In Search Of Excellence

We all have dreams of being successful and achieving excellence in our lives. But we inevitably experience resistance, challenges, and obstacles in the pursuit of our dreams. In Search of Excellence provides us with the inspiration we need to overcome these obstacles and accomplish our goals. In Search of Excellence takes us through the stories, routes, and strategies of people from hundreds of different backgrounds who have achieved excellence in both their professional and personal lives. Guest features include Sharon Stone, Kevin O'Leary, Sammy Hagar, Lara Logan, Sam Zell, and many more.

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Episodes

Bobby Ryan: Overcoming Adversity | E10

Randall Kaplan is joined by professional NHL hockey player and Olympic athlete Bobby Ryan . They discuss how, at age 10, Bobby and his family lived in hiding under an assumed name for years after his father tried to murder his mother and escaped bail, Bobby’s rise to becoming an NHL All-Star, his battle with alcoholism, his views on why you need to eliminate the takers in your life, and much more. Topics Include: Separating great athletes from elite athletes. Excelling at hockey from an early ag...

Oct 19, 2021•2 hr 36 min

Ben Sherwood: Living Life’s Deepest Questions | E09

Randall Kaplan is joined by Ben Sherwood to discuss what is missing from the conversations and books on excellence. They discuss pursuing your dreams when the odds are overwhelmingly against you, the murder of journalist David Kaplan while Ben was sitting next to him in a car during the Bosnia-Herzegovina conflict, canceling the hit sitcom Roseanne in 2018 when he was in charge of ABC Television, moving from coast to coast several times to pursue professional opportunities balances against perso...

Sep 21, 2021•2 hr 44 min

Lara Logan: The Fight of Our Lifetime | E08

Randall Kaplan is joined by award-winning journalist Lara Logan to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan, the importance of critical thinking, the pursuit of truth in the age of misinformation, the courage to speak your mind even when it’s unpopular, the fear of reporting from dangerous war zones in times of conflict in locations around the world, the experience of being a sexual assault and rape victim, today’s current events which she calls the “fight of our lifetime,” and much more. Topics Includ...

Sep 14, 2021•2 hr 48 min

Strauss Zelnick: Begin With the End in Mind | E07

Randall Kaplan is joined by Strauss Zelnick to discuss his role as an executive leader in the world of entertainment and media. They discuss what to prioritize when starting a new career, sacrificing security to pursue your dreams, the value of work ethic and grit in the marketplace, and much more. Topics Include: Why your salary shouldn’t be your top priority when starting a new career. The detriments of modern helicopter parenting. Cultivating the skill of deep listening. The significance of e...

Sep 07, 2021•58 min

Anthony Scaramucci: Overcome Your Fear | E06

Randall Kaplan is joined by Anthony Scaramucci to discuss rising through the ranks of global finance as a blue-collar kid from Long Island, balancing the pursuit of our dreams with our personal obligations, what he learned from his 11-day stint as the White House Communications Director for President Trump in July 2017, and much more. Topics Include: Growing up in a blue-collar family. Anthony’s early jobs and entrepreneurial aspirations. Failing the Bar Exam. Lessons learned from being hired an...

Aug 31, 2021•2 hr 31 min

Tim Draper: Think Big and Drive Progress | E05

What does it take to become one of the most iconic and successful venture capitalists of all time? How does a commitment to freedom and trust empower us to think big and drive progress? Meet Tim Draper . An early investor in Hotmail, Skype, Tesla, Space X, Twitter, Robinhood, Coinbase, and other industry-disrupting companies, Tim began his venture capital journey at age 27 and never looked back. In this episode, Tim breaks down for listeners why thinking for yourself will be the most valuable sk...

Aug 24, 2021•1 hr 25 min

Brad Keywell: The Mindset of a World-Class Entrepreneur | E04

Randall Kaplan is joined by Brad Keywell to discuss what it takes to achieve excellence at the highest level as an entrepreneur. In this episode, Brad shares with listeners how to out-work and out-hustle the competition, why he channels his entrepreneurial drive into disrupting industries, how he grew Groupon from 124 employees to 5,100 employees in a single calendar year, and much more. Topics Include: Brad’s five keys to success. Brad’s early business ventures, including a greeting card busine...

Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 18 min

Sharon Stone: I Will Do Whatever It Takes | E03

Randall Kaplan is joined by global superstar Sharon Stone to discuss what it took for her to achieve excellence in Hollywood as an outsider, how she managed to claw her way back from a crippling brain aneurysm, why being of service goes hand-in-hand with pursuing excellence, and much more. Topics Include: Growing up dirt poor. Sharon’s early jobs and experiences as a model. Challenges as a woman and an outsider in Hollywood. The need to constantly prove yourself as a woman. Setting clear goals a...

Aug 10, 2021•2 hr 32 min

Kliff Kingsbury: Work Ethic Is Everything | E02

Randall Kaplan is joined by Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury to discuss going all-in on your dreams, dealing with setbacks, dedicating yourself to your craft, cultivating the "work ethic is everything" mindset on our path to excellence, and much more. Topics Include: Following through and finishing what you start. The relationship between integrity, punctuality, and excellence. The power of work ethic to carry us through losses. Harnessing inspiration from elite performers....

Aug 10, 2021•2 hr 41 min

Sam Zell: Think Different | E01

Randall Kaplan is joined by American billionaire businessman and philanthropist Sam Zell to discuss daring to be different, finding and capitalizing on opportunities, what it means to go for greatness, and much more. Topics Include: How Sam’s parents escaped from Poland prior to Nazi invasion. What freedom and an opportunity to thrive in the US meant to the Zell family. Sam’s early success in real estate during his college years. The power of clarity to transform your business. Getting turned do...

Aug 10, 2021•1 hr 12 min

Welcome to In Search of Excellence!

We all have dreams of being successful and achieving excellence in our lives, but we inevitably experience resistance, challenges, and obstacles in the pursuit of our dreams. In Search of Excellence provides us with the inspiration we need to overcome these obstacles and accomplish our goals by taking us through the stories, routes, and strategies of people from hundreds of different backgrounds who have achieved excellence in both their professional and personal lives. In this introductory epis...

Jul 30, 2021•3 min

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