The NCAA tournament is underway and University of Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson has the No.1 seed Cougars ready for a run. In 33 seasons as a head coach, Sampson has established himself as a program builder who wins at every level. He has been named National Coach of the Year six times and is a leading candidate to win this year’s award. He has won more than 700 games in his career and is one of only 16 coaches in NCAA history to lead multiple schools to the Final Four. In nine seasons at Houston, Sampson has led the Cougars to five NCAA tournaments and six conference titles. On this episode, we talk about building a strong culture, coaching your team to manage pressure, and sustaining success.
March Madness is here and I’m kicking it off with a coaching legend, University of Miami basketball coach Jim Larrañaga. A first-time nominee for the Naismith Hall of Fame, he’s won more than 700 games in his 39 seasons as a head coach which ranks in the Top 10 among active coaches. Larrañaga captured the hearts of basketball fans around the country in 2006 when he led George Mason to the Final Four, becoming the first mid-major semifinalist in 27 years. In 12 seasons with Miami, he’s led the Hurricanes to six NCAA tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance a season ago. On this episode, we talk about the four levels of commitment, leading in alignment with your core values, and how to coach discipline and accountability.
What does it mean to live an urgent life? Bozoma Saint John is a Hall of Fame inducted marketing executive whose career has included high-profile roles at Netflix, Uber, Apple Music, and Pepsi. She was named “The World’s Most Influential CMO” by Forbes. But there’s so much more to Boz’s story. When her husband Peter died of cancer, Boz made one big decision: to live life urgently. In her new memoir The Urgent Life, Boz shares her journey through heartbreak, loss and grief. On this episode, we talk about finding joy again and choosing to live your life to the fullest.
Maya Moore was at the pinnacle of her basketball career when she left it all behind to fight an injustice. That journey for justice turned into a remarkable love story when Maya married the man she helped free from prison after a wrongful conviction, Jonathan Irons. In their new memoir, Love and Justice, Maya and Jonathan open up about the trials and tribulations they faced together and the love that emerged. On this episode, we talk about living out your purpose, anchoring yourself in faith, and finding strength in your connection to others.
Troy Aikman has reached the height of success on the football field and in the broadcast booth. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback and an Emmy-nominated broadcaster who serves as the voice of ESPN’s Monday Night Football. During his 12-year playing career, Troy was a 6x Pro Bowl selection and led the storied Dallas Cowboys franchise to three Super Bowl rings. A successful entrepreneur off the field, Troy recently announced the launch of EIGHT, a light beer brewed with organic grains. On this episode, we talk about setting high expectations, performing under pressure, and tackling new challenges.
In a world that often feels polarized and disconnected, it’s more important than ever to show up with empathy. Carlos Whittaker is bringing hope to people all over the world. He’s the author of four books, host of the podcast Human Hope and a global speaker. You may recognize Carlos from Instagram, where’s he’s built a tribe of enthusiastic followers who join forces with Carlos to find connection, do good, and be in community. His latest book, How to Human, comes out on January 24 and is available for pre-order now. In our conversation today, we talk about how to step into difficult conversations with love, live up to our full potential, and move beyond what divides us.
Ron Rivera is the head coach of the Washington Commandeers and a two-time NFL Coach of the Year. Shortly after his start in Washington, Ron was diagnosed with cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments, Ron continued to coach and incredibly never missed a game. In January 2021, he was declared cancer free. Prior to the Commanders, Ron was the head coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2011-2019, leading the team to three consecutive division titles and a Super Bowl appearance. A former NFL player, he played nine seasons with the Chicago Bears including the 1985 Super Bowl team. On this episode, we talk about leading through adversity, building a culture of excellence, and rising to the occasion.