Episodes

Jake Kelfer, Founder of Professional Basketball Combine and Bestselling Author Is “no” better than “maybe”? Kevin and Lauren chat with Jake Kelfer about his path to creating a secondary combine for the NBA and becoming a bestselling author. He shares what it was like using his own money to fund his startup, the pitfalls of trying to please everyone, and the art of asking the right questions. His episode is full of great advice for everyone. Learn more about Jake: Twitter, Instagram Learn more ab...

Gentry Estes, Sports Columnist Do you want it enough to withstand the challenges? Kevin and Lauren chat with Gentry Estes about his path from a 16 year-old sports reporter to well-known sports columnist. He discusses the challenges he has faced, how work ethic separates performers at the highest levels, and the need to honor the opportunities one is given. Gentry also discusses his philosophy of digging deeper into a story with the goal of giving the audience something they don’t already know. L...

Emily Teti, Ph.D. Candidate, Researcher, and Woman in STEM How will you challenge yourself? Kevin and Lauren chat with Emily Teti about her path from a small school in North Carolina to finding her place in STEM. She discusses her father giving her scientific experiments to conduct at six years of age, the importance of learning with no fear of being wrong, and the lessons her parents taught her about not quitting in the middle of things. Emily also shares how she was able to combine her love of...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with World Champion Powerlifter, Blaine Sumner. Highlights include their discussion of the importance of a combination of good planning and mental strength, the different varieties of intrinsic motivation, and the pros and cons of basing your identity on your pursuits. They also discuss how some guests have achieved success doing it “by the book” while others have pulled only what they need from different approaches,...

Blaine Sumner, World Powerlifting Champion Do observers recognize the grind or just see the glory? Kevin and Lauren chat with Blaine Sumner about his path from a very lean kid to becoming the World Powerlifting Champion. He discusses the importance of reaching incremental goals, overcoming injuries, and being incorrectly viewed as a “genetic freak.” Blaine also shares his view on the importance of a systemic approach to tackling goals, the mental aspect of reaching the top, and what it is like t...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with a sport and performance psychology expert (Dr. Adam Naylor) and an Olympic Gold Medalist (Joe Jacobi). Highlights include their discussion of how goals can be counterproductive, how everything that gets popularized is at risk of being oversimplified, and the importance of contextual intelligence. They also discuss the approaches of focusing on what you have to lose versus have to gain, and assessing whether a go...

Dr. Adam Naylor and Joe Jacobi – Discussion on Goals What is your relationship with goals? In this episode, Kevin and Lauren chat with a sport and performance psychology expert (Dr. Adam Naylor) and an Olympic Gold Medalist (Joe Jacobi), about goals and goal setting. Highlights include a discussion of what makes goals truly helpful, the problem with rigidity in pursuing goals, and whether the easy access to analytical tools has pushed us to collectively overemphasize goal setting. The panel also...

Lauren Regula, Olympian; Founder of the Strong Mom Movement, and Trak Athletics What would your goals be if there were no limitations? Kevin and Lauren chat with Lauren Regula about her path from a very small town to becoming an Olympian and professional athlete. She discusses the need to personalize training for what works for you, having conversations with coaches while being coachable, and her struggles with mental health. Her journey of founding the Strong Mom Movement and returning to the m...

AB Eastwood, Music Producer Does a “no” mean you should stop pursuing your goals? Kevin and Lauren chat with AB Eastwood about his path in music production from meeting music legends after being invited to the White House to being an in demand producer. AB shares what it was like producing for well known artists before he owned his own laptop, the importance of learning one’s craft, and the reality of the music industry. He also discusses some of the lessons he learned along the way and how he f...

Cody Byrns, Author and Speaker Do you celebrate lessons learned during the hard times? In this episode, Kevin and Lauren chat with bestselling author and speaker Cody Byrns about the impact that a horrific near fatal car crash had on his path. He shares the importance of mindset when facing long odds, appreciating small victories, and recognizing that you can’t change the past. Cody also emphasizes the healing power of empowering others and the similarities between physical and emotional scars. ...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with musician Tyler Lee Frush. Highlights include their discussion of external and internal sources of motivational resources, the need for a dialogue on the best use of goal setting, and how much of what determines a musician’s success is beyond their control. They also discuss whether experiencing failure is more advantageous when it occurs before or after experiencing some success.

Tyler Lee Frush, Musician Do you define your success then go for it? In this episode, Kevin and Lauren chat with musician Tyler Lee Frush about his path navigating the music industry from idolizing Johnny Cash and Eddie Van Halen to releasing his own music. He shares the impact that feeling emotion from a song had on his songwriting, the difference between the goals of wanting to be a musician versus wanting to be famous, and giving the listener the opportunity to have their own meaning of a son...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with Mike Squires, Musician and Host, Couch Riffs Podcast. Highlights include their discussion of Mike’s approach of looking through the cracked door to see opportunity, the different definitions of success, and making a living off your passion. They also ponder musicians’ early inspiration in the post album digital age, and the addictive nature of being in a “flow” state with the inevitable experience of coming down...

Mike Squires, Musician and Host, Couch Riffs Podcast If you care a lot about something, do you prove it? In this episode, Kevin and Lauren chat with Mike Squires, veteran rock guitarist, about his path from humble beginnings to touring the world with music legends. He shares what it was like feeling like a fish out of water after arriving in Seattle, the importance of practicing with musicians better than you, and getting a call from Duff McKagan about auditioning. He also discusses his drive to...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with Elise Holtzman, President, The Lawyer’s Edge. Highlights include their discussion about how pressure can be a matter of perspective, the emotionally driven nature of sections of the human brain, and where the feeling of belongingness originates. They also discuss the importance of focusing more on what you are doing than what others are doing, and continue their discussions on the importance of rest.

Elise Holtzman, President, The Lawyer’s Edge Have you found your sweet spot? In this episode, Kevin and Lauren speak with Elise Holtzman, a former attorney, and now a coach and consultant for lawyers. Elise shares her path to becoming a lawyer and how becoming a parent of a child with special needs led to her becoming a coach. She discusses the impact of environment on one’s path, how impostor syndrome might be a common shared experience that doesn’t often get discussed, and that having a baby r...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with The BlackSon, Hip Hop Artist and Director. Highlights include their discussion about the benefit of healthy conflict, being happy with the self we are, and the benefits of The BlackSon’s mantra of treating every day as day 1. They also discuss the power of framing techniques such as seeing what you have to gain versus what you have to lose.

The BlackSon, Hip Hop Recording Artist, Artist, and Director Do you treat every day as Day 1? In this episode,The BlackSon shares his path from poet to being a rising star in the national hip hop scene. He shares what the transition was like moving from poetry slams to the hip hop stage, his goal of activating all of our senses with his art, and working with legendary producers. He also shares the importance of constantly creating, channeling nervous energy for a great performance, and specifyin...

Sean Kelly, Recording Artist and Past Member, Sixpence None the Richer Could you handle the demands of your dreams coming true? In this episode, Sean Kelly shares his path from jamming with his high school friends to being a member of the Grammy-nominated band Sixpence None the Richer. Sean discusses the grind of making it in the music industry, the excitement of touring on a tour bus for the first time, and the roller coaster ride of humbling versus rock star moments along the way. He also disc...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with Iris and Felicia Zimmermann, US Olympic Fencers. Highlights include their discussion about the personalized needs of an activity serving to allow one to be seen or remain unseen, the need to customize lessons from others to one’s own needs, and the unpleasant components of all goal attainment pursuits. Kevin and Lauren also discuss the various interpretations of grit, the importance of self-compassion, and build...

Iris and Felicia Zimmermann, US Olympic Fencers Is your success yours, or are you chasing someone else’s? In this episode, we speak with Iris Zimmerman and Felicia Zimmerman, sisters who grew up participating and competing in the sport of fencing including a chance to compete with each other at the Olympics. Following their transition out of the sport, they decided to take over and co-own the Rochester Fencing Club where they spent years training for excellence. They discuss their individual and...

Dr. Mark Williams, Professor, Author – The Best – How Elite Athletes are Made Do you keep moving forward every day toward your goals? In this episode, Dr. Mark Williams shares his path from international youth footballer to world-renowned expert on human performance. He discusses the tremendous growth in the use of science applied to sport, touches on many of the current debates in the world of coaching, and provides his take on the role of genetics versus environment in the development of elite...

BONUS: Hosts Drs. Kevin Harris and Lauren S. Tashman discuss their conversation with Abe Kamarck, CEO and Founder of True Made Foods. Highlights include their discussion about the role of serendipity in success, capitalizing on opportunities when they are presented, and making sure that one really wants the outcome being pursued. Kevin and Lauren also discuss the difference between routine- versus adaptive- expertise,

Abe Kamarck, CEO & Founder of True Made Foods Do you get stuck on the emotional rollercoaster, too high with successes or too low with failures? In this episode Abe Kamarck shares his path from growing up on his family’s Italian cooking, to military officer, to founder and CEO of a successful startup company. He shares what he learned in flight school about preparing for the worst-case scenario, navigating the pressure of starting and growing a business, and how success is a moving target. This ...