The Athletics of Business – Details, episodes & analysis

One of America's top basketball coaches, Matt Painter enters his 17th year at Purdue.

He owns a 355-164 record at Purdue. He has led the Boilermakers to 12 NCAA Tournaments, five Sweet 16s, three Big Ten regular-season championships, a Big Ten Tournament title, an Elite Eight, and an international gold medal.

His peers voted him as the NABC National Coach of the Year after leading a team that started with a 6-5 record to the 2019 Elite Eight. 

Purdue's six straight NCAA Tournament appearances are the seventh-longest active streak in America and Purdue is one of just three teams to have a top-five seed in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments. 

Off the court, his program had 68 Academic All-Big Ten honorees in his 16 previous years at Purdue, and every player but one who has exhausted his eligibility at Purdue has graduated. 

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

• The principles that have guided Matt Painter's coaching journey 
• The importance of honesty and integrity in recruiting
• The value of player development and the value of redshirting
• How to balance talent with character and work ethic in players
• How to build and maintain a strong team culture
• The role of communication and accountability within the team
• How to adapt coaching philosophy to evolving game dynamics
• The power of handling adversity and learning from mistakes in a competitive environment
  
  

Resources & Links

Matt Painter

• Website: https://www.purdue.edu/ 
• Website: https://purduesports.com/ 
• LinkedIn: Purdue University
• Twitter: @BoilerBall
• Instagram: @boilerball

Ed Molitor

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themolitorgroup/
• Website: https://www.themolitorgroup.com/

Youth sports are more than just games—they foster personal growth and shape future success. They teach values like teamwork and resilience that impact both personal and professional development. For parents, it’s a balancing act between supporting their child and trusting the coach’s role in building character. These shared experiences strengthen family bonds, while also preparing young athletes to navigate challenges both on and off the field.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan, the authors of The Champion Sports Parent. 

Our Guests

John O'Sullivan is a TEDx speaker and founder of the Changing the Game Project, which he launched in 2012. He's the author of two bestselling books, Changing the Game and Every Moment Matters, and hosts the popular Way of Champions podcast.

A former collegiate and professional soccer player with over 20 years of coaching experience, John has worked with top organizations like the US Olympic Committee and USA Soccer. He serves on advisory boards for the Positive Coaching Alliance and the National Association for Physical Literacy.

Dr. Jerry Lynch is a former Nike-sponsored athlete and national champion who transformed his experience into a career coaching elite athletes. He has worked with NBA teams, Major League Soccer, and top universities like Duke and Stanford.

Dr. Lynch, author of 15 books, founded the Way of Champions, a performance consulting group. Recognized as one of the top in his field, he focuses on leadership, culture building, and personal growth in sports and life.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

• Key lessons from the book "The Champion Sports Parent"
• The importance of allowing children to experience failure
• The power of self-awareness and reflection in parenting
• How to balance discipline and enjoyment
• How to navigate pressure and expectations in youth sports
• The crucial role of trust and communication with coaches
• How sports can drive personal growth and  family bonding

Resources & Links

John O'Sullivan and Jerry Lynch

• Website: https://changingthegameproject.com/ 

• Website:  www.wayofchampions.com 

• Get the Book: The Champion Sports Parent 

• Way of Champions Podcast on Apple Podcast

• Jerry’s LinkedIn 

• John’s LinkedIn 

Ed Molitor

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themolitorgroup/

• Website: https://www.themolitorgroup.com/

Matt Monahan joined Genesys Health as Chief Strategy Officer in 2020 after leading the way as the National Practice Leader of an Insurtech benefits consulting firm. He was responsible for sales, service, and insurance operations for over 500 employers across the United States.

 To know Matt is to be in the presence of an infectious energy. Matt sees the world differently; where others see a dead end, he sees an opportunity to connect, perfect, and solve. Matt isn’t afraid to ask hard questions and challenge the norm, taking pride in disrupting systems before building them back stronger and more successful.

Before that, he spent 15+ years at Aetna and GE, where he held multiple senior leadership roles at Aetna. Matt worked closely to bring innovative solutions to the market.

In a consulting business where service and support are incredibly subjective, regardless of the situation any action he takes is making sure it is the right thing for that person on the other end.

What You’ll learn on this episode: 

• How Matt’s athletic background contributes to his success in business.
• Why it is essential to stay connected to your core values, especially during moments of extreme success or adversity.
• How the ability to connect can significantly enhance communication and teamwork
• How Genesys Health is leading the way in employee and client experience.
• The value in having the ability to pivot and embrace change as an opportunity.
• Why communication is key in every aspect of leadership and day-to-day interactions.
• The influence of Matt’s dad on his ability to form genuine relationships based on respect.

Additional Resources:

•  Matt’s LinkedIn
•  Genesys Health’s LinkedIn
• Genesys Health’s Website: www.genesys.health
• The Benefit Summary Podcast
• Listen to Episode 180

Kentucky Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager 

Mark has served as General Manager of Kentucky Speedway since it was acquired by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., in 2009. As President under the original track ownership, he played a primary role in the planning, development and operation of the facility dating back to the track’s inception and first race in 2000. He is the former president of Turfway Park Race Course, a Thoroughbred track in Florence, KY. Mark also served as President of Carroll Properties, a commercial real estate development company and was a long-time associate of speedway founder Jerry Carroll. Mark has owned and bred several Thoroughbreds in partnership with Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen. Mark graduated with a degree in accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife, Lori, reside in Edgewood, KY and are the parents of five children and six grandchildren.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

1. Why it is so critical right now to figure out how do we do things better than we did before
2. How he came to find the perfect location for Kentucky Motor Speedway
3. How the ability to constantly being able to evolve and change has been such a significant factor in Mark’s amazing career
4. How your professional career can sometimes be like a punt return and you have to make the most of catching a good break
5. What are the three non-negotiables that the team at Kentucky Speedway have which enables them to be such a successful team
6. What were some of the forced changes at Kentucky Speedway and how did Mark and his team do the best they could with those situations

Additional resources:

Your Facebook Profile: Msimendinger

Your Twitter Name: @msimendinger

Ed Molitor, Sr. has 42 years of experience as an educator, coach and motivator. A firm believer that life and athletics is a “Frame of Mind Game”, Ed has presented to hundreds of coaches and student-athletes at clinics and sports camps throughout the Midwest. He also taught graduate classes to teachers and coaches on such topics as peak performance, leadership, team building, sports motivation and mental strength training. Inducted into the I.B.C.A. Hall Of Fame in 1997, Ed also serves on the All-State selection committee. A consummate motivator, he has developed a unique plan for athletes of all ages to reach their potential. When applied, his insights into motivation and thought management will certainly make a difference in a person’s life. He has helped a countless number of athletes learn to balance the stress of competition and the other areas of their lives. They are able to transfer what they have learned into a life of self-discipline, self-control, self-confidence and peak performance.

Coaching Resume:

• Head Basketball Coach Palatine High School, Palatine, Illinois 1976 – 2008
• Head Basketball Coach Marist High School, Chicago, Illinois 1969 – 1976
• Assistant Basketball Coach Marist High School, Chicago, Illinois 1968 – 1969
• Assistant Basketball Coach DePaul Academy, Chicago, Illinois 1966 – 1968
• Assistant Basketball Coach AA Illinois North All-Stars 1979 and 1992
• Head Basketball Coach AA Illinois North All-Stars 1993
• Assistant Coach for the Illinois Select AAU Team that defeated the Russian Junior National Team in 1988
• Served on the Basketball Advisory Board for the I.H.S.A. 1985 – 1988
• Serves on the I.B.C.A. All- State Board 1981-present
• Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997
• Conducted Basketball Camps throughout the Midwest 1973 – 2007

Teaching Resume:

• Physical Education, Palatine High School, Palatine Illinois 1976 – 2008
• Continuing Education Instructor for Pearson Professional Development, St. Xavier University, Chicago, Illinois 1990 – 2006
• Biology, Health and Physical Education, Marist High School, Chicago, Illinois, 1968 – 1976
• Biology, DePaul Academy, Chicago, Illinois 1966 -1968

Memberships:

• Member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches
• Member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

1. What makes quotes so powerful
2. How Coach would use quotes as a teaching tool for his teams
3. What he means by breaking down their resistance with his persistence
4. What are three things that shape a person and which two are controllable
5. What are the steps Coach gave his players to help change their attitude
6. What does it mean to feed your mind on a daily basis
7. How is a team like a fist

EXECUTIVE PRACTICE LEAD, QUALITY SOLUTIONS & CUSTOMER ANALYTICS

Bryan is a proven business leader with more than 20 years of experience developing and leading executive-level account strategy, building and leading high-functioning teams and practices, and identifying and delivering technology solutions that meet the demands of an ever-changing marketplace. Bryan’s success in selling and delivering diverse technology solutions to Fortune 100 companies can be attributed to his clear, persuasive communication style and keen ability to relate complex solutions to stakeholders at varying levels. Prior to joining The Northridge Group, Bryan has held senior management positions at market-leading technology companies includes IBM, Apple, and AT&T.

As the Executive Practice Lead of The Northridge Group’s Quality Solutions and Customer Analytics team, Bryan leads the organization’s delivery of actionable, data-driven customer insights for our clients and is responsible for developing new service offerings to address evolving market opportunities. Bryan holds a B.A. in Psychology from Creighton University where he was a  pitcher on the baseball team and team captain both his junior and senior season.

Father of 3 Strong-willed Daughters Maddie (16), Mia(15) and Samantha (12)!

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• How finding people who have a framework to better themselves and others have helped The Northridge Group build a sustainable culture
• Why it is so important to get comfortable with failure as soon as possible
• As The Northridge Group scales their Executive Advisor Space, what are some of the things they are looking for, questions they are asking and how they are a tell for how prepared you are and what skills you possess
• How circumstances and adversity early in his life changed the path of his athletic career and motivated him to be the best Father he could be
• Why it is so important to have a personal Board of Directors and how do you go about building one
• What are the three principles that he lives by and how can they improve your professional and personal life immediately
• What does he look for in people when he is on a video call with his team members or interviewees
• What are the tools, resources, and practices that Bryan has used to develop the ability to be present

Additional resources:

Personal

Your Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/bryan.gillis.146/

Your Twitter Name: https://twitter.com/bryanmgillis

Your Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryangillis/

The Northridge Group

northridgegroup.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-northridge-group/

https://www.facebook.com/NorthridgeGroup/

Operations Made Better Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/operations-made-better/id1445454626

Jon is the founder of AUXO eCommerce, a consultancy that helps brands launch and grow on Amazon. Prior to AUXO, Jon was a leader at Amazon, managing a $2+ billion business and recruiting over 25k third-party sellers to the marketplace. 

At AUXO, Jon teaches brands how to think like Amazon and be "brilliant at the basics." He works with both large brands (including the #1 third-party seller on Amazon) and small brands to tap hidden growth opportunities, improve operations, and gain a share of voice through Amazon Advertising. He is a recognized expert in Amazon and eCommerce marketplaces and is regularly quoted in Bloomberg, Business Insider, CNBC, and the WSJ.

Jon is also an active advisor to, and investor in, early-stage digital start-ups. He's a mentor at Chicago-based tech incubator, 1871, and recently joined the advisory board of Vexpo, a technology company that has created a wedding marketplace designed for today’s digitally centric couples.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• What the shopping cart test is and where he learned that lesson
• What it takes to succeed in a fast-moving and high-pressure environment like Amazon
• Why the first 100 days at Amazon are so critical and how they revealed what was already inside of him
• Why he chooses to focus on three long-term systems instead of goals and what those systems are
• What are the two mental models he leans into when making big decisions
• Why good intentions do not work in business
• Why the white-belt mentality is so critical
• What are the three things he looks for in a startup

Additional resources:

https://www.auxoecommerce.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-derkits/

Ted Simendinger, President and CEO of Ocean Palmer and Associates is a globally experienced leadership coach with expertise in behavior-based talent development, executive and Millennial coaching, change management, sales problem-solving, and sales excellence. He has extensive global experience solving complex organizational and performance challenges that enable quick, relevant repositioning for greater success. Ted utilizes strategic planning, private coaching, and classroom facilitation at multiple levels to explain, teach, and develop high-performance diversity talent and inclusionary cultures.

Ted is also the founder of the No Bats Baseball Club which is a baseball-related charity organization that has raised over $2Million with an incredible group of good men, doing good things, for the right reasons.

A former #1 salesman with Xerox and top senior instructor at the Xerox International Training Center for Management Development, Ted has extensive experience in designing and updating curriculum.

An accomplished and respected award-winning author and speaker, Ted has guested on network TV talk shows coast-to-coast and has been featured on over 3,500 global radio stations.

Considered one of the world's foremost teachers on the subject of "Worry," Ted's popular life skills book "Managing the Worry Circle: How to Improve Your Life by Worrying Less" -- written under his pen name "Ocean Palmer" -- is utilized around the world. He is also an expert on The Impact of Technology on Behavior & Happiness.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

1. What exactly is the 'No Bats Club'.
2. How he built a baseball-related charity organization that has raised over $2Million with an incredible group of good men, doing good things, for the right reasons.
3. What surrounding himself with the best during his time at Xerox did for him professionally.
4. How identifying his true north drove Ted to teach vital business concepts in a life skills format.
5. How he became a worry expert.
6. What are the three types of things we worry about.
7. Who is Ocean Palmer.
8. What type of learning resonates with adults and how do you make the teaching help them do a deep dive into their heart.
9. How he helps others get to a good place between their head and heart.

Additional resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-simendinger-b346316/

https://oceanpalmer.com/

http://www.nobats.com/

In 2008, Bonner Paddock summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. Four years later, he earned the elite triathlete title, Kona Ironman. Thousands have done each individually. Bonner is the first person with cerebral palsy to do both.

When Bonner was born, his umbilical cord had coiled twice around his neck, depriving him of oxygen, causing parts of his brain to die. That cord didn’t take his life, but it changed it forever.

Diagnosed in his youth, Bonner swore he wouldn’t let this neurological disorder limit him, and for twenty-nine years he guarded the truth about his health. But the sudden death of a friend’s young son who also suffered from CP forced Bonner to re-evaluate his life. No longer would he be content striving for normal. Instead, he would live life to its fullest, pursuing one breathtaking experience at a time—while raising money for special needs children along the way—and never turn down a challenge for fear of his physical limitations.

His monumental climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro was documented in the film Beyond Limits and helped raise money for the construction of a new childcare center in Orange County, providing early treatment for children with all types of physical disabilities. Bonner took his vision global and has been building more centers around the world to help children live better lives. When he completed the Kona Ironman… which is 140 miles of racing…. in 16 1/2 hours, he raised over $560,000 for special needs children.

His is a remarkable journey that has taken him across the globe and introduced him to a fascinating cast of characters who have supported his inspiring quest. An athlete, adventurer, and philanthropist, Bonner is today no longer defined by his limits, but by the moments that pushed him past them. One More Step shows us that we can all conquer our own challenges and embrace every moment life has to offer.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• How the work Bonner first did in Tanzania showed him what wisdom and intelligence mean and what having a purpose in life is.
• How the idea for the OM Foundation popped in his head when he was in Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.
• What it was like when he and Dr. Aminian first traveled to Tanzania to see patients and met Juliana.
• How mentally challenging it was knowing that he had to have an almost perfect race to complete the Kona Ironman in the required 17 hours.
• How viewing the “Magic Hour” the year before helped Bonner prepare for the Kona Ironman.
• How Bonner controlled the conversation in his head while training and on race day.
• What advice Bonner gives people with self-limiting beliefs due to circumstances beyond their control.

Additional resources:

Your Facebook Profile: @OMFoundation

Your Twitter Name: @OMFoundation

Instagram: @om_foundation_global

Your Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonner-paddock-rinn-95086b5/

https://1man1mission.org/

In 2008, Bonner Paddock summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. Four years later, he earned the elite triathlete title, Kona Ironman. Thousands have done each individually. Bonner is the first person with cerebral palsy to do both.

When Bonner was born, his umbilical cord had coiled twice around his neck, depriving him of oxygen, causing parts of his brain to die. That cord didn't take his life, but it changed it forever.

Diagnosed in his youth, Bonner swore he wouldn’t let this neurological disorder limit him, and for twenty-nine years he guarded the truth about his health. But the sudden death of a friend’s young son who also suffered from CP forced Bonner to re-evaluate his life. No longer would he be content striving for normal. Instead, he would live life to its fullest, pursuing one breathtaking experience at a time—while raising money for special needs children along the way—and never turn down a challenge for fear of his physical limitations.

His monumental climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro was documented in the film Beyond Limits and helped raise money for the construction of a new childcare center in Orange County, providing early treatment for children with all types of physical disabilities. Bonner took his vision global and has been building more centers around the world to help children live better lives. When he completed the Kona Ironman… which is 140 miles of racing…. in 16 1/2 hour, he raised over $560,000 for special needs children.

His is a remarkable journey that has taken him across the globe and introduced him to a fascinating cast of characters who have supported his inspiring quest. An athlete, adventurer, and philanthropist, Bonner is today no longer defined by his limits, but by the moments that pushed him past them. One More Step shows us that we can all conquer our own challenges and embrace every moment life has to offer.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Why did Bonner struggle so much with his attitude the first 30 years of his life?
• What was the series of events that led to the one day that would change his life forever?
• Why was it so challenging and so important for Bonner to pour his heart and soul into his book?
• When did his purpose become clear to Bonner?
• How did Bonner decide who was going to be on his team to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro?
• What were the gifts given back to him while training for the Kona Ironman as a result of vulnerability?
• Why was the physical, mental, and emotional struggle he experienced coming down from the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro so symbolic of where he was in life?
• What does ‘Living Beyond Limits’ mean?

Additional resources:

Your Facebook Profile: @OMFoundation

Your Twitter Name: @OMFoundation

Instagram: @om_foundation_global

Your Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonner-paddock-rinn-95086b5/

https://1man1mission.org/