Nestled in the foothills of Charlottesville, Virginia, Aerial Resupply Coffee emerges as a testament to service and community. Founded by U.S. Army Veteran Michael Klemmer, this brand embodies a dedication to honor those who serve. After a 20-year military journey and global exploration, Mike returned to Charlottesville with a passionate mission—to brew coffee that mirrored their values. This Charlottesville Coffee isn't just about premium roasts; it's a tribute to veterans, first responders, ac...
Jul 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 107
Dr. Anthony Randall is the President and Founder of Vanguard XXI, where he specializes in leadership development and executive coaching, transforming leaders and organizations across various sectors. With over 28 years of high-performance leadership experience, Dr. Randall has coached more than 17,000 professionals in the U.S. Army, Special Operations, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division 1 Athletics, and Fortune 100 and 500 companies. A retired Lieutenant Colonel, he served in six combat tours ...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 106
Ryan is a serial entrepreneur and life long learner that enjoys the pursuit of business while being a positive influence in his community and using his business platforms to help support causes he’s passionate about. He started 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company 10 years ago and is in the trenches running the daily operations with the goal of becoming a national, household brand. He has also owned a restaurant for the past 22 years and has owned a motel for 8 years…both of which are stil...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 105
Derik Kearns enlisted in the Army in 2002 following the events of 9/11. Throughout his military service, he completed two tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Amidst personal challenges, he has experienced marriage, divorce, and remarriage, and is now a proud parent to two daughters and a stepson. This summer, Derik will be attending the Sergeant Majors Academy at Fort Bliss, continuing his commitment to leadership and service within the armed forces. 🫡 My Why: I’ve seen the cost of poor leaders...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 104
Captain Joseph Polanin, U.S. Navy (retired), is an award-winning CEO and a disabled Navy combat Veteran who served three decades leading elite teams to succeed on complex missions in high-risk environments despite every obstacle. He has 20+ years as a successful Commanding Officer, Task Force Commander, and Director of Operations (CEO/COO) for globally-integrated organizations, led several lasting enterprise transformations, and founded The Alaka’i Leadership Group, LLC, a Strategic Accelerator ...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 103
John Troxell is a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major who served nearly 38 years in uniform. He held the position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC), serving as the senior non-commissioned officer in the entire U.S. military. Known for his energy, authenticity, and selfless service, John continues to lead through mentorship, public speaking, and writing. Connect with John Troxell New Book: Read Here LinkedIn: John Troxell 🫡 My Why: I’ve seen the ...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 102
Dr. Ron Stottz shares his transformational journey from Marine Corps service to becoming a mindfulness-based leadership coach who helps executives access higher states of consciousness and leadership effectiveness. • Leadership is about supporting and bringing out the best in everyone, not being in front • Personal development must happen alongside professional development to become an extraordinary leader • Leaders often reach plateaus when they haven't addressed childhood wounds or disconnecte...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 101
🎙 Episode Title: The Luckiest Man in the World – Leadership Lessons from 102-Year-Old WWII Veteran “Papa Jake” In this powerful episode of Tales of Leadership , I sit down with Jake Larson—affectionately known as “Papa Jake”—a 102-year-old World War II veteran and national treasure whose story has captivated millions across the world. Born during the Great Depression and raised on a farm in rural Minnesota, Jake’s journey took him from poverty to the front lines of history. At just 15 years old...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 100
Lon Stroschein is the founder of Normal 40 and best-selling author of The Trade . With a career spanning international expansion, leading a $100M division, closing a $2.1B public deal, founding a private wealth group, and serving in the U.S. Senate, Lon knows success at the highest levels. But his defining moment wasn’t in the boardroom—it was when he chose to walk away and chart a new path. Now, Lon helps high-performing professionals—executives, physicians, attorneys, military officers, and bu...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 99
Transitional leaders view people as objects to be used for selfish gain. If you choose this easy path, you may see temporary success, but you can also cause devastating effects in both your life and your organization. Below are ten habits to avoid to prevent becoming a transitional leader. ✅ LIKE, SHARE, & SUBCRIBE ✅ GIVE A 5-STAR REVIEW ✅ SUPPORT BY DONATING ✅ BECOME A SHOW SPONSOR 🫡 My Why: I’ve seen the cost of poor leadership — how it can destroy morale, break trust, and in the worst ca...
Mar 17, 2025•32 min•Ep. 98
Brent Pohlman is an executive leader at Midwest Laboratories, where he has been instrumental in driving a positive impact on the lives of employees, clients, and communities for over seven years. At Midwest Laboratories, Brent is known for fostering a culture of excellence and trust, leveraging core competencies in innovation, teamwork, and dynamic service to benefit staff and partners. A published author with the latest book, "Leaders Look Within," released in May 2023, Brent shares invaluable ...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 97
We are continuing with the House of Leadership (HOL) series. Throughout the series, my goal is not to persuade you toward the six principles I've selected. However, I do want to inspire you to critically think about what your principles will be. The best mentor we have is ourselves. Why? Because we spend literally every waking moment with ourselves. Remember, the first leadership phase is self-leadership, a fact throughout our journey to become Purposeful Accountable Leaders (PALs). Start discov...
Feb 17, 2025•38 min•Ep. 96
Morgan Sullivan is a father to four exceptional children and a husband to a wife he believes he doesn't deserve. Morgan grew up in a small town in southeastern Ohio, where his days were spent working on a farm and engaging in sports. He pursued higher education at Heidelberg College and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. On September 12th, 2002, Morgan joined the Army, dedicating over 20 years of service that led him to various states and countries. His military career exposed him to dive...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 95
Leanne Meyer is the author of Climbing the Spiral Staircase, a guide for women seeking to gain control of their professional paths. She directs Carnegie Mellon Women’s Executive Leadership Academy and is the former director of the university’s Accelerate Leadership Center. With more than thirty years of senior-level consulting and executive development experience, Leanne provides evidence-based methods to change business practices. Her work helps leaders navigate critical inflection points, refo...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 94
Colin Boyle is an Infantryman in the US Army with 17 years of experience and a combat tour to Afghanistan and multiple rotations around the globe. He was born in Tazewell, VA and settled in the suburbs just outside Richmond, VA where he spent most of his time as a child and young adult. He has held many jobs, from a dishwasher at iHop to a platoon sergeant in the Army. Colin is married to his wife Meghan, and they have one son, Braxton, and two dogs, Lilly and Goose and live in Temple, TX. 🫡 My...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 93
Dr. Dave Braun is the co-founder and president of Oola. With a deep-rooted commitment to empowering individuals to find balance and transform their lives, Dr. Dave Braun has spent over a decade guiding people towards holistic well-being. As President, he plays a pivotal role in shaping Oola’s strategic direction, leading the team in creating science-based products and transformative programs that promote life balance. Connect with David Braun: -Website: https://lnkd.in/eBwfVBK9 🫡 My Why: I’ve s...
Jun 24, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 92
Vision is among the most overused words in the civilian and military world. Often, leaders create short-term concepts that only impact the organization when they are in leadership positions. However, a vision must outlive you and scare others due to its sheer scope. Take Bill Gates, for example. His vision is to place one PC on every desk in the world. That requires long-term commitment built on shared values. When leaders cast a vision for their future, they force collaboration and communicatio...
Jun 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 91
David Vardeman is a U.S. Patriot. Over the last ten years, David has developed a deep understanding of service, sacrifice, and selfless giving to both the US Military Active Duty and US Veteran Communities. His tireless work is for the benefit of those in need. He has had direct access to both active duty and retired Flag Officers at all levels, but he has really found a calling to help military of all positions and experience levels. His deep knowledge on multiple military verticals allows him ...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 90
Stephen J. Morris is a passionate and experienced leader with over 21 years of combined service in the Military and Corporate sectors. As a United States Army veteran, Stephen has commanded and led combat and non-combat deployments across the globe, honing a deep understanding of leadership under pressure. After transitioning to civilian life, he faced the challenges of adapting to a new work environment and found his calling as a Leadership Development and Career Coach. Drawing inspiration from...
Jun 03, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 89
David Goode is a Principal Operations Lead with Chick-fil-A Corporate in Atlanta, partnering with Operators and Operator Groups to execute their business strategy in order to achieve their vision and goals. He serves 30 Operators with 35 restaurants in Charleston SC, Newport News VA, and Virginia Beach VA. Prior to his current role, he served a 30-year career in the Air Force, retiring as a Colonel in 2022. During his Air Force career, he commanded at group and squadron levels, and held various ...
May 27, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 88
In this article my goal is to walk you through another acronym that I have created called TIME. Time is one of our most important resources; as a leader, more importantly, a purposeful, accountable leader, we need to weaponize it. Unquestioningly, allowing the day to bend your actions results in a loss of traction and, eventually, burnout. If you cannot guide your path, you will be five years older one day, wondering where time has gone. To create growth, you MUST be willing to do hard things th...
May 20, 2024•21 min•Ep. 87
Retired Major General Keith Thurgood is a Clinical Professor of Healthcare Leadership and Management at the Jindal School of Management of the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) where he also leads the graduate program in Healthcare Leadership and Management. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at UTD. In addition to his responsibilities at UT Dallas, Dr. Thurgood is a faculty member and senior advisor for the Thayer Leader Development Group (West Point, New York)....
May 13, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 86
After joining the US Army in 2005, Nate Boyer earned the Green Beret in 2006. He served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, completed missions in Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece, and played football for the Texas Longhorns as a standout long snapper. Nate's received awards like the Disney Spirit Award and the Legacy Award, showcasing his inspiring presence in college football. He's also been deeply involved in charity work, served on a fishing boat, volunteered in refugee camps, and continues to engage ...
May 06, 2024•55 min•Ep. 85
Improving student outcomes is AJ Crabill's focus. He serves as Conservator at DeSoto, Texas ISD. During his guidance, DeSoto improved from F ratings in academics, finance, and governance to B ratings. He's also Faculty at the Leadership Institute of Nevada and Director of Governance at the Council of the Great City Schools. He served as Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency and spearheaded reforms as board chair of Kansas City Public Schools that doubled the percentage of students wh...
Apr 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 84
We have all heard the term work and family balance; however, I have learned a critical piece is missing from this equation: self. Achieving a sustainable balance takes the trinity of work, family, and self (WFS). First, leadership is emotionally and mentally demanding; without checks and balances, you and your family will suffer. Before you can authentically show up personally or professionally, take the time to invest in yourself. Think of this as a battery. Work demands a portion of your power...
Apr 22, 2024•22 min•Ep. 83
John Ballenger has spent over +20 years serving in the Marine Corps and was the pilot for Marine One, serving directly for two presidents. John has led over 800 Marines, including in combat, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Today, John is a highly successful consultant and coach for leaders seeking to grow their businesses, lead effective teams, and faithfully love their families. Connect with John Ballenger: -Website: https://www.michaelandjohn.com/ -LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joh...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 82
Clint Keeley is a retired command sergeant major with two decades of dedicated service in the Army, he is profoundly thankful for the invaluable skills and experiences he gained. Currently, Clint is an integral part of an exceptional company that places a high premium on embracing diversity and recognizing our shared humanity. His professional focus revolves around the dynamic field of consulting, with a particular passion for change management. Clint leverages his expertise in Leadership Develo...
Apr 08, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 81
Paul Sean Hill, a distinguished author and speaker, focuses on applying deliberate leadership principles to lead high-performing teams across diverse industries. He currently serves on the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, providing critical insights into NASA's management of human spaceflight. With 25 years at NASA, he began by developing space station construction techniques and later served as a Space Shuttle and International Space Station Flight Director, including leading the return-to...
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 80
William "Bill" Leahy, founder of Renaissance Reliability (RR), is a visionary leader on a mission to elevate American manufacturing to global heights by championing innovation, reliability, and manufacturing effectiveness. In the aftermath of his brother's tragic suicide, a USMC Infantry officer, in December 2022, Bill turned personal grief into a commitment to combat veteran suicide. This led to the establishment of UNTURNING STEEL, aimed at bringing veterans and manufacturing together. The con...
Mar 25, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 79
Our capacity for increased responsibility in our leadership journey separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. As our influence grows and we gain new titles, we face new challenges. Purposeful Accountable Leaders (PALs) understand where they are on their leadership journey and what is required to continue growing. How? Transformational leaders have Leadership Intelligence (LI). I defined LI as aligning emotional intelligence with the organization's needs and the operating environment. LI, at...
Mar 18, 2024•22 min•Ep. 78
