Thirty Minute Mentors

John Hewko is the CEO of Rotary International, one of the largest service organizations in the world, with more than 1.2 million members across 46,000 Rotary Clubs. John joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. John and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: adaptive leadership, consensus building, communication, mentorship, leading and working internationally, leading a service organization, and much more.

Clifford Hudson, former CEO of Sonic, transformed the drive-in chain from $800 million to $4.5 billion in revenue. He shares his journey from law to corporate leadership, emphasizing the principles of effective leadership like integrity and authenticity. Hudson discusses mastering communication to resonate with diverse audiences and the importance of supporting franchisees for sustainable growth. He also explores how Sonic adapted to digital trends and the balance between brand authenticity and innovation, especially during the challenges of the COVID pandemic.

An Emmy Award winner and a New York Times bestselling author, Montel Williams was the host of The Montel Williams Show and is the host of The Balancing Act and Military Makeover with Montel. Montel joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Montel and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, career success, navigating challenging times, pivoting, goal setting, self-awareness, communication, and much more.

A Fortune 500 CEO and the leader of one of America’s largest financial services companies, Deanna Strable is the CEO of Principal, where she leads nearly 20,000 employees who serve more than 62 million customers around the world. Deanna joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Deanna and Adam discuss leadership, career development, mentorship, and much more.  

A Fortune 500 CEO and the leader of a company valued at more than $180 billion, Glenn Fogel is the CEO of Booking Holdings, the world’s leading provider of online travel and related services and the parent company of Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, Rentalcars.com, KAYAK, and OpenTable. Glenn joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Glenn and Adam discuss leadership, business strategy, career success, and much more. 

Lieutenant General Jack Gardner spent 35 years serving in the United States Army, with tours in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Bosnia, Iraq, and multiple locations inside the U.S. LTG Gardner was the commander of the United States Army South, the deputy commander of the United States European Command, and in charge of detainee operations during part of the Iraq War. LTG Gardner joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice on leadership, leadership development, leading through adversity and change, motivation, and much more.

Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, the largest omnichannel boutique fitness brand independently owned and operated by women. Sadie joins Adam to share her journey and her best lessons and advice. Sadie and Adam cover a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, growth and scale, franchising, accountability, cultivating self-confidence, excelling as a woman in a male-dominated industry, and much more.

Steve Preston, CEO of Goodwill and former government official, shares his remarkable journey from Janesville, Wisconsin. He emphasizes the power of education and trust in career development. Steve discusses leadership across diverse sectors, highlighting the unique challenges in government, corporate, and nonprofit realms. He stresses the importance of relationship building and mission-driven leadership, revealing how personal connections can spark professional growth. Tune in for insights on navigating change and the role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership.

Marco Zappacosta is the co-founder and CEO of Thumbtack, a leading online marketplace with more than 10 million users who have engaged more than 300,000 local service professionals to complete more than 90 million projects. Marco joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Marco and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, product validation, user acquisition, growth and scale, hiring, building a remote-first culture, AI, and more.

A celebrity chef and an entrepreneur, Robert Irvine has hosted many cooking television and talk shows over the years, including Dinner Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, Restaurant Impossible, and The Robert Irvine Show, and currently runs sixteen different companies. Robert joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Robert and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, entrepreneurship, empathy, ego, accountability, trust, mentorship, and much more.