The Mark Drager Show

On today's show, how the plus-size endurance athlete behind the blog "Fat Girl Running" turned her love for the sport into a career as a fully-sponsored professional athlete. Welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, the show about facing fears, taking big risks, and chasing down dreams - hosted by Mark Drager.

On today's show, why a primary school teacher who built a multi-7 figure business, walked away from it all to pursue her true passion - becoming a nationally recognized productivity expert and best-selling author in the process. Welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, the show about facing fears, taking big risks, and chasing down dreams - hosted by Mark Drager.

On today's show, how a radio DJ turned entrepreneur found his true calling, faced death, and learned what really matters most in life. Welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, the show about facing fears, taking big risks, and chasing down dreams - hosted by Mark Drager.

Benjamin Hardy Ph.D. is an organizational psychologist and the author of Willpower Doesn't Work and Personality Isn't Permanent. He has also collaborated with Dan Sullivan on a book titled Who Not How, which has sold over 120,000 copies in the first 4 months of publication. The two will release their second book together titled The Gap and The Gain, which will be published in October of 2021. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Harvard Business Review, the New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, and many others. For several years, he was the #1 most-read writer on Medium.com. Currently, nearly 400,000 people subscribe to his email. Please help me welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, Benjamin Hardy Ph.D. Hey there, I'm Mark Drager. You may not know me (yet) but: 🔨 I've built the 7-figure agency Phanta Media (phanta.com) 🎙️ I'm the host of the We Do Hard Things Podcast and The Something To Prove Podcast with Evan Carmichael 🚀 I help brands and people with something to prove figure out who they need to be to get what they want. 👉 Check out all the goodies here -- markdrager.com/links And remember, you've got to Think big, Be bold, and Say yes.

Hoff has been called "The female Michael Phelps." Former American Olympian, she is multiple Olympic medalists and previously held world records in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley. She competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, winning silver medals at both. Katie is best known for her individual medley, and she holds the current American record for the 400-meter individual medley and previously held the American records for the 200 individual medley, 200 freestyle, and 400 freestyle. In July 2014, Katie experienced a sharp pain in her chest and sides, which forced her to withdraw from the National Championship. She initially had been diagnosed with a muscle strain and asthma when a CAT scan revealed two blood clots in her lung. Due to the buildup of scar tissue in her lung caused by the blood clots, Katie officially announced her retirement from swimming in 2015. Hoff said being compared to Phelps was an honor – which she didn't discourage at the time because it made her feel special. By not winning any gold medals, though, "the way that it framed my 2008 Olympic Games was in a negative light," Hoff said. "Looking back, it wasn't the best meet of my life, but it was a solid meet, so that was a hard pill to swallow. Hoff explains that "Eight gold medals wasn't in her blueprint, as much as she wishes it was.." At the end of the day, Katie says she is in a much better place now and has peace. She's also found a career doing motivational speaking, which she loves. Katie brings the energy and charisma you associate with an elite athlete - coupled with the friendly charm and straight talk of a good friend. She spent fifteen years relentlessly driving her own performance in competitive swimming from local star to national darling to international champion in her sport. What does it take? Katie will tell you. Please help me welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, Katie Hoff. Hey there, I'm Mark Drager. You may not know me (yet) but: 🔨 I've built the 7-figure agency Phanta Media (phanta.com) 🎙️ I'm the host of the We Do Hard Things Podcast and The Something To Prove Podcast with Evan Carmichael 🚀 I help brands and people with something to prove figure out who they need to be to get what they want. 👉 Check out all the goodies here -- markdrager.com/links And remember, you've got to Think big, Be bold, and Say yes.

Steve is an extraordinary man who spends his days providing luxuries for celebrities at their request; all while running one of the largest concierge businesses worldwide. Entrepreneur and bestselling author, Steve Sims has been called "The Real Life Wizard of Oz" by Forbes magazine. He is a sought-after consultant to Fortune 500 companies in the areas of leadership development, organizational effectiveness as well as being a keynote speaker at The Pentagon and Harvard University twice! Steve has been in the game for years and he's taught many a person how to get their act together. He refuses to compromise his principles, so you won't find any BS here that will make your wallet heavier without improving your life at all. Steve believes in being direct and truthful, fearlessly telling everything he knows about success. He is a visionary leader who offers practical solutions that can be put into action immediately for results-driven individuals like himself.

From the 2012 London Olympic Games to being a 7-time U.S. National Champion and former world record holder, Dotsie Bausch has proven herself to be an influential advocate in several areas of sports and animal rights. In 2017, Bausch was included in a list of "20 Badass Veg Women Making History." A longtime member of the U.S. National Road Cycling Team, Bausch tried track cycling for the first time in 2007 and won two national titles over the course of a year's worth of competition. Her success on the track continued as she was part of a record-breaking ride. Dotsie Bausch was told she would never make it to the Olympics, but her switch to a plant-based diet changed everything. She realized that giving up her diet wasn't worth the prize. As she tells it, her body quickly and unexpectedly changed. She felt stronger, cycled faster, and experienced newfound energy. Three years later in 2012 at the London Olympic Games, she stood atop a podium accepting her silver medal. Switch4Good founder, Bausch, has become a powerful proponent of a plant-based diet for athletes and non-athletes alike. She starred in James Cameron's 2019 film The Game Changers and has since been recognized by VegNews as one of the world's top 20 influential vegans. Please help me welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, Dotsie Bausch. Hey there, I'm Mark Drager. You may not know me (yet) but: 🔨 I've built the 7-figure agency Phanta Media (phanta.com) 🎙️ I'm the host of the We Do Hard Things Podcast and The Something To Prove Podcast with Evan Carmichael 🚀 I help brands and people with something to prove figure out who they need to be to get what they want. 👉 Check out all the goodies here -- markdrager.com/links And remember, you've got to Think big, Be bold, and Say yes.

Brian Scudamore is the founder and CEO of O2E Brands, the banner company for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, and Shack Shine. Brian is A regular contributor to Forbes, writing about small business ownership, franchising, and building corporate culture. His first book, WTF?! (Willing to Fail): How Failure Can Be Your Key to Success, was published in 2018. In high school, Scudamore faced reading challenges and was unable to complete an eighth-grade math class. In spite of failing at high school, he was accepted to Concordia University's business program without finishing his diploma because they believed his experience would help him succeed. In 1989, Scudamore was waiting in line at a McDonald's drive-thru when he noticed a pickup truck advertising a junk removal service. Scudamore invested $700 from his own savings and purchased a truck with the intention of removing junk from people's homes. Scudamore found that his business took off faster than he had expected, often forcing him to miss school so that he could take phone calls. Scudamore attributes his interest in the business to experience as well as an intellectual curiosity. Wanting to be close to his ventures, he left Concord. Near the end of 2015, Scudamore revealed a new term for the model of franchising used by O2E Brands - "entrepreneurship", defined as an entry point for aspiring entrepreneurs who don't have access to the expertise or capital to launch a business venture and Three years later, the International Franchise Association named Brian Scudamore 'Entrepreneur of the Year'. Please help me welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast, Brian Scudamore.

James's childhood was defined by his abusive father and a suicide attempt, resulting in him devoting 6 years to repairing their relationship. One day after speaking at an event for youth ministers, he was encouraged by one of them to share some lessons learned from someone who has dealt with these tough times before. Disillusioned with the world, he found a way to help himself by helping others. He sought out service as a means of breaking neural pathways and shifting perspective- and did so in an unconventional manner. James is a TEDx speaker, relationship-building expert, and author who gave away everything he owned and set out on a journey to serve someone in all 50 states. After James asked those he served to Pay-It-Forward, an incredible domino effect of kindness followed. James encourages people to live a life of giving, which leads to true happiness and better relationships. When you take the phrase "live our lives with open arms" to heart, it will change your destiny forever. You can't miss this conversation. Please help me welcome James Beck to the We Do Hard Things Podcast. Hey there, I'm Mark Drager. You may not know me (yet) but: 🔨 I've built the 7-figure agency Phanta Media (phanta.com) 🎙️ I'm the host of the We Do Hard Things Podcast and The Something To Prove Podcast with Evan Carmichael 🚀 I help brands and people with something to prove figure out who they need to be to get what they want. 👉 Check out all the goodies here -- markdrager.com/links And remember, you've got to Think big, Be bold, and Say yes.

Author and podcast host, Phillip Stutts, comes from the cutthroat world of marketing in politics. Contributing to 1,407 election victories and working with multiple Fortune 200 companies, Phillip excels in the world of political and corporate marketing. He is the founder and CEO of Win BIG Media (a corporate marketing agency) and Founder/Executive Chairman of Go BIG Media (a political marketing ad firm). Phillip has spoken to more than 50 million people in his career, been repped by VaynerSpeakers and Keppler Speakers (the largest speaker service bureau in the U.S.), and made hundreds of national media appearances including ESPN, CBS, FOX BUSINESS, FOX NEWS, MSNBC, and CNN. Best-selling author and host of the "Undefeated Marketing" podcast, Phillip Stutts, comes from the cutthroat world of political and corporate marketing and has been described as a "marketing maverick reshaping business success using the secret formula that gets presidents elected." Please help me welcome to the We Do Hard Things Podcast: Phillip Stutts. Hey there, I'm Mark Drager. You may not know me (yet) but: 🔨 I've built the 7-figure agency Phanta Media (phanta.com) 🎙️ I'm the host of the We Do Hard Things Podcast and The Something To Prove Podcast with Evan Carmichael 🚀 I help brands and people with something to prove figure out who they need to be to get what they want. 👉 Check out all the goodies here -- markdrager.com/links And remember, you've got to Think big, Be bold, and Say yes.