Intentional Performers With Brian Levenson

Marc Polymeropoulos joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Marc worked in the CIA for 26 years and retired in 2019 after working as an analyst to start his career, and then he moved into operations. He is one of their most decorated field officers and has honed a unique leadership style based on his decision making under pressure, inclusivity, comradery, and competition. He terms this “finding clarity in the shadows.” Marc’s goal is to pass on this knowledge he learned in the CIA to the private sector. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing (6:10), if he had a vision to go down the road of national security (9:15), what stuck with him from childhood (12:00), why Cornell was interested in him (16:10), how 9/11 impacted his journey in the agency (21:00), the upside and downside of anger & guilt driving action (25:20), what the agency thought of psychological help (28:20), the comradery of the CIA (34:30), what it’s like to live in secrecy (37:20), what makes someone effective in the CIA (43:20

Chris Sparks joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Chris is the founder of The Forcing Function which is a company empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs by transforming the way they think about work. Chris was once ranked in the top 20 in online poker and we’ll talk about his experience playing online and in-person. Now he trains executives on some of the tactics he used to develop a competitive edge so they can reach their highest limits. Chris is a journeyman who has experienced the world, but he is also grounded having done a lot of work on himself. Chris is currently hosting workshops and retreats around NYC and he is helping clients consistently perform at their peak, accelerate business growth, and build lives with greater freedom and purpose. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing (4:30), his hobbies (9:10), the values his parents passed down to him (12:30), when he became interested in marketing (14:20), when he thought he could play poker full time (15:40), how people reacted

Dan Pink joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Dan is a very well-known author that has six provocative books about business and human behavior. His books include the longtime New York Times best-seller “When,” “A Whole New Mind,” “Drive,” and “To Sell is Human.” Dan’s books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 39 languages, and have sold more than 3 million copies. Dan currently lives in the Washington, DC area. In this episode, we discuss when he knew he was passionate about writing (3:10), what he was into as a kid (7:40), why he went off on his own (8:40), how to be productive with distractions (12:20), his habits to be productive (15:10), his research process (18:00), his mindset when speaking vs. creating (20:10), how he best acquires information (22:10), his ideas for future books (25:10), what’s driving him (28:00), advice he gives to people that want to be writers (29:10), how important legacy is for him (30:30), how he handles re-reading his work from years ago (34:10), adv

Jordan Steffy joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Jordan played Quarterback for the University of Maryland. Jordan is a mentor at his core and he is a leader. He founded two non-profits called Children Deserve a Chance Foundation and Attollo Prep. At his organizations, they help lead young men and women to college. He is a community leader based on Lancaster, PA and Jordan is somebody who cares deeply about making this world a better place. In this episode, we discuss what life was like for him growing up (4:30), the mentor he got in 8th grade (7:40), how he thought about money when he was young (10:50), why he was interested in academics (14:10), where he’d be if he didn’t play sports (17:40), his identity in high school (26:20), why playing QB was important to him (29:40), when Attollo Prep became something he wanted to pursue (32:00), his biggest win in college (35:20), how he leans on head vs. heart (38:30), what his routine looks like (41:00), what he does to make sure he’s empowering his pe

Betsy Butterick joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Betsy is articulate with her words, passionate about the work that she does, and very thoughtful about where she’s been and where she wants to go. She works as a coach and a communications specialist, and her work is right at the intersection of coaching sports coaches and how they are delivering messages to their organizations and teams. She is a thoughtful person that has been in the trenches as a basketball coach and is living her purpose and desire to have an impact with organizations and teams. In this episode, we discuss why she’s providing free resources for people during this time (4:10), if she’s wired to be optimistic (9:40), her siblings (12:20), the values her parents passed down to her (14:30), fencing and why it wasn’t passed down (17:20), how she maintained strength through hearing stereotypes (22:50), what high school was like for her (30:20), her experience leaving UMBC (38:20), when she realized she wanted to coach (44:40), wha

Torrey Smith joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Torrey went to the University of Maryland and played football, and then went up the street to play professional football for the Baltimore Ravens after being selected in the 2nd round of the NFL draft. He ended up playing in the NFL for 8 years where he spent the majority of his career on the Ravens, but he also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and then he finished his career with the Carolina Panthers. He won a super bowl with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, and he’ll talk about the culture with both of those teams. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing (3:50), how male figures in his life impacted him as a father (7:10), being one of seven siblings (11:30), post-traumatic growth (14:40), the importance of education (17:40), the decision to not smoke or drink (20:00), how faith played a role in his life (21:30), how emotions play a role in his life (24:00), what makes a super bowl winning team (30:30

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Coaching Leaders During Challenges. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below.  Scott Eblin Scott Eblin is president of The Eblin Group, a leadership development firm committed to helping clients lead at their best and live at their best.

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Leveraging Habits When the World Stops. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best.  The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Derin McMains Derin McMains is going into his 20th year of working in the highest level of sports. He has been a professional baseball player, professional

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Communication During Crisis. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Melissa Agnes Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation manag

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Mentoring and Coaching Vulnerable Populations. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Jamion Christian Jamion Christian, who architected a perennial Northeast Conference title contender at Mount St. Mary’s and turned Siena into one of

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Using Adversity for Good. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Rais Bhuiyan After serving as a pilot officer in the Bangladesh air force, Rais moved to the United States in 1999 to study computer technology. Ten days after 9/11, Rais

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Creating Culture During Uncertainty. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Kris Herman Kris Herman has been an instrumental figure in collegiate softball since beginning her coaching career at Tufts University in 1988. After Tufts, He

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Teamwork Under Pressure. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead, it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Mitch Aguiar Mitch Aguiar is a 10 year Navy SEAL Veteran, entrepreneur, speaker, painter and Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter.  Mitch learned early on that a lot th

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Negotiation Under Stress. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best.  The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Bio’s Below. Blake Baratz I have now worked in the representation of professional athletes for the past 10+ years. I have learned a lot about this industry, but the most glaring area

Thanks for joining us for today’s panel on Obstacle Opportunities. I have been fortunate to chat with over 150 remarkable people on my Intentional Performers Podcast. These people have overcome adversity, thought deeply about leadership, and have setup intentional lives for themselves to perform at their best. The coronavirus has created challenges for so many throughout the world and it is my hope that these panel discussions will help those in need. While everyone on the panel has tremendous expertise, I also want to note that what we are going through is truly unprecedented and there may be questions that the panelists don’t have the answer to. That’s ok. This isn’t designed to give you the answer to every question you have, instead it’s designed to have you think deeply about how you can handle this challenging time. Thanks to my wonderful panelists! Bios below. Josh Basile, a C4-5 quadriplegic, lives in Maryland and is a trial attorney working in Washington, DC. Growing up, Josh attended the Bullis S

The past few weeks drastically changed the landscape of the world. While I am generally an optimist, it’s my belief that the next few weeks will continue to be a challenge for many. With that in mind, I have been reflecting on what I could do to help. The Intentional Performers Podcast has given me an amazing gift; a stronger connection to amazing people and expanded wisdom and knowledge. It’s my hope that the listeners have received this gift as well.  So, here’s my idea to help others during this time of uncertainty. I am creating a series of panel discussions with past podcast guests to help others learn, grow and take action to better their lives and careers. It’s my hope that the content will help people navigate some of their toughest challenges right now in a productive way. You can also go to this YouTube link to watch all panels. Bios below for panelist participants.  Keith Mitchell Keith Mitchell is a former All-Pro NFL football player turned internationally renowned Celebrity Yogi. As a Motiv

The past few weeks drastically changed the landscape of the world. While I am generally an optimist, it’s my belief that the next few weeks will continue to be a challenge for many. With that in mind, I have been reflecting on what I could do to help. The Intentional Performers Podcast has given me an amazing gift; a stronger connection to amazing people and expanded wisdom and knowledge. It’s my hope that the listeners have received this gift as well.  So, here’s my idea to help others during this time of uncertainty. I am creating a series of panel discussions with past podcast guests to help others learn, grow and take action to better their lives and careers. It’s my hope that the content will help people navigate some of their toughest challenges right now in a productive way. All panels will be recorded on Zoom and uploaded to YouTube so that as many people can have access to the content as possible. You can also go to this YouTube link to watch all panels. Bios below for panelist participants. 

The past few weeks drastically changed the landscape of the world. While I am generally an optimist, it’s my belief that the next few weeks will continue to be a challenge for many. With that in mind, I have been reflecting on what I could do to help. The Intentional Performers Podcast has given me an amazing gift; a stronger connection to amazing people and expanded wisdom and knowledge. It’s my hope that the listeners have received this gift as well.  So, here’s my idea to help others during this time of uncertainty. I am creating a series of panel discussions with past podcast guests to help others learn, grow and take action to better their lives and careers. It’s my hope that the content will help people navigate some of their toughest challenges right now in a productive way. All panels will be recorded on Zoom and uploaded to YouTube so that as many people can have access to the content as possible. You can also go to this YouTube link to watch all the panels. Bios below for panelist participants

David Shapiro joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. David is the CEO of a non-profit called Mentor which does incredible work. They are the unifying national champion for outstanding quality mentor relationships for young people. For more than 25 years, Mentor has helped build and serve the mentor field by providing a public voice, and developing and delivering resources for mentoring programs nationwide. Mentors fantastic work with David at the helm has been mentioned in the Social Impact Exchange, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Grant Makers for Effective Organizations. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing (6:20), his relationship with his siblings (8:20), if he’s structured (12:30), how sports impacted him (19:50), what mentor does to give people access to “heroes” (24:40), why he started with the Tiger Woods foundation (29:50), why he went into the non-profit world (33:30), what makes a great leader and a great mentor (37:30), how to view mentorship as the mentor (42:30), the type

Riley Cote joins us on this week’s episode of the podcast. Riley played in the NHL for 4 years and was mainly known as an enforcer. We will talk about his experience as an enforcer, what it was like for him and the toll it took on him. Upon retiring from the NHL, he founded the Hemp Heals Foundation which is a non-profit organization that provides cannabis as a viable resource that can help increase the quality of lives of people. Riley is also a founder of Athletes For Care which is a non-profit organization created to help athletes find support, opportunity, and purpose in life after a career in sports. Riley is currently launching a product called Body Check Wellness which is a line of hemp based personal care products whose mission is to optimize everyday performance and challenge individuals to rethink the healing process. In this podcast, we discuss what life was like growing up (5:20), the values his parents passed down to them (9:10), his religious framework (11:40), his experience with ayahuasca (15