Leap Academy with Ilana Golan

Leap Academy with Ilana Golan

The Leap Academy Podcast with Ilana Golan is all about honest and inspiring conversations about what it really takes to leap to bigger things, amazing careers, and craft the life you want. Stories and tips you won't find anywhere else. Ilana speaks with some of the world's most influential people, experts, and thinkers who created incredible careers, massive impact, built a reputation, and an extraordinary life. Together we discover the untold truths, the emotions, and important lessons that enabled them to reinvent themselves & leap. We take our audience on a journey that will not only inspire but also teach concrete lessons on how to leap careers: fast-track to leadership, jump to entrepreneurship, build a personal brand, portfolio career, and much more.

Episodes

Gretchen Carlson: The Journalist Who Defied Fox News and Exposed Workplace Abuse | E110

June 3, 2025 • 53 mins
In 2016, former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson made a bold move that transformed the conversation around workplace harassment. After enduring years of mistreatment, she filed a lawsuit against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. Despite the immense personal and professional risks, this courageous act helped spark the #MeToo movement, giving a voice to countless women who had suffered in silence. Now, through her no...
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From $500 Startup to Open Source Pioneer: How Tim O’Reilly Built a Media and Tech Legacy | E109

May 29, 2025 • 41 mins
Tim O'Reilly’s entrepreneurial journey began with odd jobs like being a janitor, cemetery caretaker, and dishwasher. With just $500, he founded O'Reilly Media, initially focusing on publishing tech manuals. After a major setback during the dot-com bust, which saw revenue drop by $20 million, Tim continued building his business and creating a huge impact in the tech world. His work with Web 2.0 and open-source technologies like Linu...
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Breaking the Glass Ceiling: How Adva Amir Became One of the Few Female Airline Captains | E108

May 27, 2025 • 51 mins
As a curious eight-year-old, Adva Amir was mesmerized by the cockpit during a family trip, sparking a lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. After failing to become a military pilot in Israel, Adva felt broken. Shifting her mindset and picking up the pieces, she moved to the U.S. to pursue civilian flight training. Despite language barriers, naysayers, and grueling hours, she broke into this male-dominated field and became one of the ...
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From School Teacher to Fitness Icon: What I Wish I Knew Before Quitting My Job | Brian Keane | E107

May 22, 2025 • 65 mins
Brian Keane’s journey is a powerful example of embracing change and conquering fear. Originally a primary school teacher in London, Brian realized teaching wasn’t his true calling and made a bold leap into fitness, despite doubts from family and peers. With his mom’s support, he overcame numerous challenges to become a three-time bestselling author, certified strength and conditioning coach, and ultra-marathon runner. In this episo...
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Tony Khan: Building AEW into a Billion-Dollar Brand and Competing with Wrestling Giants | E106

May 20, 2025 • 51 mins
Tony Khan was captivated by sports and wrestling from a young age. After immersing himself in sports analytics, he joined his father’s ventures, using his expertise to build a data-driven team at the Jacksonville Jaguars. Witnessing Fulham’s struggles, Tony saw an opportunity to apply his skills to improve the team and took it. His passion for wrestling ultimately led him to launch All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Despite initial skeptic...
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Tim Storey: Turning Setbacks Into Comebacks and Achieving Unstoppable Success | E105

May 15, 2025 • 39 mins
Tim Storey grew up facing financial struggles, family instability, and a devastating loss at a young age. When his father tragically passed away in a car accident, it could have broken him. Instead, Tim leaned on his family for support and drew strength from his faith and community. This resilience led him to become a life coach, eventually earning the title of "comeback coach" for stars like Robert Downey Jr., Charlie Sheen, and G...
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Bank of America's Bernard Hampton: The Leadership Secrets to Building High-Performing Teams | E104

May 13, 2025 • 53 mins
Bernard Hampton’s journey from modest beginnings to Managing Director and The Head of The Academy at Bank of America is a testament to hard work, learning, and leadership. Raised in a middle-class family with a strong work ethic, Bernard’s early experiences shaped his leadership approach. From his start as a sales associate at RadioShack to leading over a thousand employees globally at Bank of America, he has always believed in the...
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Turning Personal Grief Into a Global Mission for Happiness | Mo Gawdat | E103

May 8, 2025 • 64 mins
Mo Gawdat was thriving in his career as Chief Business Officer at Google X, enjoying wealth, success, and a loving family. However, his life took a dramatic turn after the tragic loss of his son, Ali. This loss made Mo realize that happiness isn’t defined by external factors but by how we perceive and navigate life’s challenges. Letting go of everything that once defined success, including his career, Mo reinvented himself as an ad...
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Venture Capitalist, James Currier: Mastering Network Effects to Scale Your Startup | E102

May 6, 2025 • 45 mins
James Currier was born an entrepreneur. Before turning 18, he had launched 18 businesses. After years in corporate jobs, he fully embraced his entrepreneurial calling. He co-founded Tickle, one of the internet’s first successful user-generated platforms, which grew to 150 million users before being acquired by Monster.com for $110 million. Now, as a founding partner at NFX, he invests in high-growth startups leveraging network effe...
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The Power of Regret: Daniel Pink on The Unexpected Tool to Unlock Your Greatest Success | E101

May 1, 2025 • 45 mins
After studying law, Daniel Pink transitioned into politics, serving as the chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. However, he soon felt unfulfilled and realized his true calling wasn’t in a structured career with defined rules, but in writing. Despite the uncertainty, he made the leap, leaving politics behind to pursue writing full-time. This decision led to multiple bestselling books, including his latest, The Power of Reg...
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How Dr. John Demartini Crushed Life's Toughest Challenges to Unlock His Full Potential | E100

April 29, 2025 • 54 mins
Dr. John Demartini’s childhood was marked by major obstacles, from a severe speech impediment and dyslexia to a rough start in school. Told that he would never read, write, or communicate, he defied the odds. At age 13, he left home and embarked on a journey that would take him from street life to a global career as a human behavior specialist and entrepreneur. In this episode, John joins Ilana to share how he turned adversity into...
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Alex Carter: Negotiate Like a Pro, Powerful Techniques to Unlock Career and Business Growth | E99

April 24, 2025 • 53 mins
As a shy kid, Alex Carter struggled to speak up for herself. Her parents’ divorce sparked her interest in advocacy and mediation, which led her to pursue a law degree. Despite facing self-doubt early in her career, Alex bet on herself and built a career as a Columbia Law professor and renowned negotiation expert. Now, she helps others find their voice, advocate for themselves, and unlock career success. In this episode, Alex joins ...
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Chemi Peres: Overcoming Personal Challenges to Build Pitango, Israel’s Largest Venture Fund | E98

April 22, 2025 • 57 mins
Chemi Peres’s journey to success was shaped by both professional challenges and personal loss. After losing his job, he felt humiliated and vowed never to face such a setback again. He pivoted to venture capitalism, co-founding Pitango Venture Capital, Israel’s largest venture fund. Despite his success, Chemi experienced the profound losses of both his father and son. These tragedies fueled his drive to honor their legacies through...
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Guy Kawasaki: The Tech Evangelist Who Built Apple and Canva into Iconic Brands | E97

April 17, 2025 • 55 mins
Guy Kawasaki’s journey from a lower-middle-class neighborhood in Hawaii to becoming a Silicon Valley icon is clear proof of grit and transformation. After working in the jewelry business, he pivoted to tech and joined Apple as Chief Evangelist. There, he played a key role in launching the Macintosh, shaping Apple’s brand, and transforming how technology is marketed. Today, Guy is a venture capitalist, startup advisor, and Chief Eva...
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How Shai Reshef Is Empowering Refugees and Underserved Students with Free College Education | E96

April 15, 2025 • 48 mins
Growing up, Shai Reshef wasn’t the most enthusiastic student, but after earning a master’s degree in Chinese politics, he discovered the transformative power of education. Inspired by a UNESCO report predicting the future lack of access to higher education, Shai decided to act. He sold two businesses, leveraged open-source technology, and partnered with volunteer professors to create University of the People, the world’s first tuit...
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How Rosanna Pansino Overcame Dyslexia, Risked Everything, and Built a YouTube Empire | E95

April 10, 2025 • 53 mins
Growing up with dyslexia and ADHD, Rosanna Pansino struggled to find her career path. After being fired from every job, she found her calling on YouTube, combining her love for baking with nerdy pop culture. Despite financial struggles, she invested her life savings into building her channel, Nerdy Nummies, which quickly became a sensation. With over 14 million subscribers, bestselling cookbooks, and her own product line, Rosanna t...
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Breaking Limits: How John Hennessey Turned a Dream into the World’s Fastest Cars | E94

April 8, 2025 • 53 mins
John Hennessey’s passion for cars began as a child, sitting on his father’s lap as he drove and feeling the thrill of shifting gears. What started as a love for fast cars grew into a pursuit of speed and performance. Despite limited finances, John’s entrepreneurial drive led him to start a car modification business with no formal training. Through trial and error, he founded Hennessey Performance Engineering, known for the Venom F5...
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How to Win Investors: The Brutal Truth About Raising Capital | Elizabeth Yin | E93

April 3, 2025 • 56 mins
After quitting her job at Google, Elizabeth Yin took a bold leap into entrepreneurship by founding LaunchBit, an adtech company. Despite facing challenges with fundraising and customer acquisition, LaunchBit was acquired. Drawing on these experiences, Elizabeth joined 500 Startups, where she invested in early-stage companies. As co-founder of Hustle Fund, she now backs startups focused on speed and execution. In this episode, Eliza...
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LeapCon 2025: Ilana Golan on Taking Bold Risks That Lead to Unstoppable Career Growth | E92

April 1, 2025 • 35 mins
After her first startup collapsed, Ilana Golan lost her job, salary, and investment. Feeling like a failure, she spiraled into doubt and uncertainty. But instead of giving up, she made a promise not to be the person who does nothing. That decision led her to reinvent herself and found Leap Academy, a community helping others make bold career shifts. In this 2025 LeapCon, Ilana shares her emotional journey from feeling stuck in her ...
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Emmy Nominee, Bastiano Ferrari: From Broke and Sleeping on Beanbags to Building Hollywood Success | E91

March 27, 2025 • 38 mins
Bastiano Ferrari’s journey is one of resilience and perseverance against all odds. At just 11 years old, he faced financial hardship when his father lost everything. Despite his family’s disapproval, he pursued his passion for acting, even when it meant sleeping on beanbags and struggling to eat. But with his mother to care for, Bastiano had to pause acting to launch a tech company that ultimately gave him the financial freedom to ...
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