
Thirty Minute Mentors
Leadership guru Adam Mendler goes one on one with America’s most accomplished and insightful people on how they made it to the top and how you can too. Each episode features a wealth of practical, actionable advice from a leading CEO, founder, athlete, celebrity, influencer or general / admiral. Learn how to lead in today’s landscape, become your best self and excel personally and professionally – in thirty minutes.
Latest episodes

Nov 5, 2024 • 35min
Episode 252: TruStage CEO Terrance Williams
Terrance Williams is the CEO of TruStage, one of the largest insurance companies in America. TruStage generated nearly five and a half billion dollars in revenue last year. Terrance joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Terrance and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, personal and professional development, culture, hiring, purpose, and much more.

Oct 29, 2024 • 36min
Episode 251: Whole Foods Founder John Mackey
John Mackey is the founder and former CEO of Whole Foods, one of America’s most successful and popular supermarket chains. Under John's leadership, Whole Foods grew to 540 stores, 105,000 employees, and $22 billion in annual sales, and was acquired for $13.7 billion. John joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. John and Adam discuss entrepreneurship; leadership; growth and scale; culture; recruiting, retaining, and motivating talent; personal and professional development; and more.

Oct 22, 2024 • 31min
Episode 250: Basketball Legend Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues is a basketball legend and the shortest player in the history of the NBA. Muggsy played for 4 years over 14 seasons and set the Charlotte Hornets franchise record for steals and assists along the way. Muggsy joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Muggsy and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, teamwork, mentorship, overcoming adversity, attaining greatness, and much more.

Oct 15, 2024 • 35min
Episode 249: Thrivent CEO Teresa Rasmussen
The leader of one of the largest financial services companies in America, Teresa Rasmussen is the CEO of Thrivent, which generated $9.7 billion in revenue last year. Terry joins Adam to share her unique journey - from dental hygienist to Fortune 500 CEO - and her best lessons learned along the way. Terry and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership, personal and professional development, feedback, managing transformation and change, ethics, and more.

Oct 8, 2024 • 38min
Episode 248: General John Allen
The first Marine ever selected to command a theater of war, General John Allen led the multinational military campaign in Afghanistan and upon retiring from the military led the international effort to combat ISIS. General Allen joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. General Allen and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: leadership; personal, professional, and career development; motivation; resilience; and much more.

Oct 1, 2024 • 27min
Episode 247: Olympic Gold Medalist Bryan Clay
Bryan Clay was considered the greatest athlete in the world, winning an Olympic gold medal in the decathlon. Bryan joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons learned along the way. Bryan and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: attaining greatness and peak performance; mentorship and influence; health and wellness; and more.

Sep 24, 2024 • 39min
Episode 246: 1-800-Flowers Founder and CEO Jim McCann
Jim McCann is the founder and CEO of 1-800-Flowers. A pioneer in the world of retail, 1-800-Flowers generates more than $2 billion a year in revenue, consists of over a dozen brands, has more than 3,000 employees, and delivers more than 30 million gifts a year. Jim joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. Jim and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, career development, marketing, customer centricity, self-deprecation, growth and scale, and much more.

Sep 17, 2024 • 35min
Episode 245: Broadcasting Legend Lesley Visser
A trailblazer in the worlds of journalism and broadcasting, Lesley Visser is the only sportscaster in history who has covered the Final Four, the NBA Finals, the World Series, the Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Figure Skating Championships, and the U.S. Open on network television. Among her many firsts, Lesley is the first woman to receive the Sports Emmys Lifetime Achievement Award. Lesley joins Adam to share her journey and best lessons and advice.

Sep 10, 2024 • 35min
Episode 244: Former Tropicana CEO Willie Pietersen
Willie Pietersen, a former CEO of major multibillion-dollar enterprises like Tropicana, shares powerful insights on leadership shaped by his experiences growing up during apartheid in South Africa. He emphasizes the importance of ethics and authenticity in leadership, advocating for moral courage in decision-making. Pietersen discusses how embracing diverse perspectives fosters personal and professional growth, and highlights self-awareness as essential for motivating teams in times of change. His journey underscores the transformative power of a principled approach to leadership.

Sep 3, 2024 • 38min
Episode 243: Cvent Founder and CEO Reggie Aggarwal
Reggie Aggarwal is the founder and CEO of Cvent, the largest event software company. Reggie has led Cvent through numerous highs and lows - from the brink of bankruptcy to getting acquired by Blackstone last year for $4.6 billion. Reggie joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons learned along the way. Reggie and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, team-building, career development, crisis management, culture, and much more.