Episodes

Ryan Hawk has interviewed over 700 people for one of the top podcasts in the world. He has a five to one secret behind his best questions, a one in 25 ratio that turned a no-name show into a top 50 podcast, and a story about a quarterback he once beat out for a job who went on to win Super Bowls. This week Ryan returns for an unprecedented third appearance to talk about his new book The Price of Becoming, the power of compounding small habits, and why almost nobody, not even the most accomplish...

What would it look like if your family had a constitution, a shared document of values, mission, and legacy that guided every generation after you? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Brad Dufrane, managing partner of New York Life's Finger Lakes office, 30 year veteran of the financial services industry, marathon and Spartan race finisher, and one of the most genuinely warm and thoughtful leaders the Lounge has had the pleasure of hosting. Brad opens with the three things he ...

What does the research actually say about why people trust their leaders, and why do so many well-intentioned leaders still get it wrong? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Dr. Ben Granger, chief workplace psychologist at Qualtrics, organizational psychology doctorate from the University of South Florida, and author of A Leader Worth Following, for one of the most research-backed and practically useful conversations the Lounge has ever had. Dr. Ben opens with a breakdown of V...

Amy Lenker had over 100 panic attacks in a single summer. She worked her entire maternity leave the day after having her daughter. And she built a career that looked like success from the outside while quietly destroying herself from the inside. This week Amy joins Jon and Coach Jim to talk about burnout, stress, and what she calls the unstressing method, a practical framework she developed the hard way. She also shares the leadership regret that still breaks her heart, and why the strongest te...

What does it look like to lead a business, serve clients, and keep showing up with humor and grace while fighting for your life at the same time? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Deb Krier, seasoned entrepreneur, integrative cancer coach, host of the Business Power Hour podcast with over 1,100 episodes, and one of the most authentically inspiring guests the Lounge has ever had, for a conversation about resilience, communication, delegation, and what three cancer diagnoses ta...

What separates a culture of compliance from a culture of commitment, and what does it actually take to build the kind of team where people are truly all in? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with General Robert Mixon, retired two star division commander, former aide to General Colin Powell, co-founder of Level Five Associates, and author of The Power of Being All In, for one of the most battle tested and practically useful leadership conversations the Lounge has ever had. G...

Every leader talks about team culture. Very few are actually building it the right way. This week Jon and Coach Jim bust four of the most common myths about team culture, and at least one of them is probably something you believe right now. If you have ever bought the team lunch and wondered why morale did not improve, this one is for you.

What does it actually look like to live out positive leadership not just on stage but at home, in your marriage, in your family, and on the days you really do not feel like it? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome the first ever mother and daughter duo to the Limitless Leadership Lounge, Kathryn Gordon and Jade Gordon, the wife and daughter of bestselling author and leadership legend John Gordon, for one of the most warm, honest, and genuinely inspiring conversations the show h...

What if the key to becoming a better leader is not adding more goals to your list but stripping everything down to just one word? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Dan Britton, speaker, writer, coach, former professional lacrosse player, 34 year veteran of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, founder of Sports Life Leadership, and co-author of nine books including the bestselling One Word, written alongside Jon Gordon and Jimmy Page. This conversation is one of the mo...

What if the most powerful thing you can do as a leader has nothing to do with having the right answers, and everything to do with asking the right questions? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Clark Aldrich, recognized by Forbes Magazine and CNN as one of the world's leading voices on experiential learning, father of simulation learning, award winning author, and creator of the Socratic Cards, a deceptively simple leadership and learning tool that is changing how teams ...

Most leaders know they should delegate the things they are not good at. But what about the things they are? This week Jon and Coach Jim tackle one of the most overlooked conversations in leadership, and the answer might make you rethink how you are spending your time right now. They break down four reasons why delegating your strengths might be the most powerful thing you can do for your team, your organization, and your own growth as a leader. It is a short, sharp solo episode packed with prac...

What if your greatest obstacle is actually your greatest qualification? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Diana Fritz, dynamic executive leader, cancer thriver, Maxwell Leadership certified coach, and author of Uniquely Imperfect, Uniquely Qualified, for one of the most moving and genuinely inspiring conversations the Lounge has ever had. Diana opens with a story about her grandmother that sets the tone for everything that follows. A woman who chose joy no matter what life ...

What does it actually take to unite a divided team, a divided community, or a divided country? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Chip Webster, entrepreneur, former president of Vistage Florida, chairman of the board of Tampa Bay Watch, and founder of Unity in Service, a nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding trust through community action and civic engagement. Chip is also the author of Unity in Service, and this conversation is one of the most timely and thought provoking ...

What if the secret to building a truly great team starts not with strategy or systems, but with learning to genuinely put people first? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome back one of the Lounge's few repeat guests, Dr. Craig Nathanson, educator, author, speaker, and leadership coach with over 25 years of experience helping leaders build more human and sustainable organizations. Dr. Craig joins to dig into his powerful new book The Humanistic Leader, and the conversation is on...

What happens when the person you are leading has more experience, more years, and maybe even wanted your job? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson tackle one of the most uncomfortable situations a young leader faces: leading people who are older than you, and how to turn that tension into a genuine advantage. Jon and Coach open with honest personal stories, including Coach taking over a program at 36 with two older assistant coaches who had both applied for the position he got. They sh...

What if the only thing standing between you and your biggest goal is the willingness to stay in the game just a little longer than everyone else? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Ruben Gonzalez, a four time Olympian and the only athlete to compete in four Olympics across four different decades, a keynote speaker who has taken the stage for over 105 Fortune 500 companies, and author of The Shortcut. Ruben's story is one of the most flat out inspiring conversations the...

What if the secret to growing your network and brand is as simple as giving first and building authentic generosity? This week, Jon Goehring, Coach Jim Johnson, and Dr. Rehnuma Karim speak with Noemi Beres, founder of Podcast Connections and seasoned online marketer, about her journey from linguist to podcast guest guru. Noemi shares how pivoting from travel business to podcast guest placement was driven by embracing change and harnessing the power of authentic connection. She takes us behind t...

What if the clearest path to becoming an unstoppable leader starts with getting radically honest about your own growth gaps? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Quinn Harwood, known as Coach Q, a former Davidson college basketball player, professional certified coach, and author of the leadership fable Growth Time, for a conversation packed with practical wisdom on confidence, mission, and becoming the kind of leader who lifts everyone around them. Coach Q opens with a p...

What if purpose is the secret antidote to anxiety and the fuel for unstoppable leadership? This week, Jon and Coach welcome Jimmy Page — founder of Unstoppable Elite Performance, health and wellness expert, bestselling author, and Spartan athlete — for a powerful conversation on leadership, faith, and living with relentless grit. Jimmy opens up about his athletic dreams, personal pivots, and the profound impact of faith on his leadership journey. He explains why discovering a mission bigger th...

What does it actually take to earn the trust and loyalty of the people you lead? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson break down the eight Cs of leadership, a powerful framework every new and emerging leader needs to know to become someone worth following. Jon and Coach open with a compelling challenge: if you were just promoted, why should anyone follow you? They walk through each of the eight Cs in depth, showing how these principles work together to build the kind of leadership pres...

What does it really take to climb from the shop floor to the C-suite with integrity and impact? This week, Jon and Coach talk with Matt Simmes, CEO of IES Communications, who shares his powerful leadership journey beginning as a field technician to leading a billion dollar enterprise. Matt reveals how working in every role, from roofer to branch manager, shaped his empathy and credibility with teams. He emphasizes the importance of patience and consistent value creation to earn promotions, esch...

What does it take to transform talent, grit, and setbacks into lasting leadership? This week, Jon Goehring, Coach Jim Johnson, and Dr. Rehnuma Karim welcome Clint Hurdle — former MLB player and manager, author of Hurdle-isms, and inspirational coach — for an uplifting conversation about resilience, identity, and leadership. Clint shares how a natural gift for sports was honed through hard work, sacrifice, and relentless practice, illustrating the importance of perseverance through highs and low...

What if the biggest challenge in leadership is embracing failure, finding purpose, and taking absolute ownership? This week, Jon Goehring, Coach Jim Johnson, and Dr. Rehnuma Karim talk with Mark Astor — mental health and addiction attorney, author, and advocate — about overcoming setbacks and living a purpose-driven life. Mark shares his winding path from a burned-out prosecutor facing mounting cases and personal struggles to a successful entrepreneur running a mission-focused law firm. He reve...

What if a lack of purpose drives much of today’s anxiety... and finding your mission is the key to becoming unstoppable? This week, Jon Goehring, Coach Jim Johnson, and Dr. Rehnuma Karim sit down with Mark Astor, mental health and addiction attorney, author, and advocate, for an inspiring conversation about embracing purpose, overcoming failure, and leading with intentionality. Mark shares his personal story of breaking free from burnout and professional setbacks after starting as a prosecutor ...