The Art of Excellence - podcast cover

The Art of Excellence

The Art of Excellence is an in-depth interview-style podcast about people who have accomplished great things in their lives. The goal of the show is to deliver inspiring stories from ultra-successful entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, authors, thought leaders and anyone doing something extraordinary. We will explore the backgrounds, talent, work ethic, sacrifices, mental outlook and serendipity that led to their success.
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Episodes

Dr. Kwane Stewart: CNN Hero of the Year and Founder of Project Street Vet

Dr. Kwane Stewart is a veterinarian and the co-founder of Project Street Vet, a non-profit that provides free veterinary care for the pets of people experiencing homelessness in cities across the country. His work earned him CNN Hero of the Year in 2023. His book is titled: What It Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian’s Quest for Healing and Hope. Summary In this conversation, Dr. Kwane Stewart, a veterinarian and co-founder of Project Street Vet, shares his journey from a successful veterinary ...

Jun 23, 20251 hr 16 min

Michael Grab: Rock Balancing Artist on Making the Impossible Possible

Michael Grab is one of the world’s premier rock balancing artists. He has created rock art all over the world and has inspired a global movement for stone balancing art. Summary In this conversation, Michael Grab, a renowned rock balancing artist, shares insights into his creative process, the philosophy behind his art, and the technical aspects of balancing rocks. He discusses how he finds inspiration in nature, the evolution of his hobby into a professional pursuit, and the meditative state he...

Jun 03, 20251 hr 3 min

Dean Koontz: 500 million books sold and counting

Dean Koontz is an author with fourteen number one hardback bestsellers and sixteen number one paperback bestsellers. His books have sold more than 500 million copies in thirty eight languages. His latest book is titled: Going Home in the Dark . Summary: In this engaging conversation, Dean Koontz shares insights into his writing process, the challenges of genre blending, and the impact of his childhood on his career. He discusses the importance of character development, the role of fear in creati...

May 11, 20251 hr 23 min

James Lawrence “aka” Iron Cowboy: 100 full distance triathlons in 100 days

James Lawrence has broken two Guiness World Records for endurance racing. He raced a full distance triathlon every day for 100 consecutive days and prior to that he raced 50 full distance triathlons for 50 consecutive days across 50 states. His latest book is titled Iron Hope: Lessons Learned from Conquering the Impossible . Summary In this conversation, endurance athlete James Lawrence shares his incredible journey of overcoming fear, pushing through pain, and achieving remarkable feats in his ...

Apr 05, 20251 hr 15 min

Adam Galinsky: Unlocking the formula to inspiring leadership

Adam Galinsky is a social psychologist and a Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. He has published over two hundred scientific articles on leadership, negotiations, diversity, and ethics. He has been a damages expert in numerous defamation lawsuits that have generated more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements, including Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News. His latest book is titled: Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Some interesting in...

Feb 20, 20251 hr 4 min

Diane Boyd: Wildlife biologist and wolf conservationist

Diane Boyd has four decades of experience on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. In 1979 Diane moved to Montana to study wolf recovery in the Rocky Mountains, from the first natural colonizer to approximately 2000 wolves today in the western United States. Diane has worked for the University of Montana, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Montana. He new book is titled: A Woma...

Dec 15, 20241 hr 8 min

Laurie Santos: The Happiness Professor on the science of well-being

Laurie is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University. In addition to her work on the evolutionary origins of human cognition, Laurie is an expert on the science of happiness and the ways in which our minds lie to us about what makes us happy. Her Yale course, Psychology and the Good Life , teaches students how the science of psychology can provide important hints about how to make wiser choices and live a life that’s happier and more fulfilling. The class became Yale’s most popular course in o...

Nov 10, 20241 hr 23 min

Don Lemon: Award winning broadcast journalist and media trailblazer

Don Lemon spent three decades on local and national TV – a trusted voice after the Sandy Hook massacre, in war-torn Eastern Europe, and during the riots of 2020. Anchoring Don Lemon Tonight on CNN for eight years, he was known for hard-hitting interviews with public officials and compassionate dialogue with everyday people. The Don Lemon Show is now streaming on all platforms. He is the author of several bestselling books including his most recent one titled: I Once Was Lost: My Search for God i...

Oct 25, 20241 hr 12 min

Guy Snodgrass: Former naval aviator, TOPGUN instructor, and speechwriter for Secretary of Defense James Mattis

Guy Snodgrass recently served as director of communications and chief speechwriter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis. A former naval aviator, he served as commanding officer of a fighter squadron based in Japan, A TOPGUN instructor, and a combat pilot over the skies of Iraq. Today he is the founder and CEO of Defense Analytics, a strategic consulting and advisory firm. He is the author of Holding the Line: Inside Trump's Pentagon with Secretary Mattis and his latest book is titled: TOPGUN’s T...

Sep 22, 20241 hr 16 min

Craig Foster: My Octopus Teacher Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker

Craig Foster is one of the world’s leading natural history filmmakers and cofounder of the Sea Change Project, a nonprofit to protect marine life and raise awareness of the importance of the kelp forest. He won an Academy Award for Best Documentary for My Octopus Teacher and has created more than one hundred films and documentaries. His latest book is titled: Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World . Some interesting insights from this episode: · When he goes on cold water ocean dives,...

Sep 08, 20241 hr 1 min

Adrian Newey: Greatest Formula 1 race car designer ever

Adrian Newey is Chief Technical Officer for Red Bull Racing. He has won 13 drivers' championships and 12 constructors' championships across three teams in his career. He is widely regarded as the greatest Formula 1 race car designer in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Racing teams have three departments: aerodynamics, vehicle design, and vehicle dynamics/simulation. Because Adrian had worked in each of those disciplines, it provided a more holistic perspec...

Jul 29, 20241 hr 8 min

Maurice Ashley: Chess Grandmaster, glass ceiling breaker, life philosopher

Maurice Ashley is a Chess Grandmaster, a chess commentator, a national championship coach, and an author. In 1999 he earned the title of Chess Grandmaster, making him the first African American Grandmaster in the game’s history, and was later inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame. His latest book is titled Move by Move: Life Lessons On and Off the Chessboard . Some interesting insights from this episode: · Going into any big moment, the best way to calm your nerves is to get into the right min...

Apr 28, 20241 hr 13 min

Gary Hunt: Ten-time world champion cliff diver

Gary Hunt is a professional cliff diver. He is a 10 time Red Bull World Series Champion with 43 overall victories and counting. He is widely considered the greatest cliff diver in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Juggling was a practice he used to increase his focus and concentration and take his mind off the stress and pressure of the competition. · It took several years diving off increasing heights to build up the confidence and courage to jump off the ...

Apr 07, 202455 min

George Mumford: Psychologist, elite performance coach, and mindfulness guru

George Mumford is a psychologist, elite performance expert, and author of The Mindful Athlete . He has worked with worldclass athletes including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. He has also consulted with college and Olympic athletes, corporate executives, and inmates, and is a sought-after public speaker at both business and athletic conferences nationally and internationally. His latest booked is title: Unlocked: Embrace your Greatness, Find the Flow, Discover Success . Some ...

Mar 25, 20241 hr 10 min

BJ Miller: Palliative medicine physician and educator on life and death and everything in between

Dr. BJ Miller is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. He currently sees patients and families via telehealth through Mettle Health, a company he co-founded with the aim to provide personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional and existential issues that come with serious illness and disability. Led by his own experiences as a patient, BJ advocates for the roles of our senses, community and presen...

Mar 10, 20241 hr 4 min

Kara Swisher: Tech journalist, digital media entrepreneur, and pioneer

Kara Swisher is the host of the podcast On with Kara Swisher and the co-host of the Pivot podcast with Scott Galloway, both distributed by New York magazine. She was also the cofounder and editor-at-large of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and co-executive producer of the Code conference. She was a former contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and host of its Sway podcast and has also worked for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post . Her latest book it titled: B...

Feb 25, 20241 hr 16 min

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: Wildlife ecologist and first black woman to host a TV nature show

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist with an expertise in uncovering how human activity influences carnivore behavior and ecology. She is a National Geographic Explorer, host the PBS podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant , and is the cohost on NBC’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild . She is the first black woman to ever host a television nature show. Her new book is titled: Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World . Some interesting insights from this episod...

Feb 05, 20241 hr 5 min

Daniel Goleman: How to use Emotional Intelligence to Achieve an Optimal State Every Day

Daniel Goleman is a psychologist, former science journalist for the New York Times, and the author of 13 books including the #1 bestseller Emotional Intelligence . He has worked with organizations around the globe, examining the way social and emotional competencies impact the bottom-line. Ranked one of the 10 most influential business thinkers by the Wall Street Journal, Daniel has won several awards including the HBR McKinsey Award for the best article of the year and the Centennial Medallion ...

Jan 12, 202456 min

Kristin Harila: Mountain Climbing World Record Holder

Kristin Harila is a Norwegian mountain climber who recently set a world speed record for climbing the 14 highest peaks in just 92 days. Some interesting insights from this episode: · She quit her job and sold her home and put everything on the line to achieve this goal. · “If you are happy with less than your goal, then you’ll never reach your goal.” · You have to truly believe in what you’re doing if you want to achieve a goal. · Working together as a team with her Sherpa was a key component of...

Oct 16, 202350 min

Amy Edmondson: Harvard Business School Professor and Leadership Guru on the Art of Failing Well

Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, renowned for her research on psychological safety over twenty years. Her award-winning work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Psychology Today, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and more. Named by Thinkers50 in 2021 as the #1 Management Thinker in the world, Edmondson’s TED Talk “How to Turn a Group of Strangers into a Team” has been viewed ove...

Sep 25, 202353 min

Chris Voss: Former top FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of The Black Swan Group

Chris Voss is one of the preeminent practitioners and professors of negotiation skills in the world. He was formerly the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. He is the founder of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm that provides training and advises Fortune 500 companies through complex negotiations. He has taught business negotiation in MBA programs at the Unive...

Aug 28, 202354 min

Jason Belmonte (“Belmo”): Greatest Bowler of All Time

Jason Belmonte is an Australian pro bowler. He has won 31 PBA titles including a record 15 major championships. He is one of two bowlers in PBA history to have won the Super Slam, winning all five PBA major titles. He has been named PBA Player of the Year seven times. He is widely considered one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Some interesting insights from this episode: · When he was just 10 he told his mother he planned to one day bowl 100 perfect games which he actually accomplished a co...

Jul 16, 20231 hr 3 min

Bubba Watson: Professional golfer and two-time Masters champion

Bubba Watson is a professional golfer. He has won two major PGA championships, both victories at the Masters. He has a total of 12 PGA tournament wins and reached a world ranking of 2nd in 2015. He has played in the LIV Golf league since 2022. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Bubba never had formal lessons. He was entirely self-taught. He would just go by feel and practice over and over until he understood how to position himself and swing to achieve a certain shot. · In college hi...

Jun 11, 20231 hr 8 min

Frans Lanting: Internationally Renowned Wildlife and Nature Photographer

Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great photographers of our time. For more than three decades he has documented wildlife from the Amazon to Antarctica to promote understanding about the Earth and its natural history through images that convey a passion for nature and a sense of wonder about our living planet. He has received many honors including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the Lennart Nilsson Award, The Netherlands’ highest conservation honor – the Royal Order of the Golden Ar...

Apr 09, 202355 min

Carol Tomé: Chief Executive Officer of UPS

Carol Tomé is the Chief Executive Officer of UPS. Previously she served as Chief Financial Officer for The Home Depot. Carol serves as board member for Verizon Communications, Inc., board of councilors for the Carter Center and is a board trustee for Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Carol has been named twice to the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women and was listed second on The Wall Street Journal’s list of best Chief Financial Officers, and ...

Mar 19, 202355 min

Bob Waldinger: Psychiatrist, Professor, Zen Master, Happiness Guru

Bob Waldinger is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and director of the program in Psychodynamic Therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a practicing psychiatrist and a Zen master who teaches meditation around the world. His latest book is titled: The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Some interesting insights from this episode: · His TEDx talk in 2015 is still on...

Feb 20, 202352 min

John Mather: Nobel Laureate in Physics and senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope

John Mather is a Senior Astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He is also the Senior Project Scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope. His research centers on infrared astronomy and cosmology. He was the chief scientist for the Cosmic Background Explorer and received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006 for his precise measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation. He has served on advisory and working groups for the National ...

Feb 05, 202345 min

Cindy Timchal: Winningest Coach in Division I Women’s Lacrosse History

Cindy Timchal is the head coach for the women’s lacrosse team at the United States Naval Academy. She is the NCAA's all-time leader in career wins (535) for division I women's college lacrosse. She has won eight national championships, seven of which were won consecutively while at University of Maryland. And as coach at The Naval Academy women’s lacrosse team, she became the first coach to lead a service academy women’s team to a Final Four. She’s been named national coach of the year twice. So...

Dec 11, 202252 min

Will Guidara: Restaurateur Extraordinaire and Hospitality Innovator

Will Guidara is the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, and is the cofounder of the Welcome Conference, an annual hospitality symposium. In 2017, Eleven Madison Park was voted the world’s best restaurant by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants annual ranking. He has coauthored four cookbooks, was named one of Crain’s New York Business’s 40 Under 40, and is a recipient of WSJ Magazine’s Innovator Award. His new book is called Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving P...

Nov 07, 20221 hr 7 min

David Copperfield: Magician, Entertainer, Storyteller

David Copperfield is a magician and entertainer, best known for his combination of storytelling and illusion, and described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. His illusions have included the disappearance of a Learjet, the vanishing and reappearance of the Statue of Liberty, levitating over the Grand Canyon, walking through the Great Wall of China, escaping from Alcatraz prison, and flying on stage. He has received 21 Emmy Awards, 11 Guinness World Records, a star...

Oct 16, 202245 min
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