Leading With Vulnerability

Russell has a fantastic story that goes from the mountains of Afghanistan as a 75th Ranger Team Leader to becoming an emergency medicine doctor.

About Erin from her LinkedIn ***As a society, we have never lived in a mentally weaker time. Everything is infested with ease and convenience. And, there are no repercussions for being a professional victim. Success is vilified. Mental weakness is celebrated. And this is the problem we face today. I've recently become concerned with how this modern narrative is influencing the next generation of leaders because I've witnessed first hand the impact that self-entitlement and cutting corners is having on American culture. AMBITIOUS AF™ is in response to that narrative. Through this project, we are dedicated to the bigger picture: the relationships we form, the organizations we work with, and our obligation to teach others what we know. In doing so, we believe that we can help steer this country back to its core values: freedom from tyrannical oppression. But I have to be honest here… AMBITIOUS AF isn't for everyone. But for everyone that is for us, there is no greater impact we can make than joining forces to become an uncommon force for good in the world. I hope you’ll follow us and even take part in what we’re doing. Life’s greatest adventures are ahead of us all. Let's do life together! WHAT I DO: I coach already successful surgeons to create, build, and defend the impact they have in the world by elevating their current baseline of mental strength training, mapping out and deploying a customized game plan of self-actualization work, and developing a new strategy for maximum personal fulfillment that aligns cohesively with their best self. COACHING APPROACH: Results. This may seem obvious, but it's not. I plant a stake in the ground for what my client can do. If my client waivers I do not because I help represent my client's most ambitious goals. My clients have unique requirements. They're not looking for a light weight. They want results-driven, evidenced based, iron clad coaching. Lucky for you I'm ridiculously talented, smart, and honest with a penchant for elbow grease and pushing boundaries. Feel that tingling in your fingertips? That's the magnetic urge to get started! P.S. If it’s 2am or you’re shy, email me and I’ll take it from there. Email: challengeaccepted@joinambitiousaf.com MOST COMMON QUESTION: Do you coach anyone other than surgeons? ANSWER: Yes. I currently coach U.S. Special Ops Forces, NFL Athletes, political candidates, the top 1% of humans. PODCAST: AMBITIOUS AF Podcast™. The raw, unfiltered truth. COACHING IS NOT: Unless licensed, coaches do not make or treat diagnoses nor collect case history data; it is not a replacement for licensed therapy.***

Chuck's sacrifices for our country cannot be put into words. Listen to Chuck's stories. You will not be disappointed.

Michael DeSelm is an inspiration. He has many amazing stories about his time in the Navy and his post-Navy life, including how he started a church for people who don't like church and how he recovered from cancer. A must listen.

Mike is an awesome guy and someone you want with you during a gunfight. You can learn more about Michael from his LinkedIn below. ***I am a Special Operations veteran transitioning to the private sector in January of 2024. That is who I am, but there is so much more to tell. In the Autumn of 2001, I was a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It seemed to my father at the time that I was far more concerned with playing rugby and enjoying the social scene at UT than my studies, and he wasn’t wrong about that. On the morning of September 11th, I woke up late, most likely from festivities the night before and turned on the television just in time to see the second plane fly into the south Tower. As with many that day, my life would be forever changed. I was ready to drop out of school and enlist that day and that would’ve been the story if my father hadn’t stepped in and offered a piece of advice. “Finish your degree and then join. You’ll wish you would have if you don’t.” That tidbit of Fatherly advice was quite astute, and I give my father credit to this day about it. I would spend the next 20 years climbing the ranks of the Army, with most of that time in Special Operations. What initially was a challenge and a rush of adventure, turned into a passion and a career developing teams and mentoring subordinates to become more proficient leaders. Developing others and cultivating diverse teams that could accomplish arduous tasks in high-pressure environments became a personal calling card. It is fitting then that my Gallup Strengths turned out to be: Achiever | Harmony | Consistency | Context | Focus As my military career comes to an end and I look to the next chapter in the private sector, I look forward to continuing to work with diverse teams of individuals to accomplish difficult tasks and improve the organization and community around me. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou***

Learn more about Carlos from his LinkedIn below. ***Who is Carlos Vasquez, and what is How to Battle? The Catalyst of Change: Carlos Vasquez is not just a name; he's a force of transformation. An entrepreneur, author, speaker, and personal and professional development coach, Carlos's journey from incarceration to inspiration exemplifies the profound might of resilience and determination. At just 19, he faced a daunting 20-year prison sentence. This tumultuous phase nearly broke him, yet an influential encounter with a chaplain during his time in solitary confinement sparked an indomitable spirit and journey towards self-awareness and purpose. In spite of the bars that confined him, Carlos's spirit remained unshackled. He pursued education, attaining a degree in psychology, and transformed his tribulations into cornerstones of personal evolution. From the silence of his cell emerged The PRICE: Five Principles to Break the Bonds of Trauma and Achieve Personal Success. Published in March 2023, this book has since illuminated paths for many across the globe, heralded in educational institutions as a torchbearer of hope and a blueprint for achieving success. From Convict to CEO: Freed in 2021, Carlos's insatiable hunger for knowledge led him to the Drucker School of Management, where he earned a degree in entrepreneurship. Armed with his potent education, he founded How to Battle - not merely as a coaching business but as a transformative movement. Through this venture, Carlos shares his empowering message, offering keynote speeches and workshops in diverse arenas, ranging from academic institutions and foster homes to organizations and the very prisons he was once confined in. At the helm of How to Battle, Carlos is a beacon, testifying to the human spirit's innate ability to transcend challenges. His captivating oratory has inspired multitudes to face their adversities head-on, viewing them not as roadblocks but as launchpads for self-enhancement. Now rooted in Los Angeles, Carlos tirelessly propels others forward, converting his own saga of struggles into an emblem of hope and personal metamorphosis. His signature talks delve deep into leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, resilience, unwavering accountability, and the quintessential five principles that have steered his life's course. Embark on a transformative journey with Carlos Vasquez, as he equips you with the tools to combat life's battles, demonstrating that challenges, when faced head-on, can indeed pave the way for unprecedented success.***

About Dave from his LinkedIn. ***The greatest joy for me is passing on life and leadership lessons, both the highs and lows, and knowing that I've made a positive impact on a future or current leader. During my talks, I delve into topics like leadership, high-performing teams, diversity, values in leadership, hard lessons learned, and the power of forgiveness. It's about sharing experiences that resonate with individuals and teams on a personal level. LDR Leadership, LLC, the company I'm passionate about, is a veteran-owned small business. We bring together evidence-based research and a wealth of senior leader experience to help companies grow their employees, build effective teams, nurture inspirational leaders, and create high-performance organizations. Our copyrighted performance management training system is designed to transform the dynamic of any organization. In my quest for continuous learning, I pursued a master's in leadership from Georgetown University. I wanted to go beyond my own experiences, delving into the science behind leading others and teams, ensuring that I can bring evidence-based leadership to our clients and partners. My journey started with enlisting in the army in 1992, earning my commission in 1997 from West Virginia University. I spent the next two decades on active duty, with the majority in special operations as an Army Ranger. Deployed eight times to combat, leading Rangers and special operators ranging from 200 - 1000. My final assignment was at Arlington National Cemetery, where I had the honor of laying our fallen heroes to rest. In 2016, I had a transformative experience summiting my first mountain, Mt. Shasta, in California. It was during that trip that my love for mountaineering was born, and I made the decision to retire from the Army. Throughout this journey, my core values of family, adventure, helping others, leadership, and relationships have been my guiding force. These values led me to LDR Leadership, which remains my tribe even after my military service. The combination of my diverse experiences has shaped who I am today, and I'm excited to share those insights with others.***

Support the podcast on Patreon using this link. patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

Support the Leading With Vulnerability podcast here - patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability Purchase your copy of Power Up here - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Leadership-Character-Superhero-Multiverse/dp/1636243398/ref=sr_1_1?crid=92S90JASY9ZQ&keywords=power+up+book&qid=1699555929&sprefix=power+up+book%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1 Access Legends of the 75th here - https://redcircle.com/shows/legends-of-the-75th Learn more about Mike on his LinkedIn page here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-burke-85120314/

Meet Monty below, and to support the show, the link below will take you to the Patreon page. Thank you! patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability **Starting from a young age in Costa Rica, dreaming about being different and excelling was always in my mind; I began my journey at the age of 21 (2005) by joining the French Foreign Legion; during my time there, I was able to expand my knowledge and views of the world, which showed me how much work I have in the future to be an authentic leader, during my adventures in Africa or Europe I realized that I have a lot of work to do on myself. Then I decided to join the US army (2012), but this was an arduous task; going to another country unprepared is going to be one of the most challenging tasks of my life, and it will take me two years to get in (2010-2012). However, it was possible to make it happen because of the determination of my belief in becoming part of the best army in the world… The US Army. Today I will say the 75th Ranger Regiment gave me everything for my professional and personal development; I'm always going to be thankful to the US Army for making me a better human being, and I will always be grateful to the 75th Ranger regiment for making me the best soldier that I could become. The Regiment gave me one last gift that would ultimately push my limits mentally and physically: the Lancero School. Today with 17 years of military life and with less than one year left in the Army, I decided to step away and continue a new adventure in which I will be able to see other paths and always be part in an indirect way of the safety and security of this unique and beautiful country the United States of America. My skills go from using languages, like complete knowledge of French and Spanish to considerable expertise with the Portuguese and Italian languages, Close Protection (bodyguard), and in Maritimes schools. Let's not forget that social intelligence is one of the keys to every aspect of networking and is one of my most significant qualities. I am here to be part of all this networking. I dream that no matter where I go, or the place that I'm going to work with, I will make it better, and everyone around me will be a better professional and a natural leader. Leadership will always be something that I will be working on until the last day of my life; leadership is an endless act.**

What is leadership? How have you changed as a leader? How did you achieve balance in your life with the high demands of the Army + multiple deployments? We cover all of this and more during part two of our conversation. If you would like to support the podcast, see the Patreon link below, and thank you for the support. patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

Omar Vela has a personality as big as his home state of Texas. Omar served many years in the 75th Ranger Regiment and continued his service with the US Secret Service. He has a great story that spans the mountains of Afghanistan as a Ranger and the streets of Washington, DC, as a Secret Service Agent.

Mitchel Coffman is a SCAD-educated artist and has drawn many portraits of American fallen heroes. During our conversation, Mitch discusses his SCAD education, his first encounters with the members of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and his process for drawing pictures of the fallen.

It's a great story, and we are thankful that Mitch is helping preserve the legacy of the fallen.

Cutis Kindred was a great Ranger and had all of the potential in the world. One mistake turned his whole life upside-down. He could have stayed on the dark path of failure, but he got up, dusted himself off, and built a multi-million dollar company. His story is one that can inspire us all.

Jeremy Noble is a board-certified psychologist. He served as the lead psychologist for the 75th Ranger Regiment and continues his practice in his civilian career. Jeremy has excellent insight into being a military psychologist, service, and life in general.

Here are a few things I have learned one year into my military retirement. And if you want to join the Salty Vets Discord, use the link below. https://discord.gg/8yAbCQUm

Who is David Nordel?

Proud hubby and father of two, 30 years active military service retired Command Chief Master Sergeant, Reached a point in my life when it is time to give back, I do part time emergency management helping communities stay prepared and maintain my registered nursing license and stay as current as I can in emergency medicine. I am privileged to mentor some terrific millennials and Gen Z superstars and speak on leadership and motivation. I recently started to write in a way to share my life so that others may travel an easier path through some of my experiences and lesson in life. Looking to expand that exposure and help and give back!

Matt Stevens is a former Navy SEAL commander and continues to serve the Special Operations community as the CEO of The Honor Foundation. I am humbled to serve the Special Operations Community through The Honor Foundation, a world-class organization of servant leaders who strive, every day, to assist our brothers and sisters transition to their next phase of life. The Honor Foundation exists solely to serve others with Honor, for life; so that their next mission is always clear and continues to impact the world.

The Objective Zero Foundation contributes to local, state, and national efforts that prevent suicide. We accomplish this by enhancing social connectedness and access to suicide prevention resources. A mission-driven tech start-up, Objective Zero seeks to connect service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers to suicide prevention support and resources.  

https://www.objectivezero.org/

Pat shares his story about being in the conventional Army and making the leap to Special Forces. Pat has a great story and perspective. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chris followed the unconventional path to the Army, and you can too. 

2023 is here. Today we'll discuss what's more important your time or your money?

Links For Brian  

Cleared Hot

 https://www.amazon.com/Cleared-Hot-Leadership-Afghanistan-Prepared/dp/1544533764/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EMH3QCROA25Q&keywords=cleared+hot&qid=1670821611&sprefix=cleared+hot%2Caps%2C228&sr=8-1 

Insta  

https://www.instagram.com/brian.slade_/ 

LinkedIn

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/clearedhot/ 

About Brian

Brian Slade is a Combat Rescue Helicopter Evaluator Pilot in the United States Air Force with 25 years of military service. He is also a real estate professional and recently minted author. His debut book Cleared Hot is a compelling, non-fiction account of what it takes to face your fears and overcome potential PTSD. When it comes to war and life, there are a lot of things that can happen. And while you can't always control what happens to you, you can control how you react to it. With wit and humor, he recounts his experiences in the military and how he overcame the challenges he faced both during and after his service. His story is inspirational and educational, and it's sure to help anyone dealing with PTSD or any other kind of trauma.  

Link for Patreon to donate to live stream event.   

https://www.patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

****About Tony, from his LinkedIN****My passion is to create influence and purpose in people. I bring 12+ years of Leadership experience ranging from Military Special Operations to Amazon Fulfillment and Leadership Development. I am a published author and speaker in the leadership profession. I am consistently able to deliver results through teaching, coaching, and listening. I yield an unmatching level of ownership and empathy from the individual and collective levels by providing detailed analysis designed for the strategic long-term. I thrive in ever-changing and complex environments by developing a team’s resiliency, adaptability, and interpersonal skill.

Introduceing the ValhallaCowboy. The greatest Viking Cowboy of his generation. Let's help the Cowboy with his mission to raise money for Veteran mental health and mental health awareness.  Follow and connect with him using the below links.  

 https://www.twitch.tv/valhallacowboy 

https://www.tiktok.com/@valhallacowboy?lang=en https://

www.youtube.com/channel/UCAVMXoGXjFQMqy3MOarVrMA

Nick had a distinguished career in the 75th Ranger Regiment and continues serving with Darby Warrior Support in Arkansas. To learn more about Darby Warrior Support or to support their mission, visit their website.  https://darbyswarriorsupport.org/

Time for a Veterans Day war story. I'll also talk about the meaning of Veterans Day and some of the unintended consequences of Veterans Day.

** From Nick's website | Linked below**  I am a transformational life coach, entrepreneur, father and former US Army Ranger.  My mission is to empower you to live your life as an adventure - with peace, passion and intention.  I do this by helping you embrace uncertainty and envision the life you want to live (your adventure).  I guide you through first steps and hold you accountable for taking action.  In addition to coaching sessions by phone and in person, I take you out in the wilderness for "adventure coaching sessions" to get you out of your head and into your heart.  I listen, reflect, and support you to grow.  I celebrate your successes and push you to be brave, go farther, and we do it together.  ​Throughout this bold and adventurous life, I have won and lost.  I have played with the fear of the deep unknown. I have tasted the sweet victory resulting from dedicated effort and hard work.  I have felt the pain of trying to control things beyond my control.  As a recovering “control addict” and former corporate employee (asleep at the wheel of my life), I have felt the struggle of living disconnectedly – void of true purpose – a vassal to the grind and societal expectations.  I’ve been stuck in the preservation zone, playing safe and playing small.     I got unstuck when a life coach, and friend, asked me one pivotal question. It was the question that cut deep and shook me to the core. It shook me awake - wide awake.  I grabbed the wheel, and redirected my course towards passion and purpose.   I chose to live with intention and explore the possibilities of my most adventurous life.  With critical guidance from my coach – I now live my adventure.   It's my turn to help you live yours!    https://www.nickdevlincoaching.com/

Chris has some great advice for aspiring pilots and future leaders. Great listen. 

Who is Paul?  

 "...To Find and Feed the spark in us, so that together we can each Lead our own Legacy." Experienced Leader skilled in Intelligence, Readiness, Operational Planning, Tactics, and C4ISR. USAF Academy Graduate with a BS in Engineering Mechanics. Strong program and project management professional. MBA from Trident University. Experienced Problem Solver accustomed to making high stakes decisions with strategic impact under tremendous pressure.

Jon Cobb is an executive coach and business transformation leader. Since leaving Deloitte Consulting and founding The Tempest Group, he has managed global transformations, M&A integrations, and startup scaling efforts for some of the most-admired companies in the world.   Jon holds an MBA from Vanderbilt and an MPA from Harvard. He is also PMP certified.

In 2010 I sent socks in care packages to a friend deployed to Afghanistan - and that set off a chain of events that I never could have imagined! The socks were a hit, and the idea of SOLEDIER SOCKS was born. An entrepreneurial spirit, patriotic heart, and desire to give back were the perfect recipe to take that leap of faith and start my own company!  Now, we create the most comfortable & durable socks possible, supporting our U.S. Military community with every purchase - making sure dealing with a blister is the last thing a deployed service member should be worrying about!

Former Marine Officer Josh Atkinson shares his story about service and life 

My 9/11 story and why September 12, 2001, is such an important date to me.

I am often asked, " why should I join the military?" There are many reasons, but here are 10 of my favorites.

Submitting a VA claim can be overwhelming. Listen while I share my lesson learned in VA submission jungle navigation.

Kate and I share lessons learned six months into our military retirement journey.

Dr. Knouf is an inspirational and motivational author and speaker, coach and counselor. He has spoken publicly over 12,000 times for corporations, training events, television and radio, schools, colleges, professional seminars, business meetings and religious organizations. He holds a PhD. in Psychology and has been past President and CEO of successful corporations over the last 35 years. He is considered an expert in human motivation as well as an interesting and captivating speaker. He has been called "the eternal optimist" by some of his associates. His love of people and his desire to help people reach there maximum potential in life is his driving mission and message.

Cowboys and the military have more in common than you think. Louis Sanders is a true-blooded America Cowboy. He works hard to put a quality piece of meat on your dinner plate. Sadly many people in the government are making the Cowboy way of life more difficult than it should be. Listen to Louis as he shares some Cowboy stories and a little poetry.

The conclusion of season one of the LWV podcast. A look back on season one and revisit why I started doing the podcast.

David was wounded by enemy fire a few years ago in Afghanistan. Despite his best efforts, he could not fully recover from his wounds forcing early medical retirement from the Army. David initially struggled during his military transition, but David has found success because of determination and mentorship. 

Raye is back for round three!!

Everyone asks where they can find Raye's remarks from his retirement ceremony. Here you go. I hope you all enjoy listening. 

Josh Jacobs spent 20-years leading from the front while assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment. Listen while he says his final goodbye to the US Army and the 75th.

Military, college, MBA, construction works, ranching, or high school, It does not matter what you have done in your past. What matters is how you articulate and translate the skills and lessons from your past endeavors into your new life or occupation. 

In this episode of the podcast, Kyle Cicora share's how lifelong learning and a willingness to ask questions and try new things can help you translate value from past experiences. 

What is your definition of vulnerability? Weakness? Owning your truest self? Getting comfortable being uncomfortable? Admitting you may not have all of the answers?

I ask the question to all of my guests. What is your definition of vulnerability? I love the varying answers I get, and no answer is a wrong answer. I picked 13 guests from past episodes and shared their definitions in this one episode. Guests like Don Barden, Raye Perez, Jennifer Hartung, Ali Villanueva, and nine others.  It is interesting to hear their definitions in succession. I hope you enjoy it.