In Search Of Excellence

Latest Episodes:

Kelly Hansen: The Bumpy Road Of Musical Beginnings | E73 Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Kelly Hansen, the lead singer of the legendary rock band Foreigner, which has had five platinum records and sold more than 80 million albums.
He was also a lead singer of the heavy metal band Hurricane – one of the most popular bands in the 80s. Kelly is a great musician with an amazing life story.
00:00 Kelly’s Family and Growing Up
- A vivid picture from his childhood of his parents carrying albums under their arms
- Mom had a GTO convertible
- At school, he sang in the school choir – a part of the curriculum
- Discovered that he can sing almost accidentally
- Didn’t know how to use his voice, took some singing lessons
- Realized he could do that as his job
09:55 The Beginnings of Kelly’s Singing Career
- The first gig was at teen dance night
- He was a part of a cover band
- Later, they played at high school dances
- Ended up playing all over Southern California
- Played a military base in Yuma, Arizona
- Music requires a lot of sacrifices and hard work
- The band Hurricane
- Parents were supportive
18:00 After High School
- Left the high school band
- Had his own bands - Kelly Hansen band, The Last Tango
- Played around LA
- His father was his manager
- Also started doing sessions
- Played in a couple of cover bands
- Played 5-6 days a week
- Tried to connect to the audience
- Played with Ross Bolton, a great guitarist
- The Guitar Institute of Technology - GIT
23:39 The Rise and Success of Hurricane
- Met the drummer of the band
- Later on, met bassist Tony Cavazo and guitarist Robert Sarzo
- Started making music together
- Found a new drummer - Jay Shelton
- That's when they really became Hurricane
- Did some demos with the producer called Kevin Beamish
- Mixed them themselves
- Sent them around to record labels
- Made an EP with the producer Max Norman
- The record label noticed them
- Went on a tour
- Went on the road
- Made their second record
- The third record
- Continued doing shows and making songs
- Doug Aldrich came to the band
- Enigma records
- Doing shows on the road, trying to sell records
- Canceling the rest of the tour
41:48 Becoming a Foreigner’s Lead Singer
- In the early 90s, a new style of music was coming in
- Tackled the other aspects of the recording business that he loved
- Album production started to slowly sank down as technology advanced
- Realized he had to go back to what he does best - being the lead singer
- Foreigner was trying to get back together
- Set up a meeting with Tom Gimbel of Foreigner
- Back and forth conversation with management of Foreigner
- Received 5 Foreigner tracks - the original recordings, but without any vocals
- Mick Jones got to hear that CD in New York
- Kelly was one of the first ones to jam with the guys
- He got into the band
- Printed lyrics of songs and was memorizing 24/7

About Randall Kaplan: Randall Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, executive coach, co-founder of Akamai Technologies, founder and CEO of JUMP Investors, and host of In Search of Excellence. Through his Extreme Preparation™ methodology, he helps founders, executives, business owners, and ambitious professionals improve strategy, communication, decision-making, and execution.

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Dr. Mike Roizen: 90 Is The New 40 (How To Hack Your Longevity) | E72 Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to In Search of Excellence and the second part of our conversation with Dr. Mike Roizen.
Dr. Mike is a world-renowned physician and author whose work has helped tens of millions of people improve their health and wellness through lifestyle changes, and whose purpose in life is to spread the message that we get to control our genes to a large degree.
Dr. Mike formerly served as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, and Dean of the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago, and in 1997, he left to co-founded a company called Real Age, a consumer health media company that inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Shortly after selling the company, Dr. Roizen was named Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, the first such position at a major healthcare institution in the United States. Dr. Mike has published more than 185 peer-reviewed scientific papers, has written 18 books, including 4 New York Times bestsellers, and has received 13 and many foreign patents.
00:55 Stress management
- Most stressful events are financial
- The Christmas Eve story
- Stress management technique
- 10 breaths in the morning and evening
04:25 Vaccines in general and COVID-19 booster
- The initial COVID vaccination and the first booster were beneficial
- Long COVID and Spanish flu
- Dr. Mike is scared of the inflammation
- Flu vaccine 10 years in a row decreases the risk of dementia by 40%
11:15 Food recommendations
- Eat things that are healthy, that you love and that will love you back
- Eating bad food in moderation
- Fruit is a sugar and fruit is bound to fiber and is not easily absorbed
- 20g a day is fine
18:30 Obesity and fat reduction
- Obesity, especially obesity around your waist, causes inflammation
- White vs. brown fat
- Side effects of drugs for reducing fat
- We don’t know the long-term risk
22:40 Are hot sauna and cold plunge useful?
- We have more data on the sauna
- Sauna decreases heart disease and stroke risk
- Increases longevity
24:05 Effectiveness of vitamins and supplements
- The longevity playbook analyzed 53 supplements
- 15 have enough data on humans
- Creatine was a surprise
26:25 Can we live 120 years and do we really want to?
- As a society, we need to
- We are not producing enough kids
- The working age will go from 40 to 60 years
- The whole body will have a chance to get younger
- Old people can be functional as young people
30:45 Is there just a simple checklist that we should be looking at every day?
- Do what you love doing
- There are many choices but do what you love and add things on

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Dr. Mike Roizen: Your Genes Are Under Your Control | E71 Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Dr. Mike Roizen – a world-renowned physician and author whose work has helped tens of millions of people improve their health and wellness through lifestyle changes, and whose purpose in life is help other control their gene expression through healthy living.
Dr. Mike formerly served as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, and Dean of the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago, and in 1997, he left to co-found a company called Real Age, a consumer health media company that inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Shortly after selling the company, Dr. Roizen was named Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, the first such position at a major healthcare institution in the United States. Dr. Mike has published more than 185 peer-reviewed scientific papers, has written 18 books, including 4 New York Times bestsellers, and has received 13 patents.
07:32 The difference between real age and actual age
- Used to think this was all physiologic
- How to calculate your actual age?
- Age test on a new app called Longevity Playbook at the longevityplaybook.com
13:10 The results of the Human Genome Project
- What's the rest of the DNA?
- Switches that control your genes
- Your habits influence how your genes function
15:58 How will 20% of our genetics we cannot control negatively influence our life expectancy?
- Some of us are born with dominant genetic genes that might cause sickle cell disease
- Many of those 20% we're learning how to alter with CRISPR Cas9
- Stress Management turns off or on over 256 genes and reduces our rate of aging very substantially
17:51 How useful is DNA testing like 23andMe?
- They are designed to let you know what risk you have from a genetic standpoint
- You can take action to reduce the risk
- Some of these tests aren't exactly accurate
20:19 Should parents do genetic testing of their kids?
- In the future, it will be more common and more useful.
- Some genetic tests are mandated state by state
- We're still in the infancy of this field
24:34 38 choices to improve cognitive functioning and reduce aging
- Mike’s life mission is to alter your genetics to control them to improve the quality of life and life expectancy
- Speed of processing games
- Favorite video games
- Mike jumps rope every day
36:14 How to get 10,000 steps a day when you are a very busy person?
- Walking on a treadmill as you work, making phone calls
- What is important is physical activity
- 10,000 daily steps are optimal
40:35 The benefits of drinking coffee
- If you're a fast metabolizer, drinking lots of coffee lowers your risk of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Type 2 diabetes
- 8 cancers, including breast cancer

Coaching and Staying Connected:

David Kidder: Obsess Over Solving Problems, Not Making Money | E70 Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the second part of In Search of Excellence, featuring an exceptional man and a good friend of mine, David Kidder.
David is a serial entrepreneur, active angel investor, advisor to Fortune 500 companies, sought-after speaker, and author of four books, including two New York Times bestsellers, “The startup playbook” and “The intellectual devotional”.
David has been a co-founder and CEO of three venture-backed startups, including Clickable, SmartRay, and Bionic, where he is currently a CEO.
We are discussing if an entrepreneur is born or made, what is the right motivation to start a business, how to learn from hardships, what is the concept of TOAD, and the concept of Becoming. Tune in to hear more!
00:35 Are you born as an entrepreneur or you can become one?
- Born entrepreneurs are very rare
- Mostly conditioned at home
- Creativeness and problem-solving
09:52 The motivation for starting a business
- Those who earn $100 million are rare
- You can't be a billionaire without being lucky
- Compounding is the secret to long-term wealth
16:51 Extreme preparation and its importance for the success
- Extreme preparation benefits greatly
- For public speaking, David prepares like hell
- Do not love people just to get something from them
23:20 Transition from an entrepreneur to an angle investor
- 70% of all of our returns come from 7% of all capital deployed
- There are two investment signals
- You have to put yourself in a network
27:47 Dealing with difficult people and hardships
- You have to have the ability to say no to people
- Best books about entrepreneurship
- Success is a bad educator
- Growth lives in discomfort
33:34 Three most important things to look for in an entrepreneur
- Why them? What is their secret? What is their proprietary gift?
- Timing, their understanding of the forces within the next 3-5 years
- The ability to solve a problem and create an unfair advantage
35:24 Three worst things that an entrepreneur can do
- Overconfidence
- Ambition, not obsession, as a drive
- Urgency bias
37:14 What motivates David to be self-aware and constantly grow?
- The Becoming Journey
- The second stage is Love Loving point
- Mike Tyson – an incredible human being
- Toad principle
44:28 What is a toad and how it changes people’s lives?
- It's a natural psychedelic that exists in both biological and organic form
- The conscious physical reality that we live in is a part of the larger nature of our creation
- These are not toys, they're not recreational, they're profoundly powerful
- You’d probably want to experience them later in your life, in your 40s and 50s
48:12 Fill in the blank to excellence
- When I started my career I wish I had known
- The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
- My number one professional goal is
- My biggest regret in life is

Coaching and Staying Connected:

David Kidder: Becoming Successful and Discovering Who You Are | E69 Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is my good friend, David Kidder.
David is a serial entrepreneur, active angel investor, advisor to Fortune 500 companies, sought-after speaker, and author of four books, including two New York Times bestsellers, “The Startup Playbook” and “The Intellectual Devotional."
David has been a co-founder and CEO of three venture-backed startups, including Clickable, SmartRay, and Bionic, where he is currently a CEO.
We are talking about his background and early years, college experience, his first company, how to be successful as an entrepreneur, how to overcome the fear of failure, and what the future holds for our kids in this constantly changing world. Tune in to learn more!
02:15 David Kidder’s background and early childhood
05:22 What is Montgomery Ward?
08:26 The advice to companies that get offers to be bought by private equity firms
11:45 How to hire the right person for the job?
15:26 As a young entrepreneur, how to figure out what is good?
19:30 The story of David's uncle, Roger Franchi
23:25 How important are mentors for success?
26:02 How important is the college experience today?
30:24 How to advise kids on caring for their mental health?
35:04 The advice to students on how to deal with mental stress and negative thoughts
43:28 The start of David’s first company at 19
46:55 What is a roll-up?
49:40 Fear of failure and how to bounce back from failure

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Garrett McNamara: Prepare For The Worst But Expect The Best | E68 Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to Part 2 of Garrett McNamara, a legendary surfer who owns a world record for the largest wave ever surfed – 100 feet tall – which is the equivalent of the 10-story office building or the height of Niagara Falls.
He is the first person ever to ride a wave created by breaking glaciers.
Garrett is the author of the book “Hound of the Sea: Wild Man. Wild Waves. Wild Wisdom.” and the star of the fantastic HBO documentary TV series called “100 Foot Wave”.
He is also a dedicated philanthropist. Garrett and his wife, Nicole, started an amazing Waves of Life McNamara Foundation, which helps kids to discover nature and be more environmentally conscious and self-sufficient, with a particular focus on disadvantaged kids.
In this episode, we are talking about the big waves in Portugal, his team and preparation process, how to face the fear of death, his McNamara Foundation and so much more!
10:10 Surfing big waves at 50/60 miles per hour

Extremely dangerous
If there's no wind and it's glassy and smooth

12:38 Coming to Nazare in Portugal

In 2005, got an email from Dino in Nazare, Portugal
Emailed Larry Hamilton first, then Carlos Burle
Garrett replied right away

15:40 How does a big wave form?

The many variables that go into a wave
In Portugal, waves are formed by a shelf 30-60 feet deep
Coming of the swell
Rogue wave at the shore
Waiting on the wave and the thought process
How to know if it’s a big wave

23:54 Garrett’s team and what they do

Nicole, his wife
Safety drivers, trainers
First responder, ambulance, fireman, lifeguards
Videographers
Partners and sponsors
Lawyers and advisers
It’s all about surrounding yourself with people with the same goals

27:05 Training and diet for big wave surfing

Training can be focused or open
People aren’t drinking or doing drugs
Training 3-7 days a week
Garrett's current training regimen
Garrett has tried all the diets
Loves a good organic, grass-fed, free-range steak, chicken and fish

37:12 Facing death and the fear of dying

Never lost a tow surfer until last year in Nazare
Probably drowned, but the results of the autopsy didn’t come out
Big wave surfing deaths were many throughout the years
Every big wave is different
When you get pounded, the main thing is to relax and enjoy it
You have zero control you have you're at the mercy of the ocean
If you prepare properly and you have a good team, you know you're not going to die
How many times did Garrett almost die?
Fear of going out surfing
How to conquer your fears

52:31 Extreme Preparation in the world of big wave surfing

Extreme Preparation is a good safety plan
Figure out the possible challenges and prepare solutions
Prepare for the worst but expect the best
The power of visualization
Every person can become what they want with a good plan

57:33 McNamara Foundation

Sharing meaningful nature experiences with underprivileged youth
Getting them to fall in love with nature, thro

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Garrett McNamara: Surfing A 100-Foot Wave | E67 Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the second part of In Search of Excellence episode featuring Garrett McNamara, a legendary surfer who owns the world record for the largest wave ever surfed, 100 feet tall, which is the equivalent of the 10-story office building or the height of Niagara Falls.
He is the first person ever to ride a wave created by breaking glaciers. Garrett is also the author of the book “Hound of the Sea: Wild Man. Wild Waves. Wild Wisdom.” and the star of the fantastic HBO documentary TV series called “100 Foot Wave."
He is also a dedicated philanthropist. Garrett and his wife, Nicole, started an amazing Waves of Life McNamara Foundation, which helps kids to discover nature and be more environmentally conscious and self-sufficient, with a particular focus on disadvantaged kids.
Time stamps:

02:05 From a hippie commune to a crazy cult

Born in Massachusetts, grew up in Berkley
Raised by a single mom in a hippie commune
Found the cult The Christ Family
He was around 6, and his brother was 4
Those were the crazy times

07:57 Life in Hawaii

Was being poor motivation for his success later in life?
In Hawaii, mom had a husband Daryl
Lived on welfare
Always wanted to feel secure and not worry about the money

11:14 Surviving elementary school

First went to elementary school in Berkley
In Hawaii, he fought with Filipino gangs
In high school, fought with another guy and took him out
Hawaiians and Filipinos fought mostly with brass knuckles and knives

16:30 Garrett’s first surfing board

Anybody with darker skin who moves to Hawaii is accepted faster
Haole – Hawaiian term for anyone that is not a native Hawaiian
His garage sale surfboard
Surfed for the first time with his friend Butchy Boy Wong, a Chinese Hawaiian
He fell in love with surfing at 11

21:25 Falling in love with big waves

His bad experience surfing at Sunset and his fear of big waves
Didn’t have a father in Hawaii, but had father figures (Roy Patterson, Gustavo Liberte)
Was hanging out with Gustavo, smoked marijuana
When he was 16, Gustavo wanted to take him to surf at Sunset
Gustavo literally grabbed him by the neck and took him

27:27 How Garrett quit drugs and alcohol

Was using drugs often, but stopped at 19
He was invited to a Triple Crown
Realized that it was possible to earn a living from surfing
Quit using pot, cocaine, and alcohol to become a professional surfer
How much money did he earn in Japan?

33:30 Garrett’s brother Liam

Liam was better than Garrett, had more sponsors, made more money
Liam became the most photographed surfer in the world
Caught more waves than anybody at Rocky Point and Pipeline
He should have won the Pipeline Masters one year but didn’t
Breaking his femur and how it affected his career

41:35 What is big wave surfing?

Surfing on big waves became popular
Anderson Cooper described it as cruising at the side of a skyscraper but the skyscraper is collapsing on you
Garrett describes his best experience with big wave surfing

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Ryan Sheckler: When Success Takes Its Toll, The Tough Game Begins | E66 Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the second part of In Search of Excellence episode featuring Ryan Sheckler, one of the greatest skateboarders of all time!
Ryan turned pro when he was only 13 and became the youngest gold medalist in X Games history. At 17, he was the star of his own MTV reality show, The Life of Ryan. And in 2008, he created the Sheckler Foundation, whose goal is to support and enrich the lives of children and injured action sports athletes.
Tune in to hear about his experience with the reality show, how success led him to a very dark place of alcohol addiction, how he fought hard for his recovery and found Jesus, and so much more!
00:47 The good and the bad of Ryan’s reality TV show

The first season was super fun
Didn’t think much about it or about anything else except himself
Stopped filming at season 3 because he was absolutely over it
His parents split up in the middle of the season
He was a vulnerable, confused, sad, and angry teenager
Went crazy on the streets, pushed the boundaries, and filmed

08:08 A crazy lifestyle and losing control

Years 17 to 21 were crazy
Bought a Ferrari at 18, constantly threw parties
Those days were a learning experience
Turned into a character that people wanted him to be
Used alcohol to quiet the noise
Believes that God had a plan for him

12:40 The drinking addiction and recovery

Started drinking around 17
Alcohol was at him to kill him
He thought he had a good tolerance to alcohol
Started partying and drinking every night, then during the day
He was confused about who he was
Thankfully, no social media back then

22:10 The relapse in Norway

Ryan was 25 and preparing for X Games in Oslo
Just ended a toxic relationship
Had a bunch of drinks and got on the plane
Prayed to God to make him fall
Flew home the next morning
Lasted for 4 years and then relapsed
Though he could be a normal drinker, but he could never be

31:21 Clay Thompson and Michael Phelps

Clay was friends with his friend Tony
They talked a lot during the recovery phase
They keep in touch regularly
Got in contact with Michael Phelps during his rehab

35:12 The Costco Gap and skating in Taiwan

Search on YouTube - Ryan Sheckler Costco gap
He did the basic jump successfully on the first try
Four tries later did a kick-flip
In Taiwan, almost got run over by a truck on a freeway
Skateboarding in Taiwan is epic
At the time, just healed from a knee surgery

51:15 Three to five most important ingredients of success

Presence
Focus
Variable
Care
Being O.K. with failure

53:53 Family life and his dogs

Walter - a seven-year-old French Bulldog
Leo - a 10-year-old lab mix
Met his wife thanks to their dogs

58:10 The Sheckler Foundation

Had an experience with Make a Wish Foundation
Raising $240,000
The Sheckler Foundation

1:03:25 Fill in the blanks

One thing in life that you haven't done yet, but always wanted to do
The proudest moment of his life

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Ryan Sheckler: The Youngest Winner of X Games | E65 Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Ryan Sheckler, one of the greatest skateboarders of all time! He turned pro when he was only 13 and, in that same year, became the youngest gold medalist in X Games history.
At 17, he was the star of his own MTV reality show, The Life of Ryan. And in 2008, he created the Sheckler Foundation, whose goal is to support and enrich the lives of children and injured action sports athletes.

Tune in to hear about his beginnings, the skateboarding community, Tony Hawk, the crucial X Game competition that made him famous, and so much more!

Time stamps:

00:50 Ryan’s first skateboarding experience

He was around 18 months old
A wild kid that moved around a lot
Discovered skateboarding as a toddler and naturally took it to the next level
All his neighbors skated
Loves free-falling and speed
The reaction of parents when they got hurt
Broke his arm when he was 5

05:48 Wearing helmets and pads

Very important for kids that are still learning
Wore helmet until 14
There is always a risk of falling
Today, it’s all about social media
Social media can work for you or against for you
Kids should learn in their own way and at their own pace
There're no rules to skateboarding, you’ve got to feel it
Randall’s experience in Venice skate park

15:00 Meeting Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk skated at the YMCA
Ryan’s dad emailed him and asked to come to a birthday party
Tony asked for $500 and a chocolate cake
It was an incredible experience
His coming and the way he treated them stuck with him

17:22 Skater community is a giving community

Was in Cuba years ago
The skate scene in Cuba is epic
They build their own incredible skateboards from various materials
Left everything he brought with himself there
The skater community is special and very giving
Ryan traveled the world as a skateboarder
You don't have to speak the language, speaking skateboarding is enough
What they all have in common is pain
Ryan had 12 broken bones, ligaments injuries, surgeries, and pins
Do good things for people in silence
Randall’s son skateboarding themed Bar Mitzvah
As getting older, Ryan wants to be more selfless

27:50 Rodney Mullen and his impact on Ryan’s life

Rodney Mullen is the best skateboarder alive ever
Rodney is the forefather of skateboarding
A Skateboard company called Almost
Unexpectedly, Rodney Mullen called Ryan
Ryan was obsessed with skateboarding and won many competitions
But didn’t expect to go pro before 21
Started traveling with Rodney
The impact he had on Ryan’s life is immeasurable

33:57 Winning the X Games at 13

Getting invited to X Games
Always enjoyed skateboarding contests
Got the opportunity to go to X Games
He was stoked to be around all the skateboarding superstars
Preformed excellently and his score was the best
He won the competition but it didn’t make sense to him
Had to go to school the next day

38:50 Learning wrestling in high school

Won the X Games and turned pro
That summer had 4 more important competitions and won them all
Still wanted to be just a kid
Decided to go to freshman year of high school, not to be homeschooled
A friend took him to wrestling training
Won several matches
Learned how to roll out when falling on the ground
Without wrestling, he would have much more injuries

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Devon Larratt: "Arm Wrestling Is My Life" | E64 Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to Part 2 of an amazing episode of In Search of Excellence, featuring Devon Laratt, a Canadian professional arm wrestler who has won multiple world championships and is one of the best arm wrestlers of all time. He is also a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces.
In today’s episode, we talk about the things crucial for success, the importance of preparation, and the ability to accept defeat. You’ll hear about his most important wins and losses, the famous arm wrestlers he fought against, and so much more.
Time stamps:

01:05 The importance of Extreme Preparation