
Game Changers with Molly Fletcher is our podcast designed to help you maximize your influence and unleash your potential. Each episode, we take you behind the scenes with peak performers to learn what makes them tick and discover how you can apply their lessons to your life. Join Molly each week to hear from her special guests— top athletes and coaches, transformative CEOs, brilliant thought leaders, and entrepreneurs and trailblazers from around the world. Subscribe now on iTunes or Google Play.
Recent Episodes

Work hard. Be nice. Those simple words are at the core of KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program), a national network of college-prep public charter schools in underserved communities. On this episode, co-founder Mike Feinberg shares the vision behind KIPP, how to infuse purpose into leadership, and how grit can be cultivated in kids.

Follow Mike: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Show Notes
- How KIPP scaled from a local idea to a national program (5:07)
- The role purpose plays in Mike’s life and at KIPP (6:30)
- Learning from his failures (8:00)
- How your child can attend a KIPP school (10:30)
- The American dream is a parent dream (11:50)
- Behind KIPP’s slogan “Work Hard. Be Nice.” (14:28)
- His leadership philosophy (15:13)
- What character strengths they teach their students (16:32)
- True grit is when you’re faced with challenges and you persist (18:46)
- Why you need both academics and character to succeed (22:44)
- What life lessons you can learn on the sports field (25:31)
- How we close the character gap in today’s win-it-all mindset (27:25)
- Most memorable career moment so far (29:20)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP)
- Teach for America
- Dave Levin, co-founder
- Work Hard Be Nice by Jay Mathews
- How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Jon Gordon on the Power of Positive Leadership
- Andy Stanley on 5 Characteristics of Leaders Worth Following
- Kat Cole on Authentic Leadership
- Verne Harnish on How to Scale Your Business
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

Hollywood stuntwoman and American Ninja Warrior competitor Jessie Graff is living out her dream of being a superhero. Her day-to-day activities include: “anything on rooftops, sides of buildings or bridges, and dramatic wipeouts.” In this episode, Jessie talks about breaking down gender barriers, chasing Hollywood dreams, her training regimen, and how to stare down fear.

Follow Jessie: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Show Notes
- Advice for women working in male-dominated fields (4:05)
- How she decided to become a Hollywood stunt woman (6:02)
- Learning to appreciate the process (8:40)
- How she overcomes fear (12:07)
- The American Ninja Warrior experience (16:13)
- The hardest part of American Ninja Warrior (19:17)
- How she approaches training for competition (22:17)
- How rehabbing from an injury led her to pursue Ninja Warrior (25:20)
- The goal behind the Wolfpack Ninja Tour (32:40)
- Her training regimen focuses on maximum effort (35:56)
- Pushing through the possibility of failure (38:53)
- Thinking she can’t do something isn’t damaging unless it stops her from trying (40:26)
Resources / People Mentioned
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Alison Levine on Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest
- Jen Welter on Breaking Glass Ceilings in the NFL
- Billy Horschel on Mental Toughness
And read:
- What Being an Athlete Taught Me About Grit
- Dear Failure: Thanks for these 9 Lessons
- 5 Things Fearless People Do
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

Visionary Steve Koonin has spearheaded marketing for iconic brands—from Coca-Cola to Turner to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. His offbeat marketing ideas– Tinder night, anyone?– and unique leadership approach have reinvigorated the Hawks franchise. In this episode, Steve shares what it takes to break through the status quo and create a culture of innovation that rewards great ideas and risk taking.

Follow Steve: Twitter | Website
Show Notes
- His vision for the Atlanta Hawks franchise (2:55)
- Risk taking in marketing (6:00)
- How to create a workplace culture where people aren’t afraid to fail forward (7:57)
- The biggest mistake new leaders make (9:06)
- Trading core values for core actions (12:00)
- How fear stifles creativity (19:20)
- The idea behind “Swipe Right” night at the Hawks game (20:38)
- Hiring for the right fit (23:38)
- How to reward the right metrics (25:26)
- The biggest influences on his leadership philosophy (28:35)
- His favorite hobby (31:12)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Atlanta Hawks
- Turner
- Coca-Cola
- Tinder Night at Atlanta Hawks
- Sports Illustrated’s Social 100
- Google’s 100 Most Searched Sports Teams
- Atlanta Hawks basketball court program
- Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Sergio Zyman
- Doug Ivester
- Jack Stahl
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Kat Cole on Authentic Leadership
- Chipper Jones on What Baseball Taught Me About Failure
- Jessie Graff on Superheroes, Ninja Warrious, and Facing Fear
- Laura Gentile on Building A Winning Brand at ESPN
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

PGA Tour golfer Billy Horschel is one of golf’s brightest young stars. On this episode, Billy talks about recovering from adversity, developing mental toughness, how to handle pressure, and the piece of advice he received from Tiger Woods that changed his mental approach.
Follow Billy: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Show Notes
- How his blue collar upbringing influenced his mentality (2:40)
- On the importance of mental toughness in golf (8:26)
- Using visualization to mentally prepare for tournaments (11:48)
- On the visualization trick that Tiger Woods taught him (15:06)
- How he manages his energy during life out on Tour (17:35)
- His advice to his younger self (24:00)
- Trusting the process (26:03)
- His unique style via Ralph Lauren (33:50)
Resources / People Mentioned
- University of Florida golf
- Zurich Classic
- BMW Championship
- TOUR Championship
- FedEx Cup
- Billy Horschel & Ralph Lauren
- Brittany Horschel (wife)
- Billy Horschel’s parents
- Tiger Woods
- Sherry Whay (agent)
- Nick Saban
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Chipper Jones on What Baseball Taught Me About Failure
- Tom Glavine on Peak Performance
- Jim Loehr on The Power of Full Engagement
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

A Hall of Fame pitcher, Tom Glavine etched his name in history as one of baseball’s greats as he led the Atlanta Braves to five World Series appearances in the 1990s. On this episode, Tom shares what it takes to compete at the highest level, the challenges with youth sports today, and the ingredients to build a winning team culture.

Follow Tom: Twitter
Show Notes
- Glavine talks about the leadership style of Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox (1:44)
- What separates great players from everyone else (5:20)
- The advice his Dad gave him as a kid that stuck with him (11:00)
- Talent alone will only take you so far. (11:30)
- How sport specialization is harming youth sports (15:07)
- What baseball taught Glavine about failure (24:46)
- The problem with being just results-driven (28:50)
- The importance of having teammates who will give you honest feedback (30:20)
Resources / People Referenced
- Atlanta Braves
- Bobby Cox
- Greg Maddux
- John Smoltz
- Steve Avery
- Peyton Glavine
- Tom Glavine’s Hall of Fame induction
- Tom Glavine’s 300th win
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Chipper Jones on What Baseball Taught Me About Failure
- Geno Auriemma on Winning (And Winning Some More)
- Billy Horschel on Mental Toughness
And read:
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

An entrepreneur, angel investor and philanthropist, Monique Mosley has helped guide the careers of visionaries in the music and entertainment industries and has worked as a consultant on the hit TV show Empire. On this episode, Monique talks about the making of a hit TV show, what it takes to build your own brand, and why as leaders we can—and should—always pay it forward.

Follow Monique: Twitter
Show Notes
- What inspired her entrepreneurial spirit at a young age (2:16)
- How she bridged the gap between the music & entertainment industry and corporate clients (3:52)
- How Empire became a hit TV show (6:05)
- The people who influenced her career (7:30)
- How to structure a mentor relationship (9:02)
- Her advice to young entrepreneurs (11:20)
- When she knows she wants to invest in an early stage startup (12:58)
- Her greatest personal and professional accomplishments (16:09)
- Some of the “firsts” she’s accomplished in her career (16:43)
- The charitable organizations she’s involved with and why (18:26)
- Behind the scenes of Empire (20:37)
- Find out more about her foundation, Always Believing Foundation (23:42)
- The best advice she’s ever received (26:16)
Resources / People Mentioned
- T.I.
- Timbaland
- Kanye West
- Empire TV Show
- Always Believing Foundation
- Adrienne Arsht
- Sanaa Hamri
- Lee Daniels
- Danny Strong
- Ilene Chaiken
- Christina Norman, former MTV CEO
- Verne Harnish
- Miami Bridge
- Taraji P. Henson
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Tiffany Dufu on the Myth of Doing it All
- Mike Feinberg on Purpose-Driven Leadership
- Val Ackerman on Reinventing Your Career
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!
Do You Like to Get What You Want…But Don’t Like Negotiating?
Our immersive Game Changer 360 Negotiation Workshops will teach you and your team how to negotiate more effectively and build stronger relationships in and out of the workplace.

From serving as the first President of the WNBA to heading up the Big East Conference, Val Ackerman has made her mark on the sports industry. On this episode, Val talks about the importance of women in leadership and why you shouldn’t be afraid to reinvent your career.
Follow Val: Website
Show Notes
- How she approached coming aboard the Big East (2:01)
- How she’s leading through the changing landscape of college sports (4:22)
- The way she creates structure to help move things forward amid such a fast-paced business (7:00)
- The hardest part of her job (9:25)
- What some of the proudest moments and toughest challenges in her career have been (11:20)
- Her crusade to better women’s leadership in sports, especially internationally (14:27)
- The biggest gaps that need to be closed for women’s sports to be where she wants them to be (15:03)
- How to close the revenue gap between men’s and women’s professional sport (16:24)
- Things she learned from David Stern (17:53)
- Her words to describe David Stern as a leader (20:05)
- Advice for people who are afraid to make a change (21:38)
- What it was like leaving her position as president of the WNBA (25:17)
- How she juggled work and family (26:54)
- Life isn’t always a straight line…don’t be afraid to zig and zag (28:04)
- Biggest fear (30:12)
- Her life motto (30:55)
Resources / People Mentioned
- WNBA
- David Stern
- Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Geno Auriemma on Winning (And Winning Some More)
- Laura Gentile on Building a Winning Brand at ESPN
- Dr. Jen Welter on Breaking Glass Ceilings in the NFL
- Steve Koonin on Creating an Innovative Culture
And read:
- My Letter to Every Girl Who Plays Sports – And Her Parents
- Fearless Leader Q&A: Flywheel CEO Sarah Robb O’Hagan
- 6 Tips for Couples Who Travel for Work
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!
Do You Like to Get What You Want…But Don’t Like Negotiating?
Our immersive Game Changer 360 Negotiation Workshops will teach you and your team how to negotiate more effectively and build stronger relationships in and out of the workplace.

What can losing your sight teach you about vision? With a TED Talk that’s been viewed over 2 million times and a new book, Eyes Wide Open, Isaac Lidsky shows us why it isn’t external circumstances, but how we perceive and respond to them, that governs our reality.

Follow them: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website
Show Notes
- Isaac’s eclectic bio: childhood actor; Harvard graduate; U.S. Supreme Court clerk; speaker; author; CEO (1:45)
- How progressively losing his sight changed his perception of reality (3:55)
- An inside look at his book, Eyes Wide Open (6:09)
- Shifting from anger and “why me” to positivity (7:43)
- How fear keeps us on the sideline (9:18)
- From childhood actor to graduating Harvard at age 19 (13:51)
- His Hollywood experience as “Weasel” on Saved By the Bell (15:08)
- How his blindness makes him a better leader (18:00)
- Welcoming triplets and the joy of fatherhood (21:34)
- The progress scientists have made towards restoring sight (22:47)
- What’s next for him (25:42)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Isaac Lidsky- Speaking
- Isaac Lidsky’s TED Talk: What reality are you creating for yourself?
- ODC Construction
- Isaac Lidsky- IMDB
- Saved By The Bell
- Sandra Day O’Connor
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Jessie Graff on Superheroes, Ninja Warriors and Facing Fear
- Mike Feinberg on Purpose-Driven Leadership
- Dr. Henry Cloud on the 4 Corners of Connection
- Jon Gordon on Positive Leadership
And read:
- Eyes Wide Open by Isaac Lidsky
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

Known simply as “The Growth Guy,” Verne Harnish is founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) and has been called one of the “Top 10 Minds in Small Business” by Fortune. On this episode, Verne talks about how to scale your business, the common barriers to growth, and why we need less management and more coaching.

Follow Verne: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Website
Show Notes
- What inspired him to dedicate his career to growing businesses (2:06)
- His purpose and how it allows him to stay focused (4:30)
- Why to be careful with following your passion (4:41)
- We don’t need more managers, we need more coaches (5:59)
- No one has ever achieved peak performance without a coach (6:54)
- How a leader behaves like a coach, not a manager (7:20)
- Habits of valuable employees (10:14)
- Commonalities of successful companies (11:57)
- The key to Warren Buffett’s success (13:04)
- Leaders are readers; leaders are learners (13:23)
- Common barriers to success and growth (14:10)
- Advice to people ready to take the next step in their business (16:17)
- What to do when you go from being a lean start up to an agile scale up (17:35)
- Daily habits of great leaders (18:19)
- You need a village of support to help you succeed (22:30)
- His biggest fear (27:27)
Resources / People Mentioned
- ScalingUp.com
- Mastering the Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish
- Scaling Up by Verne Harnish
- The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time by Verne Harnish
- Cal Newport
- Entrepreneurs’ Organizations
- Gazelles
- Bill Gates & Bill Gates’ Think Week
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Mark Cuban
- Warren Buffet
- Charlie Munger
- Steve Jobs
- Tim Cook
- Berkshire Hathaway
- Alan Murray
- Larry Page
- Regis McKenna
- Michael Dell
- Shark Tank
- John D. Rockefeller
- Jonathan Ive
- Boone Pickens
- The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
- Great by Choice By Jim Collins
- Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal
- Ready, Fire Aim: From Zero to 100 Million by by Michael Masterson and Sean Pratt
- The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Donald Miller on How to Use Story to Clarify Your Brand’s Message
- Kat Cole on Authentic Leadership
- Steve Koonin on Creating An Innovative Culture
- Val Ackerman on Reinventing Your Career
And read: