The Learn-It-All Podcast

The 5 Truths Every New Leader Needs to Hear Becoming a leader isn’t just a promotion—it’s a complete identity shift. You’re no longer just executing the work. You’re coaching others to do it well. And that requires a new mindset, a new skillset, and a new set of daily habits. In this solo episode, Learnit CEO Damon Lembi breaks down the 5 truths he wishes every first-time leader knew. Whether you’re fresh in the role or mentoring someone who is, this episode is your tactical, no-fluff guide to making the leap from top performer to people-first leader. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why leadership is about coaching, not doing - The #1 mindset shift you must make in week one - How to build trust by giving others autonomy (and space to fail) - Why the best leaders are great listeners—first - How to model the habits you want your team to follow - The key conversation to have with your boss (today) - What to do when your company won’t invest in your development - Why mistakes are inevitable—and what to do when you make one - How to lead without pretending to have it all figured out Timestamps: 00:00 – The biggest professional shift: from player to coach 01:00 – Truth #1: You win through your people, not by doing it all 01:45 – Why delegation is really about building trust 02:00 – The mindset shift: you're building a team of heroes, not being the hero 02:30 – Truth #2: Don’t rush in—start by listening and learning 03:20 – Why curiosity builds credibility and connection 03:50 – Truth #3: Model the behavior you want from your team 04:30 – Leadership is a constant stage—how are you showing up? 04:45 – Truth #4: Own your success—don’t wait for others to invest in you 05:15 – How Damon recommends new leaders start growing (even on their own) 06:00 – The $14 tool that every new leader should use 06:30 – Truth #5: You will make mistakes—so learn fast and lead through it 07:10 – The hard lesson Damon learned about avoiding tough conversations 08:00 – The recap: 5 truths every new leader needs to thrive 08:30 – Final thought: Great leaders aren’t born or made—they’re always in the making Resources & Mentions: Damon’s book: https://www.learnit.com/learn-it-all-leader-book-by-damon-lembi Learnit’s Delegation Greenlights E-Book: https://www.learnit.com/resources/delegation-greenlights-guide Learnit’s Delegate to Scale Your Impact Course: https://www.learnit.com/courses/delegate-to-scale-your-impact Learnit Article on New Manager Training Skills: https://www.learnit.com/blog/new-manager-training-skills The Learn-It-All Podcast with Chris Dyer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBUHOPtR6Yk Learnit Live Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjLFoCepWOw Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team at Learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn Follow Damon on Instagram

The modern workplace runs on meetings. But too often, those meetings become time sinks instead of value drivers. People scramble to take notes, miss critical insights, and leave unclear on what to do next. Meanwhile, leaders drown in back-to-back calls with no bandwidth to spot patterns or coach teams effectively. And yet... what if meetings weren’t the problem, but the raw material for your company’s next big leap? In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Richard White, CEO and founder of Fathom breaks down his best lessons as a 3x founder and how he’s building the future of work. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why retention—not revenue—should be your first startup focus How Richard built a viral product without a sales team for 12+ months The underestimated power of onboarding and customer support How to create a freemium product that actually drives word of mouth Why AI will soon give every employee a “highlight reel” of what matters most The truth about building in the AI era: it’s not about features—it’s about output quality  Timestamps: 00:00 – Richard’s early builder mindset and why he couldn’t be an employee  01:22 – Why articulating the “why” is a founder’s core job  02:07 – Finding his tribe in the first batch of Y Combinator  04:25 – How confidence and founder networks shaped his journey  05:44 – The trap of over-relying on advice vs. trusting your instincts  07:51 – Why Richard calls UserVoice his “founder finishing school”  08:38 – Lessons in cross-functional leadership and scrappy execution  11:05 – Advice for technical founders who undervalue sales  12:33 – The insight that sparked Fathom: meetings are broken  14:44 – How he hired a “sales team” with nothing to sell  15:05 – Why he delayed monetization and focused on retention first  17:57 – Building customer feedback loops into the product  19:32 – From 1,000 users to viral growth via the Zoom Marketplace  21:50 – The psychology behind freemium and referability  24:42 – Why onboarding was a 9-month engineering priority  26:47 – Balancing new features with polishing the UX  28:58 – The contrarian view: meetings aren’t bad—meeting waste is  29:22 – How Fathom reduces meeting bloat and improves async sharing  31:36 – Using Fathom to streamline the hiring process  33:39 – What’s next: AI that watches every meeting and summarizes insights  36:05 – Generating case studies and internal docs from conversation data  36:52 – Cross-org AI search and the power of complete data sets  37:59 – What separates great AI products: obsessive quality control  39:51 – The future belongs to teams that can turn conversations into knowledge  Resources Mentioned: Fathom Connect with Richard White on LinkedIn UserVoice  About the Guest: Richard White is the founder and CEO of Fathom, a free AI-powered meeting assistant that helps teams skip note-taking and unlock insights from every call. He’s a three-time founder, early YC alum, and product-obsessed builder who believes meetings are the new knowledge base—if we capture them right. Connect With Us: Level up your sales team at Learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn 

Leadership isn’t just about vision. Instead it’s about showing up in the everyday moments if you want to shape great teams, cultures, and results. There’s myth that some people are “born leaders” but in today’s episode, leadership expert Dr. Scott Allen shares why leadership is learned, practiced, and most importantly, deeply personal. In this episode you will learn: Why the idea of “natural-born leaders” is outdated The science behind charisma (and how to develop it) What leadership styles have in common with golf clubs The difference between authority and influence—and why influence wins Why “thinking partners” are essential for every leader How to combine knowledge, skill, mentorship, and experience for true growth Timestamps: 00:14 – Are leaders born or made?  01:49 – What science says about charisma and learnable leadership  03:48 – How problem-solving, negotiation, and communication can be developed  06:00 – Leadership styles and the “golf club” metaphor  08:42 – Making leadership training stick: from hacks to habits  09:43 – Why self-awareness is foundational to great leadership  12:08 – Character, curiosity, and the power of learning  13:02 – Can self-awareness be taught?  15:36 – Curiosity as a leadership superpower  17:02 – Coaches who deflect blame vs. leaders who take ownership  18:12 – Empathy, ego, and the limits of expertise in leadership  20:26 – Why catchers make great managers  21:43 – Influence: the real heart of leadership  24:07 – Trust as the currency of leadership  25:48 – Influence tactics: from logic to coalitions  28:18 – Timing and persuasion in leadership conversations  30:01 – Why knowledge alone isn’t enough—real-world learning is essential  33:22 – The five domains of leadership learning  35:27 – Creating learning organizations with psychological safety  37:54 – The role of thinking partners in leadership development  41:04 – How to find (and build) your bench of thinking partners  46:57 – Why one partner won’t solve everything—and that’s the point  49:01 – “Who you are is how you lead” – Scott’s favorite leadership quote  50:39 – Final thoughts on responsibility, reflection, and showing up for others  About the Guest: Dr. Scott J. Allen is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, and leadership expert. With over 17 years as a professor and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, Scott brings academic rigor, humor, and real-world insight to every engagement. He's co-authored several books on leadership and hosts Practical Wisdom for Leaders—a podcast ranked in the top 2.5% globally. He also publishes a weekly newsletter for busy practitioners, highlighting four leadership articles. Scott energizes audiences at marquee organizations such as Toyota Motor North America, Cleveland Clinic, NASA-Glenn, Nestlé, Progressive, Whiting Turner, Sam's Club, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Progressive through his dynamic keynotes, workshops, and retreats. Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Scott’s expertise in leader development, the future of work, and executive communication empowers leaders to drive meaningful, lasting change.  Resources & Mentions: Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-j-allen/  Visit Scott's Website: www.scottjallen.net Listen to his Podcast: https://www.scottjallen.net/podcast  HBR Article: Leadership That Gets Results by Daniel Goleman: https://hbr.org/2000/03/leadership-that-gets-results  Influence by Robert Cialdini: https://a.co/d/hl0KHmq  Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini: https://a.co/d/hl0KHmq  Gallup’s workplace engagement stats: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/654911/employee-engagement-sinks-year-low.aspx#:~:text=In%20the%20latest%20reading%2C%20from,than%202020's%20high%20of%2036%25 Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg: https://a.co/d/81197UZ  Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://a.co/d/81197UZ  Connect With Us: Learn more about our leadership and team development trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram 

Damon Lembi never set out to become a podcaster. But 2 years, 160+ episodes, and thousands of conversations later, he can say this with confidence: podcasting has been the single most transformative tool in his professional growth. In this solo episode, Damon breaks down the 8 ways podcasting has made him a better leader, communicator, and human being and why every professional should seriously consider stepping behind the mic. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why podcasting is the ultimate communication gym - How storytelling on-air can make you more persuasive off-air - What podcasting does for your confidence and clarity - The hidden networking power that comes with each episode - Why podcasting forces you to become a better listener and improviser - How hosting a show accelerates your learning and thought leadership - The simple way to turn one podcast guest spot into 10 pieces of content - Why your personal brand matters (even if you don’t think it does) Timestamps: 00:00 – Damon’s confession: The one unexpected thing that changed his career 00:35 – #1: How podcasting sharpened his communication 01:10 – #2: Why repetition made him a better storyteller 01:50 – #3: Overcoming fear and building confidence through reps 02:30 – #4: 10x network growth—and the power of asking 03:00 – #5: How the mic made him a better listener at work and at home 03:45 – #6: Learning to improvise and build trust fast 04:20 – #7: The accelerated learning effect (and why it feels like free coaching) 05:15 – #8: How podcasting helped him build a real, visible personal brand 06:10 – Guesting vs. hosting: Where to start and what tools to use 06:50 – Why you don’t need followers—just courage 07:10 – A final reflection: Podcasting made me better. It can do the same for you. Resources & Mentions: Episode with Marques Ogden: https://youtu.be/dqsRJhGIeFI?si=98MKdtArx30guTBEEpisode with Stephen M.R. Covey: https://youtu.be/iP6cnAqNwIc?si=pl6lCTHKgM9v-sn5Episode with Doug Conant: https://youtu.be/418p49ClihY?si=YuLozGLm4VsFXM1BEpisode with Dr. Jessica Kriegel: https://youtu.be/TUJ-8zUolI4?si=UNYpf_LwQ5pzi2NiEpisode with Matt Dixon: https://youtu.be/0LpEfvxsOYs?si=mAEJwxIREFnmeg3gPodMatch: Tool to book guest spots: https://www.podmatch.com/Opus Clip to make podcast clips: https://www.opus.pro/Pat Flynn’s Guide: How to Start a Podcast in 2025: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/Connect With Us: Level up your sales team at Learnit.comEmail us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn Follow Damon on Instagram

Dave Brock, author of the Sales Manager Survival Guide and leader of Partners in EXCELLENCE, delves into the crisis in B2B sales, revealing why traditional selling methods are failing. He discusses the alarming decline in win rates and the burnout of sales teams, stressing the need for a cultural shift focusing on curiosity and understanding over rote pitches. Brock also explores innovative AI tools aimed at revitalizing sales coaching and enhancing customer insights, ultimately advocating for a more engaged and motivated workforce.

If you want to be a successful leader in today’s fast paced world, stop focusing on just hitting your targets in business. Instead, you need to focus on understanding your team, so that they can help you achieve more than you could on your own. But how do you do that? In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Kerry Rockers, an executive coach, HR veteran, and passionate advocate for helping leaders build more human-centered workplaces. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why great coaching isn’t about fixing people, but about helping them hear their inner voice again How to navigate career pivots with clarity and confidence The difference between leading and managing—and why it matters now more than ever Why HR is more strategic than it’s ever been Simple shifts to help your team find meaning in their work Timestamps:  00:20 – The true goal of coaching: helping people remember what they already know  02:14 – Coaching the ambitious vs. the stuck: what’s different?  03:34 – What makes someone “coachable”?  04:26 – Kerry’s journey from HR executive to full-time coach  06:47 – How HR has evolved in the past 20 years  07:50 – Making the leap to entrepreneurship (even if it’s unexpected)  09:26 – How to approach a career pivot with intention  12:19 – Why experimenting and networking is key to a successful transition  13:58 – Tools for gaining clarity on what you want next  15:44 – How to learn in a way that works for you  16:40 – Why more people are searching for meaning in work  18:07 – How Kerry helps clients discover their values  19:52 – The calendar and checkbook audit: aligning time and values  20:20 – How managers can help their team feel more connected to their work  22:21 – Listening for values in everyday conversations  23:52 – One simple way to become a better listener  24:52 – A powerful 1:1 question Kerry uses to surface meaning  26:36 – What to do if you’re not good at receiving feedback  28:03 – The trust cost of canceling 1:1s  30:02 – What a “stay interview” is and why every manager should use it  33:12 – How to keep top talent even when change isn’t possible  33:44 – One mindset shift middle managers need to build trust  35:50 – The story of the leader who helped Kerry make a pivotal leap  39:23 – Tools for increasing self-awareness (and why it matters)  42:08 – Can self-awareness be taught?  43:18 – How StrengthsFinder helped one client reframe chaos into purpose  45:46 – How to work better with different strengths on your team  47:07 – Final thoughts on intentionality, curiosity, and leadership About the Guest: Kerry Rockers is a certified executive coach and former global HR executive with over two decades of experience. Kerry has consulted and coached leaders across multiple business lines and functions (Technology, Digital Channels, Wholesale Banking, Corporate Support teams etc.) with significant experience working internationally.  Her business acumen and broad experience working with teams and leaders during times of change help her quickly understand her coaching client's challenges.   Resources Mentioned: Kerry Rockers' Website Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn CliftonStrengths Assessment Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/ 

In this solo episode, Learnit CEO and bestselling author Damon Lembi shares 12 powerful truths he’s learned over the years that he wishes someone had told him in his 20s. From managing money and making bold career moves, to saying no, navigating failure, and redefining your identity, Damon gets real about the missteps and wake-up calls that shaped who he is today. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why time—not money—is your most valuable asset - How to stop making decisions you’ll regret - A 5-part plan to take control of your finances (without needing to be a CPA) - What most people get wrong about failure - How to know when it’s time to quit the job, relationship, or habit - Why your job title isn’t your identity—and what matters more - A mindset shift that makes confidence inevitable - The secret to avoiding burnout (especially if you're a top performer) - How living abroad can completely change the way you lead Timestamps: 00:35 – #1: Time is the only asset you can’t get back 02:00 – Why you need to be intentional about your relationships 03:00 – Are you overworking or failing to delegate? 04:00 – #2: Money management tips Damon wishes he learned earlier 06:00 – #3: Stop making emotional decisions—use “purposeful awfulizing” 07:30 – #4: Get comfortable with failure (and why not trying is the real risk) 08:10 – #5: Don’t stay stuck—recognize the sunk cost fallacy 09:00 – #6: Life isn’t linear—adaptability is the superpower 10:30 – #7: Take action—confidence comes from reps, not perfection 11:45 – #8: Learn to say no—and avoid the “VIP curse” 13:00 – #9: Don’t avoid tough conversations (especially as a leader) 14:30 – #10: Your identity isn’t what you do—it’s who you are 15:40 – #11: You’ll regret the chances you didn’t take 16:50 – #12: Travel, live abroad, and widen your worldview 17:55 – Damon’s challenge to listeners: Pick one, apply it this week About Damon Lembi:    Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Resources & Mentions: Damon’s book: The Learn-It-All Leader: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZXKR784?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4NRSE6WY9TWPASVJZ2H2Gary Ridge’s book: Any Dumb Ass Can Do It: https://a.co/d/hTV9gD0Erin Lewellen and Tilting Futures: https://www.tiltingfutures.org: https://tiltingfutures.org Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Have you ever wondered what it takes to succeed in a high-stakes business? It’s not a simple life. There’s things to gain, but also things to lose. Today’s episode is an incredible cautionary tale for those of you who are building your way to success. In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Butch Meily, former PR strategist to Reginald Lewis, a leveraged buyout dealmaker, and now humanitarian—to discuss his powerful memoir From Manila to Wall Street. In this episode you’ll learn Why proximity to power can be both a blessing and a burden The personal cost of chasing high-level success What business titan Reginald Lewis taught Butch about leadership, identity, and pressure How Butch transitioned from PR executive to global humanitarian Why “ordinary lives” often lead to the deepest happiness And so much more. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro to Butch Meily 00:29 – The cost of attaching yourself to powerful people 01:30 – Why Butch finally wrote his memoir 02:36 – Who the book is for and how it's structured 03:50 – Butch’s first meeting with Reginald Lewis 05:17 – Reg’s early PR battle and the New York Times story 07:10 – Getting screamed at in a Bentley: Butch’s first ride with Reg 08:49 – The emotional toll of working under constant pressure 10:35 – Life regrets and the wisdom of Barbara Bush 12:10 – Can you have both success and happiness? 14:02 – Leveraged Buyouts 101 + the Beatrice takeover story 18:55 – Where Reg’s courage really came from 20:10 – Reg’s mantra: Keep going no matter what 22:18 – The role of luck and hard work 23:27 – Why America is still the land of opportunity 25:03 – Butch’s “candy cane” vision of America vs. Reg’s experience as a Black man 27:14 – The pressure of being “not a Black success—but an American success” 29:21 – The Hamptons mansion fire: real-life suspense 34:12 – Reg passes away, then Butch’s father dies days later 37:39 – Butch is fired—then brought back by an unexpected new CEO 40:12 – How Loyda Lewis led with grace, faith, and fierce business savvy 42:34 – Would Reg like the book? And why Butch wrote it now 44:36 – Butch’s new life: humanitarian work and startup mentorship 46:01 – Final lesson: why “ordinary” is extraordinary  Resources Mentioned: From Manila to Wall Street by Butch Meily Butch Meily LinkedInButch Meily’s Website Reginald F. Lewis Museum  About the Guest: Butch is the author of the memoir, From Manila to Wall Street – An Immigrant’s Journey With America’s First Black Tycoon. Butch’s current job is President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a private sector disaster management organization that includes the major business groups in the country.  He helped found PDRF, turning it into a global role model for private sector involvement in calamities. The organization operates the world’s first national private sector Emergency Operations Center. Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), his parent company, received the 2016 Prince of Wales Business in Community UPS International Disaster Relief Prize for its work in organizing PDRF after Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 and mobilizing it during Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Butch has worked in conflict situations in the southern Philippines including a terrorist siege in 2013 and an ISIS-inspired rebellion in 2017. Butch wears several hats. He heads IdeaSpace Foundation, a technology accelerator for early-stage startups, and QBO Innovation Hub, a public private partnership launched to mentor startups. Until December 2020, he served as president of Pacific Global One, an aviation firm affiliated with PLDT. Previously, Butch was First Vice President and Special Assistant to the chairman of PLDT and president of PLDT Smart Foundation.  Prior to joining PLDT, he served as Vice President, Communications for TLC Beatrice International, a food company in New York and Paris and the main subject of his book.  He has worked with several New York public relations firms and a financial startup there. Butch graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University and earned an MA in Journalism and Communications from the University of Florida (UF), becoming the first honors graduate of the program. He returned to UF as a Freedom Forum Distinguished Professor and received a Distinguished Alumnus award and was named to the school’s Hall of Fame. He started but did not finish his MBA at Northwestern University. He has taken writing classes at Grub Street and at New York University’s Continuing Education Program, a long time ago. In 1997, he established a permanent scholarship in his father Joe Meily’s name, at the Ateneo. That same year, he made a small donation to the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/ 

Mentorship isn’t a box to check or a corporate initiative to roll out. It’s a deeply human exchange that only works when it’s honest, unforced, and rooted in trust.  In today's episode, Damon is joined by Award-winning Researcher, Author and Founder of The Mentor Project, Dr. Deborah Heiser, who is here to challenge everything we think we know about what it means to be a mentor.  In this episode you’ll learn:  The essential ingredients that make mentorship actually work Why most formal mentorship programs fall short Why vulnerability is the often-missing key to meaningful connection How to reframe mentorship if you feel too busy or not “qualified” to be one  Timestamps: 00:01 – Intro to Deborah Heiser and her book The Mentorship Edge 00:17 – The story of Vinny and Fred: how a casual conversation changed a life 05:01 – Deborah’s definition of mentorship through a psychologist’s lens 06:55 – Why mentorship needs trust, intrinsic motivation, and connection 08:30 – What most companies get wrong about mentorship 09:32 – Deborah’s career pivot: From studying depression to studying joy 11:56 – How her nursing home research helped change federal policy on depression 14:33 – The difference between generativity, generosity, and reciprocity 16:11 – Everyday examples of being generative without realizing it 18:35 – Why formal workplace mentorships often backfire 22:07 – A space shuttle story: how lateral mentorship helped save an astronaut 24:39 – What is lateral mentorship, and why it matters 33:31 – The story of the “two Steves” (Jobs & Wozniak) and unsung mentorship 37:00 – How to find mentees: look to your left and your right 38:20 – Why advice only works when it’s built on trust 39:43 – Where to learn more about Deborah’s work  About Deborah: Deborah Heiser, Ph.D., is an applied developmental psychologist, author, and thought leader in mentorship and personal growth. She is the founder and CEO of The Mentor Project, a global nonprofit connecting experts like Nobel laureates and astronauts with mentees to foster innovation and leadership. Her latest book, The Mentorship Edge, launched on November 13, explores the transformative power of mentorship in creating meaningful connections and empowering individuals to thrive at any stage of life. With her work featured in Psychology Today and other leading outlets.  Resources Mentioned: Follow Deborah on LinkedIn Visit Deborah’s website The Mentorship Edge by Deborah Heiser Learn more about Deborah’s The Mentor Project  Deborah’s articles on Psychology Today Erik Erikson’s theory of generativity STS-114 NASA mission Connect with Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram 

What happens when life throws something at you that you didn’t see coming? In this personal solo episode, Damon opens up about a life-altering diagnosis that challenged his vision—both physically and metaphorically.  Whether you're navigating personal challenges or professional setbacks, this episode offers a roadmap to move forward with resilience, community, and purpose. In this episode, you’ll learn: The surprising diagnosis that reshaped Damon’s outlook on leadership and life How to reject the victim mindset and replace it with gratitude The role of community and connection in overcoming struggle How constraints can actually sharpen your leadership and focus What it means to lead by example—especially when life gets hard  Timestamps 00:00 – Damon introduces a personal story about unexpected adversity  00:48 – Early signs something was off—on the tennis and basketball court  01:30 – A trip to the optometrist turns serious  01:55 – Diagnosis: PRPH2, a rare degenerative eye disease  02:35 – Processing the fear, uncertainty, and future ahead  03:00 – The 5-step playbook for facing adversity  03:20 – Step 1: Acceptance—“There is no cure, but I can move forward”  03:50 – Step 2: Refuse the victim mentality—"Why not me?"  04:40 – Step 3: Faith—in family, skills, and what you can control  05:10 – Step 4: Community—why you don’t have to go through it alone  05:55 – Foundation Fighting Blindness and the power of peer groups  06:30 – Step 5: Lead by example—turning constraints into strengths  07:05 – Lessons for his kids and why vulnerability builds strength  07:50 – The final takeaway: adversity is inevitable, but it doesn’t define you  08:10 – Connect with Damon to share or seek support  Resources Mentioned: Foundation Fighting Blindness Connect With Us Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn