Corporate Competitor Podcast

Kristen Faulkner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the first Team USA Women’s Road Race medalist in 40 years, shares her inspiring journey from venture capital to competitive cycling. She discusses the importance of balancing ambition with resilience and the role of team dynamics in achieving success. Kristen emphasizes recognizing individual contributions to boost morale and avoid burnout. Her insights on managing setbacks and the strategic mindset needed for Olympic success offer valuable lessons for anyone pursuing their dreams.

Ep. 211: Baseball and football shaped this executive with 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. “Some of my favorite athletic memories were in our front yard,” Scott shares in this episode. “Playing sports forces you to count on others and have others count on you.” Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Dillon McDonald and Dave Calder for making this episode possible.  

Ep. 210: Cornell Football shaped Jimmy Pitaro who honed his leadership skills as a wide receiver! If you ask him what he misses most about his playing days, it’s not the competition or the glory—it’s the huddle. Why? Because the huddle is where you come together, make decisions, and leave aligned. In this episode, Jimmy shares how he applies his “Discuss, debate, decide, and align” model to his weekly leadership meetings. Our free BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Ana Anzolin and Brian Schnorr for making this episode possible.

Ep. 209: Basketball, cycling, and skiing shaped this entrepreneur who founded two companies valued at more than $1 billion each. His secret? Concentrating on solving everyday problems that customers face. “When I was building Waze, if I had told you I was creating an AI crowd-sourced navigation system, you wouldn’t have cared,” he said. “But if I said I was going to help you avoid traffic jams, then you would. When you focus on the problem, it will serve as the North Star of your journey.” Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Dillon McDonald and Chase Skipper for making this episode possible.

Ep. 208: Football fields and marathon trails shaped this executive's approach to discipline, teamwork, and maintaining a competitive edge. These lessons became the foundation of his leadership at Coca-Cola, United Airlines, and now in his roles on the Board of Directors for Salesforce, CBRE, Archer, Fidelity Investments, and Televisa Univision. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Links mentioned in today’s episode: Order Oscar’s book here - Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline and Its Employees in the Friendly Skies https://a.co/d/40EqEA8 Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Allie Karlinsky and Dillon McDonald for making this episode possible 

Ep. 207: This 7-time Dutch National Diving Champion earned a full scholarship to the University of Houston and went on to lead growth at global giants like Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Today at Logitech, she is recognized as one of the "Most Influential Women in Business."  Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Lilly Mae Stewart and Ethan Salzberg for making this episode possible.

Ep. 206: Basketball shaped this executive who created a done-for-you system to simplify book publishing for busy business leaders. Adam’s innovative approach to publishing caught the attention of Forbes, leading to the creation of Forbes Books, where he helps prominent executives around the world become authors and establish greater authority in their fields. In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Ana Anzolin and Bradi Stewart for making this episode possible.

Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva and former Apple marketer, shares insights from his remarkable career. He discusses the concept of using mantras instead of lengthy mission statements for clearer communication. Kawasaki also emphasizes the significance of a growth mindset, reflecting on his passion for taking up sports like hockey and surfing later in life. He draws parallels between sports and effective leadership, advocating for a focus on simplicity, teamwork, and genuine product belief to inspire success.

Ep. 204: Football and IRONMAN Competitions shaped this executive who started from the bottom of Century 21 and worked his way up to CEO over two decades. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we’re making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Jack Martha and Allie Karlinsky for making this episode possible.  

Ep. 203: Playing in one of the coldest games in NFL History shaped this executive. From undrafted free agent to the Super Bowl, Blake Moore describes his journey and teaches us about the mindset of continuous improvement, the value of versatility, and the best way to empower your team. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply today’s insights.  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Lilly Mae Stewart and Chase Skipper for making this episode possible.