Building Excellence

#239: Brent Beshore is the founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, a private-equity firm he launched in 2007 that takes a mission-driven, long-term approach: investing in family-owned and founder-led companies and rarely exiting them.

Raised in Joplin, Missouri, Brent studied politics (with a focus on poverty) at Washington & Lee University. Before starting Permanent Equity, he was an entrepreneur and operator across service and ma...

#238: Wren Baker is the Director of Athletics at West Virginia University, taking over the role in December 2022 as the school’s 13th athletic director. A native of Valliant, Oklahoma, Baker built his career through a blend of coaching, educational leadership, and administrative success. Before arriving in Morgantown, he served as the athletic director at the University of North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to unprecedented c...

Hans Helmerich is the Chairman of the Board of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., a Tulsa-based energy company and the largest provider of land drilling services in the United States. He previously served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer for 25 years, leading its growth and innovation in the oil and gas industry. Under his leadership, H&P developed its innovative FlexRig platform which played a major role in advancing land-ba...

#236: Ritchie McKay is the head men’s basketball coach at Liberty University, having first served in that role in 2007-09 and then returning in April 2015. Under his leadership, the Flames have achieved multiple 20-win seasons, won several conference championships, and secured the program’s first NCAA Tournament win in 2019. Prior to his return to Liberty, McKay was associate head coach at University of Virginia under Tony Bennett,...

#235: Kelli Masters is an attorney, a sports agent, business owner, author and speaker.  Kelli fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming a National and World Champion in baton twirling, and Feature Twirler for the "Pride of Oklahoma" Marching Band in the early 1990's.  In 1997 she was crowned Miss Oklahoma, winning awards for talent and community service at the Miss America pageant that year.  Kelli used her scholarshi...

Mike Matheny is the author of the New York Times Bestseller-The Matheny Manifesto.  He played thirteen years as a catcher in the Major Leagues, won four Gold Gloves, and holds the MLB record for most consecutive chances at the position without an error. He was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals for six seasons, leading the Cardinals to the postseason in each of his first four campaigns and winning the National League pennant in...

#233: Mitch Matthews is a keynote speaker, success coach, and host of the top-ranked Dream Think Do podcast — a show dedicated to helping people dream bigger, think better, and do more of what they were created to do.

As the founder of Dream Think Do Coaching and creator of The Authority Bridge™, Mitch has helped thousands of leaders, entrepreneurs, and coaches clarify their purpose, build thriving businesses, and make a meaningful ...

#232: Mike Noonan is a National Champion Coach and distinguished figure in U.S. collegiate soccer, currently serving as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Clemson University.

Before Clemson, Noonan built his coaching reputation over long tenures at Brown University (1995-2009) where he led the Bears to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Ivy League championships, and the school’s highest national ranking ever in 1995.

Earlier stops inc...

#231: Jeremie Kubicek is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, speaker, and entrepreneur who has spent his career helping leaders expand their influence and multiply their impact. As the co-founder and CEO of GiANT, he has built a global leadership development company that equips individuals and organizations with practical tools for growth, communication, and relational intelligence. Jeremie has started or led more than 20 com...

#230: Adam Donyes is the founder and President of Link Year, an organization designed to equip young adults with the tools they need for personal and professional success. Through mentorship, leadership development, and life skills training, Link Year bridges the gap between high school and adulthood, empowering individuals to discover their purpose and build resilience. Adam’s vision has helped create a transformative experience t...

#229: John Olinger's journey from Nike marketing executive to purpose-driven leader began with a single question: What will matter most when I get to the end of my life?

After spending a decade creating breakthrough campaigns for Nike and Jordan Brand—including three years leading Global Marketing for Kobe Bryant—an unexpected loss changed everything. Today, John combines his strategic marketing expertise with hard-won wisdom t...

#228: Bill Curry is a former NFL & Pro Bowl player,  2x Super Bowl champion, and celebrated college football coach whose life in the game has spanned more than 50 years. A Georgia native, he starred at center for Georgia Tech before playing ten seasons in the NFL, where he snapped the ball to legends like Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. Curry won a championship with Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I and later cap...

#227: Steve Lutz is the head coach of the Oklahoma State men’s basketball program. A San Antonio native, he made stops as an assistant coach at Incarnate Word, Garden City CC, Stephen F. Austin, SMU, Creighton, and Purdue. 

During his career, Lutz has worked under some of the most respected names in college basketball, gaining invaluable experience along the way. He spent seven seasons at Creighton under Greg McDermott, helping the ...

#226: General Stanley McChrystal, a retired four-star general, is best known for his leadership as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan and as head of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), where he reshaped counterterrorism efforts and interagency collaboration. Over his decorated military career, he commanded elite units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment and spent more than six years deployed to combat following ...

#225: Larry Kindbom is the former Wash U head football coach. His a highly respected figure in collegiate athletics, recognized for his remarkable career as a football coach and mentor spanning more than four decades. A former standout defensive back and baseball player at Kalamazoo College, Kindbom began his coaching career at Ohio State with Woody Hayes before serving as an assistant at the University of Akron. He earned his firs...

#224: As an award-winning keynote speaker, eleven-time New York Times bestselling author, host of the top-rated Corporate Competitor Podcast, executive leadership coach, and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, Don Yaeger has built a career as one of America’s most compelling and influential thought leaders.

Widely sought-after for his powerful insights on achieving greatness, Don draws from first-hand experiences worki...

#223: Brian Smith has served as Missouri’s head wrestling coach leading the Tigers for over 27 years. Under his leadership, Mizzou’s program has transformed into a national powerhouse through the establishment of the “Tiger Style” culture. During his tenure, he has guided the team to 23 winning seasons, including three undefeated dual campaigns, coached over 192 NCAA qualifiers and nearly 70 All-Americans, and mentored six individu...

#222: Mark Batterson serves as the Lead Pastor of National Community Church (NCC) in Washington, DC. NCC also owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Miracle Theatre, the DC Dream Center, the Capital Turnaround, and Culture House as gathering places for the community and funding for Kingdom causes. Mark also serves as Lead Visionary for The Dream Collective, which equips and supports dreamers who long for revival in the church...

#221: Josh Pastner is the current head coach of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels men’s basketball program, bringing with him over two decades of collegiate coaching experience and a reputation for program-building and player development. 

A member of the 1997 NCAA National Championship team at the University of Arizona, Pastner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Hall of Famer Lute Olson. He later served as an assistant a...