The Art of Excellence is an in-depth interview-style podcast about people who have accomplished great things in their lives. The goal of the show is to deliver inspiring stories from ultra-successful entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, authors, thought leaders and anyone doing something extraordinary. We will explore the backgrounds, talent, work ethic, sacrifices, mental outlook and serendipity that led to their success.
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Dean Koontz: 500 million books sold and counting
1:23:15
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1:23:15Dean Koontz is an author with fourteen number one hardback bestsellers and sixteen number one paperback bestsellers. His books have sold more than 500 million copies in thirty eight languages. His latest book is titled: Going Home in the Dark. Summary: In this engaging conversation, Dean Koontz shares insights into his writing process, the challeng…
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James Lawrence “aka” Iron Cowboy: 100 full distance triathlons in 100 days
1:15:22
1:15:22
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1:15:22James Lawrence has broken two Guiness World Records for endurance racing. He raced a full distance triathlon every day for 100 consecutive days and prior to that he raced 50 full distance triathlons for 50 consecutive days across 50 states. His latest book is titled Iron Hope: Lessons Learned from Conquering the Impossible. Summary In this conversa…
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Adam Galinsky: Unlocking the formula to inspiring leadership
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1:04:00Adam Galinsky is a social psychologist and a Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. He has published over two hundred scientific articles on leadership, negotiations, diversity, and ethics. He has been a damages expert in numerous defamation lawsuits that have generated more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements, incl…
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Diane Boyd: Wildlife biologist and wolf conservationist
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1:08:19
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1:08:19Diane Boyd has four decades of experience on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. In 1979 Diane moved to Montana to study wolf recovery in the Rocky Mountains, from the first natural colonizer to approximately 2000 wolves today in the western United States. Diane has worked for the University of Montana, U.S. Fish & Wildl…
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Laurie Santos: The Happiness Professor on the science of well-being
1:22:45
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1:22:45Laurie is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University. In addition to her work on the evolutionary origins of human cognition, Laurie is an expert on the science of happiness and the ways in which our minds lie to us about what makes us happy. Her Yale course, Psychology and the Good Life, teaches students how the science of psychology can provide…
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Don Lemon: Award winning broadcast journalist and media trailblazer
1:11:53
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1:11:53Don Lemon spent three decades on local and national TV – a trusted voice after the Sandy Hook massacre, in war-torn Eastern Europe, and during the riots of 2020. Anchoring Don Lemon Tonight on CNN for eight years, he was known for hard-hitting interviews with public officials and compassionate dialogue with everyday people. The Don Lemon Show is no…
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Guy Snodgrass: Former naval aviator, TOPGUN instructor, and speechwriter for Secretary of Defense James Mattis
1:16:17
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1:16:17Guy Snodgrass recently served as director of communications and chief speechwriter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis. A former naval aviator, he served as commanding officer of a fighter squadron based in Japan, A TOPGUN instructor, and a combat pilot over the skies of Iraq. Today he is the founder and CEO of Defense Analytics, a strategic consu…
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Craig Foster: My Octopus Teacher Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker
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1:00:43Craig Foster is one of the world’s leading natural history filmmakers and cofounder of the Sea Change Project, a nonprofit to protect marine life and raise awareness of the importance of the kelp forest. He won an Academy Award for Best Documentary for My Octopus Teacher and has created more than one hundred films and documentaries. His latest book…
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Adrian Newey: Greatest Formula 1 race car designer ever
1:07:40
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1:07:40Adrian Newey is Chief Technical Officer for Red Bull Racing. He has won 13 drivers' championships and 12 constructors' championships across three teams in his career. He is widely regarded as the greatest Formula 1 race car designer in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Racing teams have three departments: aero…
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Maurice Ashley: Chess Grandmaster, glass ceiling breaker, life philosopher
1:12:54
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1:12:54Maurice Ashley is a Chess Grandmaster, a chess commentator, a national championship coach, and an author. In 1999 he earned the title of Chess Grandmaster, making him the first African American Grandmaster in the game’s history, and was later inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame. His latest book is titled Move by Move: Life Lessons On and Off th…
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Gary Hunt: Ten-time world champion cliff diver
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55:22Gary Hunt is a professional cliff diver. He is a 10 time Red Bull World Series Champion with 43 overall victories and counting. He is widely considered the greatest cliff diver in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Juggling was a practice he used to increase his focus and concentration and take his mind off the…
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George Mumford: Psychologist, elite performance coach, and mindfulness guru
1:10:02
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1:10:02George Mumford is a psychologist, elite performance expert, and author of The Mindful Athlete. He has worked with worldclass athletes including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. He has also consulted with college and Olympic athletes, corporate executives, and inmates, and is a sought-after public speaker at both business and athle…
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BJ Miller: Palliative medicine physician and educator on life and death and everything in between
1:03:55
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1:03:55Dr. BJ Miller is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. He currently sees patients and families via telehealth through Mettle Health, a company he co-founded with the aim to provide personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional and existential issues …
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Kara Swisher: Tech journalist, digital media entrepreneur, and pioneer
1:15:43
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1:15:43Kara Swisher is the host of the podcast On with Kara Swisher and the co-host of the Pivot podcast with Scott Galloway, both distributed by New York magazine. She was also the cofounder and editor-at-large of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and co-executive producer of the Code conference. She was a former contributing opinion writer for …
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Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: Wildlife ecologist and first black woman to host a TV nature show
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1:04:58Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist with an expertise in uncovering how human activity influences carnivore behavior and ecology. She is a National Geographic Explorer, host the PBS podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, and is the cohost on NBC’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. She is the first black woman to ever h…
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Daniel Goleman: How to use Emotional Intelligence to Achieve an Optimal State Every Day
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55:31Daniel Goleman is a psychologist, former science journalist for the New York Times, and the author of 13 books including the #1 bestseller Emotional Intelligence. He has worked with organizations around the globe, examining the way social and emotional competencies impact the bottom-line. Ranked one of the 10 most influential business thinkers by t…
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Kristin Harila: Mountain Climbing World Record Holder
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49:56
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49:56Kristin Harila is a Norwegian mountain climber who recently set a world speed record for climbing the 14 highest peaks in just 92 days. Some interesting insights from this episode: · She quit her job and sold her home and put everything on the line to achieve this goal. · “If you are happy with less than your goal, then you’ll never reach your goal…
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Amy Edmondson: Harvard Business School Professor and Leadership Guru on the Art of Failing Well
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52:50Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, renowned for her research on psychological safety over twenty years. Her award-winning work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Psychology Today, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and more. Named by…
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Chris Voss: Former top FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of The Black Swan Group
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53:52Chris Voss is one of the preeminent practitioners and professors of negotiation skills in the world. He was formerly the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. He is the founder of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm …
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Jason Belmonte (“Belmo”): Greatest Bowler of All Time
1:02:43
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1:02:43Jason Belmonte is an Australian pro bowler. He has won 31 PBA titles including a record 15 major championships. He is one of two bowlers in PBA history to have won the Super Slam, winning all five PBA major titles. He has been named PBA Player of the Year seven times. He is widely considered one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Some interesting…
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Bubba Watson: Professional golfer and two-time Masters champion
1:08:23
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1:08:23Bubba Watson is a professional golfer. He has won two major PGA championships, both victories at the Masters. He has a total of 12 PGA tournament wins and reached a world ranking of 2nd in 2015. He has played in the LIV Golf league since 2022. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Bubba never had formal lessons. He was entirely self-taught…
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Frans Lanting: Internationally Renowned Wildlife and Nature Photographer
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55:28Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great photographers of our time. For more than three decades he has documented wildlife from the Amazon to Antarctica to promote understanding about the Earth and its natural history through images that convey a passion for nature and a sense of wonder about our living planet. He has received many honors …
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Carol Tomé: Chief Executive Officer of UPS
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54:59Carol Tomé is the Chief Executive Officer of UPS. Previously she served as Chief Financial Officer for The Home Depot. Carol serves as board member for Verizon Communications, Inc., board of councilors for the Carter Center and is a board trustee for Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Carol has been named twice to…
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Bob Waldinger: Psychiatrist, Professor, Zen Master, Happiness Guru
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51:59Bob Waldinger is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and director of the program in Psychodynamic Therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a practicing psychiatrist and a Zen master who teaches meditation around the world. His latest book is titled: The Good …
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John Mather: Nobel Laureate in Physics and senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope
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44:45John Mather is a Senior Astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He is also the Senior Project Scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope. His research centers on infrared astronomy and cosmology. He was the chief scientist for the Cosmic Background Explorer and received the Nobel Prize in Phy…
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Cindy Timchal: Winningest Coach in Division I Women’s Lacrosse History
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51:59Cindy Timchal is the head coach for the women’s lacrosse team at the United States Naval Academy. She is the NCAA's all-time leader in career wins (535) for division I women's college lacrosse. She has won eight national championships, seven of which were won consecutively while at University of Maryland. And as coach at The Naval Academy women’s l…
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Will Guidara: Restaurateur Extraordinaire and Hospitality Innovator
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1:07:18Will Guidara is the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, and is the cofounder of the Welcome Conference, an annual hospitality symposium. In 2017, Eleven Madison Park was voted the world’s best restaurant by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants annual ranking. He has coauthored four cookbooks, was named one of Crain’s New York Business’…
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David Copperfield: Magician, Entertainer, Storyteller
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45:18David Copperfield is a magician and entertainer, best known for his combination of storytelling and illusion, and described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. His illusions have included the disappearance of a Learjet, the vanishing and reappearance of the Statue of Liberty, levitating over the Grand Canyon, walking …
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Jimmy Burrows has directed more than one thousand episodes of sitcom television and has earned eleven Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. In 1974 he began his television career directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and Laverne and Shirley. He became the resident director on Taxi and co-created Ch…
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Marshall Goldsmith: The Father of Executive Coaching
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48:53Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized as the world’s leading executive coach and has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. His latest book is titled: The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment…
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Bertrand Piccard: Psychiatrist, pilot, explorer, adventurist, environmentalist, and humanitarian
55:04
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55:04Bertrand Piccard is a psychiatrist and explorer and made history by accomplishing two aeronautical firsts – flying around the world non-stop in a balloon, and more recently in a solar-powered airplane without fuel. As Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, he has succeeded in his mission to select 1000 profitable solutions to protect the environ…
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Gary White: Water.org and WaterEquity Cofounder and CEO
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58:28Gary White is the cofounder and CEO of Water.org and WaterEquity. In 1991 he launched WaterPartners International, the nonprofit that would later become Water.org. Today the organizations he leads are creating market driven solutions to the global water crisis, driving innovations in the way the world funds water and sanitation projects. His new bo…
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Andre Rush: Celebrity chef and yes, that guy with the 24-inch biceps
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50:30Chef Andre Rush is a retired decorated combat Veteran known worldwide as the White House chef with the 24-inch biceps and for his advocacy for military service, as well as suicide prevention, which is why he does 2,222 push-ups a day: to bring awareness to the ongoing epidemic of mental health and suicidal ideation. His new book is titled: Call me …
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Joaquin “Jack” Garcia is the former undercover FBI agent who infiltrated the Gambino crime family of Cosa Nostra in New York for nearly three years, resulting in the arrest and conviction of 32 mobsters. He worked on over 100 major undercover investigations over his 26 year career. He wrote a New York Times bestseller called Making Jack Falcone: An…
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Robert O’Neill: Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden
1:11:08
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1:11:08Rob O’Neill is a Navy SEAL combat veteran with decorations which include two Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars with Valor, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, three Presidential Unit citations, and two Navy/Marine Corps Commendations with Valor. He is a public speaker, TV personality, philanthropist, and cofounder of the Special Operators …
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Barry Sonnenfeld: Director, Producer, Cinematographer
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1:01:37Barry Sonnenfeld is a director, producer and writer who broke into the film industry as the cinematographer on the Coen Brothers’ Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller’s Crossing. He was the director of photography on Throw Momma from the Train, Big, When Harry Met Sally, and Misery. Barry made his directorial debut with The Addams Family and h…
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Monica Aldama: 14 national cheerleading championships and counting
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48:35Monica Aldama is the cheerleading coach at Navarro College. She is one of the most successful athletic coaches in the country, having led Navarro to 14 national championships. She and her team are the subject of a hit Netflix show called Cheer which is now entering its second season. She has a new book out which is entitled: Full Out: Lessons in Li…
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Eileen Collins: First female pilot and commander of a Space Shuttle
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49:14Eileen Collins is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force colonel. She was the first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle. Eileen has been recognized by Encyclopædia Britannica as one of the top 300 women in history who have changed the world. She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall Of Fame and the Un…
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Katharine Hayhoe: Climate scientist and chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy
52:35
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52:35Katharine Hayhoe is a climate scientist and chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy. She is also the Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law and Paul W. Horn Distinguished Professor at Texas Tech University. She has been named a United Nations Champion of the Earth and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People. She holds a PhD in atmos…
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Maya Gabeira is a Brazilian big wave surfer. She is most known for having surfed a 73.5 ft high wave in Nazaré, Portugal in February 2020, recorded by Guinness World Records as the biggest wave ever surfed by a female. It was also the biggest wave surfed by anyone that year. She has received numerous accolades including the ESPY award for Best Fema…
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Howard Shore: Academy Award-winning composer
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51:25Howard Shore is a musical composer and has won three Academy Awards for his score to The Lord of the Rings as well as four Grammys and three Golden Globes. He has scored over 90 films and collaborated with many well known directors including Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, David Cronenberg, and Tim Burton. Some interesting insights from this episod…
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Erin Brockovich: Consumer advocate and environmental activist
1:09:47
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1:09:47Erin Brockovich is the president of Brockovich Research and Consulting and the founder of the Erin Brockovich Foundation which educates and empowers communities in their fight for clean water. She was the driving force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in United States history. She has a newsletter called The Brockovich Report and her l…
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Ed Stafford: Extreme adventurer, explorer, and reality TV competitor
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52:37Ed Stafford is a British explorer. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the first person to walk the length of the Amazon River. He has been one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year and was also the European Adventurer of the Year. He has written multiple books on his quests and now hosts an adventure reality show on the Disco…
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Francis Collins: Director of the National Institutes of Health
1:04:44
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1:04:44Francis Collins is the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. Francis is a physician-geneticist noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the international Human Genome Project. Francis is an elected member of both the National Academy of Medicine and…
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Robert Lefkowitz: Nobel Laureate in chemistry
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55:29Robert Lefkowitz is a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who is best known for showing how adrenaline works via stimulation of specific receptors. He was trained at Columbia, NIH, and Harvard before joining the faculty at Duke University and becoming an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In addition to being a researcher, Bob is a card…
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BJ Fogg: Behavior Scientist and Expert on Habit Formation
46:14
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46:14BJ Fogg is the founder and director of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. In addition to his research, BJ teaches industry innovators how human behavior really works. He created the Tiny Habits academy to help people around the world. His book is called Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Some interesting insights fr…
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Jim McKelvey: Co-Founder of Square on Art, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
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51:20Jim McKelvey is a serial entrepreneur, inventor, philanthropist, and artist. He cofounded the mobile payments company Square and sits on the Board. He also founded Invisibly, a digital content company, LaunchCode, a nonprofit that teaches technology literacy, and a glass art studio. His book is called The Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Bu…
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John Mackey: Founder and CEO of Whole Foods
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50:32John Mackey is the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market and co-founder of the nonprofit Conscious Capitalism. He is a co-author of the book Conscious Capitalism as well as his latest book called Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business. Some interesting insights from this episode: He had a food consciousness awakening when he m…
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Jimmy Wales is the founder of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedia and co-founder of the privately owned Wikia, Inc. including its entertainment media brand Fandom. Wales serves on the board of trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit charitable organization he established to operate Wikipedia. In 2019, Jimmy launched WT Social …
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Al Roker: Weatherman, TV producer, journalist, and author
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39:45Al Roker is a weatherman and coanchor of NBC’s Today show, an Emmy-award winning journalist, a television producer, and a New York Times bestselling author. He has spent over four decades on television and received 14 Emmy Awards. He has written a number of best-selling books, the latest book is titled: You Look So Much Better in Person: True Stori…
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