Episode page with video, links, and more 

That story is Mike's favorite mistake, and it opens a candid conversation about what running a startup actually feels like when the cameras are off. Mike is the author of the new book Failure Is an Option: Reflections of a Silicon Valley CEO, and he doesn't filter out the hard parts.

We get into why the most common layoff mistake is cutting too little rather than too much, how staged cuts become a "death by a thousand cuts" that erodes a leader's credibility, and why luck and timing often matter more than the Silicon Valley meritocracy myth admits. Mike also makes a practical case for radical transparency -- about finances, lost deals, and failures -- as the way leaders earn the trust they'll need when things get hard.

If you lead a team and want an honest look at decision-making, psychological safety, and learning from mistakes, this one's for you.

Episode page for video, links, and more

It backfired. She got marked down for not being a "team player" and carried that mark on her record for the rest of her time at the firm.

The lesson Kate draws isn't that she should have stayed silent. It's that good intentions and zeal are not the same as effective action. The best ways to help people, she found, are often more sophisticated -- and when you're up against sophisticated actors who hold power over you, you need to bring equal sophistication.

Kate is a CEO coach, venture capitalist, and author of Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders. In this episode, she and host Mark Graban get into the difference between high standards and fear-based leadership, why psychological safety is about mutual trust rather than comfort, and how the quiet, "West Coast nice" version of fear-based leadership is harder to spot than the cartoonish yelling kind. Kate also explains her concept of reading a leader's "emotional age" to predict their behavior, and offers practical tactics for anyone stuck under a leader who rules through fear.

Episode page with video, links, and more

The moment of clarity came in a Boston job interview. A panel of consultants asked what he'd learned. He gave them practical tips. They told him that wasn't strategy. Sitting there, he realized he didn't actually know what the word meant. That category error -- mistaking a polished plan for a strategy -- is the mistake that eventually became The Lean Startup.

In this episode, Eric traces the line from that dorm-room failure to his new book, Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great. He argues that many of the so-called best practices founders are trained to follow aren't pillars of capitalism at all -- they're modern inventions with a poor track record. We get into the Whole Foods unraveling and why John Mackey couldn't simply cut prices, the prehistory of Costco through Sol Price's fiduciary duty to the customer, and what Jim Sinegal built into Costco's governance that has held for four CEOs and forty years. We also look at Novo Nordisk's industrial foundation structure -- a hundred-year-old design that makes companies six times more likely to survive fifty years -- and why most founders have never heard of it.

A conversation about strategy, structure, and the quiet ways good companies go bad.

Episode page with video, links, and more: http://markgraban.com/mistake352

He explains why he kept his Sesame job quiet, what changed when he saw "how the sausage is made," and how being laid off from the place he had always wanted to be reshaped his relationship with the work. He also walks through how Tough Pigs broke the Steve Whitmire/Kermit performer story in 2017, why he resists the rah-rah instinct most fan sites default to, and why he thinks the new 50th anniversary Muppet Show special worked when so many recent reinventions did not.

Along the way, Joe and Mark get into the marketing miscalculations behind Muppets Most Wanted, the case for more Muppet specials instead of full seasons, and the genuine joy you can see on a celebrity's face when they get to share a chair with Kermit. For leaders, it's a thoughtful look at the cost of fusing identity with employer -- and what it takes to keep enough distance from the things you love to think clearly about them.

Episode page with links and more

At a global leadership meeting, Deb presented her plan to turn around the worst-performing region in her company by leading differently rather than firefighting harder. Her peers loved it. Her boss told her she had spent too much time on her leadership style and not enough on tactics. She left the room deflated. Eighteen months later, her region had moved from fourth out of four to second - by focusing on her people's confidence, capability, and capacity instead of working them harder.

The deeper mistake, she tells Mark, wasn't the presentation itself. It was skipping the change management step of running her new thinking past her boss first - and later, staying in a role longer than she should have because the title felt like security. The conversation also covers her lift-light-lead framework, why "you shouldn't have said that" is the wrong response to an employee speaking up, and the argument behind her new book: peace of mind is a leadership outcome worth more than the next quarter's results.

Episode page with video, links, and more

We get into the real cost of staying quiet when you're new, the difference between listening to your team and being silenced by them, and the Aaron Sorkin line about surrounding yourself with smart people who disagree with you. Jesse also shares a cautionary tale about volunteering for a role he wasn't ready for, and what he changed about how he chooses opportunities now.

The conversation moves into what psychological safety actually looks like day to day - treating new ideas as honest experiments rather than ego defense, and making sure team members feel heard even when their advice isn't taken. We close with a stretch of podcasting craft (forgetting to hit record, scheduling buffers, the value of embracing tangents) plus tangents of our own on Bruce Springsteen, the misunderstood patriotism of "Born in the U.S.A.," and Spinal Tap.

If you've ever walked into a new role with ideas and quietly let them die in the face of "that won't work here," this episode will give you a sharper way to think about when to push and when to listen.

Episode page with links, video, and more

Melisa's favorite mistake is one she didn't recognize until ten years after the fact. After publishing her first book while juggling a full-time job, teaching, and raising her son as a single parent, she was exhausted -- so she did nothing to market or promote it. She told herself she had earned the rest. What she actually did, she now sees, was choose invisibility. The lesson wasn't that rest is bad. It was that she had mis-timed it, treating rest as the finish line instead of part of the cycle.

In this conversation, Mark and Melisa get into why platitudes like "fail fast" and "fail forward" tend to fall flat, why pre-mortems can prevent faceplants that postmortems can't, and the four autopilot reactions Melisa calls the Conspirators -- the machine, the magician, the statue, and the satellite. They also explore how separating the facts of a failure from the story we tell ourselves about it is often the difference between getting stuck and getting free, what happens when organizations inadvertently create cultures where failure isn't safe, and how AI can be a thinking partner in problem solving rather than a replacement.

Episode page with links, video, and more

In this conversation with Mark Graban on My Favorite Mistake, Joel takes apart what actually went wrong. It wasn't the concept - healthy fast food was ahead of its time. It was that he had set the wrong metric. He was measuring growth instead of profitability. He was doing every job himself. And when warning signs appeared (literally, as sewage backing up four feet high in the middle of a lunch rush), he kept going.

Joel shares the moment he finally took off the blinders, the catatonic stretch that followed, and how he rebuilt - first into a successful financial services firm, and now as the author of Life Switch: How to Experience the Power of Living On. He explains what it means to live "on" versus "off," why he designed a $1 million charitable commitment into the book itself, and what he tells high achievers - including pro athletes - who are trying to figure out what comes next.

A thoughtful conversation about founder blinders, the trap of confusing growth with success, and the psychology of coming back after a public failure.

Episode page with links, video, and more

That decision cost her years of income and impact. The turning point came at a conference where she asked a room full of hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs what would happen to the families whose jobs AI would eliminate. Most couldn't answer. But one woman told her, "The fact that you asked that question is the very reason you have to lean into AI -- because AI is now driven by people who do not ask those questions."

From there, Irna started using AI not as a search engine but as a thinking partner. She applied chain of thought reasoning to surface limiting beliefs she had carried for years -- about money, about success, about whether someone who loves Greek tragedies belongs in technology. Through those conversations, she arrived at a personal mission: to be a creator, creating something she enjoys, that people will pay for, and that makes the world a better place.

We also talk about what blockchain actually is beyond crypto, why only 6.4% of blockchain VC goes to women-led companies, and why AI, blockchain, and quantum computing need more diverse voices building them.

Episode page with links, video, and more 

Andy is CEO of Virtual Inc. and author of Lead Like the Boss: The Bruce Springsteen Framework to Elevating Your Leadership. His favorite mistake goes back to 2006, when his team created an Uncle Sam-style "We Want You" marketing campaign for a global organization -- then got a call from their Japanese partner pointing out that American World War II propaganda doesn't exactly resonate in Tokyo. The campaign was already far along, forcing a sharp pivot and a lasting lesson about what happens when you view your audience through a single cultural lens.

From there, we dig into the ideas at the heart of his book: why communication isn't just a leadership skill but is leadership itself, the "think, feel, do" framework for making sure your message actually lands, and why a well-intentioned company cafeteria policy once drove employees to quit. Andy also shares why Tom Peters was right that leadership is a performance, how self-awareness matters more than fixing every weakness, and what it means when Springsteen shakes every band member's hand at the end of every show.

Episode page with links, video, and more

The first was a performing arts collective that grew to 20 people before the economics collapsed. The second was a mental health app for young girls experiencing harassment on social media -- grant-funded, scrappy, and gaining real traction -- until a cross-country move, a young son, no childcare, and an eroded sense of self-worth made it impossible to continue. She never set up a single investor meeting. That one, she says, was the hardest to recover from.

What she learned from both failures shaped her book, The Five Habits of Hope -- and a sharp distinction she draws between hope and resilience. Resilience, as she sees it, has been co-opted by a push-past-it culture that encourages people to power through without addressing root causes. Hope is different. It's a cognitive science with measurable predictors of success: more collaboration, better problem-solving, greater willingness to adapt. Hopeful teams outperform resilient ones -- and leaders who build emotionally safe environments are the reason people stay.

Dr. Garcia also turns the tables mid-episode, walking host Mark Graban through a live coaching exercise on honesty, self-worth, and the feelings we suppress instead of process. It's one of the more candid moments the show has had.

Episode page with video, transcript, links and more 

The turning point came when Mike encountered W. Edwards Deming's work at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a sales leader told him bluntly that the organization felt like it was always looking for someone to blame. Deming's Point 8 -- drive fear out of the workplace -- made it clear: humor without respect underneath it creates the conditions for people to hide problems from leadership.

Mike shares the framework he now uses to test whether values are actually working, how Endsight replaced blame with problem registers, value stream managers, and A3 thinking, and why command-and-control leadership turns teams into panicked prey animals instead of coordinated predators. Drawing on Primed to Perform by Doshi and McGregor, he explains the motive spectrum from play to inertia -- and why fear-based management guarantees low performance.

Episode page with links, video, and more

That blunt feedback could have been a setback. Instead, it became the catalyst for a complete transformation. Kendall spent a year building structured templates for the soft skills nobody had ever taught her -- how to make small talk, how to disagree without being dismissive, how to advocate for her own work -- and went from stuck at the manager level to earning five promotions in six years.

In this episode, Kendall shares her favorite mistake and what she learned about the real reasons people get promoted (and don't). We talk about why "playing politics" deserves a reframe, why nobody actually wants to work in a true meritocracy, and the "acknowledge and respond" technique that changes how people receive your ideas. She also shares how she turned a team of 17 underperformers into high performers by giving them something most managers never provide: structure for soft skills.

Kendall Berg is an internationally published author, TEDx speaker, and career coach. Her book is Secrets of the Career Game: 36 Strategies to Get Ahead In Your Career. Her TEDx talk is The Clash of the Generations. Find her at ThatCareerCoach.net.

Episode page with links and more

In this episode, Patrick shares the mindset shift that had to happen before any strategy could work, how he turned blindness from a perceived liability into a genuine competitive advantage, and what actually separates leaders people want to follow from managers who just have a title.

What you'll learn:

• Why trial and error is the most expensive way to learn -- and what to do instead
• How mindset has to come before strategy in any coaching relationship
• What real leaders do differently when things go wrong
• How to coach people through excuses without damaging the relationship
• What procrastination is really telling you -- and how to interrupt it
• What to do (and not do) when you encounter a guide dog in public

Patrick Engasser is the bestselling author of "If I Can Do It, You Can Do It" and a business coach and motivational speaker who built a seven-figure sales team after starting from zero.

Episode page with transcript, links, and more 

Jen is a sports geographer, tech founder, TEDx speaker, and author of I Said No: A No-Nonsense Guide to Setting Boundaries, Speaking Up, and Having a Backbone Without Being a Jerk. In this conversation, she draws on her background as a college volleyball coach, tech founder, and conflict expert to break down what leaders and teams get wrong about conflict, feedback, and boundaries.

We dig into why niceness gets weaponized to keep people quiet, why kindness requires accountability, and why people pleasing quietly ruins reputations and results. Jen explains why conflict-avoidant bosses create conflict-avoidant cultures, why anonymous feedback does more harm than good, and the critical difference between being defensive and defending yourself. She also shares what she saw on a high school volleyball video that she wishes she could burn -- and what it taught her about being a better teammate and leader.

Baseball has always made room for human error. Umpires miss calls. Fans complain. Life goes on.

But this season, MLB is rolling out the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system -- ABS -- giving teams two challenges per game to contest ball-and-strike calls.

The idea is to reduce bad calls. The likely side effect is a whole new category of mistakes.

In this "Mistake of the Week," Mark Graban looks at what happens when correcting human error depends on another human decision -- and what one anonymous coach predicted, vividly, about how this will play out.

Episode page with links, video, and more

Dr. Evans shares a deeply personal “mistake” — giving up his dream of working in global health abroad to take what he thought was a conventional job in the United States. That decision led him to work with Native American communities in Wyoming, build refugee health programs in New York, and serve in leadership roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. What initially felt like a detour ultimately shaped his career and mission.

The conversation explores the politicization of public health, the erosion of trust in expertise, and why solidarity among healthcare professionals may be essential to restoring confidence. Dr. Evans reflects on lessons from seatbelt laws, smoking reduction, and pandemic response — and why public health measures are fundamentally about protecting communities, not restricting individuals.

They also discuss how scientific understanding evolves, how leaders can communicate uncertainty responsibly, and why learning — not blame — must guide how we respond to mistakes.

A small, human slip led to a big, icy problem in a neighborhood in northwest China. After a woman forgot to turn off the tap on her solar water heater, water flowed unnoticed for nine hours — and overnight temperatures turned the street outside into an accidental skating rink.

In this episode of Mistake of the Week, we look past blame and shame to ask a better question: why did the system require perfect memory, instead of detecting the problem or shutting itself off?

It’s a story about water leaks, design flaws, and how small mistakes can spread when systems aren’t built to catch them early — along with practical lessons for our own homes about alarms, automatic shutoffs, and mistake-proofing everyday risks.

Source news story

Episode page with links, video, and more

For years, Genevieve defined winning by revenue and results. Pressure was normal. Constant pivoting felt strategic. Intensity was rewarded. The numbers came in — but so did exhaustion, turnover, and a culture operating in fight-or-flight mode.

In this conversation, we explore the hidden cost of performance-at-all-costs leadership, the neuroscience behind fear-driven decision-making, and why teams don’t always tell leaders the truth when the environment feels unsafe. Genevieve shares what changed for her and how she now helps ambitious leaders build sustainable success without burnout.

If you’ve ever sensed that strong results were masking deeper misalignment, this episode will resonate.

And her medal fell off.

She later joked, “Don’t jump in them… I was jumping in excitement and it broke,” adding that it was “not, like, crazy broken. But, a little broken.” Other athletes experienced similar ribbon failures during their celebrations.

In this episode of Mistake of the Week, Mark Graban looks at what happens when a system fails during the very moment it’s designed to support — and why it’s encouraging that Olympic officials acknowledged the problem instead of blaming the athletes.

Because if your medal can’t survive celebration… what exactly was it tested for?

This episode explores:

• Designing for real human behavior (including joy)

• The importance of testing under realistic conditions

• Why admitting a flaw beats assigning blame

• What organizations can learn from a broken ribbon

In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, U.S. Marine Corps officer and leadership mentor Olaolu Ogunyemi shares a defining moment early in his career—recognizing that his leadership style, while well-intended, crossed a line and made a Marine cry.

Episode page with links, video, and more

Rather than defending his authority, Olaolu reflects on the gap between intent and impact, and how that moment forced him to rethink what effective leadership really looks like. We talk about learning from mistakes, the difference between fear-based compliance and true accountability, and why psychological safety is essential—even (and especially) in high-pressure environments like the military.

This conversation explores how leaders grow when they confront mistakes honestly, respond with humility, and commit to changing their behavior—not just their words.

In this Mistake of the Week, host Mark Graban looks at a real-world systems failure that affected hundreds of drivers across the Denver metro area. Due to an upstream error at a fuel terminal, diesel fuel was mistakenly delivered into the gasoline supply—leading to stalled cars, tow trucks, and costly repairs.

Instead of rushing to blame or punishment, Colorado regulators emphasized learning, investigation, and prevention. That response matters—and it offers an important lesson about mistake-proofing, system design, and leadership.

In this episode, Mark explores:

• Why focusing on who made the mistake misses the real problem

• How mistake-proofing works—and where it often fails

• Why downstream safeguards can’t fix upstream system errors

• What leaders can learn from choosing curiosity over blame

Mistakes like this are disruptive and expensive—but they also create an opportunity to improve systems so the same error doesn’t happen again.

He believes the real failure is repeating the same mistake without fixing it.

Episode page with links, video, and more

In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, Ray shares leadership lessons from nearly four decades running Micrel, including why popular slogans like “fail fast, fail often” can actually normalize bad habits, how leaders unintentionally punish learning, and what it takes to build a culture focused on honesty, accountability, and fast problem-solving instead of blame.

Ray also reflects on how losing his eyesight in his late 50s fundamentally changed the way he led—forcing him to listen more deeply, trust others more fully, and become a more empathetic leader. Those experiences shaped his approach to leadership and his latest book, The Essential Leader.

If you care about learning from mistakes, building strong cultures, and leading without fear or ego, this conversation will challenge—and sharpen—your thinking.

In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, Mark Graban is joined by Amy Rasdal, founder of Billable at the Beach and author of Land a Consulting Project Now. Amy shares her favorite mistake from the early days of consulting: undercharging for her work because of fear, even when she knew she was worth more.

Amy explains how that moment became a “gateway mistake,” leading her to better understand pricing, confidence, and the hidden beliefs that hold many accomplished professionals back. The conversation explores why undercharging is so common, how fear shows up in pricing conversations, and why selling out your time at a discount can quietly limit long-term success.

This episode is especially relevant for consultants, freelancers, and professionals considering a move from corporate life into independent work.

🔗 Full show notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake336

In this episode of The Mistake of the Week, Mark Graban examines why suspensions and discipline don’t guarantee improvement — and how gaps between written procedures and real work create hidden risk.

Punishment may feel like accountability, but without fixing the system, the same harm remains possible.

Episode page with video, links, and more

My guest for Episode #335 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kevin Hipes, an entrepreneur, author, and former city commissioner who’s been called the “New York Forrest Gump” because of the many lives he’s lived.

Kevin shares the story of one of his biggest—and most unforgettable—business mistakes: buying an oil tanker in the Caribbean. What began as a seemingly foolproof investment with a strong pro forma turned into a cascade of unexpected challenges, including regulatory changes, ethical dilemmas, geopolitical risk, and international drama.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why smart people still make big business mistakes

• How external forces can derail even the best plans

• Learning from failure instead of hiding from it

• Resilience after financial and emotional setbacks

• The importance of mental health awareness for leaders and entrepreneurs

Kevin’s story is funny, sobering, and deeply human—and a powerful reminder that mistakes don’t define us unless we refuse to learn from them.

More than you might expect.

In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, Mark Graban tells the true story of McArthur Wheeler, a man who believed that rubbing lemon juice on his face would make him invisible to security cameras. Confident in his reasoning—and even more confident in his ability to test it—Wheeler walked into two Pittsburgh banks in broad daylight, fully exposed, certain that his citrus-based logic would protect him.

It didn’t.

When police later showed him clear surveillance photos, Wheeler’s stunned response became legendary: “But I wore the juice.”

That moment caught the attention of psychologist David Dunning, who saw in Wheeler’s mistake something deeper than criminal incompetence. Along with Justin Kruger, Dunning went on to study how people with low skill often lack the awareness to recognize their own limitations—research that became known as the Dunning–Kruger Effect.

This episode explores the layered nature of mistakes: flawed assumptions, poorly designed tests, and the dangerous certainty that both are correct. It’s not a story about stupidity. It’s a story about human blind spots—and how easily confidence can outrun competence.

Whether in leadership, work, or everyday life, the lesson is universal: it’s not enough to test our ideas. We also have to test how we test them.

Because some of the most convincing mistakes are the ones that feel like proof.

Angie Callen — founder of Career Bend, host of No More Mondays, and author of Scary Good: Discovering Life Beyond the Sunday Scaries — shares why choosing engineering school became her favorite mistake.

In this episode, Angie reflects on becoming an engineer despite being deeply people-oriented, how that decision shaped her thinking, and why mistakes that “don’t fit” often unlock clarity, confidence, and unexpected opportunity.

Mark and Angie discuss career transitions, Sunday Scaries, confidence built through action (not perfection), the difference between empathy and compassion, and why so many high performers stay stuck in roles that no longer align with who they are.

This conversation explores how mistakes can become catalysts — not failures — and why meaningful work starts with understanding yourself, not following default paths.

Mark Graban explores what this moment teaches about automation, human fallibility, and the danger of relying on memory in systems that affect people’s livelihoods. Instead of asking, “Who pressed the wrong button?”, the real question is, “Why was this mistake even possible?”

A funny story now, but a real lesson in error-proofing or the lack thereof.

Because even when no one’s actually fired, the fear can linger long after the email is retracted.

Episode page with transcript, video, and more

Jason shares hard-earned lessons about choosing co-founders, distinguishing “smart money” from money alone, and why MVPs should accelerate learning rather than encourage overbuilding. The conversation explores judgment, incentives, and alignment through a Lean lens — showing how optimism, unchecked assumptions, and unclear decision rights can undermine even strong ideas.

This episode is especially relevant for founders, leaders, and anyone working under uncertainty who wants to turn mistakes into insight instead of regret.

Drawing on behavioral psychology and leadership examples, the episode connects failed personal resolutions to common organizational mistakes: big announcements, ambitious targets, and too little attention to system design and psychological safety.

The takeaway is practical and actionable: instead of trying to boost motivation or eliminate human error, leaders should focus on making the right choices easier and the wrong ones harder—starting small, iterating, and learning forward instead of blaming backward.

In this episode, Mark Graban breaks down why even the greatest coaches make mistakes, what Saban learned from the moment, and how leaders can turn high-pressure missteps into opportunities for trust and growth.

Perfect for listeners interested in leadership, football, coaching, and the psychology of mistakes.

Originally titled One Horse Open Sleigh, the song debuted at a Thanksgiving church service in the 1850s and was inspired not by Santa or reindeer, but by noisy, fast sleigh races in Medford, Massachusetts. No Christmas trees. No North Pole. Just winter racing, youthful chaos, and a catchy melody.

Over the decades, repetition turned assumption into “truth,” and a Thanksgiving song quietly shifted into a holiday anthem. It’s a perfect example of how knowledge mistakes spread — harmless, familiar, and rarely examined.

In this 3–4 minute episode, Mark explains:

• Why Jingle Bells was never meant to be a Christmas song

• How repetition and cultural habit transformed it anyway

• What this teaches us about assumptions, organizational habits, and the stories we never question

• Why small knowledge mistakes can persist for generations

If you care about learning, improvement, and understanding how mistaken beliefs take root, this episode offers a fun seasonal reminder: even our most cherished “facts” deserve a second look.

Episode page with links, video, transcript, and more

Josh shares the most painful mistake of his professional life: entering a business partnership without doing the proper due diligence. What followed was a cascade of red flags — Medicare violations, skimming, financial misconduct, and even a $3.4 million bribe offer he refused. The ordeal ultimately cost him nearly $5 million and forced him to rebuild his career and life with integrity front and center.

In our discussion, Josh explains how this experience reshaped his understanding of leadership, accountability, and courage — especially in systems where incentives can push good people toward dangerous choices. He also reflects on two decades in emergency medicine, including the structural failures that helped fuel the opioid crisis and the pressures physicians faced to prescribe narcotics.

Josh shares why he wrote Be the Weight Behind the Spear and his new children’s leadership book The Heart of a Leader, and why he believes character development must start far earlier than most of us realize. We close with his decision to run for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina in 2028 — a move grounded in service, accountability, and a desire to strengthen public leadership.

This episode explores integrity, systemic failure, resilience, and the lessons we carry forward after a mistake that changes everything.

In this Mistake of the Week, Mark Graban unpacks how such devastating but preventable errors happen — and why “being careful” isn’t a real safeguard. Drawing on past lab mix-ups he’s written about, Mark explores how system design, workload pressure, and weak error-proofing make these tragedies almost inevitable.

This isn’t about bad people or careless workers. It’s about fragile systems — and how hospitals can build processes that catch mistakes before they reach the patient. Because real safety starts with learning, not blaming.

Episode page with transcript, video, and more

Andy shares a remarkable early-career mistake from his time producing NBC News war coverage with Lester Holt. A young staffer accidentally loaded last week’s script into the teleprompter, and Holt began reading it live on air. Andy, brand new to this type of broadcast, immediately assumed he’d face humiliation or even get fired. Instead, Holt responded with total calm, poise, and kindness—transforming what could have been a career-ending disaster into a lasting lesson on leadership.

That moment stands in sharp contrast to the bully bosses Andy encountered throughout his media career. We talk about how bullying shows up in subtle and overt ways, why high performers are often targeted, and how toxic leadership harms morale, performance, and even physical and mental health. Andy explains what recovery looks like and why his book is dedicated to helping people cope with, heal from, and navigate workplaces where bullying is tolerated or ignored.

• The wrong-script live TV moment with Lester Holt • Why calm leadership builds psychological safety • The emotional impact of bully bosses • Why bullying thrives in high-pressure environments • How bullying follows people home and affects well-being • What recovery looks like for targets of workplace bullying • Why Andy wrote Surviving Bully Culture

Andy Regal’s website & book pre-order: https://www.andyregal.com

Mark explores why these near-misses are less about individual oversight and more about systems built to detect — and correct — human error. From checklists to cockpit warnings to the decision to go around instead of pushing forward, this episode highlights why safety depends on catching mistakes early, not pretending they don't happen.

My guest for Episode #330 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Debra Clary, a leadership strategist, researcher, and executive coach with more than four decades of experience at organizations including Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s, and Humana.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

She’s also a TEDx speaker, former off-Broadway performer, and the author of the new book The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions.

In this episode, Debra shares one of her favorite mistakes—an unexpected wrong train stop in Italy that turned into a memorable discovery—and how that happy accident helped shape her approach to curiosity, flexibility, and exploring the unexpected. That theme carries through the conversation as Debra and I discuss how curiosity shows up in leadership, why assumptions can derail teams, and why “having the answers” is often the wrong place to start.

Debra walks us through the research behind The Curiosity Curve, including how her team developed a validated diagnostic for measuring curiosity and what they learned about its connection to engagement, retention, innovation, and decision speed. She shares practical examples of how leaders unintentionally shut down curiosity and how small shifts in inquiry can unlock better thinking and stronger team performance.

We also explore how curiosity interacts with psychological safety, how leaders can avoid the trap of reflexive certainty, and why curiosity becomes even more important in high-pressure or high-uncertainty situations. Debra closes by discussing the role curiosity plays in an AI-driven world—why it remains uniquely human, and how tools like AI can actually help people deepen their inquiry rather than replace it.

If you’re interested in how leaders can cultivate better questions, better conversations, and better outcomes, this episode will spark ideas you can put to use right away.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Were there similar moments in your career where a “missed stop” led to an unexpected opportunity?
• Was starting as a Frito-Lay route driver a deliberate development path, or was that unusual?
• Where did your passion for curiosity begin?
• Is there a way to gauge curiosity in a team or organization?
• How do you measure something like curiosity in a meaningful way?
• How do you help leaders learn to be more curious instead of just telling people to “be curious”?
• When hiring, is it better to select already-curious people or rely on the culture to develop curiosity?
• Is there such a thing as too much curiosity—can it slow execution or decision-making?
• From your research or coaching, what’s an example of curiosity being missing and causing problems?
• How do you help leaders understand that curiosity and psychological safety are building blocks for innovation—not optional extras?
• Do you see leaders struggle with the difference between knowing, assuming, and figuring things out?
• In urgent or high-pressure situations, does stress make it harder for people to stay curious?
• Do you have examples where curiosity helped prevent a small mistake from turning into a big one?
• Have you seen situations where people used questions in unhelpful or critical ways while claiming they were being “curious”?
• How do you think about Ed Schein’s idea of humble inquiry?
• Can AI replace curiosity—or does curiosity still give humans a unique advantage?
• Can interacting with AI actually help people strengthen their curiosity?

My guest for Episode #329 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller, a TEDx speaker, empathy and leadership expert, and author of The Empathic Leader: How EQ via Empathy Transforms Leadership for Better Profit, Productivity, and Innovation.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Melissa shares the story of her “favorite mistake” — leaving her music and academic career after experiencing a toxic culture and institutional failure to protect her following an assault by a colleague. What began as heartbreak became the foundation for her life’s work: helping leaders build empathy, trust, and psychologically safe workplaces.

We discuss how empathy differs from sympathy and compassion, and why leaders often misunderstand empathy as weakness. Melissa explains why true empathy isn’t about being nice—it’s about being kind—and how self-empathy is the first step toward leading others effectively.

Her framework for self-empathy includes observing, reflecting, building awareness, and practicing compassion toward oneself. That self-understanding helps leaders respond constructively when mistakes happen—creating cultures where learning and accountability can thrive.

“Empathy isn’t soft. It’s kind.” “Empathy doesn’t mean no boundaries—it means understanding through another’s perspective.”

Melissa also discusses findings from her doctoral research in interdisciplinary leadership at Creighton University and her viral TEDx Talk on self-empathy and self-judgment, which has drawn tens of thousands of views within days of release.

Supportive coaching, timely correction, and a friendly playing environment turned an awkward mistake into a productive one. Mark reflects on why unlearning is often harder than learning, and how leaders can create conditions where people feel safe enough to improve.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

It was such a privilege to talk with them then, and even more meaningful now, because I recently got to spend time with Mr. Yoshino in Japan last October during Katie’s Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn experience. Seeing him there — humble, curious, and still passionate about developing others — really reinforced everything we talked about in that episode.

Mr. Yoshino shared a story from early in his Toyota career, when a mistake on the shop floor could have led to punishment, but instead led to learning. His leaders didn’t blame him — they worked with him to fix the system. That experience shaped how he led and coached for decades.

Katie shared her own favorite mistake — a story about feedback early in her career that helped her realize the power of listening, asking questions, and helping others find their own answers.

Together, we explored what it means to create a culture where people feel safe to learn, improve, and grow — the kind of culture that turns mistakes into progress.

My guest for Episode #328 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Emily Aborn, a small business copywriter, speaker, and host of the Small Business Casual podcast.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Emily helps entrepreneurs bring clarity, creativity, and authenticity to their marketing. Before finding her true calling, she owned a brick-and-mortar organic mattress store—a business that looked great on paper but didn’t align with her passions or strengths.

Emily shares how this “perfect-on-paper” business became her favorite mistake. Though the store was profitable, she found herself feeling trapped, unfulfilled, and disconnected from the work she truly loved. Through closing that chapter, Emily discovered what she actually enjoyed most—writing, connection, and storytelling—and turned those insights into a business built around her natural skills.

Today, Emily works with entrepreneurs across industries to find their authentic voice and create meaningful marketing. In this episode, she and Mark explore lessons about self-awareness, alignment, and how mistakes can guide us toward a more fulfilling path. Emily also shares practical insights on copywriting, understanding your audience, and why genuine collaboration beats fear-based marketing every time.

• What was your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• Why did that business seem like such a good idea on paper?
• What made you realize it wasn’t the right fit?
• How did running that store help you discover your passion for copywriting?
• What were some of the marketing lessons you learned from that experience?
• What are the most common copywriting or branding mistakes you see small businesses make?
• How can business owners find and express their authentic voice in their marketing?
• What are “problem-aware,” “solution-aware,” and “symptom-aware” customers—and why does that matter?
• How do you approach repurposing content the right way instead of just copying and pasting?
• What has hosting your own podcast taught you about communication and creativity?
• Have you ever made a memorable mistake as a podcaster yourself?

My guest for Episode #327 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Maya Ackerman, AI pioneer, researcher, and CEO of WaveAI. She’s also an associate professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Santa Clara University and the author of the new book Creative Machines: AI, Art, and Us.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

In this episode, Maya shares her favorite mistake — one that changed how she builds technology and thinks about creativity. Early in her journey as an entrepreneur, her team at WaveAI created an ambitious product called “Alicia,” designed to assist with every step of music creation. But in trying to help too much, they accidentally took freedom away from users. That experience inspired her concept of “humble AI” — systems that step back, listen, and support human creativity rather than take over.

Maya describes how that lesson led to their breakthrough success with Lyric Studio, an AI songwriting tool that empowers millions of artists by helping them create while staying true to their own voices. She also shares insights from her research on human-centered design, the philosophy behind generative models, and why we should build AI that’s more collaborative than competitive.

Together, we discuss why mistakes — whether made by people or machines — can spark innovation, and how being more forgiving toward imperfection can help both leaders and creators thrive.

“If AI is meant to be human-centric, it must be humble. Its job is to elevate people, not replace them.” — Maya Ackerman

“Who decided machines have to be perfect? It’s a ridiculous expectation — and a limiting one.” — Maya Ackerman

• What was your favorite mistake — and what did you learn from it?
• What went wrong with your second product, “ALYSIA,” and how did that shape your later success?
• How did you discover the concept of “humble creative machines”?
• What makes Lyric Studio different from general AI tools like ChatGPT?
• How do you design AI that supports — rather than replaces — human creativity?
• What’s the real difference between AI and a traditional algorithm?
• How do you think about ethical concerns, like AI imitating living artists?
• What do you mean by human-centered AI — and how can we build it?
• Why do AI systems “hallucinate,” and can those mistakes actually be useful?
• How can embracing mistakes — human or machine — lead to more creativity and innovation?
• What are your thoughts on AI’s future — should we be hopeful or concerned?

My guest for Episode #326 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. William Harvey, a manufacturing executive and university professor whose career is defined by developing people, strengthening systems, and driving organizational excellence. A proud U.S. Marine, William carries forward a deep tradition of service and leadership. He also serves as the chair for the 2026 AME International Conference in Milwaukee, hosted by the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME).

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO AND MORE

William shares a powerful early-career story about a mistake that taught him lasting lessons about trust, humility, and psychological safety. When he accidentally derailed a customer order by taking home the wrong document, he feared the worst. Instead, his manager’s calm and compassionate response—and a customer’s extraordinary effort to make things right—changed how William thought about leadership forever.

Over time, William applied those lessons to how he leads teams and builds culture. He believes that leaders go first—by admitting mistakes, showing vulnerability, and creating space for others to experiment, fail, and learn. Through daily coaching cycles and methods like Toyota Kata, he helps people develop confidence in problem solving and take ownership of improvement. His goal: to build a workplace culture rooted in trust, respect, and continuous learning, where every person feels safe enough to speak up and strong enough to lead.

• Why trusting your team is critical to avoiding unnecessary errors
• How supportive leadership responses turn mistakes into growth moments
• The connection between psychological safety, continuous improvement, and Toyota Kata
• How to “go first” as a leader—admitting your own mistakes to build trust
• The link between physical safety and psychological safety in world-class organizations
• What leaders can learn from Paul O’Neill and his “zero incidents” mindset at Alcoa

Originally aired as Episode #35 of My Favorite Mistake, this conversation remains one of the most powerful and honest reflections on leadership, shame, and transformation.

Episode page with transcript and more

• Sabrina’s “favorite mistake” — using shame as a leadership tool in high-stress environments

• The culture of command-and-control leadership she inherited (and how she broke the cycle)

• How Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability and shame helped her lead differently

• The personal toll of shame-based leadership — on her team and herself

• Why self-awareness is a skill—and how we can build it

• The role of grace, compassion, and curiosity in becoming a better leader

“We use shame and the fear of shame to motivate, but I think in an unhealthy way. I would utilize shame because it was the last tool in my toolbox and I was desperate.” — Sabrina Moon

Sabrina is a leadership coach and consultant who helps organizations move from reactive command-and-control cultures to psychologically safe environments where continuous improvement and innovation can thrive.

Connect with her at ProblemSI.com or on LinkedIn.

As more organizations reflect on how culture impacts performance, engagement, and well-being, this episode offers essential insights for leaders at every level. Whether you're managing a team or transforming a system, Sabrina's story reminds us that who we are as leaders matters just as much as what we do.

My guest for Episode #325 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Phillip Cantrell, EVP of Strategy at United Real Estate, founder of Benchmark Realty, and author of Failing My Way to Success: Lessons from 42 Years of Winning and Losing in Business.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

Phillip reflects on more than four decades of entrepreneurial ups and downs across printing, real estate, and related ventures. He openly shares how devastating mistakes—including putting “all his eggs in one basket”—forced him to reinvent his approach. What looked like a catastrophe in 2007–2008 became the turning point that fueled Benchmark Realty’s rapid growth to nearly 2,000 agents.

“Failure is going to happen. If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not doing anything.”

In this conversation, Phillip and I talk about the difference between scaling vs. scrambling, the dangers of playing “not to lose” instead of “playing to win,” and why documenting processes is essential for growth. He also explains why your only real competitor is “the man in the mirror” and how daily reflection helps him learn from mistakes and avoid repeating them.

This episode is packed with timeless lessons on leadership, resilience, and learning from failure—whether you’re in real estate or any other industry.

“If you play not to lose in business, you’re already losing.”

• What’s your “favorite mistake” from your career?
• How did putting “all your eggs in one basket” impact Benchmark Realty?
• What did you learn from losing agents and clients during the mortgage crisis?
• How did you develop the flat-fee brokerage model, and what risks did you see at the time?
• Did you ever doubt whether that new model would work?
• How did you rebuild Benchmark from five agents to nearly 2,000?
• Why is it important to look outside your own industry for best practices?
• What do you mean by the difference between scaling and scrambling?
• How does documenting processes create better outcomes?
• Why do you say your only real competitor is “the man in the mirror”?
• What role has reflection and journaling played in your leadership growth?
• What advice would you give younger entrepreneurs about learning from mistakes?

With the long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, now in theaters, Mark explores why Spinal Tap endures not just as a cult comedy classic, but as a brilliant satire of human behavior, team dysfunction, communication breakdowns, and leadership gone sideways.

And yes — these mistakes still matter, even four decades later.

From the Stonehenge measured in inches… To the foil-wrapped “courgette” in the pants… To the pod that wouldn’t open and the drummers who keep dying…

…these moments are funny because they’re true. And they’re great reminders that how we respond to mistakes matters more than pretending they never happened.

• Why This Is Spinal Tap is more than just a comedy

• The iconic “Stonehenge” prop mistake and what it teaches us about communication

• How real-life rockstars refused to drum in the sequel (because of the “curse”)

• Why remembering the courgette as a cucumber is itself… a mistake

• The brilliance of “We don’t have time for that” and the backstage loop in Cleveland

• Why doing what you’re told isn’t the same as doing what’s right

• Mark’s personal story of seeing the film 100+ times — starting with a VHS in high school

• 🎬 This Is Spinal Tap on IMDb

• 🎥 Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – Now in Theaters

• 📘 The Mistakes That Make Us by Mark Graban

• 💻 SpinalTarp.com – A curated list of character mistakes from the film

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and check out past episodes of My Favorite Mistake — where we talk to leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, and creatives about the mistakes that made them who they are.

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows.

My guest for Episode #324 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Trevor Schade.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Trevor began his career as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with a strong background in coding and process improvement. He consulted on business efficiency and outsourcing before shifting into real estate in 2008. After earning his license, he quickly built a top-performing team of 26 agents with zero turnover over five years. By leveraging a virtual admin team in the Philippines and innovative automation, Trevor’s group generated over a million dollars in commissions.

In late 2023, Trevor stepped away from leading that large team to focus on investing, advising, and teaching. Today, he speaks on topics including negotiation, time freedom, and real estate strategy, and he has launched Life Wealth courses to help others pursue similar goals.

In this episode, Trevor shares his favorite mistake: jumping into a multi-level marketing business at age 19. The venture wasn’t financially successful, but it transformed his mindset. For the first time, Trevor developed a daily reading habit that exposed him to classics like Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People and Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Those books gave him a foundation in psychology, leadership, and long-term thinking that continues to influence his work.

We also explore:

• How lessons from Nebraska football and martial arts shaped Trevor’s resilience
• What Lean Six Sigma taught him about efficiency, quality, and leadership
• Why he focused on psychological safety and belonging to keep his team intact
• How he used outsourcing and automation to scale without burnout
• The importance of setting trajectories instead of rigid goals in business and life

Trevor’s story is a reminder that sometimes the most unprofitable ventures provide the richest education — if we’re willing to learn from them.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• How did joining a multi-level marketing company at 19 shape your growth, even if it wasn’t financially successful?
• Did you ever think about leaving earlier, and was staying too long its own mistake?
• What lessons did you take from Nebraska football and sports about resilience and bouncing back?
• How did you first get into Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement work?
• In what ways did Lean and coding skills help you scale your real estate business?
• What did you learn about leadership from running a 26-agent team with zero turnover?
• How did you create a culture of psychological safety and belonging for your team?
• Why do you emphasize inspiring people instead of “beating them over the head with metrics”?
• What role have outsourcing and automation played in your business success?
• You’ve said you set trajectories instead of rigid goals — what does that mean in practice?
• Looking back, how do you connect these mistakes and lessons to your current focus on investing, advising, and teaching?

These athletes share their most memorable mistakes and high-pressure moments—from Jay Feely’s infamous game-losing kicks and Saturday Night Live parody, to Shane Graham’s insight that failure and success are inseparable, to Nick Lowry’s persistence after 11 rejections before making the NFL. David Akers reflects on striving for improvement over perfection, while Parker White explains how practice and faith helped him overcome nerves and pass lessons on to the next generation.

Across their stories, a common theme emerges: mistakes don’t define you—they prepare you. By reframing failure, focusing on fundamentals, and staying mentally strong, these kickers transformed pressure into performance. Their lessons reach far beyond football, offering wisdom for leaders, teams, and anyone facing high-stakes challenges in business or life.

If you’ve ever struggled with fear of failure, performance anxiety, or the pressure to succeed, this episode offers practical, inspiring insights from athletes who’ve been tested in front of millions.

My guest for Episode #323 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Grace Bourke, Consulting Director of the Performance Excellence Practice at Baker Tilly. With nearly 40 years of experience in healthcare quality improvement and industrial engineering, Grace has worked in clinical care, biotech, global public health, and senior leadership roles at organizations including Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health.

Episode page

Grace shares a very personal favorite mistake — the challenges of building a new home that turned into a nightmare of mold, leaks, and structural flaws. What began as a house problem quickly became a more profound lesson in trust, verification, and speaking up — themes that resonate far beyond construction and directly into the world of healthcare.

“Trust and verify becomes trust and vigilant, educated verification.” – Grace Bourke

She reflects on how her tendency to trust inspections and processes, while ignoring her own instincts, parallels what often happens in healthcare systems when leaders or staff don’t feel psychologically safe to raise concerns. Grace connects her experience to the importance of leadership accountability, patient safety, and continuous improvement, noting that healthcare still struggles to admit mistakes and act decisively to prevent harm.

We also talk about the role of psychological safety, second opinions, and lifelong learning, both in our personal lives and in healthcare. Grace shares how hobbies like glass fusing remind her that safe spaces for experimentation and “planned mistakes” can strengthen resilience, creativity, and growth.

“We can’t fix the whole world, but we can fix our small piece — and that makes a difference.” – Grace Bourke

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Was the mistake choosing this builder, or not verifying inspections before closing?
• Why do you think you didn’t speak up more during the building process?
• How does this experience connect to psychological safety in healthcare?
• What have you learned about yourself from going through this?
• How do you put the house problems into perspective?
• Has the builder taken responsibility or apologized?
• What parallels do you see between this home-building experience and healthcare improvement?
• Why is it so hard for healthcare organizations to admit mistakes?
• What role does leadership play in creating safer systems?
• How do hobbies like glass fusing help you practice learning from mistakes?
• What do you mean by “the mistake you’re planning”?
• What gives you hope for improvement in healthcare, despite the challenges?

My guest for Episode #322 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Rob Dorgan, a multi-talented professional whose career path has taken him from paralegal to college professor, retail store owner, manufacturing company president, and now licensed massage therapist, certified yoga educator, meditation teacher, and astrologer. Rob is also the author of Awakening the Mystic: A Novel of Cosmic Love and Healing.

Episode page with video and more

His favorite mistake? Taking what was meant to be a short trip to Europe while working on his PhD — a journey that led him to never return to that academic track. Instead, it opened his eyes to a different pace of life, sparked a reassessment of what success meant to him, and ultimately set him on a more balanced and meaningful career path.

In our conversation, Rob shares how that decision — which family and friends initially questioned — allowed him to escape burnout and embrace a life and career that integrates his passions for teaching, creativity, and well-being. He reflects on lessons learned from his “type A” years in academia and business, the importance of slowing down, and how yoga, meditation, and practical stress relief can improve both personal health and workplace culture. We also discuss his experience bringing these tools into corporate environments, where employees not only benefit individually but also feel more supported by their organizations.

“Stress comes on so slowly that it becomes your normal — and you forget what life without it feels like.”

That realization, Rob says, is what helped him see the deeper value of meditation and mindful living. We also talk about his book’s concepts — from the “five kleshas” in yoga philosophy to the idea of an “inner council” — and how self-awareness can help us navigate life’s choices. Whether you’re navigating a career change, seeking better work-life balance, or simply curious about practical ways to reduce stress, Rob’s story offers valuable insights and inspiration.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• How did your trip to Europe during your PhD studies change your career path?
• Did you consider moving to Europe to teach in that more relaxed environment?
• What countries did you visit on that trip?
• How did you go from teaching to starting a retail store and then leading a manufacturing company?
• Did yoga and meditation help you become a better leader?
• How did your personal stress experiences influence how you led the company?
• How have attitudes toward workplace stress changed since the 1990s?
• How do you make meditation and stress relief practical for corporate settings?
• How do companies usually find and bring you in for corporate sessions?
• What types of people attend your retreats, and what do they take away?
• How did you personally discover the benefits of a consistent yoga practice?
• How can yoga and meditation help with stress-related physical issues?
• What are the “five kleshas” in yoga philosophy?
• How do those concepts connect to ego, attachment, and fear?
• What is the “inner council” in your book, and how does it work?
• How did your interest in astrology begin?
• How can knowing your “council leader” help you in life and work?
• How did you balance the drive to finish your book with avoiding stress?
• What’s your advice for building habits like meditation or yoga into daily life?

Episode page with video and more

Cynthia shares a pivotal mistake from early in her life: letting other people’s opinions matter more than her own—especially after a college professor told her she’d never be a good writer. That moment stung, but it also eventually propelled her toward a path of mindfulness, self-trust, and transformational communication.

Cynthia explains how her journey through loss, meditation, and Buddhist principles helped her develop a more intentional way of communicating—not just with others, but with herself. We explore how mistakes, reactivity, and emotional attachment can all be reframed through mindfulness and self-awareness. Cynthia offers practical tools for staying calm during high-stakes conversations, including pausing, resetting the nervous system, and learning to speak from an “empty place”—a state of clarity without judgment or reactivity.

“Every mistake leads us to something better.”

Throughout the conversation, we also unpack the difference between being nice and being kind, how communication impacts stress levels, and why helpful language is honest, kind, and necessary. Cynthia’s insights are especially valuable for leaders, teams, and anyone who wants to communicate more effectively under pressure. As she says, “Every mistake leads us to something better.”

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• When did you realize that listening to others more than yourself had become a pattern?
• How did the loss of your first love influence your journey of self-awareness and healing?
• What led you to start writing again after being discouraged?
• What is creative nonfiction, and how does it differ from other forms of writing?
• Did working with an editor bring up old doubts, and how did you manage that feedback process?
• How does Buddhism shape your view on mistakes?
• Does that mindset help you approach writing mistakes differently?
• How do you balance detachment from mistakes with still caring about your work?
• What does “communicating like a Buddhist” mean in everyday life?
• Can you give examples where helpful vs. hurtful language is more subtle?
• What’s the difference between being nice and being kind?
• How does changing our communication style help reduce stress?
• What inspired your newest book, The Pause?
• What’s an example of a workplace situation where not pausing leads to regret?
• What should someone do if they need a pause but the other person won’t allow it?
• How can we calm ourselves in the moment to respond more intentionally?
• What does it mean to respond from an “empty place”?
• What breathing techniques do you recommend in tough conversations?

She shares how the book was inspired by her favorite mistake—realizing that a research career in science unexpectedly came with a leadership role she wasn’t trained for. What began as a personal challenge turned into a passion for mentorship and a practical guide to help others in the sciences (and beyond) succeed as “accidental leaders.”

👉 Learn how Jen approached this transition, what others in academia and technical fields can take away, and why leadership training is essential—even if it’s not part of your job description (yet).

🧪 “People are counting on you to get this leadership thing right.” – Jen Heemstra

🔁 Listen to Jen’s original episode (#262) where she shares her favorite mistake: http://markgraban.com/mistake262

🎧 Listen to all episodes at https://www.markgraban.com/mistake

My guest for Episode #320 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Damon Lembi, CEO of Learnit, a live learning and development platform that has helped upskill over 2 million professionals.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

A former college baseball player and now a two-time bestselling author, Damon shares the story of how youthful ambition and overconfidence led him to push Learnit into a rapid, unsustainable expansion during the dot-com boom. Despite his father’s cautious advice, Damon got his way—and then faced the harsh reality of a collapsing market and near bankruptcy.

In our conversation, Damon reflects on the hard-earned lessons from that pivotal mistake, including the dangers of comparing yourself to others, the importance of thinking through worst-case scenarios (what he now calls “purposeful awfulizing”), and the humility required to be a “Learn It All” leader. His resilience and willingness to grow through adversity helped him guide Learnit not only through the early 2000s tech crash, but also through the 2008 recession and beyond.

“If you’re always right, you’re not listening hard enough.”

Damon shares how his background as a competitive athlete shaped his mindset around failure, feedback, and agility—traits that now inform how he builds his team and company culture. We also talk about his podcast, The Learn It All Podcast, where he continues learning from top authors, leaders, and changemakers. Damon’s story is a powerful reminder that mistakes can be an expensive—but invaluable—education.

“Make new mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.”

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• How did you go from playing baseball to becoming CEO of Learnit?
• What lessons did you take from your baseball career into business?
• Did you ever regret turning down the chance to play minor league baseball?
• Was anyone cautioning you against overexpanding Learnit?
• What did you learn from that experience as a young CEO?
• How did you apply those lessons during the 2008 recession?
• How has your leadership style evolved since then?
• What does “being a Learn It All” mean to you?
• What kind of people do you look to hire and why?
• How do you balance vulnerability and confidence as a leader?
• What did you learn about receiving feedback from your time in sports?
• How do you avoid letting one failure affect your next decision or meeting?
• What’s the difference between failure and a mistake?
• Can you share more about your Learn It All podcast and what you’ve gained from it?

My guest for Episode #319 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Sapna Pieroux, award-winning author of Let’s Get Visible!, a branding consultant, and the founder of Inner Visions ID.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

With a background spanning 20 years in media and experience working with major brands like Toyota, Sony, and L’Oréal, Sapna shares the defining mistake that led her to a new level of impact: believing that her great work alone would speak for itself. Early in her entrepreneurial journey, she hid behind a company logo and resisted putting herself out there—fearing criticism, judgment, and even considering a pseudonym for her book.

In this honest and inspiring conversation, Sapna shares how she overcame those fears and the societal pressures—especially those that affect women and people of color—to stay small or silent. Through her own evolution, she discovered the power of personal branding and visibility, not just for business growth but for personal confidence. She now helps leaders and teams align their business and personal brands so they can show up with clarity, confidence, and credibility in a noisy world.

We also explore common branding mistakes—like trying to DIY logos without strategy—and how Sapna’s signature “Do-Say-See” model helps entrepreneurs and professionals build trust and influence. Whether you're just starting out or trying to get unstuck, Sapna’s insights on visibility, imposter syndrome, and brand alignment will give you practical tools and thoughtful encouragement.

• Is branding more about how others see you—like a nickname—than what you say about yourself?
• What was your favorite mistake?
• How was hiding behind your logo hurting your business?
• How close were you to publishing your book under a pseudonym?
• Was your publisher encouraging you to publish under your real name?
• What do you now teach others about personal branding as a result of that mistake?
• Why do you think many women hesitate to talk about their accomplishments?
• How did red become such a key part of your brand?
• What are some early steps someone can take to build their personal brand if they’re nervous about putting themselves out there?
• What gave you more confidence to show up consistently?
• How did entering awards help you boost your visibility and credibility?

My guest for Episode #318 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Matthew Neal Davis, an attorney, entrepreneur, and author of the provocative book The Art of Preventing Stupid.

Episode page with video and more

Matthew is the founder and managing partner of Davis Business Law, which has grown more than 1,000% in six years, earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list. In addition to running a multi-office law firm across several states, he’s also the frontman of a heavy metal band called Geriatric Steel.

In this episode, Matthew shares how not fully recognizing the leadership lessons from his Eagle Scout experience early in his legal career became a favorite mistake—and how it shaped the way he leads his firm today.

Matthew reflects on the hiring and leadership missteps that stemmed from overlooking those early lessons—particularly how applying Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership framework helped him better support team members through growth phases. He explains how understanding where someone is on the spectrum from “excited beginner” to “self-reliant high achiever” has transformed how he mentors attorneys and minimizes costly turnover. These insights, combined with structured systems and data dashboards, now fuel a high-performance culture rooted in learning and ownership.

...we have rituals around this. Every Wednesday is WINSday—we celebrate successes. Every Friday, we have a firm huddle where we talk about what kicked our butts that week. We put it all on the table. That’s how we learn. That’s how we build trust and improvement into the culture.

We also talk about the core idea behind Matthew’s book: that most business problems come from one of three vulnerabilities—catastrophes, ignorance, or ill-discipline—and how leaders can build a "business immune system" to prevent them.

From mismanaged Google Ads campaigns to ill-advised partnerships, Matthew brings humor and clarity to how we can all learn faster, prepare better, and focus on growth. His story is a compelling reminder that being proactive beats being reactive—and that embracing mistakes is the best way to strengthen your systems and your culture.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• What did you overlook from your Eagle Scout experience that later became valuable in business?
• What specific mistakes did you make in those early years of running the firm?
• How do you apply situational leadership in your law firm?
• Can you share an example of helping someone move through that “frustrated learner” phase?
• What lessons from Scouting translate to business leadership?
• Did you ever think growing the firm beyond a solo practice was a mistake?
• What do you mean by “preventing stupid”?
• Can you explain your framework for categorizing business vulnerabilities?
• How do you distinguish ignorance from stupidity in business?
• What are examples of ill-discipline you’ve seen in your firm?
• Have you created checklists to avoid repeating mistakes?
• What is the Strong Protected Business System?
• How does your business immune system tool work?
• What do you mean by circular systems in business?
• How do you think about culture as your firm grows?
• Have you managed to avoid hiring narcissistic or toxic attorneys?
• How often do you get to play with your band, Geriatric Steel?
• Are your original songs available on Spotify or anywhere online?

My guest for Episode #316 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Davina Frederick, founder of Wealthy Woman Lawyer, host of the Wealthy Woman Lawyer Podcast, and a business coach who has helped women law firm owners scale their practices to seven figures and beyond.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

In our conversation, Davina shares why going to law school—an unconventional move at age 38—turned out to be her favorite mistake. Despite building a successful litigation practice, she realized that the traditional lawyer lifestyle wasn’t aligned with her long-term goals or well-being.

"I realized I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life sitting behind a desk or in a courtroom."

After stepping away from her first firm, Davina leveraged both her marketing background and the painful lessons of burnout to build a second, more sustainable law practice. That experience—and the power of hiring business coaches—ultimately led her to launch her own coaching firm. Today, Davina specializes in helping women lawyers grow their firms with clarity, confidence, and systems that reduce overwhelm and create balance.

We also dive into what it means to create a systems-driven law firm—and how that principle applies across professional services. From breaking the “grading papers” bottleneck to resisting perfectionism, Davina offers practical strategies for founders who are ready to scale without losing themselves in the process. Her journey is a powerful example of learning from mistakes, listening to your inner voice, and having the courage to change course.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Why do you see going to law school as a mistake?
• What was your career before law school?
• What inspired you to make law your second career?
• How did you come to the decision to leave your first law firm?
• What happened between your first and second law firms?
• Why did you choose to launch a virtual firm in 2011?
• How did others react to your decision to work virtually?
• What did you do differently the second time to avoid repeating mistakes?
• What does it mean to have a systems-driven law firm?
• How do you help lawyers stop being the bottleneck in their business?
• Can you share examples of systems you recommend, especially for marketing?
• How do you coach lawyers through the fear of hiring after a bad experience?
• What mindset shifts help women lawyers move past perfectionism and indecision?
• What led you to focus exclusively on coaching women law firm owners?

My guest for Episode #316 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jim Schleckser, founder and CEO of The CEO Project.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Jim is a seasoned business leader, bestselling author, and trusted advisor to CEOs around the world. With experience spanning 42 countries and multiple industries, Jim has spent decades helping leaders grow their companies and think more strategically. He’s also the author of Great CEOs Are Lazy and Professional Drinking, and he’s a certified sommelier—something we get to at the end of the episode!

In our conversation, Jim shares a formative early-career mistake—being too optimistic as a leader. His enthusiasm led to overpromising revenue, under-delivering on results, and ultimately damaging his credibility to the point where he had to leave the organization. Jim reflects on how he’s since learned to balance positivity with realism, buffer commitments, and truly listen to skeptics on his team. His story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t just about vision—it’s also about judgment, humility, and learning from painful experiences.

We also dive into what it means to be an effective CEO, including why Jim says great CEOs are lazy. He shares how high-performing executives focus their time on removing bottlenecks, not micromanaging, and why a trusted CEO peer group can be a game-changing support system. Plus, for fellow wine lovers, we cap off the episode with a fun bonus: wine mistakes, how to order like a pro, and Jim’s best tip for getting the most out of a wine list.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• Can you share specific examples of how your optimism led to overcommitment or missed expectations?
• How did that mistake affect your credibility and position in the company?
• How have you learned to balance optimism with realism in leadership?
• What’s your approach to setting stretch goals versus achievable targets?
• How can unrealistic goals create dysfunction or unethical behavior in organizations?
• What’s the best way to avoid data manipulation and maintain integrity in performance reporting?
• What is The CEO Project, and how does a CEO peer group provide value to its members?
• You say “great CEOs are lazy”—what does that really mean, and how does it work in practice?
• How can CEOs identify the biggest constraint or bottleneck in their business?
• Why do some CEOs struggle to admit mistakes, and how does that affect their leadership credibility?
• How do peer groups foster psychological safety for leaders?
• What inspired you to become a certified sommelier?
• What are some common mistakes people make when ordering wine?
• What’s your best tip for confidently ordering wine at a restaurant?
• If someone only drinks Napa Cabernets, what’s a good way to branch out?
• Have you observed gender bias in how sommeliers treat guests at the table?

My guest for Episode #315 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kat Halushka, a business and visibility strategist for coaches, consultants, and speakers. She’s the founder of Profitable Impact Academy, where she helps entrepreneurs grow their audience, automate marketing, and land clients through speaking and streamlined funnels.

EPISODE PAGE

Kat’s favorite mistake? She followed the classic advice to “go to networking events and have coffee meetings” to get clients—so she did, hundreds of times. But after exhausting herself with back-to-back coffee chats every Friday, she realized the ROI just wasn’t there.

Kat had a breakthrough when she nervously gave a short talk at a networking event—and walked away with two new clients that day. That lightbulb moment launched her on a mission to get in front of the room instead of meeting people one-on-one. Over time, she built her credibility by hosting her own events, attracting hundreds of attendees and growing a thriving business community. This shift helped her discover that strategic speaking, not endless small talk, was the true key to visibility and client conversion.

Today, Kat teaches entrepreneurs to stop chasing every opportunity and instead focus on clarity, messaging, and scalable systems. She shares powerful lessons on why most new speakers fail to connect—and how you can avoid those pitfalls by making offers that speak to your audience’s present-day pain points. Whether you’re brand-new to business or looking to scale with less hustle, Kat’s insights on visibility, messaging, and mistake-making will help light the way forward.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• How did those endless coffee meetings affect you and your business?
• What changed after that first speaking engagement?
• How did you start landing more speaking opportunities after that breakthrough?
• What was the origin story behind Profitable Impact Academy?
• What are some of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to grow through speaking?
• How can business owners get clearer on what their audience really needs?
• Why is it a mistake to create too many offers or talks?
• How do you help clients identify and refine the one talk that drives results?
• What are the differences between speaking as a business vs. speaking to grow a business?
• When offered a speaking fee, how do you decide whether to accept or negotiate for something else?
• Can you explain what you mean by making an “offer from the stage”?
• How do you structure a win-win-win when working with event organizers?
• What’s one way speakers can make a compelling call-to-action without sounding salesy?
• Can you give an example of a “gift” that actually gets audience engagement?
• What’s your final advice for new entrepreneurs or aspiring speakers?

We dive into:

• How Josh built a culture-first company that’s thriving—even in a tough real estate market

• Why cutting costs doesn’t have to mean cutting people or quality

• The inspiration and process behind writing his book

• What it means to create a Five-Star Company Culture

Josh also reflects on what he’s learned since his last visit, including the power of simplification, scaling with intention, and how purpose has driven Rockerbox's explosive growth.

“Culture isn’t just a vibe—it’s the engine behind every result.” “We asked: What’s the least amount of work a person has to do to move the needle—and how can we reward them more for it?”

📕 Grab the book: Culture Is the Key is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

🎧 Listen to Josh’s first episode: My Favorite Mistake #244

Subscribe for more stories about leadership, culture, learning from mistakes, and growth.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and share if this resonated with you!

#CompanyCulture #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessGrowth #JoshCunningham #Rockerbox #CultureIsTheKey #BusinessBooks #MarkGraban #MyFavoriteMistake #StartUpLife #FiveStarCulture #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessLeadership

My guest for Episode #314 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Mark Struczewski, also known as “Mister Productivity.” Mark is a Houston-based productivity coach, speaker, and host of The Mister Productivity Podcast, with over 1,300 episodes to his name. He helps overwhelmed professionals cut through distractions and focus on what truly matters.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

But before becoming a go-to expert on focus and effectiveness, Mark made a classic entrepreneurial mistake: thinking that launching a website would instantly attract a stream of clients. Spoiler alert—it didn’t.

Mark’s favorite mistake was stepping into solopreneurship with unrealistic expectations. After being fired from his corporate job in 2005 and officially launching his business in 2011, he quickly found himself burning money on coaches, conferences, and tools he didn’t need—without any real plan or payoff. The financial pressure eventually forced a mindset shift: instead of trying to do everything, he began focusing on the right things at the right time. That turning point not only saved his business—it became the foundation for his productivity philosophy.

In our conversation, Mark shares hard-earned lessons about clarity, focus, and sustainable productivity. We explore how he helps clients move past the illusion of “busyness,” why joy is an essential ingredient for productivity, and why it’s okay to slow down or even stop when your body and brain need a break. Mark also offers insight into how he uses tools like ChatGPT to streamline content creation and why being intentional with time is more powerful than packing your schedule. Whether you're a solopreneur or leading a team, this episode will challenge how you define and pursue productivity.

• What’s your favorite mistake from your career so far?
• Where do you think your unrealistic expectations as a solopreneur came from?
• How did you decide to stick with entrepreneurship instead of returning to corporate life?
• What specific changes did you make to turn things around in your business?
• How did you learn to focus instead of trying to be everywhere online?
• What’s the difference between productivity and effectiveness in your view?
• How do you help clients decide what’s truly worth their time?
• Can you share your definition of productivity?
• How do you tailor your coaching to each client’s unique situation?
• Why is clarity such a central part of your productivity approach?
• What’s your advice for getting clarity when feeling overwhelmed?
• How do you define success without falling into the “always working” trap?
• What are your thoughts on rest, recovery, and avoiding burnout?
• Do you believe productivity levels naturally fluctuate day to day?
• How do you personally manage high- and low-energy days?
• How do you use LinkedIn and DMs to build real relationships?
• What’s your take on scheduling content in advance vs. staying spontaneous?
• Can you tell us about your new ebook and how you used AI to create it?

My guest for Episode #313 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Amber Gaige, a marketing strategist, international bestselling author, and founder of Far Beyond Marketing. With over 20 years of experience, Amber helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing and drive real results. She’s also the author of The Far Beyond Marketing Guidebook: Stop Being Duped by Bad Marketing, and the creator of the Four Cs of Effective Marketing Framework.

In this episode, Amber shares her favorite mistake—spending more than a decade working in a large, multi-division family business. While the experience taught her resilience, leadership, and business fundamentals, she reflects on how staying too long delayed her ability to find her own voice and build something truly independent. She opens up about the emotional complexity of leaving, the pressure of navigating work and family, and how that leap led her to grow—and eventually sell—a marketing business that launched her next chapter.

We also discuss common mistakes businesses make when it comes to marketing, especially when selecting agencies or falling for one-size-fits-all tactics. Amber highlights the importance of clear messaging, knowing your ideal customer, and embracing AI wisely—without letting it replace human insight. Her story is one of tenacity, self-discovery, and servant leadership—a valuable listen for any entrepreneur or leader navigating growth, branding, or family dynamics.

• What’s your favorite mistake from your career?
• What kind of family business were you involved in?
• Did you choose to join the business, or was it more of an expectation?
• Was your initial role in the family business something you wanted?
• Did it feel like a mistake right away, or did that come later?
• Were you involved in marketing within the family business, or did you have to leave to pursue that?
• Were your parents both in leadership roles? And were you held to a higher standard?
• What was the process like for deciding to leave the family business?
• How did the opportunity to build and spin off your own marketing company come about?
• Was selling the business to private equity your exit strategy from the family business?
• How did you apply lessons from the family business to your new venture?
• What challenges come with hiring or firing family members in a business?
• How did you transition from operating under the family umbrella to running your own company?
• What does "Far Beyond Marketing" mean to you and your clients?
• What does servant leadership mean in the context of your work?
• Do you have any stories of helping clients recover from marketing mistakes?
• What are some common mistakes businesses make when hiring a marketing agency?
• What are some newer marketing mistakes you're seeing, especially related to technology?
• What’s a smart way to use AI in marketing—and what’s a mistake to avoid?
• Can businesses be penalized for publishing AI-generated content?
• How can business owners use a book as a strategic tool beyond just sales?
• What are your Four Cs of effective marketing?
• How do you define “brand” beyond just a logo?
• Is it possible for marketing firms to unintentionally mislead clients?

Episode page with links and more

Jared is a full professor and Assistant Dean of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He has performed with renowned companies including the Boston Ballet and Miami City Ballet, and now shapes the next generation of dancers through his leadership, coaching, and innovation in arts education.

In our conversation, Jared shares his favorite mistake—one that unfolded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic while producing a filmed version of The Nutcracker. A critical planning misstep nearly derailed the production when sets weren’t ready for a pivotal weekend of shooting. Facing immense time pressure and logistical complexity, Jared and his team were able to regroup, adapt the schedule, and ultimately find a better way forward. The experience became a lesson in flexibility, communication, and leading with calm under pressure.

Jared also reflects on his transition from performer to educator, how he defines effective leadership, and what it means to embrace vulnerability in pursuit of growth. We explore how his equity-focused curriculum changes are reshaping the world of ballet and how earning an MBA is helping him integrate business thinking into the arts. Throughout the episode, Jared’s humility, clarity, and passion for mentorship shine through.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what happened during the COVID-era Nutcracker production?
• How did you lead your team through the anxiety of that situation and find a solution?
• Was the missed set deadline more of a communication issue or a planning breakdown?
• Were there lasting lessons from that project that apply to future productions?
• Was anyone blamed or punished for the mistake—or was it handled differently?
• What role does leadership play in preventing or responding to these types of issues?
• What stage of the pandemic were you in when filming The Nutcracker? Were dancers masked?
• Can you tell us more about your personal path into dance and your early training?
• How does the transition from high school conservatory to professional ballet typically work?
• How did you navigate your own transition from performing to teaching and leadership?
• As a performer, how did you deal with the possibility—or reality—of making mistakes on stage?
• How do performers balance self-assessment with celebrating what went well?
• Did you regularly receive feedback or review recordings of your performances?
• How has your leadership style evolved as an assistant dean and teacher?
• What are “equity-focused curriculum updates,” and how are they changing ballet education?
• What are some challenges in making ballet more inclusive and accessible?
• How does bias in dance differ from other performing arts like music?
• What has been most eye-opening in your MBA program coming from an arts background?
• How do business tools like project management software support the arts?
• What does “embracing vulnerability” mean to you, and how does it relate to learning from mistakes?

My guest for Episode #311 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Karin Hurt, CEO of Let’s Grow Leaders, a global leadership development firm. Karin is a former Verizon Wireless executive and the award-winning author of five books, including her latest, Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

In this episode, she shares a deeply personal and professionally pivotal story from her corporate days—an impassioned confrontation over a discriminatory hiring decision that, while well-intentioned, caused serious damage to her career.

Karin unpacks how her emotional reaction—rooted in a strong sense of justice—ultimately undermined her goal. Despite advocating successfully for her team member, her public and heated delivery hurt her leadership reputation. She reflects on the importance of staying calm under pressure, choosing the right time and place to speak up, and communicating with both courage and strategy. These lessons became the foundation for the work she does today, helping leaders navigate difficult conversations with confidence and compassion.

Throughout the episode, we also discuss her transition from corporate executive to keynote speaker, author, and entrepreneur. Karin explains how she and her co-author (and husband), David Dye, help teams build cultures of “productive conflict,” where differences lead to innovation rather than division. From real-world mistakes to powerful communication tools, this episode is full of insight for leaders who want to lead with heart—and get results.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• Do you think the hiring manager eventually saw the light, or was the outcome driven by HR?
• Did that incident influence your decision to leave the corporate world and start your own company?
• How did your background in HR and operations shape your leadership approach?
• When did you realize you had something valuable to share publicly through your blog?
• How did your speaking career take off, and what was the turning point?
• How do you stay calm in conflict now, compared to earlier in your career?
• What are the four dimensions of productive conflict?
• How often do leaders get in trouble for what they say versus staying silent?
• How do you advise someone to say “no” to their boss without hurting their reputation?
• What are the dynamics of working with your husband as a business partner?
• How can teams embrace conflict as a source of innovation, not dysfunction?
• What’s the danger of trying to fix systemic conflict at the interpersonal level?
• How do you handle conflict on hybrid or global teams where trust is harder to build?
• Is it easier to de-escalate conflict in person versus virtual or text-based communication?
• How do you balance encouraging courage with creating psychological safety?

My guest for Episode #310 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Andrew Laws, Founder of the SEO agency Yeseo IO and host of The Business Amplifier Podcast. Andrew has been working in digital marketing for over 25 years and has seen just about every shift in the SEO landscape. But one of the biggest lessons of his career came not from Google’s algorithm, but from a catastrophic business event involving hackers, a two-year police investigation, and a decision that changed everything.

Episode page

Andrew shares the harrowing story of building a successful web hosting company—only to have it destroyed by cybercriminals just as he was preparing to sell it. The hackers didn’t just crash servers—they triggered legal threats, emotional exhaustion, and a complete shutdown of Andrew’s businesses at the time. But through that painful chapter, Andrew found clarity. He realized he had been doing too much alone and needed to build smarter, more resilient systems—and a team he could trust.

In our conversation, Andrew talks candidly about burnout, delegation, and how the right mistake can become a turning point. He also shares practical insights into what SEO really is (and isn’t) in 2025, why many people misunderstand Google’s algorithms, and why "doing good stuff" consistently still beats gimmicks and shortcuts. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or just someone who's ever felt overwhelmed, Andrew’s story offers a timely reminder: the hardest setbacks can lead to the most meaningful resets.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• How did the hackers get in, and what did the police uncover?
• Why did you shut down not just the hosting business but also your SEO company?
• Did the hackers have a clear motive—was it ransom, malice, or something else?
• What lessons did you learn about web hosting and digital security?
• How did that experience affect your approach to business and leadership?
• What did you do differently when launching Yeseo?
• How do you now decide what to delegate versus do yourself?
• What tools or systems help you delegate effectively?
• How did you get into SEO in the first place?
• What's the biggest mistake companies make when it comes to SEO?
• How has SEO evolved, especially with the rise of AI?
• Does Google penalize AI-generated content, or is quality still the priority?
• Why does “snake oil” SEO still persist?
• Tell us about your podcast, The Business Amplifier. Who is it for?
• Who do you think is the greatest band of all time—and why?

Andrea was previously featured in Episode 105, and she returns to discuss the release of her new book: The Executagility Field Guide: How Busy Teams Can Execute Growth Plans.

Andrea shares a new “favorite mistake” involving lost data from a Typeform survey—an honest example of learning the hard way how software design can trip up even experienced business leaders. The good news? She caught the mistake, learned from it, and adjusted her systems to avoid similar issues in the future.

We also dive into the four pillars of the Executagility model:

1. Alignment – Are we clear on the goals and priorities?

2. Available Time – Do our people realistically have capacity to execute?

3. Competence – Do we have the right skills in-house or need help?

4. Structure – Do we have a repeatable process to keep projects on track?

Andrea explains how she applied her own framework to the writing and launch of her book—and how it’s helping mid-sized businesses get growth initiatives done without burning out their teams.

"You can’t execute growth if your team is already stretched thin trying to handle today’s work."

"Just because someone’s capable in their current role doesn’t mean they can drive transformation alone. That’s why the glue person—the project leader—is essential."

My guest for Episode #309 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is La Tonya Roberts, the founder and CEO of Harmony Consulting Group. La Tonya is a fractional COO, HR consultant, and executive coach who helps women entrepreneurs scale their service-based businesses from six to seven figures through systems, strategic planning, and operational excellence. Before launching her firm, she built her career at top consulting organizations like Deloitte and Booz Allen, where she developed deep expertise in organizational change and operational leadership.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

In this episode, La Tonya shares her favorite mistake—staying too long in roles she had outgrown, taking on too much responsibility, and ultimately burning out. After experiencing both physical and emotional fatigue, including a dramatic moment that sent her to the hospital, she realized that her tendency to overfunction in high-demand environments was unsustainable. Those hard lessons eventually led her to rediscover joy in her work by launching her own business focused on operational harmony and intentional growth.

La Tonya explains how she now helps founders—especially women—build scalable, process-driven businesses without sacrificing their well-being. She also shares how she uses tools like ChatGPT to automate repetitive tasks and increase efficiency, both in her business and her clients'. We also talk about the importance of aligning systems, people, and strategy, and how La Tonya’s clients benefit from her experience in both large enterprises and nimble startups.

Listeners will hear practical advice on avoiding burnout, building systems that run without you, and why "work-life harmony" may be a better goal than elusive "balance."

My guest for Episode #308 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is C.J. Stewart, co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer at the LEAD Center for Youth, an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on empowering Black youth through sports-based development. Before dedicating his life to mentorship and advocacy, C.J. was drafted twice by the Chicago Cubs and built a successful career as a professional hitting instructor and co-owner of Diamond Directors. He’s also the author of Living to Lead: A Story of Passion, Purpose, and Grit.

Episode page with video and more

C.J.’s “favorite mistake”? Becoming an avid runner. What started as a tribute to the life of Ahmaud Arbery turned into a transformational habit—one that reshaped his health, mindset, and mission. In this powerful conversation, C.J. unpacks the difference between mistakes and stupidity, explores the struggles that shape significance, and reflects on the emotional toll and systemic barriers faced by Black athletes. He also shares how running has helped him connect across generations, communities, and cultures.

Throughout the episode, C.J. offers a candid and thought-provoking look at racism, leadership, and the need for real advocacy—not just good coaching. He shares insights from his own life as a player, coach, and nonprofit leader, challenging listeners to consider how we name and respond to problems, and why protecting others is at the heart of leadership. This is a conversation about growth, conviction, and using our platforms to make a difference.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• In what way was becoming a runner a mistake?
• How do you define the difference between a mistake and stupidity?
• How has running changed you—physically, emotionally, and socially?
• Did pursuing a career in professional baseball feel like a mistake in hindsight?
• What does LEAD stand for, and what is its mission?
• Why is advocacy more important than just good coaching?
• Why do you think there are so few Black players in certain positions, like catcher or pitcher?
• What needs to change in baseball to address racism and systemic barriers?
• What do you mean when you say you became “openly Black” in 2015?
• How does racism take an emotional toll on Black athletes, even those who succeed?
• Are MLB diversity programs effective, or are they falling short?
• What else needs to happen to create real change and equity in baseball?

My guest for Episode #307 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Terry Whalin, an accomplished editor and author of more than 60 books, several of which have sold over 100,000 copies. Terry is the owner of Whalin and Associates, a communications firm, and he serves as an acquisitions editor for Morgan James Publishing. Drawing from decades of experience in both writing and publishing, Terry shares a favorite mistake that changed the course of his career—offering valuable insights for first-time authors and seasoned professionals alike.

Episode page with video and more

His most recent book is 10 Publishing Myths: Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed.

Terry’s favorite mistake took place in 2007, when a high-profile publishing event jolted him into realizing just how little he was doing to promote his own books. Despite having secured multiple six-figure advances and a long list of published titles, Terry was receiving negative royalty statements—his books weren’t earning out. That wake-up call led him to take what he calls 100% responsibility for his own success, adopting a daily commitment to book promotion, content creation, and building an online presence. From that turning point, he launched a blog (now with over 1,700 posts), grew a substantial social media following, and became a consistent voice in the author education space.

In the conversation, Terry and Mark explore the myths and realities of book publishing—especially the misconception that a publisher will handle marketing. Terry outlines how today’s authors must become active promoters, the importance of building an email list you control, and why giving away ebooks can actually drive print book sales. He also shares hard-earned lessons about evaluating publishers, avoiding scams, and understanding how traditional and independent publishing models differ. Whether you’re writing your first book or navigating your next launch, Terry’s insights are a masterclass in professional ownership and long-term thinking.

•   What’s your favorite mistake?
• Was it just a bad assumption to think publishers would promote your book, or do they sometimes mislead authors?
• Is the idea that a publisher will handle marketing one of the common myths in publishing?
• What specific actions did you start taking after realizing you needed to take full responsibility for your book’s success?
• Are you actively guesting on podcasts and using social media today to promote your work?
• Do social media efforts actually help sell books—or is it more about visibility and exposure?
• What’s your take on claims like “#1 Amazon bestseller”—do those really help authors sell books?
• Can you explain how the Morgan James model differs from traditional publishing?
• Why do you ask authors to commit to buying 2,000 copies of their own book?
• What role does giving away ebooks play in driving print sales?
• What should authors consider when deciding between traditional, hybrid, or independent publishing?
• How can aspiring authors avoid getting scammed by predatory publishing companies?
• What’s the role of an acquisitions editor, and how do you evaluate submissions?
• Do pre-orders really matter for bookstore placement?
• Why should authors consider writing for magazines or newspapers to build their platform?
• Do you think authors give up too early on marketing their books?
• Is building an email list still essential for authors, even in the age of social media?
• Should authors be cautious about relying too much on platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn?

My guest for Episode #306 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Betsy Pepine, a serial entrepreneur in real estate and the founder of Pepine Realty. Betsy leads a top-producing real estate team consistently recognized by The Wall Street Journal and has built a family of companies that includes a property management firm, title company, real estate school, and a nonprofit.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

She’s also the author of the 2024 book Breaking Boxes: Dismantling the Metaphorical Boxes That Bind Us, which explores the limiting labels and roles we assign ourselves—and how to break free from them.

Betsy’s favorite mistake was starting her brokerage with no clear plan. What began as a solo effort out of her home unexpectedly turned into a team, and eventually a company—but without intentional structure or culture. That all came to a head when her trusted assistant resigned right before a long-overdue family vacation. Her assistant’s honest feedback—about the lack of family, growth, and purpose—was a painful but pivotal wake-up call. Betsy responded not by retreating, but by reading leadership books on her cruise, hiring a coach, and reinventing her company with clear values and a defined mission.

In our conversation, Betsy shares how she rebuilt Pepine Realty around core values like family, impact, and growth. She talks about initiatives like creating a nonprofit to address housing affordability and designing career paths that include a rare salaried-agent model in real estate. We also discuss the power of learning from mistakes—including how her team shares “learnings” each week in a psychologically safe environment that accelerates growth and prevents repeated errors.

Betsy’s story is about far more than real estate—it’s about leadership, self-awareness, and responding to failure with action. Her perspective will resonate with anyone building a team or culture where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to improve.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• What did your assistant say when she resigned—and how did that become a turning point for you?
• How did you respond to that feedback, and what changes did you make in your business?
• What were the first steps you took to start shaping your company culture?
• Did you create your mission and core values on your own at first?
• How did you define and build a “sense of family” inside your business?
• What inspired you to create a nonprofit—and how does it fit into your overall mission?
• What’s the purpose behind your unique salaried agent role?
• How do you help team members shift roles if they’re not in the right seat?
• What’s the weekly “learnings” segment in your team meeting—and how does it support growth?
• How do you balance encouraging learning from mistakes without being careless?
• Do you use checklists or systems to help prevent mistakes?
• What prompted you to write Breaking Boxes, and what’s the core message of the book?
• How do we recognize when we’re stuck in a metaphorical box—and how do we step out of it?
• What are the main fears that keep people in those boxes?
• Can you share how fear of failure has influenced your thinking over time?
• What does it take to build resilience to change?
• What’s your approach to managing fear of loss—especially status or social connections?
• How did your connection with Barbara Corcoran come about?
• What lessons have you learned from Barbara as a mentor?
• What advice would you give someone thinking of starting a business without a clear plan?
• What do you think are the best reasons for someone to get into real estate?
• How do you view the role of a real estate agent during high-stress life transitions?
• How do you create consistency in values across your family of companies?
• How do you support women reentering society after incarceration—and what’s the deeper “why” behind that work?

My guest for Episode #305 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is John Willson, Executive Director of SOAR, the world’s premier outdoor adventure program serving youth with ADHD and learning disabilities.

Episode page with video and more

With over 30 years of experience, John is a passionate advocate for experiential education and life skills development through structured, strengths-based environments. SOAR, which stands for Success Oriented Achievements Realized, supports young people ages 8 to 25 through summer camps, boarding schools, and gap year programs focused on building confidence and resilience.

John’s favorite mistake took place on Mount Katahdin, the northern end of the Appalachian Trail, where he unknowingly summited a false peak in poor weather conditions. Faced with a difficult decision—turn back through a dangerous route he already knew or forge ahead into unknown terrain—he pressed on despite worsening conditions. Although it was arguably the “wrong” decision in the moment, it led to a powerful sense of accomplishment and a safer descent than expected. John describes this as a “happy mistake” that taught him about risk, perseverance, and the sometimes unexpected rewards of pressing forward.

In our conversation, John shares how this philosophy of “failing forward” underpins SOAR’s mission. He explains how their structured programs help kids with ADHD and learning differences build critical life skills, develop self-awareness, and form friendships—often for the first time. We also explore the importance of creating environments where neurodiverse individuals are supported, understood, and encouraged to take safe risks, with a strong network behind them.

John and I also discuss the evolving understanding of ADHD, the challenges of diagnosis, and how labels matter less than building strategies that work. He shares practical advice for parents and adults alike, emphasizing the role of support systems, coaching, and compassion. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or someone navigating your own neurodiversity, this episode offers insights into how mistakes—when supported by reflection and community—can lead to breakthroughs.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Is it true that one of your most common mistakes is people misspelling your last name?
• Did you go back and climb Mount Katahdin again on a clearer day?
• What do you mean by “summit fever”?
• If that decision had led to a bad outcome, would it change how you reflect on it?
• What lessons did you take away from that pattern of decision-making?
• What are some ways the SOAR summer camp is tailored for kids with ADHD or learning disabilities?
• How much of the benefit comes from being with other kids who share similar strengths and challenges?
• How does being in that kind of environment help kids feel more accepted?
• How does SOAR help kids who struggle to make friends build relationships?
• When were you diagnosed with ADHD?
• How did that diagnosis shape your connection to SOAR and the work you do?
• How many SOAR staff members also have ADHD, versus being trained to support it?
• What kind of person tends to thrive on your staff?
• What’s your take on people wondering if they have ADHD or if it’s anxiety or something else?
• What matters more—getting a diagnosis or developing the right coping strategies?
• What advice would you give someone recently diagnosed with ADHD—or who suspects they might have it?
• Can you talk about the role of support systems in success for neurodiverse individuals?
• What’s your view on younger people being more open about neurodiversity in the workplace?
• Can you share some practical first steps after receiving an ADHD diagnosis?
• Why is identifying your support network such a crucial part of success?

My guest for Episode #304 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Tia Warrick, a clinical research leader, epidemiologist, author, and entrepreneur who has spent nearly a decade working in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

She’s the founder of Lesous Consulting, a firm dedicated to supporting clinical research professionals and organizations through education, business analytics, and strategic consulting. With a strong academic background—including a doctorate in health science and clinical health education—Dr. Warrick is committed to empowering the next generation of researchers and bringing more awareness to the vast career opportunities within clinical research.

In this episode, Dr. Warrick shares her "favorite mistake"—not speaking up for herself early in her career. She candidly reflects on a time when she took on significantly more responsibilities than her job description called for but hesitated to advocate for a promotion or raise. Her story highlights how staying silent led to missed opportunities and feelings of frustration. But more importantly, she explains how learning to take accountability and find her voice ultimately fueled her confidence, career progression, and entrepreneurial path.

We also explore the broader challenges and opportunities within the clinical research industry, especially for early-career professionals who may not realize the variety of roles available. Dr. Warrick discusses the importance of mentorship, the need for greater visibility into clinical research career paths, and her motivation for writing Burst the Bubble, a book designed to inform and inspire future talent in the pharmaceutical world. She also touches on how she now teaches others to confidently advocate for themselves—whether during salary negotiations or while shaping their career direction.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• Was your early role as a clinical research coordinator before or after your advanced degrees?
• When did you realize you should have spoken up for yourself sooner?
• Was there a mentor or moment that helped you come to that realization?
• After receiving a small raise, did you try to advocate for more or take another path?
• Do you share this lesson with students or early-career professionals you mentor?
• How do you coach others on negotiating compensation and advocating for themselves?
• Why is it especially important to speak up early in your career?
• What are some misconceptions people have about roles in clinical research?
• How do you raise awareness about the breadth of opportunities in the field?
• How strong is the job outlook in clinical research, and how might AI impact it?
• What was the inspiration behind founding Lesous Consulting?
• What leadership lessons have you learned so far as a new entrepreneur?
• How do you create a culture where people feel safe to speak up and share feedback?
• What does psychological safety look like in your company and classroom?
• Can you tell us about the AI platform you’re developing and how it supports clinical research?

My guest for Episode #303 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kason Morris, a corporate executive, speaker, coach, and self-described life-work revolutionary. With a career that spans consulting, financial services, and global learning and development leadership, Kason has spent years helping organizations and individuals prepare for the rapidly evolving world of work. He’s also the author of LifeWork Revolution: How to Unplug from the System, Find Your Purpose, and Thrive Beyond the 9 to 5.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Kason’s “favorite mistake” was what he calls the relentless climb—his belief that success was defined by job titles, constant hustle, and chasing the next promotion. While his resume showed success, his health, relationships, and sense of fulfillment told a different story. A powerful turning point came when his young daughter mimicked his busy, distracted behavior at home—forcing him to ask: Is this the version of myself I want to model? From that moment, Kason began a process of reflection and reinvention, applying design thinking to life and work.

Mark and Kason explore topics like life-work synergy vs. work-life balance, how AI is reshaping the future of work, and why psychological safety and transparency are foundational for sustainable innovation. Whether you're a burned-out professional, a leader trying to engage your team, or someone curious about navigating change, this conversation offers inspiring lessons about slowing down, designing better systems, and living more intentionally.

• What is your “favorite mistake,” and why does it stand out to you?
• When did you first realize that your definition of success might be off track?
• What roles or promotions were part of that “relentless climb” in your career?
• Did you receive feedback from your family, or was your shift more self-reflective?
• What was the moment with your daughter that became a wake-up call?
• How did you start making changes after that realization?
• What does the phrase “designing a better life” mean to you in practice?
• How did your professional experiences in product and organizational design influence your life design approach?
• What is “life-work synergy,” and how is it different from work-life balance or integration?
• How did your new perspective influence your transition into your current role?
• How do you define the “future of work,” and what are the key capabilities people need to thrive in it?
• What are your thoughts on AI—especially how individuals can partner with it effectively?
• What are some common mistakes people or companies make when approaching AI and new technologies?
• What’s your take on the return-to-office debate and how it fits into the future of work?
• Why is employee experience becoming such a critical focus for organizations?
• What advice do you have for individuals trying to future-proof their careers?
• What do organizations need to do culturally to foster innovation and engagement?
• In your coaching practice, who typically reaches out to you—and how can they learn more?

My guest for Episode #302 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Tash Doherty, a British-Irish-American author, blogger, and podcaster currently based in Mexico City. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Tash previously worked in analytics for Postmates and Vox Media.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Today, she is the creator of Miss Educated—a popular blog and podcast covering business, pleasure, and women's health. Tash is also the author of the coming-of-age young adult novel These Perfectly Careless Things, self-published in 2023. She gained viral attention on TikTok by openly sharing her experiences with birth control.

Fresh out of Wharton at age 23, Tash joined Postmates in San Francisco, working in analytics. When offered a team change, Tash ignored her gut instinct and reluctantly joined a team run by a manager whose working style clashed sharply with her own. Within months, their professional relationship deteriorated, leading to Tash's unexpected firing just two weeks before the company conducted widespread layoffs.

Initially painful, this mistake forced Tash to reassess her career direction, ultimately opening the door to writing, entrepreneurship, and creative independence—turning a devastating setback into her favorite mistake.

In this episode, we also discuss Tash’s insightful critique of technology companies and their unintended contributions to economic inequality, her process of transforming a teenage passion project into a published novel, and practical advice on balancing creativity with financial sustainability.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Were there early signs of trouble with your boss, Sumit, or did problems develop later?
• How did you choose Postmates as your first job after graduating from Wharton?
• Did your poor relationship with Sumit impact your job performance?
• Was it hard to trust another company or manager after that experience?
• Did you ever consider starting your own company again after leaving Postmates?
• Do entrepreneurs have a responsibility to reduce economic inequality, or is that up to policymakers?
• What specific mistakes do you see tech companies making right now?
• What led you to write your article, "How Tech Is Ruining the World"?
• Can you elaborate on how tech companies like Postmates worsen inequality?
• What did you mean when you described tech workers as being "incurious about the machine"?
• Is the tech industry truly improving society or causing greater harm?
• How should entrepreneurs or policymakers handle technologies that cause harm when scaled?
• Tell us about writing your book, These Perfectly Careless Things—how did it evolve over time?
• How do you decide when your writing is finished and ready to publish?

My guest for Episode #301 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jonathan Small, an award-winning journalist, editor, podcast host, and producer based in Los Angeles.

Episode page with video and more

As president of Strike Fire Productions, he has built a diverse career that spans magazine editing at top publications—from Child Magazine to Maxim—and pioneering roles in digital media and podcasting. Known for his candid storytelling and willingness to embrace risk, Jon has transformed professional setbacks into defining career moments, including leaving a cushy executive role to reinvent himself in a rapidly changing media landscape.

He's also the podcast of a podcast called "Write About Now." Jon's also the author of a book with the same title.

In this episode, Jon recounts his bold decision to leave a high-flying magazine career in New York for a risky, low-paying production role in Los Angeles—a move that, despite its initial challenges (like parting with his beloved cat and facing financial uncertainty), ultimately redefined his career. He shares insights into the evolution of the publishing industry, the shift from print to digital media, and how even seemingly disastrous mistakes can pave the way for reinvention, new opportunities, and personal growth.

Jon also delves into his extensive experience as a writer and interviewer, offering practical advice on common pitfalls in writing and the art of “show, don’t tell.” He emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfect first drafts, the necessity of reading widely to hone one’s craft, and the value of authentic conversation in podcasting—whether as a host or a guest.

Throughout the episode, listeners are treated to vivid anecdotes from his career, tips for leveraging AI in writing, and reflections on how vulnerability and genuine curiosity fuel both compelling storytelling and effective interviews.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• What prompted you to leave magazine editing for a role in film production?
• Did you consider returning to New York after the move?
• What was your role at the movie production company?
• What are the most common mistakes rookie writers make?
• Can you provide an example that illustrates the difference between showing and telling in writing?
• What tips do you have for becoming a more effective interviewer?
• Based on your experience, what advice would you offer to guests on a podcast?

My guest for Episode #300 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Sheila Butler, a Chief Marketing Officer with over 25 years of experience shaping integrated marketing strategies, building global loyalty programs, and driving customer engagement across both B2C and B2B sectors. 

She's the founder of Butler Marketing Group. Her track record includes leadership roles at Disney, JPMorgan Chase, Choice Hotels, and Axiom Bank.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Music and Business/Arts Administration from Indiana University and an MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Today, Sheila shares her unique journey from a childhood passion for music and a stint at Disney, where she learned valuable lessons about the trade-offs between passion and pay. Despite a career start marked by lower-than-expected salaries and tough financial realities, she found that the relationships and experiences she built were invaluable. Her candid storytelling reveals how her early experiences taught her the importance of seizing opportunities—even when they seem like mistakes in the short term—to build a network that ultimately became a cornerstone for her current success.

Now, as the founder of Butler Marketing Group and host of her new podcast, "Marketing Over Bourbon," Sheila focuses on leveraging data-driven strategies to guide marketing decisions. She emphasizes creating safe spaces for experimentation, the power of testing and learning, and the need to balance strategic objectives with creative expression. Interwoven with her passion for bourbon, Sheila’s insights on marketing resonate with listeners who appreciate both practical advice and a genuine, relatable approach to career growth.

• What's your favorite mistake?
• What are you drinking?
• Do you prefer a bourbon Manhattan or a rye Manhattan?
• Have you worked with any small distillers or distilling companies?
• What drove you to launch your company?
• How do you handle it when data contradicts expectations?
• What trends are you seeing with companies becoming more data-driven in marketing?
• Is half of your ad spend wasted, or is that changing with improved data insights?

My guest for Episode #299 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Luis Velasquez, an executive coach in Silicon Valley and a Stanford Graduate School of Business facilitator. He's also the founder of Velas Consulting.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Once a university professor and research scientist, Luis helps mid-level managers to C-suite executives around the world learn, adapt, grow, and thrive by helping them how to reframe their challenges and take the most beneficial next step. 

His new book, available now, is Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt And Thrive.

Luis is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company, and was featured in best-selling author Dorie Clark’s book, The Long Game. An avid endurance athlete, he runs marathons, ultra marathons, and ironman triathlons. 

In today's episode, Luis shares his journey from being a university professor and research scientist to becoming a trusted leadership coach in Silicon Valley and a facilitator for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Luis discusses his new book, Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive, and outlines his unique resilience formula—commitment plus persistence multiplied by optimism. He explains that resilience isn't about bouncing back but about unlocking the inherent ability to adapt and thrive by continuously reframing challenges and learning from experiences.

Luis also opens up about a significant mistake in his coaching career. He recounts a time when he delivered 360-degree feedback in a way that was too direct and decontextualized, which led a client to become defensive and ultimately resulted in his contract being terminated. This experience taught him the importance of providing feedback within the context of an individual’s aspirations and personal growth, rather than simply relaying raw perceptions.

The conversation further explores his approach to transforming challenging personalities—like the so-called “brilliant jerks”—into effective leaders, and how embracing and learning from mistakes is key to unlocking resilience and driving both personal and professional growth.

• How long is an ultramarathon compared to a standard 26.1-mile marathon?
• Given your diverse career, what is your favorite mistake—and what did you learn from it?
• Should we express our degree of certainty when stating facts?
• How do you define resilience in leadership?
• How do you identify and connect with high-value, challenging employees—is it via referrals or direct outreach?
• How often do you coach not only the “brilliant jerk” but also intervene with their teams?
• What role does fear play as a catalyst for growth—is it simply about reframing it?
• Have you observed leaders effectively fostering optimism among their teams?
• What does “embrace the suck” mean to you, and why is it a pivotal concept in your book?

My guest for Episode #298 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Andy Paige. She's a soap opera actress, podcast host, QVC guest host, and national beauty/image/lifestyle expert. As Pearl on ABC's General Hospital, she brings real-life QVC flair to captivating audiences with innovative advertising.

Episode page with transcript, video, and more

She hosts “The Dating Lab with the Hillbilly Yenta,” where she explores modern dating challenges with humor and diverse guests. Her international bestseller, Style on a Shoestring, earned her the title “Budget Bombshell” and inspired frugal style makeovers on TV worldwide.

With standout appearances on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, Starting Over, and TLC’s Ten Years Younger, Andy is the go-to expert for red-carpet style and practical image advice. She also delights radio audiences nationwide with playful style tips and has launched successful product lines including her patented GirlyGoGarter® and related accessories.

In this episode, Andy shares the dramatic story of how a miscalculated cliff jump not only resulted in a severe injury but also sparked a journey of innovation that led her to create the revolutionary Girly Go Garter. She reflects on the lessons learned from this life-altering mistake and discusses how it transformed her approach to both her career and personal growth.

She offers insights into the creative process behind her products, the challenges and triumphs of working in fast-paced television environments, and how embracing mistakes can lead to unexpected opportunities. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on resilience, reinvention, and the art of turning errors into stepping stones for success.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Did you hit the edge of the rock when you jumped?
• Was your foot catastrophically injured during the fall?
• Did you expect a long rehab period and time away from the camera?
• How many design iterations did the Girly Go Garter require—and is it still evolving based on feedback?
• Did you try pitching your product on Shark Tank?
• Did the Girly Go Garter play a role in landing your QVC gigs?
• Is QVC always broadcast live?
• How far in advance are soap opera episodes completed?
• How did your role on General Hospital come about?
• As a mother, how do you help your kids learn from mistakes?
• Do you allow your natural accent to shine through on set?

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Key Discussion Points:

Public Perceptions vs. Reality: Arnie Barnett sheds light on why recent air travel incidents have caused public apprehension but insists that aviation remains incredibly safe.

Understanding Spasms of Events: Discussion on how statistical anomalies can lead to clusters of negative events but don't necessarily indicate a trend.

The Role of Probability: Barnett explains probability through coin toss analogies, emphasizing that rare clusters of events are expected even when the underlying system is safe.

Historic Comparisons and Data Trends: Insights into how aviation safety has followed a trajectory similar to Moore's Law, with risks decreasing significantly over decades.

Risks in Aviation: Highlighting the contrasts between accidental risks and potential threats from deliberate actions, such as terrorism.

Psychological Aspects of Risk: Exploration of how psychological biases, like availability bias, affect public perception of aviation risk.

Guest Bio:

Arnie Barnett

Arnie Barnett is the George Eastman Professor of Management Science at MIT Sloan School of Management and a pre-eminent expert in aviation safety. He has been recognized with the 2002 President Citation from the Flight Safety Foundation for outstanding contributions to safety and has received multiple teaching honors from MIT Sloan students. Barnett holds a BA in mathematics from Columbia University and a PhD in mathematics from MIT.

Previous Appearance: Arnie Barnett's favorite mistake story in Episode 169: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ffe6bNtxlg

MIT Article: Explore the article on the MIT website detailing aviation safety trends and Moore's Law analogy, as discussed in the episode: https://news.mit.edu/2024/study-flying-keeps-getting-safer-0807

Memorable Quotes:

"If you see a little kid at an American airport, then that kid...is five times as likely to grow up to be president as to perish in the forthcoming flight." — Arnie Barnett

"Fears are deep, and when I respect them, I know many people who are afraid to fly, but I believe this is something we shouldn't be afraid of." — Arnie Barnett

Actionable Takeaways from the Podcast Episode

Stay Informed, Not Anxious:

Guidance: Understand that aviation safety is statistically very high, even amidst rare bursts of incidents. Arnie Barnett explained that the risk levels are closer to zero than perceived, as discussed with the "availability bias" and the statistical explanation regarding recent safety events.

Implementation: Arm yourself with reliable safety data and trends when feeling anxious about flying. Remind yourself that the perception of risk is often inflated by isolated incidents, which are outweighed by the overwhelming safety record of aviation.

Leverage Sound Arguments:

Guidance: Use metaphorical insights, such as Barnett's coin analogy, to effectively communicate the nature of rare events. This helps in understanding that a sudden occurrence of incidents does not necessarily indicate a systematic issue.

Implementation: When discussing risks, employ similar analogies to articulate to others that rare sequences of events do happen without indicating a broader change in safety. This approach can not only assure others but also help you internalize and remain calm about flying.

Focus on Broader Safety Trends:

Guidance: Be aware that deliberate attacks are an area of potential concern, but reassurances on trends are clear from Barnett, who discussed continuous improvements and the extraordinary safety levels in countries like the US, UK, and Canada.

Implementation: When planning air travel, focus on the historical safety record of airlines and recognize that current safety measures are stringent and continuously improving. For example, choosing airlines with exemplary safety records can further mitigate rare and unanticipated risks, providing peace of mind during air travel.

My guest for Episode #297 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Norman Wolfe, the Founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders.

EPISODE PAGE with video, transcript, and more

Norman's journey as both a successful executive and a trusted coach to countless leaders has been driven by one central question: How can we improve our ability to achieve the results we want? His pursuit of this answer led him to master a wide range of business disciplines—from leadership and strategy to operations and finance—while also deeply exploring human potential, personal growth, and even spirituality.

Norman's mission now is to help others transform their thinking and approach to more effectively achieve their deepest desires.

In this episode, I chat with Norman about how mistakes can spark profound growth and innovation in leadership. Norman shares his favorite mistake story—from his early days as a first-time manager, where a harsh performance review challenged him, to the lessons that fueled his journey toward becoming a top leader at Hewlett-Packard. He explains Wolfe's Law, his formula that highlights the exponential impact of relationships and context on achieving outcomes.

We also dive into the principles of quantum leadership, discussing how a holistic, people-centered approach—blending practical leadership with a touch of spirituality and systems thinking—can transform organizations into dynamic learning ecosystems.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• Did the negative review or your mentors provide specific, actionable feedback for improvement?
• Is the formula you mentioned what you call “Wolfe’s Law”?
• Could you state Wolfe’s Law for us?
• Does your formula imply that relationships are exponentially more important than activity and context?
• How does spirituality fit into your framework—does it fall under context or serve another role?
• How do you assess whether individuals (or teams) are mature enough for increased responsibility?
• What should be eliminated versus managed when dealing with ambiguity and risk?
• From your experience, why is it essential to reframe mistakes as positive learning opportunities?
• Do you believe that making mistakes fosters adaptation and growth?

My guest for Episode #296 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Sherianna Boyle, a renowned psychic healer, speaker, and founder of Emotional Detox Coaching® and The Cleanse Method®. She has written over ten books, including the best-selling Energy in Action: The Power of Emotions & Intuition to Cultivate Peace & Freedom.

Her latest book is Just Ask Spirit: Free Your Emotions to Energize Intuition and Discover Purpose.

With over 25 years of experience in mental health and wellness, Sherianna integrates psychology, energy healing, and spirituality in her work. Her "Just Ask Spirit" podcast is in the top 5% globally, and she has been featured in major media outlets like Psychology Today, Yoga Journal, and Prevention.

In today's episode, we explored the idea that mistakes, particularly those born of brutal honesty, are vital opportunities for growth. Sherianna shared that her favorite mistake was being so candid—delivering feedback that wasn’t always received well—that she later recognized as a catalyst for learning and deeper self-awareness. She explained how that raw honesty, while sometimes painful in the moment, ultimately taught her the importance of embracing and processing emotions rather than suppressing them. By owning her truth and inviting forgiveness—from herself and others—she discovered that these so-called mistakes could pave the way for more authentic, supportive relationships and a greater alignment with her inner guidance.

• What is your favorite mistake, and why does it stand out?
• Can you share a specific story that illustrates this pattern of brutal honesty?
• Reflecting on those experiences, would you do anything differently in similar situations?
• Can someone be prepared—or "braced"—for the impact of brutal honesty?
• What advice do you have for those struggling with the aftermath of a mistake?
• How can someone uncover the root of their emotional triggers, and what resources would you recommend?
• In your work, how do you define "spirit" and its role in emotional healing?
• Who is the ideal audience for your book, and in what situations would it be most helpful?

My guest for Episode #295 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Josh Chernikoff, a seasoned expert in the education sector with nearly 20 years of experience in EdTech, sales, and entrepreneurship.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Josh is the founder of the EdSales Elevation Experience, a 12-week program designed to help education companies build lead-generation engines that consistently book 12-20 high-quality sales calls per month.

He has worked with hundreds of thousands of students and educational leaders, helping businesses scale with innovative, repeatable sales processes. Josh is also a Milken-Penn GSE Competition Judge, StartEd Mentor, and host of the podcast "Breaking the Grade."

In this episode, Josh Chernikoff shares the hard lessons he learned from choosing the wrong business partners and how that misalignment impacted his second company. He reflects on how personality fit and communication styles can make or break a business relationship, emphasizing the importance of testing collaborations on smaller projects before fully committing. Josh also opens up about a pricing strategy misstep that led to significant financial losses and the unexpected impact of the pandemic on his after-school enrichment business.

Beyond mistakes, we dive into what makes a repeatable, scalable sales process—why businesses struggle with lead generation, how to refine messaging, and the importance of credibility in attracting the right clients. Josh explains his Raise Your Hand campaign as a way to identify high-quality leads and tailor sales efforts to what potential customers actually need. We also discuss the power of having one clear offer, the role of objections in refining sales strategies, and why he stays laser-focused on education sales despite his methodology’s broader applicability. Toward the end, Josh shares stories from his early career as a TV sports broadcaster, including lessons learned at Northwestern’s Medill School and the intensity of live television.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Did you realize it was a mistake right away, or did that realization develop over time?
• What lessons did you take from that experience?
• How can someone evaluate whether a business partnership is the right fit before committing?
• Can you share more about the pricing change that didn’t go as planned?
• How do you differentiate between handling objections in sales and truly learning from objections?
• Why limit your business to education sales when your methodology could apply more broadly?
• What are the most common sales mistakes you see, either in education or in general?
• How important is it to focus on finding the right leads versus just generating more leads?
• How do you identify high-quality leads and refine your targeting strategy over time?
• What role does messaging play in sales success, and how do you help clients improve it?
• How did your career start in TV sports broadcasting, and what led you to leave?
• What lessons from broadcasting have helped you in your current work?
• Was there a broadcast journalism equivalent to the Medill F?
• How should professionals use LinkedIn to position themselves effectively?
• What advice do you have for people struggling with lead generation?
• How do you know when it’s time to pivot your business strategy based on market feedback?

My guest for Episode #294 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Mandolen Mull.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

She has worked with global clients in various industries, helping organizations with change implementation and leader development training. The daughter of a master stone mason entrepreneur, Mandolen has a great appreciation for the responsibility of leaders in building trades and manufacturing realms. 

Mandolen has written a leadership handbook and is currently publishing her multi-series memoir titled Mullings, Mullivation, and MullMentum.

She was born in Fort Worth, TX, and inspired by her family's history in politics, she obtained a bachelor's degree in Political Science & Psychology and an MBA in International Business at McLane College of Business from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. 

Amassing over a decade of corporate leadership experience, she obtained her Ph.D. from the Soules College of Business at the University of Texas at Tyler in Organizational Development & Change. 

In this episode, we explore powerful leadership lessons drawn from personal experiences, including the importance of authenticity and earning credibility in challenging environments. Mandolen shares a defining moment early in her career when she stepped into a male-dominated workplace and made an impulsive decision that led to a valuable lesson about humility and resilience. She reflects on how listening, observing, and building trust with her team helped her become an effective leader, emphasizing that leadership is not about asserting authority but about connecting with people and addressing their needs.

We also delve into the impact of adversity on her leadership journey, including her experience with dystonia and how it shaped her perspective on resilience and empathy. Mandolen discusses the inspiration behind her memoir series, including themes of grit, transformation, and navigating complex relationships. Through candid stories about her personal and professional life, she offers insights into building trust, overcoming challenges, and fostering a leadership style that prioritizes connection, transparency, and growth.

• Can you share an update on your memoir series? What themes are you exploring in these books?
• What’s the story behind your favorite mistake, and what leadership lessons did you take from it?
• Was your initial approach to listening and observing natural for you, or did someone advise you to take that approach?
• How did your father’s lessons and perspective shape your leadership style?
• What advice did your father give you to help overcome challenges in leadership?
• How did your team’s feedback inspire your transition to becoming a professor?
• What is it like coaching ironworkers to become effective leaders and instructors?
• How has your experience with dystonia and other health challenges influenced your leadership journey?
• What inspired the title and concept of your first book, Grit for the Pearl?
• What are the key themes of your upcoming books, and how do they connect to your life and work?

My guest for Episode #293 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Spencer Jones, a rookie forward with the Denver Nuggets and a Stanford University graduate, where he earned a degree in Management Science and Engineering.

Episode page with links and more

He averaged 11 points per game over five standout years at Stanford, leading the Pac-12 in three-point shooting as a freshman and graduating as Stanford's all-time leader in three-pointers. Before college, Spencer also secured three high school state championships in Kansas.

While his professional basketball career with the Denver Nuggets keeps him on the court, Spencer's ambitions stretch far beyond the game. Passionate about the intersections of sports, health, and technology, he is actively building his brand in the health tech space, leveraging his platform as an athlete to explore innovation and make an impact off the court.

In this episode, Spencer shares his journey from high school state championships to becoming Stanford's all-time leader in three-pointers and his transition to the pros. Spencer opens up about his favorite mistake: hesitating to embrace the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities during his college years due to concerns about balancing individual branding with team dynamics. Reflecting on how this hesitation caused him to miss out on valuable opportunities early in his college career, Spencer explains how he learned to navigate those challenges and is now focused on capitalizing on his NBA platform while staying grounded in his basketball priorities.

Throughout the episode, we discuss Spencer's experiences balancing academics, athletics, and building a brand, including how his Management Science and Engineering degree from Stanford shaped his interest in the intersections of health, technology, and business. Spencer also offers insights into the evolving dynamics of NIL, the challenges of team equity, and the impact of the transfer portal. We explore his presence on LinkedIn as a platform for connecting with alumni and businesses, his passion for investments and startups, and how watching NBA superstar Steph Curry train influenced his own work ethic. Spencer's reflections provide valuable lessons on resilience, legacy building, and preparing for life after sports.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Can you explain NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and the opportunities it offers athletes?
• How did NIL impact team dynamics, and what was it like balancing individual and team priorities?
• Did you consider transferring to another school, especially with the new transfer rules?
• What lessons did you learn about balancing academics and athletics at Stanford?
• Why did you choose Management Science and Engineering as your major?
• What impact did being in Silicon Valley have on your development, connections, and career opportunities?
• How much interest is there among players in investing, startups, and business ventures beyond basketball?
• What kind of resources does the NBA or players' associations provide to help players prepare for their futures?
• How does the G League (formerly D League) fit into player development for someone in your position?
• What factors went into your decision to sign with the Denver Nuggets, especially as a two-way player?
• How do you approach balancing short-term versus long-term decisions in your basketball and business career?
• What led you to build a presence on LinkedIn, and how has that platform benefited you?
• What advice do you have for other athletes about building their brand and preparing for life after sports?
• How do you manage the pressure of potential mistakes in high-visibility situations like an NBA game?

My guest for Episode #292 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Chief Strategy Officer of Workforce and Labor at Culture Partners and an internationally recognized speaker. 

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Known for her transformative 'Culture Equation,' Jessica has been featured on CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, and more. At Culture Partners, she leads pioneering research and strategy with Stanford University, working to reshape the DNA of Fortune 10 and 500 companies for long-term success.

Jessica holds a doctorate in Human Resources Development and Educational Leadership from Drexel University and is the author of Unfairly Labeled, a book that challenges generational stereotypes in the workplace. She also hosts the podcast "Culture Leaders," where she dives into the essence of true transformation.

In this episode, Jessica shares insights on leadership, culture transformation, and her unique journey through pivotal career experiences. Jessica discussed her favorite mistake—a whirlwind promotion at Oracle to Head of Strategy for the Head of Cloud, a role she describes as "seven promotions" above her current position at the time.

Although the experience quickly led to burnout due to overwhelming demands and a relentless work pace, it also became one of her most transformative learning experiences. Jessica credits those six intense weeks as the foundation for her "Culture Equation" framework, which she has since applied to drive organizational change and foster alignment between purpose, strategy, and culture.

The conversation also explored the critical role of leadership in shaping workplace culture and addressing challenges like burnout, disengagement, and generational stereotypes. Jessica emphasized that culture is fundamentally about how people think and act to achieve results, and leaders must align beliefs and behaviors to operationalize strategy. She shared her perspectives on overcoming employee disengagement, fostering innovation through psychological safety, and breaking free from generational labeling in the workplace.

Jessica also discussed her TED Talk, "How to Help People Give a Shit," highlighting how employees' perceived apathy often stems from overwhelm and a lack of agency rather than genuine disinterest.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Would you say six weeks is an unusually fast burnout cycle?
• Was the 3 a.m. call part of a broader pattern of disrespect or just a one-off incident?
• Are these patterns common across organizations, or are they specific to individual leaders?
• How do you define culture?
• Did you face challenges getting your TED Talk title approved?
• What advice do you have for leaders to address this challenge of employee disengagement?
• How do you see leaders' perceptions of mistakes influencing workplace culture?
• What led you to write your book Unfairly Labeled?
• How do you think generational stereotypes impact workplace dynamics?
• Do you believe evolving workplace expectations are driven more by technology than generational differences?

My guest for Episode #291 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Trent Clark, CEO of Leadershipity and Founder of Courage Coach LLC. Having spent his adult livelihood among the top 1% producers in sports and business, Trent is dedicated to empowering people to reach their goals, peak performance, and attain their dreams.

Episode page with transcript, video, and more.

An entrepreneur of 12 companies and longtime Entrepreneur Organization Member, he is best known for being a two-sport Division I Collegiate Athlete and Coaching 12 years in Professional Baseball with three organizations - including three (3) trips to the World Series - working with the Detroit Tigers, two-time American League Champion Cleveland Indians and the 2002 World Champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 

He’s the author of a new book, Leading Winning Teams: How Teamwork, Motivation, and Strategy Achieve Big League Success, and he’s also the host of his podcast, "Winners Find a Way."

Trent has worked on staff with famed personalities, coaches, and executives, including Nick Saban, Joe Maddon, Tom Izzo, Mike Scioscia, and my favorite from that list… Sparky Anderson.

This episode covers the importance of learning from mistakes, resilience, and the parallels between sports and business leadership. Trent shares impactful lessons from his career, including a pivotal mistake involving contract negotiations that shaped his approach to accountability and preparation.

The conversation explores themes such as embracing failure as a stepping stone to growth, the necessity of adaptability in high-pressure environments, and the role of coaching in fostering continuous improvement. Insights on balancing personal and professional commitments, the evolution of strength training in baseball, and cultivating high-performing teams round out a compelling discussion on achieving sustained success through intentional learning and reflection.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Are you willing to share what the main promises were that the Angels made verbally but never included in the written contract?
• Do coaches typically have an agent or a lawyer, or is that something you just handle on your own?
• How has the thinking evolved about bulking up in baseball? Is it still considered risky, or is it more about how players approach strength training?
• As a strength and conditioning coach, were you traveling constantly with both the Major League and minor league teams? What was that like for your family life?
• What can we learn from athletes about bouncing back from mistakes that might apply to entrepreneurship or our own work?
• You told me you get excited about mistakes—why is that, and how do people respond when you show that enthusiasm?

My guest for Episode #290 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Michelle Rankine, Ph.D., a trailblazing entrepreneur in the health space who built a multimillion-dollar home care franchise business to address disparities in Black and Brown communities.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

A former sports executive with roles at major organizations like the U.S. Olympic Committee, Michelle found her calling in senior home care after her brother’s tragic car accident left him paralyzed. Driven by a strong sense of purpose and community, she now owns three Right at Home franchises in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, prioritizing quality care and bridging critical gaps for aging adults.

In this episode, Michelle and host Mark Graban explore her biggest lessons learned: why trust is essential when building a business, how data-driven KPIs can spark growth, and where home care fits into the spectrum of healthcare services.

Michelle shares her personal story of shifting from the security of collegiate sports administration to the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, revealing how she discovered resilience, the importance of coaching, and the power of focusing on the right goals.

Key themes include fostering health equity, measuring what matters, and creating supportive networks—whether for Olympic athletes or for families needing respite care.

• Could you share your “favorite mistake,” and how did you learn from it?
• Was your realization about needing to trust others gradual, or was there a clear wake-up call?
• Which key KPIs helped you decide to step away from handling sales yourself?
• How did your team respond when you began delegating more, and did you get any feedback about micromanaging?
• What led you from a career in sports management to launching a home care business?
• How do the resilience and focus you gained in athletics translate to entrepreneurship?
• What are the biggest health disparities you aim to address, and how do your franchises help bridge those gaps?
• Could you clarify the difference between ‘home care’ and ‘home health,’ and why does that distinction matter?
• Why do some families wait too long to seek help, and how can people avoid that mistake?
• What advice would you offer to adult children who find themselves caring for aging parents, especially when roles reverse?

Please check out the back catalog of episodes!

If you’re looking for something to read over the holidays, my book The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation (that contains many stories and lessons learned from my guests… and my own career) is available for a special price — the Kindle format is just $2.99 (and equivalent prices around the world).

Visit Amazon in your country, or go to mistakesbook.com to learn more and to get a free preview.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

My guest for Episode #289 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jonathan Bailey, founder of PlagiarismToday.com. He’s also a Copyright and Plagiarism Consultant at CopyByte, with background and education in Journalism. 

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He’s spoken at conferences worldwide, including four of the International Plagiarism Conferences, three SXSWi Conferences, and much more. He’s also been featured in countless publications, including The Boston Globe, The Guardian, PBS MediaShift, The New York Times, and the BBC, to name a few.

In today's episode, Jonathan discusses his journey as a leading voice in copyright and plagiarism consulting. He shares insights into the challenges of protecting intellectual property in the digital age, offering practical advice on addressing online plagiarism, copyright infringement, and related issues.

Jonathan reflects on a career-defining mistake where he made a fear-driven decision to take an exclusive job, which ultimately led him to realize the importance of betting on himself.

The conversation also spans topics such as effective ways to handle plagiarism, the role of proper attribution, and the differences between copyright and plagiarism, offering valuable lessons for content creators and businesses navigating intellectual property challenges.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• What is your best definition of plagiarism in both academic and business contexts?
• How do you handle gray areas in plagiarism, such as overly close paraphrasing or using someone’s ideas without credit?
• What inspired you to start Plagiarism Today?
• What advice would you give to content creators dealing with websites that copy their work without permission?
• How does the DMCA process work for addressing online copyright infringement?
• What mistakes do people make in assuming online content (like photos or videos) is free to use?
• Can you explain the difference between “free” and “royalty-free” content?
• How can podcasters or creators avoid legal pitfalls when using music or other media?
• Are there connections between your haunted house work and intellectual property issues, such as using copyrighted characters?
• Why is copying and pasting content on platforms like LinkedIn or Threads a problem, even when attribution is provided?
• What steps can platforms like LinkedIn take to address copyright infringement?
• How should creators respond to claims that unauthorized use of their work is "helping give it exposure"?

My guest for this bonus episode of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is ESPN anchor Randy Scott. He shares a hilarious yet humbling story from his early days on live television. Reflecting on an on-air blunder during Highlight Express, Randy reveals how the moment taught him resilience, the power of adaptability, and the importance of laughing at yourself.

Join us as Randy takes us behind the scenes at ESPN and shares valuable lessons learned from his favorite mistake!

See video, transcript, and more

My guest for Episode #288 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Rupal Patel - she’s a former CIA analyst turned serial entrepreneur, who has embarked on an unconventional journey from military briefing rooms in jungles to corporate boardrooms and international stages. 

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Her newly released book, From CIA to CEO: Unconventional Life Lessons for Thinking Bigger, Leading Better, and Being Bolder, is not just a memoir but a comprehensive ops manual and tradecraft toolkit for leaders and entrepreneurs. 

Serving primarily under President George W. Bush after 9/11, she became an intelligence expert on Afghanistan. She advised Four-Star Generals, earned War Zone Service Medals, and was recognized by the CIA Director for “superior support to the President of the United States.”

After leaving the CIA, she earned her MBA and started her first award-winning business over ten years ago. Rupal is a sought-after international speaker and corporate advisor who has spoken in front of thousands and delivered leadership and talent development programs for Fortune 500 companies around the globe and the White House.

In this episode, Rupal shares her journey from briefing four-star generals in war zones to advising Fortune 500 companies in boardrooms. She reflects on a defining moment at the CIA, where a false accusation taught her the importance of standing up for herself and overcoming self-blame. Rupal discusses lessons in leadership, the value of emotional intelligence, and the power of “tactical ignorance” in decision-making and problem-solving. She also explores how owning one’s uniqueness—what she calls “owning your weird”—can unlock potential and authenticity in leadership and life.

• What’s your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• How did the accusation from your supervisor affect your working relationship?
• Did that experience lead to your decision to leave the CIA?
• What motivated you to join the CIA, and how did that opportunity come about?
• How did your CIA experience shape your transition into business and leadership?
• What CIA methods or mindsets do you think are most applicable to business strategy?
• How do you balance strategic planning with the unpredictability of real-world situations?
• Can you explain the concept of “tactical ignorance” and its role in decision-making?
• What advice do you have for leaders or entrepreneurs facing setbacks or mistakes?
• What inspired you to write From CIA to CEO, and what was the writing process like?
• Did you need CIA approval to share details in your book?
• What does “owning your weird” mean to you, and why is it important for leadership?

My guest for Episode #287 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Steven L. Blue, the CEO of Miller Ingenuity, a global manufacturer and supplier of railroad parts and high-technology rail safety systems and services.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He’s a recognized expert in business transformation. With 50 years of experience leading companies across diverse industries like manufacturing and publishing, Steve has a proven track record of turning businesses around and driving massive profit increases.

A best-selling author and regular media personality, Steve is also a sought-after keynote speaker who has spoken at prestigious venues like Harvard Business School, The United Nations, and Carnegie Hall. His leadership insights have been featured in major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, Forbes, and CNBC.

In this episode, we dive into the pivotal lessons learned from mistakes, exploring how past successes can plant the seeds for future missteps. Steve shares his story of a bold but ultimately flawed business venture in Cuba, unpacking how ego and faulty assumptions led to failure—and valuable insights.

We discuss the importance of testing assumptions, inviting challenges from peers and boards, and fostering a culture that learns from, rather than fears, mistakes. Steve also highlights the transformation of Miller Ingenuity, offering wisdom on leadership, rebranding, and building a culture of continuous improvement that empowers employees to innovate and adapt.

This conversation is rich with reflections on the intersection of humility, risk-taking, and the resilience required to navigate today’s business landscape.

• What is your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• What was the event at Carnegie Hall where you spoke?
• How did you approach navigating the challenges of broadcasting from Cuba?
• Why do you think there was low interest in the U.S. for the Cuba broadcast?
• What lessons did you take away about making assumptions in business?
• How do you accurately forecast interest in new ventures?
• What role does ego play in decision-making, and how can it lead to mistakes?
• Why is failure an important part of learning and eventual success?
• How do you test assumptions before making significant investments?
• What’s the role of a board of directors in challenging and validating assumptions?
• How do you navigate resistance to new ideas within your team or board?
• What was the process behind rebranding Miller Ingenuity?
• How did you ensure the rebrand was successful and aligned with your business goals?
• What role does culture play in Lean manufacturing at Miller Ingenuity?
• How do you foster an environment where employees feel safe admitting mistakes?
• What’s your approach to hiring and ensuring cultural fit within your teams?
• How do you balance empowering teams with stepping in during a crisis?
• What leadership attitudes are most likely to lead to business disasters?
• What steps do you take to prevent and respond to unforeseen disasters?
• What advice would you give to other leaders about sustaining a culture of continuous improvement?

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Throughout her illustrious career, Nancy has empowered over 10,000 clients, including C-Suite executives, mid-level managers, and business owners, to navigate the intricate balance between professional achievement and personal fulfillment.  

She’s co-author of the book Success Redefined with Jack Canfield.

In today's episode, Nancy shares the story of her favorite mistake—losing $300,000 in just five months pursuing a lifelong dream of opening a wine bar. She reflects on the critical lessons she learned about the importance of due diligence, trusting gut instincts, and recognizing misaligned partnerships. Nancy discusses how this experience shaped her approach to coaching, helping clients uncover their life purpose, navigate the paradox of professional success, and integrate work and personal fulfillment. She offers practical strategies for managing stress, addressing incomplete tasks, and shifting from fear-based thinking to resilience and clarity. Nancy’s insights provide inspiration and actionable advice for anyone striving to align their career, values, and sense of purpose.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during this venture, and how did you handle them?
• What lessons did you learn from this experience, and how do you apply them in your work today?
• Do you have any regrets about walking away from the business?
• What is your life purpose, and how do you help others articulate theirs?
• What do you mean by the “professional paradox,” and how do you help clients facing career and life challenges?
• How do you approach unraveling the root causes of professional struggles for your clients?
• What strategies do you recommend for managing stress caused by incomplete tasks?
• How do you help clients shift from fear of failure to a mindset of resilience and growth?
• How has this mistake influenced your approach to life and business coaching?

Janet, who previously appeared on Episode 175, shares insights from her new book, "The Strategic Leader's Mindset: Unlocking the Keys to Success." This book offers actionable strategies for executives making the challenging shift to strategic leadership roles. Janet's website: https://janetpolach.com/

In this conversation, Janet explores key concepts such as embracing ambiguity, strengthening internal and external relationships, and the importance of setting aside dedicated time to develop strategic thinking. She dives into the practical tools and exercises included in each chapter to help leaders take action on what they learn.

Tune in to hear how Janet's approach to writing has evolved, her lessons on strategic leadership, and why it’s essential to engage with peers across industries to drive innovation and insight.

Plus, get a glimpse into Janet’s favorite leadership lessons, from “leaning into ambiguity” to harnessing outside perspectives for organizational success. If you’re an aspiring or seasoned leader, this episode is packed with valuable advice.

And if you missed her original episode, catch Janet's "favorite mistake" story in Episode 175 at https://www.markgraban.com/mistake175

My guest for Episode #285 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jure Koscak, a former professional table tennis player who competed for 15 years at the highest levels.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

Alongside his athletic career, Jure pursued a deep interest in sports psychology, which eventually led him to earn a Ph.D. in physical education. For the past 15 years, he has specialized as a high-performance mental coach, working with over 50 professional athletes across various sports, as well as more than 1,000 private clients.

Jure is a polyglot, fluent in six languages, including Slovenian, English, Spanish, German, Serbo-Croatian, and French. His diverse background and experience allow him to connect with a wide range of clients, helping them not just to survive but to thrive in both their sports careers and personal lives.

In this insightful conversation, Jure shares his favorite mistake—his hip injury, which he attributes to a combination of arrogance and overtraining. Despite his professional success, Jure reflects on how he neglected the early warning signs from his body, overworked himself, and disregarded the balance necessary to sustain long-term performance. This mistake, which eventually led to a debilitating hip injury, forced him to confront the importance of listening to his body and respecting its limits.

Jure also discusses his transformation from athlete to coach, explaining how he now uses his experiences to help others avoid the same pitfalls. The episode explores the mind-body connection, overtraining, chronic pain, and how unresolved emotional issues can manifest physically. Jure introduces the AEQ Method, a somatic approach that helps individuals reconnect with their bodies, reduce chronic pain, and elevate emotional maturity. His goal is to empower athletes and individuals to become more self-aware, both mentally and physically, so they can perform at their best without sacrificing long-term health.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• How would you say injuring your hip was a mistake?
• Did your hip injury occur during your peak in table tennis?
• Did that injury end your career?
• Was there a moment when you realized you weren’t listening to your body, or had you been aware of the mistake earlier?
• Can you explain the AEQ Method and how it helps people?
• How did you transition into coaching non-athletes?
• How do people find you—are they seeking balance, dealing with pain, or something else?
• Why do people self-sabotage, and is it tied to trauma or fear?
• Why do people continue with behaviors they know are harmful?
• How did helping 1 million people with chronic pain become your mission?
• How much of positivity is personality versus something we can develop and learn?

My guest for Episode #284 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Minette Norman, an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who previously spent decades leading global technical teams in the software industry. 

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

Minette has extensive experience leading internationally distributed teams and believes that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates. 

Her most recent position before starting her consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk.

Minette is a keynote speaker on inclusive leadership, psychological safety, collaborative teams, and empathy. She was named in 2017 as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the?San Francisco Business Times and as “Business Role Model of the Year” in the 2018 Women in IT/Silicon Valley Awards. 

In this episode, the conversation covers the critical importance of psychological safety and inclusive leadership in the workplace. Minette shares stories from her tech career, highlighting the challenges of navigating power dynamics, cultural differences, and the role of empathy in leadership. She emphasizes the need for leaders to create environments where individuals feel safe to speak up, make mistakes, and share diverse perspectives without fear of retribution.

Minette is the author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader and co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook.

The discussion also touches on the common misunderstandings about psychological safety, such as confusing it with comfort, and explores practical ways leaders can foster a culture of openness and accountability while maintaining high performance and innovation.

• What is your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
• How did your mentee’s situation change your perspective on leadership?
• Did you consider legal action when you faced bullying and had to leave tech?
• How do you define psychological safety, and why is it so important?
• Can you have too much psychological safety?
• How can leaders assess and improve psychological safety within their teams?
• What role do leaders play in fostering a culture where it’s safe to admit mistakes?
• How do demographic differences impact experiences of psychological safety?
• How universal are the concepts of psychological safety and inclusion across cultures?
• What advice do you have for leaders hesitant to admit their own mistakes?

As Jacob recounts, his decision to skip having a page-turner led to a "train wreck" moment in front of an audience, forcing the musicians to restart the piece. But this unexpected blunder turned out to be a surprising gift, making the experience more relatable and memorable for the audience.

Listen as Jacob reflects on how this mistake shifted his view on performance and connected him with listeners in a new way. Mark also shares his own story of a music slip-up, proving that even the most prepared musicians and performers can find themselves at a loss. This episode is a perfect blend of music, humility, and the valuable lessons we take from our mistakes.

🔗 Want to learn more about Jacob’s insights into performance and productivity? Check out his latest book, Productivity Reimagined: Shattering Performance Myths to Achieve Sustainable Growth, and listen to his full episode on the Lean Blog Interviews podcast.

⏩ Topics Covered:

The importance of learning from mistakes in any field

How to handle slip-ups and turn them into positive moments

Classical music, page-turning mishaps, and human connection through errors

Mark and Jacob's personal stories of musical mistakes and the lessons learned

My guest for Episode #283 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jean Jacques “JJ” Brun… also known as Operative 431.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

As a seasoned veteran of the Intelligence Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, he served with distinction as a contact handler on the ground in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Years in the discrete world of human intelligence and counter human intelligence have driven my desire to understand human behavior’s intricacies and pass on the complex notion of interpersonal communication.

Although retired from active duty, JJ realized much of what he learned could be utilized in the civilian world. Based on the Four Temperament (DISC) Model of Human Behaviour to better understand and maximize human dynamics, his exclusive training programs provide a comprehensive analysis of communication techniques, empowering individuals to enhance authentic relationships that promote trust, innovation, and productivity.

In this episode, the conversation explores JJ Brun's transition from his role as an intelligence operative in the Canadian Armed Forces to applying his expertise in the civilian world. JJ shares stories from his time in Bosnia and the challenges of adapting to intelligence work without formal military training. He discusses key lessons learned, including the importance of self-awareness, situational awareness, and using behavioral models like DISC to understand and build relationships. The episode highlights how these skills, initially developed for high-stakes intelligence work, have proven valuable in helping leaders and organizations understand human dynamics more effectively.

• What does it mean to be a contact handler in intelligence?
• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• Did anyone know you didn’t finish the last mile of the marchathon?
• Was the training in the UK meant to prepare you for being on the other side of an interrogation?
• How did you handle the potential for mistakes being deadly in intelligence work?
• What was the Oka crisis?
• What is involved in being a contact handler?
• Was the debrief after your training focused on learning from mistakes, or did you get reprimanded?
• How did you adapt to working in a war zone like Bosnia?
• What’s the value of using the DISC model in your work today?
• Can people learn more about your work and the DISC model through your website?

In this special bonus episode of My Favorite Mistake, our guest (via Cameo) is Gene Steratore, a former NFL and NCAA basketball official known for his calm demeanor, fairness, and expertise on the field and court.

Episode page with video and transcript.

With over 15 years as an NFL referee and a longstanding career in NCAA basketball officiating, Steratore became a trusted figure in sports, celebrated for managing high-stakes games, including playoff and Super Bowl matchups. After retiring from officiating, he transitioned to broadcasting as a rules analyst for CBS Sports, where he brings insights on officiating decisions and the human element in sports.

Gene graciously shares his perspective on the importance of learning from mistakes both on and off the field. Gene reflects on the challenges of officiating, where striving for perfection meets the reality of human fallibility. He discusses the humility required to accept imperfection in the moment and the invaluable lessons mistakes provide for honing one's craft.

Beyond sports, Gene explores how these lessons translate to everyday life, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, resilience, and growth. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to embrace the learning journey that comes with making – and learning from – mistakes.

My guest for Episode #282 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Christine “Chris” King, who defied the odds as a single mother in the 1970s, rising to become the world's first female CEO in the semiconductor industry. Armed with degrees in electrical engineering, Chris climbed the ranks at IBM before leading billion-dollar companies like AMI Semiconductor, Standard Microsystems, and QLogic Corporation.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Her leadership extended across engineering, sales, and business management, and she even founded Expedition Electronics. Beyond technology, Chris is also a champion equestrian and dairy farmer. Her incredible journey is captured in Breaking Through the Silicon Ceiling.

In today's episode, Chris reveals how an initial mistake—pursuing electrical engineering to impress someone—unexpectedly launched her into a successful engineering and leadership career. Chris and Mark discuss the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field, the importance of persistence, and her approach to leading successful business turnarounds.

We also touch on her experiences as a champion equestrian and a dairy farmer, drawing parallels between problem-solving in agriculture and business. Throughout the conversation, Chris emphasizes the value of learning from mistakes, building confidence, and leveraging opportunities for growth, offering listeners practical leadership insights and inspiration.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• Did the relationship with the guy who inspired you to study engineering work out?
• As you went through your engineering education, did you have doubts? Did it feel like a mistake at first?
• Why would a caseworker be resistant to letting you attend college?
• Did you have to pitch your plan for going to college? How did you make it work financially?
• What was it like being the first or only woman on teams early in your career?
• When did you start transitioning from technical roles to leadership roles, and did you aspire to become a CEO?
• How did the team you managed react to having a female boss?
• What challenges did you face with your superiors as you advanced?
• How did you feel about becoming a CEO for the first time, especially on 9/11?
• Did the events of 9/11 affect your business?
• What lessons did you learn from leading turnarounds, and how did you diagnose the issues?
• Did you encounter similar challenges during other turnarounds, like the one during the 2008 financial crisis?
• How did media attention around being the first female CEO in semiconductors affect you?
• Who were some CEOs that you admired or learned from?
• What are the three things any successful businessperson needs?
• What three things do people not need to succeed in business?
• How many women have followed your path in the semiconductor industry?
• What lessons did you learn from dairy farming?
• What lessons did you learn from equestrian competitions?
• How do you see the parallels between leading a team and managing livestock or horses?
• How do you approach creating a culture of learning from mistakes in leadership?
• What inspired you to write your book, Breaking Through the Silicon Ceiling?
• How do you reach the audience you want with your book, and what creative efforts have you made for that?
• Who is the audience you’re hoping to inspire with your story?
• What advice would you give for fostering interest in STEM among young women?

Mark and Stephanie dive into questions many of us have wondered: Is anyone really reading our responses to campaign texts? Are these messages effective, or do they risk driving away potential voters? Senator Pitcher shares her personal experiences with both sending and receiving political texts, the realities of balancing voter outreach with respect for privacy, and the challenge of navigating the fine line between visibility and annoyance.

For those curious about how campaign data is shared and why unsubscribing doesn’t always work as intended, Stephanie explains the often complex web of candidate PACs, third-party vendors, and data-sharing that keeps these messages coming. She also discusses her plans to explore more sophisticated social media advertising, leaving listeners with a thought-provoking view on the future of campaign outreach.

Tune in to hear a behind-the-scenes look at campaign messaging from a seasoned state senator’s perspective!

My guest for Episode #281 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Edward Feinberg, a distinguished expert in restorative dentistry who has dedicated over 40 years to advancing dental care. Dr. Feinberg graduated from Tufts University, was trained by his father, Dr. Elliot Feinberg, a pioneer in full coverage restorative dentistry, and practiced in Scarsdale, New York, before moving to Arizona, where he now practices.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He is the Director of ONWARD, an online teaching organization for full coverage restorative dentistry, where he has created over 30 courses and provides a wealth of educational resources.

A nationally recognized lecturer and author, Dr. Feinberg has contributed significantly to dental literature, including his essay collection, "Open Wide: Essays on Challenges in Dentistry to Achieve Excellence." He also serves on editorial boards and councils for various dental associations and has been honored with numerous awards for his contributions to the field.

In this episode, Ed shares insights from over 40 years in the field and discusses his unique approach to saving teeth, which contrasts with the widespread practice of extracting teeth and opting for implants. Dr. Feinberg’s "favorite mistake" involved a crown falling off a colleague’s tooth—a rare but impactful error. Through this experience, he reinforced his belief in trial-based dentistry and using precise techniques to ensure long-lasting dental solutions.

Dr. Feinberg advocates for saving teeth first, using crowns and bridges when appropriate, and stresses that implants should only be used when absolutely necessary. The conversation also touches on the overuse of implants in modern dentistry, the importance of prevention, and learning from mistakes to improve patient care.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• Was that the first time a crown had fallen off, or was it just a rare occurrence?
• Were you able to implement any checks or mistake-proofing to prevent this from happening again?
• Can you explain the difference between focusing on the tooth structure above the gum versus below the gum?
• How do you use temporary crowns, and why do some fall out while others don’t?
• Do you believe dental education is keeping up with advancements in restorative techniques?
• What are your thoughts on the current trends in implant dentistry?
• Do you think a lot of dentists are making mistakes with implants, and why?
• Are there preventive or mistake-proofing methods you apply in your practice to avoid common dental issues?
• Why do you think patients typically don’t seek second opinions in dentistry, unlike in medicine?
• Does the overuse of implants lead to malpractice cases or trouble with insurance?
• Why are patients quick to judge dentists based on superficial factors rather than their actual dental work?
• What are your thoughts on veneers—are they purely cosmetic, and when are they appropriate?
• How can dentists better manage biomechanical stress when performing implant procedures?
• Are there concerns about the future reputation of dentistry due to inappropriate practices?
• What advice would you give to patients about prevention and the importance of regular dental hygiene visits?

• Dr. Feinberg’s favorite mistake: A crown falling off a colleague’s tooth and the lessons he learned about precision and correcting errors.
• Restorative dentistry techniques: Focusing on the root structure below the gum for crown and bridgework to ensure long-lasting results.
• The overuse of implants: Dr. Feinberg discusses the inappropriate use of implants and his preference for saving teeth when possible.
• Dental education: Concerns that dental schools are not teaching the best restorative methods and the influence of economic pressures on young dentists.
• Precision attachments: A less common, effective alternative to implants that can save teeth, especially for complex cases.
• Patient care and trust: How patients often judge dentists on superficial factors and the importance of second opinions in dental treatment.
• Preventive care: The importance of regular hygiene visits to prevent periodontal bone loss, which is crucial for long-term dental health.

My guest for Episode #280 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Steve Pereira. He has spent over two decades improving the flow of work across organizations. He’s worked through tech support, IT management, platform and infrastructure engineering, product management, and as a founding CTO for enterprise SaaS.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He serves as CEO of Visible Consulting, as COO to the Value Stream Management Consortium, Chair of the OASIS VSM Interoperability technical committee, and co-founder of the Flow Collective to bring flow-focused professionals together. Since 2017, he has been developing and facilitating Flow Engineering.

He is the co-author of Flow Engineering: From Value Stream Mapping to Effective Action - his co-author, Andrew Davis, was a guest here recently. Steve and Andrew also joined me for an episode of "Lean Blog Interviews."

In this episode, Steve shares his journey in improving workflows and the lessons learned from his favorite mistake. Steve recounts how, in a previous role as a developer, he assumed that his own needs mirrored those of other developers, leading him to spend significant time creating a solution without gathering proper feedback. This isolated approach resulted in wasted time and an ineffective outcome. Through this mistake, Steve realized the importance of customer validation and iterative development, key principles he now applies in his work.

We also explored the concept of "failure debt," the role of psychological safety in fostering learning from mistakes, and how flow engineering can transform collaborative workflows.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• How did things play out with that mistake in your career?
• How many other developers were you working with on this task?
• When did you realize the project wasn't working, and how did you adjust?
• How did you eventually start to learn from these mistakes?
• When did these lessons become more clear to you in your career?
• Can you elaborate on how sharing mistakes publicly helped lessen the sting over time?
• How would you define 'flow engineering' for someone outside of software development?
• How do you think mistakes, bugs, or defects affect flow? Do speed and quality go hand in hand?
• What are your thoughts on how leaders can foster psychological safety and a learning culture where mistakes are embraced?
• What is 'failure debt' and how can organizations address it?
• Did the writing process for Flow Engineering reflect some of these lessons on customer feedback and iteration?

• Steve's favorite mistake of assuming his own needs were the same as other developers, leading to wasted time.
• Importance of customer feedback and validation in technical projects.
• The Abilene Paradox and how it relates to satisfying multiple stakeholders poorly.
• Learning from mistakes over time, especially in leadership roles like CTO.
• The impact of public accountability in lessening the sting of failure.
• Definition and application of flow engineering to improve collaborative workflows.
• The relationship between mistakes and flow, and how speed and quality work together.
• The role of psychological safety in creating a learning organization.
• Concept of failure debt and how unaddressed failures can accumulate, leading to bigger issues.
• How Flow Engineering was written iteratively, applying lessons learned from Steve’s career.

My guest for Episode #279 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Cynthia Kay, author of Small Business Big Success: Proven Strategies to Beat the Odds and Grow a Great Business.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

As a business owner for over 35 years, Cynthia Kay has attracted well-known and respected customers from the global Fortune 100 to smaller forward-thinking businesses. Along the way, she has developed practical, actionable strategies for businesses from starting up to stepping out. 

As a former board chair of the National Small Business Association, she had advocated for small businesses and spoken to diverse audiences across the country. She has also mentored business owners as a member of the American Academy of Entrepreneurs. 

In this episode, Cynthia shares her journey as a business owner and the lessons she's learned along the way. Cynthia discusses her favorite mistake—starting her business with a partner who wasn’t a good fit. Despite planning out the financial and operational aspects, she overlooked the importance of aligning on working styles, values, and approaches to growth. Over time, their differing perspectives, particularly around scaling the business and relinquishing control, created tension. This led to the eventual dissolution of the partnership.

Through this experience, Cynthia developed the idea of a "business prenup," emphasizing the importance of thorough communication and alignment before entering into partnerships. She also offers advice on leadership, hiring, and building a resilient organization.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• Why do you think the partnership didn’t work?
• How did things end up playing out with the partnership?
• How quickly did those differences show up, or did they creep in over time?
• How did you try to address those differences?
• What advice do you have for others considering partnerships?
• When you say the company had grown, how many employees did you have, or what was the scale of growth?
• Can you tell us about the moment when you realized the partnership wasn’t working?
• Can you talk about some of the common mistakes small business owners make?
• What advice would you give about building a resilient organization after setbacks or mistakes?
• How do you handle disagreements in your company, especially with different generations in the workplace?
• What are the key traits that lead to success in your company?
• How do you foster a culture where people feel comfortable admitting mistakes?
• What are your thoughts on creating a learning organization?
• What traits or behaviors do you look for in people who are successful at CK and Company?
• Where can people find more information about you and your book?

My guest for Episode #278 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Joe Davis, Managing Director and Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and author of The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone's Gain.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He’s had 40+ years of experience managing and leading teams. Joe has also served as chair of BCG’s Center for Inclusion and Equity and is a founding steering committee member of CEO Action for Racial Equity and the Southern Communities Initiative.

In this episode, Joe shares his "favorite mistake" from early in his career at Procter & Gamble, where he learned the importance of giving timely feedback to his team. The conversation explores leadership generosity, vulnerability, and the value of creating trust within teams.

Joe also discusses his work with BCG’s Center for Inclusion and Equity and addresses how leaders can navigate challenges in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Throughout, he offers insights on leadership growth, balancing results with empathy, and leading with authenticity.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• Should anyone be surprised by what they hear in an annual review?
• How do you handle dynamics of giving feedback to people older than you?
• How do you define generosity in leadership?
• Is leadership generosity the opposite of a transactional, quid pro quo approach?
• What’s your perspective on using terms like "problem" vs. "opportunity" when giving feedback?
• How do you define vulnerability as a leader, and do you think vulnerability is often mistaken for weakness?
• How can early-career consultants effectively advise older executives?
• What’s the role of the BCG Center for Inclusion and Equity, and why that specific terminology?
• How do you navigate pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within organizations?
• How do you address employees or leaders who criticize DEI efforts as promoting 'equal outcomes' over 'equal opportunities'?
• Is it possible to convince long-tenured leaders to move away from top-down, command-and-control leadership styles?
• How do you strike a balance between being vulnerable and still delivering results as a leader?

My guest for Episode #277 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Derek Leiner, MD, FACP.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Dr. Leiner trained in internal medicine at VCUHealth and the Richmond VA Medical Center. In 2018, he completed a year as Chief Resident for Quality and Safety, a national VA QI and safety training program then began as a staff physician at the Richmond VA Medical Center.  

His career has included teaching, education leadership as an Associate Program Director for a medicine training program, and safety culture leadership.  Derek currently works as an academic hospitalist and is the physician champion for high reliability at the Richmond VA Medical Center.  He has a passion for humanism, collaborative care, and just culture.

In this episode, we discuss a medical error involving a lumbar puncture procedure and the subsequent emotional impact on the healthcare professional involved. We explore the distinction between near misses and patient harm, highlighting the importance of learning from both. The concept of Just Culture is introduced, emphasizing a fair and supportive approach to addressing errors. We delve into High Reliability Organizations and their focus on creating a culture of safety. The significance of open communication with patients and the potential for positive outcomes is also addressed.

Additionally, we examine the "second victim" phenomenon, where healthcare professionals experience emotional distress following errors. The episode concludes with practical strategies for recovering from mistakes and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement in healthcare.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• Is this a near miss or patient harm?
• Did I understand your definition of a near miss correctly?
• What was the reaction and response to the incident?
• Can you explain the concept of high reliability organizations and its relevance to healthcare?
• What was the patient's reaction to the disclosure?
• What is your reaction to Doctor Mayer's story?
• What are your thoughts on Just Culture?
• How do you coach others to recover from mistakes and combat negative self-talk?

Key topics discussed:

• Lumbar puncture incident & its emotional impact
• Near miss vs. patient harm
• Just Culture & its implementation
• High reliability organizations (HROs)
• Patient disclosure and reactions
• Second victim phenomenon & support
• Recovering from mistakes & learning
• Systemic factors, human error & normalization of deviance
• Importance of continuous learning & improvement

My guest for Episode #276 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Tabatha Thorell, a multi-faceted entrepreneur with a background in fitness coaching, real estate investing, life coaching, and more. Tabatha, a native of rural Nebraska and mother of five, shares her inspiring journey of resilience and success across various industries. With nearly two decades of real estate experience alongside her husband, Tabatha has continually pushed herself to grow, all while helping others achieve their dreams through coaching and her podcast, What Went Wrong?

Episode page with video and more

We discuss Tabatha’s "favorite mistake," which involved investing in an expensive coaching program that didn’t align with her needs. Despite her initial frustration and the lack of a refund, she turned the experience into a valuable learning opportunity. In the episode, she explains how this mistake helped her develop a stronger sense of self-reliance and taught her the importance of finding value, even in failure.

Tabatha also opens up about the challenges of balancing risk-taking with caution, how she approaches business coaching, and the lessons she's learned across her diverse career path. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a coach, or simply interested in stories of persistence, Tabatha’s insights are sure to inspire. Tune in for a candid conversation about learning from mistakes and turning setbacks into opportunities.

• What's your favorite mistake from your career journey?
• After your bad coaching experience, was it hard to trust another program?
• Do you ever consider disputing the charge with your credit card company in that situation?
• How do you find the balance between taking risks and not being overly cautious?
• What’s the best thing you've learned from transitioning across different careers?
• When do most people seek business coaching — before or during a crisis?
• How do you respond when people say they can’t afford coaching because of cash flow issues?
• Tell us about the origin and theme of your podcast, What Went Wrong?

My guest for Episode #275 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Brian Gottlieb, an inspiring entrepreneur and founder who transformed a modest $3,000 startup into a thriving group of multistate companies valued at nearly $200 million.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Brian’s companies have earned spots on the Inc. 5000 list for four consecutive years and have been recognized as one of Wisconsin's best workplaces. In addition to being a successful CEO, Brian is a Harvard Business School alum, angel investor, keynote speaker, and author of the new book Beyond the Hammer: A Fresh Approach to Leadership, Culture, and Building High-Performance Teams.

In this episode, we discuss Brian’s journey from working odd jobs to founding his first home improvement company and scaling it to a multi-million dollar business. Brian shares his "favorite mistake"—not pursuing formal education after high school—and how that perceived mistake shaped his entrepreneurial path. We also dive into his approach to leadership, the importance of building a strong culture, and how empowering people can drive success.

Brian also opens up about his time at Harvard Business School and how it helped him evolve as a leader. We discuss the challenges of balancing performance and culture, why hiring for culture fit matters, and how his philosophy of "building people before building a business" has been key to his success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, or simply interested in learning from others' mistakes, Brian’s story offers valuable lessons on growth, leadership, and resilience.

Tune in to hear Brian's insights on leadership, the value of mistakes, and the strategies that helped him build a $200M business from scratch.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• How did your decision not to attend college shape your entrepreneurial path?
• Can you tell us more about your experience at Harvard Business School and how it impacted your leadership approach?
• What was your first business, and how did it evolve into a multi-state company?
• How did you manage learning on the job while growing a business from scratch?
• How did you approach building the culture and developing people within your organization?
• What do you think about companies that focus on culture in addition to performance?
• How do you balance hiring for performance versus culture fit, and how do you handle it when someone performs well but doesn’t fit the culture?
• Can you explain the concept of “beyond the hammer” and how it applies to leadership and business growth?
• How do you handle mistakes or performance issues in a way that supports growth and learning?
• What are your thoughts on the “stay interview” concept, and how does it help improve organizational culture?
• How did you empower your team to make decisions and learn from their mistakes?
• What is your perspective on micromanaging versus empowering employees?
• How do you maintain alignment within your company and prevent cultural clashes when bringing in experienced hires?
• How important is long-term thinking in leadership, especially when growing a business?
• What leadership lessons have you learned from Toyota, and how do you apply them in your business?

My guest for Episode #274 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Dr. Thom Mayer, the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association, Executive Vice President of Leadership for LogixHealth, Founder of BestPractices, Inc., and Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University and Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more.

He was recently nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. USA Today named him one of the “100 Most Important People in the NFL.” Tom Peters, the internationally acclaimed leadership guru, referred to his work as “gaspworthy.” Thom's new book is Leadership Is Worthless...But Leading Is Priceless: What I Learned from 9/11, the NFL, and Ukraine.

On September 11, 2001 Dr. Mayer served as the Command Physician at the Pentagon Rescue Operation and has served on 3 Defense Science Board Task Forces, advising the Secretary of Defense. Most recently, in 2022, Dr. Mayer helped lead a mobile team to Ukraine, treating almost 350 patients and training over 1,700 Ukrainian medical staffers.

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of NFL player safety and the proactive strategies that have been implemented to protect athletes on and off the field. Dr. Thom Mayer shares his insights on the science behind the latest innovations in helmet technology, including the Guardian Cap, and the critical importance of having emergency physicians on the sidelines—a decision that has already saved lives.

We also explore the profound difference between leadership as a concept and leading as a daily practice. Dr. Mayer discusses how finding and following your "deep joy" is essential for both personal fulfillment and professional success. He emphasizes the power of learning from mistakes and how failure is not just a part of success, but an integral component of it. Drawing from his experiences during 9/11 and his recent mission to Ukraine, Dr. Mayer offers powerful lessons on resilience, proactive leadership, and the value of engaging with the people who do the work. This episode is filled with wisdom on how to lead effectively in times of crisis and beyond.

• What are your thoughts on the new NFL kickoff procedures and their impact on player safety?
• Of all the things you’ve done in your career, what would you say is your favorite mistake?
• Can you give an example of a time when you deviated from your deep joy, and how do you find deep joy in your professional endeavors?
• Can you share an example of when you coached someone through a situation where they had deviated from their deep joy?
• Can you talk about your experience with Damar Hamlin and the importance of being proactive in NFL player safety?
• Can you share your experiences on 9/11 and the leadership lessons you learned from that day?
• How did you end up going to Ukraine in 2022, and what motivated you to take on that mission?
• What would you say to NFL fans who resist changes like the new kickoff rules or the use of the Guardian Cap?

Matthew shares the emotional and challenging process of writing his novel, which began nearly a decade ago as a personal memoir and evolved into a powerful work of fiction. The story follows the hero Shan on his path of self-discovery, with themes that resonate deeply with readers who have experienced life's ups and downs. Matthew also talks about his future projects, including a second book, 33 Years of Random, and his work on The Forgotten Hero, a novel being pitched for a movie adaptation.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The evolution of Footprints in the Sands of Time from memoir to novel
• The challenges and rewards of writing over many years
• Drawing from personal experiences to create fictional stories
• Insights into his upcoming books and potential film adaptation

Books Mentioned: Footprints in the Sands of Time: A Journey of Self-Rediscovery – Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Don't miss this insightful conversation about the creative process, perseverance, and the power of storytelling.

My guest for Episode #273 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kerry Siggins, the dynamic CEO and Executive Chair of StoneAge Holdings, a leading manufacturing and technology company based in Colorado.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Under her visionary leadership, StoneAge has achieved consistent double-digit growth, transforming into an industry powerhouse. In 2015, Kerry pioneered the company’s transition to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), ensuring that every employee shares in the company’s success and has a true stake in its future.

Recognized for her expertise in scaling companies and cultivating high-performance cultures, Kerry serves as a trusted board member and business advisor. Her insights have made a profound impact across industries. A sought-after speaker, Kerry regularly captivates audiences worldwide—from corporate leaders to university students—with her engaging presentations on leadership, culture, and ownership.

In addition to her executive roles, Kerry is the host of Reflect Forward, a widely acclaimed podcast where she explores leadership, personal growth, and overcoming challenges. She is also the author of The Ownership Mindset, a book that offers actionable strategies for building empowered teams and thriving companies.

In this episode, Kerry shares the pivotal moment that led her to turn her life around, her journey from the rock bottom of addiction to becoming a CEO, and how she built a culture of ownership and accountability at StoneAge. We discuss the lessons she learned from her favorite mistakes, the power of employee ownership, and how leaders can foster resilience and growth within their teams. Kerry’s story is both inspiring and full of actionable insights for anyone looking to lead with purpose and drive lasting success.

• Kerry, with everything you’ve done in your career, what would you say is your favorite mistake?
• How were you able to bounce back and make that overdose a step toward recovery?
• What were you doing for work at that point in your life?
• How did you end up at StoneAge Holdings, and did you start in a specific role or as CEO?
• That’s young to be a CEO of a company you didn’t found—how did that feel?
• Can you tell us more about what StoneAge Holdings does and how you became CEO?
• Many companies say they want employees to think like owners, but they don’t always give them the incentive. How does the ESOP at StoneAge create an ownership mindset?
• How does your profit-sharing plan work alongside the ESOP?
• As a leader, how do you approach mistakes, especially when employees make them?
• How did going back home help you transition and get on track?
• Can you tell us more about Reflect Forward, your podcast, and your book, The Ownership Mindset?
• Do you have a favorite podcasting mistake as a host or guest?

My guest for Episode #272 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kimberley Milani, the Director of the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership and Co-Founder of its Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Program at Ivey Business School in London, Ontario.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

She is the co-author of the book Character: What Contemporary Leaders Can Teach Us about Building a More Just, Prosperous, and Sustainable Future.

She is passionate about elevating people’s strength of character to not only enhance their leadership skills, but to generate systemic social and organizational change.  She is the co-host of Sip & Speak, a webinar series that explores social justice issues from a gendered and intersectional perspective. 

Prior to joining Ivey, Kimberley spent 10 years as the Director of The Circle Women’s Centre, a community-facing feminist centre at Western’s Brescia University College. 

The Circle operated in collaboration with London’s women’s, Indigenous, and social justice organizations to facilitate respectful, inclusive, multicultural, and inter-faith relationships, dialogue, events, and initiatives.

She was also a founding member of the Institute for Women in Leadership (IWIL) at Brescia and was its Director for seven years. Kimberley is a graduate of the University of Toronto.

In today's episode, Kimberley shares her journey from studying science with plans to pursue medicine to finding her true passion in Celtic Studies—a "mistake" that led her to a fulfilling career in leadership and academia. We discuss the importance of character in leadership, how it’s developed over time, and the impact of legacy. Kimberley also offers insights on how we can all cultivate strong character and the role it plays in achieving meaningful success.

• What would you say is your favorite mistake in your career?
• How did studying Celtic mythology shape your views on leadership?
• Did you ever imagine your career path leading to academia or university-related centers?
• How do you define character, and what is character-based leadership?
• Can people with strong character still make mistakes, and how do they respond?
• How do you evaluate someone’s character when considering a job or a new leader?
• How much of character is innate versus developed over time?
• What can contemporary leaders teach us about character-based leadership?
• How important is it for leaders to consider the legacy they want to leave behind?

My guest for Episode #271 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Andrew Davis, Chief Product Officer at AutoRABIT and the author of Mastering Salesforce DevOps. He's also co-author of the new book Flow Engineering: From Value Stream Mapping to Effective Action - with Steve Pereira.

Episode page with transcript, video, and more

He’s a Salesforce architect, developer, and product leader who focuses on the human side of software development. He’s been the leading figure in introducing DevOps concepts to the Salesforce world. 

Trained as an engineer, he spent fifteen years as a Buddhist monk, teaching meditation and personal transformation and helping develop communities of practice. These days he studies the intersection of business, technology, and psychology through systems thinking.

In this episode, Andrew shares his fascinating journey from being a Buddhist monk to becoming a leader in the tech world. He discusses his favorite mistake of experiencing burnout as a monk, the lessons learned, and how these experiences have shaped his approach to work and life. Andrew discusses the concepts of flow engineering, psychological safety, and the importance of creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up and innovate. Join us for an insightful conversation that bridges the worlds of spirituality and technology, offering valuable lessons for anyone striving to balance passion with well-being.

• How do you guard against repeating a similar path to burnout in your current work?
• How did you choose to become a Buddhist and then a monk?
• How did you transition from being a monk to getting into the software and technology world?
• Companies can be crazy; how do we help avoid that?
• What are your thoughts on value stream mapping and breaking down silos?
• Why did you emphasize psychological safety in your book, and what have you learned about it?
• How do you offer free classes on personal transformation, and can you tell us about that?

My guest for Episode #270 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Megan Gluth-Bohan, a remarkable leader in the chemical industry. Megan is the CEO and owner of Catalynt Solutions, Inc., a prominent U.S.-based chemical distributor, and Chemblend of America, a renowned chemical blending and tolling facility.

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

Her companies stand out as some of the largest certified women-owned suppliers in North America. Under her leadership, they have achieved significant recognition, including a spot on the 2023 Puget Sound Business Journal's Middle Market Fast 50 list. Megan herself was honored as one of the Business Journal's Middle Market Fast 50 Leaders of 2023 and was awarded the prestigious Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2023.

In this episode, Megan shares her journey through the highs and lows of her career, focusing on the lessons learned from her favorite mistake. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced during the pandemic, where rapid decision-making led to deals with untrustworthy customers. Megan emphasizes the crucial importance of taking a moment to pause and trust one's instincts, even in high-pressure situations. This conversation delves into how these experiences have shaped her approach to leadership and decision-making.

We also explore Megan's initiatives to support women in STEM and her efforts to create opportunities for previously incarcerated women. She talks about fostering a culture of open discussion about failures, without blame, within her companies. Join us as we dive into Megan's insightful perspectives on leadership, resilience, and the power of learning from mistakes.

• How did you discover these deals were mistakes?
• How did the dynamic of group evaluation or group effort play into these deals?
• How do you handle team contributions when you're the one with the view of the entire chessboard?
• Have you faced similar situations with other deals since those mistakes?
• What specific factors led to the failures, and what did you learn from them?
• How do you apply the lessons learned from failures to future endeavors?
• Can you describe your company’s culture around failure and how you model it as a leader?
• Do you have a support network or board for advice and coaching?
• Can you talk about fostering a safe space for failure in your company?
• How do you categorize different types of failures and encourage the right type of risk-taking?
• How do you ensure organizational memory of mistakes to prevent recurrence?
• How do you balance treating people right with running a profitable business?
• What initiatives are you involved in to support women in STEM?
• Can you share about your efforts to create opportunities for previously incarcerated women?
• Is there a book in your future?

Original Episode: Episode 213 - June 2023

Guest Bio: Dr. Susan Landers is an experienced neonatologist, author, and speaker who focuses on balancing a demanding medical career with motherhood. In her previous episode, we discussed her book "So Many Babies: My Life Balancing a Busy Medical Career and Motherhood."

Summary: In this update episode, Mark Graban welcomes back Dr. Susan Landers to discuss her latest work, an eBook titled Defeating Burnout: A Guide for Working Mothers. Dr. Landers shares insights on how her new book builds upon her previous memoir, focusing specifically on the issue of burnout among working mothers.

Key Points:

• Introduction to New Book: Dr. Landers introduces her new eBook, explaining its focus on the prevalence of burnout among working mothers and her personal experiences with burnout at different stages of her career.
• Content and Structure: The eBook includes practical advice, checklists to identify burnout, descriptions of signs and symptoms, and effective recovery processes. It also provides strategies for preventing burnout from recurring.
• Practical Examples: Dr. Landers shares personal anecdotes and examples throughout the book to make it more relatable and practical for readers.
• Availability: The eBook, Defeating Burnout: A Guide for Working Mothers, is exclusively available on her website, along with additional resources like checklists and wellness journals.

Discussion Highlights:

• Balancing Career and Motherhood: Dr. Landers discusses the challenges of balancing a demanding career with motherhood and how her experiences have shaped her approach to dealing with burnout.
• Addressing Burnout: The conversation delves into the importance of recognizing burnout early, recovery strategies, and long-term prevention techniques.
• Preventing Recurrence: The book also addresses how to make better choices to prevent burnout from happening again, both professionally and personally.

Additional Resources:

• Dr. Susan Landers' Website - Find the eBook, Defeating Burnout: A Guide for Working Mothers, along with other resources.

Quotes:

• "It's not just about recovery; it's about preventing the same problem from occurring again." - Dr. Susan Landers
• "We learn a lot from our best mistakes at work." - Mark Graban

Connect with Dr. Susan Landers:

• Website

Subscribe and Follow: Stay updated with the latest episodes by subscribing to "My Favorite Mistake" podcast on your favorite podcast platform.

Contact: For more information, visit Mark Graban's website or reach out via social media.

We want to inform our listeners that today's discussion includes adult themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

My guest for Episode #269 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is s J.K Emezi. He’s a pornography addiction recovery coach and Founder of the Porn Reboot System, a system of pornography addiction treatment that helps high-performing business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals who are dealing with porn addiction problems.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He struggled with out-of-control behavior with pornography for over 11 years. Unable to quit using therapy, 12 Steps, and other methodologies, he created a unique system that allowed him to control his sexual behavior within a few short weeks.

In this episode, J.K shares his personal struggles with pornography addiction, the turning points that led him to seek help, and how he developed his unique recovery method. We explore the impact of addiction on his personal and professional life, the challenges of breaking free from compulsive behaviors, and the importance of mindfulness and self-image in recovery. J.K also provides insights into the support systems available for those dealing with similar issues and emphasizes the importance of addressing shame and stigma in addiction recovery.

Again, this episode contains discussions of adult themes, so listener discretion is advised.

• When did you discover that you had waited too long to seek help, and were there earlier opportunities to do so?
• Can you talk about the wake-up call and its consequences on your life and career?
• How did you realize pornography was a coping mechanism for strong emotions?
• Can you describe the impact of early exposure to pornography on your life?
• How did your family background and expectations affect your behavior and recovery?
• What methods did you try to overcome your addiction, and why did they fail?
• How did you develop the Porn Reboot system, and what makes it effective?
• What are the three pillars of ending compulsive behavior?
• What led you to pivot from a successful sales career to running a porn addiction recovery company?
• What challenges do you face in marketing your business, given the subject matter?
• How do you address the shame component in your program?
• How did the pandemic and work-from-home era affect people’s struggles with addiction?
• How do compulsive behaviors impact business leaders and their companies?
• What are the unique challenges faced by high-achieving individuals with compulsive behaviors?
• Do women also face pornography addiction, and how does your approach differ for them?
• Can your system be applied to other compulsive behaviors or addictions?
• How does the relationship with technology contribute to out-of-control behaviors?
• What impact does addiction have on a company when it involves founders or CEOs?
• What advice do you have for those struggling with compulsive behaviors?

EPISODE PAGE WITH VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AND MORE

Using her Crystallization Process, Theresa helps thought leaders Clarify, Amplify, and Monetize their Brilliance as efficiently — and lucratively — as possible.

She has 20+ Years of consulting, marketing, and business management experience drives Theresa's strategic thinking, creativity, and sound foundational frameworks. Her career has included senior management roles in marketing and product development for a Fortune 100 company and high-growth startups.

Theresa is the award-winning author of several books, including Mindful Performance: How to Powerfully Impact Profitability, Productivity, and Purpose and Your Daily Dose of Mojo: 365 Days of Mindful Living and Working. 

She has a degree in Business Management from Eckerd College, loves binge-watching The Great British Baking Show, and still has her Most Enthusiastic Award from Mr. Moseman’s second-grade class.

In this episode, Mark and Theresa discuss the journey of embracing mistakes and how they can lead to clarity and success. Theresa shares her experience as a brand and business crystallizer, emphasizing the importance of enthusiasm and authenticity in sales and marketing. They explore her favorite mistake of trying to follow in her mother's footsteps in direct sales, the lessons learned from it, and how it shaped her path. Theresa also delves into common marketing mistakes, the concept of triangulated sales, and her approach to stand-up comedy. Finally, they discuss the benefits of her ten-part video course on achieving cocktail napkin clarity for businesses.

• What are the three aspects of sales or persuasion that you feel strongly about?
• What would you say is your favorite mistake?
• How did trying to follow in your mother’s footsteps shape your journey?
• Was direct sales your main focus right out of college, or was it a side hustle?
• Looking back, what factors do you think led to the difference in outcomes between you and your mother in direct sales?
• What are the most common marketing mistakes you see or help people recover from or even help avoid?
• How did the failures or mistakes you encountered tee you up for something better?
• When you say “unsupported,” do you mean marketing claims that aren't supported by the delivery of that service or product, or is it about not authentically representing the person?
• What do you mean by “triangulated sales”?
• How do you view a joke that bombs or a set that bombs in the context of performing comedy?
• Tell us a little bit more about your experience with stand-up and improv.
• Could you give a quick pitch or summary of why people should check out your ten-part video course and the benefits they will gain from it?

Terry joined us previously in Episode 74, and today he's back to share insights from his new book and his ongoing efforts to inspire the next generation in manufacturing. We delve into the details of his innovative two-sided book and his exciting initiatives for middle schoolers.

Tune in to hear about:

• Terry's new book, "Inspiring Champions in Advanced Manufacturing," and its unique two-sided format for parents and students.
• The concept of advanced manufacturing and the evolving technologies shaping the industry.
• The critical importance of skilled labor in modern manufacturing and the benefits of pursuing these careers without incurring college debt.
• Terry's Manufacturing Inspiration Camp for middle school students and how it's designed to spark interest in manufacturing careers.
• The necessity of tailored education paths to fit individual learning styles and career goals.

Don't miss this enlightening conversation! Check out Terry's new book and discover the promising opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

📘 Get the book: https://amzn.to/4bTQO9i 

🔗 Previous Episode with Terry Iverson (Episode 74): https://markgraban.com/mistake74 

🔔 Subscribe to My Favorite Mistake Podcast: http://myfavoritemistakepodcast.com/ 

📱 Connect with Mark Graban:

• Website: LeanBlog.org
• Twitter: @MarkGraban
• LinkedIn: Mark Graban

📱 Connect with Terry Iverson:

• Website: ChampionNow.org
• Email: Terry@ChampionNow.org 
• LinkedIn: Terry Iverson

#MyFavoriteMistake #AdvancedManufacturing #InspiringChampions #TerryIverson #MarkGraban #Podcast