In Search Of Excellence

My guest today is Joe de Sena, a serial entrepreneur, ultra-marathoner, endurance athlete, motivational speaker, and self-described maniac. For the past 17 years, Joe has been the CEO of the global fitness and wellness brand Spartan, which has a community of more than 10 million athletes around the world.

Joe is the host of the CNBC primetime show, No Retreat business boot camp, and a New York Times bestselling author of four books, Spartan Up, Spartan Fit, The Spartan Way, and his latest, 10 Rules for Resilience.

Time stamps:

01:46 Joe De Sena’s background and childhood

• He grew up in Howard Beach, the organized crime capital of the world
• Mom was a long-distance runner, vegan, and yoga practitioner
• Dad was a workaholic entrepreneur
• The story about his dad and the missing package in the warehouse
• The story about moving bricks all night
• An unbelievable BMX ride to Greene, New York

11:33 Working for Joe Bananno as a kid

• Lessons from the head of the organized crime family
• Became a trusting kid and gained a lot of customers
• The attractiveness of the mafia lifestyle and his dad’s advice
• Joe Bananno as Joe’s friend and mentor
• The best thing we can do in life is help people

18:15 What’s wrong with the mentality of today’s interns

• Human beings are naturally lazy and wired for comfort
• The story about Shaun and moving artworks
• Make yourself invaluable and irreplaceable

26:48 Never ask for money

• A story about a car dealer from Vermont
• A risk worth getting numerous customers
• Get your foot in the door first and provide value

29:23 How rejections can fuel you

• Applied to Cornell and was rejected
• Learned hard to prove worthy of Cornell but kept being rejected
• Finally, enrolled in The Textile Department of Human Ecology
• If you just keep doing it, you eventually break through

35:05 The ability to hang in there and finish is changing your biology

• If the obstacle you face is not fatal, it’s just a lesson
• Failure can be our greatest asset if we use it right
• Finishing hard things creates tracks in the brain
• Quitting creates gaps and more quitting

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Welcome back to part two of "In Search of Excellence" with Jessica Berman!

Today, we continue our riveting conversation with Jessica. She addresses the disparity in pay between male and female athletes, outlining the steps needed to achieve pay equity and grow women's sport which will drive unprecedented growth in the NWSL. Her dedication and strategic vision to continue shaping the future of women's sports is relentless.

Success is not just about achieving goals but also about embracing vulnerability, building resilience, and fostering authentic connections.

Join the movement to support women's sports! Together, we can empower female athletes and promote equality in sports.

If you missed part one, be sure to catch up for an inspiring conversation about breaking ceilings in the sports industry.

Timestamps:

0:47 - Introduction to part two.

2:01 - Climbing up the ranks in the male-dominated sports industry

- Transition from NHL to NLL; challenges faced.
- Family support and career leap into NWSL.
- The importance of taking risks.

9:10 - Transition to becoming Commissioner of the NWSL and the league's growth

- Turning a massive landmine into a field of diamonds.
- Surreal experience of accepting the NWSL Commissioner role.
- Milestones achieved: team expansion, media deals, office expansion.

12:20 - Challenges inherited with NWSL; league turnaround

- Addressing systemic abuse issues; league investigation.
- Transformative growth: franchise values, media deals, attendance.
- Expansion of NWSL staff; hiring process and objectives.
- Office environment and collaborative workspace described.

18:47 - The disparity in pay between men's and women's soccer

- Comparison of earnings between male and female players.
- Importance of growing fan base and revenue for equitable pay.
- The challenges of building a sustainable business model.

23:53 - Importance of female soccer superstars

- Cultivating stars in women's soccer; role models and icons.
- Impact of star players on league popularity and recognition.

27:38 - Five ingredients for success; empathy and hard work

- Personal qualities for success discussed; empathy as top priority.
- Role of passion, preparation, and relationships in success.

29:20 - Significance of passion and preparation

- Passion is inherent to success; holistic preparation for challenges.
- Role of extreme preparation in achieving goals.
- Importance of physical and mental readiness for success.

32:05 - Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership

- Role modeling behavior and building connections.
- Overcoming ego to foster genuine leadership.
- Creating a culture of trust and authenticity.

35:15 - Legacy of Leadership

- Embracing authenticity and individuality in leadership.
- Fostering a culture of success and pride.
- Prioritizing family and collective accomplishments.

38:11 - Triumph Over Adversity

- Balancing career demands with personal challenges.
- Cultivating resilience amidst life-altering circumstances.
- Leveraging support systems for personal and professional growth.

42:40 - Resilience and Recovery

- Brad's (His Ex-husband and Best Friend) miraculous recovery journey post-stroke.
- Navigating family dynamics amidst adversity.
- Finding strength and

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Today, our guest is Jessica Berman, the Commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League, a trailblazing executive in professional sports. With a history of transformative leadership, she played a pivotal role in the growth of women's soccer.

From Deputy Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League to her impactful years at the NHL, Jessica has consistently broken barriers.

Jessica attended Fordham Law School, interning with the NFL during her studies. She later worked at Proskauer Rose, specializing in labor and employment law, where she dealt with the legal aspects of the NHL. Her story is one of leadership, innovation, and breaking barriers in the world of sports.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

2:23 - Jessica’s Background & Influence of Parents

- Diverse upbringing in Brooklyn, with an Orthodox Jewish family.
- Phyllis, Jessica's mom, pursued a PhD after taking care of her.
- Ted, Jessica’s dad, was an entrepreneur with golf gas stations in New York.
- Dad's immigrant background, emphasizing hard work as the key to success.
- Dad's grassroots business approach and resistance to advanced technology.

6:15 - The Brady Bunch Family

- Jessica's family, a blend of her dad's kids from a previous marriage and her mom.
- The uniqueness and challenges of growing up in a mixed family.

7:45 - Early Interests in Dance and involvement in sport manangement

- Focus on dance and cheerleading due to limited sports opportunities for girls.
- Volunteering as a student manager for high school sports teams.

8:12 - Dealing with Frustration and Pursuing Passions

- Lack of opportunities to play sports directly
- Involvement in cheerleading.
- Advice on dealing with frustration and finding alternative paths.

10:36 - Epiphany at a Hockey Game

- The pivotal moment at an Islanders game that led Jessica to aspire to work in the sports industry.
- The Nelson Mandela quote

16:38 - Inspiring Social Change in Youth

- Reflection on her Jewish education instilling values of equality and respect.
- Encouraging parents to inspire social change in their children.

19:16 - Pursuing Dreams (Square peg, Square(Round) hole moment)

- Jessica's advice to relentlessly pursue one's passion
- Remaining open to different paths.
- Balancing focused pursuit with openness to unexpected opportunities.

24:00 - Breaking Through and Adding Value

- The importance of making oneself useful.
- Adding value in the absence of formal internship paths.
- Challenges of breaking through.

29:56 - Networking and Following Up

- Disappointment in the lack of follow-ups after informational interviews.
- The simplicity of standing out
- Making lasting impressions in today’s competitive world.

32:46 - Law School and Career Path

- Attending law school
- Role of a graduate degree in her career.
- Working with the NFL during law school
- Later joining Proskauer Rose to work with the NHL.

36:39 - Do you need a graduate degree to be successful?

- Jessica’s decision to attend law school to pursue her career goals.
- Reflections on the value of legal training in her career.
- The necessity of graduate degrees for success in various fields.

41:02 - Jessica’s Law school experience

- Post-law school and her decision to leave the

Sponsors:
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Welcome to In Serch of Excellence and the second part of my interview with the amazing Sugar Sean O’Malley, the UFC bantamweight champion of the world with a 17-in-one record, who everybody believes is the next Conor McGregor.

Sean pulls back the curtain on his life inside and outside the cage, from balancing training for his next title defense with fatherhood to the brand deals making him a millionaire, plus his unconventional views on love and relationships. Tune in for more!

Time stamps:

00:38 Sean’s training regiment

Red light, cold plunge, PMF machine, meditation
Eggs and oatmeal, Aero Press coffee
Goes to the gym to practice, nap, lunch
Strength and conditioning training

07:01 Going out and drinking

Drinking is a big distraction
He goes out with the boys
Stops drinking and smoking 3 weeks before the match

09:24 Dealing with the pain

Tries not to be hit
It’s bad for the brain
CTE worries
Every month he gets a concussion

12:19 Sean’s controversial love and sex life

Injecting stem cells into the penis
Didn’t feel much improvement
He has an open relationship with his girlfriend

20:10 How did a kid change his life?

Always wanted to have kids
Would like to have more
The feelings when he saw his daughter for the first time
Lucky to be able to be with his daughter

28:05 Motivated by money

Likes to be smart with his money
Learning about investing
Would like to be a billionaire
Paying taxes

36:24 The key ingredients for success

Sleep, diet, meditation, consistency
Work ethics and passion
Building his brand on social media
Keeping your brand clean

43:37 Giving back to the community

Helping his friends and family
Planning to make a non-profit

45:42 Fill in the blanks for excellence

The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
Meditation
My number one professional goal is
Greatest of all time
And more

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches

Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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Welcome to In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Sugar Sean O'Malley, the UFC bantamweight champion of the world with a 17-in-one record, who everybody believes is the next Connor McGregor.

He opens up about his meteoric rise from amateur fighter in Helena, Montana to one of the sport's biggest stars, detailing his path from early knockout victories to inking a deal on Dana White's Contender Series and ultimately becoming the champion.

Time stamps:

01:23 Sean’s background

- Grew up in Helena, Montana
- His dad was a cop, mom was a nurse
- He hated school, loved sports
- Wasn’t a popular kid, and never fit in with sports guys
- Moving to Arizona and taking care of his family

07:39 Buying houses

- Wanted to be smart with his money
- Bought 6 houses in Arizona
- Meeting people on Twitch and moving them into his houses

10:22 Sean’s relationship with school

- Didn’t like school and wasn’t interested in it
- Never understood the setup of school
- He was lucky to find a passion
- He learned the stuff he benefited from

13:48 How did it all start?

- A friend called him to check out a fighting gym in Montana
- He liked sports but didn’t have good grades to play
- Didn’t get along with the jocks and coaches
- The boxing was one-on-one and he wanted to experience that

15:55 In the gym for the first time

- Started with jujitsu, didn’t like it
- Continued with kick box and was very good
- Getting his GED
- Kickboxing gave him confidence

21:15 The lessons he learned from kickboxing

- Wanted to be the best fighter in the world
- Started learning everything that could help him achieve that
- Sleeping well, eating well, taking care of his soul and body

23:20 The advice to people who want to be successful

- Always wanted to be rich and famous
- Hustling form 16
- Making and selling T-shirts
- If you want it, you’ll get there

27:09 Why did Sean want to be famous?

- Maybe coming from some deep insecurity
- Being famous is normal for him now

30:43 The beginning of his pro career

- Never had street fights
- It was always a sport for him
- Turned pro at 21
- His knockout went viral on YouTube
- Offered a fight on the Contender series
- Snoop Dogg made him popular
- Booked his first fight in Vegas
- A fight with Andre Soccer
- Broke his foot

37:10 Is Sean the next Connor McGregor?

- Dana Right and UFC
- How much has his looks influenced his success
- People want to see characters
- He is the next Connor McGregor
- Who is the biggest star in UFC?
- Happiness is a skill
- The origin of his nickname

42:47 The importance of Extreme Preparation

- He likes to have 12 weeks to prepare
- Breaks into 4-week blocks, gradually picks up the pace
- Fighting is the most exhausting sport in the world

Sponsors:
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Welcome to part two of In Search of Excellence episode with the amazing Jesse Itzler.

Jesse is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold five companies including Marquis Jet and ZICO Coconut Water. He is an Emmy Award winner, a former rapper and former manager of Run DMC, a globally recognized keynote speaker, and a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA basketball team.

He's also a passionate endurance athlete who has run more than 35,000 miles over the last 25 years, including 50+ marathons. Jessie is also the author of two awesome best-selling books, Living with the Seals 31 days training with the toughest man on the planet and Living with the monks: What turning off my phone taught me about happiness, gratitude and focus.

Time stamps:

02:59 The Coconut water business

- As a runner researched hydration and nutrition
- Discovered coconut water
- Partnered with a ZICO company
- Sold the company to Coca Cola 2 years later

04:55 Money as a goal and motivator

- What is more important is the quality of your product or service
- Passion and enthusiasm are also important
- Experiences and proving yourself

09:08 The fear of failure

- His son decided to play baseball
- The story of his son failing at the game
- Participant vs. spectator in life

11:22 Lessons learned from Navy SEAL David Goggins

- Always been attracted to people who weren't like-minded
- Met David Goggins and invited him to stay with his family
- Interested in the habits of highly successful people
- Jesse thinks of himself as of an observation expert

15:50 The power of the spoken word

- Speaking words gives them power
- It’s important to talk things into existence
- Remember Tomorrow mantra
- Think about how a decision impacts your tomorrow

20:04 The value of a written letter

- The energy is a lot different
- Jesse still writes letters
- Randall’s stance on handwriting notes

23:16 The importance of extreme preparation and planning

- It was very important when Jesse was younger
- Also, the ability to pivot
- Jesse is a planner
- Already planned his 2024
- Kevin’s rule

28:03 Saying “No” and finding time for your family

- in his 20s, Jesse was always saying “Yes”
- Later in life, learned to say “No”
- It’s important how you say “No”

31:01 Fill in the blanks for excellence

- The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
- Marry the right person
- My number one professional goal is
- Create more time to do the things I love to do
- My number one personal goal is
- Stay healthy
- And more

Resources Mentioned:
Type in EXCELLENCE15 for 15% off The Big A## Calendar!

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches

Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is the amazing Jesse Itzler.

Jesse is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold five companies, including Marquis Jet and Zico Coconut Water. He is an Emmy Award winner, a former rapper and former manager of Run DMC, a globally recognized keynote speaker, and a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA basketball team.

He's also a passionate endurance athlete who has run more than 35,000 miles over the last 25 years, including 50+ marathons. Jessie is also the author of two awesome best-selling books, Living with the Seals 31 Days: Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet and Living with the Monks: What Turning off My Phone Taught Me About Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus.

Time stamps:

01:54 The influence of Jesse’s parents

- They showed up for everything
- They let him explore
- They didn’t over-schedule him
- Didn’t teach him about hard work, he watched them doing it

04:12 How much is his personality a part of his success?

- He has problems with memorizing things
- He is great at storytelling
- His personality was essential for his success

05:58 The entrepreneurial gene

- Jesse’s grandfather was born in poverty in Russia
- He immigrated to America and came with nothing
- Jesse’s grandfather and father worked very hard
- Jesse grew up middle-class

07:42 Should kids go to college?

- Jesse went to everything and was exposed to knowledge and people
- His mom encouraged him to be curious and take every opportunity
- He was aware of the time and urgency

12:50 The start of Jesse’s career – getting a foot at the door

- Jesse's record deal – go to every door until someone says yes
- He got a deal from a record label called Delicious Vinyl
- It’s essential to get a foot at the door and get into the system

16:47 The ridiculous offer and believing in yourself

- Started the music business doing commercial jingles
- He lived on his friend’s couches
- Someone offered him $10,000 for 10% of his future earnings
- Can you? vs. Will you?

20:32 The advice to young entrepreneurs

- Some businesses require capital
- Selling out equity to employees, friends, and family
- Under-promising and keeping things simple is a better strategy
- Take advice, go through the pros and cons, and think through the worst-case scenario

24:39 How to bounce back from a failure?

- Sold his business for $1 million
- Tried many different things and failed
- Extremely enthusiastic about trying fun things and projects
- Sold celery and carrot sticks and loved it even without the profit
- In business, three strikes and you're not out

29:30 Is there a time to stop trying?

- Jesse kept going despite failures
- He never stopped
- The tolerance of embarrassment
- Never got embarrassed by his failures

31:51 The value of relationships

- Wanted to start a private jet company but didn’t have jets
- Met with the president of the largest private jet company in the world – Net Jets
- Got the deal and built a $5 billion company

Resources Mentioned:
Type in EXCELLENCE15 for 15% off The Big A## Calendar!

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches

Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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Welcome to In Search of Excellence! This is the second part of an amazing episode with Martin Luther King III, a human rights activist, advocate, and philanthropist. He is the oldest son and the oldest living child of the civil rights icons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

For the past five decades, Martin has continued his parents’ legacy by dedicating his life to equality, social justice, and nonviolent activism, and is honored that activism through his dedication to human rights, voting access, gun violence prevention, race relations, and other important social causes. He advocates for underserved communities and he has led initiatives, including the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and he has also been awarded the Rosa L. Parks Award and the Lantern of Peace Award.

Time stamps:

01:00 The case of George Floyd

- The police officers got the correct punishment
- Being a police officer is a tough job
- Protests all around the world – mostly non-violent
- Banning on books and going backward
- We have to do better

08:13 Black people being killed by the police

- A variety of things that have to be instituted and implemented
- More in-depth psychological evaluations
- Civilian review boards
- Constant internal changes
- Human relations and diversity training
- Work together to create better communities

13:30 The case of James Earl Ray

- MLK III and his family claim he was innocent
- There is a bunch of evidence that someone else did it
- Ray died after serving 30 years in prison

19:22 The advice to people purchasing their dreams

- You have to have a plan, determination, focus, and work hard
- Don’t give up on your dreams
- His mom saying his dad would be proud of him

24:26 The spike of anti-Semitism

- We must go far beyond tolerance
- We have to find a way to get rid of hate as a society
- Society has created insecurities that make people want to judge

27:49 Anti-Semitism on campuses

- The anti-Semitic atmosphere on campuses and the response of the leadership
- There’s got to be more to it because it doesn’t make sense
- Somewhere we've lost humanity as a society
- We have to elevate humanity

36:57 Fill in the blank to excellence

- The biggest lesson I've learned in my life
- How to forgive
- Number one professional goal
- To find a way to bring people together
- And more

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches

Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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Welcome to In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Martin Luther King III, a human rights activist, advocate, and philanthropist. He is the oldest son and the oldest living child of the civil rights icons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

For the past five decades, Martin has continued his parents’ legacy by dedicating his life to equality, social justice, and nonviolent activism, and is honored that activism through his dedication to human rights, voting access, gun violence prevention, race relations, and other important social causes. He advocates for underserved communities and he has led initiatives, including the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and he has also been awarded the Rosa L. Parks Award and the Lantern of Peace Award.

Time stamps:

01:56 Martin Luther King as a father

- MLK III was 10 years old when MLK Jr. was killed
- When he wasn’t on the road, he spent time with his children
- People always wanted to speak to him

05:55 Moving to Atlanta and bullying

- The first African American kids to integrate the Atlanta school
- A kid with issues started bullying them
- The change in their relationship
- Mental health issues and bullying

10:37 An advice to parents whose kids are bullied

- Work to build a strong foundation within your children
- Figure out how to fortify your child
- Martin Luther King’s speech about resilience

13:00 When did he find out how important was his dad?

- Fully aware when he was assassinated
- Many famous people used to come to their house
- The president Kennedy was at his funeral
- Listened to his dad’s speeches later in life

18:46 Traveling with his dad

- His dad traveled a lot
- 80% of the time he traveled alone
- He would always seek his wife’s advice and counsel
- They met at Boston University
- Moving to Montgomery and becoming the leader in the community

23:16 The constant threat on Martin Luther King’s life

- The incident with a burning cross
- Martin Luther King was in constant danger
- A bomb was thrown at their home in Montgomery
- The New York attack and the cross on the skin

30:30 Martin Luther’s King Jr. assassination

- The day Martin Luther King Jr. was killed
- Comforting conversations with his mother
- His mom led the march on Memphis before the funeral

35:00 The influence of I Had a Dream speech

- The Civil Rights March in Washington
- A speech that could be felt by everyone
- The last message delivered at the National Cathedral
- How to disagree without being disagreeable
- It’s important to have common ground and build relationships

41:38 The winning of the Nobel prize

- A validation that he was on the right road
- Wanted to create a better world for all of God's children
- Always better to resolve conflict than to pick up arms
- His message is equally needed today

45:36 Forgiveness and hatred

- Dad and mom taught them to forgive
- How to handle losing a loved one?
- His grandmother and uncle were killed in the next 5 years
- The traumatic meaning of special bulletins
- His grandfather meets his wife’s murderer
- Harboring hatred or finding a way to release and love

54:00 The burden of his name

- Subconsciously felt the challenges
- His mother liberated him by sayi

Sponsors:
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Welcome to the second part of In Search of Excellence episode with my amazing guest, Ian Boggs. Ian is one of the most successful influencers of all time. He has more than 30 million followers on YouTube, Tik Tok, Snap, and Instagram. His videos have been viewed more than 30 billion times.

Learn about his first million, the importance of having passion in what you do, his plans for the future, and the struggles he had with his mental health. Tune in to hear more from this incredible young man!

Time stamps:

00:54 Should you be motivated by money as an influencer?

• Anything you can think of that you can sell
• Affiliate marketing

02:49 Should you be motivated by money as an influencer?

• You need money to survive, but not make it your end-all-be-all
• Figure out what makes you happy and then how to make money out of it
• The first thing is to build a strong core audience

06:27 The importance of passion

• Randall’s experience with his interns
• Passion as a life purpose

09:45 The feeling of the first million

• Ian wasn't even looking at the numbers
• Money is just a tool to invest into the business
• Hiring people and building a team

12:18 Growing and planning the future

• Typical age demographic
• Plans for making a movie
• A written 5-year tenure or 30-year plan
• Buying a house
• Building a franchise

21:58 The importance of extreme preparation

• Writing down your personal goals
• Making realistic and achievable goals
• An interview for Netflix
• Trying to over-prepare for other things

27:36 Mental health issues

• Got stressed, anxious, and depressed at college
• Thinking about suicide
• A help from his dad and a therapist
• Advice for people suffering from depression
• Take advantage of existing resources, like the suicide hotline

34:38 Dating and parties

• Doesn’t like parties
• There is much more to life
• There is more fun in learning and growing

37:38 The importance of giving back

• Buying a house for his parents
• Give back to people who helped you and supported you

40:11 Fill in the blanks for excellence

• The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
  • Do what makes you happy
• My number one professional goal is
  • To be a billionaire
• The one thing I've dreamt of doing for a long time but haven't done
  • Making a movie
• And more

43:48 Is luck important for success?

• Mark Cuban’s thoughts
• Ian always thought he was unlucky
• That’s why he worked hard

46:03 Randall’s advice to teens and young adults

• Anxiety is normal
• Write down your goals
• 5 things you are best and worst at
• Be passionate about what you are doing
• Work ethic is vital

Sponsors:
Sandee | Bliss: Beaches

Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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