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

“The Birdman” Jeb Corliss: Fearless BASE Jumper

Jeb is one of the world’s best known BASE-jumpers and wingsuit pilots. He has made more than 1,000 jumps including the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge and Angel falls to name a few. He is featured in a documentary called Fearless: The Jeb Corliss Story. Some interesting insights from this episode: Learn how he was diagnosed with counterphobia at an early age which made him want to confront his fears head on. “The only limits on you are the ones you place upon yourself.” Base-jumping saved h...

Mar 06, 2018•54 min

Cat Hoke: Defying the Odds: Giving Current and Former Convicts, Herself, and the Rest of US a Second Chance

Cat Hoke is the founder and CEO of Defy Ventures, a non-profit which creates personal and economic opportunities for people with criminal histories. She’s been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and a number of other publications. Her new book is called A Second Chance: For You, For Me, and For the Rest of Us. Some interesting insights from this episode: Learn how she converts hardened criminals into entrepreneurial, hard-working, law-abiding citizens upon their rele...

Feb 20, 2018•53 min

Kristin Beck: A Navy SEAL, a Purple Heart, and a Transgender Activist

Christopher Beck served for 20 years as a Navy SEAL. He deployed 13 times over two decades, including stints in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He received the Bronze Star award for valor and the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat. In 2013, after retiring from the Navy, he came out publicly as a transgender with the new name Kristin. A documentary was produced about her life called Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story. Some interesting insights from this episode: Hear a glimpse of what dail...

Feb 13, 2018•45 min

Daniel Pink: Behavioral science guru and bestselling author

Daniel Pink is the author of several New York Times bestselling books about business, work and behavior including A Whole New Mind , Drive and To Sell is Human . His articles have appeared in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Wired and a number of other publications. His TED talk on the science of motivation is one of the 10 most watched TED talks of all time. His latest book is titled WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing . Some interesting insights from this e...

Feb 06, 2018•44 min

Bill Browder: Superstar investor turned human rights activist

Bill Browder is the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital, which was the largest investor in Russia for a number of years. More recently he has been spearheading a campaign to expose Russia’s corruption and human rights abuses. His efforts led to the passing of the Magnitsky Act in 2012. He is the author of Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice . Some interesting insights from this episode: Learn how he became the largest investor in Russia and one of t...

Jan 16, 2018•44 min

Christian Picciolini: Reformed White Supremacist now leading the fight against extremism

Christian Picciolini is an Emmy Award-winning director and producer, a published author, a TEDx speaker, and a reformed extremist. He is the co-founder of Life After Hate, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding long-term solutions that counter racism and violent extremism. His latest book is titled White American Youth: My Descent into America’s Most Violent Hate Movement – and How I Got Out. Some interesting insights from this episode: “Hatred is born of ignorance. Fear is its father an...

Jan 09, 2018•45 min

Nik Wallenda: Living Life High on the Wire

Nik Wallenda is an acrobat, daredevil, high wire artist and author. He is known for his high-wire performances without a safety net. He holds nine Guinness World Records for various acrobatic feats but is probably best known for walking a tightrope stretched over Niagara Falls. He is the author of a book entitled: Balance: A Story of Faith, Family and Life on the Line . Some interesting insights from this episode: “Life is on the wire and everything else is just waiting.” “Fear is a choice and i...

Dec 05, 2017•45 min

Lonnie Johnson: Serial Inventor: From Super Soakers to Solar Systems

Lonnie Johnson is a former Air Force and NASA engineer who invented the massively popular Super Soaker water gun. He currently oversees Johnson Research and Development, a company which commercializes technologies with a recent emphasis on alternative energy. He studied at Tuskegee University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in nuclear engineering. He lives in the Atlanta area. Some interesting insights from this episode: Learn how he created one of ...

Nov 14, 2017•37 min

Scott Kelly: Astronaut Extraordinaire

Scott Kelly is a retired NASA astronaut and a veteran of four space flights. He is best known for spending nearly a year on the International Space Station and the second most time in space of any American. He recently wrote a book now available about his space travels called Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery. Some interesting insights from this episode: He struggled academically for many years until he read Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff which would finally give him the focus he ...

Nov 07, 2017•35 min

Morten Andersen: Professional Football Hall of Fame Kicker

Morten Andersen is a former professional football kicker who spent most of his career with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. He played in a record 382 games during his 25 year career and is the all-time leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points. In 2017, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. These days Morten is a motivational speaker and also oversees his family foundation. He resides in Atlanta, GA. Some interesting insights from this episode: As an exchange stude...

Oct 31, 2017•44 min

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