The Most Important Podcast Ever with BJD

“Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes.” – Jimmy Buffett

From store remodels and tight deadlines to turquoise waters and open skies, Steve Dobovsky made a leap most only dream of. He sold everything, started from the hull up, became a dive master, and ultimately earned the title of captain in the Caribbean.

Along the way, he met Audrey Sykes—an accomplished Dive Instructor, creative force, and curator of stunning underwater phot...

Episode 18 – Michael Voss: Communicating with Clarity, Wit, and Heart
Michael Voss knows how to find the right words—whether it’s leading global communications, co-authoring two sharp and satirical novels (BS Incorporated and Operation Clusterpuck), or hosting a town hall in front of thousands. For years, Michael stood beside me during major moments—helping shape the message and bring calm, humor, and purpose to the room.

In this epi...

Episode 17 – Emily Peterson Boone: From Madonna Dreams to Stories That Matter

This week’s guest is Emily Peterson Boone—a filmmaker, creative leader, and president of Clever, a Minnesota-based content agency known for producing videos that connect with real people in real ways.

Emily’s love of video started early—back in high school, when she and her friend Becky made a Vogue-inspired submission for an MTV contest, hoping to win tick...

Jeff Peterson is a true OG of retail—a leader whose fingerprints are all over the foundation of high-performing teams, operational excellence, and people-first leadership. In this conversation, Jeff and Brian look back on the wild, early days of Best Buy’s explosive growth, where Jeff played a key role not only in building teams but in bringing structure—developing one of the company’s first standard operating procedures during a t...

Episode 15 – Jay Pivec: Coaching, Character, and the Book of Piv

This week’s guest is Coach Jay Pivec—a basketball coaching legend, mentor to many, and now, author of The Book of Piv: All Stories Are As True As They Need to Be.

Jay’s career spans decades on the court, but his true impact has always been off of it—shaping lives, building character, and telling stories that stick.

The Book of Piv is more than a memoir. It’s just as much...

Episode 14 – Earl Allen: Running Toward Mental Health
Since October 1st, 2010, Earl Allen has laced up his shoes and hit the road—every single day. As of June 9th, 2025, he’s logged 50,574.13 miles, averaging 24 to 28 miles a day.

Rain or shine, snow or ice, ache or pain, Earl runs. But he’s not running away from anything—he’s running towardsomething: his mental health. One step, one stride, one mile at a time, Earl has found pea...

Episode 13 – Tony Sagastume: Reinvention, Winning, and the Evolution of a Leader

Tony Sagastume’s retail journey began at the ground floor—literally. From driving forklifts at the original Price Club in 1983 to executive roles at Macy’s, Best Buy, and beyond, Tony has spent decades learning, leading, and most of all—teaching.

In this episode, Tony shares the full arc of his story: the lessons from warehouse floors, the pressure and p...

Episode 12 – Heidi Pearce: The Words That Matter MostHeidi Pearce is more than a gifted communicator—she’s a truth-teller with heart. In this episode, we revisit the journey of someone I was lucky enough to work closely with during some of the most critical years of my career. From her early days in sports media at the University of Wisconsin to being a key player on the communications team at Best Buy and now Cracker Barrel, Heidi...

Bonus Episode – Rev. J. Dan Renfro: Grace in Action

After the raw and powerful conversation in Episode 11, we knew there was more to say.

In this bonus episode, Rev. J. Dan Renfro shares the work he’s doing now—on the streets, in the margins, wherever people are hurting and hungry. This is the grace that came out of the ashes. This is purpose forged in pain.

Dan’s not building a ministry from a pulpit—he’s building it from lived exper...

Episode 11 – Rev. J. Dan Renfro: From Rock Bottom to RedemptionWelcome to Episode 11 of The Most Important Podcast Ever with BJD. This one is raw.J. Dan Renfro and I go way back—we worked together during my time in Ohio, but lost touch over the years. Then, two years after my wife passed away, I was in a season of sleepless nights. One early morning, around 4 a.m., I found myself scrolling through my feed, and there he was—Rev. J. ...

Episode 10 – Michael Trenony: From Invisble Wound to Hope-Dealer
What happens when a moment of trauma makes you believe you’re no longer worthy of love—or even of being seen? In this powerful episode, Michael Traboni shares his remarkable journey from a childhood trauma he kept hidden for decades to a life of purpose, healing, and service.

Michael and Brian first crossed paths in a Best Buy store in the late '90s, sparking a ...

Episode 9: Leadership is an Inside Job – with Dr. Guy Beaudin

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Guy Beaudin, a senior partner at RHR International and a globally respected industrial psychologist who has spent decades advising C-suite leaders across industries. I first met Guy nearly 30 years ago when he was brought in to work with my team—and more pointedly, with me. What began as an uneasy partnership quickly grew into one of t...

Episode 8: Running the Long Race Together – Fatherhood and Family Through Adversity
In this companion episode to Karen Hohertz-Jacobs’ powerful story, her husband Matt Jacobs offers a father’s perspective on walking beside a family through life’s hardest chapters. From their daughter Kate’s early cancer diagnosis to the quiet strength it takes to raise a child with both love and limits, Matt reflects on what it means to lead from be...

Episode 7: Running Through It – Karen Hohertz-Jacobs on Strength, Survival, and Seven Continents

In this powerful episode, Karen Hohertz-Jacobs joins the podcast to share a story of love, purpose, and perseverance that spans the globe.

After her infant daughter Kate was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer, Karen and her family began running—first to heal, then to give back. What started with a couch-to-5K became a m...

Episode 6: Your Questions, My Mic – A Listener Q&A Special
In this episode, I flip the script and answer your questions about the first five episodes of The Most Important Podcast Ever. From behind-the-scenes stories to personal reflections on what these conversations have taught me, we dig into what’s resonated, what’s surprised me, and what’s coming next.

It’s part recap, part reflection—and all about deepening the connecti...

Episode 5: Getting Thru the Worst Possible Thing – with Jimmy Williams

What happens when your world shatters—and how do you begin to rebuild?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Jimmy Williams, author of Getting Thru the Worst Possible Thing, who opens up about the heartbreaking loss of his son and the unthinkable grief that followed. With raw honesty and deep wisdom, Jimmy shares how he navigated his darkest moments and what h...

Episode 5 – Getting Thru The Worst Possible Thing with Jimmy Williams
In this deeply moving episode, author and speaker Jimmy Williams joins the podcast to share the story behind his powerful book Getting Thru The Worst Possible Thing. Jimmy opens up about his family's heartbreaking journey through his young son's battle with cancer, the toll it took, and the profound lessons it taught him about faith, love, resilience, ...

🎙️ Episode 4 – Eric Harkins: Monday Mornings Shouldn't Suck

In this episode, two veteran retail leaders—Eric Harkins and Brian J. Dunn—sit down for a candid conversation about what makes workplaces thrive... or fall apart. With decades of leadership experience between them, they swap stories from the front lines of retail, talk about the leaders who shaped them, and dive into Eric’s no-nonsense approach to culture, hiring, and ...

Episode 3 Intro – Mechelle Carey

Welcome back to The Most Important Podcast Ever, where we shine a light on ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Today’s guest, Mechelle Carey, is the kind of leader who shows up — for her team, her family, and her life — with grit, heart, and an unmistakable sense of purpose. She built her career in retail from the ground up, rising through the ranks of a big-box giant, leading at Krispy Kreme,...