Jamy Bechler

Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.

Episode 114: Bob Wilson, NAIA Hall of Famer

Bob Wilson served as the athletic director at Vanguard University for more than 20 years. He earned the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Athletic Director of the Year honors twice (2002, 2012). Wilson also coached basketball at the collegiate level for more than 24 years. Wilson served the NAIA in significant ways over the years, including chair of NAIA Region II, chair of the National Administration Council, president of the Basketball Coaches Association, men’s basketball rater, and chairman of the NAIA Basketball Tournament. In addition, Wilson served as vice president of the GSAC, and was a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He conceptualized the Champions of Character initiative on the Vanguard campus when he created VU’s Gold Pride program. During his tenure, the department won 16 Champions of Character Team awards, two student athletes were voted Leroy Walker winners, and two head coaches were named Coach of Character. In March 2007, Wilson was inducted into the NAIA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the author of “The Ripple Effect” and currently serves as a partner with Comprehensive Athletics Consulting, LLC.

 
In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Developing student leadership
  • Creating a championship culture
  • Hiring and job search tips
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 113: Kara Lawson, WNBA Champion & Basketball Analyst

Kara Lawson is the Washington Wizards’ TV analyst and former star player at the University of Tennessee, as well as in the WNBA. She first joined ESPN in 2004 as a women’s college basketball analyst while playing point guard for the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. She has served in a variety of capacities – game and studio analyst, play-by-play and sideline reporter while covering men’s and women’s college basketball as well as the NBA. Lawson was a member of the Women’s Basketball Olympic Team, which won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and she captained the US Team to a gold medal in the 2011 World University Games. Overall,  in addition to winning an Olympic Gold Medal, she has won a WNBA title, been a WNBA all-star, won two high school state championships while also competing in the NCAA Final Four as a member of the Lady Vols. Off the court, Lawson is a passionate advocate for fitness and personal health. She is a member of the Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign, is active with Race for the Cure and also volunteers for the American Cancer Society. In 2010, Lawson began working with various chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Playing for Pat Summitt at Tennessee
  • How athletes can be better leaders
  • What qualities make up a great coach
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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Playing One String

The legendary Italian violinist Niccolo Paganini was playing a difficult piece of music before a large audience. Suddenly one string on his violin snapped, yet he continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then two more strings broke, and he completed the composition playing with only one string.

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Episode 112: Justin Kittredge, CEO of ISlideUSA

Justin Kittredge is the CEO and Founder of ISlide USA, which manufactures, markets, and sells premium custom athletic sandals.  The company was founded in 2013. In 2016, he appeared (along with NFL star Antonio Brown), on Shark Tank asking for an investment. Ultimately, he turned down an offer of $500,000. ISlide’s can be found on the feet of some of the world’s biggest celebrities, including Tom Brady, Ellen DeGeneres, Ice Cube, and Lebron James.  Justin spent a decade working as the Director of the Basketball Product Division at Reebok. Justin and his team worked to create, market and sell NBA basketball shoes throughout the United States and abroad. Justin was the Guinness World Records™ holder for the most completed basketball free throws in two minutes in 2010. By completing 64 free throws in 120 seconds, averaging a basket every 1.875 seconds, Justin beat the previously held record of 60 shots by Olympic silver medalist and basketball star, Laurent Sciarra, of Paris, France. He also holds the record for most completed blind folded free throws in two minutes and is in the process currently of getting a new record approved.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Boston sports figures
  • Turning down $500,000 on Shark Tank
  • The unique celebrity marketing strategy of ISlide
  • Hiring the right people
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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Episode 111: Elise Auxier – ICF Certified Life Coach

Elise Auxier is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified, professional executive and life coach and the owner of Gulfcoast Coaching in Tampa, Florida. Elise has 30 years of professional selling and sales management experience in corporate America, has owned and operated 2 successful small businesses and currently own and manage 4 pieces of commercial property.

She supports high performing women as they increase their courage and step into their confidence. With Elise’s guidance, clients break through obstacles of uncertainty, fear and limiting beliefs, and replace them with clarity, confidence and goal achievement.

 Contrary to personality assessments, the Energy Leadership Index (ELI) is a behavioral assessment which illuminates how current perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors either enhance ability to lead or detract from it. It measures how people really “show up” in life on a day when things are going pretty good and when they are under stress.

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Episode 110: Former White House Speechwriter John Corcoran

John Corcoran has worked in Hollywood, written speeches for President Bill Clinton and lost his job when Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Governator. Even though he’s lived in California most of his life, he is the world’s worst surfer, although he does speak Valley Girl fluently. His day job is working with small business owners and entrepreneurs as a lawyer and business advisor. He created a website called SmartBusinessRevolution.com where he shows small business owners and entrepreneurs how to use relationships to attract more clients, customers and revenues. John’s podcast has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs to Learn Personal Finance From.”

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Building a network without being sleazy
  • How to be the most interesting person in a room
  • What it was like to write speeches for President Clinton
  • Contributing to an episode of “The West Wing” TV show
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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Episode 109: Dr. Jerome Lubbe – The Brain Guy

Dr. Jerome Lubbe is the CEO and Founder of his private practice, Thrive Neuro Health, located in Decatur, GA where he partners with entrepreneurs, makers, leaders and communities to achieve their individual goals through optimized brain and body function. He formerly served as the Executive Director for Cerebrum Health Centers, as well as the Clinic Director of their Atlanta facility. Dr. Lubbe has a passion for equipping, empowering, and encouraging colleagues, entrepreneurs and students to serve their patients, local communities, and their staff through continued training in the practical applications of functional neurology. Dr. Lubbe has a unique story and likes to say that he’s “an identical twin who immigrated to the mountains of Northeast Tennessee as a 7-year-old white refugee from Zaire with my parents, older brother, Bi-Polar grandmother, a $100 and two suitcases, I lost my father at 14, and I had my first debilitating migraine when I was 17. Since then I’ve averaged a separate migraine every 3-4 days with chronic, daily pain and fatigue between.”

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Books to Read in 2019

I love to read. It wasn’t always that way. We were made to read in 1st grade and I hated it. However, all that changed in 2nd grade. That was when we were able to pick something from the prize box when we read so many pages. I couldn’t tell you a single book that I read that year, but boy do I remember those baseball cards that I picked out and how it motivated me to become a better reader. My teacher allowed me to read football books, baseball books, detective books, really any kind of book that I was interested in.. I read books that interested me … and, yeah I started my huge baseball card collection. Fast forward to present day and I am still reading books. My shelves may be full of books, but unlike many professors or business people, the books on my bookshelves aren’t just for looks, they have all been read. As 2019 approaches, I realized that I need a new batch of books to get me through the year as I ride the stationary bike at the YMCA or read right before falling asleep. Here are the 19 books that I plan on reading in 2019. I just went through Amazon and put them in my shopping cart and can’t wait for them to arrive. I will give you a quick summary of why I am wanting to read each book. Keep in mind, I am not saying these books are good books, like my previous articles Books for Coaches, Books for Leaders, Recommended Books for 2018, Underrated Books for Leaders but rather that these are the ones that I want to read for various reasons. I hope that they are good,otherwise I will have to toss the book and Mrs. Johnson might not give me credit for it thus denying me the next great baseball card from the prize box.

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Episode 108: Phil Hellmuth, 15x World Series of Poker Champion

Nobody has won more World Series of Poker championships than Phil Hellmuth Jr.  He won his 15th WSOP Bracelet in the summer of 2018, which puts him far ahead of Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, and Doyle Brunson (who all have 10 bracelets). Hellmuth also holds the record for most cash finishes and most final table appearances at the World Series of Poker. In 1989, the 24-year old Hellmuth became the youngest person ever to win the WSOP Main Event when he defeated legendary Johnny Chan. “The Poker” Brat as he is known for his colorful and competitive personality, was elected to the Poker Hall of Fame in 2007. He has also written a New York Times best-seller (“Play Poker Like the Pros”), as well as his autobiography (“Poker Brat”). Hellmuth also is very active in raising funds for charities. He has raised more than $50 million in his lifetime for charitable causes and organizations.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What makes him so good
  • The process of writing his books
  • Qualities and principles of success and positivity
  • … and so much more!!!

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