Explore every episode of the podcast The Growth Mixtape: Chasing Curiosity and Sharing Boundless Insights from Ideas that Matter

Today I talk to Rachel Druckenmiller, keynote speaker, songwriter and recording artist I met at a recent songwriting retreat.  You know those people you meet that seem kind and approachable, and then as you learn more you realize, oh I think she’s a really big deal.  Well, that’s Rachel.  In the 3 short months since we first met, she lived out a childhood dream of singing the national anthem for her hometown Baltimore Orioles.  We hear about all the seemingly small things she said yes to, things that didn’t seem to have any point to them, but together landed her on that field in front of 31 thousand people.  And when she got that opportunity, she didn’t waste it. She went all in.  

She also talks for the first time about the song she wrote at the retreat, something so deeply personal she had never said it out loud before.  But when she put her phone on airplane mode and reconnected with herself and nature, it just poured out of her.

This is a conversation about the power of saying your dreams out loud, borrowing other people's belief in you when your own runs short, and why, now more than ever, authenticity beats perfection every time.

Key Takeaways

• Say your dreams out loud — you never know who's listening. Rachel once told a stranger at a conference that her dream was to "speak and sing in stadiums." That offhand admission set off the chain of events that eventually put her on the field at Camden Yards. Kept-inside dreams can't be caught by the right person.
• Be strategic with your yeses — but don't let strategy veto what makes you feel alive. Her first anthem gig failed every strategic test. Rachel's gauge: if it's going to make you feel alive, do it.
• You already have the evidence — use it. Rachel had practised the anthem 200+ times and already sung it once in that exact stadium. Scale spooks us into forgetting we've done a version of the thing before.
• Borrow other people's belief in you. When her own confidence wavered, Rachel deliberately reached out to people who understood high-stakes performance.
• An anthem is a celebration, not a funeral march. Rachel's whole preparation was built on one intention — "renew joy" before every line — and on singing with her whole body, face, and hands.
• Alienating people is a sign of good art. (Peter Katz's line, which lands twice in this episode.) Rachel worried her retreat song was too specific to relate to. The specificity is exactly why it connects, with mothers and non-mothers alike.
• In the age of AI, imperfection is the signal. A little grit, a note caught slightly under — the human imperfections are what make people trust the art now.
• "Allow the unfolding." Rachel takes intentional action toward what she wants, then stays receptive to how it shows up rather than forcing it. Every action is a vote for the person you want to become (a nod to James Clear) — she spent years saying she wanted to be a singer while casting no votes; the last eighteen months have been nothing but votes.
• Get out of the audience of your own life. The through-line of Rachel's year: building a foundation strong enough to support a bigger life, and choosing to participate rather than observe. Legacy doesn't require the path everyone assumes — she points to the late Dolly Parton, who mothered millions without children of her own.

Resources & References

• Peter Katz's Heartstrings Songwriting Retreat — https://heartstringsretreats.com/
• Rachel's retreat song: "The Life I Didn't Choose" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5JvSkBhrN7XxZORK8OYngF
• Rachel singing the national anthem at Camden Yards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTvSn44UR4s

Connect with Rachel Druckenmiller

• Website: racheldruckenmiller.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.druckenmiller/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbdruckenmiller

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

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The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Welcome to another solo episode, where I gather up conversations with friends, clients and guests that won’t go away and keep organizing themselves around specific themes.  This one is about something almost everyone I talk to is wrestling with: how to stand out and become memorable. Whether you're chasing a new job, a promotion, an investor, a creative breakthrough, or just trying to figure out what's next — at some point you're going to have to stand out among everyone else doing something similar to you. And in a world engineered for us all to blend into a thousand shades of grey, that's harder than it should be.

I walk through why we lose the ability to stand out, why your own life is the only thing nobody on Earth can copy, and the difference between telling your story and excavating it. Then I get practical: the exact three-step exercise I ran fifty people through at Cansbridge, the one you can do today with a pen, some paper, and — I'm not joking — a box of crayons.

Key Takeaways

• The game is rigged for sameness — so change the game. When everyone's playing the blend-in game, the only winning move is to stop playing it and make a bold choice that gives people something to react to.
• Give them something to react to. Olivia Wilde's casting-director story is the template: the actors who stopped trying to guess what the director wanted and instead showed what they could bring got remembered — and got the call a month later, even when they didn't land that part. Contrast is what gets remembered.
• A real client example. A customer success leader with a military background had always hidden that part of her story, afraid it read as rigid. In her final interview she led with it—the idea that the mission never changes even when the plan blows up.
• AI is a catalyst, not the cause. Everyone using the same three tools to sound unique is why we all sound identical — but this problem predates AI. Blending in was always the default.
• Your life is the only thing nobody can copy — but telling isn't enough. You have to excavate. Telling your story recounts what happened. Excavating it digs into what it reveals about how you're wired and what you can offer that no one else can.
• Two symptoms, one disease. Symptom one: we don't believe there's anything special about our story. Symptom two: most of us don't actually want to stand out — we live in quiet fear of it. The disease underneath both: we've lost the childlike curiosity we were born with. A five-year-old paints an orange sky and doesn't care what you think — until a thousand tiny corrections teach us there's a right answer and we'd better find it.
• Encodings and your constellation. We each carry a unique combination of the things that feel more natural to us than they do to other people — like stars forming a constellation only you have. The most fulfilling lives aren't built by grinding at something until you're good at it; they're built by aligning your work with what you were born to do.
• The three-step exercise (about 30 minutes, pen and paper — or crayons):

1. Clear the decks. Five minutes of stream-of-consciousness writing. No stopping, no editing. Get the noise out.
2. Build your storybank. Three moments that changed something in you — not accomplishments, not the highlight reel. (And don't make them all sad — joy excavates just as well as loss.)
3. Excavate. For each, ask what it reveals about you, not what happened. Look for the thread running underneath.
4. Uncover your Category of One. Draft one statement — "I believe…" is a useful scaffold, not a rule.

• Say it out loud within the hour. A statement you've never spoken is just journaling. Test it on a real human and watch their face.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

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The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Jim Collins’ What to Make of a Life: https://www.jimcollins.com/books.html

Cansbridge Fellowship Conference Workshop: https://cansbridgefellowshipconference.com/

Today I talk to Rob Szabo — a four-time Juno-nominated (and one-time Juno-winning) musician, producer, and composer who has spent over thirty years making a living doing the thing most of us are told to give up on. He's played in bands since before he was legally allowed to be there, sold thousands of tapes out of the back of a car in the '90s independent music boom, produced some fifty albums, and — in a plot twist nobody could have planned — writes music for the Paw Patrol movies, including a hair metal song he sings as the villain.

Rob and I grew up in the same town, a year apart, and somehow never crossed paths until a couple of months ago at Peter Katz's songwriting retreat. He was the first person I met when I walked in the door, and I've been wanting to have this conversation ever since.

I came into this thinking I'd ask Rob about the Junos and Paw Patrol and the fairy-tale career. Instead we went straight down the rabbit hole I've been obsessed with lately — creativity as a practice, not a talent you're either born with or not. We talked about the childlike well of creativity we all get told to bury, learning to be comfortable with waste, doing the work as an end in itself, and the constant negotiation of showing up to the practice even when you don't feel like it. If you've ever told yourself "I'm just not a creative person," this one's for you.

Please enjoy, Rob Zabo.

Key Takeaways

• Creativity is a practice, not a gift. We're all born with a deep well of it — it just gets dulled over the years as we're told to be serious and grow up. The good news: it's still there, and you can rebuild access to it like any other habit.
• The things worth doing are the ones you don't run a cost-benefit analysis on. Rob's most meaningful work came from committing to things as an end in themselves — not justifying the means to an end. If you're trying to justify it, it's probably not the thing.
• Beware getting really good at something you never wanted to do. Chasing security by doing "adjacent" work is how you wake up an expert at the wrong thing, with no time left for what you actually care about.
• Get comfortable with waste. Most creative work never gets seen — the sketches, the fifty songs recorded so twenty make the album, the dozens of revisions. In a productivity-obsessed culture that demands immediate results, learning to tolerate waste is one of the hardest and most essential shifts.
• Faith is part of the deal. Sitting down for two hours with no idea whether anything useful will come out — and doing it anyway — is an act of faith that the reps eventually produce fruit.
• Lower the stakes to beat resistance. "Let's write a shitty song today." Some of the best work comes when you're just fooling around and the pressure's off.
• Novel settings short-circuit the inner critic. Nature, water, a boat on a lake, a walk, a shower, driving — occupying your conscious brain just enough gets you out of your own way.
• Recognition matters less than you think — to everyone but you. The Junos, the followers, the accolades: nobody's paying as much attention as you are. Rob flags his Juno on LinkedIn knowing it eases a client's mind, while holding lightly to the fact that it doesn't mean what people think it means.
• Once you release something into the world, what happens next isn't about you (a Rick Rubin idea we both wrestle with). We're hardwired to crave the validation anyway — which is exactly what makes social media so insidious.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Rob Szabo’s website: https://www.robszabo.com/

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin: https://sites.prh.com/thecreativeact

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/97395/bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott/

Peter Katz's Heartstrings Songwriting Retreat: https://heartstringsretreats.com/

Michelle Grocholsky is back for her second time on the show, and this one's a different format than her first. Instead of a traditional interview, we each brought two topics we were excited to explore, didn't share them ahead of time, and just pressed record to see what happened.

Michelle works in equity, diversity, and inclusion, and she's someone I've had dozens of conversations with over the years — but there's something about doing it with a microphone on and other people listening that makes even close friends nervous. We both admitted to that jitteriness up front, and I think that's part of what made this land where it did.

We got into a belief I no longer hold (that I'm not a creative person), the whiskey-fuelled childhood moment that may have quietly turned my volume down, Aristotle's three kinds of friendship and how our circles change as we age, my nearly-five-years of sobriety and the conversations it forced with myself, and Michelle's decision to walk away from social media almost entirely — and what that clarified about who actually shows up for her.

Please enjoy, Michelle Grocholsky.



Key Takeaways

• The beliefs we hold most firmly about ourselves are often the ones we've never examined. Bob spent his life believing he wasn't creative and needed to borrow ideas from others — only to discover a deep well of untapped creativity once he got sober and had the space to look inward.
• Rick Rubin's reframe cuts through a lifetime of self-limiting stories: never say you're not good at something. All you actually know is whether you've tried it or not. Everything else is a fabrication we've accepted as fact.
• The gap between how the world sees us and the stories we carry about ourselves can be enormous. When Bob talked about "rediscovering" his creativity, friends who'd known him for years were baffled — to them it was never in question. The work isn't building the muscle; it's turning the volume back up on what was always there.
• Aristotle's three kinds of friendship — utility, pleasure, and virtue — are a useful lens for the friendships that shift as we age. We need all three, and the mix changes over time, but the enduring "friends of virtue" (where you can be fully yourself) are the ones worth deliberately cultivating.
• Deep, virtuous friendships often come from unexpected places — Michelle's most precious friend is a man in his seventies she met at a coffee shop, generations apart with little on paper in common. Sometimes you have to be "the weirdo at the coffee shop" and risk a few no's to find real connection.
• Existing pleasure friendships can deepen — but usually only at an inflection point (a diagnosis, a decision, becoming a parent, getting sober). And when you go vulnerable first, sometimes the door stays closed, and that's okay. No single person fulfils every need.
• On sobriety, the hardest conversations were with himself, not others.
• The unexpected gift of sobriety wasn't better sleep (still working on that) — it was comfort in his own skin.
• Michelle's case against social media: it enables "lazy friendships" (people who know your milestones without ever asking about your life), fuels comparison against curated fictions, and quietly steals the hours you'd need to exercise, read, or call your mom.
• The clarifying, uncomfortable truth: when Michelle left social media, most people forgot her birthday and few showed up for her biggest career milestones.
• You can't have it both ways with applause. If you let likes and recognition feed you, you'll be gutted when the applause stops.
• Real connection is a skill people are actively losing.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

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The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Michelle on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-grocholsky/

Welcome to another a solo episode — where I pull together threads from conversations with guests, clients, and friends that keep organizing themselves around a theme, and try to make sense of them out loud so you have space to insert your own stories.

Today's thread is the rise of the retreats. They seem to have come out of nowhere — nobody talked about them before COVID, and now everyone I know is either going on one, saving up for one, or running their own. I've done two in the last ten months, and both were transformational. So I want to sit with a paradox: these retreats are helpful, they're necessary, and it's completely messed up that we need them at all. We've engineered our lives to be so full of distraction, comparison, and anxiety that we'll pay thousands of dollars to sit on a rock in the woods for three days and remember how we're actually meant to live.

I also share the story behind the song I wrote at Peter Katz's Heartstrings retreat — a song about my mom, dementia, and a playlist that brought her back to sixteen for a five-hour car ride — and then get practical about how to bring the best of these reset experiences home instead of leaving them in the woods.

If you stick around to the end, you get the world premiere of "Play Me Some Elvis." Mom, this one's for you.

Key Takeaways

• The retreat paradox: these experiences are genuinely necessary in the world we've built, and the fact that we need them at all is evidence of how badly we've engineered our lives. Both things are true — they help, and we should never have needed them.
• The magic isn't the programming — it's the white space. The best retreats resist the urge to pack every hour, striking a deliberate balance between a bit of group inspiration and long stretches of solitude to digest it. The content you could get anywhere (even from ChatGPT); the conversation plus the room to reflect is what you're actually paying for.
• Arthur Brooks' distinction between complicated and complex problems reframes all of it. Complicated problems (how does a jet engine work, how do I hit a million in revenue) have answers, and tech is great at them. Complex problems — love, happiness, meaning — have no answer; the point is to keep searching. We've overdeveloped the brain that solves the first kind and let the other atrophy.
• Being bored and quiet isn't wasting time — it's where the neglected side of your brain finally gets to work. We smother it in "digital slop," listening to podcasts while folding laundry, terrified of an unoccupied minute. That compulsion is exactly what blocks the answers we're looking for.
• It's not up to you what you create — your job is to be open and notice. Bob showed up with rock-and-roll song ideas he'd planned in advance; the actual song only arrived once he disconnected and gave his mind space. The best material was sitting just under the surface of a busy life, waiting for room to surface.
• Peter Katz's mic-drop line: "That's not the real world. This is the real world." We pay to live intentionally for 3 days out of 365 and call the other 362 normal. Maybe the version of us that shows up in the woods — honest, brave, unapologetic — is the real one, and the job is to smuggle as much of it back as we can.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Waypoint Retreat: https://vienna-waits.com/retreat

Heartstrings Retreat: https://heartstringsretreats.com/

The Meaning of Your Life, Arthur Brooks: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-of-your-life

Play Me Some Elvis on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aNwCbPw9df0?si=81Z4ZAtkOT-yXFDr

Today Greg Boyd is back on the show, and this time we tried something different.

Greg is a friend and cofounder of Vienna Waits with his wife Whitney, and if you've listened before you know our first conversation went to some deep, tearful places. This one uses a format I've been experimenting with: we each bring two topics, we don't share them ahead of time, we turn off the notifications, press record, and see what happens. It's vulnerable and a little terrifying, because I have no idea what someone's going to spring on me.

That's exactly why I love it.

We ended up covering songs that snap us back to another time and place, why men so often suck (and what we owe our kids as their fathers), the ugly, rarely-admitted feeling of not being happy when good things happen to people close to us, and Jim Collins' What to Make of a Life — the idea that you can only discover what you're built for through doing, never by being told.

What struck me most is how these unscripted conversations keep circling back to the same core themes without either of us planning it. 

Please enjoy, Greg Boyd.

Key Takeaways

• A song can be permanently rewired by a single powerful experience, not just repeated listening. Greg's decades-long association with the Tragically Hip's "Bobcaygeon" was rewritten in one night by a musical that reframed it as an immigrant falling in love with Canada.
• On why men suck: separate nature from nurture. The nature side you can't control, but the nurture side often comes down to a lack of role models — men modelling the less-shitty behaviours we actually want our sons to carry forward.
• The bar for being a "good dad" is embarrassingly low ("80% is just showing up"), while the bar for moms is far higher — the invisible load moms carry that dads simply aren't expected to. Worth naming, because pretending otherwise perpetuates it.
• Greg's sharpest theory: men are as insecure as everyone else, but grow up in an environment where insecurity isn't allowed. Masking that insecurity with achievement is what produces a lot of "successful" men who still aren't good ones.
• Own the good in your kids. When Bob credited his wife for his sons' kindness, Greg pushed back — deflecting all the credit to your partner perpetuates the exact "no good role models" problem. Claim that kindness came from you too.
• The hard, honest one: sometimes we can't be happy for the people closest to us, and quietly feel better when things don't go their way. It's more common than anyone admits — and it's a signal, not a character flaw.
• That jealousy fades when you're "in frame." Once you get clarity on what you're actually built for, other people's success stops threatening you, because you're finally in your own lane instead of eyeing theirs.
• You can't think or plan your way to knowing what you're good at — you discover it through action. Which means being 55 and "stuck" doesn't mean you're limited; it means there are countless things you're gifted at that life just hasn't asked you to do yet.
• An app that tells you what to do with your life misses the entire point. The messiness of the search is the value — being handed the answer at 20 would rob you of ever truly believing it.
• Bob's answer to "what do you wish people said about you behind your back": he helps me see things in myself I didn't know were there, and he's a good dad. Greg's: he's kind. Both trace back to the same root — being someone whose work leaves good people in the world.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Vienna Waits - https://vienna-waits.com/

Vienna Waits on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/vienna_waits_studio/

Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregboyd-vienna-waits/

Waypoint Retreat 2026: https://vienna-waits.com/retreat

Today we talk to Will Giangrande, founder of The NextGen Playbook and someone who has made it his mission to help bridge the gap between generations in the workplace.

I met Will a little over a year ago, and despite being nearly the youngest person in the room, he struck me as an old soul. He's spent the last few years helping leaders better understand Gen Z, but what I loved most about this conversation is that he flips the usual script. Instead of a fifty-year-old HR professional explaining how to relate to younger workers, here's someone from inside that generation translating both directions — and refusing to point fingers about which generation has it figured out.

We covered everything from dating apps and long-distance relationships to remote work, feedback, work-life boundaries, purpose, AI, and why a 25-year-old might already be wrestling with questions previous generations didn't start asking until midlife.

More than anything, this conversation reminded me that most of the friction between generations comes from misunderstanding. We're all just products of the world we grew up in — and if we can stay curious and ask one more question, we usually find we have more in common than we think.

Please enjoy, Will Giangrande.

Key Takeaways

• Every generation has accused the one behind it of being lazy, entitled, and bound to ruin everything. Will literally collects these quotes and has audiences guess which era they're from — the complaints are ancient.
• "Gen Z" isn't one group. Smartphones and COVID created sub-generations inside the label: someone who got a phone at 15 forms relationships differently than someone five years older, and where you were during the pandemic (17 or 22) changed everything.
• Most workplace tension is a projection problem. We assume the only upbringing we ever had — the way we learned to communicate and build relationships — is the "normal" way, and judge everyone else against it.
• Wanting feedback isn't neediness. In a remote setting, the hallway moments and quick door-knocks vanish, so mentorship has to be scheduled and asked for. That makes it look constant and formal when it's really just become visible.
• The work-life boundary fight isn't about laziness either — it's about control over time, not fewer hours. The 9-to-5 is an industrial-era leftover, and younger workers are the first to feel empowered to push back on it. Most of us never felt we could.
• Your first job becomes the baseline. Whatever you experience first — remote or in-person, one set of norms or another — quietly becomes the standard you judge every job after it against.
• Purpose is arriving early. The questions about meaning and balance that used to trigger a midlife crisis at 45 are now showing up in people's twenties — and with longer lives and AI reshaping work, careers are becoming less linear. Reinvention and curiosity may matter more than sticking to one path.
• We make sweeping claims about millions of people from a sample size of five. Social media magnifies the differences between us; honest conversation tends to shrink them.
• The simplest way to bridge the divide: stay curious and ask one more question. You never know where it leads.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

NextGen Playbook Website: https://thenextgenplaybook.com/

Will Giangrande on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-gian/

The Next Gen Playbook on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenextgenplaybook/

Will Giangrande on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WillNavigates20s

Welcome to another solo episode, this time on the collective midlife crisis we’re all going through and how to navigate it with the help of Jim Collins’ new book, What to Make of a Life.

Lately, I’ve been having the same conversation over and over again with leaders, founders, and people in every stage of their careers. They’re successful on paper, but something feels off. The things that used to work don’t seem to work anymore, and there’s this growing sense that there has to be something more.

In this episode, I share an idea I’ve been calling the “Corporate Reckoning” — the collision of COVID, AI, and economic uncertainty — and why so many of us feel like strangers in careers we’ve spent our lives building.

And I talk about Jim’s new book that arrived at exactly the right moment, one that gave me language, hope, and a completely different way of thinking about what our best work might still look like.

This one is deeply personal, a little messy, and very much a work in progress.

Please enjoy.

Key Takeaways:

• We’re living through a “Corporate Reckoning” — the combination of COVID, AI, and economic uncertainty has fundamentally changed how we work and what’s expected of us.
• Many people feel like strangers in careers they’ve spent decades building because the strengths that made them successful were designed for a world that no longer exists.
• The traditional career path our parents experienced is disappearing. Reinvention isn’t optional anymore — it’s becoming a normal part of modern life.
• Jim Collins’ concept of “encodings” suggests that each of us has unique, innate capabilities that are revealed through the experiences of life, and we have far more of them than we realize.
• Our best work may still lie ahead. Many of the people Collins studied discovered entirely new strengths and did their most meaningful work later in life.
• Being “in frame” means using the gifts that come most naturally to us. Being “out of frame” often creates the restlessness and dissatisfaction so many people are feeling today.
• Major events in our lives — what Collins calls “cliffs” — often force us to uncover strengths we never knew we had.
• Feeling lost, uncertain, or confused isn’t unusual. We all spend time in “the fog,” and recognizing that can make the experience feel a lot less lonely.
• Looking back at our stories can help us uncover patterns, strengths, and clues about what we’re uniquely meant to contribute.
• Curiosity may be one of the most important tools we have for building a bigger, more meaningful life.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Jim Collins’ What to Make of a Life: https://www.jimcollins.com/books.html

Today we talk to Beatriz Zanatelli — entrepreneur, founder, immigrant, and one of the most intentional people I know.

Bea and I have known each other for years, but this conversation felt different.  It’s a perfect example of what can happen when people show up with genuine curiosity and no expectations about where it might lead.

What came out of it was a conversation about identity, confidence, intuition, childhood insecurities, building a life in a new country, and the strange ways we slowly grow into ourselves over time.

Bea shares the story behind her obsession with the CN Tower — which turned out to be way more emotional and meaningful than I expected — and we talk about the difference between following data versus following your gut when making big life decisions.

This one felt deeply human. Vulnerable, funny, emotional at times… and honestly just a really beautiful conversation between two friends trying to figure life out in real time.

Please enjoy, Beatriz Zanatelli.

Key Takeaways:

• The things that make us feel different as kids often become the things we grow to love most about ourselves.
• Confidence isn’t having all the answers — true confidence is being comfortable saying “I don’t know.”
• Intuition can be just as powerful as data when making big life decisions. Sometimes your body knows before your brain catches up.
• The CN Tower became a symbol for Bea of possibility, belonging, and building the life she dreamed about for her family in Canada.
• Vulnerability and curiosity are the foundation of real trust and connection.
• Breaking generational patterns takes awareness, courage, and intentional choices over time.
• Purpose-driven work feels different — as Bea says, Smartgoos became “my soul in the shape of a business.”
• Most of us never fully “figure it out” — even later in life, there’s still uncertainty, insecurity, and constant growth.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Bea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatrizzanatelli/

Bea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatrizzanatelli/

Smart Goose Academy: https://smartgooseacademy.com/

Today we talk to Linda Jackson, a self-described OG digital nomad who’s been living and working from a sailboat for over a decade… and not just weekend sailing either — we’re talking about crossing oceans, navigating cyclones, and building a life completely untethered from land.

Linda is calling in from Fiji — yes, actually on an 80-foot sailing yacht — and what struck me right away is that this isn’t just a story about travel or adventure. It’s about designing a life on your own terms. Selling everything, letting go of the “stuff,” and figuring out how to blend work, curiosity, and freedom into something that actually feels like living.

We get into what it really takes to live this way, the mindset required to handle uncertainty, and why most of us talk ourselves out of things long before we ever give them a shot.

This conversation left me thinking a lot about the stories we tell ourselves… and what might be possible if we challenged a few of them.

Please enjoy, Linda Jackson.

Key Takeaways:

• You don’t have to go “all in” to try something new — most big lifestyle changes can start as experiments rather than permanent decisions.
• Letting go of physical “stuff” can feel surprisingly freeing — and often reveals how little of it actually matters.
• The digital nomad lifestyle isn’t just about travel — it’s about designing work in a way that supports how you want to live.
• Nature doesn’t care about your plans — Linda’s approach to sailing is a powerful reminder to respect reality, adapt quickly, and never get complacent.
• “Head in boat” syndrome — being so focused on what’s right in front of you that you miss the bigger picture — applies just as much to life and business as it does to sailing.
• Fear and perceived obstacles stop most people long before reality does — the barriers are often more mental than practical.
• A shared vision matters — whether it’s a relationship or a business, alignment on the bigger goal is what makes long-term success sustainable.
• You can blend work, adventure, and life together — it doesn’t have to be neatly separated into boxes like we’ve been taught.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Linda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eljay/

Shellphone Chronicles on Substack: https://shellphonechronicles.substack.com/

Today I talk to Whitney Boyd as part of a special series where I talk to friends about things I’ve always been curious about.  And they get to do the same.  I bring two topics, they bring two topics and we surprise each other - no notice and no preparing answers in advance.  It takes courage and I give Whitney a lot of credit for going through with it. Truth be told, she wasn’t 100% sold on the whole idea.  But as you’ll hear, there is nothing Whitney can’t do.  She’s humble, thoughtful and hilarious.  

I can’t explain why, but something magical happens when you put the right people in front of a microphone and press record.  Although we didn’t plan it, there was a theme that emerged.  It’s about getting older and watching your kids go through things that it feels like yesterday we just went through.  How hard it is to let them make mistakes.  And how much we can learn about ourselves after all these years, as we relive our childhoods vicariously through them.

Please enjoy, Whitney Boyd.

• Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you’re meant to do it — and knowing the difference matters more than we admit.
• The idea that we should constantly push outside our comfort zone is worth questioning. Sometimes comfort isn’t the enemy.
• Kids often tie their identity to the thing they do most — and when that’s taken away, it can leave a real gap.
• Parenting is full of invisible emotional moments — like grieving the end of a chapter your kid might not even be thinking about.
• The things that occupy our thoughts the most (work, appearance, logistics) aren’t always the things we wish did — and that gap is worth paying attention to.
• Relationships evolve, but expressing things like “I love you” can feel strangely harder as we get older — even when it matters more.
• Life stages sneak up on you — one minute you’re raising kids, the next you’re balancing that with caring for aging parents.
• Big life decisions (like where to live) are often less about possibility and more about the stories we tell ourselves about what’s practical or allowed.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Vienna Waits - https://vienna-waits.com/

Whitney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneyboyd/

Whitney on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/vienna_waits_studio/

Today we talk to Alan Cross, a legend in the music world and the voice behind The Ongoing History of New Music—a show that’s been shaping how we understand music for over 30 years.

If you grew up loving music, there’s a good chance Alan helped you make sense of it—connecting the dots between artists, movements, and moments that changed everything. But this conversation isn’t just about looking back. It’s about how dramatically music has changed… and what that means for all of us.

We get into everything—from the explosion of alternative rock in the early 90s, to the moment Napster flipped the entire industry upside down, to why music today feels so different than it did when we were growing up. Alan shares what we’ve gained, what we’ve lost, and why the future of music might be more fragmented—and more confusing—than ever.

This felt like a masterclass in music, culture, and how technology quietly reshapes the things we love.

Please enjoy, Alan Cross.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Storytelling in Music: Alan’s success comes from making music feel human—turning songs into stories that pull you in, even if you didn’t think you cared about the artist.
• Why the 90s Changed Everything: The rise of alternative rock wasn’t random—it was the result of cultural shifts, new data (SoundScan), and a wave of artists ready to redefine the industry.
• Napster’s Ripple Effect: What seemed like a side experiment in file sharing ended up dismantling the traditional music business—and the industry never fully recovered.
• Streaming Changed How We Value Music: With everything available instantly and cheaply, music lost its financial value—even though its emotional impact remains.
• Algorithms Are Limiting Discovery: Instead of expanding our taste, streaming platforms often trap us in familiar sounds, making it harder to discover something truly new.
• From Tribes to Playlists: Music used to define identity and community. Today, younger listeners mix genres freely, shifting music from a social signal to a personal experience.
• The Death of Mystique: Social media has erased the distance between artists and fans, removing the mystery that once made rock stars feel larger than life.
• The Future is Fragmented: With thousands of micro-genres and endless choice, music is becoming more personalized—but also harder to navigate and share collectively.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Alan’s website: https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/

Ongoing History of New Music Podcast: https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/126/ongoing-history-of-new-music/

Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry: https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/1296/uncharted-crime-and-mayhem-in-the-music-industry/

CFNY: The Spirit of Radio documentary: https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/the-cfny-the-spirit-of-radio-documentary-is-coming-to-theatres/

Welcome to another solo episode, and I’m really proud of this one. It’s quite personal. If you’ve ever struggled to get something off the ground, or have started something you loved only to have it turn into a chore, this is for you.  

The truth is I’ve been wrestling with what this podcast is actually about - what it’s supposed to be. Somewhere along the way, this thing I loved most in the world slowly turned into something that felt like work.  In trying to make it valuable for everyone else, I lost what drew me to it in the first place.  

So in this episode, I take you through that journey—from chasing my curiosity, to getting pulled into the self-help world, to a moment of clarity that finally revealed the answers I was looking for.

Listening to me fumble my way through this just might give you the inspiration you need to rediscover the passion you’ve lost.

Please enjoy.

Key Takeaways

• Following your curiosity is often where the most energy and joy come from—when you lose that, the work starts to feel heavy.
• Trying to make everything “useful” or “valuable” can strip the life out of creative work.
• Not everything needs to be actionable—sometimes stories and perspectives are more powerful than step-by-step advice.
• People take away different things from the same story, which is why leaving space for interpretation can be more impactful.
• The self-help cycle can keep us stuck—consuming ideas instead of actually applying them.
• You don’t need more answers—you likely already have them. What you need is space to think differently.
• Leading with curiosity might feel selfish, but it often creates the most genuine and engaging work.
• Sometimes the best thing you can offer is a break—a shift in perspective that helps people see their own lives more clearly.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

https://growth-mixtape-podcast-with-bob.cohostpodcasting.com/episodes/the-untold-story-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-with-john-u-bacon-chasing-curiosity-and-sharing-boundless-insights-from-ideas-that-matter

Alan Cross - https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/

Today we talk to Anne Bonney, speaker, author and self-described discomfort zone guide.

I loved this conversation because it pushed on something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. We hear all the time that growth happens outside our comfort zone, but Anne gives that idea a fresh twist. Instead of just leaving comfort, she talks about learning how to dance with discomfort — and more importantly, how to know when discomfort is helping us grow and when we’re just exhausting ourselves.

We talk about why hard things build self-trust, how the challenges we choose can prepare us for the ones life throws at us, and why confidence is really just evidence that we’ve survived difficult things before. We also get into silent retreats, relationships, leadership, and the stories we tell ourselves when change shows up uninvited.

This one was thoughtful, practical, and really fun.

Please enjoy, Anne Bonney.

Key Takeaways:

• Anne reframes the whole idea of a “comfort zone” by focusing instead on the discomfort zone — something we can move toward with curiosity instead of fear.
• Doing hard things builds self-trust. The more often we survive discomfort, the more evidence we have that we can handle what comes next.
• Not all discomfort is created equal. Sometimes growth means taking on a marathon or a big keynote, and sometimes it means having an honest conversation or asking for what you need.
• Comfort isn’t the enemy. It’s the place we rest so we can step back into challenge when we’re ready.
• Self-efficacy matters. Resilience grows when we believe there’s something we can do to improve our situation instead of waiting for life to magically get easier.
• Anne’s line, “thoughts are random, thinking is not,” is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to believe every story our brain tells us in moments of fear or uncertainty.
• The discomfort we choose can help prepare us for the discomfort we don’t choose — illness, grief, aging parents, relationship struggles, and all the other hard parts of life.
• Nobody else has it figured out, and you don’t have to do it alone. That might be the most comforting truth of all.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Anne Bonney website: https://yourchangespeaker.com/

Anne on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebonney/

Anne’s TEDx talk: https://youtu.be/wSL6tVD__po?si=3xSBLDfCwTYUaTB7

Michael Easter, The Comfort Crisis

https://www.michaeleaster.com/the-comfort-crisis

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593138767

Vipassana meditation retreats

https://www.dhamma.org/

David Goggins

https://davidgoggins.com/

Tim Ferriss

https://tim.blog/

Today we talk to three incredible women on a mission to completely reimagine healthcare, with community and the whole person at the centre.

This was our first recording in front of a live studio audience, and the energy in the room was incredible. Maddi Kolberg, Dr. Tina Sestin, and Carmen Sutherland share how a chance meeting in a sauna, years of clinical burnout, and a deep belief in community all collided to create something new: the Generations Collective.

We talk about what’s broken in our current system, why so many of us feel isolated as patients and caregivers, and what it could look like to build healthcare around humans instead of appointments. This conversation is about perimenopause and pelvic health, yes — but it’s also about grief, belonging, accessibility, and the power of stories to build something better.

This one left me hopeful.

Please enjoy, Maddi Kolberg, Dr. Tina Sestin, and Carmen Sutherland.

Key Takeaways

• A Chance Encounter Sparked a Movement: A conversation in a sauna led to the creation of Generations Collective — proof that when you follow curiosity and authenticity, powerful collaborations can form.

• Burnout Isn’t Failure — It’s Information: Tina shares how 15 years in practice left her exhausted and questioning a system where only those with money or benefits could access care. That discomfort became fuel for change.

• Healthcare Should See the Whole Human: Mind, body, spirit, family, finances, and community all impact health. Treating symptoms in isolation misses the bigger picture.

• Community Is Medicine: Maddie’s experience navigating her daughter’s medical journey — and the overwhelming support from her neighborhood — reinforced that healing doesn’t happen alone.

• Integration Changes Everything: Instead of siloed practitioners working back-to-back, Generations Collective envisions collaborative care — clinicians literally sitting at the same table to support each patient together.

• Belonging Is Foundational to Health: Carmen reminds us that beyond treatment plans and protocols, people need to feel seen, valued, and like they truly belong.

• Accessibility Matters: Quality care shouldn’t depend on income level. Reimagining healthcare means building models that make support available to more people.

• Regenerative Leadership Over Burnout Culture: If we want a better system, we can’t build it by sacrificing the people inside it. Taking care of each other is part of the mission.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

https://www.generationscollective.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/generationscollective.ca/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddi-kolberg/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-sestan-557b112a/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-sutherland-34604829/

Today we invite back Alyx Parks, a great friend, conviction coach, writer, fly fishing guide, and one of my favourite people to have unhinged conversations with.

This episode is a bit of an experiment. We both brought 2 topics to discuss, but didn’t tell each other ahead of time.  No research, no prepared answers, no performance.

What came out was a wide-ranging, honest, funny, and surprisingly deep discussion about making friends after 30, tattoos and identity, fear of judgment, and why we’re all so afraid to just pick up the phone and call someone we miss.

Please enjoy, Alyx Parks - unhinged.

Key Takeaways

• Birthdays can bring a quiet kind of grief—not just about age, but about who we were, who we thought we’d be, and who we’re becoming.
• We’ve been conditioned to fear phone calls and doorbells, but random, agenda-free connection can be one of the greatest gifts we give and receive.
• Tattoos aren’t really about ink—they’re about identity, intention, permanence, and who we’re doing things for.
• Making friends after 30 is hard, vulnerable, and necessary—and sometimes it starts with simply saying hello or asking someone for coffee.
• Fear of failure is often really fear of judgment, and most of that judgment lives only in our own heads.
• Letting “future you” handle the hard moments can be a powerful way to move through fear and self-doubt.
• Growth often looks messy in real time—and cringing at your past self might actually be proof that you’re evolving.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

https://www.wilderpath.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyxparks

https://www.instagram.com/ontarioflygirl

https://www.ontarioflygirl.com/

Today, we talk to Sensi Graves and Brandon Scheid - extreme athletes, parents, partners, and now the subjects of a powerful new documentary - Windfall.

Two years ago, Brandon was in a speed flying accident that nearly took his life.  In the days immediately following, Sensi learned she was pregnant with their first child.  Together, they share their incredible journey of recovery, and how learning to live with Brandon’s traumatic brain injury has re-shaped their view of life and parenting.  

This conversation is about more than the accident. It’s about identity, love, and how we move forward when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s about the quiet strength of caregivers, the stubborn resilience of the human spirit, and the role that community plays in helping us heal.

Please enjoy, Sensi Graves and Brandon Scheid.

Key Takeaways

Turning trauma into purpose: Brandon and Sensi share how they’ve made meaning from a life-altering accident—and why they wouldn’t take it back.

Two perspectives, one story: Sensi speaks as the partner and caregiver; Brandon shares what it's like to survive a crash you don’t remember, and come back a different person.

Brain injury recovery isn’t linear: From post-coma mania to long-term depression, Brandon opens up about the invisible impacts of TBI and how he’s still navigating the mental health journey.

Presence over purpose: In the middle of crisis, Sensi redefined success as simply taking care of herself, her baby, and her husband—nothing more.

Letting go of the “old you”: After his accident, Brandon couldn’t return to his old sports or identity, so he explored everything from drones to piano to punching balls while walking down the street.

What we focus on expands: Sensi talks about practicing radical gratitude—not to sugarcoat hardship, but to make space for joy amidst the mess.

We all molt: Brandon offers a surprisingly perfect metaphor about crustaceans—sometimes growth requires outgrowing your old shell, even when it hurts.

Vulnerability creates connection: Their willingness to be open, even in the messiest moments, is a powerful reminder that healing isn’t something we do alone.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

https://www.instagram.com/windfall_movie/

https://www.instagram.com/sensigraves/

https://www.instagram.com/brandonscheid/

https://www.sensigraves.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sensi-graves/

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler

Today, we talk to John U. Bacon, bestselling author of The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

This story gripped me in a way I didn’t expect. Like a lot of people, I knew the Gordon Lightfoot song — I’d sung it around campfires and strummed it on my guitar — but I had no idea how much more there was to the story until I picked up John's book.

He spent years talking to the families of the 29 men who were lost that night in 1975, and what he uncovered is not just a story of a shipwreck — it’s a story of sacrifice, silence, courage, and legacy.

We talk about the night the Fitzgerald went down, the myths and facts surrounding the wreck, the power of Gordon Lightfoot’s songwriting, and the heartbreaking and beautiful stories of the men on board. I learned a lot, felt even more, and I think you will too.

Please enjoy, John Bacon.

The Edmund Fitzgerald isn’t just a shipwreck — it’s a human story: John interviewed 14 families of the 29 crew members, many of whom had never spoken to a writer before. Their stories bring the tragedy to life in a deeply personal way.

The Gordon Lightfoot song changed everything: Without “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” this story might have been forgotten. Lightfoot’s first-ever performance of the song — captured by accident in the studio — is still the version we hear today.

The Great Lakes are more dangerous than the ocean: Local storms, sharp waves, and shallow shoals make the lakes uniquely treacherous. Sailors face 60-foot waves with just 11 feet of clearance from deck to water.

Shipping is essential — and invisible: The Fitzgerald and ships like it carried the raw materials that built North America’s cars, homes, and infrastructure. Yet most people know almost nothing about the lives of the sailors.

Heroism doesn’t always come with survival: The Arthur Anderson, the ship following the Fitzgerald, turned around and went back into the storm at the Coast Guard’s request — a nearly unthinkable act of courage.

A flawed map may have played a role: The Fitzgerald was likely using outdated charts with shoal locations that had shifted by more than a mile — potentially contributing to the ship’s damage and eventual sinking.

The tragedy led to lasting change: There hasn’t been a major Great Lakes shipwreck since the Fitzgerald. It changed safety standards and remains a powerful reminder of what’s at stake.

These men are not forgotten: From tattoos to scholarships to grandchildren who carry on their names, the legacy of the 29 lives lost lives on — through this book, through the song, and through the families who still feel the waves.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

John’s website: https://johnubacon.com/

Books by John: https://johnubacon.com/books/

John on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-u-bacon-6359302

In this mini-solo episode, we tackle a problem I’ve always had - setting goals.  I talk about why it doesn’t work, and how we can conduct mini-experiments to overcome our fear of failure.  Just saying, “it’s an experiment”, makes everything feel less risky, less scary.  If we do that enough, before you know it we’ve intentionally stumbled into a long list of amazing things we’ve always wanted to try.  And we spent less time worrying, planning and procrastinating until we talked ourselves out of it altogether.

Let’s stay curious and keep moving.  

And make momentum the only goal.

Key Takeaways

• Goals vs. Direction: Instead of setting rigid goals, try choosing a direction. It gives you something to aim toward without getting stuck on a specific destination.
• Control is an Illusion: Life doesn’t follow our plans. Most of what derails us are things we never saw coming — so maybe the answer is to plan less and adapt more.
• Experiment Instead of Plan: Treat your life like a laboratory. Try things. Learn. Pivot. Repeat. It takes the pressure off and opens up surprising opportunities.
• Hold Goals Loosely: Inspired by Rich Roll — the idea isn’t to avoid goals entirely, but to stop clinging to them so tightly that we miss other, better paths.
• Follow the Emotional Charge: Rick Rubin’s advice is to follow what lights you up. If something excites or scares you (in a good way), chase that feeling.
• Fundamental vs. Instrumental Reasons: Daniel Pink points out that doing things because they feel meaningful (not just because they might lead somewhere) is often the better bet.
• The Power of Curiosity: Reach out. Ask questions. Start conversations. Interesting people are curious people — and curiosity is contagious.
• Make 2026 the Year of Experiments: Instead of setting resolutions, commit to trying one interesting thing each week. Momentum beats perfection, every time.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Daniel Pink: Life Advice That Sounds Good But Will Destroy You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uiz2XSNUPec

Rich Roll on Rock Bottom and Resolutions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMjMd0gtygQ

Today we talk to Peter Katz — award-winning singer-songwriter, speaker, and creator of the “keynote concert.” Now, if that term caught your ear like it did mine, you’re about to see why.

Peter just released his new album, and while that’s exciting on its own, what really struck me was how it came to be — through friendship, nature, first takes, and a complete letting go of outcome. It's a lesson in creativity, trust, and showing up without overthinking it.

We talk about how Peter’s work as a speaker and facilitator has changed how he creates music, and how building his career as an artist and speaker has never been a straight line — but always guided by purpose. He also shares how collapsing at 19 and facing a cancer scare changed the way he lives his life and makes decisions, and why songwriting retreats and keynote concerts aren’t just about music — they’re about connection, vulnerability, and remembering what matters.

This one was honest, beautiful, and inspiring in all the best ways.

Please enjoy, Peter Katz.

Key Takeaways

• Creating without overthinking: Peter’s latest album came from a place of play and presence — no plan, no pressure, just following what felt true in the moment.
• From solo artist to speaker: His work in organizations through keynote concerts has shaped how he creates — shifting the focus from “me” to “we.”
• Music as medicine: Whether performing or facilitating, Peter’s aim is to remind people of who they are and help them reconnect — with themselves and each other.
• The power of holding things lightly: From letting songs be imperfect to trusting his voice on the first take, Peter shares how creating space for imperfection often leads to deeper connection.
• Songwriting as a gateway to self-discovery: His retreat helps people write their first song — but more than that, it reminds them what’s possible when they give themselves permission to play.
• Leading with heart in business: Through appreciative inquiry and storytelling, Peter helps organizations celebrate what’s working — because we become what we celebrate.
• Meetings that matter: He encourages leaders to “start with heart” — not with the agenda — because relationships are what make great work possible.
• Balance is always a moving target: Even with a successful career, Peter shares how he’s still recalibrating to stay connected to his artist self and the work that lights him up.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

https://www.peterkatz.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-katz-1368bb6

https://www.instagram.com/peterkatzmusic

Today we talk to Greg Bennick—writer, speaker, punk rocker, coin collector, juggler, and the first ever returning guest on the podcast.

Greg is one of those people whose passion is contagious. He can make anything interesting—coins, kindness, counterstamped nickels from 1860—and somehow ties it all back to living a life that actually means something. Our first conversation was the episode I recommended most when people asked what this podcast is all about, and this one might be even better.

We talk about the terrifying beauty of taking creative risks, the unexpected power of noodles in a hotel lobby, and why staying in the game—whatever your game is—might be the most important decision you ever make. He also shares what it’s been like to release his first book into the world, and why the chapter he almost left out might be the one that changes everything.

This conversation is about passion, purpose, and possibility.

Please enjoy, Greg Bennick.

Key Takeaways

• “Do it your way.” Greg shares how skipping the networking events at a major speaker conference—and eating Pad Thai alone in the hotel lobby—led to the most authentic connections of his career.
• Writing his first book taught him that vulnerability is part of the process—and that success often starts with just staying in the game.
• The chapter he almost didn’t include—on kindness—became the one readers connected with most. Sometimes others see the heart of your work more clearly than you do.
• Creativity isn’t magic—it’s a muscle. The breakthrough moments come after you’ve put in the reps, not before.
• Greg’s obsession with rare coins isn’t really about the coins—it’s about history, relationships, and finding connection in unlikely places.
• Comparison will kill you. We all assume everyone else has it figured out, but the truth is most of us are just doing our best to stay curious and keep going.
• Greg’s advice for anyone looking to start something new: Leap into the dark—not to fear failure, but to embrace the possibility of success.
• Purpose doesn’t have to be some grand external mission. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly in the lobby with a bowl of noodles, choosing to live a life that’s yours.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Greg’s website: https://www.gregbennick.com/

Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbennick

Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregbennick

Today we talk to Lacey Heels —writer, creative strategist, and the author of The Rebirth Rituals.

This wasn’t a planned conversation. In fact, a few short weeks ago, we’d never even met. But after a few chance encounters (and some beautifully-timed serendipity at a retreat in the woods), Lacey’s book landed in my hands—and I couldn’t put it down.

We talk about that strange, messy, powerful space in between who we’ve been and who we’re becoming. Lacey opens up about the collapse that led her to start over, the fears that come with shedding an old identity, and how journaling and creativity helped her find clarity, healing, and direction.

If you’re sitting in the “what’s next” part of your life or career, this conversation is for you. It’s about rediscovering the parts of yourself you’ve left behind, honoring the discomfort of not knowing, and trusting that the through line will appear—if you just keep going.

Please enjoy, Lacey Heels.

Key Takeaways

The magic of in-between moments: Lacey describes the “liminal space” we all find ourselves in when one chapter ends and the next hasn't fully begun—and why learning to sit with the discomfort is essential.

Being known for one thing... and craving something else: Many of us reach a point in our lives or careers where we feel the urge to reinvent ourselves, even when we’re unsure what comes next.

The collapse before the rebirth: Lacey shares her experience of burnout after shutting down her business, and how letting go of what no longer fit made space for something new to emerge.

Start messy and trust the process: Whether it's journaling, creating, or starting a new path, Lacey encourages us to begin before we have it all figured out—the clarity comes in the doing.

Journaling is self-leadership: For high performers who are used to intellectualizing everything, journaling can be a powerful tool for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and reconnecting with purpose.

Run small experiments: Instead of waiting for “the answer” to appear, Lacey suggests taking small, low-stakes steps toward the life you want. Try something. See how it feels. Adjust.

You’re allowed to start over: Sometimes we need to be reminded that it’s not only okay to pivot, it’s necessary. Reinvention isn’t a failure—it’s part of being human.

Creativity as a healing force: Whether it’s writing, gardening, painting, or music, making space for creative expression helps us integrate our experiences and find meaning in them.

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram 

The Restless Leader Newsletter on Substack: https://bobmathers.substack.com/

Links & Resources

Lacey on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceyjheels/

Lacey on Substack: https://www.awildhoney.com/

Lacey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awildhoney/

The Rebirth Rituals: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0F931KTTQ

Today we talk to Dr. Aimie Apigian, a trauma physician and bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma, that just landed on #6 on the USA Today Bestseller List.

Now, I’ll be honest — when I first saw the title of her book, I thought, oof, that sounds heavy. But then I got into it, and it wasn’t at all what I expected. This book completely reframed what I thought I knew about trauma. It’s not just about the big, obvious moments in life — it’s also the subtle, overlooked experiences that quietly shape our nervous systems and settle into our biology.

Dr. Aimie shares her personal story of adopting a son from the foster system and how that experience held a mirror up to her own past. She explains how trauma can live in the body long after our minds have “moved on,” and how even high performers unknowingly carry trauma responses like people-pleasing, burnout, and chronic fatigue.

But this conversation isn’t just about what trauma is — it’s about how to heal it. Dr. Amy offers a hopeful, practical framework to better understand our bodies, widen our capacity for stress, and show up for ourselves and others with more compassion.

Please enjoy, Dr. Aimie.

Key Takeaways

Trauma isn’t always what we think it is. It’s not just extreme events — trauma is anything that, at the time, overwhelms our ability to process and respond. And most of us are carrying more than we realize.

Our bodies remember. Even if we mentally “get over” something, our biology — at the cellular level — can still be holding onto past trauma in the form of chronic illness, fatigue, anxiety, or depression.

You don’t have to qualify for trauma. Comparing our experiences to others can stop us from acknowledging our own pain. But recognizing our own trauma is the first step toward healing.

Stress grows us, trauma breaks us. The difference is capacity. When a challenge pushes us just far enough, it strengthens us. But when it overwhelms our system, it can lead to shutdown or long-term damage.

The body sends signals before it burns out. Learning to recognize signs like tightness, shallow breathing, or adrenaline overload can help us avoid crossing into overwhelm.

Healing starts with support. Whether it’s creating pause, connecting with others, or simply listening to your own body — the key is not being alone in your stress.

Somatic practices are game changers. Dr. Amy walks us through a simple body-based exercise to show how movement can calm the nervous system and create a sense of safety.

Compassion is key. Whether reflecting on our past or parenting our children, we’re all doing the best we can with what we have. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s understanding, and growth.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Dr. Aimie’s website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/

Dr. Aimie’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian

Today we talk to Emily O’Brien, founder of Comeback Snacks, a company she launched while serving time in federal prison for drug smuggling.  And if that alone isn’t enough to get you to listen, I give up.

Emily is raw, funny and vulnerable about the choices she made that landed her behind bars.  She talks about the moment she saw her parents in the courtroom for the first time, the shame she carried, the strength she found, and the mindset shift that helped her recalibrate her life.  

Today, Comeback Snacks is carried in over 1,100 stores across the country and employs a number of formerly incarcerated people. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Emily is proof that joy, humor, and intention can show up in the most unlikely places.

Please enjoy, Emily O’Brien.

• Emily’s story is a powerful reminder that no matter how far off course we get, we can still come back—and sometimes stronger than before.
• Despite growing up in a supportive household, Emily’s descent into addiction and toxic relationships shows how quickly things can unravel—no matter your background.
• Her time in prison became a personal “recalibration,” where she read 82 books, kicked substance use, and began sketching the plans for what would become Comeback Snacks.
• Emily reframes reinvention as recalibration—not becoming a new person, but returning to the good core that was there all along.
• With Comeback Snacks, she’s hired over a dozen formerly incarcerated individuals and developed a reintegration program to help others start businesses post-prison.
• Her “Comeback Blueprint” offers a framework for transformation: Commit, Own it, Be Accountable, Educate others, and Lead with Values.

Links and Resources

Comeback Snacks Website: https://comebacksnacks.com/

Emily’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emz.obrien

Comeback Snacks Website: https://www.instagram.com/comebacksnacks

Emily’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-o-brien-b628a4132/

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

Instagram 

Welcome to a solo episode on the fear of starting over.

I talk to people for a living, here on the pod but also in my coaching and speaking career.  And in virtually every conversation, I talk to people that want to do something new.

And it’s scary as hell.

But in these conversations, something new emerges.  It’s this fear of judgment that so many guests have talked about here on the podcast.  So is it really your fear of starting over that’s holding you back, or is it the fear of people seeing you start over?

This topic has been a lightning bolt to the chest for me.  So let’s talk about what it really is that’s holding us back, and I’ve come up with 3 specific habits we can build to move through it, and live the bigger life we deserve.

Key Takeaways

• Most of us aren’t afraid of starting over—we’re afraid of people seeing us start over.
• What feels like a huge leap to you might look like a natural next step to everyone else.
• Stories from past guests like Sensi Graves, Karl-Allen Muncy, PrettyLynne, and Greg Boyd remind us that reinvention is possible—and powerful.
• Confidence doesn’t come before action—it comes from action. The second time is always easier than the first.
• Try the Alyx Parks exercise: ask people how they’d describe you to someone else. It’s a humbling, inspiring way to see what others already believe about you.
• Judgment—especially self-judgment—is often the thing holding us back. As Sylvia Baffour says, start by writing for yourself and acting before you feel ready.
• The world sees more in you than you probably see in yourself. Let that build your conviction. Confidence will follow.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Recommended Episodes

She’s Like the Wind with Sensi Graves

It’s Not Too Late to Create a Career You Love with Alyx Parks

Curiosity, Creativity & Connection with Sylvia Baffour

Throttle Therapy with Karl Allen-Muncey

What the Fxck are You Waiting For? With Greg Boyd

PrettyLynne: Soft Porn, Courage, Judgment and Finding Yourself

Today we talk to Alyx Parks — fly fishing guide, TV host, career coach, photographer, professor, and the self-proclaimed “girl who falls in frog ponds”.

For most of us, the idea of creating a career out of what we love is a promise we gave up on long ago.  But Alyx is living proof it can be done.  And she’s here to show us it’s not too late to shape a career — and a life — that actually feels like you.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of conviction over confidence, how to answer, “what do you do?” in a way that makes people pay attention, and her lessons from the river that guide her work and her life.  We also dive into burnout, imposter syndrome, personal branding, and why we need to rethink our Mondays.

If you’ve ever felt like your job no longer fits, or maybe that you’re running out of time to finally find a career that suits you, this conversation is for you.

Please enjoy, Alyx Parks.

Key Takeaways:

• Conviction over confidence: You don’t need to feel confident to move forward — just have conviction in who you are and what lights you up. The confidence will follow.
• “I’m the girl who falls in frog ponds”: Alyx shares how reframing the way you introduce yourself can open doors and make people truly listen.
• The 'why tree' exercise: A powerful way to go deeper into your values and passions to build a more authentic personal brand — from the inside out.
• Say “okay,” not “yes”: You don’t need to feel 100% ready. Just be open. A lot of Alyx’s best adventures began with an “okay, I’ll try.”
• Lessons from the river: Fly fishing is full of metaphors — about uncertainty, learning by doing, casting even when you can’t see what’s under the surface.
• The power of “Mediocre Mondays”: You don’t have to crush it every Monday. Permission to show up as you are and reset.
• We only accept the love we think we deserve: A beautiful reminder to stop pushing away compliments and start seeing yourself the way others already do.
• You are the bubble: We often chase a feeling of safety, energy, or connection — but that feeling can come from you. Let people into your world.

Links and Resources:

Alyx on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyxparks/

Alyx’s website: https://www.ontarioflygirl.com/

Alyx on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontarioflygirl/?hl=en

Alyx on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk2DJldSE7hhQTU8rjNHeYw

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

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Today we talk to Mike Michalowicz, bestselling author of Profit First, a revolutionary system implemented by over a million companies around the world to make profit a habit, not a year-end event.  As Mike puts it, the entrepreneurial dream of working for yourself, working as much as you want, having complete freedom - it’s a myth for most people.  Most business owners I know are stressed out, working their asses off and barely getting by. That was Mike too, so he decided to start writing about it.  And that was 10 books ago.

So I’ve got a confession to make.  This episode was a bit of a test, a challenge to myself.  I was curious…can I make a conversation about finance interesting?  What could we possibly say that hasn’t been said?  Well, if you know Mike you know I had nothing to worry about.  This was one of the most fun conversations I’ve ever had.  Mike’s got a story for everything, including the financial rock bottom that inspired his new book, The Money Habit.  

I’ve never been great with money, and I know I’ve left a lot of it on the table.  As I near what most people call retirement, that’s starting to concern me more than it used to.  But honestly, I feel like I’m just getting started.  So sure, I could have used this conversation 20 years ago.  But it’s also just what I need, right now.    

If you’re struggling to make your business work for you, or maybe you want to hear about how someone writes 10 best selling books about something no one wants to talk about - this one’s for you.

Please enjoy, Mike Michalowicz.

Key Takeaways

Entrepreneurial Poverty is Real: Mike defines it as the painful gap between the outward appearance of success and the inner financial struggle many entrepreneurs face. His mission is to eradicate it.

Profit First Philosophy: Instead of treating profit as what’s left over, take it first. The formula changes from Revenue – Expenses = Profit to Revenue – Profit = Expenses. It’s a mindset—and a habit—that shifts everything.

Behavioral Triggers > Discipline: Mike shares how behavioral psychology plays a huge role in money management, and why creating systems (like putting sneakers on the toilet seat) work better than relying on willpower.

Multiple Bank Accounts = Clarity: Whether for your business or personal life, setting up separate bank accounts for different purposes helps remove emotion from financial decisions and creates instant visibility.

Your Business Shouldn’t Depend on You: The entrepreneur’s job isn’t to do the work, but to create jobs. If you're doing everything yourself, you’re stealing an opportunity from someone else—and setting yourself up for burnout.

Build Wealth at Home, Too: The Profit First system isn’t just for business. Mike adapted it for personal finances after realizing he was profitable in his company, but still living paycheck to paycheck at home.

The Power of Starting Small: Mike encourages listeners to take one simple step—open a new bank account and start moving money into it weekly for the thing that causes the most financial stress. That clarity creates momentum.

It’s Never Too Late: Whether you’re 25 or 55, building better financial habits now will absolutely change your future. As Mike says: “Profit is not an event. It’s a habit.”

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Links and Resources

Website

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram

Today we talk to Cindy Gallop, a big-wheeling ad exec from Manhattan that’s worked with the world’s largest brands. Business Insider named her one of the 15 Most Important Marketing Strategists, alongside Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin, and #1 on their list of Top 30 People In Advertising.  She’s basically Don Draper from MadMen.

Cindy is known for blowing shit up, and her latest target?  Sex.  As an older woman who loves dating younger men, she was tired of teaching men that had grown up watching porn how real sex works.  She launched Make Love Not Porn as a safe place where you can go to see real people having real sex ,in all its silly, messy, beautiful humanness.  I’ve done my research and yes - it’s sweaty, saggy, awkward and it feels, well..doable.  But it hasn’t been easy.  She talks about the structural, cultural and financial obstacles she’s had to overcome, and how she’s used people’s skepticism to fuel her mantra - “I’ll fucking well show you.”

I was also dying to talk to Cindy about her life before MLNP because the things she’s done are exactly the things I struggle with every day.  Cindy talks to us about our personal brand, and how to control what people are saying about us when we’re not in the room.  She talks about the cure for ageism, and how we can build the confidence we need to do and say whatever we want, without worrying what anyone thinks.

Maybe you’re struggling to figure out your superpower.  Maybe you’re concerned about your kids having a healthier relationship with sex.  Or maybe you’re just tired of men asking if they can come on your face.  Whatever it is, this episode is for you.

Please enjoy Cindy Gallop.

Key Takeaways

The “Michael Bay of Business”: Cindy’s tagline came from a spontaneous moment, but it stuck because it perfectly captured how she helps people and brands radically reinvent themselves by blowing up the status quo.

Finding Your Tagline: We all have a “default throwaway descriptor” — how others describe us when we’re not in the room. Cindy shares how to take ownership of that narrative to build a personal brand that truly reflects who you are.

Confidence Through Values: The key to confidence isn’t “finding your purpose,” it’s identifying your values and making sure you’re living in alignment with them — every day.

Curiosity Over Crisis: When you’re unsure about your next move in life or career, don’t chase a big purpose. Start by doing interesting things, following your curiosity, and letting the path unfold from there.

Say Your Age: Cindy is on a mission to combat ageism by loudly and proudly saying her age (65) — and encouraging others to do the same. Your age is the sum total of your wisdom, experience, and value.

Revolutionizing Sex Ed: Through Make Love Not Porn, Cindy is offering an alternative to porn-as-sex-ed by showcasing real-world, loving, consensual sex — and she’s now building MakeLoveNotPorn.academy to become the Khan Academy of sex education.

Why Men Are Crying (in a Good Way): Many men have written to Cindy saying they cried after watching their first Make Love Not Porn video. It’s a space where men can see vulnerability, intimacy, and emotional connection modeled in a way they’ve never seen before.

The Opposite of Andrew Tate: With Make Love Not Porn, Cindy is quietly dismantling toxic masculinity — showing young men a new model built on empathy, love, and real connection.

The Power of Doing What Everyone Else Says You Can’t: After 16 years of roadblocks from banks, tech platforms, and investors, Cindy is still here. Why? Because she’s fueled by a mission to prove them wrong — and to build a world that’s better for all of us.

Connect with Cindy

Cindy’s Website

Make Love Not Porn

Instagram

LinkedIn

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

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This is a re-release of my original conversation with Greg Bennick from early 2024.  It is simply too good not to share again.  Greg is a punk rocker, activist, documentary filmmaker, philanthropist, keynote speaker, juggler and expert coin collector.  He’s also written a book, “Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now.”

I could have talked to Greg for an hour about any one of these parts of his life - he’s got a way of making everything that interesting.  We talk about Seattle’s teen dance ordinance, a real-life Footloose law that he helped overturn.  We talk about how punk music is really just love songs.  And we explore the central themes that tie all of his various pursuits together.  

If you ever struggle with focusing on what matters, finding your purpose or trying to figure out what makes you special in this world - this conversation is for you.

Please enjoy Greg Bennick.

Key Takeaways:

1. Changing the system from within: Greg’s involvement in overturning Seattle’s teen dance ordinance showcases the power of grassroots advocacy and persistence when making changes from within the system..
2. Straight edge movement: Explore a subgenre of punk that emphasizes a lifestyle free of alcohol and drugs that is centered around the love of music..
3. Majestic failures: Nobody advertises their failures.  But behind every best-selling book or successful keynote speech are dozens of failures that paved the way for the success everyone sees.
4. Re-inventing yourself throughout your career: Your journey is unique.  You have more to offer the world than you think.  Deciding what to do next in your career is not about what, but why.
5. Focus and Balance: Strategies to maintain focus and balance in a world filled with distractions, as discussed in Greg’s upcoming book, “Reclaim the Moment.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Podcast: Let the Kids Dance (KUOW & NPR) – A deep dive into the history of Seattle's teen dance ordinance.
• Books:
• Denial of Death by Ernest Becker
• Art and Artist by Otto Rank
• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• Greg’s Book: Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now by Greg Bennick

Connect with Greg Bennick:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Connect with Bob

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Instagram

Today we talk to Chelsea Burns —aka The Marketing Psychologist—about the connection between how our brains are wired and the brands we choose.  Chelsea is uniquely qualified to talk about this - she has a Masters in Psych, has spent 17 years in marketing and has been in therapy most of her life.  

So spoiler alert: most of the purchasing decisions we make, yeah we make them subconsciously.  Savvy marketers know this, so we’re all vulnerable to being manipulated into buying things we don’t need.  I have a drawer full of late-night Instagram purchases I’m too embarrassed to return.  Chelsea shares real-life examples of some of these bad actors, and arms us with the brain science we need to protect ourselves.

But here’s the exciting part.  We can use this knowledge for good.

As employees, we can build personal brands that create authentic connections with the people we work with. 

As entrepreneurs, we can build ethical companies that give our customers a true sense of belonging, so they never want to leave.

This isn’t just a conversation for marketers. It’s for anyone who wants to be more conscious about the choices they make and the messages they put out into the world.

Please enjoy, Chelsea Burns

Takeaways

From Trauma to Trust: Chelsea shares how her early therapy work helped her understand the wiring of the brain—and how that same wiring shows up in marketing and branding.

Marketing Is Relationship-Building: Whether you’re selling education or granola bars, Chelsea explains how good marketing is really about building healthy, reciprocal relationships.

The Power of Self-Awareness: Only 5% of our decisions are conscious—Chelsea breaks down how emotional triggers and subconscious pathways shape what we buy and why.

Manipulation vs. Persuasion: The line gets crossed when there's no real value for the customer—especially when companies prey on insecurity, fear, or false urgency.

The Role of Belonging: Chelsea’s research showed that a strong sense of belonging increases well-being and business success. Brands that create belonging don’t just sell more—they change lives.

The Cost of Broken Trust: Chelsea unpacks how Target’s rollback of DEI efforts broke trust with values-driven customers (including her 9-year-old daughter), and why regaining that trust isn’t just about PR.

Ethical Branding Is the Future: Brands that invite instead of sell, co-create with their customers, and stay grounded in values are the ones that build lasting relationships—and loyal communities.

Practical Tools for Conscious Consumers: Chelsea recommends the Yuka app to help identify harmful ingredients in everyday products and encourages people to stay informed and curious.

Connect with Chelsea

LinkedIn

Website

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Originally recorded in the spring of 2024, my conversation with Sylvia Baffour stays with me every day.  Sylvia is a keynote speaker on emotional intelligence and has worked with leaders in 460 major corporations to help them better connect with their teams and customers.  She was voted one of the top 15 female inspirational speakers alongside Mel Robbins and Oprah.  

Sylvia’s early journey was already unique and inspiring, but it was a chance meeting with writer and activist Dr. Maja Angelou that launched a life-long relationship that shaped her life.

We dig into what emotional intelligence is and what leaders need to do better if they really care about the culture they’re building. 

But probably my favourite takeaway - the power of curiosity.  How it’s the secret to making people feel heard and creating a lasting emotional imprint on those around you.  

This conversation really stayed with me - one of my favourites so far.

Please enjoy, Sylvia Baffour.

Takeaways

• Emotional intelligence is not about being “nice” — it’s about being aware of your emotions and how they affect others, especially in challenging moments.
• Sylvia’s global upbringing, and her father’s example, gave her a deep understanding of people, which fuels her work today.
• She was mentored by Dr. Maya Angelou for over 12 years, and one of the most powerful lessons she took away was how to leave others feeling seen and valued.
• “Shifting phrases” — like Is it possible they’re seeing things differently? — can help us manage emotional triggers and avoid reacting from a place of anger or defensiveness.
• Sylvia encourages us to “mind our monologue,” paying close attention to how we speak to ourselves during tough moments.
• Before any conversation or meeting, ask yourself: How do I want the other person to feel when we’re done? That simple intention can change everything.
• Public speaking is a privilege, and the best communicators always ask, Why should the audience care?
• Creativity thrives when we replace judgment with curiosity. Whether you're writing a book, a song, or giving a talk — just start. Don’t wait to be perfect.

Connect with Sylvia

Webiste

LinkedIn

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Today we talk to Chris Paul Rainbows, a storyteller, strategist and queer educator on a mission to make everyone feel like they belong.  

Chris talks about growing up queer in a small border town, struggling with OCD and anxiety, building a successful company only to have a breakdown, and tearing it all apart to start over.  We touch on PRIDE as a mix of celebration and rebellion, what it means to be an ally and how this is not the oppression olympics - we all have hard stories that make us who we are.  And we need to embrace them to find our people.

But the best part is the stories - every one of them full of joy and hope.  We’ve got a pumpkin empire, gay cakes, and a tortoise with a prolapsed butthole named Rock Hudson. If you’re ever struggled to find your voice, or need inspiration to chase a bigger life, Chris will make you believe anything is possible.  Or maybe you just need some 100% joy in your life today.

Please enjoy, Chris Paul Rainbows.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Takeaways

• Pride has evolved for Chris from partying in their 20s to giving talks, reading books to kids, and spreading queer joy by simply living openly and authentically.
• Growing up queer in a small rural town with no representation on TV felt isolating and led Chris to leave home at 18 to find community.
• Chris’s mental health struggles with OCD reached a breaking point while running a stressful business, but therapy, medication, and support from their husband helped them rebuild their life around what truly made them happy.
• Chris launched The Unicorn Rebellion to do the creative work they love on their own terms—without the stress of a big agency—and created a life with chickens, parrots, bunnies, and a tortoise named Rock Hudson.
• His viral “Pumpkin Empire” taught them the power of storytelling on social media and how curiosity, kindness, and including your community can make even the strangest moments into something beautiful.
• Chris’s story of the world’s gayest cake, or “gayke,” shows how small, joyful acts of visibility can ripple out to inspire and empower others in ways you can’t predict.
• Allyship isn’t something you call yourself; it’s something you earn by consistently showing up, learning, and using your privilege to open doors for others.
• Finding your voice means discovering what you’re passionate about changing in the world—and knowing that everyone’s story, no matter how big or small, has the power to help someone else.

Links and Resources

Chris’s Website

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

LinkedIn

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Todd McTavish is a songwriter and it’s all he’s ever wanted to do.  At 23, he left his small town home in Ontario and moved to LA.    And at 53, he just signed his first record deal.

Todd’s an old school, rock and roll troubadour.  The stories come fast and hard.  He recorded a Christmas song with Billy Bob Thornton, had one of his songs played at the Superbowl and he owned a half bear, half wolf named Jazz who was an excellent judge of character.

But this isn’t about sex, drugs and rock and roll.  It’s about having the courage to say yes.  The music industry is a parable for life.  It’s cruel and unfair, and it gave Todd a thousand really good reasons to quit.  So how has he survived when so few others have?  When an opportunity came up, no matter how crazy, he said yes.  

As someone that tends to overthink things until I talk myself out of them, Todd’s journey inspired me.  I could look back at the last 20 years of my life and wonder what could have been if I had said yes more often, but I don’t have time for that.  What I refuse to do, is look back 10 years from now and wonder the same thing.  What would Todd do?  He’d say yes.

Please enjoy Todd McTavish.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Takeaways

• The unstoppable itch: Todd described songwriting as a calling he couldn’t ignore, even when the path was full of obstacles and dead ends.
• Say yes to the unknown: His journey is a testament to showing up and staying open—some of his best opportunities came from simply agreeing to lunch, auditions, or chance encounters.
• The magic of creative chemistry: Meeting guitarist Lee Jackson led to writing hundreds of songs and forming Judge Jackson, proving that the right creative partner can change everything.
• Lessons from the road: Todd shared the ups and downs of band life—how licensing songs can be a windfall or pay next to nothing, and why playing for 40,000 Marines felt like “making it.”
• Writing songs like a conduit: He sees songwriting as channeling melodies and words that already exist in the world, capturing them in the moment instead of forcing them into shape.
• Rolling with life’s twists: Border denials, band breakups, and crazy roommates could’ve ended his dream, but Todd kept moving forward, seeing every setback as part of the adventure.
• The gift of perseverance: Todd’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to chase what you love—and that staying in the game is sometimes the greatest success.
• Art that lasts: He spoke about the power of songs to act as bookmarks in our lives, instantly transporting us back in time and connecting us to moments we thought we’d forgotten.

Connect with Todd

Webiste

Judge Jackson (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2WkImSovdJRdvZ8lxn3JtH)

Todd McTavish (https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tjdZLND9lbsHcqWWXSPxo)

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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LinkedIn

Today we talk to Chris Hood — speaker, strategist, and author of Infallible, a book that challenges a lot of what we’ve been told about AI.  And Chris should know - he’s spent his career working with companies on their digital strategies — from advertising in movie theaters to helping count votes for FOX on American Idol. 

I’ve been avoiding talking about AI on the pod because honestly, I didn’t know what else there is to say.  But Chris offers something new to the conversation I hadn’t heard before.  First, he dispels some myths and suggests that where most people think we are with AI is actually 7 years away.  And there is a huge gap between what companies are focused on and what consumers really want.  And since we are the consumers, we have the power to decide how fast this moves.  The truth is most consumers aren’t crazy about any of this, and Chris has great stories of companies that went too far too fast.  

We also talk about what this convenience is costing us, how AI is making us lazy, how it borrows from social media to keep us addicted and why we need less Star Trek and more Columbo.

So what will AI never replace?  Curiosity and connection.  This conversation is a perfect example of that.

Please enjoy, Chris Hood.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Key Takeaways:

• The Danger of Overhyping AI: Many companies are marketing AI like it's magic, but most consumers either don’t care or don’t even realize they’re already using it. The focus should be on solving problems, not shouting about the tools.

• The “You Bias” of Generative AI: AI tools are designed to flatter you — to tell you your ideas are brilliant. It feels good, but over time it can reinforce ego, limit critical thinking, and create a false sense of confidence.

• We’re in the Cut-and-Paste Era: Generative AI makes it easy to sound smart or get things done quickly, but we’re losing nuance, creativity, and original thought in the process.

• AI Can’t Replace Human Connection: Emotional intelligence, empathy, humor — these are deeply human traits that AI can’t replicate. For businesses, this means finding the right balance between automation and authentic connection.

• We’ve Seen This Movie Before: Chris draws parallels between the rise of AI and the early days of social media. Back then, we trusted tech companies to self-regulate. We know how that played out.

• Don’t Trust the Echo Chamber: Platforms like LinkedIn make it seem like AI is everywhere and everything. But when you step outside of the bubble, most people are still trying to figure it out — or not thinking about it at all.

• Be the Columbo, Not the Sci-Fi Dreamer: Instead of fantasizing about the future of AI, we need to ask harder questions and look at the real implications. Curiosity and skepticism are powerful tools.

Links and Resources

Chris on LinkedIn

Website and Books

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

In this re-released episode, we talk to Rob Carli, a multi-award-winning musician, producer and composer for film and television.  Rob has had a storied career in music from his early days touring the country in an Econoline van to most recently co-founding the Awesome Music Project - a not-for-profit dedicated to delivering practical solutions to mental health through the transformative power of music.

It’s conversations like this one with Rob that are the reason I started this podcast.  Rob is a giant in his industry, but he’s someone I would never come across in my work as a revenue coach with growing tech companies.  The ideas we explored allow me to see my work and my life in a whole new light.

Rob and I talked about how we can all tap into our creative energy and how our best ideas always come from the most unlikely places.  Yes, your first draft is going to suck but the most important thing in finding your voice is not judging your ideas, or allowing them to be judged.  Rob shares stories of how chasing your curiosity is the key to re-inventing yourself throughout your career, taking you to places you’d never have planned for yourself.  

Finally, Rob talks about what we’ve lost as technology has displaced rituals like cooking together and listening to live music.  And what would Rob have done differently with the music in Oppenheimer?

Please enjoy, Rob Carli.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Takeaways

• The Myth of Arrival: Rob challenges the idea that we ever "make it." Success isn’t a destination — it’s a constant journey shaped by change, curiosity, and reinvention.
• The Creative Process: Great ideas often arrive when we stop trying so hard. For Rob, creativity comes from loosening control — going for walks, grocery shopping, or just letting the mind wander.
• Judgment Kills Creativity: One of the biggest barriers to creativity is self-censorship. Rob encourages letting go of perfectionism and allowing ideas to flow — even the weird or messy ones.
• Music as Ritual: Rob reflects on how modern convenience has replaced rituals like cooking or making music — and why bringing those rituals back could improve our sense of connection and purpose.
• Parenting and Purpose: When his son decided to pursue music, Rob didn’t try to talk him out of it. His biggest hope? That his son finds fulfillment — whatever path he chooses.
• The Awesome Music Project: What started as a neighbor’s idea became a national charity focused on the link between music and mental health. Rob shares the story behind it and why he believes music has the power to heal.
• Balance Over Hustle: Rob hopes that in 2024, we’ll all move toward more balance — not just in work, but in how we connect with each other and ourselves.
• Stay Curious: Whether it’s attending a random concert or following a creative hunch, Rob believes discovery is one of the most important — and joyful — parts of being alive.

For more information about Rob or to connect with him, check out these links:

Rob Carli’s Website

The Awesome Music Project

Instagram: Awesome Music Project 

X

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Today we talk to Karl Allen-Muncey - a tech innovator, motorcycle enthusiast and now a real-life Instagram influencer.

When I originally talked to Karl about being on the podcast, I wasn’t sure what we’d talk about.  He’s a motorcycle guy who talks about throttle therapy and the mental health benefits of riding.  I’ve never been on a motorcycle.  I was always scared, I was never that cool.

But it turns out this conversation isn’t really about motorcycles at all.  Karl was a big success in every way - fancy job working with huge companies, big house - he had it all.  Then during the pandemic, all that fell apart.  His marriage, his job - and with it, everything he thought he knew about himself.

So he started over.  He did what so many of us long to do at some point in our lives.  He took all his unique superpowers he’s amassed over his career, and point them in a new direction, something he really cares about.  If you think this sounds like a fairy tale, it’s not.  Karl is very honest about how painful this has been.  He talks about his life being in pieces, and having to decide which parts to pick up and which ones to leave behind.

Now he’s an Instagram influencer - a middle-aged motorcycle dude in black leather, gray beard, baring his soul and being vulnerable about his mental health.  And yeah, his audience is exploding.

So sure, if you like riding, you're going to love this.  But maybe you're like me and you've never been on a bike.  Maybe you think reinventing yourself is something only other people do.

This conversation will change that.

Please enjoy Karl Allen-Muncey.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Key Takeaways:

• From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Karl shares how the pandemic stripped away his career, marriage, and identity, forcing him into a profound personal transformation—and eventually leading him to a more intentional life.

• Motorcycles as Mental Health Tools: Riding became Karl’s way to quiet his mind and reconnect with himself. What started as escape turned into healing, clarity, and a whole new community.

• The Power of Admitting Defeat: One of Karl’s biggest lessons was learning to admit when something is truly over—and how doing so created space to rebuild on his own terms.

• Therapy, Ego, and Growth: Karl reflects on how therapy helped him confront the version of himself he had been hiding behind, and why losing the ego was the beginning of real self-awareness.

• The Unexpected Gift of Instagram: What began as an anonymous place to share moody moto-camping photos became a growing platform for connection, vulnerability, and ultimately, business.

• Parenting with Presence: Karl talks candidly about how his growth journey has made him a better father—and why being “Dad” is the most important title he’ll ever hold.

• Innovation, Burnout, and Reinvention: Karl’s background building innovation labs gives insight into how great ideas get stuck—and what it takes to actually create change inside large organizations.

• Finding Authentic Connection: Whether through motorcycles, social media, or programs like Vienna Waits, Karl has found that the best relationships are built on honesty, not image.

Links and Resources

Karl on Instagram

Karl on LinkedIn

Vienna-Waits

Connect with Bob Mathers

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The Tragically Hip documentary, “No Dress Rehearsal” recently took home all 7 of the Canadian Screen Awards it was nominated for.  We wanted to celebrate this incredible achievement by re-releasing our conversation from October with one of the film’s producers, Jake Gold.

Today I talk to Jake Gold, legendary manager of the Canadian rock band, The Tragically Hip. Jake talks about the new film, No Dress Rehearsal, and the 4-year process of bringing The Hip’s raw, emotional story to life.

We go deep into Hip lore with stories that have never been heard before about some of The Hip's iconic songs, their appearance on SNL, touring with the Stones, and the final goodbye tour before Gord Downie's death in 2017.

Now I can’t sit here and pretend that this is just another podcast episode.  The Hip has been my favorite band since they released their first album as I was turning 19. It’s no exaggeration to say they provided the soundtrack to my life.  I hope you have an artist in your life that means that much to you, because then you can understand what it means to me to sit down with Jake and hear these stories.

But here’s the thing.  The film and this conversation, it’s not really about a rock band.  It’s about truth, friendship, family, tragedy and reconciliation.  It’s also about the power of music and stories to bring us together.

Please enjoy, Jake Gold.

Key Takeaways:

1. No Dress Rehearsal offers a raw, emotional journey into the life of The Tragically Hip, and takes us behind the scenes of these 5 very private people.
2. Authenticity in music is what made The Hip so relatable, and it’s something people crave more than ever.
3. Music can take us back to another time and place, but hearing these new stories can give these old songs new life and meaning.
4. Managing The Hip was all about taking risks and they did things that nobody had done in the industry.
5. Festivals like Another Roadside Attraction are more than just shows—they're about building community and celebrating together.
6. The band’s final tour unified a nation as it rolled across the country and gave fans an opportunity to say goodbye to Gord Downie.
7. Every Canadian remembers where they were for The Hip’s final concert in Kingston.  It brought the country together in a way that no politician ever will. 

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Resources:

• Watch No Dress Rehearsal on Amazon Prime.
• The Tragically Hip's discography on Spotify.
• Follow Jake Gold on LinkedIn.
• Follow Jake Gold on Instagram
• Follow The Tragically Hip on Instagram

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Today we talk to Greg Boyd — a father of three, a widower, a husband, and now an entrepreneur on a mission to help others live more intentional lives.

Greg shares the deeply personal story of losing his wife, Alison, to brain cancer in 2020. And yes, it’s a heartbreaking story.  And yet, this isn’t a sad conversation - we laughed more than we cried.  Greg talks about the storybook life he had before all this happened, and how he’s used his trauma to be a better dad, husband, friend - shit, just a better person.  And he’s channelling his experience to start a new company with his wife, Whitney, to help people get off autopilot and live the life they’ve always wanted.

This is a conversation you will never forget.  Whether you’ve had bad things happen to you, or maybe you haven’t yet - one thing is certain.  They’re coming. And that’s not a dire view of the world.  It’s life, and nobody gets through it unscathed.  When the unexpected happens, you’re going to wake up.  You’re going to realize how short life is.  You’re going to want to make some changes to live the life you've always wanted.  So the question is, why wait?

Or better yet, as Greg says, “What the fuck are you waiting for?”

Please enjoy, Greg Boyd.

Key Takeaways:

• From Autopilot to Awareness: Before Alison’s diagnosis, Greg was living the “perfect life” on paper — successful job, beautiful family, dream house — but he felt oddly disconnected from it all, a subtle warning sign that something deeper was missing.
• Post-Traumatic Growth: Greg introduces the concept of post-traumatic growth — how trauma, while devastating, can also be the catalyst for deeper connection, strength, and clarity about what really matters.
• Kids as Anchors Through Grief: Greg shares how his children, then just 5, 2, and 1, helped guide him through the darkest moments. Their resilience and curiosity about loss shaped the family’s healing in profound ways.
• Love After Loss: We talk about Greg’s relationship with Whitney — how it began, how they built trust with the kids, and what it takes to blend a new chapter of life without erasing the old one.
• Living With Grief, Not Around It: Rather than “moving on,” Greg talks about carrying grief with you — honoring it, making space for it, and allowing it to shape how you live moving forward.
• Resilience Is a Skill, Not a Trait: Greg believes resilience isn’t something you have or don’t — it’s something you build. And it starts by doing hard things and choosing discomfort over autopilot.
• Vienna Waits: Greg and Whitney founded Vienna Waits to help people live more intentionally before the trauma hits — offering tools, community, and support for taking meaningful action toward a more aligned life.
• The Million-Person Mission: Their goal is to help one million people ask themselves a powerful question: “Am I really living the life I want?” And if not, “What the f*ck am I waiting for?”

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Links and Resources

Greg on LinkedIn

Vienna Waits Instagram

Vienna Waits Website

UNBLOCK Yourself podcast

Waypoint Retreat

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Today we talk to PrettyLynne, and in case you hadn’t guessed - that’s not her real name.  You see Lynne writes and records erotic fiction and for reasons we’ll get into, she’s asked that we keep her identity secret.

Lynne describes herself as a Gen Xer in her second act who stumbled into the world of erotic fiction during a period of personal transition.  What she found was freedom, a creative outlet that has helped her reconnect with herself - and as it turns out, a growing audience of women and men also hungry for connection.   

When I was introduced to Lynne through a mutual friend, I was excited to explore this idea that we all have sides of ourselves that we keep hidden for fear of what people will think.  And yes, the opportunity to talk about this through the lens of soft porn, is one I could not pass up.  But this conversation was so much more than that. I don't know what I was expecting - Letters to Penthouse from my youth (if you don’t know what this is, look it up but please - use Incognito mode).   Much like Lynne’s writing, this conversation was beautiful, vulnerable and nuanced.  Lynne opens up about how her writing has helped her better understand herself, be more confident and find a creative voice she had lost.  

If you’ve ever felt stuck, like you have more to offer the world and you just need a place to start - this conversation is for you.  As Lynne says - no feeling is final. Keep creating. Let yourself be surprised by what emerges.

Please enjoy, Pretty Lynne.

Links & Resources

PrettyLynne on Literotica: https://www.literotica.com/authors/Prettylynne

PrettyLynne on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Prettylynne23/

Connect with Bob Mathers

Website

LinkedIn

Key Takeaways:

• Lynne began writing and recording erotic fiction during a challenging period in her life and found it to be both healing and creatively fulfilling.
• Erotic fiction isn’t just about sex—Lynne’s work explores intimacy, grief, desire, and human connection in beautifully written short stories.
• The genre is often misunderstood or dismissed, but it offers a powerful, judgment-free space for people to explore their own emotional and sexual landscapes.
• Writing in this format has helped Lynne reconnect with her creative voice and build trust in her own judgment—something many of us struggle with.
• Despite writing in the first person, Lynne is creating fiction, not memoir—and the distinction is important, especially when it comes to parasocial relationships.
• She resists turning her passion into a business, intentionally keeping it something that brings joy and personal meaning, rather than pressure.
• Lynne’s process is intuitive and nonlinear—she writes on her phone, captures ideas when they strike, and lets the stories come to her without overthinking.
• One of the most powerful lessons she’s learned: no feeling is final. Keep going. Keep creating. Let yourself be surprised by what emerges.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Kristi Falturosso, who is a Chief Customer Officer, a LinkedIn Influencer, and CS Strategist. She’s a very big deal.  When I started this podcast, it was about talking to people from way outside my comfort zone, to talk about anything other than what I did for a living.  And that hasn’t changed.  But Kristi and I both work in very similar circles so this conversation was a bit of an experiment - what if two people who did the same thing for a living got together and talked about anything but work? What would we have in common?  What could we learn about each other? 

And it turns out it was one of the most vulnerable, thoughtful, and emotional conversations I've ever had. And it makes me wonder what I might be missing by staying in my lane, and the conversations I could be having with people if I were as brave as Kristi to talk about things we just never talk about. 

Kristi talks about growing up on Long Island, losing her brother in a motorcycle accident, the pain she still carries from family trauma, her complicated relationship with alcohol and her journey with sobriety.  We also explore the fragility of self-confidence, and the quiet courage it takes to completely be yourself online.

Full disclosure, the most memorable part of this conversation for me happened after we hung up.  I sat in my chair, and cried.  I can’t explain why.  The closest I can come up with, is that it’s conversations like this I’ve been searching for.

Please enjoy, Kristi Faltorusso.

Key Takeaways

• Confidence can be fragile. Kristi opens up about how even with years of experience and external validation, her confidence can unravel with a single moment of doubt.
• Stereotypes run deep. Despite her authentic and vulnerable presence online, Kristi shares how people often misjudge her based on surface-level impressions—and how powerful it is when we prove those assumptions wrong.
• Grief changes everything. The loss of her brother in a motorcycle accident became one of the biggest forks in the road of her life, shifting her perspective and fueling her to live with intention.
• LinkedIn is more than a platform. For Kristi, it’s been a creative outlet, a community, and even a form of therapy. She shares how writing has helped her find her voice and connect more deeply with others.
• The dark side of alcohol. With over 800 days of sobriety, Kristi talks candidly about the decision to quit drinking, the cultural normalization of alcohol, and how giving it up has been one of the best decisions of her life.
• You don’t need a five-year plan. Instead of rigid goals, Kristi’s leaning into the unknown—welcoming the opportunities that show up when you bring your whole self to your life and your work.
• The people closest to you can hurt the most. She reflects on how deep family wounds still linger, and the ache that comes from not getting closure, even years later.
• Creativity is everywhere. From work emails to support tickets, Kristi finds inspiration all around her—and keeps a notebook nearby to capture ideas as they come.

Links & Resources

Kristi on LinkedIn

Kristi’s Website

Kristi’s “The Journey” Newsletter

She’s So Suite Podcast

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Stefanie Peachey, a therapist and mental health advocate about what’s been called, Trump anxiety.  Whether it’s tariffs or rhetoric around Canada becoming the 51st state, Canadians are feeling betrayed, bullied and pissed off.  And it’s taking a dramatic toll on our mental health.

I wanted to have this conversation because I have dear friends in the US, customers, and partners, and this is an elephant in the room I’ve been avoiding.  I don’t even like having the conversation with my Canadian friends because it’s so emotionally charged.  At work, we’re told never to talk politics, but here’s the thing - this is not a political issue.  It’s deeply personal, and it affects everyone differently.  

I’m recording this intro 4 days after Stefanie and I spoke, and there have already been 2 major changes in Trump’s position on tariffs.  If you think things will calm down, it won’t.  Nobody is coming to save us.  The current chaos of the day will simply be replaced by something else because that’s what bullies do.  Whether you like it or not, dealing with uncertainty and the anxiety people are feeling - is a core competency you need to build.

Stefanie gives us language for how we’re feeling and practical steps we can take to take back some control in our lives, and feel less powerless.   We also talk about the power of collective experiences like concerts and sports that bring us together and remind us that we’re all better than this.

Please enjoy, Stefanie Peachey.

Key Takeaways

• Stefanie highlights how many Canadians are experiencing a sense of collective trauma—not unlike emotional abuse in toxic relationships—with feelings of gaslighting, fear, and powerlessness triggered by political uncertainty.

• It’s not political, it’s personal. These issues are impacting people’s day-to-day lives, their sleep, their stress levels, and their relationships.

• Leaders don’t need to have all the answers—but they do need to acknowledge what’s going on and show their teams that they’re listening and paying attention.

• Self-care isn’t about spa days—it’s about the basics: drinking water, getting sleep, moving your body, and monitoring how your environment (including your media diet) impacts your emotions.

• Doom scrolling is real—and dangerous. Being intentional about your screen time (even removing passwords or deleting apps) can make a huge difference in your mental health.

• Quiet moments—whether sitting in a restaurant alone or going for a run—can be grounding. Learning to sit with our thoughts is a skill worth re-building.

• We need more collective joy. Concerts, hockey games, shared wins—these experiences remind us that we’re connected and help us feel less alone.

• Her billboard message? “This is tough. But so are you.” A powerful reminder that while we can't control everything, we are more resilient than we think.

Links & Resources

Stefanie Peachey Counselling

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Article: Trump, tariffs, stock market crash: Are politics and finances stressing you out?

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Drew Smith – a sailor, storyteller, and seeker who just completed a six-year voyage to the far side of the world on his 32-foot sailboat.

Drew set out to reach his antipode – the exact opposite point on Earth from where he was born. He’s got incredible stories, but the one that still haunts me is getting caught in a storm in 30 foot waves, 750 miles off the coast of Australia, in the middle of the night, all alone.

I grew up around boats and I could listen to Drew’s tales of nautical disaster for hours.  There are so many takeaways from this conversation.  But the most dramatic is this idea that not only can you spend your life consumed by these big goals that are never as satisfying as you think when you achieve them, but that you come back to a life, friends, a job that no longer fits. Everyone expects you to be the same person but you've changed.  You don’t need to sail around the world for years to know what this feels like.  If you’re working on yourself and sometimes feels weighted down by an old life that no longer serves you, you’ll love hearing how Drew is navigating his way back to a life that fits this new version of him. You’re never going to forget this conversation.

Batten down the hatches, and please enjoy, Drew Smith.

Key Takeaways

• Drew’s journey started with a question: what’s the farthest he could go from where he was born without leaving the planet? The answer became a six-year solo sailing mission to his geographical antipode.
• Growing up in a small town in eastern Canada, Drew developed a thirst for something bigger—and he's been chasing horizons ever since.
• Reaching your goal is never as satisfying as you think. The real reward is in the journey, the rhythm, and the self-discovery along the way.
• After years of wandering, Drew’s realizing that what he wants next isn’t distance—it’s community, purpose, and something that lasts.
• The scariest moment of his voyage? Being caught in a 10-meter swell 750 miles off the coast of Australia, completely alone, relying on gear he’d never tested in real-world conditions.
• Solo sailing is both isolating and deeply meditative. You become one with your boat, hyper-attuned to every sound, every shift in the wind, every creak of the hull.
• Coming home was harder than expected. The thrill of arrival fades fast, and the question quickly becomes: “Now what?”

Links & Resources

Drew on Instagram

Drew on TikTok

Jordan Series Drogue - A storm safety device used in extreme offshore conditions.

Ze Frank’s “Earth Sandwich” Concept - The fun idea that inspired Drew’s Earth Sandwich celebration at his antipode. 

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Syd "The Jewel" Vanderpool—former boxer with a pro record of 35-4 with 23 knockouts.  He was super middleweight champion and he did what virtually no boxers do - he walked away at the top of his game.  He now owns his own boxing gym, coaches Olympic athletes and works with business leaders to take what he learned in the ring to help them build thriving businesses of their own.

It’s hard to believe as I sit here in this comfy leather chair that Syd and I are the same species.  He had his first fight when he was 6 years old and spent his life getting in the ring with trained killers.  I’ve been in 2 fights in my life, they didn’t go well and I pretty much spent the rest of my life avoiding conflict.  But as Syd says, boxing isn’t about fighting - it’s about discipline, resilience and knowing when to stand your ground.  And that hit me right between the eyes.

Syd’s got some incredible stories from inside and outside the ring.  And he is a wisdom soundbite machine. Here are 2 I can’t get out of my head.

"If you don’t believe in yourself, no amount of training, coaching, or preparation will save you. At some point, you have to decide you belong."

"If you never feel like an imposter, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.” 

Man, this conversation really hit home.  

Please enjoy, Sid Vanderpool.

Links & Resources

• Sid Vanderpool’s Gym (SydFit Health Centre) – Boxing training for all levels, from beginners to elite athletes. 
• Boxing Gym Growth Academy – Coaching for gym owners to build successful businesses.
• Champion for Charity Boxing Event - Annual boxing event raising money for McMaster Children’s Hospital and other charities.

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook

Key Takeaways

• The making of "The Jewel" – How Sid got his nickname and why it represents more than just a catchy ring name.
• First fight at six years old?! – The wild story of how Sid’s boxing career started when his dad volunteered him on the spot.
• The mental and emotional game – Why fear, self-doubt, and emotional regulation play a bigger role in boxing (and life) than most people realize.
• Knowing when to walk away – How Sid made the rare, smart decision to retire before taking too much damage—a choice most fighters struggle with.
• What happened to boxing? – Why the sport isn’t in the spotlight like it was in the Ali and Tyson eras, and how UFC stepped in.
• Coaching beyond the ring – Sid’s work training not just fighters, but also gym owners and business leaders on discipline, strategy, and resilience.
• Stepping outside your comfort zone – Whether it’s boxing, business, or life, pushing past fear is where real growth happens.

Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Suzanne Kearns, a pilot, professor, and visionary in the future of aviation. I must admit, this might be the hardest intro I’ve ever had to write.  My job now is to give you 2-3 reasons to keep listening.  And no matter what I do, I can’t get it down to less than 10.

Suzanne's story is incredible—she started flying at 15, soloed on her 16th birthday, and was flying helicopters before she had a driver’s license.  She shares what it’s like to be a woman in an industry where still only 5% of pilots are women.  We talk about the collective trauma that the aviation community suffered when the entire industry shut down over the pandemic.  How it sparked a global conversation around sustainability for one of the most unsustainable industries on the planet.  

Suzanne’s passion for inspiring new generations of pilots is intoxicating.  She talks about how jetpacks and electric planes are not they’re all cracked up to be, but how electric air taxis like in the Jetsons are closer than you think.

I cannot get enough of this conversation, or of Suzanne.  

Please enjoy, Suzanne Kearns.

Links and Resources

Dr. Kearns at the University of Waterloo 

LinkedIn

Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) 

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

International Air Transport Association (IATA) 

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) 

What did you think of today's episode? We want to hear from you!

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Nic Sulsky— TV personality, tech entrepreneur, and the guy on a mission to revolutionize the sport of curling.

Nic is a character.  He went from hosting a kids' TV show to conning his way onto a sports talk show, to pioneering two fantasy sports companies to his latest challenge, making curling the biggest winter sport in the world.  Now if you think that sounds a little far-fetched, I’m with you.  But when you hear Nic’s passion for the game and his plans, you start thinking he could actually pull this off.

Nic’s talks about playing for Canada’s national rugby team in the Jewish Olympics, which I didn’t know was a thing.  He talks about the pain of watching one of his companies implode in 3 weeks.  And why he launched the Grand Slam of Karaoke to showcase the amazing athletes he wants to turn into superstars

I guarantee this conversation will change how you think about curling, which to be honest is not something I’ve thought much about at all.  But more than that, it’s about what’s possible when you find the courage to take big swings on what you care about most, and giving zero fucks about what anyone says about it.

Resources and Links

Grand Slam of Curling – Learn more about the premier curling series that Nick is working to transform. 

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter / X

Grand Slam of Karaoke – The fun event featuring curlers singing live on stage.

Alt Sports Data – The company helping to build live data and odds projection feeds for curling.

PointsBet – The international sports gaming company where Nick previously worked on expanding sports betting opportunities.

Waste Management Phoenix Open – The high-energy golf tournament that inspired some of the changes Nick wants to bring to curling.

Rick Rubin on Creativity – Nick references Rick Rubin’s philosophy on following an emotional charge to chase creativity.

• Book: The Creative Act: A Way of Being

The Maccabiah Games – Also known as the “Jewish Olympics,” where Nick represented Canada in rugby.

What did you think of today's episode? We want to hear from you!

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today we talk to Jim Estill, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with an incredible track record of building and scaling companies. He grew his first business to over $2 billion, sat on the founding board of BlackBerry during its meteoric rise, and after a career in tech and having earned the right to do anything he wanted - he decided to be the CEO of an appliance company. But what drew me to Jim wasn’t his business success—it was a video he posted about something he called Monk Mode. Trust me, you’re going to love it.

Jim provides a master class in leadership and entrepreneurship, and shares practical advice on time management, staying focused, building strong teams and the importance of using your wisdom over your work ethic as you get older.  Jim has been a vocal critic of the business community for not giving enough back.  And, he talks about how this leads to so many successful people struggling to find purpose even after they achieved everything they set out to do.  

I can’t tell you how many moments during this conversation I thought, holy shit I have to talk to Jill about that, I have to take that idea back to my clients, that’s a new habit I need to build, that’s a new question I can ask.  This was one of those rare conversations that bobs and weaves, goes in unexpected directions and somehow gives me exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my life.

Please enjoy, Jim Estill.

Key Takeaways

• Monk Mode & Digital Detox 
• The 20-Second Rule 
• The Power of Purpose 
• Philanthropy as a Business Advantage 
• Lessons from BlackBerry
• Applying Tech Speed to Traditional Industries 
• The Journey vs. The Destination
• Wisdom Over Work Ethic

Resources and Links 

• Danby Appliances 
• Website 
• LinkedIn 
• X 
• Medium

Books by Jim EstillZero to $2 Billion: The Marketing and Branding Story Behind the Growth

Time Leadership: Using the Secrets of Leadership for Time Management

Topics & Concepts MentionedThe 20-Second Rule – Concept from Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage

BlackBerry (2023) Movie

Communitech – Tech innovation hub co-founded by Jim Estill

Jim’s Refugee Sponsorship Initiative

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today, we talk to Michelle Stainton and Mikelle Ethier, two longtime friends and founders of the This is Perimenopause podcast. Half the population will spend nearly a third of their life dealing with this.  It’s messy, confusing and riddled with stigma - and they’re on a mission to fix that.

Michelle and Mikelle share their emotional and sometimes hilarious journeys through perimenopause.  We explore the systemic failures that have left women vulnerable to misinformation - from the patriarchy and sexism to a lack of research and medical education - and how people can take back control of their bodies and launch the best season of their life.

So whether you’re in it, coming up to it, supporting a partner through it, or just love weird conversations with powerful, inspiring women - I guarantee there is something here for you.  

Please enjoy Michelle and Mikelle.

Key Takeaways:

• What Perimenopause Actually Is: Perimenopause refers to the years leading up to menopause when fluctuating hormones can cause symptoms like hot flashes, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and more. Menopause itself is just one day—the one-year anniversary of your final period.
• The Knowledge Gap: Most women aren’t prepared for perimenopause, and even many doctors lack the training to provide appropriate care. The stigma around menopause and outdated medical practices have left millions of women to figure it out on their own.
• The Economic Impact: Symptoms of unmanaged menopause cost the Canadian economy an estimated $3.5 billion annually. Women are leaving jobs, turning down promotions, and struggling to maintain productivity because they lack support and solutions.
• Finding Purpose in the Chaos: Michelle and Mikelle believe perimenopause can be a gateway to a powerful new phase of life. They describe how it’s helped them shed old expectations, embrace their confidence, and step into a “no more f***s to give” mindset.
• The Importance of Advocacy: Doctors can only help if you give them the information they need. Track your symptoms, research treatment options, and come prepared to advocate for the care you deserve.
• A Glimmer of Hope: Menopause is finally “having a moment.” From grassroots advocacy to collaborations like This is Perimenopause’s work with Lume Women’s Health, the conversation is starting to change. But it’s still a long road to systemic improvements.
• Advice for Partners: Understanding that perimenopause is real, chaotic, and often overwhelming is key. Partners don’t need to “fix” things—just listen, support, and educate themselves.
• It’s Not Over—It’s Just Beginning: Michelle and Mikelle emphasize that perimenopause is a chance to start fresh. With better tools, knowledge, and confidence, this stage of life can be full of growth, purpose, and new possibilities.

Links & Resources 

• This is Perimenopause Podcast  - Available on all major podcast platforms.
• This Is Perimenopause Website
• Lume Women’s Health
• The Menopause Foundation of Canada
• The North American Menopa

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today I talk to Angie McQuillin, a speaker and coach that works with leaders to build their confidence to better connect with their teams.  Angie shares intimate stories of abusive relationships from her past and how setting boundaries helped her break toxic patterns and rediscover her self-worth.  She is a unique mix of kindness, vulnerability and 100% pure badassery.Angie talks about how we slowly lose our self-worth every time we put someone else’s needs above our own.  It’s not about being selfish, it’s about being clear and unapologetic about the things we will accept and the things we won't.  If you ever suffer from imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, dysfunctional relationships, or burnout - this conversation is for you.  And yeah, me too.Angie also gives me a crash course in roller derby, a sport that seems like a sadistic mix of hockey and Quidditch from Harry Potter - just a whole lot more violent.  She also shares inspiring stories of her nomadic life living in her van, and the heart-breaking loss of her dog Louie this year.This is one of my all-time favourite conversations.Please enjoy, Angie McQuillin.Key Takeaways

• Roller derby as a metaphor for life: Angie explains how being the “jammer” on the track taught her lessons in presence, teamwork, and courage.
• The importance of boundaries: Why setting and honouring your boundaries is foundational to self-respect and better relationships.
• Self-worth revolution: Angie shares how understanding her own values and setting boundaries transformed her relationships and career.
• Confidence is not what it seems: Even people who appear confident often struggle with boundaries, imposter syndrome, or fear of failure.
• How to start small: Tips for initiating tough conversations about boundaries with long-time friends or loved ones.
• Freedom through self-discovery: Angie’s insights on embracing the nomadic lifestyle and pursuing passions outside work.
• Healing through connection: The universal need for deeper connections and how avoiding vulnerability can lead to unhelpful coping mechanisms.
• Living authentically: The power of showing up as your full self and embracing all aspects of your identity—professional and personal.

ResourcesAngie’s Website Angie on LinkedIn Angie’s YouTube Channel

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today I talk to Diane Allen, an author and speaker that helps people find and keep their flow state. If you’re wondering what flow is exactly, you’re not alone.  In fact, Diane didn’t know it was a thing either until one day she lost it.  She shares the story of being on stage as a violinist, and she froze.  She couldn’t play.  It was that humiliation that sent her on a quest to understand what had happened. 

If you’re like me, you probably didn’t know there was a word for the flow state.  I heard it for the first time a year ago.  But I know you’ve felt it - those moments where time seems to stand still, your creative juices are flowing, and you’re getting more done in 20 minutes than you have in a week.

To me, it always seemed like magic.  I never knew when or how it would strike.  But it turns out you can control it, and conjure it whenever you want.  

Diane takes us through the science of the flow state and a 3-step process for managing it.

I love this idea.  And I’m obsessed with figuring this out.  

Just imagine what more we could do.

Please enjoy, Diane Allen.

Key Takeaways

• What is Flow? Diane defines flow as an optimal state of mind where distractions vanish, creativity flourishes, and you feel fearless and uninhibited.
• The Science of Flow: Learn about the brain’s role in flow, including the activation of feel-good hormones like dopamine and the silencing of the inner critic.
• Recognize Your Flow State: Diane explains the “Where, What, Why” framework to identify and replicate your unique flow experiences.
• The Power of Intention: Distractions are the biggest killers of flow. Diane shares tips on managing interruptions and creating a distraction-free environment.
• Flow and Mental Health: How accessing flow helps move you from languishing to flourishing, improving your overall well-being.
• Collaboration in Flow: Discover how flow can be contagious, inspiring teams to perform at their best through a ripple effect of energy.
• Making Flow Routine: Practical tips to prioritize and practice flow, so it becomes an integral part of your life.

Connect with Diane:

Diane’s TEDx Talk: Get Into Your Life Like a Musician Gets Into the Music

Diane’s Book: Flow - Unlock Your Genius and Love What You Do.  

Website https://dianeallen.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeallenspeaker/

Resources:

Adam Grant on languishing: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html

Book: Limitless by Jim Kwik

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.

Today I talk to Michelle Grocholosky, a CEO and speaker who works with leaders to build more diverse and inclusive companies.  She’s one of Canada’s top 40 under 40 and has been recognized as one of the top 100 most powerful women in the country. She’s kind of a big deal.I recently told a friend of mine that I was doing an episode on diversity and inclusion, and she said, “yeah that’s of no interest to me at all.”  I appreciate her honesty, and it reflects how a lot of people are feeling about this topic.  There is a lot of fatigue out there.Maybe that’s why I loved this conversation so much - Michelle is so different than any other leader I’ve heard on this topic.  She shares personal stories of how growing up in an intolerant household and working in a psychiatric hospital led her to her passion for this work.  But even as an expert in the field, she’s honest about having to combat her deeply rooted biases and stereotypes on a daily basis.You can’t control your first thought, but you can control your second.  I take a lot of comfort in that, because I have made a lot of questionable decisions and told a lot of bad jokes. These conversations are never easy, which is kind of the point.

Please enjoy, Michelle Grocholsky.Key Takeaways

• The DEI Dinner Analogy: Diversity is being invited, inclusion is feeling welcome, and equity is having access to enjoy the meal—each pillar is essential.
• Why Equity Lags Behind: Equity is often misunderstood as quotas when it’s really about fairness, removing barriers, and creating access for everyone.
• Overcoming Bias: You can’t control your first thought, but you can control your second. Curiosity and humility are powerful tools for growth.
• Unlearning and Relearning: Biases are often learned early, but through exposure and introspection, we can unlearn and build more inclusive perspectives.
• Navigating Discomfort: It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you’re willing to learn and adapt. Humility and compassion can create space for authentic dialogue.
• Shifting the Corporate Lens: When companies listen and act on feedback, they can create lasting, meaningful change for their employees and their bottom line.

Resources

• TED Talk: Michelle recently delivered a TED Talk at the University of Waterloo, highlighting stereotypes and strengths in the workplace.
• The Person You Mean to Be by Dolly Chugh.
• How to Be an Inclusive Leader by Jennifer Brown.

Connect with Michelle:LinkedInInstagram

Thank you for listening today. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Here is how you can connect with us at the Growth Mixtape podcast.

Connect with Bob Mathers

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Every other week, join your host Bob Mathers, keynote speaker for conversations designed to push you out of your comfort zone. Each episode delivers boundless insights and ideas that matter by inspiring you to get off autopilot and keep chasing curiosity.