Outside Insights
Outside Insights with Chris Burkhard is a podcast for people who want more — more clarity, more purpose, more impact. Hosted by entrepreneur and lifelong learner Chris Burkhard, the show explores how bold leaders, builders, and thinkers close the gap between the life they have and the life they want. Through honest conversations and powerful stories, we unpack the lessons that shape real lives and careers. If you're looking for ideas that challenge you, motivate you, and help you grow, you’re in the right place. 🎙️ New episodes drop once a month. 🌐 Listen at myplacers.com/outside-insights 📩 Follow for fresh insights that meet you where you are, and push you further.
Episodes
This week on Outside Insights, I sit down with Logan Herring, the CEO of The WRK Group, to talk about how he has spent the last decade completely transforming community revitalization in Wilmington, Delaware.
Logan challenges the traditional nonprofit model, arguing that social impact organizations should be run with the exact same professional infrastructure and financial discipline as top for-profit corpora...
We’ve made mental health really hard at work. In this episode, Chris Burkhard sits down with Stephanie Lemek, founder of The Wounded Workforce, to simplify the conversation.
Stephanie translates complex psychological concepts into actionable leadership tools. We discuss:
- Why accountability is a mental health tool.
- The "Three E's" of trauma and how they show up at work.
- How to use "Choice" to empower your team.
- ...
"I’m an overnight success 30 years in the making."
For 40 years, Tracy Davidson was the face of Philadelphia news. But behind the anchor desk, she was quietly developing a toolkit for resilience and intentional living. Today, she’s stepping away from the screen to help you navigate your own ups and downs.
In this episode, we dive into:
- The "Rubber Band" Theory: Why we feel stretched to the max and how t...
Grant Otto on what 1,000 feet underwater can teach us about career purpose and the power of "waiting."
“The biggest ‘career moves’ don’t start with a resume; they start with curiosity.”
I recently sat down with Grant Otto, a marine scientist and researcher specializing in marine robotics. If that sounds like a job from a movie, that’s because it almost is, complete with stories of u...
A conversation with community banker Marc Pelletier on trust, credit, and how entrepreneurs can walk into the bank with confidence
Most entrepreneurs would rather go to the doctor than go meet a banker.
So I brought on my first banker, and an old friend, Marc Pelletier to talk about what entrepreneurs actually need to know about banks, credit, and building trust.
In this episode:
- How banking has changed since 2001
- Wh...
Why slowing down, listening better, and taking the long way still matters
I sat down with Jeff Ton expecting a conversation about leadership and history. What I didn’t expect was how much we’d end up talking about attention, where we place it, how rarely we slow down, and what happens when we actually do.
Jeff calls himself a “hippie coder turned CIO,” and that range alone tells you he’s ...
I had the opportunity to sit down with Sam Maddula, a founder whose career does not fit a clean headline. What stood out immediately wasn’t the size of the business he built, but the decisions he made along the way, and the ones he chose not to make.
This conversation isn’t about hacks or hypergrowth. It’s about judgment, timing, and the quiet moments when leaders realize the path forward isn’...
I had the honor of hosting a long-time mentor and friend, Robert Larson, CPC. Bob’s journey is one I’ve followed since the start of my first business, and he even inspired my own early yoga practice by bringing his personal interests into the workplace.
The episode is less about business growth and more about personal resilience and the powerful difference between working on your business versus in it; an...
Welcome back Marnie Stockman, Ed.D. and Nick Coniglio, authors of the phenomenal new book, The Business of You.
This episode provides a complete methodology for anyone doing the “right things” (good grades, internships, etc.) but still struggling to stand out or land the job they actually want. It's time to stop letting the world define your value and start defining it yourself.
The traditional career ladd...
I’ve wanted Ari Weinzweig on the show for a long time. If you don’t know Ari, he co-founded Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor and helped grow a single deli into a whole community of businesses including a bakehouse, coffee shop, candy store, ZingTrain, and more, without losing soul. That’s rare.
We cover a lot, but here are the big beats, human-sized:
From Dishes to Direction
Ari didn’t plan a care...
This week on Outside Insights, I sat down with my good friend John Sanders, founder of Bridgeforce, to talk about what it really takes to build a business that endures.
John’s story isn’t about quick wins or flashy exits. Over the past 25 years, he and his partner have built a management consultancy serving global banks, credit unions, fintechs, and lenders — staying true to the values they set on d...
How business coach Nikhil Paul helps companies grow by going narrow, not wide
Most business owners think scaling means reaching more people.
Nikhil Paulsays it’s the opposite.
In this week’s Outside Insights, my longtime friend and small business growth coach shares why the fastest path to growth is going narrow, not wide—and how identifying your cult customer can transform your business.
“It didn’t ruin anything. This was the most incredible memory — one I’ll take to my deathbed that can never be taken away.” — Rose Willard
What would it take to step away from a life that looks successful — but no longer feels like your own?
In Episode 63 of Outside Insights, I talk with Rose and Glynn Willard — entrepreneurs, parents, adventurer...
In this week’s episode of Outside Insights, I sit down with longtime friend, entrepreneur, and mechanical engineer turned CEO, Tom Embley—and he tells the kind of founder story we rarely get to hear in full.
From his earliest days as employee #1 at a small industrial startup to founding a direct competitor, merging businesses, buying out partners, and ultimately selling to a global player, Tom’s pat...
What it really takes to grow into the leader you're meant to be—on your terms, over time, and from the inside out.
As we head into the July 4th holiday, a time when we reflect on freedom, progress, and reinvention, it feels fitting to bring you this powerful new episode with Dr. Bryan Deptula, leadership expert and author of Leaders Are Born to Be Made.
Bryan is one of the most grounded, engaging, and purpose-dr...
This week’s episode of Outside Insights is a special one.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Peter Samuelson, film producer, philanthropist, and now, the author of Finding Happy: A User’s Guide to Your Life with Lessons from Mine. Before our conversation, I had a chance to read an early copy of the book (officially released June 10), and I couldn’t put it down. It’s heartfelt, funny, profo...
Are You a Farmer or a Fisherman? A New Take on Purpose at Work
What if the secret to long-term success wasn’t the hustle, but the harvest?
This week on Outside Insights, I’m joined by Jonathan Stanley—purpose strategist, author of Purposeful Performance, and surprise TikTok star with a viral story that proves empathy still wins in business (and in bookstores).
We talk about what it really means to lea...
What Happens When You Stop Chasing and Start Serving?
In Episode 58 of Outside Insights, I sit down with one of the most influential voices in business and leadership—Bob Burg, bestselling co-author of The Go-Giver.
We dive deep into what makes success sustainable, meaningful, and surprisingly simple: giving value first. Bob shares the origin story of the book, how 24 rejections led to a global bestseller, and w...
This week on Outside Insights, I sit down with Dr. Wes Bowman — a man whose path was anything but linear. Labeled in grade school. Flunked out of college — three times. Built a successful practice by learning to turn shame and failure into the fuel for a meaningful life.
Wes is a career psychologist, the Director of the Delaware Family Center, and someone who’s spent decades helping people reframe t...
“For an entrepreneur to be successful, you need the strength of family and support from home. The family strength is not just the immediate family; it’s a higher power, a higher calling. For us to be successful, I had to have that sense of purpose.” — Andrew Cottone
What does it take to turn scientific expertise into a thriving business? In this episode of Outside Insi...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.