Jamy Bechler

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

Episode 059: Darrin Gray, The Jersey Effect and All Pro Dad

Darrin Gray serves as President and CEO of The Lions Lead.  Darrin has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in communications, media, branding, sports philanthropy and non-profit sectors and has managed annual budgets as large as $40,000,000. Based upon his work with All Pro Dad, the national non-profit founded by Tony Dungy, Darrin is recognized as a thought leader and speaker on the topics of family, fatherhood, mentoring and leadership.  Darrin co-authored The Jersey Effect, Beyond the World Championship, and supports his community by serving on non-profit boards and as the President of the Center for Serving Leadership at the Sagamore Institute, an action-oriented think tank. Darrin has a unique window into the National Football League by virtue of his day-to-day involvement with All Pro Dad, Family First’s national fatherhood program cofounded by Tony Dungy and Clyde Christensen. Darrin interacts with NFL athletes, coaches, and alumni that serve as spokesmen for All Pro Dad, and he has conducted programming with over half of the NFL franchises. He develops innovative partnership strategies to reach families via special events, broadcast, and new media with the assistance of media partners and corporate sponsors. He conceptualized The Jersey Effect years ago when he wondered what motivated some athletes like Tony Dungy to use their professional platform in sports, their jersey, to make a positive impact both on and off the field. A few years later he invited NFL punter Hunter Smith, while he was still playing in the NFL, to coauthor the book and to help him explore the many ways that sports shape culture, with the help of his world champion teammates and coaches. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Working with NFL Hall of Fame Coach Tony Dungy
  • His involvement with All Pro Dad
  • Taking a group of NFL players to Israel

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Character Revealed

“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

It has often been said that sports build character.   Sports allow people to learn many lessons. The games themselves, though, don’t necessarily build character. Instead, they reveal character. Just like a test that you might take in school doesn’t build your knowledge base, but it reveals what you already know. The homework that you’ve done or not done is revealed when you take a test. In the same way, what you’ve done in practice and your workouts is revealed during the games. Your habits can make or break you.

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Episode 058: Aaron Walker, President of “View From The Top”

Aaron Walker is a successful businessman and life coach. He has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others and believes experience is a great teacher. Aaron started his first business at 18 and sold it to a Fortune 500 company just nine short years later. Aaron has started, bought, and sold eight successful companies over the past 37 years. Having a strong desire for personal development has kept Aaron in a weekly mastermind group for more than a decade with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham and many other notable Nashville people. Aaron has enjoyed a 36-year marriage with his beautiful wife Robin. Today, Aaron spends the majority of his time helping men grow in success and significance as the President and Founder of VIEW FROM THE TOP, a premier life and business coaching resource. Aaron’s new book is entitled “View From The Top: Living a Life of Significance” and in it, he shares insights from the lessons he has learned along the way to help others find hope and inspiration. Aaron’s interview on John Lee Dumas’ Entrepreneur on Fire is in the Top-10 most popular EOF episodes! He is one of only 20 guests who were invited back for a second appearance.

 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • How he responded to a tragic event in his life
  • How to live a life of significance
  • When Aaron first met Dave Ramsey
  • Why you should be in a mastermind group

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Change is inevitable; Growth is optional

The world is always changing.  We are always learning more and more.  Technology is ever-changing.  Athletes are getting bigger, faster, stronger.  John Maxwell says that change is inevitable but growth is optional.

My wife and I have lived in 8 places during our marriage.  We have seen different cultures, perspectives and belief systems.  Ironically, we have found that one thing has remained the same through the years…the world is in a constant state of change.

Your ability to adapt to situations can lead to a higher level of success.  As a coach, I was faced with hundreds of decisions each game.  Some of them I was prepared for but many of them I was not.  I had to be ready to change course if need be.  That is life.

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Episode 057: Motivational Speaker Tony Gaskins, Jr.

Tony Gaskins Jr. is a motivational speaker, author, and life coach who has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show.  Tony built his brand from scratch to where he now has more than 1 million followers on social media. At 22, he became an author. At 23, he became a husband and father. At 25, he started his first company, Soul Writers LLC. At 25, he also got himself on globally televised shows to tell a portion of his story. Tony decided to turn his pain into purpose and live a life of service. Raised in the church and being the son of a pastor, there was something about service that stuck with Tony.

 

Tony made his fair share of mistakes like most young men from areas like where he grew up. Many of his childhood friends are serving life sentences in prison. Although Tony was introduced to the street life between the ages of 18–23, he finally found his way. At 23, he allowed love to change his life. His wife was unwilling to be with a man who wouldn’t live up to his full potential. That tough love pushed Tony to be more and to do more.

By combining all of his passions Tony became an author, life coach, and speaker.  In 2015 Tony began working with an NBA team as the team life coach.   Tony also became the life coach for several college teams. His message comes from his mess. He believes that we all are coaches because we’ve all learned lessons that can help someone else. Operating in his gifts also took him around the world as a highly sought- after speaker. Tony has spoken in two other continents and over 10 different countries and counting. Tony was able to accomplish these feats by the tender age of 31.

He doesn’t believe in boxes. “Don’t put me in a box until I’m going in the ground,” he says. He covers a wide range of topics in the areas of life, love, and business. He’s written several books on those subjects with his latest work being The Dream Chaser published by Wiley and available everywhere books are sold.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • His appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show
  • How his background helped shape who he is now
  • Writing books to help people
  • Working with and connecting with NBA players 

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Episode 056: Jeff Brown, Host of Read to Lead Podcast

Jeff Brown is the host of the highly-acclaimed “Read to Lead” podcast. Before beginning Read to Lead, he spent 26-years in radio. Jeff even co-hosted an award-winning and nationally syndicated morning show from 2002 to 2008.

The Read to Lead Podcast began in 2013. Since then I’ve been fortunate to interview a number of New York Times bestselling authors including John Maxwell, Seth Godin, Dan Miller, Daniel Pink, Simon Sinek, Chris Brogan (not once but twice), Gary Vaynerchuk and Liz Wiseman among others.

The Read to Lead Podcast has been a top #10 Business and top #3 Career podcast in iTunes, is an iTunes Essentials podcast (Book Lovers), and has twice been nominated Best Business Podcast. Read to Lead has been featured in Entrepreneur, Inc., SethGodin.com, ChrisBrogan.com, Goins Writer, Social Media Explorer, Nashville Business Journal, the Tennessean, and more.

Jeff also helps mentor and teach people how to host their own shows. Since January 2014, Jeff has leveraged his radio background to coach numerous podcasters, helping dozens create, launch, grow and monetize their shows. People like Brendan Hufford, Liz Covart, Harry Duran, Darrell Darnell, Ben Castleberry and Nicole Welch have all been clients. He has even had the opportunity to consult with the US government and several multi-million dollar companies the last few years.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • His early career as a radio DJ
  • How he got started in podcasting
  • Who is on Jeff’s bucket list of guests
  • Some of his memorable guests like Alan Alda, John Maxwell, and Seth Godin
  • Advice for people who might want to start their own podcast

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Episode 055: Best-Selling Author & Business Strategist Matt Morse

Matt Morse is the author of the #1 best-seller “Mental Game VIP” and co-author (with Brian Cain) of “Mental Conditioning for Baseball.” He is a former NCAA Division-I baseball player turned innovative entrepreneur, author, speaker, consultant, and coach who equips top businesses, authors, speakers, coaches, athletes, and teams with the tools and strategies needed to maximize their impact. Matt is also the founder of Kaifect, a full-service impact agency that specializes in online marketing, branding, web development, social media, content creation, copywriting, graphic design, audio/video production, product creation and launches, live events, Facebook Ads, affiliate marketing, research and reporting, and digital strategies.

During his third year as a college baseball player, he got injured and had to redshirt. As an aspiring college baseball coach, Matt used his time while recovering to create an interview series with 21 of baseball’s top mental performance coaches, which evolved into a book and audio program called Mental Game VIP.  At the same time, peak performance coach Brian Cain asked Matt to co-author his next book, Mental Conditioning for Baseball, to add a student-athlete’s perspective and insight on the mental game. Following the success of Mental Game VIP, Matt created a similar project focused on leadership that became Leadership VIP. His passion for coaching quickly shifted from on-the-field coaching to business coaching when he saw the opportunity and demand for business development in the sports arena. Matt has had the incredible privilege to be surrounded by great coaches throughout his life, including Don Beebe, Brian Shoop, and Brian Cain.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • The importance of social media and personal branding
  • Getting started as an entrepreneur while in college
  • Using drones in his business

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Episode 054: Larry Winget – The Pitbull of Personal Development

Larry Winget is known as “The Pitbull of Personal Development”. He was the star of A&E’s “Big Spender” reality show and is the author of many books, including 6 New York Times/Wall Street Journal best-sellers. Larry is the host of the “Grow a Pair” podcast and is popular expert guest on stations such as Fox Business, Fox News, and MSNBC. He has spoken to more than 400 of the Fortune-500 companies. Larry is the best branded, most recognizable speaker in the business. Many speakers claim to be original, but Larry Winget is THE original. He has established himself as an icon in the world of personal development and self-help. You won’t find many people who don’t know or who won’t recognize him as a result of his six national bestsellers, his thousands of on-stage appearances or his many regular television appearances. Larry was the first to be willing to take on the “positive attitude” motivational speakers and the Law Of Attraction bozos with his common sense, back to the basics approach. Larry still believes that hard work and excellence are the keys to success and communicates that like no other person on the planet can! Larry makes you think. He makes you uncomfortable. He offers common sense solutions that are impossible to argue with. On top of all that, he is hilarious.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • His awesome books with great content and creative titles
  • What he considers his best book and his most important book
  • How you can have more money
  • Why personal responsibility is important
  • How we should be making choices in life

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Episode 053: Cory Dobbs, The Academy of Sports Leadership

Dr. Cory Dobbs is the Founder & President of The Academy for Sport Leadership. A former basketball coach, Cory’s coaching background includes experience at the NCAA DII, NJCAA, and high school levels of competition. Cory has worked with collegiate athletic programs and high schools teaching leadership and team building as a part of the sports experience and education process. Cory is an accomplished researcher of human experience–a relentless investigator of team building and leadership behavior.  A skilled researcher, Cory actively engages the process of naturalistic inquiry seeking in-depth understanding of social phenomena such as leadership and team building in their natural setting.  A “teamologist,” Dr. Dobbs is an author, speaker, teacher, trainer and a consultant. Cory has been a recognized educator teaching at institutions such as Northern Arizona University, Ohio University, and Grand Canyon University.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Ways coaches can better develop their team leadership
  • How parents can help their child be a better leader
  • Why we need a leader in every locker room
  • What his thoughts on captains are

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Episode 052: Tim Selgo, 3x National A.D. of the Year

Tim Selgo is the author of the book “Anchor Up: Competitive Greatness the Grand Valley Way”.  He was the athletic director at Grand Valley State University for 20 years. During that time, the Lakers won the Director’s Cup as the top collegiate athletic department an astounding 10 times. Lakers teams won 18 national championships. He was named the national A.D. of the Year three times. He is now teaching part-time at Davenport University and is a Senior Consultant with Athletics Staffing and Consultants.

In addition, GVSU won 18 straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Presidents’ Cup titles as the top athletic program in the 16-team GLIAC. The Lakers’ 23 all-time Presidents’ Cup titles top all GLIAC institutions. Grand Valley State, which won 45 GLIAC titles prior to Tim’s arrival, has won 174 GLIAC titles since he was appointed Athletic Director in 1996.

A well respected leader in college athletics throughout his career, Tim served on the NCAA DII Management Council for four years (2007-11), including serving as Chair of the Management Council in 2009. A term on the NCAA DII Management Council is the highest position is DII athletics. He was named the NACDA Division II AD of the Year for the Central Region (2012-13), while also being named the Division II Central Region Astroturf AD of the Year (2006-07). He was also honored as the Central Region AD of the Year in 2002-03. In addition, Tim was President of NACDA for the 2015-16 year. Before getting into administration, Tim served as the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Toledo for three years.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • The “secret sauce” of building culture
  • Working with great coaches like Nick Saban, Brian Kelly, and Gary Pinkel
  • His new book and why all business leaders need to read it
  • How to surround yourself with the right people

[Read more…]

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