Claim OwnershipThe Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman
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© 2020 Courage Brands
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Ryan Berman talks to thought leaders from around the globe in business, sports and entertainment to uncover what it means to be courageous in today's world.
257 Episodes
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In this edition of the Courage Brands Spotlight, Ryan is joined by Courageous' Action lead, Lisa Jacobs, for a two-brand audit that spans from prenatal vitamins to the Olympic podium. Lisa kicks things off with Ritual, the supplement company founded by Kat Schneider that built its reputation on radical transparency—traceable ingredients, science-backed formulas, public goal tracking, and even work with legislators to push for clearer industry standards in an under-regulated space. It’s a brand that treats trust as the product, not the marketing. Ryan then pivots to the Olympics, arguing that the five rings are stronger than ever. Despite a fragmented media landscape, the Games didn’t shrink—they decentralized and grew, driving record streaming minutes, social impressions, and renewed global engagement. From Ritual’s commitment to measurable integrity to the Olympics’ evolution into a modern platform brand, both prove the same point: courage brands don’t just talk about values, they operationalize them—and win.
Most leaders think their teams are performing. Eddie Geller measures whether they actually are. Originally from Australia, where “tall poppy syndrome” can cut high achievers down, Eddie is now the Founder and CEO of SKOR, the system that calculates what team dysfunction is costing companies in real dollars. In this conversation with Ryan, he shares how building and exiting companies led him to a simple realization: culture isn’t soft, it’s measurable. They explore why leaders often misread how they show up, how recognition and healthy conflict change performance, and why half of employees are afraid to speak up at work. Eddie breaks down the seven muscles of high-performing teams, explains why courage is the multiplier, and reveals what happens when organizations finally see the true cost of misalignment.
Colette Carlson doesn’t just talk about communication—she reads what’s not being said. A Human Behavior Expert and Hall of Fame keynote speaker, she joins Ryan for a conversation that feels more like two sharp minds thinking out loud than a traditional interview. They explore why leadership feels harder right now and why connection is still the skill that separates great leaders from the rest. Colette shares what decades on stages and inside organizations have taught her, reflects on growing up street-smart in Chicago, and explains why courage isn’t the same as confidence. Together, they break down what it actually takes to communicate clearly, lead effectively, and earn trust in today’s workplace.
Chris Dyer is a culture builder, bestselling author, and globally ranked leadership speaker who’s helped redefine what workplace success can look like. After leading companies that earned “Best Place to Work” recognition 15 times, Chris now spends his time on stages around the world, challenging leaders to raise the bar from good to unforgettable. In this episode, he and Ryan talk about what most companies get wrong about culture, why mediocrity is the default, and how leaders can show up when the moments matter most. Chris shares lessons from building—and selling—his own business, and what it takes to find community again when your team is suddenly gone.
For the first time in 250 episodes, Ryan steps up to the mic solo. No guest. No script. Just a raw, personal reflection on a question that’s been gnawing at him for months: are we still living in the land of the brave—or have we traded courage for comfort, distraction, and outrage? In this candid episode, Ryan explores what it means to choose courage at a moment when trust is low, fear is high, and the country feels more divided than ever. Ryan also shares his upcoming travels abroad where he’ll cheer on Team USA Olympic athletes like Jaelin Kauf and he reflects on patriotism, performance, and the quiet acts of bravery required to show up for one another when staying silent would be easier. It’s an honest conversation about the kind of courage this moment is asking of all of us.
Team USA Aerial Mogulist Jaelin Kauf is heading to Milan for her third Olympics—this time with two shots at gold as dual moguls make their debut on the world’s biggest stage. In this conversation, Ryan and Jaelin trace her rise from a quiet teenager to one of the fastest, most fearless skiers in the sport. They unpack her heartbreak of 2018, the redemption of Beijing, and the mindset that keeps her grounded when the pressure (and air) is highest. Jaelin opens up about the nerves, the noise, and her mantra—“deliver the love”—that helps her ski freely and with heart. With her new “Deliver The Love" foundation now in play, Jaelin enters the 2026 Olympic Games not just chasing medals, but inspiring the next generation of girls and women in sports.
Roi Ben-Yehuda has built a career exploring the dragons that get in the way of courageous action…and how to slay them. He’s the founder of NextArrow, where he works with leaders at companies like Twitch, Sony, and Angi to build cultures rooted in clarity and bold thinking. In this episode, he and Ryan dig into what courage looks like in the real world, and why most people know what to do but struggle to do it. They unpack Roi’s formula and how fear, ego, and self-doubt can quietly erode performance and talk about the role of humor, play, and storytelling in creating safer, stronger teams.
Ed Roberson is a conservationist, endurance athlete, and the creator of Mountain & Prairie, a podcast rooted in the stories and landscapes of the American West. But long before that, he was chasing a very different life—until a sudden health scare forced a reckoning that changed everything. In this episode, Ed and Ryan talk about discomfort as a compass, the pull of wild places, and the quiet transformation that happens when you choose effort over ease. Ed opens up about rewiring his ambition, leaving behind the shallow chase for success, and leaning into a slower, more deliberate path. They unpack the practices that keep him grounded, from long runs to long-form interviews, and the clarity that’s come with doing hard things on purpose.
Brent Gleeson is a Navy SEAL combat veteran, bestselling author, and business transformation expert who has built his life around high performance, in every sense of the word. As the founder of EXCELR8 and author of Embrace the Suck, Brent brings a rare blend of battlefield experience and boardroom wisdom. In this episode, he and Ryan talk about what it means to lead with clarity, consistency, and conviction. Brent shares how sobriety reshaped his perspective, and how his work today helps teams grow through change instead of getting buried by it. Discipline, in Brent’s world, isn’t just a driver of performance—it’s a guardrail for everything that matters.
Jill Schulman is a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, leadership expert, and founder of Breakthrough Leadership Group. Her new book, The Bravery Effect, offers a science-backed approach to building courage. In this episode, she and Ryan go deep on what it means to run toward hard things instead of away from them. Jill shares the story of how a Minnesota kid who looked like Elle Woods became the top Marine in her officer class, how bravery became the throughline of her work, and why so many people confuse discomfort with failure. Together, they unpack the mindset shifts that unlock transformation, the self-talk that separates progress from paralysis, and the personal leap Jill is making right now as she doubles down on her mission.
Sterling Doak is a seasoned marketing executive with more than two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of music, culture, and lifestyle. Today, he serves as Vice President of Marketing at Gibson, where he leads with equal parts creative instinct and operational rigor inside one of the most iconic brands in the world. In this honest and often hilarious conversation, Sterling and Ryan reflect on their early agency days, the lessons that stuck, and the realities of leading with intention as the stakes get higher. Sterling shares how curiosity—not confidence—has fueled his biggest leaps, what it means to build trust without burning out your team, and why vulnerability is often the most courageous choice a leader can make.
In this edition of the Courage Brands Spotlight, Ryan, Billy Collins, and Kimberly Voorhis unpack three brands that turned overlooked moments into loyal movements. Ryan kicks things off with Goldbelly, the mail-order marketplace delivering regional food favorites nationwide—think deep-dish from Chicago or crab cakes from Maryland. Kimberly sings the praises of Trader Joe’s, a grocery chain that proves simplicity is courageous, where decision fatigue fades, handwritten signs spark delight, and hidden monkeys keep kids smiling. Billy closes with Scrub Daddy, the Shark Tank sponge that scrubbed away boredom and built a half-billion-dollar empire with flex-texture tech, irreverent TikTok humor, and holiday-themed clean-up companions. These brands may serve very different needs, but each one earns its place through conviction, creativity, and the courage to make everyday things feel a little more magical.
Dr. Michelle K. Johnston believes the future of leadership starts with connection. As a professor, executive coach, and co-author of The Seismic Shift in You, Michelle is on a mission to help leaders rewire how they show up—starting with energy, perspective, and a deeper sense of humanity. In this episode, she and Ryan talk about the real cost of disconnection, why great leadership isn’t about control, and how shifting small habits can trigger massive cultural impact. She also shares powerful stories from her research, including how Drew Brees helped unify post-Katrina New Orleans, and why even virtual energy can be contagious
With a career spanning Nike, Converse, Tom’s, and now MOOVLAB, Magnus Wedhammar is fueled by a passion for purposeful movement. In this episode of the Courageous Podcast, Magnus reflects on navigating Tom’s through the chaos of early 2020, shifting its iconic one-for-one model, and leading with transparency in a world that changed overnight. He shares what it means to build something from scratch after decades inside global brands, why he values scrappiness over slide decks, and how MOOVLAB aims to reimagine the chair not as furniture, but as a tool for better health. For Magnus, courage isn’t ego—it’s authenticity, action, and a belief that better is worth building.
Fear. Joy. Anger. Sadness. For Oscar-nominated screenwriter Meg LeFauve, these characters aren’t just creations — they’re living, breathing beings who rely on her to get their stories out of her head and onto the page. And Meg doesn’t take that responsibility lightly. In this wide-ranging conversation, the writer behind Inside Out, Inside Out 2, The Good Dinosaur, Captain Marvel, and more shares the sacred, deeply human process of storytelling. She talks about why fear is never the enemy, the real work behind cultivating curiosity, and how Pixar’s legendary “brain trust” taught her to embrace failure faster. Meg opens up about her lifelong companion (anxiety) and the rituals that help her keep showing up for her characters, even when doubt floods in. She also reflects on writing with her husband, honoring creative timing, and the everyday courage it takes to evolve — both on the page and in life itself.
Pri Narang likes to go fast. It’s no surprise, then, that she’s sprinting toward the very edge of what’s possible. While most are currently navigating an AI conversation, Pri — a Caltech-trained quantum physicist, award-winning professor, and U.S. Science Envoy — is pioneering the quantum frontier to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges. In this episode, she and Ryan unpack “quantum theory” including what it takes to lead when the roadmap doesn’t exist. Pri also shares how she equips teams to solve problems no one’s ever cracked, what her endurance training has taught her about resilience, and why the emotional journey of discovery is just as important as the science. This is a conversation that spans research, policy, purpose, and the power of going full speed into the unknown.
George Felix knows how to make legacy brands feel unapologetically modern. As Chief Marketing Officer at Chili’s, and former marketing leader at Pizza Hut and KFC, he’s built a career on bold ideas that spark conversation—without losing sight of what makes a brand iconic. In this conversation with Ryan and Billy Collins, George shares how Chili’s is embracing its irreverent voice while staying rooted in what people love about the brand. He explains how the best marketing blends gut instinct with creative testing, why a winning campaign starts with internal alignment, and how the best insights often come from spending time in restaurants, not just reading decks. He also reflects on the evolution of brand-building in the digital era—and why trust, taste, and timing are everything when you're trying to break through.
As one of Peloton’s founding instructors, Hannah Corbin has helped millions move their bodies. But her new mission is just as bold: helping people slow down. Her new book Did You Stretch Tho makes a powerful case for rest, recovery, and treating yourself like someone worth caring for. In this episode, Hannah joins Ryan to talk about what it takes to stay soft in a world that rewards hardness. They discuss how she overcame imposter syndrome to write her first book, how an autoimmune diagnosis changed the way she leads, and what it really means to move with intention. Hannah opens up about the pressure to be “on” all the time, how she stays grounded in community, and why her biggest creative leaps often come with a quiet voice of doubt—and the courage to keep going anyway.
Smart, heart and courage. That has been the way-he-leads elevator pitch for Greg Creed who proves you don’t have to be a hard-charging tyrant to win — you can build billion-dollar brands by being human. In this episode, Greg tells Ryan how leading Taco Bell and later Yum! Brands was never about perfect plans or rigid control — it was about creating a culture where people felt safe to try things. Greg explains why he would rather see a team make a decision and adjust than freeze in place, and why vulnerability from the person at the top unlocks real trust. He shares stories from the road — taking big swings, laughing through the chaos, and refusing to let fear run the room. As you’ll soon learn, Greg’s story is proof that real leadership isn’t about control — it’s about creating the conditions for courage to thrive.
Sona Khosla thinks purpose belongs on the P&L. As Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, nicknamed the company’s “conscience”, she helps global brands turn doing good into real business momentum. After a personal loss, she pivoted from marketing and built Benevity Impact Labs, using $3.8B in annual giving data to separate noise from signal. We talk about the new era of “quiet courage,” where companies may soften the language but keep the work moving. Sona shares small actions any employee can take right now and why authentic impact keeps people longer and sharpens performance. Her bottom line: purpose and profit aren’t at odds - done right, they accelerate each other.
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