To The Top: Inspirational Career Advice

Coach Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He previously led the Oakland Raiders to prominence, and hosted Monday Night Football. He's currently joined Barstool Sports and has a YouTube channel called Gruden Loves Football where he breaks down game previews and interviews NFL players and coaches. In this episode we discuss: -the traits of a Gruden Grinder -why it's important to be a lifelong learner (or to accumulate knowledge) -lessons from Bill Walsh and Al Davis -how to build your adaptability muscle -how to handle pressure better -how to improve your attention to detail -why it's important to be ready when opportunity knocks and more -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Dwayne Cowan is the President of the Residential HVAC business at Trane Technologies. He earned his degree in biological engineering from the University of Georgia and his MBA from the Arizona State University. For nearly 20 years he's led teams in the HVAC industry both at Thermo King and now Trane -- which is widely known as the leader in the HVAC industry. In this episode we discuss: -the importance of preparation  -why the best leaders are inclusive -why asking for help is a sign of courage -why the best leaders usually don't have all the answers -why you should lead with openness in your life and career and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Mark Matson is a financial expert and investment advisor. As the founder and CEO of Matson Money, his firm has $8.6B in assets under management while serving 35,000 families nationwide. Mark published his book, Experiencing the American Dream: How to Invest Your Time, Energy, and Money to Create an Extraordinary Life. During our interview, we discuss: -Why money can't buy happiness -The misconceptions we've been taught about The American Dream -How we can change our relationship with money and (and basic finance tips) -How challenging experiences can build character -Why sometimes your greatest strength can also be your weakness and much more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Richard Krulik is the CEO of Briggs & Riley, a well established luggage brand that has been in existence for over 30 years. Richard and I discuss the rich history including: -how he onboards new employees to create a better culture at work -why good companies are built on trust -how to prepare in advance of chaos, or as he says "fly the plane" -how his father led by example -what he hopes his team would say about him as a leader -why it's important to view problems as opportunities -how they demonstrate company values like "smart & steady" -why it's important to travel for personal growth

Tessa West is a professor of psychology at NYU. She's the author of Jerks at Work and Job Therapy: Finding Work That Works For You. Tessa's TED Talk -- The Problem With Being "Too Nice" at Work has nearly 800,000 views. In Job Therapy she provides a science-backed handbook that will help you better understand your relationship with your job and how to improve it. She also discusses the most common reasons why people are frustrated in their careers and how to address them. In this episode we discuss: -debunking career advice myths -how to balance emotion & logic when making career decisions -the difference between the person who sends hundreds of resumes out with no plan vs the person who takes action -the 5 sources of career frustration and more -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Kim Scott has worked in leadership roles at companies like Apple and Google. She is also a best-selling author as her book, Radical Candor, is one of the most beloved business books of the last decade. In Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better -- she details how organizations that optimize for collaboration and honor everyone's individuality are often more successful, joyful places to work. In this episode we discuss: -Why it's the leaders' responsibility to call out bias on a team -The significance of fostering a respectful culture at work -What we can all do to aspire to be better teammates (being an upstander) -Book recommendations and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Dan Harris was an award-winning ABC Journalist who anchored Nightline. He's widely known for having a panic attack on national TV. Through a lot of inner work, he published 10% Happier about his traumatic experience and how he was able to rehabilitate himself which included practices like meditation. Dan's TED Talk on self-compassion has eclipsed 3 million views. We discuss his work including: -What he learned about himself through interviewing hundreds of people -The inflection point that led to his 360 assessment to understand what people really think of him -What he learned from his mentor, Peter Jennings -What he recommends to try to strike balance in life -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Brianna Wiest is the best-selling author of The Mountain Is You, 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, and The Pivot Year. Her books have been read by millions of people and she is widely recognized for her wisdom of navigating life's challenges. In this episode we discuss The Mountain Is You including: -the definition of self-sabotage -the ways you can recognize self-sabotage -how we can begin to course correct -the significance of following your intuition or gut -what she's learned about happiness and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Scott Tannen is the founder and CEO of a luxury linen and home goods company called Boll & Branch. They're best known for their luxury organic cotton bed sheets. Scott began his career working for established consumer packaged goods brands like Nabisco and Wrigley where he led digital marketing teams. He went to become the founder of Boll & Branch with the goal of bringing products to market that were sustainable for cotton farmers that eventually disrupted an industry. You'll enjoy this episode if you're curious about: -How mentors can challenge you to level up your game -How our parents can influence our life and career decisions -Why it was important for Scott to invest 2 years figuring out how to make products in a sustainable way that was good for people and the environment -How is $2 million bet with Howard Stern paid off -Why you should never sacrifice things that are important to you that you'll regret for work (and how to do it) and more.. -- email comments or questions to omaid@omaid.me

Jacob Pechenik is the co-founder and CEO of Lettuce Grow, a company that makes hydroponic, self-watering farm stands that help you grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables at home -- the way nature intended. Jacob has sustained success in multiple industries and brings a unique perspective in terms of what habits and mindset has helped him over the years. In this episode we discuss the mission behind Lettuce Grow including: -How he's been able to sustain excellence in multiple careers -How in hindsight, his past expereince became the stepping stones for his most important work -How to embrace the beginner's mindset, and more.. -- email questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me