From The Green Notebook

WWE, Burning Buildings, and Solving Big Problems with George Barrios


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George Barrios, former co-president of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), co-founder and co-CEO of Isos Capital Management, and author of Sometimes Wrong, But Never in Doubt, joins Joe to explore leadership, preparation, reinvention, and what it takes to transform an organization.

This episode examines George’s unconventional path from nearly failing out of high school to becoming one of the key executives behind WWE’s evolution into a global media and entertainment company. George reflects on the influence of his Cuban immigrant parents, the people who redirected his life, and the lessons he carried from each stage of his career.

George also explains why conviction should come from preparation rather than bravado. He shares how deep research, systems thinking, and a willingness to understand every part of a business helped him and Michelle Wilson recognize opportunities others could not yet see.

Joe and George also discuss:

  • Why life should be viewed as a movie rather than a single photograph
  • How George’s parents shaped his approach to work, learning, and adversity
  • Why leaders must understand the box before they can think outside of it
  • Why a short presentation may require hundreds of pages of preparation
  • The difference between confidence and unsupported certainty
  • Why people often want the position but not the work required to earn it
  • The emotional journey of building something meaningful
  • Why reading widely helps leaders connect ideas across industries
  • Why experts can explain how a system works but may struggle to imagine how it could change
  • What George learned from working alongside Vince McMahon and Michelle Wilson
  • How George thinks about failure, reputation, reinvention, and rewriting the ending

This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers who want to think more deeply, prepare more thoroughly, and pursue difficult work with conviction. It is also for anyone whose life has not followed a straight path and needs the reminder that one bad photograph does not define the entire movie.

Watch the full interview on YouTube

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From The Green NotebookBy Joe Byerly

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