Spartan Leadership with Josh Kosnick

Hosted by Josh Kosnick

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Episodes

261

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Good and Great Are the Enemies of Possible™️ Leadership and business coach Josh Kosnick has conversations with some of the greatest minds in leadership both in business, community, and politics. Guests provide insights from years of experience, delivering powerful messages to help you live a more inspired and impactful life.

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60 recent

September 1, 202657 min

I Am Undefeated. And This Is How I Know. | Trey Roth

Send us Fan Mail Trey Roth spent ten years being called a failure before the world called him a success. He founded YayStack in September 2014. Raised money. Failed. Raised again. Failed again. Facebook killed his API access and forced a full rebuild. He watched other founders zoom past him with cleaner product-market fit and shorter timelines. Two weeks before the ten-year anniversary of the company — the deadline he and his wife Ashley had actually set as the “throw in the towel” date — everything clicked. Today YayStack is a geocaching gift card and giveaway platform. Think Pokémon Go, but instead of chasing creatures, you’re chasing real gift cards from real local businesses. The tagline is “we made advertising fun,” and Trey relaunched the whole entity around that promise in January of this year. In this episode of Spartan Leadership, Trey and Josh Kosnick go deep on the twelve-year grind, the McDonald’s nuggets moment with his last twenty dollars, the plane crash at nineteen that changed how he views every breath, the pirated software prayer that led directly to the idea for YayStack, and the Dwight Howard six-figure investment story that started with a 51%-decided choice to get in the car when he was too tired to drive. You’ll hear: • Why Trey was preparing the “I quit” email to his shareholders and what changed his mind • The identity stack — “I am undefeated, and this is how I know” • Why “51% decided” is Trey’s action threshold and how it literally saved his twin brother’s life • The Dwight Howard story — how a $200 Apple Pencil turned into a six-figure investment check • The transition from platinum-selling music producer to tech founder — and the integrity moment that made the bridge • How faith actually shows up on a Tuesday morning when payroll is due on Friday • The 1-in-400-trillion odds that every one of us already beat Josh’s takeaway from Trey — “I am undefeated, and this is how I know” — is added to his own identity stack on-mic. If you take one thing from this episode, take that. FOLLOW TREY & YAYSTACK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaystack Trey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treyroth Website: https://yaystack.co Download the YayStack app in the App Store or Google Play — national gift card drops every Saturday through the end of 2026. SUBSCRIBE TO SPARTAN LEADERSHIP https://www.youtube.com/@spartanleadershippodcast?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW JOSH KOSNICK Website: https://joshkosnick.com The Kairos Code (book + audiobook): https://joshkosnick.com/thekairoscode Bridge Builder Mastermind: https://www.joshkosnick.com/mastermind Rate and review the Spartan Leadership Podcast wherever you listen. It’s how the next operator finds the show. Remember, the good and great are the enemies of possible. Lead like a Spartan today. #SpartanLeadership #TreyRoth #YayStack #Entrepreneurship #Faith #Leadership #KairosCode CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

August 25, 202649 min

Why 84% Of Adults Read Nothing (And How To Fix It) | Nick Hutchison

Send us Fan Mail Nick Hutchison walked into his senior year of college with a 0% homework average and zero interest in reading. Ten years later, he's read over 1,000 personal development books and built BookThinkers into a seven-figure book marketing agency serving hundreds of authors a year. In this conversation, Josh and Nick break down: • The reading system Nick uses to actually implement books instead of just consuming them • Why 4% of the books you read create 95% of the change in your life • The SMART goal framework you should set BEFORE opening page one • How Nick built BookThinkers as a side hustle while working a full-time B2B sales job • The failed Argentina app build that almost ended it before it started • The anonymous team survey that exposed his biggest leadership blind spot • The five-year "deposit strategy" that got Jim Kwik to invite him on stage • Why 84% of American adults read nothing — and how to reverse it If you've ever finished a book and thought, "That was great — now what?" this episode is your operator's manual. —————————————— CONNECT WITH NICK Instagram: @bookthinkers Website: bookthinkers.com Get his book: Rise Of The Reader (new edition launching November 1st) CONNECT WITH JOSH Website: joshkosnick.com Instagram: @joshkosnick Get The Kairos Code: joshkosnick.com/thekairoscode Remember: the good and the great are the enemies of the possible. Lead like a Spartan today. CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

August 18, 202646 min

Ken Rusk | The Ditch Digger Who Built a Nine-Figure Empire — Comfort, Peace, and Freedom Without a Degree

Send us Fan Mail Ken Rusk was 15 years old when he walked through a hole in the fence behind his high school, into an industrial park, and asked a construction company what they did. Their answer: we dig ditches and fix wet, smelly basements. Ken said, “I thought I was qualified for that,” and took the job. He never went to college. In 1986, he founded Rusk Industries in Toledo, OH with six ditch diggers. Today it’s a portfolio of construction companies with over 200 employees and nine figures in revenue. Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Blue-Collar Cash. Fox News contributor. Publicly endorsed by Tony Robbins. In this conversation, Ken and Josh dismantle the college lie (only 1 in 3 degrees ever get used), walk through Ken’s 5-step Path, and unpack why Ken funds Trump Accounts for his employees’ kids, launched a bourbon company for Gold Star families, and taught his framework to female inmates. Plus a first look at Ken’s new book, Rockstars and Rainmakers. CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

August 11, 20261 hr 24 min

Your Best Customer Is Dying. Now What?

Send us Fan Mail In-N-Out took 80 years to become a legend. Raising Cane's did it in 36 — with worse chicken and a better marketing team. Two founders sat down with Josh at the Book & Bourbon Club fly-in to debate what actually wins in 2026: the slow, silent build or the personal-brand turbocharge. Guests: Dennis Leis (investor, MetPro, LRT, Whole Body Fitness) and Trace Miller (founder/CEO of Konala — high-protein drive-thru restaurants, konalafranchise.com). Three debates, no filler: The personal branding debate — can you still grow a massive business silently? The In-N-Out vs. Raising Cane's case study, the "sellout" question every founder wrestles with, and why your best customer is literally dying every day. The AI debate — Dennis is all-in, Trace is skeptical, and Josh is in the middle. China just passed a law that you can't lay someone off and replace them with AI. Salesforce is cutting tens of thousands. Only 2% of the world is actually using it. What "ethical capitalism" looks like when the tokens cost more than the labor. The hiring debate — Dennis hires for his weaknesses and openly admits he has zero desire to be a CEO. Trace wants to grow into his weaknesses, Gymshark-style. Two founders, two very different answers to the oldest question in business. Plus Dennis unveils the AI-powered talent-matching platform he's building in beta — outbound recruiting for cultural fit instead of skills-first hiring. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Follow Dennis Leis: Instagram @dennis.leis Follow Trace Miller & Konala: konalafranchise.com Book & Bourbon Club: joshkosnick.com ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Books mentioned: • Raving Fans — Ken Blanchard • Unreasonable Hospitality — Will Guidara • Good to Great — Jim Collins • Blue-Collar Cash — Ken Rusk ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Follow Josh Kosnick: Website — joshkosnick.com Instagram — @joshkosnick LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/joshkosnick Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, faith, and building a life worth living. #SpartanLeadership #JoshKosnick #DennisLeis #TraceMiller #Konala #PersonalBranding #AIinBusiness #EthicalCapitalism #FounderPodcast #HiringStrategy CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

August 3, 2026Episode 25955 min

How He Got John Maxwell's Cell Number for $400 | Chris Welton

Send us Fan Mail Chris Welton was born with one hand. He's a performance coach, TEDx speaker, and international bestselling author of One Jordan — and he built his entire professional network by mailing strangers a single Jordan sneaker with a note: want the other one? Give me a call. It worked on Damon West. It worked on Ben Newman. It worked well enough that John Maxwell built a keynote around the strategy and started naming Chris from the stage — Chris found out because strangers began messaging him on LinkedIn mid-talk. In this conversation, Chris and Josh get into what separates lived adversity from performative resilience: the four ways people show up when adversity hits, why Chris intentionally puts himself in brutal physical situations before life does it for him, and what happened at HYROX in Dallas when he went face-first into the turf twenty meters from the finish and his wife told the paramedics to back up. He also opens up about mental health, PTSD, and why men his size don't have those conversations. In this episode: - The One Jordan strategy and why most people aren't bold enough to try it Why the gap between top producers and mediocre performers is smaller than you think - Victim, Survivor, Warrior, Architect — the four adversity paradigms - The Adversity Accelerator: training for hardship before it arrives - Why Chris moves foster-care kids to the top of the resume pile - Accountability versus ownership, and what it costs teams when leaders get it wrong - The sentence his grandmother said to him 47 years ago that shaped everything Connect with Chris Welton: Website: https://chriswelton.live Instagram: @onehandatatime Podcast: One Hand At A Time Book: https://onejordanbook.com Connect with Josh Kosnick: https://joshkosnick.com Life Quotient Assessment: https://www.joshkosnick.com/assessment Spartans — share this episode far and wide. CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

July 15, 2026Episode 25823 min

What Marcus Aurelius Got Wrong About Legacy

Send us Fan Mail Most people think legacy is something you build at the end — a monument, an inheritance, a name on a building "someday." That's the first lie. The second one is even more common: legacy is what you leave behind. In this solo episode, I break down the two lies about legacy almost everyone believes — and why both of them are keeping you from building one right now. Inside this episode: • The moving-truck moment that made me question everything I'd chased • The three questions I asked myself in the field — and the sad answer to all three • Why your legacy is a Kairos problem, not a Kronos problem • What Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Deuteronomy actually say about inheritance (hint: it's not the greeting-card version) • Marcus Aurelius vs. the Spartans — and the tension that reframes how you should live today • The one question to ask yourself before you go to bed tonight If this hit you, share it with one person who needs to hear it today. 📖 The Kairos Code audiobook launches August 1. Join the launch team → kairoscode.com/250 Connect with Josh Kosnick: https://joshkosnick.com/connect Chapters: 0:00 What did you leave in someone today? 1:17 Welcome + audiobook launch team (Aug 1) 2:18 Two lies people believe about legacy 2:51 The boxes in the basement 4:56 If you died tonight, what would they say? 6:09 Lie #1 — Legacy is a future event 7:14 The to-be list and the to-feel list 8:38 The DM that arrived 8 years later 10:46 Lie #2 — Legacy is what you leave behind 12:57 My father-in-law's boots 14:01 What scripture actually says 16:25 Why I started this podcast 17:25 Marcus Aurelius pushes back 19:08 The Spartan view — timē and kleos 21:08 Kronos vs. Kairos 22:03 What did I leave in someone today? #SpartanLeadership #Leadership #Legacy #Kairos #FaithInBusiness #JoshKosnick #TheKairosCode #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #SelfImprovement CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

July 7, 2026Episode 25722 min

Why People Say “You Don’t Change” (And Why They’re Wrong)

Send us Fan Mail People don’t change. It sounds wise… until it quietly wrecks your life. In this episode, Josh makes the case against one of the most common lies in our culture: that you’re stuck with who you’ve always been. He breaks down why that belief feels safe, how it kills growth in real time, and what the science and lived stories say about actual transformation. You’ll hear: • Why “people don’t change” is self-protection, not truth • How your brain and nervous system can actually rewire over time • Why the “21 days to change your life” idea is wrong (and what really happens) • Real examples of addiction broken, bodies rebuilt, and generational patterns ending • A practical framework for what change requires: decision, plan, repetition, community, faith This isn’t motivational fluff. It’s the uncomfortable reality that change is hard, slow, and still completely available—if you’re willing to pay the price in repetition. If you’ve ever looked at your own story and thought, “Maybe this is just who I am…” ,watch this before you decide that your past gets the final say. Connect with Josh Kosnick: joshkosnick.com #SpartanLeadership #Leadership #BusinessSuccess #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #SelfImprovement #Podcast #JoshKosnick #SpartanMindset CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

June 30, 2026Episode 2561 hr 12 min

From One Can to a National Brand: The Carbliss Playbook

Send us Fan Mail What does it really look like to go from a $2,500 bet to a 9‑figure beverage brand? In this episode of Spartan Leadership, Josh Kosnick sits down with Adam Kroener, co‑founder and president of Carbliss, to break down how he went from putting a drink “in a can” and “selling the shit out of it” to building a massive ready‑to‑drink cocktail company. Adam shares how a backyard idea turned into a real business, why his wife’s 25 “better questions” became their first business plan, and how they ended up doing the exact opposite of what was on that plan once they got into the real world. Adam pulls back the curtain on formulation, distribution, culture, and the realities of scaling, including flying to California to dial in flavor because he didn’t know how to describe what he was tasting, honoring his late best friend through the parent company name, and learning to ask experts better questions instead of pretending to know it all. You’ll hear the unpolished story behind Carbliss, from early fears and $2,500 on the line to navigating explosive growth, hiring, and building a team that can sell “the shit out of it” without losing who they are. In this episode: • The $2,500 down-payment story and the “put it in a can” moment with his wife • How a non-beverage guy learned to talk to beverage experts and dial in flavor • Turning 25 questions into a business plan they eventually did the opposite of • Honoring a best friend through the parent company behind Carbliss • What it really takes to scale from an idea to a 9-figure brand Connect with Adam Kroener | adamkroener.com Drink Carbliss | https://drinkcarbliss.com Follow Josh Kosnick | joshkosnick.com Timestamps: 00:00 Cold open – “Put it in a can and sell the shit out of it” 00:57 Welcome back + who Adam is and why his story matters 02:23 Army deployment to Iraq and how it shaped his leadership 04:11 From factory floor to leading 1,000+ people in manufacturing 07:41 Early failed business, delusional confidence, and what he learned 10:22 The $2,500 bet and the origin story of Carbliss 12:32 Visionary vs. integrator – building the business with his wife 13:54 Why Carbliss tastes like the name on the can (product and flavor philosophy) 39:57 Family, staying grounded, and building a life around the business 01:08:01 Legacy, the real American Dream, and Adam’s final leadership lesson #SpartanLeadership #AdamKroener #Carbliss #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #BusinessPodcast #Founders #Leadership #BeverageIndustry #CPG #DrinkBusiness #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #VeteranOwned #HusbandAndWifeTeam CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

June 23, 2026Episode 25536 min

How to Use New Tools to Buy Back Your Time and Win | Matt Schmitt

Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to multiply you. In this Spartan Leadership episode, Josh sits down with entrepreneur and operator Matt Schmitt to break down why his core thesis is simple: AI + humans = superpowers. Matt shares how he went from an IT grad in the Great Recession, to buying cans for Anheuser-Busch, to building and exiting e‑commerce brands, and now to building AI tools that help small operators move like an army without losing the handshake, the character, or the relationship. They talk about how to use AI without handing over your thinking, why the “big guys” will cut people while the real competitive advantage for small businesses is keeping your people and equipping them, and how faith, marriage, and fatherhood have shaped the way Matt builds. Connect with Josh Kosnick: https://joshkosnick.com Connect with Matt Schmitt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realmattschmitt CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

June 17, 2026Episode 25457 min

Purpose Is a Verb: Dr. Christine Whelan on Redefining Success After Your Plans Fall Apart

Send us Fan Mail What do you do when the business, career, or life plan you built your identity on suddenly disappears? In this episode of Spartan Leadership, Josh Kosnick sits down with Dr. Christine Whelan, the “purpose professor,” to talk about why purpose is a verb—something you do every day with your gifts and values—rather than a job title or a single life calling. They unpack what happens when everything falls apart: Josh’s story of losing his business five years ago, empty nest transitions, career changes, and the quiet identity crises that come when a chapter ends. Dr. Whelan explains how to separate your purpose from your role, why transitions make purpose feel more urgent, and how to design a life where you spend more time on the things you’re gifted at and actually enjoy. You’ll hear a research‑backed definition of purpose, a fresh take on happiness as a byproduct (not the goal), and a practical framework for living with pro‑social purpose—using your gifts, in keeping with your values, to positively impact other people in the community. If you’ve ever asked “What now?” after a loss, layoff, or big life change, this conversation is for you. In this episode: • Why “purpose is a verb,” not a one‑time discovery or slogan • How to think about purpose when your business, role, or season ends • Designing work you love using a simple “T‑chart” exercise • Purpose in parenting and raising kids who live their values • Pro‑social purpose, “eco‑you” vs “ego‑you,” and why community matters Connect with Dr. Christine Whelan: - Website: https://christinewhelan.com - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbwhelan/ Connect with Josh Kosnick: - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joshkosnick - Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshkosnick - Website: https://joshkosnick.com #PurposeIsAVerb #ChristineWhelan #SpartanLeadership #PurposeAfterLoss #LifeTransitions #FindYourPurpose #ChristianLeadership #BusinessLeadership #PersonalGrowth #Podcast CONNECT WITH ME HERE: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter TikTok YouTube SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST HERE: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube