What do you get when you cross a competition-driven Division 1 NCAA left tackle for San Diego State with a leading technology platform for extraordinary lifestyle products in need of a corporate makeover? You get our guest on Episode 135 of The Launchcast Greg Spillane, the CEO of Fancy.com. When Greg and George wax poetic on business shop talk, these two corporate turnaround artists go into a deep dive on the other side of leadership: competition, excellence, culture, and so much more. Hosted b...
Aug 03, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 135
It's no secret that the great Sam Cooke's song was the inspiration for the title of Episode 134 of The Launchcast . "There been times that I thought I wouldn't last for long, Now I think I'm able to carry on, It's been a long, a long time coming, But I know a change's gonna come, oh, yes, it will. The LaunchDad was inspired to talk about the concept of change, how to get through it, how to transform during it, and how to thrive. Change management, the balance phenomenon, reconciliation, and more...
Jul 27, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 134
How does The Big Bang Theory theme song go? "Our whole universe was in a hot, dense state, then nearly 14 billion years ago expansion started, WAIT." Episode 133 of The Launchcast is aptly titled "The Big Bang Query," because we're looking at the idea of a singularity that explodes in our lives that causes one of two things: creation or destruction. But, why? Why do big bangs in our lives have such residual effect on our mindsets, productivity, and more? The LaunchDad explores this topic and dis...
Jul 20, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 133
Time for a riddle: What has 2 hands, 2 feet, has slayed the hair-band songs of the 80s on Broadway, captured the hearts of teens across the world on tv screens, and was stuck out at sea for 2 months during a quarantine? Why it's our guest on episode 132 of The Launchcast, Broadway star Dan Domenech of course! The obvious thing to say here is that Dan has appeared on a ton of productions including starring as Drew on Broadway's Rock of Ages, with Heathers, Wonderland, Sister Act on the theater re...
Jul 13, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 132
If we told you that a man was born with Down syndrome, a hole in his heart, and required intestinal surgery at 2 days old, what would your expectations of his life be? If your answer is "low expectations," you're missing the secret ingredient: happiness. On episode 131, The Launchcast interviews John Cronin and his father Mark Cronin, co-founders of John's Crazy Socks, a social enterprise that the boys bootstrapped during start-up phase and have grown into a multi-million dollar organization who...
Jul 06, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 131
It's too cliché to say that all good things must come to an end...in fact, it's downright wrong. The Launchcast premieres Part 4 of The Protest Series: "How to Be a Human Being" with episode 130, our final addition to this four part series that discusses the uncomfortable conversations surrounding race in the United States. Over the course of these episodes, the audience and panelists have taken a deep journey with so much information being uncovered. What better way to cap off a journey like th...
Jun 29, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 130
It's a different perspective from a different panel, but the mission remains the same: educate the misinformed, activate the undiscovered leaders, awaken those on the fringe. The Launchcast premieres Part 3 The Protest Series: "How to Be a Human Being" with episode 129, our second in a series of panel discussions. Last week we spoke to 2 teenagers and 3 twenty-somethings who are leading the fight in their generation. In this episode, George has a discussion with 2 eclectic panelists that have a ...
Jun 22, 2020•1 hr 52 min•Season 1Ep. 129
It's time for the elephant in the room. The conversations that we've been avoiding because we're "tired of the negativity." Black Lives Matter, privilege, neutrality, systemic racism...all of it. The Launchcast premieres Part 2 The Protest Series: "How to Be a Human Being" with episode 128, our first in a series of panel discussions. George moderates (or attempts to moderate) a discussion with 5 guests who are fighting the good fight: Malik Seelal - Graduate of SUNY New Paltz, MBA. Co-organizer ...
Jun 15, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 128
A new line has been drawn in the sand and the leadership gauntlet has been thrown down. Will you pick it up? I'm talking to black people who are angry, white people who are allies, black people who are traumatized, white people who refuse to see what's really going on, and people of all colors who are tired of the social media wars and want to just do the damn thing, already. It's time to listen to all previous episodes of The Launchcast at 8x speed and get caught up on how to be a leader, becau...
Jun 08, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 127
"Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in The Force, and all will be given over to The Dark Side." - Alan Dean Forster (Star Wars novelist) The Launchcast broadcasts from a remote vacation locale for Episode 126 and George takes a look at one of his most important pillars of leadership, "The Balance Phenomenon." Imagine the feeling that Luke Skywalker felt when he finally mastered The Force, or the power that Neo felt when he understood how to control The Matrix. The LaunchDad takes a deep d...
Jun 01, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 126
25 episodes of The Launchcast and we're celebrating on Episode 125 by having George give "The State of the Podcast" address to our loyal listeners. We talk about the tremendous growth of the show, listened to in 35 countries, with no end in sight. Former guest Marc Cordon of The Golden Mic Podcast stops in for a little conversation about the importance of podcasting and the boys talk about how they've joined forces to launch "The Podcast Experience," a 6 week podcasting intensive course availabl...
May 25, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 125
We've all heard of the superhero origin stories that graced the silver screen or the pages of classic comic books. Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered in front of him and Batman was born. Bruce Banner was poisoned by gamma radiation in his lab and became The Hulk. Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became Spider-Man. Our guest on Episode 124 of The Launchcast , Joe Salamone, was bullied so badly from the 6th to the 12th grade, that a series of events years later led him to found...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 40 min•Season 1Ep. 124
"We are born boys, responsibilities make us men, choices make us kings. As iron sharpens iron, so does one [king] sharpen another." Quarantine be damned, The Launchcast is back in studio with an incredible interview. In Episode 123, George dives deep into the purpose of intentional men with the incomparable Fred Banny, keynote speaker and thought-leader behind Conversations With Kings. Fred is a survivor and a thriver: whether it was COVID-19, civil war in Liberia, or car accidents, this TEDx sp...
May 11, 2020•1 hr 40 min•Season 1Ep. 123
You want to talk serious leadership? Look for your coaches. Yes, of course we're including sports coaches, but we're talking professional coaches in episode 122 of The Launchcast . Join the LaunchDad as he dives into the world of coaching and discusses his journey to founding his leadership coaching class as well as what led him to coaching with The Joy Revolution. If you're a coach yourself or you're looking for coaching to help better yourself, take a listen. Leadership, business, life, and as...
May 04, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 122
You asked for sports leadership, you got it. There's no greater sports hero to the LaunchDad than the G.O.A.T. himself, Michael Jordan. In this next quarantined episode (#121) of The Launchcast , George discusses the 10 part ESPN documentary "The Last Dance," an intricate look at the final season of the Chicago Bulls NBA dynasty in 1997-98. You want a cast study of leadership and some inspiration on the side? Listen to this. Hosted by entrepreneur and keynote/TEDx speaker George Andriopoulos . F...
Apr 27, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 121
In our best Barry Manilow voice, "looks like we made it!" No, we haven't made it past quarantine, we've made it to 20 episodes. In this behind the scenes retrospective on Episode 120 of The Launchcast , George discusses how this podcast came into existence, the logistics of designing the show (from the strategy to the intro to his interview influences from Howard Stern). We're playing some of our best clips as we feature some of our favorite "are you a leader" answers, memorable interview moment...
Apr 20, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 120
Remember that time that Tom Hanks was in a plane crash and was stranded on a desert island and felt such isolation that he personified a human friend in his volleyball, which he named Wilson? Well imagine that except instead of Tom Hanks, it's us. And instead of a dessert island, it's coronavirus quarantine. And instead of a volleyball named Wilson, it's this week's guest on Episode 119 of The Launchcast , Shmamazon's AI virtual assistant Alexa! It's getting really weird here in our temporary qu...
Apr 13, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 119
Do priests like Game of Thrones and the Yankees? The short answer is, yes. The long answer is on Episode 118 of The Launchcast as we sit down with Fr. Demetrios Kazakis, a New York based priest from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church who is a shining example of leadership through adversity. The LaunchDad finally gets another Greek on the show, but it’s not all gyros and opas. George and Father D talk leadership of biblical proportions, and you don’t want to miss this one. Hosted by entrepreneur ...
Apr 06, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 118
Yes, you read that right. That's Manila, but with 2 L's...why? Simple, this interview is as sweet as vanilla and as imperfect as a misspelled word on a vocabulary test. It’s being billed as the greatest rematch of all time. The people knew how special their chemistry was when they sparred on a few episodes of The Golden Mic Live, but their first epic battle happened on the now LEGENDARY episode 200 of Golden Mic Live where Muscles Marinara unexpectedly went southpaw and left Manilla Ice knocked ...
Mar 30, 2020•2 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 117
It’s not our usual show, but then again, this is an unusual time. Four guests (count ‘em, FOUR) are joining us today as we braved the mean corona-ridden (virtual) streets to piece together Episode 116 of The Launchcast with one theme in mind: what can we do to keep the world turning in a time of crisis? You’ll hear from educator Jen Klock, two of the co-hosts of the Sanity is Overrated podcast Jennifer Muccioli and Rob McCaffrey, and executive producer of Speakers Who Dare Tricia Brouk, and hear...
Mar 23, 2020•1 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 116
Have you heard this one yet? A young man on the Autism spectrum and an educator/advocate walk into a bar. But instead of a bar, it's the world. And instead walking into it, they ran full speed with full body armor and destroyed everything in their path. And when I say everything, I mean the stigmas that surround the Autism community and the narrative that has hindered their inclusion. Join Episode 115 of The Launchcast as Dave Thompson and Josh Mirsky , the co-founders of Sounds Like Autism , sh...
Mar 16, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 115
40 years ago, sick children all over the world lay in hospital beds with no hope left in their lives...and then an Arizona Highway Patrol motorcycle officer changed the world by granting the dying wish of a 7 year old boy. Join The Launchcast on Episode 114 with special guest Frank Shankwitz, the creator and co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation . This is a big one folks, which means we're taking a deep dive into leadership, business, life, and growth with this incredible author, speaker, and...
Mar 09, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Only one man can lay claim to the following things: lost almost 200lbs, ran a marathon, received a compliment from Oprah Winfrey, convinced Howard Stern Show writer Sal Governale that he was a turtle and that his *cough, cough* was missing (2 different instances), oh and also helped COUNTLESS people change their lives. Join The Launchcast on Episode 113 as we interview the great Scott Schmaren, world-renowned hypnotist, speaker, author, coach, and neuroperformanceologist. Take all your preconcei...
Mar 02, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Time to get down to brass tacks. There is no such thing as leadership unless we stand up and say, "I'll do it." The Launchcast takes a raw and emotional dive on a "ripped from the headlines" Episode 112 as we discuss the tragic case of Thomas Valva and the emotional plea of Quaden Bayles and his family. George lets out an emotional monologue that speaks to leadership from the perspective of a father, husband, thought leader, and activist. We cover the importance of understanding disabilities, be...
Feb 24, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Sometimes, the plights of the world can affect someone so deeply that they dedicate their lives to shining a light on those plights. Enter the documentarian. Join The Launchcast on Episode 111 as we interview director, editor, and documentarian Ben Duffy. We're talking about his life as a filmmaker, all of his projects, and the unexpected role in leadership that he has found himself in. See you later, 4th wall...it's getting real today. Hosted by entrepreneur and keynote/TEDx speaker George Andr...
Feb 17, 2020•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 111
All rise...the Chef has entered the building. TV personality, keynote speaker, and Executive Chef Allison Fasano joins us on Episode 110 of The Launchcast for a dollop of leadership, a dash of business, some julienne life and growth, and much more. From her beginnings in Williamsburg, Brooklyn all the way to her rise through the culinary ranks and her eventual television appearances on Food Network's "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay," this incredible chef has always stayed grounded in her food and...
Feb 10, 2020•1 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 110
Yes, you read that that right. Remain calm, stop squinting your eyes, and quit cleaning your bifocals. The Launchcast is coming at you on Episode 109 with the one and only best selling author, Dr. Greg Reid . We're talking writing, servant leadership, producing a movie (that's on Netflix!), and much more. Leadership, business, life, and growth with the author of Three Feet From Gold , Wealth Made Easy , Stickability , The Tokens, and more! Hosted by entrepreneur and keynote/TEDx speaker George A...
Feb 03, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 109
The Launchcast pays tribute in episode 108 to Kobe Bean Bryant, legendary Los Angeles Lakers guard, future NBA Hall of Famer, husband, and father of four girls. George discusses his thoughts on Kobe’s unconventional life, growth, leadership, and everything in-between (including his career, businesses, family, his impact, and more). Hosted by entrepreneur and keynote/TEDx speaker George Andriopoulos. Follow @launchpadceo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Visit http://thelaunchcast.com for more ...
Jan 30, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 108
The Launchcast goes Hollywood on episode 107! Our guest this week is Bobby Rubio, the writer & director of Float from Pixar , streaming now on Disney+ . We're talking life, growth, leadership, and everything in-between (including his previous movies, his work as a Marvel Comics cover artist, growing up Filipino-American, the influence of his son's autism diagnosis on Float, and more)! Hosted by entrepreneur and keynote/TEDx speaker George Andriopoulos. Follow @launchpadceo on Facebook, Twitt...
Jan 27, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 107
"Damn it, there is no shame in cancer." - Carol Silva Hey, hey everybody...it's The Launchcast with Episode 106: A Christmas Carol (Part 2). Our guest this week , again for part 2 of her incredible interview, is the legendary (and recently retired) News 12 Long Island news anchor Carol Silva. We're talking life, growth, leadership, and everything in-between. Part 2 includes Carol's move to television, the voice of women, 9/11, truth in journalism, Carol’s recent health battle, retiring from News...
Jan 20, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 106
