Episodes

Oct. 16, 2026

499. Ron Friedman Exposes What the Top 8% of Elite Teams Do that Others Don’t—from ER rooms, to NFL teams to Wall Street firms!

In today’s episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ron Friedman, PhD, award-winning social psychologist, keynote speaker, human motivation expert, and best-selling author, about what the Top 8% of elite teams do that others don’t, from ER rooms, to NFL teams to Wall Street firms. Every executive board in the country talks about culture, collaboration, and high performance. Yet the average knowledge worker spends nearly thirty (30) hours a week drowning in meetings and messages, ...
Oct. 9, 2026

498. Why Good Character Matters Most, with CEO Stanley McChrystal, General Ret., U.S. Army

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, host Dan Hesse talks with General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Army General (Ret.), Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan, Leader of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), co-founder and CEO of McChrystal Group, and noted, best-selling author of several books. A one-of-a-kind leader with a new perspective on collaboration and teamwork, General Stan McChrystal is known for helping organizations tap into the potential of their people to b...
Oct. 3, 2026

497. Noted Executive Psychologist Dr. Rick Eigenbrod on The Paradox of Success: You Achieved Your Biggest Goal, So Why Didn’t “Happily Ever After” Show-Up?

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Dr. Rick Eigenbrod, noted executive psychologist, Vistage International Chair and best-selling author, about what happens when achievement becomes an obsessive trap. They examine the illusion of “happily ever after,” the disorientation that strikes when you reach the top, and what comes next when you finally get what you want. From our earliest childhood, every fairy tale feeds us the same seductively simple script: Conquer the obs...
Sept. 25, 2026

496. From NBA Hall of Famer to U.S. Senator to Presidential Candidate, Bill Bradley shares powerful life learnings from his unconventional journey

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with former U.S. Senator William W. “Bill” Bradley and how he navigated major life transitions, why he shares very personal stories; you’ll even hear Bill sing a Van Morrison song to demonstrate his latest passion. Senator Bradley represents a rare convergence of elite performance across athletics, academics and public service. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 – 1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate...
Sept. 18, 2026

495. Legendary High School Coach Craig Bergman on What Amazing Things Happen When a High School Bans Smart Phones

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Craig Bergman, a legendary Hall of Fame coach and athletic director who spent more than 30 years mentoring thousands of young men and women at Monte Vista High School in Northern California. Craig had a front-row seat to the cultural shift that reshaped an entire generation. In this candid, unvarnished conversation, they look directly at what is happening to our kids, our parenting culture, and our future workforce: The Outsourcin...
Sept. 11, 2026

494. CEO Peter Banko Explains Why Firing the Right People in the Right Way is the Essence of Ethical Leadership

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Peter Banko, CEO of Baystate Health and author of “The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence and Compassion“. In this conversation, Peter joins Dan to explain why firing the right people is not only ethical, but often necessary for the well-being of the company and especially for its employees. Peter is the CEO of Baystate Health, which is a connected ecosystem of 13,000 caregivers who individually and t...
Sept. 4, 2026

493. In Light of the $17 Billion Settlement, Cecilia Kang Describes “An Ugly Truth” about Meta

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, HOST DAN HESSE talks with CECILIA KANG, award-winning journalist and co-author of An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination. In this book, Kang takes us inside Meta (Facebook’s parent company), explains the company’s decisions over the years and the impact Meta has had—and still has—on our privacy, on the news users receive, and on the mental health of young people. The conversation in this episode took place before the $17 billion settlement be...
Aug. 28, 2026

492. Renown Leader in Organizational Health, Pat Lencioni, talks about the Six Types of Genius that Power Successful Organizations

In today’s episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Patrick Lencioni, the world’s foremost thought leader on organizational health, about what makes an excellent leader, the critical importance of focusing on responsibility-centered leadership that is service-driven, other-driven vs. self-serving, reward-centered leadership. You’ll learn how this difference affects—and transforms—literally everything in an organization. His many best-selling books have sold more than 10 million c...
Aug. 22, 2026

491. Colonel Justin “Astro” Elliott talks with Dan Hesse about the Uniting Force of Human Achievement in the Name of Selfless Service

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Colonel Justin “Astro” Elliott, the Commander of the 96th Operations Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Colonel Elliot is the only person in history to complete all three of the Air Force’s elite flying programs: Fighter Weapons School, Test Pilot School, and the Thunderbirds. He is a Yale University ROTC graduate with three engineering degrees. His combat time in the F-15E during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM is featured in the b...
Aug. 14, 2026

490. How to find Profound Happiness, with Dr. James Hollis and Host Tom Loarie

In this episode of The Mentors Radio Show, Host Tom Loarie talks with distinguished psychoanalyst Dr. James Hollis to discuss why a person might achieve what he or she wants in this life and still feel miserable? Hollis is the author of 19 books including Living Between Worlds, What Matters Most, and his top-selling Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life. He is well known for translating the profound teachings of Carl Jung into practical wisdom for our everyday lives. He has a gift for chall...
Aug. 8, 2026

489. Nobel Laureate Bengt Holmström Shares How His AI “Colleague” Charlie Improves Scholarship and Life

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Bengt Holmström, the Emeritus Paul A. Samuelson Professor of Economics at MIT, to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of receiving the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics for his contributions to contract theory. His research has advanced the understanding of incentives, organizations, corporate governance, and financial liquidity. Bengt is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Scien...
July 31, 2026

488. Major Sports Broadcaster Matt Morrison talks about What Happens When Your Public Life Collides Head-on with Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with veteran sportscaster Matt Morrison, author of “Touched: The Marin Morrison Story,” about the difficult, unvarnished truths so many families face in silence. When Matt’s 14-year-old daughter, Marin—a record-breaking competitive swimmer—was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive brain tumor, their family’s world changed forever. Through multiple brain surgeries, a stroke, and partial paralysis, Marin’s unyielding spirit and faith propelle...
July 24, 2026

487. Dan Hesse talks with Jim Tracy on Founding a Company to Make an Industry Safer

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jim Tracy, founder and Chairman of the Legacy Companies and former CEO of Legacy Telecommunications, to discuss the importance of purpose and culture in business. Jim Tracy has been called the “Curator of Culture” and is also known as “The Grampion,” the title of his podcast, for his stories reflecting real life leadership experience. Legacy Telecommunications, where he served as CEO, is an infrastructure and technology services fir...
July 16, 2026

486. Two Invisible Ways We Destroy Our Careers and Relationships, with Guest Mentor Tom Hardin, the FBI’s “Tipper X”

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Tom Hardin, dubbed the FBI’s “Tipper X.” An undergraduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School of Business, Hardin’s promising career as a young financial analyst and junior partner at a small hedge fund in Manhattan, segued into Hardin becoming the youngest trader to be caught in a massive insider training FBI sting. Hardin agreed to cooperate with the FBI—agreeing to wear a hidden wire on more than 40 oc...
July 10, 2026

485. What Soccer Teaches Us About Business, with former All-American Soccer Player Ed Hawkins

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Ed Hawkins, former All-American soccer player and Founder and CEO of SixBeacons Partners. As we watch the World Cup, it’s fitting that Ed Hawkins, a former All-American soccer player and the first US born African-American to wear the USA jersey, joins Dan Hesse on The Mentors Radio to describe the business lessons that the game of soccer can teach us. Ed explores how leadership, culture and human development intersect in organizatio...
July 3, 2026

484. Why do 80% of Tech Startups Fail? It is Not because the Technology Doesn’t Work! Global Tech Marketing Leader Lifang He shares insider branding realities

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Lifang He, a global tech brand strategist and marketing leader who is known for her more than 20 years experience launching record-breaking, popular tech innovations that include Apple’s iPhone and more. Data shows that up to eighty percent (80%) of technology ventures fail—not because their technology doesn’t work, but because they fail to drive consumer adoption. Why? We dive deep into the engine room of the modern tech economy t...
June 26, 2026

483. Four-Star General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal Shares Insights on Risk Response, Building Teams and Leadership, whether on the Field or in the Office

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal about his career, leadership, building teams, risk management and more. A one-of-a-kind commander with a new perspective on organizational dynamics, Ret. General Stan McChrystal is known for helping elite teams tap into the potential of their people to better compete in a complex and interconnected world. Few can speak about leadership, teamwork, technology and international affairs with as much ins...
June 19, 2026

482. How Roger Goodell Expanded the NFL’s Presence in American Life from Fall Sundays to Every Day

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who, in two decades as Commissioner, has built the NFL into a sports, media and cultural leader—growing the NFL to be not only America’s, but the world’s top sports league, with 13 of the world’s 20 most valuable teams being NFL teams. Ninety-three (93) of the top 100 rated programs on American television were NFL games. Starting as an intern for Commissioner Pete Rozelle in the early ’80s, Roger beca...
June 12, 2026

481. Heart Attacks Peak on Monday Mornings: Is your job quietly killing you?—with Guest Mentor Raj Sisodia

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Raj Sisodia, PhD, co-founder of the global Conscious Capitalism movement, respected global business scholar, and author of 11 influential books. Today’s broadcast was originally intended to be a conversation with visionary business leader Bob Chapman, the founder of Barry-Wehmiller. Tragically, Bob recently passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. So we decided to anchor this show as a tribute to Bob Chapman’s remarkable ...
June 5, 2026

480. Greg LeMond, three-time Tour de France champion, on mental transformation, standing up for ethical principles, fierce competition and self-leadership

In thios episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Greg LeMond, widely considered the King of American Cycling, to share his story of coming back to win the world’s greatest and most demanding race, the Tour de France, after he barely survived a horrific and life-altering accident. You’ll learn how hard work changed LeMond’s psyche from one of despair to pure joy. In yet another battle, this three-time Tour de France champion describes his decade-long fight against the cycling indu...
May 29, 2026

479. From F-16s and F-35s to AI at the Pentagon: Charting the Flight Path for Tomorrow’s Leaders with Major General David Smith USAF

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Major General David Smith, USAF, deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon. You’ll learn about a realm most people never get to see: the intersection of high-stakes national defense, cutting-edge technology and extreme physical endurance. General Smith is a combat-proven command pilot with over 4,000 flying hours—including 700 in combat across operations like Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. On his last appearance...
May 22, 2026

478. Ambassador Randy Tobias Discusses Leaving the Private Sector to Help Save 20 Million Lives

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Ambassador Randy Tobias, former Vice Chair of AT&T, and Chair and CEO of AT&T’s primary operating unit, AT&T Communications. Randy left AT&T in 1993 to become Chair, President and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. In 2003 President George W. Bush nominated him to be the founding United States Global AIDS Coordinator with the rank of Ambassador and with the charge to develop, launch and lead what became PEPFAR, a multibillion-dollar U.S....
May 16, 2026

477. Horst Schultz, Founder of the Ritz-Carlton, talks about his journey and the Culture of Excellence, with Host Tom Loarie

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Horst Schulze, the legendary founder of the Ritz-Carlton hotel group, and author of Excellence Wins, as he shares his humble and amazing story of how – and why – he set the gold standard for customer service that ultimately led to the creation of the most iconic hotel brand in the world… and it all began with a dream at age five! Horst began his illustrious career as a busboy. How did he end up founding the Ritz-Carlton? What did h...
May 9, 2026

476. Navigating the Stages of Life with NBA Hall of Famer, Senator, US Presidential Candidate and Renaissance Man Bill Bradley

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with former U.S. Senator William W. “Bill” Bradley and how he navigated major life transitions, why he shares very personal stories; you’ll even hear Bill sing a Van Morrison song to demonstrate his latest passion. Senator Bradley represents a rare convergence of elite performance across athletics, academics and public service. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 – 1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate...