Podcast

Thirty Minute Mentors

Business, Careers, Education, Self-Improvement

Leadership guru Adam Mendler goes one on one with America's most accomplished and insightful people on how they made it to the top and how you can too. Each episode features a wealth of practical, actionable advice from a leading CEO, founder, athlete, celebrity, influencer or general / admiral. Learn how to lead in today's landscape, become your best self and excel personally and professionally – in thirty minutes.

Episodes
356
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
39 min
On air since
2020
Latest episode
18 hours ago

Episodes

356 episodes, newest first

  1. Episode 356: Olympic Gold Medalist Amy Van Dyken

    Season 1, Episode 356

    Show notes

    Amy Van Dyken is a six-time Olympic gold medalist and the first American woman to win four gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Amy is also a leading disability advocate. Amy joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Amy and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: achieving greatness and peak performance, resilience, navigating highs and lows, leadership, motivation, mindset, and more.

    39 min
  2. Episode 355: Skybound Co-Founder and CEO David Alpert

    Season 1, Episode 355

    Show notes

    The co-founder and CEO of Skybound Entertainment, David Alpert is the executive producer of The Walking Dead, the most successful cable television show of all time, and Invincible, the number-one revenue-generating show on Prime Video. David joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. David and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, entrepreneurship, building successful relationships and partnerships, accountability, negotiations and dealmaking, and much more.

    40 min
  3. Episode 354: Senator John Breaux

    Season 1, Episode 354

    Show notes

    One of the top bipartisan dealmakers during his time in the United States Senate, Senator John Breaux represented Louisiana in Congress for more than three decades, including three terms in the Senate. Senator Breaux joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Senator Breaux and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, relationship-building, dealmaking, decision-making, and much more.

    34 min
  4. Episode 353: Guardian CEO Andrew McMahon

    Season 1, Episode 353

    Show notes

    A Fortune 500 CEO, Andrew McMahon is the CEO of Guardian Life, one of the largest insurance companies in America. Andrew joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Andrew and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, managing risks and navigating uncertainty, decision-making, impact, pressure, change, and more.

    38 min
  5. Episode 352: Grammy Award Winner Carly Pearce

    Season 1, Episode 352

    Show notes

    Carly Pearce is a Grammy Award-winning country music star who has won both CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and ACM Female Artist of the Year. Carly joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Carly and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: high performance, leadership, self-awareness, coachability, authenticity, creativity, resilience, balance, and more.

    31 min
  6. Episode 351: Former Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren

    Season 1, Episode 351

    Show notes

    A former Fortune 100 CEO, Terry Lundgren was the CEO of Macy's Inc., the parent company of Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Bluemercury, and was the CEO of Neiman Marcus. Terry joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Terry and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, team building, communication, how to turn skeptics into supporters, how to manage change and transformation, and much more.

    38 min
  7. Episode 350: General CQ Brown, Jr.

    Season 1, Episode 350

    Show notes

    General CQ Brown, Jr. is a retired four-star general who served as the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking officer in the United States military. General Brown previously served as Chief of Staff of the Air Force, becoming the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces. General Brown joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. General Brown and Adam discuss leadership, career success, approachability and relatability, crisis management, innovation, trust, and much more.

    40 min
  8. Episode 349: California Pizza Kitchen Co-Founder Rick Rosenfield

    Season 1, Episode 349

    Show notes

    Rick Rosenfield is the co-founder and former CEO of California Pizza Kitchen, a global restaurant company that generates nearly a billion dollars a year in revenue. Rick joins Adam to share his unique journey - from criminal defense lawyer to one of the restaurant industry's most successful entrepreneurs - and his best lessons and advice. Rick and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, hiring, culture, resilience, partnership, and much more.

    37 min
  9. Episode 348: Waymo Founder Sebastian Thrun

    Season 1, Episode 348

    Show notes

    Sebastian Thrun is the founder of Waymo, the market leader in the United States in autonomous driving. A pioneer in the fields of computer science, robotics, automation, education, and artificial intelligence, Sebastian is recognized as the godfather of the self-driving car industry. Sebastian is also the founder and former CEO of Udacity. Sebastian joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Sebastian and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: innovation, purpose, trust, decision-making, team building, AI, leadership, success, and much more.

    41 min
  10. Episode 347: Newell Brands CEO Chris Peterson

    Season 1, Episode 347

    Show notes

    Chris Peterson is the CEO of Newell Brands, a Fortune 500 consumer products company comprised of global brands including Sharpie, Rubbermaid, and Crock-Pot. Chris joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Chris and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, strategy, time management and balance, tackling a turnaround, communication, hiring, innovation, and more.

    39 min
  11. Episode 346: Techstars Co-Founder and CEO David Cohen

    Season 1, Episode 346

    Show notes

    David Cohen is the co-founder and CEO of Techstars, one of the largest and most successful startup accelerators in the world. Techstars has backed more than 5,000 companies - including 29 billion-dollar companies - that have a combined market cap of more than $145 billion. David joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. David and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, mentorship, communication and persuasion, innovation, intrinsic motivation, AI, and more.

    38 min
  12. Episode 345: Major League Soccer Founder Alan Rothenberg

    Season 1, Episode 345

    Show notes

    Alan Rothenberg led the growth of soccer in the United States. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Alan was the president of U.S. Soccer, the governing body of American soccer, where he oversaw the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 Women's World Cup and founded Major League Soccer. Alan joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Alan and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, authenticity, reputation, risk, and much more.

    43 min
  13. Episode 344: Former E*TRADE CEO Mitch Caplan

    Season 1, Episode 344

    Show notes

    Mitch Caplan was the CEO of E*TRADE, where he helped pioneer the first fully integrated online brokerage platform and led through the highest of highs (building a $3 billion business) and the lowest of lows (the 2008 financial crisis). Mitch is currently the CEO of Willow Wealth. Mitch joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Mitch and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, humility, collaboration, growth and scale, innovation, navigating crisis and chaos, and much more.

    41 min
  14. Episode 343: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Giraldo

    Season 1, Episode 343

    Show notes

    Neil Giraldo is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and a five-time Grammy winner. Neil has performed, written, and produced music that has sold more than 45 million records, most notably through his decades-long creative partnership with his wife and bandmate Pat Benatar. Neil joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Neil and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: the road to greatness, leadership, creativity, ego, evolution, and much more.

    35 min
  15. Episode 342: The Knot Worldwide CEO Raina Moskowitz

    Season 1, Episode 342

    Show notes

    Raina Moskowitz is the CEO of The Knot Worldwide, one of the largest and best-known companies in the wedding industry. Raina was previously the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Etsy. Raina joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Raina and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, team-building, career success, communication, community, trust, and more.

    39 min
  16. Episode 341: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

    Season 1, Episode 341

    Show notes

    Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has spent the past two decades serving in the United States Senate, where he is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and is a senior member of the Judiciary, Budget, and Finance Committees. Senator Whitehouse joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Senator Whitehouse and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, communication and persuasion, how to work with people you disagree with, and much more.

    35 min
  17. Episode 340: General Gary Brito

    Season 1, Episode 340

    Show notes

    General Gary Brito is a retired four-star general who was responsible for recruitment, retention, and training across the United States Army. General Brito was the Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 of the United States Army. General Brito joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. General Brito and Adam discuss leadership, motivation, career success, team-building, and much more.

    33 min
  18. Episode 339: Former MLB Star Ben Zobrist

    Season 1, Episode 339

    Show notes

    Ben Zobrist was a three-time All-Star, a two-time World Series Champion, a World Series MVP, and one of baseball's first super utility players. Ben joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Ben and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: the habits for success, versatility, developing mental toughness and a winning mindset, leadership, coaching, culture, performing under pressure, and more.

    43 min
  19. Episode 338: Poppi Co-Founder Allison Ellsworth

    Season 1, Episode 338

    Show notes

    Allison Ellsworth is the co-founder of Poppi. Allison joins Adam to share her journey building a multi-billion dollar brand and her best lessons and advice. Allison and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, passion, purpose, pushing your comfort zone, marketing, branding, balancing conviction with feedback, and more.

    36 min
  20. Episode 337: Headspace CEO Tom Pickett

    Season 1, Episode 337

    Show notes

    Tom Pickett is the CEO of Headspace, a market leader in the field of mental health, downloaded by more than 100 million people. Tom joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Tom and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, culture, hiring, AI, innovation, building a winning mindset, and more.

    35 min