Behind the Brilliance
256 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 234 ratingsBehind the Brilliance is the go to podcast for the intellectually curious and relentlessly ambitious. The show features weekly long form interviews with innovative and culture-shaping leaders in art, culture, technology, business, lifestyle, and personal development along with Lisa's inspiring and funny advice on life, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
250 - Defying the Odds - Season 14 Recap
December 15, 2023 03:57 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBLisa summarizes Season 14, Defying the Odds, with reflections on the strategies shared and helpful recaps. 240 – Dr. Andrew Newberg 241 – Cin Fabre 242 – Tyler Denk 243 – Jim Fielding 244 – Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter 245 – Simone Stolzoff 246 – Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg 247 – Andrew Barnes 248 – Jamila Souffrant 249 – Kevin Kelly Subscribe to CUE at BehindtheBrilliance.com to be the first to know when the new season streams.
249 Kevin Kelly on Living and Working at the Intersection of Passion, Purpose, and Profitability
December 08, 2023 04:08 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBTHE SHOW Kevin Kelly is a modern creative pioneer. He was a polymath before it was cool. His career as a writer, founder, photographer, and editor extends across industries and continents. A world traveler and lifelong learner, Kevin’s ideas such as 1000 True Fans have inspired a generation of builders and artists to exercise full agency over their creative pursuits. Kevin was on a short list of dream guests I’ve long held for Behind the Brilliance, and our conversation did not disapp...
248 Jamila Souffrant on Redefining and Achieving Financial Freedom
December 01, 2023 04:50 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBTHE SHOW Jamila Souffrant’s expertise in personal finance is informed by her own experience turning financial uncertainty into financial freedom. She and her husband saved $169,000 in 2 years and redefined their future with smart money decisions. Now she’s guiding people from diverse backgrounds to more fulfilled lives through her personal finance podcast, Journey to Launch, and her new book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom. Jamila’s work has been featured in Money Magazine, CNBC,...
247 Andrew Barnes on why (and how) a 4 Day Work Week is the secret to success at work
November 23, 2023 19:11 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBA dynamic and growing group of companies and organizations are moving to a 4 day work week. Andrew Barnes is the pioneer behind this movement. It all started with an experiment to see what would happen if his team worked 4 days instead of 5. The results were so breathtaking that he never looked back. Now there's an entire organization - including research, a book, and tools - dedicated to making the work world more efficient. Through his company – New Zealand's largest corporate trustee ...
246 Thomas Wedell-Wedellsbord on the Science of Effective Problem Solving
November 17, 2023 01:55 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBThomas Wedell-Wedellsborg is the author of ‘What’s Your Problem?’ which was released by Harvard Business Press. He is also the co-author (with Paddy Miller) of Innovation as Usual, a Harvard Business Review Press book on the art of driving innovation in regular organizations. Thomas has worked with managers in nearly all parts of the globe, including China, India, Russia, Singapore, Britain, France and his native country, Denmark. His research has been featured in Harvard Business Review, ...
245 Simone Stolzoff on the better ways to integrate work, life, and identity for more success and satisfaction
November 10, 2023 01:15 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBTHE SHOW Simone Stolzoff is a designer, and workplace expert who is the former design lead at the global innovation firm IDEO. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and many other publications. He’s the author of The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work. This conversation is, in my opinion, among the most important in the history of the show. It’s not particularly dramatic, but it’s hard for me to overstate the importa...
244 Dr. Valerie Daniels Carter on how she turned a vision into reality with 100+ franchise locations
November 03, 2023 04:48 - 51 minutes - 45.9 MBTHE SHOW Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter is founder and president of V&J Holdings, the largest female-owned franchise organization in the United States. As one of the best known fast-food operators in the United States with more than 130 units across multiple brands, Valerie has partnered with influential leaders like NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal to expand her operations. She sits on the board of the Green Bay Packers and is a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. As a seasoned leader, Valerie ...
243 Executive and author Jim Fielding on the secrets to building world class teams in high stakes environments and how to build a values-aligned career
October 26, 2023 23:44 - 1 hour - 206 MBTHE SHOW Jim Fielding is casting the kind of light we all need to free us from the anxiety of being enough and doing enough. Throughout his illustrious career as an executive as the world’s most recognizable companies, he found that authenticity and kindness were the secrets to achieving the kind of success he most craved. But these realizations didn’t come easy. After struggling with coming out, building international teams, and climbing corporate ladders, Jim left it all behind to lean...
242 Tyler Denk on the Serendipity of Startup Success
October 20, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 265 MBTyler Denk is making a name for himself as a CEO who building a modern company that brings fresh energy to an old space: e-mail. He’s powering the world’s most beloved newsletters through Beehiiv, the company he founded in 2021. beehiiv is an all-in-one product suite for newsletter. Tyler joined Morning Brew as the second employee, leading product and engineering, and helped them scale up until the acquisition by Business Insider in 2020. He then had a stint at Google as a Product Lead...
241 Cin Fabré on How She Conquered Wall Street
October 12, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 160 MBCin Fabré is the personification of grit. We hear that word used in personal and professional development circles, but her story, her mindset, and her confidence truly reflects it. Growing up, Cin Fabré didn’t know anything about the stock market. But she learned how to hustle from her immigrant parents. Through a tip from a friend, Cin pushed her way into brokerage firm VTR Capital―an offshoot of Stratton Oakmont, the company where the Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort, had reigned. Sh...
240 Dr. Andrew Newberg on The Science Behind Spirituality
September 29, 2023 02:59 - 1 hour - 160 MBDr. Andrew Newberg is the world’s leading thinker on neurotheology. His work has been published in over 250 peer reviewed articles and chapters on brain function and the study of religious and mystical experiences. He has published 14 books including How God Changes Your Brain and Neurotheology: How Science Can Enlighten Us About Spirituality. In this broad conversation, Lisa and Dr. Newberg explore the connections between spirituality and the brain. Dr. Newberg offers enlightening perspec...
239 Achievement Hangover Recovery
September 21, 2023 07:38 - 14 minutes - 33.4 MBLisa discusses how and why achievement hangovers happen and what to do about them.
238 Emotional First Aid Kits
September 21, 2023 07:35 - 16 minutes - 38.7 MBLisa unpacks why we all need emotional first aid kits and how to customize them.
237 Clock & Coin
September 21, 2023 07:33 - 13 minutes - 31.4 MBLisa shares a time and money audit approach to align values and actions.
236 Victory Boards
September 21, 2023 07:15 - 10 minutes - 23.6 MBLisa offers a spin on the vision board concept and a new perspective on celebrating wins and creating personal success patterns.
235 On Risk and Reward
September 21, 2023 07:01 - 17 minutes - 39.7 MBLisa explores the psychological aspects of modern risk and better ways to calculate real risk versus perceived risk.
Season 12 Recap
July 07, 2022 07:00 - 19 minutes - 43.7 MBIn this solo episode, Lisa recaps Season 12's episode line up and how the theme, Uncharted Territory, tracked throughout the episodes.
233 David Kessler on the Gifts of Grief
June 30, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 150 MBThis episode is one of the most important in the history of the show. We’re talking about grief. It’s one of those unsexy topics that doesn’t get discussed enough, but it’s something none of us can escape. Because of that, I invited grief expert David Kessler to the show. David is a six time author - among his books are On Death and Dying and On Grief and Grieving which are seminal works on death and grieving co-authored with Elizabeth Kubler Ross. You may have heard of the five stages of gr...
232 Alua Arthur on Dying with Dignity and Living Intentionally
June 24, 2022 01:08 - 1 hour - 155 MBAlua Arthur has one of the world’s most important jobs: she helps people die with dignity. After getting a law degree and starting a career in social work, she became a death doula. She helps individuals and families navigate end of life transitions. As a result, she has profound wisdom on how eventual death can inspire us to live more purposefully. In this conversation, she shares gem after gem about life, grief, work, and evolution. Behind her brilliance: Leading with her heart Say h...
231 T.A. McCann on The Secrets to Making Calculated Business Bets
June 16, 2022 07:02 - 1 hour - 153 MBT.A. McCann got the entrepreneurial bug as a teenager and never stopped building. His career has been a mix of corporate and startup ventures that have shaped his perspective on marketing and leadership. Now he’s the managing director of Pioneer Square Labs, a startup studio and venture capital fund. He draws on the experience of raising millions of dollars during his career to share what he’s learned about selling, fundraising, and shipping new projects. He also opens up about how he regain...
230 The Purpose and Power of Living Eulogies
June 09, 2022 07:01 - 17 minutes - 41.1 MBIn this solo episode, Lisa describes the why, what and how of living eulogies - inspiring personal tributes offered to people who are still alive. Going beyond special occasions and milestones, Lisa inspires you to start creating living eulogies for the special people in your life.
229 Chris Hutchins on Creating an Interesting Career Fueled by Curiosity
June 02, 2022 07:02 - 1 hour - 216 MBChris Hutchins has lived many lives in his short time on earth. His adventures have been fueled by curiousity and acceptance of uncertainty. From startup experiments to traveling the world for 8 months to using hacks to optimize his life, Chris’ open mind and willingness to learn has taken him to fascinating places. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on the twists and turns of the journey, the hardest won lessons, and his perspective on creating more personal satisfaction in wor...
228 Nina Westbrook on Boundaries, Grief, and Redefining Self-Care
May 26, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 141 MBNina Westbrook is a trained marriage and family therapist and the founder of Bene, a digital platform offering wellness workshops and inspiration to help you embrace self-care, personal growth, and learning. Nina is also a mom of 3 and the wife of NBA all star Russell Westbrook. This conversation unpacks how Nina navigates change, her perspective on modern self-care, and her best advice for sustaining mental health. Behind Her Brilliance: Her Parents Say hi to Nina on Twitter: @ninawest...
227 Justin Welsh on Designing A Values-Driven Career
May 19, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 181 MBWhat would inspire you to reach the peak in your career then decide to scale a different mountain? Burnout. Justin Welsh went from making it rain at tech startups to going out on his own as a consultant. With the future unknown, he wrote his way to a 7 figure personal brand that allows him to spend his time on things he cares about and have an impact on thousands of professionals. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on a journey littered with setbacks and shares how he turned eac...
226 Kelly Edwards on Reinvention, Writing, and Recovering from Setbacks
May 12, 2022 07:02 - 1 hour - 225 MBThis is the ultimate reinvention story of a dynamic creative letting her passion guide her from the safety of her executive office to early mornings perfecting her craft as a screenwriter. After climbing the ranks as an executive in Hollywood, Kelly left it behind to return to her passion of writing. Now she has a producing deal with HBO and decades of hard won wisdom guiding her creative pursuits. During this conversation, Kelly opened up about the highs and lows of her journey as a crea...
225 The Pre and Post Mortems You Didn't Know You Needed
May 05, 2022 07:02 - 26 minutes - 60.6 MBLisa offers frameworks and questions for conducting pre-mortems and post-mortems for personal and professional projects. Find the list of questions at BehindtheBrilliance.com/225preandpostmortems
224 Ryan Allis on How Personal Purpose Creates Professional Profit
April 28, 2022 07:05 - 54 minutes - 124 MBRyan Allis is the founder and former CEO of iContact, the email marketing company that sold for $169 million. After a short-lived stint as an angel investor, Ryan started a social enterprise and then became the Managing Partner of HeartRithm, an algorithmic trading fund that’s turning money into good. During this conversation, Ryan opens up about the peaks and valleys of his journey as an entrepreneur, what it means to be a heart-centered leader, and why he’s bullish on crypto. Behind His ...
223 Jessie Inchauspé on the Simple Sustainable Ways to Be Well
April 21, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 166 MBJessie Inchauspé brings clarity and levity to the wellness space as a biochemist, researcher, and author. Her Instagram account, @GlucoseGoddess, exploded when she started sharing what she learned about glucose monitoring and managment. Her book, Glucose Revolution, has been called the best practical guide for managing glucose to maximize health and longevity. Even if you don't think you have a glucose "problem," you're almost certainly in the group of people who could stand to improve their...
222 Why You Should Use First Principles Thinking + Second Order Consequences
April 14, 2022 07:01 - 17 minutes - 39.7 MBIn this solo episode, Lisa outlines two mental models and discusses how they fit together to make decision making easier and more effective.
221 Jonah Berger on How to Be a More Persuasive Communicator
April 07, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 159 MBJonah Berger is an internationally recognized expert in persuasion and change. In addition to being a professor at Wharton, he's written three books that help leaders and innovators create change in their organizations and lives. In this conversation, we discuss Jonah's best advice and the surprising tips that work for being more influential and effective personally and professionally. Whether you're leading a group at work or trying to persuade family members at home, this conversation has ...
220 Comcast Executive Steve White on Climbing the Right Corporate Ladder the Right Way
March 31, 2022 07:01 - 1 hour - 166 MBSteve White went from humble beginnings in the midwest to the C suite of Comcast’s West Division. The journey was littered with hard won lessons on leadership and the habits required to create massive success. After driving revenue of nearly $18 billion, he’s learned what it takes to achieve organizational success and personal significance. He unveils how he achieved his vision and how you can too. Behind His Brilliance: Effort and Attitude Say hi to Steve on Twitter: @stevewhiteinc
219 Q+A: Creating and Sustaining Adult Friendships
March 24, 2022 07:00 - 28 minutes - 65.8 MBBTB listener Michelle asked Lisa’s thoughts and personal journey to creating and sustaining healthy friendships. Lisa opens up about how and why she struggled in this area, what she learned, and the way she created new friendships. She offers thought exercises for evaluating friendships and offers wise reminders.
218 Dr. Erin Westgate on How to Create a Psychologically Rich Life
March 17, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 179 MBDr. Erin C. Westgate holds a Ph.D. in social psychology and uses it as a researcher and assistant professor. Her work explores boredom, inner lives, and thoughts. In this conversation, we turn boring research studies into insight with interesting stories and useful advice. Plus, we explore productive procrastination, the profound thing Erin's changed her mind about recently, and why we should all be pursuing psychological richness over happiness. Behind Her Brilliance: a family that embr...
217 Prince's Creative Director Sam Jennings on Designing Great Work and a Creative Career
March 10, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 150 MBSam Jennings is an accomplished artist and creative director whose credits include megastars like Prince and Pearl Jam. But he's so much more than his collaborations. His thoughtful approach to his work and his artistic integrity is what's led him on creative adventures that pushed boundaries and made waves. In this conversation, he connects the dots and shares the secrets of working with teams of all kinds, staying true to self as an artist, and making a living as a modern creative professi...
216 Katrina Adams
March 03, 2022 08:01 - 52 minutes - 120 MBKatrina Adams has gone from the west side of Chicago to the pinnacles of the tennis world as an athlete, executive, and commentator. Alongside her long list of accomplishments is a long list of lessons learned including how to recover from setbacks, how to perform under pressure, and why it's essential to be self-directed. In this conversation, she shares the gems that have allowed her to go from the the tennis court to the board room successfully. Behind Her Brilliance: Being Herself Say ...
215 Katy Milkman on How to Change Your Habits (For Good)
February 24, 2022 05:30 - 1 hour - 207 MBKaty Milkman turns dense research into usable tactics for daily life. From saving more money to losing weight, Katy's findings and summaries in her bestselling book, How to Change, are woven into this conversation. We explore what to do when motivation wanes, when to create fresh starts for greatest effect, the best approach to building new habits, and more. Behind Her Brilliance: Luck Say hi to Katy on Twitter: @katy_milkman
Season 12 Teaser: Uncharted Territory
February 24, 2022 04:45 - 4 minutes - 10.5 MBLisa welcomes listeners to Season 12 of the show and offers a peek at what's to come.
Season 11 Recap
March 25, 2021 07:30 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBLisa recaps the episodes of Season 11 and shares key takeaways.
213 Mike Maser on surviving cancer, building companies, and finding purpose in life
March 18, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 78 MBMike Maser found himself way up the corporate ladder that was leaning against the wrong wall. He knew he couldn't keep coasting so he took the leap into entrepreneurship. The journey wasn't a smooth one, but it led him to running Big Sky Health, a company using technology to build thoughtful wellness apps. During this conversation, we talked about the good, bad, and harrowing of Mike's journey. He shares hard won wisdom and perspective on re-imaging your life and work to reflect your values....
212 Dr. Emily Anhalt on Creating and Sustaining Mental Fitness
March 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBTHE SHOW Dr. Emily Anhalt is a clinical psychologist, emotional fitness expert, author, and the co-founder of Coa, a a "gym for the mind." On this episode, she talks with Lisa about the strategies and tactics for creating and sustaining mental wellness, how to find a great therapist, the importance of developing sound habits, and much more. Behind Her Brilliance: A supportive community, hard work in therapy, and a deep belief that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have....
211 Nick Seluk on Turning a Creative Side Hustle into a Thriving Enterprise
March 04, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBTHE SHOW New York Times bestselling author, cartoonist, and entrepreneur Nick Seluk shares how he turned a creative passion into a thriving enterprise. From time management and personal discipline to leadership and creative choices, Nick opens up about how he built an international audience of adoring fans (including Lisa!). Behind His Brilliance: A willingness to work to have his definition of freedom Say hi to Nick on Twitter or Instagram: @TheAwkwardYeti SPONSORED BY: On Deck ...
210 Kirk Moore on Writing, Working, and Realizing His Potential
February 25, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBKirk Moore is back to discuss his journey as a writer, his reflections on diversity in entertainment, what he’s learned and how he’s applied it, the importance of community for writers, why self-care is not negotiable for artists, and much more. Say hi to Kirk on Twitter and Instagram @KirkWrites79
209 Holley Kholi-Murchison on Charting a Path as a Multihyphenate
February 18, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 72.2 MBThe author and multihyphenate sits down to recount her professional journey, what she's learned, and how mutlihyphenates can tell better stories about their work. If you've ever struggled with answering, "Tell me about yourself," you'll love this episode. Holley's candor and clarity provide a useful framework for designing a fulfilling career and telling the right story about it. Behind Her Brilliance: God + her ancestors + her curiosity Say hi to Holley on Twitter @HolleyMurchison and ...
208 Ayesha Selden on Wealth Building Her Way
February 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 79 MBFinancial advisor and real estate investor Ayesha Selden joins Lisa to unpack her journey from humble beginnings in Philadelphia to financial independence. Ayesha brings candor and humor to this conversation that's filled with timeless wisdom and hard won insight. Behind Her Brilliance: Persistence and discipline Say hi to Ayesha on Twitter and Instagram: @AyeshaSelden
207 Designing Your Internal Scorecard
February 04, 2021 08:00 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBLisa shares why internal scorecards are important and how to design them. This is a short, inspiring blueprint on keeping yourself accountable and consistently leveling up.
206 Tamar Blue on the Art and Science of Mental Wellness
January 28, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 71 MBThis episode is a deep dive into mental health and how we can find greater peace and purpose, even as we face a complicated new normal during and after the global pandemic. The founder and CEO of Mental Happy, Tamar Blue, drops in to share her journey as a founder and offer perspective on cultivating mental well-being in every season. Behind Her Brilliance: Her intuitive nature Say hi to Tamar on Twitter: @TuhmarBlue
206 Kendra Barnes on Financing Freedom
January 21, 2021 08:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MBThis episode charts Kendra Barnes' journey from dissatisfied government employee to successful real estate investor. There were no quantum leaps or magic tricks - just education and hard work. Kendra lays out the practical approach she took to achieving financial independence and why freedom is about more than money. Behind Her Brilliance: Her upbringing and faith Say hi to Kendra on Instagram: @TheKeyResource
205 Esosa Edosomwan on Designing Life for Wellness
January 14, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 93.2 MBThis episode blends the theory of wellness with the practical application to provide inspiring perspective on enhancing your physical health. Nutrition specialist and behavior coach Esosa Edosomwan (aka The Raw Girl) deep dives into the design of modern wellness and health habits that work. Behind Her Brilliance: A commitment to using all of her talents Say hi to Esosa on Instagram and Twitter: @TheRawGirl
204 Strategic Life Design for 2021
January 07, 2021 08:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBLisa discusses thoughts and questions on life design for 2021 amidst the chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic.
203 Mac Conwell on Hustle, Confidence, and Networking
December 31, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBMac Conwell is an entrepreneur turned venture capitalist investing in early stage startups. After a roller coaster journey through entrepreneurship, he is an accidental venture capitalist. During this conversation, he shares what he's learned about hustle, networking, confidence, and much more. Behind His Brilliance: His Parents Say hi to Mac on Twitter: @macconwell