The Jon Gordon Podcast Finishing Strong | Glenn Ellison
On this episode of The Jon Gordon Podcast, I sit down with Glenn Ellison, a man whose life story could fill a movie script. From growing up in poverty with six siblings and an alcoholic father, to channeling his pain and anger into football and earning a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas, Glenn's early journey is as inspiring as it is raw. He shares how an illegal hit and an unexpected twist in NCAA eligibility rules cut short his college career, but his determination led him to play for the Marine Corps team and ultimately earn a spot in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders under legendary coach John Madden.
But Glenn's story doesn’t stop on the football field. After his sports career, he faced more adversity and found purpose in helping others. For the past 24 years, Glenn has dedicated his life to restoring peace in families through The Parent Help Center, working with parents and at-risk youth to turn chaos into hope and healing. He opens up about how faith, hard lessons, and relentless work ethic shaped his mission to make an enduring impact.
This is a candid, powerful conversation about resilience, redemption, and the transformative power of believing in others, and yourself, even when the odds are stacked against you. Glenn’s journey reminds us that no matter where you start, it's never too late to change the game and make a difference.
Learn more about Glenn and his mission at theparenthelpcenter.com, and get ready to be inspired by a true comeback story.
About Glenn,
Glenn Ellison is a former NFL player, United States Marine, and now a certified Jon Gordon Trainer helping leaders and families create positive change. His inspiring journey took him from high school football star to being kicked out of college, from $35-a-game semi-pro leagues to the Marine Corps football program—where he became a two-time MVP. Against 10,000 to 1 odds, Glenn walked on to the NFL, proving that grit, faith, and perseverance open impossible doors.
Today, Glenn is the founder of a non-profit dedicated to building stronger families, the author of Tackling Life's Challenges, and the real-life inspiration behind the film Success Camp, which tells the story of struggling families finding hope. His life is proof that detours often lead to your true purpose—and that with commitment and belief, even the wildest dreams are within reach.
Here’s a few additional resources for you…
Follow me on Instagram: @JonGordon11
Order my new book 'The 7 Commitments of a Great Team' today!
Every week, I send out a free Positive Tip newsletter via email. It’s advice for your life, work and team. You can sign up now here and catch up on past newsletters.
Join me for my Day of Development! You’ll learn proven strategies to develop confidence, improve your leadership and build a connected and committed team. You’ll leave with an action plan to supercharge your growth and results. It’s time to Create your Positive Advantage. Get details and sign up here.
Do you feel called to do more? Would you like to impact more people as a leader, writer, speaker, coach and trainer? Get Jon Gordon Certified if you want to be mentored by me and my team to teach my proven frameworks principles, and programs for businesses, sports, education, healthcare!