What if the real challenge of creativity isn’t coming up with ideas… but creating the conditions where people believe in them enough to fight for them?

Today, we sit down with Neal Arthur, Global CEO of Wieden+Kennedy, the iconic creative agency behind culture-shaping work from Nike’s “Just Do It” to Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. Neal leads one of the world’s most inventive creative agencies, yet his lens on creativity isn’t about chasing brilliance. It’s about building the trust, safety, and belonging that allow great ideas to surface — and stick.

We dig into how he unlocks creativity in a world changing rapidly with AI: the tension between stability and risk, how leaders create conditions for honesty, and what AI means for the future of creativity and culture. We also get personal: how growing up feeling “othered” shaped Neal’s obsession with belonging and creative safety, why pressure rarely produces great work, and how optimism, resilience, and humility fuel constant reinvention.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to create conditions where pressure drops and creativity rises—even on deadline
• Why being “in it” with your team beats top-down mandates for great work
• The key to using AI right now: shrink the problem, play, tweak, learn
• Why “hard on the work, soft on the people” scales creative excellence
• How to navigate risk vs. stability when the future (especially with AI) is uncertain

If you care about unlocking world-class ideas in a rapidly changing world, this one is for you.

_____________________

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the key to deeper connection isn’t in what you say — but in how your body speaks, listens, and moves?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Vanessa Van Edwards — behavioral researcher, bestselling author, and founder of Science of People. A self-described “recovering awkward person,” Vanessa turned social anxiety into a science-backed toolkit anyone can use to improve communication, connection, and leadership. Vanessa studies what happens beneath words: how posture, tone, eye contact, and presence shape how we’re perceived and how we make others feel.

Together, we explore the subtle science of connection — from how warmth and competence support charisma to the micro-cues that determine trust, likability, and confidence. This is an episode for anyone who wants to show up with authenticity, read the room better, and make their communication more impactful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to use posture and physical space to project calm confidence
• Why warmth must come before competence to build trust fast
• How to eliminate vocal fry and question-inflection for stronger communication
• The key to spotting and disarming contempt before it festers
• How to teach kids “micro social skills” that build courage and connection

It’s a grounded, science-backed guide to showing up with more presence — and helping others feel at ease in your orbit.

____________________________________________________

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if instead of chasing a seat at the table, you built an entirely new game — and the world fell in love with it?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Jesse Cole, founder and owner of the Savannah Bananas and creator of Banana Ball. Jesse has built one of the most extraordinary, fast-growing sports movements by breaking every rule in the book. In an era where attention is the hardest currency, he’s turned baseball into a full-blown entertainment experience — part sport, part show, and all heart.

From selling out ballparks across America to giving foster families standing ovations mid-game, Jesse’s vision is driven by one principle: Fans First. He shares the habits and systems behind that mindset — from his “Learn, Change, Plus” culture of constant improvement to the leadership lessons that came from adopting two daughters during COVID. It’s a conversation about leading with joy, embracing risk, and using creativity as a form of love.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to design sold-out experiences by removing friction — and why iteration beats perfection
• Why culture must evolve from “team” to “teammates”
• The simple system that keeps the Savannah Bananas innovating nightly
• Why “winning” is redefined as a remarkable show and shared joy–not just the score
• How Jesse and his wife Emily turned their foster journey into Bananas Foster
• What it means to “play your own game” — in business and in life

This is a masterclass in building something meaningful — not by following the rules, but by following your heart.

--------------------------

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

Banana Foster: https://bananasfoster.org/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if being overlooked; dismissed as too slow or too average, was actually the foundation for becoming one of the greatest of all time?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Luc Robitaille; Hockey Hall of Famer, NHL’s all-time leading left-wing scorer, Stanley Cup champion, and President of the LA Kings. Recorded live at the California Surf Club, Luc pulls back the curtain on the mindset that carried him from ninth-round afterthought to hockey immortality: the daily commitment to get a little better, the discipline to quiet corrosive self-talk, and the belief that being underestimated can be a gift.

Luc’s story is the stuff of legend. In this candid, emotionally intelligent conversation, we dig into self-talk, flow, and the small daily behaviors that compound into greatness—plus how to transition from athlete to executive without losing your edge (or your humanity).

You’ll learn:

• How to move from negative mind → positive mind → no mind (flow)
• The simple rituals Luc used to build consistency and confidence
• Why service to the team is the quickest path out of doubt
• How elite organizations align inputs (not just talk about “winning”)
• What modern leadership looks like when you prioritize people

If you’ve ever been underestimated—or are leading people who are—this conversation will give you a grounded blueprint for turning doubt into durable confidence.

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the very thing you’ve been hiding from the world is actually the doorway to real connection?

On today’s episode, we sit down with legendary comedian, TV host, actor, and producer Howie Mandel - best known for Deal or No Deal, America’s Got Talent, and decades of stand-up. But the real story isn’t what Howie does. It’s how he thinks.

In this candid and deeply human conversation, Howie shares his lifelong journey with OCD and anxiety, his complex relationship with performance, and how comedy became both a shield and a bridge. Together with Dr. Mike, he explores what it means to embrace our humanness, manage the noise inside our heads, and show up vulnerably - onstage and off.

You’ll learn:

• How Howie Mandel transformed lifelong struggles with OCD and anxiety into creative fuel.
• Why vulnerability—even accidental—creates the deepest connections.
• How to become “comfortable with discomfort” and why that unlocks mastery.
• The difference between chasing fame and living from true contentment.
• Why engagement—not achievement—is the real key to a fulfilling life.

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you brought your hidden self into the light, this episode is your invitation to find out.

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if your deepest insecurity could become the catalyst for building something extraordinary?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Giorgos Tsetis - engineer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Nutrafol. As a young model, Giorgos faced the fear of hair thinning head-on and made a radical choice: to engineer a healthier, science-backed path. That choice would eventually serve millions and build a billion-dollar wellness brand.

This is more than a story about hair. It’s about identity, confidence, stress, and what it takes to transform pain into purpose. Giorgos shares openly about the anxiety of losing something that defined him, the science behind whole-body health, and the leadership lessons that fueled his journey from struggle to impact.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• Why hair health is a mirror of overall wellness
• How stress and lifestyle choices trigger genetic predispositions
• The importance of integrity and clinical rigor in building trust
• The leadership philosophy that carried Nutrafol to a billion-dollar valuation
• Leadership lessons rooted in kindness and psychological safety

Listen in and discover how Giorgos Tsetis turned one of life’s great personal confidence challenges—into a mission to elevate millions.

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it take to win an Olympic medal—while navigating the mental and emotional rollercoaster of the Games?

On today’s episode, Dr. Gervais sits down with Olympic silver medalists Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes, their legendary coach Marcio Sicoli, and moderator David Belasco to go behind the curtain of Team Canada’s incredible 2024 beach volleyball run.

This is more than a sports story, it’s a masterclass in resilience, trust, and unlocking human potential under the world’s brightest spotlight. From navigating emotional turbulence to breaking routines that held them back, this conversation reveals the uncommon mindset and team culture that fueled their breakthrough.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How radical honesty built trust that carried them through pressure
• Why shared values created unshakable team alignment
• The emotional reality of Olympic highs and lows
• How breaking routines unlocked their best performance
• Lessons in leadership, resilience, and culture from the Olympic stage

This rare inside look at Team Canada’s silver medal journey will inspire you to rethink what’s possible when purpose, honesty, and courage collide.

-------------------------------------

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if your success as a leader, parent, or partner depends less on IQ — and more on emotional intelligence?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Travis Bradberry — best-selling author and one of the world’s leading voices on emotional intelligence (EQ). With over 5 million books sold, including his latest The New Emotional Intelligence, Dr. Bradberry has spent decades studying how EQ shapes performance, relationships, and well-being.

In this conversation, we explore what emotional intelligence looks like in action: how it shows up in leadership under pressure, how it impacts the quality of your relationships, and what happens when it’s missing.

You’ll learn:

• Why EQ often outperforms IQ and technical skills as a predictor of success
• How to recognize blind spots that undermine relationships and performance
• What leaders with high EQ do differently when stakes are high
• Strategies for cultivating self-awareness and self-regulation
• Why EQ is central to living a “great life”

Tune in to hear Dr. Bradberry share practical strategies for building EQ in the modern world — and why doing so can unlock deeper trust, resilience, and clarity in every part of your life.

Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.