Champion Reads

Hosted by Champion Reads Book Club: Jon Kovach Jr. | Ian Stermer | Champion Circle

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143

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The Champion Reads Book Club meets weekly to discuss powerful principles in major books and bestsellers. The hosts Jon Kovach Jr. and Ian Stermer lead professional discussions about and applying the principles we are reading in our current book studies. Champion Circle Networking Association is a coaching and consulting business using business networking events, education, training, workshops, and one-on-one/group coaching. Our organization has in-person and online groups in various parts of the country. Learn more by visiting www.MyChampionCircle.com

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August 7, 202632 min

Read the Room, Rethink Social Media, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff | Beyond Bestsellers

Welcome to Beyond Best Sellers, a different kind of Champion Reads episode where Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer each bring a book that probably won't get its own full Champion Reads breakdown, but deserves a place in the conversation.This time, the three books couldn't be much more different: Body Language by Dr. Glen Wilson, Twitter Works! by Joe Sorge, and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and It's All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson. One explores what people communicate without saying a word. Another looks at Twitter and challenges how we think about using social media. The third is a reminder that sometimes the things consuming us today aren't going to matter nearly as much as we think.Jon brings Body Language from the perspective of a public speaker and leader. When you're standing in front of a room, leading people, or having an important conversation, the words being spoken only tell you part of the story. Learning to notice posture, expressions, reactions, and other nonverbal cues can help you understand what people may not be saying out loud. The lesson isn't to become a human lie detector. It's to become more aware of the people you're communicating with.Ian brings Twitter Works!, written by his high school friend Joe Sorge. While Twitter itself has changed significantly since the book was written, Ian looks at the ideas behind it and how the book gave him a different way to think about the platform and communication through social media. Sometimes an older book about technology becomes interesting for a completely different reason: you get to see which ideas disappeared with the platform and which principles still hold up.Coach Willie brings Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and It's All Small Stuff, a book built around simple lessons for keeping life's frustrations in perspective. His takeaway is especially important during stressful seasons: sometimes you aren't living a bad life, you're simply going through a hard season. You don't have to solve the entire season today. Keep moving through it one step at a time.💡 Key Ideas Covered:* Read More Than Words - Jon explores why leaders and speakers need to pay attention to what people communicate without saying anything.* Communication Keeps Changing - Ian looks at Twitter Works! and the ideas that challenged how he thought about social media and connection.* Old Books Can Still Hold Relevant Ideas - A platform, strategy, or technology can change while some of the thinking behind it remains useful.* Hard Seasons Are Still Seasons - What feels overwhelming right now doesn't automatically define where your life is headed.* Take the Next Step - When everything feels heavy, stop trying to solve everything at once and focus on moving forward one step at a time.* Every Book Doesn't Need a Full Breakdown - Sometimes one idea, one perspective, or one unexpected lesson is enough to make a book worth reading.Beyond Best Sellers is our chance to give those books their moment. Not every great read needs several episodes of analysis. Some simply deserve to be pulled off the shelf, talked about, challenged, and passed along to the person who might need them.Three hosts. Three completely different books. Three reasons they were worth bringing to the table.🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 Learn more and join the Champion Circle at: https://www.mychampioncircle.com#ChampionReads #BeyondBestSellers #BodyLanguage #TwitterWorks #DontSweatTheSmallStuff #BookRecommendations #Leadership #Communication #PersonalGrowth #StressManagement #BookPodcast #Reading

August 5, 202634 min

If Only One Person Wins, You Both Lose | How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie

In this episode of Champion Reads, Coach Willie Blake and Ian Stermer continue their exploration of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, bringing the conversation toward the final ideas of the book and a principle that ties much of Carnegie's philosophy together: creating outcomes where everyone can win.It is easy to think of influence as getting someone to do what you want. You persuade them, make the sale, win the argument, get the agreement, or walk away with the outcome you were after. But if the other person walks away feeling ignored, used, or like they lost, did you actually win?The conversation explores the idea that lasting influence is built differently. A true win-win requires understanding what the other person values while also being clear about what you need. It is not about giving in, avoiding conflict, or making everyone happy. It is about looking beyond "me versus you" and finding an outcome both sides can genuinely stand behind.This connects many of Carnegie's principles throughout the book. Listen to people. Understand their perspective. Make them feel important. Avoid unnecessary arguments. Appeal to what matters to them. When those principles work together, influence becomes less about controlling the outcome and more about creating one together.💡 Key Ideas Covered:* Win-Win Over "I Win" - The strongest outcome is one both sides can walk away feeling good about.* Understand What They Need - You cannot create a mutual win if you only know what you want.* Winning an Argument Can Still Be Losing - Being right does not automatically mean you created the best outcome.* Don't Confuse Win-Win With Compromise - The goal is not always splitting everything down the middle. Sometimes there is a better option neither side initially considered.* Relationships Matter After the Decision - Short-term victories can create long-term problems if people feel taken advantage of.* Influence Should Create Value - The best influence helps people willingly move toward an outcome that benefits everyone involved.The win-win theory changes the question from "How do I get what I want?" to "How do we create something that works for both of us?" That shift matters in business, leadership, negotiation, marriage, friendships, and almost every relationship where two people have different wants or perspectives.As Champion Reads reaches the final ideas of How to Win Friends and Influence People, this principle brings much of the book full circle. Real influence is not measured only by whether someone said yes. It is measured by what happens to the relationship after they do.🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 Learn more and join the Champion Circle at: https://www.mychampioncircle.com#ChampionReads #HowToWinFriendsAndInfluencePeople #DaleCarnegie #WinWin #Influence #Leadership #Communication #Negotiation #Relationships #PeopleSkills #PersonalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth

August 3, 202633 min

The Secret to Getting People to Work With You | How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie

In this episode of Champion Reads, Coach Willie Blake and Jon Kovach Jr. continue their exploration of *How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie, digging into one of the most practical parts of influence: creating alignment with another person instead of simply trying to convince them.Most people approach disagreement by explaining their side harder. They give more reasons, defend their position, or try to prove why they are right. Carnegie takes a different approach. If you want someone to move with you, you first have to understand what matters to them.Creating alignment does not mean everyone has to think the same way. It means finding the shared interest underneath two different perspectives. What does the other person want? What do you want? Where do those two things connect? Once you understand that, the conversation stops feeling like one person has to win and the other has to lose.Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer explore how this shows up in leadership, business, sales, relationships, and everyday conversations. Sometimes the fastest way to create resistance is to make someone feel like your idea is being forced onto them. People are far more likely to move when they can see themselves in the outcome.That requires listening before persuading. Instead of immediately asking, "How do I get them to see my side?" start asking, "What matters to them, and how can we create an outcome that works for both of us?"💡 **Key Ideas Covered:****Understand Before You Influence** – You cannot create alignment if you do not understand what the other person actually wants.**Find the Shared Win** – Look for the outcome where both sides have something meaningful to gain.**Stop Trying to Prove You’re Right** – Winning the argument can sometimes cost you the relationship or the result.**Speak to Their Interests** – People are more motivated by their own reasons than by yours.**Alignment Reduces Resistance** – People are more willing to move forward when they feel included instead of pushed.**Listen for What Matters** – The best path forward often becomes obvious once you stop talking long enough to hear the other person.Creating alignment is not manipulation. It is not finding the perfect wording to trick someone into saying yes. It is understanding people well enough to find common ground and build from there.Whether you are leading a team, working with a client, talking with your spouse, or trying to resolve a disagreement, the question changes from "How do I get my way?" to "How do we get on the same side?" That shift can completely change the conversation.🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 Learn more and join the Champion Circle at: https://www.mychampioncircle.com#ChampionReads #HowToWinFriendsAndInfluencePeople #DaleCarnegie #Alignment #Influence #Leadership #Communication #PeopleSkills #ConflictResolution #Relationships #PersonalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth

July 31, 202638 min

What Actually Makes Someone Likable? | How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie

Why are some people just easy to like?It is not always charisma. It is not being the funniest person in the room, having the biggest personality, or knowing exactly what to say. A lot of what makes someone likable comes down to something much simpler: how people feel when they are around you.Using *How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie, Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer dig into the "likability factor" and what actually makes people want to connect with you. Being interested in others, remembering their name, smiling, listening, giving genuine appreciation, and making people feel important can sound incredibly basic. But basic does not mean easy, and it definitely does not mean everyone does it.The bigger question is whether you are doing these things because you genuinely value people or because you want something from them. Real likability is not a popularity contest. It comes from being someone people feel comfortable with, respected by, and better around.That matters everywhere. Leadership. Sales. Friendships. Networking. Marriage. Business. You do not need everyone to like you, but understanding why people connect with you can completely change the way you build relationships.💡 Key Ideas Covered:* Likability is more about how people feel than how impressive you are* Be genuinely interested instead of trying to be interesting* Small behaviors can completely change how people experience you* People can tell when appreciation is real versus strategic* You do not need everyone to like you to build meaningful influence* Strong relationships are built through consistent, genuine connection🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#ChampionReads #HowToWinFriendsAndInfluencePeople #DaleCarnegie #Likability #CommunicationSkills #Leadership #Influence #Relationships #PersonalDevelopment #Networking #PeopleSkills #SelfImprovement

July 29, 202637 min

People Can Tell When You’re Not Being Real | How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie

Communication is more than knowing what to say. It is how you listen, how you respond, and whether the person across from you actually feels like you care.In *How to Win Friends and Influence People*, Dale Carnegie teaches principles that can make anyone a better communicator. But there is a catch. If you use those principles like tactics to get people to like you, people eventually see through it. Authentic communication starts when the technique disappears and genuine interest takes its place.Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer break down what it looks like to communicate without trying to impress, manipulate, or simply wait for your turn to speak. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is listen. Sometimes it is remembering what matters to someone. Sometimes it is being willing to have an uncomfortable conversation instead of saying what you think they want to hear.Whether you are leading a team, building a business, strengthening a relationship, or talking with someone you just met, people remember how you made them feel. Better communication starts with being present enough to actually care about the person in front of you.💡 Key Ideas Covered:* Listen to understand, not just to respond* Genuine interest cannot be replaced by communication tricks* Stop trying to impress people and start connecting with them* Make people feel heard, valued, and respected* Authenticity builds influence without forcing it* Better relationships start with better conversations🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com..#ChampionReads #HowToWinFriendsAndInfluencePeople #DaleCarnegie #AuthenticCommunication #CommunicationSkills #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #Relationships #Influence #ListeningSkills #BusinessGrowth #SelfImprovement

June 12, 202638 min

Do This and People Will Actually Remember You | Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi

In this episode, Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer wrap up Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi by getting straight into what actually works when it comes to building real relationships.This isn’t complicated, but most people still get it wrong. They try to impress instead of connect. They talk more than they listen. They focus on how they’re coming across instead of actually paying attention to the person in front of them.We break it down into simple moves that make a real difference. Remember people’s names. Ask better questions. Actually care about the answers. And most important, stop trying to be someone you think people want. People don’t connect with that. They connect with you.If you want stronger relationships in business and life, this is where it starts. Not with tricks. Not with scripts. With how you show up.💡 Key Ideas Covered:Remembering someone’s name builds instant connectionAsk deeper questions and actually listen to the answerGive value without expecting something backPeople connect with authenticity, not performanceFocus on the person in front of you, not your image🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#️⃣ #ChampionReads #NeverEatAlone #KeithFerrazzi #NetworkingTips #RelationshipsMatter #PersonalGrowth #BusinessGrowth #AuthenticConnection #CommunicationSkills #HighPerformance

June 5, 202635 min

Stop Doing This When You Network | Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi

In this episode, Coach Willie Blake and Ian Stermer flip the script on Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and call out what not to do when it comes to networking.Everyone talks about how to build relationships. Not enough people talk about how they’re quietly destroying them.We break down the habits that push people away. Reaching out only when you need something. Faking interest. Treating people like transactions. It might seem small, but people feel it right away. And once that trust is gone, it’s hard to get it back.This episode is a reality check. If your networking feels forced, awkward, or like it never leads anywhere, there’s a reason. Fixing what’s broken matters more than adding new tactics.💡 Key Ideas Covered:People can tell when you only reach out to get somethingSurface-level conversations don’t build real trustTrying to impress kills authentic connectionConsistency matters more than one-time outreachRelationships fail when they feel transactional🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#️⃣ #ChampionReads #NeverEatAlone #KeithFerrazzi #NetworkingMistakes #RelationshipsMatter #PersonalGrowth #BusinessGrowth #AuthenticConnection #EntrepreneurMindset #HighPerformance

May 29, 202635 min

Why Most Networking Is a Waste of Time | Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi

In this episode, Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer break down Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and get into what networking is supposed to look like… and what most people get completely wrong.This book flips the whole idea of “networking” on its head. It’s not about collecting business cards, making quick connections, or trying to get something out of every conversation. It’s about building real relationships by leading with generosity.We talk about what it actually looks like to give without expecting something back… and why that’s the part most people struggle with. Because if you’re always thinking about what you can get, people feel that. And it kills the connection before it even starts.This episode brings it back to something simple. If you want better opportunities, better relationships, and better results, start by being someone people actually want to stay connected to. That’s where it all begins.💡 Key Ideas Covered:Real relationships beat surface-level networking every timeGive value first without keeping scorePeople can feel when you’re trying to “get” somethingLong-term connections create long-term opportunitiesStop collecting contacts and start building trust🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#️⃣ #ChampionReads #NeverEatAlone #KeithFerrazzi #Networking #RelationshipsMatter #PersonalGrowth #BusinessGrowth #GiveFirst #EntrepreneurMindset #HighPerformance

May 22, 202649 min

We Rated the Books… Not All of Them Survived | Book Rotten Tomatoes

We’re running it back.Coach Willie Blake, Jon Kovach Jr., and Ian Stermer bring back the Rotten Tomatoes-style ratings, but this time it’s sharper, more honest, and way less forgiving.Every book gets put on the table and judged for what it actually did, not what it sounded like. Did it stick? Did it change anything? Or was it just another book that sounded good in the moment and disappeared a week later?This is where opinions get real. Some books hold their ground. Some drop hard. And some spark debates that go deeper than just the content. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about who wrote it or how popular it is. It’s about what actually made a difference.If you’ve ever wondered which books are worth your time and which ones just aren’t, this episode cuts through all of it.💡 Key Ideas Covered:Not every popular book actually delivers real impactWhat sticks over time matters more than first impressionsDifferent perspectives change how books get ratedSome books age well, others fall off fastReal value comes from what you apply, not what you read🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#️⃣ #ChampionReads #BookRatings #BusinessBooks #PersonalGrowth #SelfDevelopment #TopBooks #EntrepreneurMindset #GrowthMindset #TakeAction #HighPerformance

May 15, 202633 min

Book Battles: Rich Dad Poor Dad and Gaining Control

This is a different kind of episode.Coach Willie Blake and Ian Stermer step away from the usual format and bring you a Beyond Bestsellers conversation. No Jon this time. Just two books that hit personally and changed how they see the world.Willie brings Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. A book that challenges how most people think about money, work, and security. It flips the script from “work hard and save” to understanding assets, ownership, and how money actually moves. This isn’t just about getting rich. It’s about thinking differently about how you earn, spend, and build your future.Ian brings Gaining Control by Robert F. Bennett. A book focused on taking ownership of your life, your decisions, and your direction. It digs into discipline, responsibility, and the reality that if you don’t take control, something else will. Whether that’s bad habits, other people, or just drifting through life without intention.This episode connects two powerful ideas. Money and control. Because if you don’t understand either, you end up stuck. We talk about what actually impacted us from each book, what we’ve applied, and where people get it wrong.No fluff. Just real takeaways from books that made a difference.💡 Key Ideas Covered:Most people are taught to earn money, not how to build itAssets vs liabilities is a mindset shift, not just a financial oneIf you don’t take control of your life, something else willDiscipline beats motivation when it comes to real changeFinancial freedom and personal control go hand in hand🎧 Subscribe to Champion Reads for honest, high-level conversations that turn powerful books into action-ready wisdom.🌐 https://www.mychampioncircle.com#️⃣ #ChampionReads #BeyondBestsellers #RichDadPoorDad #FinancialFreedom #MindsetShift #PersonalGrowth #SelfDevelopment #TakeControl #WealthBuilding #HighPerformance