The Jedburgh Podcast
Fran Racioppi
The Jedburgh Podcast empowers leaders to achieve success on their journey to transform themselves and their organizations. Creator, Host and Special Forces Green Beret Fran Racioppi interviews the world’s most prominent visionaries, drivers of change, and those dedicated to winning.Each episode is an in-depth discussion with trailblazers who’ve earned success through a dedication to talent development, preparation, introspection, and the drive to get things done. Our conversation will empower listeners to define success and operate at an elite level, regardless of the task at hand. In May 1943 the Allied Forces determined a new type of leader was required to win World War II. Operation Jedburgh parachuted three-man teams deep behind enemy lines to win no matter the challenge. Jedburghs lived by the mantra “how you prepare today, determines success tomorrow.” Today's leaders are no different. Fran speaks with leaders in public service, business, athletics, and academics about their personal leadership stories of success, failure, and the road to continuous improvement. Our discussions focus on the character traits of elite performance used by Special Operations Forces to recruit, assess, select and retain elite performers. Through this lens, we show listeners that success in any field must be earned every day.We strive for each listener to take valuable lessons learned and concrete action steps to improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Although developed and used by US Special Operations Forces, these characteristics are inherently applicable to building resilient and successful organizations in any sector or industry, as well as in the betterment of our personal and professional lives. The Nine Characteristics of Elite Performance:-Drive: Growth mindset, be better than yesterday, continuous self-improvement-Resiliency: Perseverance in the face of challenges-Adaptability: Adjust one’s behavior to the situation-Humility: Recognize that you do not have all the answers; a willing learner maintains accurate self-awareness-Integrity: Understand what is legal and correct and align actions and words to both-Effective Intelligence: apply one’s experience and knowledge to the situation-Team Ability: Prioritize organizational needs ahead of oneself, work as a cohesive unit-Curiosity: Exploring the unknown, questioning the status quo in pursuit of better-Emotional Strength: Emotional control in stressful situations brings calm to chaos Fran Racioppi is the Founder & CEO of FRsix where he leads operations in critical infrastructure projects. He served 13 years in the US Army Special Forces as a Green Beret. Fran is passionate about building the world's best leaders and the impact our special operators have in service and beyond. He holds a BA from Boston University in Broadcast Journalism and an MBA from NYU Stern, as well as the security industry's highest accreditation as a Certified Protection Professional. The Jedburgh Podcast is an official program of the Green Beret Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to supporting U.S. Army Special Forces Soldiers and their families. The Foundation provides emergency and ongoing support across five pillars: Casualty Support, Health and Wellness, Transition, Family Support, and Gold Star and Surviving Families. Learn more at https://greenberetfoundation.org/the-jedburgh-podcast/.Join our Jedburgh Team to reach your dreams!
Episodes
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Dec 15, 2022 • 1h 7min
#086: NYC Veterans Day Parade 2022 - SEAL Team's David Boreanaz & Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Vince Patton
Here We Are….or there we were…front and center of the NYC Veterans Day Parade. Fran Racioppi is joined by fellow Army Veteran, Founder of FitFighter and guest from Episode 51, Sarah Apgar in the back of our 1944 Dodge WC-51 to call it all live and spend some time with the parade’s most influential attendees. They kick off the parade with David Boreanaz, star of TV’s SEAL Team on CBS. David shares the respect he’s gained for our Special Operators, the training he’s gone through to accurately portray their mission, the mental health struggles our nation’s finest endure, and what he’s learned about himself through the process.Next they spoke to the Parade’s Grand Marshall Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Vince Patton. Vince served as the 8th senior-most enlisted leader of the Coast Guard and the first African American to hold the post. He shares the importance of the Coast Guard’s mission to protect $8.7 billion of trade daily, how the military teaches you to value change and his 3V’s for leading organizations. Take a listen to this episode on your favorite podcast platforms but take a minute to check out our YouTube version for full video coverage of the parade from the red carpet.Don’t miss our other parade episodes with Wounded Warrior Project CEO retired LTG Mike Linnington and the Commissioner of the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services James Hendon. Plus one of NYC’s most iconic entertainers, The Naked Cowboy! Special thanks to parade host United War Veterans Council for another great parade!Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:- 0:00 Welcome to the red carpet David Boreanaz- 11:29 David talks CBS’s Seal Team- 16:22 The bravery of the first responders of FDNY and NYPD- 24:58 Welcome to the red carpet MCPO of the Coast Guard Vince Patton - 29:40 Why join the United States Coast Guard?-36:30 What exactly HOOAH means!-41:10 Vince’s defining leadership lessons-49:08 What we didn’t know about Vince-52:43 Here We Are!Quotes: - “As an actor you have to use what you’re also struggling on in your life. It's really not about chemistry. It’s about developing some sense of a connection.” (13:28)- “It’s not about the awards and the accolades. It’s when you have an episode and you get a message from somebody that says ‘Thank you for saving my life’.” (21:32)- “You think this happens in middle America. No, this is happening in our largest city in this country.” (29:08)- “On an average day the Coast Guard is responsible for the assurance that 8.7 billion dollars of goods are trainsitted through our country” (35:06)- “With change is the common word of adaptability.” (41:54)This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, GORUCK, Retro Fitness, Just Ice Tea, Rhone, Compass Workforce Solutions, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Dec 10, 2022 • 39min
#085: Wreaths Across America - Executive Director Karen Worcester
Freedom isn’t free. This December 17th thousands of volunteers across all 50 states will lay over 2.65 million wreaths on the graves of our fallen soldiers. Remember. Honor. Teach. That's the mission of Wreaths Across America. It's a tradition that started in 1992 when Morrill Worcester looked for a meaningful way to distribute a few hundred excess holiday wreaths. Today convoys of wreaths leave northern Maine for a trek across the country to over 3600 cemeteries. Wreaths Across America's Executive Director Karen Worcester joins Fran Racioppi for a conversation on how a 2005 snow covered picture from a forgotten part of Arlington National Cemetery changed their lives. She shares the "stem to stone" process and why our generation must remember our fallen, honor those serving, and most importantly teach our children the value of freedom. The Wreaths Across America convoy will make its way from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC this week. Go to wreathsacrossamerica.org to see the route, get involved and meet the convoy along the way. Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to The Jedburgh Podcast-4:10 Morrill Worcester’s childhood trip to Arlington National Cemetery-6:54 The 2005 picture-10:02 Stem-to-Stone for 2.65 million wreaths-14:54 Remember, Honor, Teach-23:46 Wreaths Across America Day 2022-24:40 The museum, bed and breakfast -27:28 The characteristics of a wreath-30:12 Karen’s three Foundations to SuccessQuotes: -”You couldn’t lay a wreath without reading the name and wondering.” (6:18)-”The Worcester family didn’t have this major plan. We were doing something that mattered to us .” (8:34)-”The North Pole…Santa’s workshop…got nothing on us.” (12:45)-“We weren’t just given a gift of freedom. We were entrusted with freedom. We are responsible for freedom.” (16:37)-”It’s life that they sacrificed so that we can be fat, dumb and happy.” (20:55)-”Patriotism begins at home and spreads to community and spreads to country.” (32:38)Karen’s Three Daily Foundations to Success:-Pray-Show gratitude-Don’t sweat the small stuff This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, Compass Workforce Solutions, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Dec 1, 2022 • 55min
#084: At Home - Chef Gavin Kaysen
Do you cook At Home? What do you cook at home? How do you cook at home? Why do you cook at home? These are the questions Chef Gavin Kaysen gets asked. Chef Kaysen is the recipient of 2x James Beard Awards. He was named the Rising Star Chef of the Year 2008 and Best Chef in the Midwest 2018. He is the executive Culinary Producer for the reboot of Iron Chef on Netflix and the owner of Spoon and Stable & Demi - two award winning restaurants in Minneapolis; as well as Bellecour Bakery, Mara and Soca Cafe. For this episode Fran Racioppi sat down with Chef in one of the most iconic, and delicious, restaurants in NYC; Boulud Sud; owned and operated by legendary Chef Daniel Boulud. Chef Kaysen and Fran answered these questions in a conversation about his new book At Home. Chef talks about creating majestic moments in hospitality and in business; why we need recipes that are simple, yet authentic; why it’s important not to talk down to home chefs; and what essentials make an impact on your daily meals - or holiday feasts. Pick up a copy of At Home and learn more about Chef Kaysen at gavinkaysen.com and on social media @gavinkaysen. Special thanks to Chef Daniel Boulud and the entire Boulud Sud staff for hosting Chef Kaysen and our Jedburgh Team. Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to Boulud Sud-6:39 Why do you cook at home?-11:25 From Subway to a chef-14:50 What do you cook at home: selecting the recipes for At Home-21:19 How do you cook at home: the essentials-28:08 Majestic Moments, Clean Slates, First & Last Impressions-33:34 Why do you cook at home?-36:20 Gavin’s Commandments for Shopping Lightning Round-45:59 Three Foundations to SuccessQuotes: -”I realized seven ingredients is what brought everyone together at a table.” (7:05)-”Food’s food. It’s to bring people together. If we burn something, throw it away and do it again.” (10:29)-”This business is not a business where you’re gonna work 30 or 40 hours a week and you’re gonna have nights and weekends off.” (14:03)-”I genuinely want people to use this book. I want to see it dirty. I want to see the pages ripped open.” (16:01)-”Why should I trust you, or anybody, with a $50 piece of steak if you can’t take care of arugula salad.” (27:26)-”If we tell you what the menu is ahead of time you will judge it prior to getting there and you will already create an expectation of what you will like and what you will dislike before you even see the food.” (30:19)-”When anybody critiques what you’re doing it feels very personal.” (32:35)Chef Kaysen’s Three Daily Foundations to Success:-Create a routine-Keep an open and curious mind-Spend some time in natureThis episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, Compass Workforce Solutions, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Nov 23, 2022 • 1h 56min
#083: US Army Special Operations Command & Green Beret Foundation - LTG(R) Ken Tovo
Fran Racioppi travels back to the home of US Army Special Operations, Fort Bragg, NC, to meet with retired LTG(R) Ken Tovo, former commander of US Army Special Operations Command. From the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s Special Forces Museum, Fran and Ken discuss how Special Operations has changed over the 80 years since its inception, the strategic importance of the Special Forces Regiment and what it means to be a Green Beret in the peer-to-peer competition we haven't seen since the Cold War. Today, General Tovo serves as the Chairman of the Green Beret Foundation where he continues his service to our special operators and their families. LTG(R) Tovo recently received a lifetime achievement award for his service. Learn more about LTG(R) Tovo on LinkedIn. Get involved with Green Beret Foundation and follow them on social media @greenberetfoundation. Become one of our nation’s most elite warriors at soc.mil.Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome home to Fort Bragg, NC-6:30 Starting in the 82nd Airborne-16:32 What is a Green Beret?-22:03 Psyops, Civil Affairs and the 160th SOAR-36:26 Commanding US Army Special Operations through Afghanistan & Iraq-51:46 GWOT: What we got right & what we got wrong-1:05:09 “The Why”-1:09:12 The character of a Green Beret-1:16:00 Peer-to-Peer conflict with Russia and China & the World Order-1:32:15 Green Beret Foundation-1:46:05 Three Daily FoundationsQuotes: -”Green Berets are almost unique in that they are focused by and large on changing something in the human domain.” (17:55)-”A perfect Green Beret mission looks like going to a complex environment…developing some ways to solve it through an indigenous partner.” (21:34)-”The quiet work we do outside the combat zone pays as many or more dividends as what we do when we get employed.” (52:21)-”War is a national effort…not a military effort. It takes a nation to commit to a future.” (1:01:30)-”Being a Green Beret is to live a life of gravitas. You do things that make a real difference.” (1:07:35)-”We’re trying to assess and select a complex problem solver.” (1:10:28)-”We are really in an existential struggle with two powers, for sure, that want to order the world in a way that disadvantages us.” (1:15:46) -””All our power as a democracy springs from the people.” (1:29:40)-”Part of this mission of the Green Beret Foundation is to take care of Green Berets and their family past and present.” (1:35:21)LTG(R) Tovo’s Three Daily Foundations to Success:-Know your why-Stay focused on your goals-Be a lifetime learner This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, GORUCK, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Nov 16, 2022 • 60min
#082: Disasterology - Dispatches From The Front Lines of The Climate Crisis, Dr. Samantha Montano
The world is seemingly ripe with disasters in every corner of the globe. They also seem to be getting worse. Fran Racioppi down with Dr. Samantha Montano; a self-proclaimed Disasterologist and the author of Disasterology: Dispatches From The Front Lines of The Climate Crisis. Samantha holds a PhD in Emergency Management and is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Fran and Samantha break down the Hazard Event Scale explaining what takes an event from an emergency, to a disaster, to a catastrophe. They talk about the driving factors behind the increase in catastrophic events and the effects of our socio-economic policy, decaying infrastructure, lack of policy, and population movement. Samantha also defines preparedness and shares what it takes to be a successful emergency manager, which government organizations are getting it right, and where we need more leadership with the courage to take action.Learn more about Samantha at disaster-ology.com and on Twitter and Instagram @samLmontano. Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to The Jedburgh Podcast-4:59 Becoming a Disterologist-6:50 The Hazard Event Scale-11:01 The impact of our decisions on climate change-17:21 Climate change as a threat multiplier-25:07 Preparedness and emergencies bring people together-30:48 Training Emergency Managers-33:53 The role of FEMA, the Red Cross and non-profits-42:26 Disaster Justice and the courage to act-48:00 Disaster Lightning Round-53:39 Samantha’s 3 Daily FoundationsQuotes: -”A Disasterologist is anyone who studies disasters. I’m working within the discipline of emergency management.” (5:05)-”The way you plan for an emergency is going to look very different than the way you plan for a disaster, which is going to look different than the way you plan for catastrophes.” (9:12)-”We have for decades, and in some cases for centuries, made decisions, written policies and made decisions…without thinking about the future.” (13:33) -“When you have multiple parts of the country that are all simultaneously in need, resources are strained.” (19:20)-“I don’t need a survival kit because I have a purse.” (26:31.5)-”You need someone who has a vision and who isn’t just checking boxes.” (31:21)-”Respect is really at the core and the foundation of building trust with a community.” (32:17)-”That is Emergency Management 101…you want as little bureaucracy as possible between you and the resources that you need.” (35:43) -”We are creating an emergency management system that does not only distribute aid equally to everybody, but actually disperses aid in an equitable way.” (43:02) Samantha’s Three Daily Foundations to Success:-Start the day with coffee-Live by the ‘to do’ list-Be near the water to clear the soulThis episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Nov 8, 2022 • 25min
Jumping In on the NYC Veterans Day Parade with United War Veterans Council (The Jedburgh Podcast Short-Form Series)
Veterans Day is here…and “Here We Are”. Present, in the moment, living our potential…and for this episode…live and guerilla-style from a picnic table on 5th Ave and Broadway! This Veterans Day, The Jedburgh Podcast is covering the parade from the back of our 1944 Dodge WC-51 podcast studio live from the red carpet. So to kick it off, Fran Racioppi traveled down to Madison Square Park to meet with the parade organizers Mark Otto and Ryan Hegg from the United War Veterans Council. UWVC has been the steward of the parade for decades and continues to honor the service of our Veterans past, present and future. Mark and Ryan cover the history of the parade, the meaning of the route up 5th Avenue, and what we have to look forward to this year.Fran’s guest co-host for the Veterans Day Series is Army Veteran, Founder of FitFighter and Shark Tank winner Sarah Apgar. Sarah was Fran’s guest on Episode 51 and is joining him in the back of the truck on the red carpet to interview all the prominent parade guests, volunteers and participants. The parade’s only a couple of days away so you still have time to make the trip to NYC to be part of the action. Join Sarah and Fran bright and early at the Eternal Light Flagstaff for Chad1000X and stay for the parade. Register here to join us for Chad 1000X 11/11/22 in Madison Square Park at 6am. Learn more at Chad1000x.com and on the Sandlot App. Learn more about UWVC and get involved in the parade here.Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to NYC’s 5th & Broadway-5:26 History of the NYC Veterans Day Parade -7:11 “Here We Are” & United War Veterans Council-10:08 Who’s in the parade?-12:15 The Route-13:50 Eternal Light Flagstaff & Wreath Laying-15:10 Coast Guard as the featured service-17:03 What to expect on parade day Quotes:-”Our team is four people…and we move 25,000 people every year.” (5:52)-”There have been Veterans marching on this route since Armistice Day.” (6:12)-”Our job is not just stewards of the parade but to keep Veterans in the conversation.” (8:57)-”It really will be a snapshot of the mosaic of the Veterans community here in New York.” (11:54)-”5th Avenue is the heart of New York City…this is the place you do things in New York City.” (13:10)This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, Analytix Solutions, GORUCK, Retro Fitness & Rhone.
Nov 6, 2022 • 30min
Jumping In on Chad1000X & Veterans Day with Sara Wilkinson (The Jedburgh Podcast Veterans Day Series)
To kick off The Jedburgh Podcast coverage of the 2022 New York City Veterans Day Parade Fran Racioppi asks one of his favorite Jedburghs, Founder of FitFighter and his guest from Episode 51, Sarah Apgar to join him from the back of the 1944 Dodge WC-51. Fran and Sarah drop the theme of this year’s Veterans Day, “Here We Are,” and discuss why Veterans Day is about honoring our past and celebrating those still serving. As the first episode in this series, they are joined by another of our most popular Jedburghs, and Fran’s guest from Episode 55 and Episode 59, Sara Wilkinson. This year The Jedburgh Podcast is proud to support Sara and the Step Up Foundation in Chad1000X , the Hero WOD named in honor of Sara’s husband Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson. Sara shares the pain Chad1000X brings, but the opportunity it presents to be one with yourself, present and “Here We Are.”Join Fran and Sarah live at New York City’s Madison Square Park at 6am on 11/11 to feel the pain of Chad. Then stay for the parade and don’t miss us next to the grandstands in the WC-51. Stay tuned to our socials for updates and more information.Register here to join us for Chad 1000X 11/11/22 in Madison Square Park at 6am. Learn more at Chad1000x.com and on the Sandlot App. Step up the fight against Veteran suicide with The Step-up Foundation.Find more episodes on The Jedburgh Podcast Website and check out our video versions of all episodes on YouTube. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Start training with FitFighter and the Steel Hose at fitfighter.com and join the action on social media @fitfighter. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to Veterans Day & Chad1000X Hero WOD-7:15 “Here We Are” - 2022 Veterans Day Theme-10:30 How to “Live Big”-12:30 Chad 1000X on Veterans Day in NYC-17:53 The meaning of Veterans DayQuotes:-”Here we are…show up…stick together…appreciate the opportunity.” (7:35)-”Focus on the right things for right now and what we really need.” (9:49)-”The two rules I would say to live big is just invest in yourself and invest in others.” (11:38)-”The workout is this poetic representation of the mental struggle that our Veterans have.” (14:37)This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, Analytix Solutions, GORUCK, Retro Fitness & Rhone.
Oct 31, 2022 • 1h 27min
#81: Alice Bromage - Empowering Success & The Leadership Of Queen Elizabeth II
There's a lot of noise in leadership circles around themes like get comfortable being uncomfortable, bring calm to chaos, control the uncontrollable. But how do we know when we're actually uncomfortable? Or in chaos? Are we supposed to be scared by these times...or do they offer an opportunity to excel and demonstrate our best at a time when everything says we should be at our worst? To answer these questions Alice Bromage joins Fran Racioppi from London to discuss how we actually know when we're not acting our best and how we first define what our best really looks like. Alice founded a leadership development program focused on what she calls Resilient Leadership - or the ability to determine what's your best, when you are not acting your best, and how to get back to your best. As an officer in the British Royal Army, Alice served under Queen Elizabeth II, so Fran took the opportunity to ask Alice all about the Queen, her leadership, and how the queen set the example for world leadership for over 70 years. Learn more about Alice and Empowering Success at www.empowering-success.co.uk and on social media @empoweringsuccessuk. Read the full episode transcription and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to The Jedburgh Podcast from London-5:12 Difference between pressure and stress-10:17 Operating along the Resilience Spectrum-19:30 Three Self Assessment Engines (Strength, Challenge, Feedback)-33:54 Alice joins the British Army-41:00 Helping people become themselves-44:05 The diplomacy of Queen Elizabeth II-52:29 How Queen Elizabeth controlled the narrative-57:29 Queen Elizabeth’s impact on the military-1:01:09 Economic changes under Queen Elizabeth-1:07:06 Lightning round on Alice’s leadership rules and mantras Quotes: -”Pressure is where you are in the flow, you’re producing the goods, you’re actually kind of thriving on that high tempo piece.” (7:59)-”Stress is where you’ve gone off the other end. You’re starting to run unnaturally on adrenaline…Your decision making starts to drop. Your ability to communicate well will often start to drop.” (8:08)-”The business will never outgrow your personality.” (17:07)-”The biggest way in which you are going to start to provide stress rather than pressure is also if you break someone’s value chain.” (29:34)-”When you get that incongruence between what you think you should be and how you actually are…that’s where you often see leaders being inconsistent.” (41:30)-”If you’re scared of losing your power, you don’t really hold the power in the first place.” (50:04)-”If you’re in leadership, you can be strong without being noisy.” (1:06:47)Alice’s Three Daily Foundations to Success:-Build a great team to fill your weaknesses & say thank you-Clear the inbox early to stay present throughout the day-Manage your energy and take a moment away from the noiseThis episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
Oct 26, 2022 • 30min
Jumping In on the Premier Lacrosse League with Chaos Head Coach Andy Towers (The Jedburgh Podcast Short-Form Series)
Head coach of the Premier Lacrosse League’s Chaos Lacrosse Club Andy Towers joins Fran Racioppi for the third time to talk about winning against all odds as he took the Chaos to the PLL Championship for the third straight year with a less than 3% chance of making it. They cover the challenges the team faced as they started the season without many of their top players due to a schedule conflict between the PLL and the National Lacrosse League Indoor Box season. Andy explains how he had to motivate both himself and his team as they struggled to find their chemistry and play together mid-season while the rest of the league continued to improve at the same pace. Leadership is about inspiring others towards a common goal. Leadership is about knowing what your true capability is and relentlessly pursuing your path, against all odds.Learn more about Andy Towers on Twitter at @andytowersPLL and follow the Chaos Lacrosse Club at @PLLCHAOS on all social media. Find more episodes on The Jedburgh Podcast Website and check out our video versions of all episodes on YouTube. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome back to the Jedburgh Podcast (for the third time!)-5:05 The personnel shortage Chaos faced to start the season-8:08 The difference between the NLL and the PLL-9:37 Andy Towers’ process to keep the team focused on making the playoffs-14:06 Becoming a dangerous team in the playoffs-18:50 The Chaos makes the 2022 PLL Championship Game-24:33 Debriefing 2022 and turning to 2023Quotes:-”Our team faced obstacles that no other team in any professional sport has ever had to face.” (5:22)-”We didn’t even start to get connected until we got our players back.” (8:01)-”Our challenge was keeping these guys locked in and seeing with a broader lens where we needed to be.” (9:37)-”I have zero doubt that our team is the best team in the world.” (10:21)-”We have one goal; and that’s to make the PLL Championships.” (10:57)-“If we could make the playoffs we were going to be a problem. I was saying it after every game.” (13:13)-“They gave you a 2.8% chance…a probability of winning the championship.” (14:48)-”We became a dangerous team because we had nothing to lose.” (14:47)-”Take the blame yourself for things that go wrong and deflect the credit to the team when they do things well.” (18:37)This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, & Analytix Solutions.
Oct 21, 2022 • 1h 34min
#080: Project D.R.E.W. - Bringing Songwriters And Veterans Together - Brian Ferguson, Marilyn Zeidner, Mike Winnen, Tony McDonagh, J Scott Franklin, & Bill Kraker
What would you say if someone asked you to write a song about your life? A song about you. Your story. Who you are and what defines you. Music’s a powerful influence in our emotions and our feelings. But usually, it’s another person’s story. Another person’s journey that we identify with. What if the song was your story? What if the song was about your life?Fran Racioppi travels to Cleveland for Project D.R.E.W; a program bringing Veterans and Songwriters together and named in honor of Captain Drew Ferguson. Fran first sits down with the founders of Project D.R.E.W. Marilyn Zeidner, Drew’s Cousin Mike Winnen and Drew’ s brother Brian Ferguson to discuss Drew’s life, why we should tell our story through music, and how a barn turned music hall is changing the lives of our Veterans.Fran also brings back Boston Firefighter Tony McDonagh to sit down with their songwriters, J Scott Franklin and Bill Kraker, to share their experience, the process for turning a full song in 24 hours, and what defines each of us in our path from Boston to the Army to civilian life. Learn more and get involved with Project D.R.E.W. at projectdrew.org. Listen to our songs throughout this episode and watch the concert and full video version of our conversations on YouTube. Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Highlights:-0:00 Welcome to Barnegie Hall-5:59 Captain Drew Ferguson-13:20 The power of music and songwriting-22:13 How Project D.R.E.W. works-29:30 Attending Project D.R.E.W-34:16 “I Know a Place” Mike Winnen, Drew Ferguson & Friends-39:17 The Veteran and Songwriter experience-47:04 Only 24 hours to write a song-59:32 “I Press On” Fran Racioppi & Bill Kraker-1:06:23 “10,000 Holes” Tony McDonagh & J Scott Franklin -1:17:00 “First World Problems” Tim Driscoll & Ray Flanagan-1:21:10 “One Choice” Corey Webeck & Bethany Svoboda-1:26:28 “The Blur Between The Lights” Alejandro Aguirre & Tim BlakeQuotes: -”I’m going to call it Delivering Restorative Energy to our Warriors and name it after your cousin Drew.” (13:03)-”I think everyone who comes here, they tell the story they’re ready to tell.” (14:50)-”I view life as these series of chapters…and how do we position ourselves to achieve our goals and our vision in these different chapters?” (17:24)-”I think it is part of a multi-part solution to getting people to not even heal, but to feel.” (32:26)-”When you see something that’s this powerful you just got to dive right in and try to be as open and honest as possible.” (45:06)-”This is the first time that I haven’t written the song about just your military experience.” (49:49)-“That’s what Marilyn’s trying to do here. Is really get to the root of it and try to understand why we lose soldiers after the war and what as society are we going to do about it.” (58:00)This episode is brought to you by Jersey Mike’s, 18A Fitness, and Analytix Solutions
