In Search Of Excellence

Latest Episodes:

Devon Larratt: The World’s Greatest Arm Wrestler | E63 May 30, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Devon Larratt, one of the greatest arm wrestlers in the world.

Devon is a Canadian professional arm wrestler and a former member of the Canadian Army Forces. He has won multiple world championships and is considered to be one of the best arm wrestlers of all time. He is also a fantastic person and one of the most entertaining and charismatic sports figures!

We talk about this very unusual sport, his grandmother who was “the best arm wrestler in Alberta," underground arm wrestling competitions, his military career, and more!

Time stamps:

00:00 Is arm wrestling really a sport?

Arm wrestling is a very simple sport
It has federations with rule sets
It is done on a professional table
The size of the arm wrestling table
The elbow must stay on 7” plain surface
What does it take to win
Neutral position start
Take a grip, ready go, pin your opponent, win the match
Advantages and disadvantages of different anatomies
How Sylvester Stallone influenced arm wrestling
The movie Over the Top

09:39 How popular is arm wrestling in US?

It is very popular, but doesn’t have government support
3 prominent professional leagues
Armors, King of the Table, East vs. West
Amateur arm wrestling – WAF and IFA
Arm wrestling as a sport is growing
World Arm Wrestling League
The deciding factor is does it bring money
Today it does have sponsors

13:50 Devon’s background

Grew up in Big Island, Ontario on a farm
He was a high energy kid
His grandma was an arm-wrestler
Never beat his grandma in arm wrestling
His brother showed him The Pumping Iron book
Was fascinated with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Identified strength with being a man
Obsessed with strength, fitness, performance
Training from a very young age
After high school worked in oil field
Ton of young man worked there
He arm wrestled with them and beat everybody
Dion Angel was unbeatable
At the time, arm wrestling was completely underground

25:08 Are mentors necessary for success?

A goal is a light in the distance
Sometimes you meet people who have been where you are going
They can be amazing guides
Dion was one of those people
Mentors provide guidance and save you time
With Internet mentors are much more available

27:30 Joining the Canadian Military

Joined the army in 1996
Combat tours are scary
It takes time to develop psychological strength to fight
Spent 20 years in arm forces
Complications from arm wrestling made him leave
You chose to serve your country and fight
Being shot you realize how lucky you are
Stuck for 4 days, had to take extremely strong antibiotics
Destroyed gut flora and was sick for 6 months
Being a follower and a desire to be the best

41:49 Devon’s vision of war and sports

Life is a gift and one of our jobs is to be happy
One key to happiness to find things that make you happy
Devon was always attracted to fighting

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:

Mircea Geoana: NATO Support for Young Leaders and Innovators | E62 May 23, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the second part of our insightful conversation with Mircea Geoana, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO. Mircea was born and educated in communist Romania, finished his education in the West, and built a successful political and diplomatic career.
He was appointed as an ambassador to the U.S.A. and became the youngest ambassador in Romania’s history. He later served as a president of the Romanian Senate, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister. In 2009, he narrowly lost the elections for the president of Romania when he received 49.6% of the votes.
Mircea is a board member of several organizations, including the World Economic Forum, The Aspen Institute, and the European Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a published author and has written several books on foreign policy and international relations.

00:00 NATO’s billion-dollar entrepreneur fund

NATO created an ecosystem where young entrepreneurs can test their ideas for free
Testing ideas in DIANA – Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic
The Innovation Fund – The first ever multi-national sovereign venture capital fund
Competition with China
European HQ for DIANA is based at Imperial College in London

10:23 Mistakes made and things learned from them

Don't be satisfied with your learning
Aspen Institute in Colorado
Started Aspen Institute in Romania
Wishes to become a moderator of Aspen leadership seminars

15:20 Five ingredients of being a great leader

There are no natural-born leaders
There are many different types of leaders
Never be happy with your success (make room for progress)

17:55 How important it is to be funny as a team leader

A tendency to become rigid and dry from within over time
Try to be humble and listen to others
Everybody has something to offer
There is always something to learn

20:32 What does it take to be successful

Life is tough and has ups and downs
There is always another chance
Never give up

21:36 Extreme Preparation

Romanians are very talented people, but sometimes neglect preparation
Hard work is very important (talent is not enough)
In NATO, everything is done with thorough preparation
Preparing for the unexpected
Don’t take things too seriously

26:30 The importance of mentors

Believes in mentorship and, even more, in indirect mentorship
Started mentorship program with NATO
Randall’s mentorship program
Mircea’s dream is to bring programs to Romania

31:33 The secret to work-life balance

The balance between mind, body, and spirit
A tendency to have a foresight for bad things to happen
A Randall’s intern spoke in NATO about the anti-microbial disease
Focusing on simple things – love, compassion, giving back, improving yourself
What is next after leaving NATO?

35:41 Fill in the blank to excellence

Mircea's biggest lesson in life
Mircea's number 1 professional goal
Mircea's number 1 personal goal
Mircea's biggest regret in life
Mircea's biggest dream
Mircea's advice to a 21-year-old self

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Mircea Geoana: From Communist Romania to Deputy Secretary General of NATO | E61 May 16, 2023

Show notes

My guest today is Mircea Geoana, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, who has had a successful political and diplomatic career for more than three decades.

At the age of 36, he was appointed as an ambassador to the U.S. and became the youngest ambassador in Romania’s history. He later served as a president of the Romanian Senate, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2009, he narrowly lost the elections for the president of Romania when he received 49.6% of the votes. He is a board member of several organizations, including the World Economic Forum, The Aspen Institute, and the European Council for Foreign Relations. He is also a published author and has written several books on foreign policy and international relations.
00:00 Family Background and Communism

Born in communist Romania
His dad (an engineer) and mom (transportation company)
Growing up in communism and feeling oppressed
When communism collapsed, immediately went to see the West
His fascination with America
Apart from the U.S., dreamed of visiting France and Italy

09:25 U.S. Immigration

America is the land of immigrants
People should be welcomed, but it’s not easy to receive too many people
The USA was an inspiration for him on how to rebuild Romania
The transition from communism to the capitalistic system
Wanted to transfer back home the best ideas from the West

12:00 Education

Getting his Ph.D. in Economics and studying in Romania and France
How important is education?
America is an abundant example of success without formal education
Never be satisfied with what you know (education should be ongoing learning of new things)
Many things are available online
Learning how to learn and understanding learning is a constant process
Choose whatever you want, but know you never know enough
The importance of building a social network in college

18:34 What Does NATO Do?

NATO creates the foundation of peace, stability, and security
Insurance policy for 1 billion citizens
Examples NATO efforts

23:05 Russian Invasion of Ukraine

NATO tried very hard to prevent invasion (in January 2021, tried to dissuade Russia but failed)
How did Russia get it so wrong?
Russian leadership lives in a different reality than the rest of the world
He hopes that Russians will realize that their leadership is in wrong
Doubts that Russian citizens have real information
How is this war going to end (both sides need to compromise)?
What makes a successful invasion (pre-conditions for counteroffensive)?
Ukraine requested to join NATO when Crimea was taken
Thoughts on Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Sweden

38:32 Nuclear Weapons and WW3

Russia has hypersonic missiles
9 countries have nuclear weapons
Three NATO countries have nuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons are very dangerous
The risks of nuclear war

43:47 Punishment for War Crimes

Sooner or later, every crime is going to be punished
We have conventions that regulate the war
Attempt to organize a war trial tribunal
It’s not easy but, in the end, justice will be served

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Relentless Work Ethic: Why It Is Essential For Entrepreneurs | E60 May 09, 2023

Show notes

Work ethic is THE single-biggest determinant of your success. In this epsidoe, learn from how the best in the world refine their work ethic and hear their thoughts on how to achieve true excellence in life and business. What is success? What are the key ingredients to success? How to overcome challenges and stay motivated? How to give back and inspire others? These are just a few of the questions they will answer. Tune in to hear more and grow and thrive on your path to excellence!
(00:00) Introduction

Sandee domain (www.sand.ee > www.sandee.com)
Become indefatigable

(03:42) Mike Horn – World’s Greatest Explorer

Latitude Zero Degree Expedition
We only have 30 000 days! Use them!
Surviving death squad
Don’t worry about the stuff you can’t change!

(09:05) Bob Pittman - CEO of iHeartRadio

Passion isn’t something you plan
Hired at NBC in Chicago as a 20-year-old
Whatever you do, do something you enjoy!

(10:43) Jon Gordon - Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker

Did a lot of research on how to be positive
Talented at making complex ideas simple
Created weekly positive tips
Jon's #1 tip - Gratitude Walks!
That will flood the brain with positive emotions
Mind is like a garden - weed the negative! Feed the positive!

(13:22) Chris Voss

Three most important ingredients to success
Be a little bit better every day
Be a better team player vs. the team leader (if you want to go far, go as a team)
Hear people out

(16:27) Brian Lee - Founder of LegalZoom and The Honest Company, and CEO of Arena Club

How important is it to be passionate about what you are doing?
Always passionate about the mission of his businesses
With Arena Club – for the first time passionate about the service and offer
The start of Arena card
Innovation comes from fixing something that is broken!

(23:46) Caryn Seidman-Becker - CEO of CLEAR

Overcoming insurmountable challenges
Be proactive!
Look around corners!
Make predictions and act on them!
Take care of your own!

(27:38) Ben Sherwood

When you’re great at something, great things happen to you
Working hard is necessary, but not sufficient
Giving back is a very important piece of success
The voice that leads you to excellence can be ruthless (go easy on yourself)
Constant thriving can be ultimately counterproductive
Be kind towards yourself and the people around you

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Craig Newmark: Reinventing the Peer to Peer Transaction (Founder of Craigslist) | E59 May 02, 2023

Show notes

My guest today is Craig Newmark – the Founder of the incredibly successful internet marketplace, Craigslist! Craigslist serves 700 cities in 70 countries and has 250 million users a month. In 2018, only four years after formation, Craigslist reached $1 billion in revenue.
During the last eight years, Craig Newmark has been one of our country's most active and generous philanthropist. During that time, he has given away more than $200 million. In 2022 alone, he gave away $81 million, which made him the 24th most generous philanthropist in the United States that year.
(01:50) Craig's parents

Growing up in a Jewish family in New Jersey
How his father's death impacted his future
Stress of going to college from a young age
The influence of Sunday school teachers

(06:29) Craig's Education (Computer Science)

Mastering quantum physics and computer science
Using the first computer for the first time
Being a nerd in high school and college
Being bullied as a kid

(12:14) Advice for people who don’t want to go to college

63% of people graduating college on financial aid
Advice to those who don't want to go
Why 42 is not too late to start a company
Advice to new founders
Craigslist started as a hobby
How Craig became an accidental entrepreneur

(18:53) Turning Craigslist into a real company

How Charles Schwab got started on Craigslist
Turning a hobby into a business
The first dollar ad on Craigslist
The monetization philosophy of Craigslist

(27:04) When is the right time to leave your job to start a company?

When is the right time to leave a job to start a company
The fear of failure
Why he didn't take money from Craigslist
Advice to other entrepreneurs
Evaluate and make judgments on the founder
Advice to those with founder syndrome

(33:55) What went into the decision to hire Jim as CEO

The decision to hire Jim as CEO
Early on, Craig asked for the privilege of not being on the phone
Treating people the way they want to be treated

(40:12) Customer service is a way to make more money

The CEO of Verizon (customer service is important)
Dunbar's number and how it's been guiding principles at Craigslist
None of the figures can be relied on
Top five elements of success

(57:32) Humility

The importance of being humble in search of excellence.
One of Craigslist challenges.
How Craigslist has dealt with these issues throughout the years.
How craigslist dealt with the issues.

(1:03:04) The downsides of having a lot of money

Net worth is estimated to be between one and $3 billion
The downsides to having a significant amount of money
His obsession with pigeons

(1:09:32) Philanthropy

Craig Newmark Philanthropies (CNP)
Pigeon rescue vs other philanthropic gifts
How to get involved in philanthropy
The one piece of advice Craig would give his 21-year-old self

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Mike Tyson: Fight To Your Last Breath | E58 Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

My guest today is Mike Tyson, a former heavy-weight boxing champion of the world and one of the greatest boxers of all time.
At the age of 20, he became the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold WBA, WBC, and IDF titles and a member of the international boxing Hall of Fame.
Mike has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He is the actor and creator of a one-man Broadway show Undisputed Truth, and the author of the best-selling book of the same name.
Mike is also a very successful entrepreneur and a founder of two cannabis companies, including Tyson 2.0. He is an incredible person and a dedicated philanthropist through his Mike Tyson’s Care foundation, and the support of other charities including The Make a Wish Foundation and The Special Olympics.

(1:52) Fame and money

Neither will make you happy
Become your own alarm system
The pain is the same at the top and the bottom of the world

(06:43) Three years in prison

Three best years of his life
Everything in life is psychological
Confidence brings success
Prison shifted his perspective (no one’s better than anyone else)

(11:33) Mike’s famous fights

Evander Holyfield - The Bite Fight
First fight in 1996, rematch 1997
The Sound and the Fury match
In the second fight – Mike got frustrated and got disqualified
Now they are partners
Buster Douglas – lost a fight from an underdog
Mike was happy that happened
He learned that losing is not as bad as you think
Never got discouraged in his life
Won the title again
His message to people who want to give up
The story of Don King
Adversities never stop, it’s how you handle them that can change

(19:16) Mike and Rodney Jerkins

Great friends with Rodney Jerkins Darkchild
Rodney is one of the nicest people he ever met
One of his best friends
Godley soul

(22:31) The importance of Extreme Preparation

It’s not for everyone
Balance doesn’t exist
Trained more than everyone else
Extreme preparation came from fear of failing
Everybody has a plan until they are punched in the mouth

(26:23) Life after boxing

Went totally broke after boxing and didn’t know what to do (called his wife for help and she helped him get back his life)
Discovered cannabis and got into the business
People allowed to drink and smoke on the show
Regrets he didn’t smoke pot while fighting
Mike Tyson's definition of success
The ingredients of success
What motivates Mike Tyson today?
The advice to a young boxer (prepare for disappointment and never give up and fight to your last breath)
Mike Tyson as a dad (7 kids)
Mike Tyson Cares Foundation

(39:16) Fill in the blank to Excellence

Mike Tyson's 10 year vision
Mike Tyson's biggest accomplishment
Mike Tyson's biggest regret
Mike Tyson's bucket list
Mike Tyson's hero

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Mike Tyson: “I Am Going To Tear His Soul Apart” | E57 Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

My guest today is Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight boxing champion of the world and one of the greatest boxers of all time! At the age of 20, he became the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold WBA, WBC, and IDF titles and a member of the international boxing Hall of Fame.
Mike has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He is the actor and creator of a one-man Broadway show Undisputed Truth, and the author of the best-selling book of the same name.
Mike is also a very successful entrepreneur and a founder of two cannabis companies, including Tyson 2.0. He is an incredible person and a dedicated philanthropist through his Mike Tyson’s Care foundation, and the support of other charities including The Make a Wish Foundation and The Special Olympics.
(00:00) Mike’s childhood

His dad was a pimp, his mom an alcoholic and a sex industry worker
He was bullied in his childhood ("you can’t run from them, you must confront them")
Started robbing people to buy food for his pigeons
A traumatic event with the birds that changed him
Mike's first fight and from being bullied, to being the bully
Went pick-pocketing and stealing with his friends
Started with crime at 11, by the age of 13, he was arrested more than 37 times
The stealing mentality - nobody else matters
His mom encouraged him to steal (his goal was to be a professional criminal)

(18:13) Juvenile facilities and Mike’s first steps in boxing

Watched the movie “The Greatest”, the story of Mohammed Ali
Transferred to Elwood Cottage
Mike was always handcuffed in a dangerous environment
Met Bobby Stewart who inspired him to finish school and started training him
At 13, Bobby wanted to take him to the next level - introduced him to Cus D'Amato

(21:14) Mike’s first mentor - Cus D'Amato

Relationship with Cus D’Amato (Cus taught him to never give up)
Cus became a father figure for him
The time Mike first experienced love
Cus saw in him the future world champion
Working out for 6 hours a day while going to school
Wanted to get kicked out of school, but Cus didn’t allow that
There is no progress without struggle (study about rats)

(29:32) The beginning of his fighting career

At 18, a fight with Hector Mercedes - beat him in one round
Wasn't afraid of losing, but being a bad loser
Mike's desire to be the world champion consumed him completely
Became the youngest boxing champion ever
His mother’s reaction - never got affirmed by her

(34:57) From millions of dollars to bankruptcy

Started making millions of dollars (became highest paid athlete in the world)
Went bankrupt being reckless, didn’t know how to manage money as a street kid
Being rich and going broke multiple times
Fame and money won’t make you happy
Become your own alarm system
The pain is the same at the top and the bottom of the world

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Jon Gordon: Fear Paralyzes, Love Overcomes | E56 Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Jon Gordon is a best-selling author and an amazing motivational speaker. He has written 27 books including 12 best-sellers and 5 children’s books. The most popular ones are The Energy Bus, The Power of Positive Leadership, Training Camp, Stay Positive, and The Garden.

The Energy Bus has sold over 2 million copies and inspired people around the world to change their lives and achieve success. Jon also worked with many Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sport teams, school districts, hospitals, and non-profits.
(01:20) Positive Leadership

Complaining is allowed only if you offer solution
Negativity sabotages the team
The science behind the positivity
Optimists are creating better future for them

(16:10) The Four C’s (Communication, Connection, Commitment, Care)

Communication (negativity fills lack of communication)
Connection
Commitment (to be committed team, you need to be connected team) - commitment recognizes commitment
Care (show that you care and others will care about team, customers, and results)
Vulnerability as a leader

(23:56) Most Important Ingredients For Success (Hope, Belief, Service, Care, Preparation)

The Carpenter builds with hope and belief
Fear paralyses you, love gives you power to overcome fear
Serve the people (as a leader, you have to serve and sacrifice)
Put your heart and soul in your work
The importance of extreme preparation
Sharing the ideas of his books with people

(32:53) Mental Health of Our Society

Our brains are not healthy (food, chemicals, and other things effect brain)
Neurotheology – how prayer influences brain
Positivity elevates our state of mind
A battle for the minds and souls of our kids is going on – we must help them to win
Suicide and overcoming the 5 D’s (Doubt, Distortion, Discouragement, Distraction, Divide)
Nothing can separate you from the love of God – love the Creator

(45:30) The Story of Damon West

Jon changed Damon’s life
You have the power to change everything
Jon's final message

Resources Mentioned:
Be a Coffee Bean, Damon West and Jon Gordon
The Garden, Jon Gordon
The Carpenter, Jon Gordon
Power of Positive Leadership, Jon Gordon

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Jon Gordon: The Power of Positivity (Your Life Is in Your Hands) | E55 Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

John’s father (step-father)
New York City undercover narcotics officer
Loving father, but with a negative world view (aught him to be stronger than the world)
Learned to be tough, but had to deal with negativity later
The Lord of the Flies neighborhood
Jon's Father got shot (came out of it a bit more positive)
Biological father was a social worker
The family were encouraging and supporting
At 30, John’s life crumbled (realized he had to start feeding himself with positivity)

(08:34) Getting out of a negative mindset

Got married at 26
Young entrepreneur with a restaurant business
Ran for city council (dreamed about being in politics)
Attacked with lies and didn’t win
Went to law school and dropped out
Got an opportunity to work for dot.com (everything crashed)
Going back to your passion
Had a second mortgage, credit card debt, and no savings / plan B
Lived in fear that he would disappoint his family
Asked God for help
Success and energy vampires

(17:16) Advice to future entrepreneurs

Do the research
Understand what you are doing
You have to truly love it and want it
Even if you fail, you still did what you loved
Choose your hard
Side hustle before you make it full time
The moment Jon became a true entrepreneur
Decided never to put his family’s future in someone else’s hands
Except struggle and challenges
Build a good team
Life is short, live it with no regrets

(26:10) Building the newsletter and publishing a book

Started researching positive psychology
Made complex ideas simple
Number 1 tip: take a gratitude walk everyday
Your mind is a garden, weed the negative, feed the postivie
Jon failed with 2 books
The Energy Bus succeeded through the power of prayer
Don't believe negative people
Optimism is the ultimate competitive advantage

(44:40) The message of the “Energy Bus”

Positivity and overcoming negativity
Dealing with the energy vampires and sabotage
Negative people suck your life
George, the miserable, negative person meets Joy the Bus Driver
10 rules for the ride of his life

Coaching and Staying Connected:

Rodney Jerkins: Strive For Perfection And Be Beyond Prepared | E54 Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

Rodney Jerkins is one of the most successful music producers of all time – he has worked with some of the greatest artists of our time, including Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and many more.
He has been nominated for 18 Grammy Awards and has won 2 – for the Record of the Year and Best R&B song. He is also an incredible songwriter and musician. His journey to excellence is incredible so tune in to hear more!
(00:00) Working with Michael Jackson

Teddy Reilly promised him to meet Michael Jackson (Teddy organized a trip to NY with Michael)
Several years later Rodney received a call to work with Michael Jackson
Jumped into the plane and waited in the hotel
His dream literally came true

(07:50) Importance of work ethics for our success

Working with Michael was a unique experience (Michael was a perfectionist)
One of the greatest experiences of his life
Rodney saved Michael's life on a four wheeler
Michael being accused of molestation
Michael was a kind and giving person caring for children and humanity

(17:18) Extreme preparation

Extreme preparation is essential (Michael was BEYOND prepared)
The goal is to take the client to the next level
Study and know everything about the client
Deliver the best version of yourself to the client
Show that you are extremely prepared
Success is inevitable

(23:26) The work ethic of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga

Beyoncé is similar to Michael Jackson – she strives for perfection
The secret is extreme preparation
Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson story
Practice ONE THING until you master it
Killer instinct – the ability to overwork anybody
What’s Lady Gaga like?
Outstanding and special
Working together before she was famous
She believed she became great

(32:10) The influence of faith

One of the nicest guys in the business
Known to be a man of faith
Proud of his songs (hates derogatory songs)
Artists are humans and go through troubling times
There is always a bright light at the end of the tunnel
Made himself available to people

(36:28) Achieving success and paying it forward

50 billion streams of the songs he produced
Finding talent and nurturing talent
Performing Big Daddy Kane at the school talent show
Rodney's favorite song is Bee Gees “How Deep is Your Love” Rodney’s favorite song?
Money as a factor in life and career (money should not be an idol)
If you’re great at what you do, the money will come

(44:32) Fill in the blank to excellence

Rodney's biggest lesson learned
Rodney's top professional goal
Rodney's top personal goal
Rodney's biggest regret
Rodney's biggest dream
Rodney's advice for his 21-year-old self

Coaching and Staying Connected:

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