The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode 080: Ryan Estis – From Rock Star Sales Professional To World Class Speaker & Entrepreneur Ryan Estis has that “It” factor.  He’s a leader who you just feel compelled to listen to.  This conversation/interview was extremely enjoyable for me.  Ryan brought value the entire time and has a knack for sharing actionable content throughout all of his conversations.  We are fortunate to have him as our featured leader on this episode of The Learning Leader Show. Ryan Estis has more than 20 years of experience as a top-performing sales professional and leader. As the former chief strategy officer for the McCann Worldgroup advertising agency NAS, he brings a fresh perspective to business events. As a keynote speaker, Ryan is known for his innovative ideas on leading change, improving sales effectiveness and preparing for the future of work. He was recently recognized as one of “the best keynote speakers ever heard” by Meetings & Conventions magazine alongside Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, Colin Powell and M

Episode 079: Tucker Max – Attracting Women & How To Write Your Book Tucker Max is probably the most blunt human being I’ve ever spoken to.  He will literally tell you exactly what he thinks at all times.  I can appreciate his fearlessness when it comes to being transparent and open.  This conversation/interview was one of the most challenging ones I’ve done throughout the entire podcast.  With that said, I really enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with Tucker.  I’ve read his books and think he’s incredibly talented.  It’s been very interesting to see the growth in him as a person over the last 10 years. Tucker has written three #1 New York Times Best Sellers, which have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. He is credited with being the originator of the literary genre, "fratire," and is only the third writer (after Malcolm Gladwell and Michael Lewis) to ever have three books on the New York Times Nonfiction Best Seller List at one time. He received his BA from the University of Chicago in 1998, and

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon Kat Cole is an incredibly intelligent leader.  She truly understands the importance of being authentic in her role as a leader.  She firmly believes that develops trust with her people and also makes her more approachable.  We are extremely fortunate to have Kat share her knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Kat is Group President at FOCUS Brands and responsible for building FOCUS Brands revenues and profits through global licensing, manufacturing, and ecommerce. Previously, she was President of Cinnabon, Inc. accountable for leading and growing the multi-channel brand team that drove record comp sales growth, brand expansion and franchise evolution during her tenure. Prior to her role with FOCUS Brands at Cinnabon, Inc., Kat initially work at Hooters as hostess, waitress, general manager and eventually promoted to a Vice President role at Hooters of America, Inc., a multi-channel brand which operates compan

Episode 077: Adam Braun – Pencils Of Promise: Growing A “For Purpose” Organization Through Intrinsic Motivation Adam Braun is an extremely intelligent and selfless leader.  He is intrinsically motivated and is focused on constant self-improvement in order to serve and help others.  He firmly believes in family and the important role they play in one’s life.  We are extremely fortunate to have Adam share his knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Adam is a New York Times bestselling author and the Founder of Pencils of Promise, an award-winning organization that has broken ground on more than 300 schools for children in poverty around the world. He is also the Director of the Global Education Platform, an initiative conceived by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education to accelerate breakthroughs in learning innovation. He has been featured as a speaker at The White House, the United Nations and the Clinton Global Initiative. He has also been named to Business Insider’s 40 Under

Episode 076: Amanda Holmes – Taking Over As CEO At Age 27: The Ultimate Sales Machine Amanda Holmes is someone who has a contagious energy about her.  This conversation (which was also aired live on Periscope) was entertaining and educational. Amanda is an incredibly interesting person.  During our time together, Amanda talked about the legacy her father began, along with Tony Robbins in the beginning, and how she continues to nurture businesses using intuition and a proven equation for growth. Said best by gaimtv.com Amanda Holmes went from ashram to CEO at 27 years old, and her journey is both inspiring and challenging. She stepped in as CEO of Chet Holmes International after the death of her father, self-help guru Chet Holmes. Amanda Holmes’ singing career spanned over seven years and four records. When her father, Chet Holmes, NY Times Best Selling author, was diagnosed with Leukemia, it all came to an abrupt end. After studying alternative medicines in Asia, she took over the responsibility of her father

Episode 075: Kristi Piehl – Creating A Winning Culture & Earning Great PR Kristi Piehl is an incredibly driven person.  She truly understands the importance of focusing on creating a phenomenal a phenomenal work environment for her employees and is reaping the rewards because of it.  We are extremely fortunate to have Kristi share her knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Kristi Piehl has built a unique company that redefines public relations.  This was her vision when she launched Media Minefield in 2010. Media Minefield is a news-driven public relations agency on a mission to change the perception of the industry. She’s dedicated to creating a unique work environment with policies that value families, flexibility and health. During her 12 year television career, I worked as a reporter and anchor at 5 television stations. She studied Professional Writing and graduated with honors from Bethel University. In 2015, Bethel named her Alumna of the Year. She’s also a member of th

Episode 074: Tim Kight – The Secret Weapon Behind Ohio State’s Success Tim Kight is an incredibly dynamic speaker. He is a great combination of extremely high intelligence mixed in with great experience around some of the best leaders in the world, including legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden.  I absolutely loved this conversation with Tim. Companies across the United States are recognizing speaker Tim Kight as a powerful voice on the performance of people and organizations. With a contagious energy, Tim provides insight into the “physics of performance.” Tim’s ability to connect with and inspire individuals, teams, and leaders has yielded exceptional reviews from organizations throughout the country.  A dynamic speaker, Tim combines a unique background of research and practical experience to bring compelling insights to the real-world challenges of leading, managing, and winning in today’s competitive marketplace. After briefly attending Ohio State University, Tim Kight received his undergraduate d

Episode 073: Jay Bilas – World Class ESPN Basketball Broadcaster, Toughness, Fixing The NCAA Jay Bilas is an incredibly interesting person.  He is a great combination of extremely high intelligence mixed in with a keen awareness of many issues we are all faced with in today’s world.  This was one of my all-time favorite conversations. I absolutely loved it. Jay Bilas is a 1986 graduate of Duke University undergrad and 1992 graduate of Duke Law where he competed for Hall of Fame Coach Mike Krzyzewski on the Blue Devil Basketball team. Jay was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks and played professionally for 2 years in Europe before embarking on his coaching career. Bilas served as an assistant coach on Blue Devil bench during a time that included the 1991 and 1992 National Championships. Bilas then launched a successful law career before becoming a popular analyst on ESPN’s coverage of college basketball. Jay has published one book, “Toughness,” and is a sought after motivational speaker throughout the world. Jay

Episode 072: Jon Gordon - Optimistic People Win More | The Energy Bus Jon Gordon leads an inspirational life.  He’s had high moments and very low moments.  He openly shares some of the lowest moments of his life as well as the specific thoughts process he developed in order to go from the lowest of lows to an international superstar author and key note speaker. We are extremely fortunate to have Jon share his message with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, MLB coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of numerous books including The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus, Soup, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, and The Carpenter. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients inc

Episode 071: Nate Boyer – Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL, Making Films **A Special Veterans Day Episode** Nate Boyer leads a remarkable life.  He’s been all over the world working hard to help others and defend our country.  Nate truly values passion and having no compromise when going after your vision.  He has proven that he will stop at nothing in order to achieve it.  We are extremely fortunate to have Nate share his vision with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  In 2004, Nate Boyer became a relief worker in Sudan, building camps for refugees of the War in Darfur. After a short tenure there, he enlisted in the United States Army, training at Fort Benning, and later was accepted into the Green Berets. After multiple tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Boyer earned an honorable discharge after six years of service. During that period of time, Nate walked on to the football team at the University of Texas where he earned the position of starting long snapper. After his college caree

Episode 070: Dr. Sharon Melnick – Success Under Stress: Breathing Exercises & Other Tips To Improve Your 50% Sharon Melnick is an incredibly interesting person.  She truly understands the importance of physiology, psychology, and your response.  We are extremely fortunate to have Sharon share her knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Sharon Melnick, PhD is a leading authority on business psychology, stress resilience, and women’s leadership. Her methods are informed by 10 years of research at Harvard Medical School and field tested by over 15,000 clients and training participants. As CEO of her firm Horizon Point Inc, Sharon Melnick, PhD is an internationally renowned speaker and sought after trainer.  Her presentations on Resilience during Change and Success under Stress receive highest ratings and multiple repeat invites from organizations such as Procter and Gamble, MeLife, Novartis, NYLife, GE, Sodexo, Merck, Moody’s, OmniCom, AIG, Morgan Stanley, and many others. Episod

Episode 069: Jesse Itzler – Taking Risks, Selling For Millions, Living With A (Navy) SEAL, Married To A Billionaire Jesse Itzler is an incredibly interesting person.  Despite all of his (massive) success, he’s one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever spoken with.  This conversation felt like I was reconnecting with an old friend.  I absolutely loved it. Jesse cofounded Marquis Jet, the world’s largest prepaid private jet card company in 2001, which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. He then helped pioneer the coconut water craze with Zico coconut water, which he and his partners sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2013. He is a former rapper on MTV and he produced both the NBA’s Emmy Award-winning “I Love This Game” music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem “Go NY Go.” When he is not running ultra-marathons or being a dad to his three kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks games, where he is an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely whom

Episode 068: Joey Coleman – What Is Your Personal Brand? This is a special episode for me as I’ve been fortunate to get to know Joey over the last month and he’s become a great friend.  I had the distinct pleasure of attending a professional development workshop recently where Joey was the facilitator/speaker/lead engager.  It was the best 2 and a half day training event I have ever been to in my life.  And Joey is the best presenter I’ve ever seen.  This conversation was incredible and I really appreciate how honest, transparent, and truly helpful Joey is.  A huge thank you to Jayson Gaignard (from episode 001) for introducing me to Joey. Joey Coleman is the Chief Experience Composer at Design Symphony - a customer experience branding firm that specializes in creating unique, attention-grabbing customer experiences. His clients include individual entrepreneurs, start-ups, small businesses, non-profits, government entities, and Fortune 500 companies. For over a decade he's worked with clients that include NA

Episode 067: Roger Dooley – How To Persuade And Convince Others With Neuromarketing This episode was absolutely packed full of action oriented takeaways to help us all gain a better understanding of how our brain works to process information.  It was an extremely interesting talk on a topic that fascinates me. Roger Dooley is a speaker and author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing, the popular blog Neuromarketing, and Brainy Marketing at Forbes. He is the founder of Dooley Direct, a marketing consultancy, and co-founded College Confidential, the leading college-bound website. That business was acquired by Hobsons, a unit of UK-based DMGT, where Dooley served as VP Digital Marketing and continues in a consulting role. Episode 067: Roger Dooley – How To Persuade And Convince Others With Neuromarketing Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio   The Learning Leader Show “According to leading neuroscientists, 95% of all thoughts, emotions, and learning occur before we are

Episode 066: Judy Robinett – Creating A Titanium Digital Rolodex: The 5+50+150 Rule I would like to thank John Corcoran for introducing me to Judy Robinett.  Both John and Judy are such great givers… Always trying to help others and they’ve done so much for me.   I was fascinated with Judy.  She is incredibly intelligent and is a very deep thinker.  It was a joy to get her to put some of those thoughts on tape for this great podcast episode. Judy Robinett is the author of How to Be a Power Connector: The 5+50+150 Rule (McGraw-Hill, May 2014), a book that provides instant, effective strategies for meeting the people you need to know and bonding with them fast to further your goals and theirs. Robinett is a business thought leader who is known as “the woman with the titanium digital Rolodex.” She has been profiled in Fast Company, Forbes, Venture Beat, Huffington Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek as a sterling example of the new breed of “super connectors” who use their experience and networks to accelerate grow

Episode 065: Linda Kaplan Thaler – GRIT = Guts, Resilience, Initiative, & Tenacity Linda Kaplan Thaler is an incredibly interesting person.  She truly understands the importance of an intense focus on continuous improvement.  Linda and her team have some massive achievements from a Marketing perspective as well as the work Linda has down as a bestselling author and keynote speaker. We are extremely fortunate to have Linda share her knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Linda Kaplan Thaler is the CEO of Publicis New York and a bestselling author. She has written and composed advertising jingles such as: “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid” (Toys "R" Us); “Kodak Moments” (Eastman Kodak) and “The Heart of Communication” (Bell Atlantic). She is responsible for the “Yes, Yes, Yes” Herbal Essences campaign, and her agency created the well-known Aflac duck advertising.  Her most recent book (she wrote along with Robin Koval is titled, “Grit To Great” How perseverance pass

Episode 064: Kevin Lavelle – CEO of Mizzen+Main: Intellectual Curiosity Leads To Growing 500% Kevin Lavelle is an incredibly intelligent leader.  He truly understands the importance of possessing three qualities as a leader: An overwhelming amount of optimism, an intellectual curiosity, and persistence.  We are extremely fortunate to have Kevin share his knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.  Kevin Lavelle is an American entrepreneur and business executive. He is the founder of Mizzen+Main, a men's clothing brand where he serves as the company's CEO. Kevin was named to the 40 Under 40 list by Dallas Business Journal in 2013. He was also named to Men's Fitness list of Game Changers in 2014.  Investors in the company, which makes its products in the United States, include Zappos founder Tony Hsieh's Vegas Tech Fund and Navy SEAL Marcus Lutrell.  They have grown 500% year over year! And most recently, he has partnered with NFL star JJ Watt on an endorsement deal that gives JJ an equ

Episode 063: Whitney Johnson – How To Disrupt Yourself To Dare, Dream, and DO Remarkable Things This was a very interesting conversation with Whitney Johnson... She has an extremely interesting story to tell about how she disrupted herself in order to do something bigger.  She was an incredibly successful equity analyst and she quit in order to follow a dream of doing something bigger and helping others.  Whitney Johnson is an investor, speaker, author, and leading thinker on driving innovation through personal disruption.  Johnson is the co-founder of Rose Park Advisors, along with Clayton Christensen where they led the seed round for Korea’s Coupang, currently valued at $5+ billion. Whitney is a frequent contributor and writer, including to the Harvard Business Review, as a LinkedINfluencer, and through other channels. She is the author of two books, Dare, Dream, Do (2012), and the Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work (2015). She is also a prolific speaker and has spoken to a

Episode 062: Jim Tressel – Coaching Ohio State: President of Youngstown State: Servant Leadership: #QuietTime I’ve been fortunate to know Jim Tressel since 2002 when he recruited my younger brother AJ to play football at Ohio State University.  He has always been a phenomenal example of what it means to be a servant leader.  Always calm, composed, and measured in his approach… He’s someone who I admire a great deal.  It was a thrill for me to have this in depth conversation with him. Jim Tressel a former college football coach who served as head coach of the Youngstown State Penguins from 1986 to 2000 and the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2001 to 2010, winning five national championships between the two schools and 12 “Coach of the Year” awards during his career. He is currently the president of Youngstown State University. Episode 062: Jim Tressel – Coaching Ohio State: President of Youngstown State: Servant Leadership: #QuietTime Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio   The Learning Leader Show “It’s not where yo

Episode 061: Chris Hogan – The 7 Baby Steps To Take Control Of Your Money… Retire Inspired Chris Hogan is a really interesting leader.  I’ve seen him speak to large groups of people on two separate occasions and he always brings a ton of energy to the stage.  Mix that with his deep baritone voice and it makes for a unique leader! A former national champion and all-American football player, Chris Hogan has never backed down from a challenge. But how did he find his way off the gridiron and onto the path of helping others achieve financial peace? Once his playing days were over, Hogan served as the vice president of a well-respected mortgage company helping clients manage their money and their businesses. In the process, he realized that too many marriages and families were being adversely impacted by financial issues because they could not communicate openly and honestly about money. Hogan realized that the way people were counseled about money had to change. That’s when he met Dave Ramsey. Today, Hogan helps