Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons don’t come from business books, keynote stages, or boardrooms.

Sometimes, they come from places you don’t expect.

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson shares unexpected leadership insights inspired by a behind-the-scenes look at Taylor Swift and her record-breaking Eras Tour. What he expected was spectacle. What he didn’t expect was a masterclass in leadership with heart.

This episode explores what it looks like to lead at the highest level without becoming harder, colder, or smaller in the process.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• Emotional discipline and why leaders shouldn’t dump their stress downhill
• Showing up as a guide, not the hero
• How preparation creates freedom and confidence
• Why generosity and shared wins build loyalty
• What true belonging looks like on a team
• The power of owning your work, your voice, and your story

If you’re tired of leadership advice that asks you to sacrifice your humanity for success, this conversation offers a better way.

• Save it for the next time you need a reminder of the kind of leader you want to be.
• Share it with someone who feels tired of leading the “right” way and is ready for a better one.
• Or send it to a leader who needs fresh inspiration from an unexpected place.

Because the world doesn’t need more polished leaders. It needs leaders who are prepared, generous, clear — and deeply human.

That’s what being a Badass Softie looks like.

As a new year begins, many leaders feel an unspoken pressure to measure themselves against impossible standards — more growth, more output, more proof that they’re “enough.”

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites listeners to pause and challenge the definition of success they’ve been handed.

Drawing from his own experiences launching businesses, leading teams, publishing a bestselling book, and creating work that mattered long before it was visible, Dr. Peterson makes a compelling case for redefining success as alignment, not achievement.

He introduces the concept of a Year of Enoughness — not as a lowering of ambition, but as a way to protect it. A definition of success that doesn’t demand burnout, self-abandonment, or the loss of creativity and joy.

Listeners will explore:

• Why achievement without alignment can still feel like failure
• How leaders unknowingly hustle for worth instead of living from it
• The difference between performative success and sustainable leadership
• A simple three-question framework to redefine success from the inside out

This episode is for leaders who are deeply driven — and quietly tired of measuring their lives by what looks impressive instead of what feels true.

If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a badass softie — a leader who is ambitious, values-driven, and ready to build success without losing their humanity.

As leaders, we’re often taught that joy should wait its turn.

That celebration is something you earn after the work is done, the chaos settles, and everything feels appropriate.

But what if that belief is quietly burning us out?

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites leaders to rethink joy—not as a reward, but as a leadership practice. Through a simple, human story and research-backed insight, he explores why joy isn’t denial, irresponsibility, or distraction… it’s how emotionally intelligent leaders stay resilient, creative, and deeply human.

This conversation is especially for those who feel the tension between ambition and tenderness—who are carrying a lot, leading through uncertainty, and wondering if celebration is allowed when things still feel hard.

Because joy doesn’t erase the heavy parts of life. It carries us through them.

✨ If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a true Badass Softie—someone who leads with heart, carries responsibility with courage, and deserves permission to celebrate a little sooner than they think.

Ever been at a holiday party, networking event, or standing awkwardly near a charcuterie board when someone asks, “So… what do you do?”

And suddenly your brain short-circuits.

You ramble. You minimize. You say something vague like “I help humans” and quietly watch the conversation die.

In this episode, Dr. J.J. Peterson breaks down why leaders dread that question—and how to answer it in a way that actually starts conversations instead of ending them.

Drawing from storytelling frameworks used in Hollywood, J.J. introduces a simple, human one-liner formula designed to help leaders explain what they do with clarity, confidence, and heart.

You’ll learn:

• Why most leaders accidentally confuse or bore people when talking about their work
• The 3-part one-liner formula (problem, solution, success) and why the brain remembers it
• How starting with someone else’s problem builds instant connection
• Why clarity isn’t just good marketing—it’s good leadership
• How a strong one-liner makes it easier for others to remember you and refer you

This episode is for leaders who are unapologetically ambitious—but still deeply human. The ones who want their words to open doors, not shut conversations down.

Because a great one-liner doesn’t pitch. It honors the person you’re talking to. It sparks curiosity. And it gives people a reason to ask the next question.

👉 Download the one-liner worksheet - https://www.drjjpeterson.com/one-liner

If this episode resonated, share it with someone you think is a Badass Softie—a leader who wants to lead with clarity, heart, and confidence.

When I first sat across from Jen Hatmaker for this conversation, I knew we were going to talk about courage and integrity. What I didn’t expect was how deeply her story would echo some of my own — and probably some of yours, too.

I’ve watched Jen navigate public success, private heartbreak, theological transformation, and the painful cost of choosing integrity over approval. Through every rise and collapse, she has somehow stayed tender, honest, grounded, and fiercely aligned with who she’s becoming.

In this conversation, we explore what happens when the life you built starts to crack. When the roles you’re praised for no longer fit. When the values you were handed reveal themselves to be too small for the person you’re growing into.

Jen and I talk about:

• the moment her 26-year marriage shattered
• how she examined the “faulty bricks” her life was built on
• which values are worth keeping — and which ones have to go
• the cost of living out of alignment
• the cost of choosing integrity instead
• what it really takes to rebuild a life that finally fits
• how pain can make you softer instead of harder

There’s humor here too — AC/DC trauma, country music fangirling, and a Grand Ole Opry moment that will make your throat tight. But at its core, this is a conversation about truth, courage, and the lives we claim when we stop pretending.

The reminder I needed most: There is always a cost to staying in a life that no longer aligns with who you are becoming. And the longer you stay, the higher the cost becomes.

In the end, that’s the work of a badass softie — letting courage and compassion walk you toward the life that’s meant for you.

Everywhere I go lately, people are asking me the same thing: How do I stay human when everyone is using AI? And honestly, I get it. We’re living in a moment where content is being produced faster and more generically than ever before and leaders are wondering how to keep their voice from disappearing into the noise.

In today’s conversation, I’m sharing something I’ve learned after years of helping leaders craft clear, meaningful messaging: AI can create, but only you can curate. AI doesn’t have a point of view. It doesn’t have lived wisdom. It can’t tell the story that shaped you or the moment that changed your leadership. Only you can do that and that’s exactly what makes your voice irreplaceable.

Inside this episode, I walk you through the two practices that will help you stand out in an AI-saturated world: personal stories and paradigm shifts.

I’ll show you how your stories build trust, how your perspective sets you apart, and how you can start developing a stronger point of view this week — not by being louder, but by being more you.

And because I want you to leave this episode with something you can use right away, I give you three simple assignments that will help you clarify your voice, connect more deeply with your audience, and create content that feels human again.

If this conversation resonates and you want help shaping your message or your thought leadership, you can always reach out at drjjpeterson.com — it’s the work I love most.

And if this episode speaks to you, share it with someone in your life who is both ambitious and deeply human — someone you’d call a Badass Softie.

In this episode of The Badass Softie Podcast, Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with creative business mentor and coach Laura Higgins for a heartfelt, grounded conversation on what it really means to lead as a creative.

Laura opens up about her journey from “generalist” uni dropout to running a successful business coaching over 1,000 creatives — and the mindset shifts, courage, and leadership skills she had to build along the way.

Together, they explore the tension so many creatives feel:

• Can I be ambitious without losing my softness?
• Can I lead boldly without abandoning my heart?
• Can I be an artist and an entrepreneur?

Laura makes the case that leadership isn’t a personality type — it’s a learnable skill. And when creatives pair structure with soul, something powerful emerges: sustainable success without losing the magic.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why creatives often struggle with self-worth and visibility
• The real reason imposter syndrome hits heart-led leaders so hard
• How to balance your “artist self” with your “entrepreneur self”
• Why leadership is a set of skills — not an identity change
• How to protect your creativity (your greatest currency)
• Practical steps to get more leads, sell confidently, and scale with intention
• Why kindness and boundaries can (and should) coexist

Connect with Laura:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurahiggins/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@laurahigginsofficial

Send this episode to the creative friend who keeps saying “one day.” Today could be the day they finally go for it.

In this episode of Badass Softie, I sit down with my longtime friend and former colleague, Tim Schurrer — someone whose leadership shaped not only my career, but the culture and growth of StoryBrand itself.

Tim is the author of The Secret Society of Success, a book that gently dismantles the assumption that success means being the one in the spotlight. And trust me… I’ve watched him live out that message for over a decade.

During our conversation, we explore:

• Why the spotlight isn’t the problem — but chasing it for the wrong reasons can derail your purpose.
• How Tim discovered he was built to thrive behind the scenes, not center stage.
• A leadership mindset shift inspired by the book Made to Stick: Are you demanding attention or attracting it?
• What Michael Collins (yes, the Apollo 11 astronaut who didn’t step on the moon) teaches us about quiet greatness.
• How redefining success can create more freedom, fulfillment, and impact than performing for recognition ever will.

Tim and I both believe this with every fiber of our leadership bones: You don’t have to be the one on stage to live a meaningful, successful, deeply impactful life.

And honestly? Most people aren’t wired for the spotlight anyway — and that’s not a shortcoming. It’s a superpower when you understand how to use it.

If this episode resonates with you, I’d love for you to subscribe, comment, or leave a review — it helps more people find conversations like this one.