegation separates small business owners from real operators
• Why adding value to others is often the fastest way out of a personal or professional low point

This is a masterclass in discipline, humility, and long-term thinking.

Key Themes & Lessons

• Winners don't wait for perfect conditions—they prepare
• Confidence comes from preparation, not ego
• Teams win championships, not individuals
• The grind never ends—you just get better at it
• When you're down, go help someone else

Resources Mentioned

• M2 Digital Marketing Group – Website strategy & growth-focused digital marketing
• Concept: Minders, Finders, and Grinders (knowing your lane)
• Athletic mindset applied to entrepreneurship
• Long-game execution over short-term wins

Connect with Tyler

Here - https://calendly.com/tylermorris22/schedule_conversation

If this episode challenged you, don't keep it to yourself.

📺 Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

🎧 Listen to all episodes:

https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

Subscribe, share it with someone who's in the grind, and remember—winners always find a way.

Most people quit at the first punch. Shane Barker got hit with a $60M lawsuit — and still found a way to win.

In this episode of Winners Find A Way, we break down Shane's journey through entrepreneurship, influencer marketing, Amazon warfare, personal branding, and the gritty truth of building something valuable when no one believes in you.

Shane Barker is the CEO and Founder of TraceFuse, the first Amazon-compliant negative review removal system designed to protect brands and restore digital trust. With 25+ years in digital marketing, Shane has influenced Fortune 500 brands, built global influencer strategies, spoken internationally, and now leads one of the most disruptive tools in e-commerce. He's also taught influencer marketing at UCLA, built seven-figure online systems, and helped hundreds of Amazon sellers recover revenue once lost to fraudulent or off-TOS reviews.

Shane Barker did not take the traditional path.

He took the hard one — the one where:

• You build businesses with no roadmap.
• You spend two years solving an "impossible" Amazon problem while everyone tells you it can't be done. Untitled recording_otter_ai
• You get hit with a $60 million lawsuit from the California Attorney General… and fight it for years until you win. Untitled recording_otter_ai
• You learn that perseverance isn't inspirational — it's survival.

Resources Mentioned

• TraceFuse Amazon Review Checker (Free Tool)

  https://tracefuse.ai

• Shane's Website: https://shanebarker.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanebarker

• UCLA Influencer Marketing Coursework (Referenced)

👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

👉 Listen to every episode on our podcast page:

https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

More from Trent M. Clark + WINNERS FIND A WAY

Podcast: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GAwyvYA7OY1L2JOjegX7D

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/winners-find-a-way/id1578413577

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity

Website: https://Leadershipity.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentmclark/

🎁 FREE RESOURCE — Download Trent's Pyramid of Leadershipity:

https://pyramidofleadershipity.trent-clark.com/pyramid-of-leadershipity

#WinnersFindAWay #Entrepreneurship #AmazonSellers #DigitalTrust #Leadership #TrentMClark

What if the very thing you thought was your weakness… was actually your greatest weapon?

In this powerful conversation, Trent sits down with Matthew Cox — entrepreneur, healthcare leader, author of The Courage to Learn Differently, and one of the sharpest minds in company acceleration.

Matthew opens the door to his childhood experiences with learning disabilities and how he transformed those challenges into a genuine superpower in leadership, communication, and culture-building. From decoding struggles to public speaking stages, from healthcare systems to scaling companies, Matthew brings a raw, honest look at what leaders get wrong — and what they must get right — to grow past their ceilings.

Together, Trent and Matthew break down:

• Why leaders become their own bottleneck

• How systems (not heroics) scale organizations

• The hidden cost of wearing all the hats

• Coaching, humility & stripping away ego

• Continuous learning in a noisy, AI-driven world

• Why great companies collapse without behavior alignment

• How Bloom software shifts a company from chaos to clarity

• Reps, communication, and the reality of high-performance execution

This is a masterclass in leadership behavior, operational discipline, and the courage to learn differently.

Key Themes

• Leadership is behavior, not title

• Systems drive growth — emotions destroy it

• Letting go of hats to build a real organization

• The power of coachability & humility

• Turning disabilities into competitive advantages

• The danger of advice from unqualified voices

• Communication: the true separator

• The CEO's loneliness and the need for trusted guides

• Bloom Growth as the "air traffic control" system for business

About the Guest

Matthew Cox is a seasoned entrepreneur, healthcare expert, author, and company accelerator helping leaders scale from chaos to clarity. Despite growing up with learning disabilities, Matthew built and exited multiple companies, became a high-level speaker, and co-authored The Courage to Learn Differently. His mission: help organizations adopt the systems and leadership behaviors that drive real, sustainable growth.

Resources Mentioned

• The Courage to Learn Differently – Matthew Cox

• Bloom Growth Software

• Matthew's LinkedIn – Matthew Leland Cox

• Email: [email protected]

Watch + Subscribe

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipity 🎙️ Podcast Page: https://podcast.winnersfindaway.us/podcast