
The L3 Leadership Podcast with Doug Smith
The L3 Leadership Podcast is focused on leadership development and personal growth. We are obsessed with helping you grow to your maximum potential and maximizing the impact of your leadership. We release a new episode every week to help you grow and develop as a leader. You will hear a mix of personal lessons from our Founder, Doug Smith, and conversations Doug has with world-class leaders from around the world. Doug interviews leaders like Pittsburgh Steelers Coach, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Penguins Coach, Mike Sullivan, Tony Horton, Liz Wiseman, Brian Tome, John Mark Comer, Mark Batterson, Ryan Hawk, Nona Jones, Claude Silver, Ken Coleman, Christy Wright, Rachel Cruze, Mark Cole, and many more. Our hope is that you will not only learn great leadership lessons but that you will catch great leadership from the lives of the leaders that we expose you to.
Latest episodes

Jun 14, 2022 • 46min
Ken Coleman on Going From Paycheck to Purpose
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Ken Coleman talks about topics such as The Great Resignation, promotions, and his new book, From Paycheck to Purpose.5 Key Takeaways: Ken talks about what coaching means to him and why he enjoys doing it.He talks about The Great Resignation and the effects of the pandemic on the US economy.Ken gives advice to leaders who are looking to attract and retain talent within their organization.He goes over his new book and summarizes each section. He talks about what to do in order to win a promotion within your organization.About Ken: Ken Coleman is the #1 bestselling author of The Proximity Principle and host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Ken Coleman Show. As America’s Career Coach, he helps callers discover what they do best so they can do work they love and produce the results that matter most to them. Whether you’re looking for a complete career change or you’re just unsure about what step to take next, Ken will help you get unstuck and get on the path to meaningful work.Quotes From the Episode:“Coaching is about transformation.”“They’re not looking for a better job, they're looking for a better life.”“That is where opportunities live, on the other side of a connection.”“Your time will come.”“You matter, you have what it takes, press on.”Guest Resources Mentioned:The Ken Coleman ShowFrom Paycheck to Purpose by Ken ColemanGet Clear Career AssessmentVansVoices of the Heart by Chip DoddSmartless PodcastPebble Beach Golf CourseConnect with Ken:Webpage | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram

Jun 7, 2022 • 47min
Brian Moran on The 12 Week Year: How to Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Most do in a Year
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Brian Moran discusses his framework for the 12 Week Year and shares how you can get more done in 12 weeks than most can in a year. 5 Key Takeaways:Brian shares his definition of accountability and what that means in relation to other people as a leader. He discusses why he wrote his book, The 12 Week Year.Brian talks about how shortening the timeframe to achieve a goal can bring clarity, momentum, and stress reduction.He shares the framework he provides leaders with to achieve their goals in the 12 Week Year.Brian discusses how he reviews his execution and results to accomplish more. About Brian: Brian is the CEO and founder of The Execution Company. He is a highly respected expert and accomplished executive who has developed a well-versed business perspective from his vast experience in consumer products, healthcare, food service, automotive and transportation and professional service sectors.Brian is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, The 12 Week Year, a program developed to empower individuals and companies to achieve more in 12 weeks than what others accomplish in 12 months. The 12 Week Year philosophy and training program has been implemented worldwide with industry leading companies like Allstate, BBVA, Mass Mutual, Metronic, Merril-Lynch, Nationwide, Paycor, and Papa Johns.Prior to launching The Execution Company, Brian had leadership positions within Pepsico, UPS, Senn Delany Management Consultants, and National Automotive Corporation. Coupling his corporate experience with his entrepreneurial drive, Brian also co-founded Bio Inc, a health services provider specializing in wellness and medical surveillance performing on-site medical testing.A trusted strategic advisor and visionary, Brian volunteers his time to mentor promising entrepreneurs to refine, implement, and execute their business plans, and his charity work includes Susan G. Komen and CBMC. Quotes From the Episode:“In the end, you choose your consequences.”“Separate the starting from finishing.”“The 12 Week Year is about being great at a few things, rather than being mediocre at a lot of things.”“Do everything you can to grow.”Guest Resources Mentioned:The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington12 Week Year WebsiteUncommon Accountability by Brian P. Moran and Michael LenningtonFeel the Fear and Do it Anyways by Susan JeffersOne Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. Connect with Brian:Website | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | LinkedIn

May 31, 2022 • 54min
Grant Baldwin on How to Get Booked and Paid to Speak
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Grant Baldwin shares his journey in which he went from being a youth pastor to a professional public speaker and shares some tips he learned along the way.5 Key Takeaways:Grant talks about how he got his start with public speaking.He gives advice to aspiring speakers on how to know if speaking would be right for them.He highlights the importance of focusing on one specific topic to get a start in the speaking industry.Grant discusses how valuable marketing materials are for speakers.He talks about how to price yourself as a speaker.About Grant: Back in 2008, Grant was a broke youth pastor who didn’t really know what he wanted to do in life. Through a few twists and turns, he decided to start a speaking business. He worked hard to build my business and get paid to speak, all while trying to figure things out on his own because there weren’t a ton of great resources out there.Despite starting his speaking career during a financial crisis in 2008, Grant has earned over $2 million from 500+ paid engagements all over the world. He has done everything from closed-door workshops to keynotes in front of 13,000 people. In 2015, he started his podcast, The Speaker Lab, which aims to give speakers clarity, confidence and a clear path to make an impact.Grant is married to his high school sweetheart and together they have 3 girls. He currently resides in Nashville, TN. Quotes from the Episode:“You want to make sure you’re delivering onstage, but you also want to make sure to deliver offstage as well.”“This is simple, but it’s not easy.”“Who you are is more important than what you do.”“Enjoy the journey.”Guest Resources Mentioned:https://myspeakerfee.com/The Speaker LabOura RingRework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeir HanssonThe Successful Speaker by Grant BaldwinConnect with Grant:Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

May 24, 2022 • 58min
Dr. John Delony on Owning Your Past and Changing Your Future
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, John Delony discusses his new book, Own Your Past, Change Your Future, his experience and perspective on anxiety, trauma and grief and what he has learned by working with Dave Ramsey.5 Key Takeaways:John recalls his background in mental health.He talks about his own personal experience with mental health struggles.He discusses the differences between regular stress and toxic stress.John breaks down trauma and what happens to someone mentally when they are traumatized.He shares what his experience has been like working with Ramsey Solutions.About John: Dr. John Delony is a bestselling author, mental health expert and host of The Dr. John Delony Show. He has two PhDs and over two decades of experience in counseling, crisis response and higher education. He is the mental health expert for Ramsey Solutions. John’s goal is to help you navigate tough decisions, improve your relationships, and believe you’re worthy of being well.Quotes From the Episode:“You have to make peace with it.”“Wellness is a series of practices.”“Anxiety is an alarm system.”“You are worth being well and you are worth being loved.”Guest Resources Mentioned:Own Your Past, Change Your Future by John DelonyRamsey SolutionsI Don’t Wanna Talk About It by Terrence RealBag of CandyBurnout by Amelia & Emily NegoskiDopamine Nation by Anna Lembke Connect with John:Webpage | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

May 17, 2022 • 44min
Tricia Sciortino on Maximizing Virtual Assistants and Always Being Ready for the Next Thing
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Tricia Sciortino talks about Belay, a virtual assistant company, and how she went from being a founding employee to CEO.6 Key Takeaways:Tricia details her career leading up to Belay.She discussed what she’s learned about leadership since being CEO and how she applied what she knew about leadership prior to that role. Tricia shares how goal setting propelled her forward in Belay.She talks about why having an assistant can really take a business further.She lists off the things that VA’s do to help leaders.She shares a general overview of what a week looks like as a VA. About Tricia: Born and raised in Long Island, she attended the University of Hartford and earned a degree in Business Administration and Management. For ten years, she served as District Manager for the retail chain Pacific Sunwear, however, when her first child was born, she – like many other parents – found herself struggling to balance her high-profile career with her new role as a mother. Enter: BELAY. Joining a startup during the recession was risky, but she took a leap of faith. As BELAY’s first employee and virtual assistant – and then onto serve as Director, Vice President, President, COO, and now CEO – Tricia’s spent the last 10 years ‘walking the walk’ of what BELAY calls the Third Option: the ability to cultivate a balanced life with a successful career while making family and personal relationships a priority. As a leader, she’s passionate about everyone owning and forging their own paths, careers, and professional development, putting each of BELAY’s valued employees and contractors in the driver’s seat to cultivate the balance of work and life that best suits them. She’s so committed to helping people realize this that, in 2020, she launched a podcast, One Next Step, to show leaders that they can not only grow their business but also help them create more margin so that they can enjoy their life.Tricia lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, two daughters, stepson, and fur baby, Lola, and is seriously grateful – for the opportunity to live out her third option every day as a hands-on mom while supporting those she leads to live out theirs.Quotes From the Episode:“My goal was always to be the next ‘thing’.” “Imagine what you could do with two extra hours a day.” “We view ourselves as the people giving you your time back.”“Nobody intends to miss the mark.”“Yes you can.”Resources Mentioned:Belay SolutionsSlackZoomTrackpadAirpodsDare by Becky Blalock

May 10, 2022 • 49min
Ryan Hawk on The Pursuit of Excellence
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Ryan Hawk talks about his new book, The Pursuit of Excellence. He discusses why he wrote this book, his process, and what he’s learned throughout his writing career.6 Key Takeaways:Ryan talks about how important having others involved providing feedback in the process of writing his books.He discusses the impact his Dad had on him growing up and today.He tells listeners what he's learned about discipline.Ryan shares why he strives to include his voice in his work.He talks about the importance of spending time with his leadership groups in person.Ryan gives advice to other podcasters. About Ryan: Ryan Hawk is the host of The Learning Leader Show. He has recorded more than 475 episodes over the past 7 years. Ryan is the author of Welcome to Management: How To Grow From Top Performer To Excellent Leader. It sold through its first printing in eight hours and shot to the top of the Amazon rankings. Previously, Ryan worked in corporate America for 12 years. He started as an entry-level telephonic sales rep and worked my way to manager, director, and ultimately VP of sales for a multi-billion-dollar company. When he’s not recording podcasts or writing books, try to help leaders be more effective. Some of the ways I do that: Leadership Circles, 1:1 advising, and teaching in The Learning Leader Academy (the online school he created). Ryan has delivered hundreds of keynote speeches on leadership and performance excellence all over the world.Quotes From the Episode:“I had to learn through making mistakes and learn by not really knowing what I was doing.”“Most good books are written because the author couldn’t help but want to write about that topic.”“Try to be thoughtful and helpful and be there for others.”“Consistency builds trust.”Resources Mentioned:The Learning Leader PodcastTodd Henry Adam Grant’s TwitterConnect with Ryan:Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

May 3, 2022 • 23min
Stay in the Arena | Laura Smith at the L3 One Day Leadership Conference
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Laura Smith talks about how she believes that finishing something out and having grit can lead to the most development as a leader and how important it is to set goals, have community, and rest along the way. 4 Key Takeaways:Laura talks about how overcoming difficulty leads to growth.She discusses grit.She encourages leaders to exercise their ability to change the situation rather than run from it.Laura talks about how long-term goals can further your leadership.About Laura: Laura Smith is the Head of Manufacturing at Ivalua and Co-Founder of L3 Leadership. She is an experienced solution-based sales professional with over 10 years of experience in selling, defining, and implementing procurement solutions and strategies across global enterprises. She holds a degree from Carnegie Mellon University. Laura is married to her high school sweetheart, Doug Smith - Co-Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. Quotes From the Episode:“When you become weary, you lose your passion.”“Leaders are tapping out too early.”“The answer is often a new you.”“Leadership is pain, and the amount of pain you are able to endure sets the limit of your effectiveness.”Resources Mentioned:Mastermind GroupsConnect with Laura:L3 Leadership Website

Apr 26, 2022 • 36min
Stop Leading on Empty | Doug Smith at the L3 One Day Leadership Conference
Send us a textEpisode Summary:In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug gives a talk at the L3 One Day Conference about his personal experience with mental health and self-care.6 Key Takeaways:Doug shares what led him to having panic attacks.He discusses how his own stress and trauma affected him.He talks about how therapy helped him through his difficult season.Doug gives some insight into how self-acceptance He shares that it’s okay to not be okay.He talks about how rest is crucial to preventing burnout.About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.Quotes From the Episode:“It’s more than okay to get help.”“You are not alone.”“If you’re going through something, share it with someone.”“When you burn out it’s a result of unrealistic expectations internally.”“Do what you need to do to get healthy.”Resources Mentioned:Leading on Empty Wayne CodeiroThe Ruthless Elimination of Hurry John Mark ComerTake the Day Off Robert MorrisChange Your Brain, Change Your Life Daniel G. Amen, M.D. Connect with Doug:Doug’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Apr 19, 2022 • 50min
Scott Harrison, Founder of Charity: Water on Leadership, Vision Casting, and Fundraising
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Scott Harrison discusses how he went from a nightclub promoter to the founder of Charity: Water, a successful charity that has funded several thousand water projects throughout 29 countries.6 Key Takeaways:Scott recounts his journey from being a nightclub promoter to founding Charity: Water.He discusses how his model for fundraising sets Charity: Water apart from other nonprofits.He shares the 3 things he believes are crucial for fundraising. Scott gives advice to other organizations for how crucial visual marketing can be to share their missions.He talks about how a subscription program leveled up his nonprofit.Scott shares insight into hosting a successful fundraising event.About Scott: Scott spent almost ten years as a nightclub promoter in NYC before leaving to volunteer on a hospital ship off of the coast of Liberia, West Africa as a volunteer photojournalist. Returning home to NYC two years later, he founded the nonprofit organization Charity: Water in 2006. Turning his full attention to the global water crisis and the world's 785 million people without clean water to drink, he created public installations and innovative online fundraising platforms to spread international awareness about the issue. In 15 years, and with the help of one million donors worldwide, Charity: Water has raised over 598 million dollars and funded 79,136 water projects in 29 countries. When completed, these projects will provide 13.2 million people with clean, safe drinking water. Scott has been recognized on Fortune Magazines list of 40 under 40, Forbes Impact 30 and Fast Company's 100 most creative people in business, where he earned the number ten spot. He is currently a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and author of the New York Times Bestselling Book, Thirst. Scott and his wife Viktoria have two children, Jackson and Emma. Quotes From the Episode:“Early days I would say ‘show, don’t tell’, now it’s ‘show and tell’.”“You can’t imagine 771 million anything… let alone people without water.”“Integrity is the most important thing.”“It’s action that births movements.”Guest Resources Mentioned:Thirst by Scott Harrisonhttps://charitywater.org/l3Connect with Scott:Charity: Water Website | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook

Apr 12, 2022 • 1h 3min
Phil Cooke on Leading Creatives and Maximizing Your Organization’s Influence Through Media
Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Phil Cooke talks about his background in film, writing books, helping the church, and shares leadership insight he has gained over the years.5 Key Takeaways:Phil talks about the importance of saying no to achieve his goals.He shares how maximizing his productive hours helped him further his career.He talks about how deadlines are imperative to him and other creative people.Phil gives advice to production company owners to grow their businesses.He discusses his biggest pet peeve in leadership.About Phil: Phil Cooke works at the intersection of faith, media, and culture, and he’s pretty rare – a working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. His client list includes studios and networks like Walt Disney, Dreamworks, and USA Network, as well as major Christian organizations from Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, The YouVersion Bible app, and many more. He’s an author, public speaker and sits on the Board for multiple film and nonprofit organizations. Quotes From the Episode:“Start with what you’re good at.”“Everybody can be more creative in their life.”“If you don’t say no occasionally, then your ‘yes’ means nothing.”“Leading from the middle is a real art form.”“Value those harsh critics. Value people that are brutally honest.”Guest Resources Mentioned:Museum of the BibleThings AppIdea on a Deadline Phil CookeConnect with Phil:Phil’s Website | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Podcast