Legends N Leaders

Hosted by Ben Weiss

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Episodes

517

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

Our goal is to breakdown how legends and leaders achieved their success so you can become the greatest version of yourself! The path of each individual will be discussed highlighting the steps taken towards their achievement. We desire to simplify success, making it relatable, for you to take one step forward towards achievement.

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60 recent

May 25, 202622 min

How Faves Is Reinventing Athlete Influence

The relationship between athletes, fans, and brands is being completely rewritten.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Thomas Salas, CEO of Faves, breaks down how athletes are evolving from endorsers into full-scale media companies and entrepreneurs.Faves is building a platform that helps athletes connect directly with fans through personalized recommendations, commerce, and creator-driven experiences — unlocking a new era of influence where trust matters more than traditional advertising.We dive into:Why athletes are becoming some of the most powerful creators in the worldHow creator-led commerce is reshaping sports marketingThe future of athlete branding and direct fan relationshipsWhy authenticity beats traditional advertisingHow technology is changing influence, commerce, and communityThe evolution of NIL, creator economies, and athlete entrepreneurshipThis conversation explores the intersection of sports, creators, technology, commerce, and the future of digital influence.#Faves #SportsMarketing #CreatorEconomy #Athletes #Entrepreneurship #SportsBusiness #Innovation

May 25, 202623 min

The Founder Who Turned a Small Garage Into a Luxury Boat Giant

What does it take to build one of the most respected luxury boat companies in America?In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Steve Potts, founder and CEO of Scout Boats, shares the incredible story of building a world-class boating brand from the ground up.Starting with just $50,000 and a small workshop in South Carolina, Steve faced devastating setbacks early on — including Hurricane Hugo nearly wiping out the business before it truly began. Instead of giving up, he rebuilt and transformed Scout Boats into one of the most recognized luxury fishing and performance boat brands in the world.We dive into:How Steve started building boats as a teenagerThe brutal realities of entrepreneurship and manufacturingHow Scout Boats survived early disaster and scaled nationallyThe obsession with craftsmanship and premium qualityInnovation in the marine and luxury boating industriesLeadership lessons from decades of building a premium brandThe future of boating, performance, and marine technologyThis episode is about resilience, vision, craftsmanship, and building an iconic American company through passion and persistence.#ScoutBoats #StevePotts #Boating #LuxuryBoats #Entrepreneurship #Business #FounderStory

May 25, 202621 min

How Great Leaders Unlock Every Voice on Their Team

What if the biggest problem inside your company isn’t strategy……it’s that communication isn't as good as it should be?In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Steve Cockram, co-founder of GiANT Worldwide, explains why communication failures silently destroy teams, leadership, and company culture — even inside successful organizations.Using the powerful “5 Voices” framework, Steve breaks down how different personality types naturally think, communicate, lead, and create conflict without realizing it.We explore:Why some employees feel unheard no matter how talented they areThe hidden communication patterns inside leadership teamsHow great leaders create trust without losing accountability Why self-awareness changes everything in business and relationshipsThe biggest mistakes companies make in hybrid work environmentsHow understanding personality dynamics can unlock performanceThis episode is a deep dive into leadership psychology, communication, team dynamics, and the future of human-centered leadership in a rapidly changing world.#Leadership #Communication #TeamBuilding #Business #SteveCockram #5Voices #Culture #Management #Entrepreneurship

May 25, 202620 min

The Man Turning Kids Into Music Fans Through Live Concerts

Live music is more than entertainment — it’s connection, memory, and culture passed between generations.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Stephen Grybowski, Executive Director of The Rock & Roll Playhouse and co-founder of Backline, shares how he helped build one of the most unique live music movements in America.From working behind the scenes at Brooklyn Bowl, The Capitol Theatre, LOCKN’, Garcia’s, and Relix to running family-focused concerts across the country, Stephen has spent more than a decade immersed in nearly every side of the live music industry.Today, The Rock & Roll Playhouse hosts performances in cities nationwide, introducing kids and families to the music of legends like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Aretha Franklin, Green Day, Jay-Z, Dolly Parton, and more.In this conversation, we explore:How Stephen manages 25 live shows in one weekend across 25 statesWhy sharing music with your kids creates lifelong bondsWhat he learned working inside iconic live music venuesThe future of live entertainment and experiential cultureThe mental health challenges facing musicians and touring professionalsWhy he co-founded Backline to support artists and industry workersStories from the road — including surprise performances and unforgettable live momentsThis episode is about passion, creativity, community, and why live music still matters more than ever in a digital world.#LiveMusic #MusicIndustry #RockAndRollPlayhouse #Concerts #FamilyEntertainment #BrooklynBowl #MusicCulture

May 25, 202623 min

The Company Powering 113 Million Gamers Every Month

Gaming is becoming one of the largest creator economies in the world.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Shahar Sorek, CMO of Overwolf, breaks down how a once-niche world of game mods and in-game apps evolved into an ecosystem that has paid creators over $300 million last year alone.With Overwolf reaching more than 113 million gamers monthly and powering experiences across titles like GTA V, Hogwarts Legacy, and ARK: Survival Ascended, Shahar explains why gaming communities are reshaping the future of media, attention, and digital business.We dive into:How Overwolf helped turn gaming creators into full-time entrepreneursThe future of user-generated content inside gamesHow creators became the growth engine behind modern platformsWhat businesses can learn from gaming communitiesWhy gaming may become the biggest creator economy on EarthWe also discuss the real human impact behind this ecosystem — including stories of creators making life-changing income through gaming content and mod development.If you want to understand where the internet, creators, and digital communities are headed next, this episode is essential viewing.#Gaming #CreatorEconomy #Overwolf #PCGaming #VideoGames #GamingCreators #UGC #ContentCreators #GamingIndustry #Tech

May 25, 202621 min

How Conversational AI Is Changing Retail Forever

Retail is entering one of the biggest transformations in its history — and AI is at the center of it.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, Ruth Harrison, Global Consumer & Retail Goods Lead at Avanade, breaks down how conversational AI, intelligent automation, and AI-powered retail experiences are reshaping the future of shopping.From AI copilots helping store associates in real time to hyper-personalized customer experiences, Ruth explains how the world’s leading retailers are preparing for an AI-first future — while balancing innovation with the human side of retail.We also dive into:How agentic AI is transforming retail operationsThe future of AI-powered shopping experiencesWhy responsible AI governance matters more than everHow retailers can adopt AI without losing human connectionThe tools and strategies brands should prioritize before it’s too lateIf you want to understand where retail, AI, and consumer behavior are headed next, this conversation is a must-watch.#AI #Retail #RetailInnovation #FutureOfRetail #ConversationalAI #AgenticAI #ArtificialIntelligence #Shopping #RetailTech #CustomerExperience

May 25, 202622 min

Why Cybersecurity Is Becoming Every Company’s Biggest Risk

Every company is becoming a technology company.But most businesses still aren’t prepared for the cybersecurity, AI, and infrastructure challenges that come with it.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Roger Lewis, CEO of CMIT Solutions, to discuss scaling a national technology brand, the future of managed IT services, and how AI is changing business operations.Since taking over CMIT, Roger has helped grow the company from $68M to $150M in revenue while building a service-driven organization designed to bring enterprise-level IT and cybersecurity support to small and mid-sized businesses across North America.Before CMIT, Roger worked at IBM supporting NASA and the Space Shuttle program — experiences that shaped his philosophy around scalable systems, operational discipline, and mission-critical execution.We discuss:The future of AI and cybersecurity for businessesWhy SMBs are increasingly targeted by cyber threatsHow managed IT services are evolvingBuilding a franchise-based technology company at scaleCreating a culture centered around service and trustWhat leadership looks like during rapid technological changeThis episode is a deep dive into entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, AI, leadership, and the systems powering modern business.#RogerLewis #Cybersecurity #AI #Technology #BusinessPodcast #Leadership #ITServices #Entrepreneurship #ManagedServices #Innovation #LegendsNLeaders

May 25, 202621 min

How CourtAvenue Is Building the Next Generation Agency

The advertising industry is going through a massive transformation.AI, commerce, data, media, customer experience, and creative are rapidly converging — and traditional agency models are struggling to keep up.In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Robyn Freye to discuss the future of agency growth, AI-enabled services, and why independent agencies are entering a powerful new era.After helping scale major agency organizations and leading growth initiatives across the industry, Robyn recently joined CourtAvenue to help formalize and accelerate its next stage of expansion.We discuss:Why the agency industry is changing so quicklyThe growing role of AI in marketing and customer experienceWhat enterprise clients are really looking for todayWhy integrated capabilities matter more than everThe rise of independent agencies versus traditional holding companiesBuilding scalable growth systems inside modern organizationsThe future of media, commerce, experiential, and digital transformationThis conversation is a deep dive into leadership, agency innovation, AI, modern marketing, and the future of business growth.#RobynFreye #CourtAvenue #AI #Advertising #Marketing #AgencyLife #DigitalTransformation #BusinessPodcast #Innovation #Media #LegendsNLeaders

May 25, 202623 min

How Wip Is Building a New Category in Energy

What does it actually take to introduce a completely new consumer behavior into the market?In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Richard Mumby, CEO of Wip, to talk about building products that fit seamlessly into people’s everyday lives.Richard’s career has centered around products that challenge traditional formats and rethink convenience, performance, and user experience. Before Wip, he led commercialization efforts at Juul Labs and PAX Labs, helping scale products that reshaped entire industries.Now with Wip, he’s focused on creating a cleaner, more portable approach to energy and focus through caffeinated pouches designed for modern consumers.We discuss:Building a new category from the ground upThe psychology behind habit-forming productsWhat makes consumers adopt new formatsLessons from scaling some of the most talked-about consumer products of the last decadeThe future of convenience, performance, and functional productsWhat founders misunderstand about consumer behaviorHow branding and product experience shape adoptionThis episode is about entrepreneurship, innovation, consumer psychology, and what it really takes to create products people integrate into daily life.#RichardMumby #Wip #Entrepreneurship #CPG #ConsumerBrands #Innovation #Startups #BusinessPodcast #Wellness #Performance #LegendsNLeaders

May 25, 202624 min

Building a Business After Leaving Everything Behind

What would you do if you had to leave your country… and rebuild your life from zero?In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Olga Barabanova and Danil Kontsevoy, the founders behind Biky Bikes Corp. — creators of the lightest children’s bicycles in the United States.After leaving their home, Olga and Danil rebuilt their lives as entrepreneurs in America and scaled an award-winning company in just three years.We discuss: The emotional reality of starting over in a new countryBuilding a company from scratch as immigrantsWhy children’s products are difficult to fund and scaleHow Biky approaches innovation and product designThe future of connected and digitalized productsUsing technology to help address issues like missing childrenThe mindset required to survive uncertainty and keep buildingThis conversation is about resilience, entrepreneurship, innovation, family products, and the determination required to create opportunity from adversity.#BikyBikes #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #ImmigrantFounders #Innovation #BusinessPodcast #Founders #Technology #Leadership #LegendsNLeaders