Linch With A Leader

Mark Cole is the CEO of all John Maxwell Companies and has been in the world of leadership for over 25 years.  He has gained experience in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, and has been with companies through economic challenges and difficult team dynamics.  Today, Mark works closely with John Maxwell and brings access to John’s real time principles to the rest of the John Maxwell Team.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Mark Cole about his upbringing, what he’s learned from his time with the John Maxwell Team, the difficult transition in his work life, how his view of leadership has changed, the importance of leadership, and what he has learned from working with John Maxwell.

Rachel Cruze is currently a member of the Dave Ramsey Speaker’s Group, and a New York Time Best-Selling author. She learned the idea of handling money properly at an early age and began to share that message and those principles with teenagers and young adults all across the country. She authored a book entitled, Smart Money Smart Kids, that was co-authored with her father, Dave Ramsey, and achieved the top spot on the 2014 New York Times Best Seller list. She also wrote a book in 2016, called Love Your Life, Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Living the Life You Want. She is also the host of the online web show, The Rachel Cruze Show.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Rachel Cruze, about what she thought she’d do as a kid, the things that her parents did right, the way her relationship with Christ has influenced her life, what she wished every person knew about their money, and being content.

Dansby Swanson is the current shortstop for the Atlanta Braves.  Swanson was born and raised in Marietta, Georgia and was a two-sport star at Marietta High School.  He went on to play at Vanderbilt University where he began to become a household name.  In 2014, he led the Commodores to win the College World Series, where he was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player.  In 2015, he was the number one pick in the MLB Draft to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Later that winter, he was traded back to his hometown team and became a member of the Atlanta Braves.  He made his MLB debut in August of 2016, and became the starting shortstop in Atlanta.  In 2018, he launched a company called ‘All Things Loyal’ to help him give back to the city of Atlanta and make an impact on the community he is a part of.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Dansby Swanson about living out his dream, the things that professional athletes deal with, the role basketball played in his development, his time at Vanderbilt, the role his parents played in his life, his views on leadership, the role his faith plays in how he lives his life.

Coach Thompson is the head coach at Auburn University, and has been a staple in collegiate baseball since the 1990’s. He has a record of 103-82 (.557) as the head coach of Auburn, where he took over in 2015. Before he arrived, he was an assistant at many stops along the way, most notably at Mississippi State University where he served as the pitching coach. In 2014, Baseball America and American Baseball Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year. Eight of his former pitchers have made it in Major League Baseball since 2014, and he coached the number one pick in the 2018 MLB Draft in Casey Mize. As a player, he played at Itawamba Community College and is a member of the ICC Athletic Hall of Fame; he later transferred to Birmingham Southern University.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Coach Thompson about the excitement of the spring, the impact his former coach had on his life, Brian Shoop, the lessons he has learned from coaching, what God’s taught him through waiting, how he carved his niche in pitching.

Patty is entering her 25th season as the head softball coach at the University of Oklahoma. She is widely thought of as one of the most successful softball coaches in NCAA history, as she is already a member of the NFCA Hall of Fame. Gasso has seen the Sooners win four national championships since she has been at the helm in 2000, 2013, 2016 and most recently in 2017. She has completed 28 seasons as a head coach, compiling a collegiate coaching record of 1364-386-3, which equates to a 77.9% winning percentage. Patty Gasso has also joined the coaching staff of Team USA Softball, leading the women who compete against other countries representing the United States of America. In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Patty Gasso, about her background and upbringing, success at the coaching level, and the impact her faith has had on her life and her coaching.

Dondi is an international speaker, who is known for delivering high-energy presentations all over the globe. She’s made a name for herself in the industry becoming a sought-after consultant about the keys that made her so successful in business. She is also a best-selling author for some of her work, such as Designed for Success: The 10 Commandments for Women in the Workplace.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Dondi Scumaci about what led her to have so much success in the business world, some of her writings, and the role her faith has played in all of it along the way.

This week’s podcast features Chris Hogan, who is a part of the Dave Ramsey team.Chris Hogan received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky, where he was a star on the football team as he became an All-American. After graduating from college, he transitioned to the coaching side of football while completing his graduate degree. Chris found lots of success in the business world, as he climbed the ladder becoming the vice president of a prestigious company. However, Chris felt the call to do more than sit behind his desk, and watch clients struggle with their finances. Shortly thereafter, he connected with Dave Ramsey and a new career opportunity emerged. Now, Chris helps spread the message of financial hope to audiences all over the country. He is an expert on subjects like mortgages, healthcare, and investing. Chris Hogan is also considered one of America’s leading voices regarding retirement, and has authored the book Retire Inspired.In this episode, our host, Mike Linch, has his second discussion with Chris Hogan. In this episode, Chris and Mike talk about his new book Everyday Millionaire.

Steve is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Chick-fil-A. He now serves as a counsel for leadership development and continues community involvement on behalf of the company. He began his career with Chick-fil-A as director of marketing, but went on to work his way all the way to chief marketing officer. In that position, he was responsible for overseeing marketing, advertising, brand development management, menu development, and hospitality strategies. Before joining Chick-fil-A, Steve served as the director of marketing for Six Flags Over Georgia. He also spent time at Texas Instruments in a marketing role. In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Steve Robinson about his life growing up, his career track, experiences at Chick-fil-A, and what the Lord has taught him at each stop of his journey.

Joan has spent her career changing the landscape of women’s athletics at the collegiate level. She spent a couple of decades as the Women’s Athletic Director at the University of Tennessee. Most notably, she was over the athletic department when Pat Summitt brought the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team to the national stage due to their tremendous success. Joan is also known for serving on the First Tennessee Bank Advisory Board, a Trustee for the U.S. Sports Academy, and she is on the Board of Trustees at Carson-Newman College. She’s been named a Champion in Sports Business by Sports Business Journal. She was elected President of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics. She has also been inducted into the Louisiana State University Hall of Distinction, the College of Charleston Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Hall of Champions. Today, Joan is a nationally recognized speaker and business consultant. In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Joan Cronan about what it’s like to spend so much of her career at the University of Tennessee, the difficulties of rising up the ranks in the athletic field, leadership lessons she has learned, what it’s like working with a dynamic leader, and how her faith has played such a pivotal role in her life.

Patrick is currently a fullback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills. He grew up just outside Orlando, Florida in a town called Altamonte Springs where he starred at Lake Brantley High School. He went on to play collegiate football in the SEC at the University of South Carolina playing for the legendary Steve Spurrier. After a great career with the Gamecocks, Patrick was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Diego Chargers in the NFL. He had stops in San Diego and Kansas City before breaking onto the scene as a fullback with the Atlanta Falcons. The 2015 season was a big one for DiMarco when he won the 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for the Falcons and was named to his first Pro Bowl and a second team All-Pro. In 2016, he was on the NFC championship team with the Falcons who made it all the way to the Super Bowl. In 2017, he signed a four-year contract to go play for the Buffalo Bills.In this episode, Mike Linch talks with Patrick DiMarco about his upbringing and the role sports played, what is was like playing for Steve Spurrier, some of the adversity the he’s dealt with in sports and life, and how his faith has grown through the years.