Lessons from Leaders with Brian Beckcom

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Cadigan, the HR leader who helped scale LinkedIn from 400 to 4,000 employees in just four years. Steve shares how his passion for team dynamics and workplace culture fueled this explosive growth and shaped LinkedIn’s early success. We also discuss why prioritizing culture over salaries matters, the value of hiring for potential rather than experience, and how aligning employee goals with company impact creates a thriving workforce. I invite you to listen to the full conversation on building teams that drive innovation and success. And now I give you, Steve Cadigan.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anders Indset, a Norwegian philosopher widely known as "The Business Philosopher.” Recognized for his pioneering work at the intersection of philosophy, economics, and technology, Anders is also a renowned author whose books have appeared on international bestseller lists. His latest book, The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success, explores how Norway’s values can create a culture of success for individuals and society.  I invite you to listen to the full conversation, as we discuss topics like philosophy, quantum mechanics, technology, consciousness, and more. And now I give you, Anders Indset.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bishoy Tadros. Born in Egypt, Bishoy's family moved to the United States when he was three years old after he received a cancer diagnosis. He underwent intermittent treatment for 10 years. On his 13th birthday, he had brain surgery for a blood clot and was later given a clear medical report. Despite his childhood battles with cancer, he was determined to reach his full potential as an adult. Bishoy is the author of Break Barriers: How Setbacks Can Dare You Rather Than Define You and Audacious: Uncaging Your Authentic Self. He also hosts the Mile 40 Podcast. In this show, we discuss overcoming obstacles, what it takes to mentally overcome that voice in your head that says you can't do the things you want to do, how to be an athlete later in life, and so much more. And now I give you, Bishoy Tadros.

In this episode, Brian speaks with Robert Ingalls. Mr. Ingalls is a former practicing lawyer, professional speaker, and the founder of LawPods, a company specifically designed to help busy professionals start their own podcasts. In the episode, Brian and Robert talk about how to start your own podcast, the “why” of your podcast, how to come up with a good name for your podcast, the type of equipment and software he recommends, how to market and spread your podcast, and more. If you’ve ever considered starting your own podcast but don’t know where to begin, then this is the show for you. And now I give you, Robert Ingalls.  

This podcast episode holds an even deeper significance in light of Jim Goldsmith's passing. His wisdom and passion for his faith, family, and friends remain timeless, serving as a reminder of his enduring legacy. As we revisit this conversation, we celebrate and honor his remarkable life, ensuring that his spirit lives on through the stories and lessons he shared with us. Jim fought a brave battle with cancer over the past 5 years. At the time of the podcast, Jim was given less than 6 months to live. These are the topics we discussed: The most meaningful experiences of Jim’s life How the terminal diagnosis changed his perspective on what is important and what is not The biggest challenges Jim faced His advice for people facing a similar terminal diagnosis The advice Jim would give his younger self How Jim’s faith equipped him to face the prospect of death What Jim hoped to accomplish in his remaining months How Jim wants to be remembered by his wife, kids, and friends And a lot more. Talking about death and dying is hard for most people. But listening to Jim Goldsmith tell his story will change your entire perspective on what it means to live a good life and to die a good death. And now, in honor of Jim Goldsmith, we reflect on his impact on all of us.

In my latest podcast episode, I speak with Bobby Harrington, a United States Marine and former oil and gas executive. Our conversation covers everything on leadership. We exclusively speak about the most important part of being a leader.  Bobby Harrington also shares insights from his book, “Lead You,” discussing how the leadership journey starts with yourself. We discuss how to develop confidence in your abilities, and I even share a personal story about a time that brought tears to my eyes. Other topics we discuss include:  Unlocking a person’s leadership potential How our values change through the years Transforming New Year resolutions into challenges How to ignite your passion for something Succeeding by mastering compartmentalization I invite you to listen to the full conversation, which will encourage you to self-reflect and challenge you to become a stronger leader. And now I give you Bobby Harrington.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founders of The Convincing Company, Chip Massey and Adele Gambardella. Our conversation covered everything from persuasive tactics anyone can implement to Adele’s and Chip’s start in public relations and hostage negotiation. While persuasion is something we all encounter in our daily lives, Chip shared insights he learned as an FBI Special Agent investigating the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He revealed skills such as Forensic Listening, a method that involves observing a person’s emotions, talking themes, body positions, and voice.  Our conversation extended to topics like targeted validation and Adele’s advice on navigating high-stress situations. She also teaches exactly where to start in a negotiation - this may reshape your approach. Other highlights of our discussion include:  How to become an FBI Hostage Negotiator Best tactics to achieve results in various business situations Learn to read people’s conversations How to make people want to more The dangers of being too certain I invite you to listen to the full conversation, where we dive deep into topics only discussed in their book, “Convince Me: High-Stakes Negotiation Tactics to Get Results In Any Business Situation.” And now I give you Chip Massey and Adele Gambardella.

In this episode, Brian speaks with Jim Goldsmith. Jim has fought a brave battle with cancer over the past 5 years. Originally diagnosed with melanoma, Jim recently learned that the cancer has spread to his brain and spine. At the time of the podcast, Jim has been given less than 6 months to live. In the podcast, Brian and Jim discuss: The most meaningful experiences of Jim’s life How the terminal diagnosis changed his perspective on what is important and what is not important The biggest challenges Jim has faced His advice for people facing a similar terminal diagnosis What advice Jim would give his younger self How Jim’s faith has equipped him to face the prospect of his death What Jim still hopes to accomplish in his remaining months How Jim wants to be remembered by his wife, kids, and friends And a lot more. Talking about death and dying is hard for most people. But listening to Jim Goldsmith tell his story will change your entire perspective on what it means to live a good life and to die a good death. And now I give you, Jim Goldsmith.

Piracy, Kidnapping, & The Most Famous Case of the Past 20 Years: A Discussion of the Captain Phillips Case I was recently a guest on the “Great Trials” podcast. Great Trials is a wonderful podcast hosted by Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey in which they discuss in details some of the most famous trials in the country. In this episode, we delve into the infamous Captain Phillips case. When the U.S. merchant ship the Maersk Alabama was hijacked by armed Somali pirates, it made worldwide news. When American Navy Seals rescued the crew, that also made national news. And when Tom Hanks made a movie about Captain Richard Phillips, the Hollywood publicity machine ensured that the situation was broadcast all over the world for years. Brian Beckcom and his law firm, VB Attorneys, uncovered the real story of Captain Phillips, including reckless conduct, negligent orders, and disregarding the directives of the United States Government and other Western powers. This is the true story of Captain Phillips, told by Brian Beckcom, the lawyer who represented the crew against Captain Phillips and the negligent shipping company, the lawyer who ultimately forced the companies to settle with his clients after years of denying any responsibility.  And now I give you, the true story of the Maersk Alabama, told by the lawyer who won the case.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tobias Jensen, an expert in blockchain, AI, and other emerging technologies, for an episode of my podcast, Lessons From Leaders. Our wide-ranging conversation explored the potential impacts, both positive and negative, of technologies like large language models and chatGPT.While AI promises to augment human capabilities and transform entire industries, we also discussed crucial concerns around the concentration of power in big tech companies and the need for thoughtful regulation. Tobias drew insightful historical parallels to phenomena like the Microsoft monopoly and the Dutch tulip bubble.Some highlights of our discussion: The capabilities of AI versus uniquely human skills like fuzzy logic. While AI has speed advantages, human intelligence still excels at certain tasks. The rise of deep fakes and how blockchain could help verify authenticity by tying videos to a person's unique identifier. The intersection of tech and philosophy. Understanding the incentives and values encoded in algorithms is crucial. I invite you to listen to the full conversation, where we dive deeper into these important topics. As AI and other technologies continue advancing rapidly, podcast episodes like this one help us appreciate nuances, ask tough questions, and thoughtfully shape the future.   And now I give you, Tobias Jensen.