GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor
What does it mean to be ready to pursue growth?
Should we pursue growth when we don't feel ready?
And how do we achieve optimal growth by readying ourselves for everything that comes with it?
The GrowthReady Podcast seeks to form a true appreciation for all facets of the growth process as we learn from high performers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
Hosted by Steve Mellor, a seasoned high-performance executive coach and former US Olympic swim coach, each episode explores the pivotal moments that define true growth and the work that went into getting ready for it.
Through candid conversation and detailed personal accounts, guests share their unique experiences of overcoming challenges, embracing transformation, and what it takes to get ready for every step of their growth journey.
GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor
Episode 324: Adaptability, Identity, and Choosing What Matters w/ David Hiler
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David Hiler’s answer to “What does it mean to be growth ready? ”is simple—and hard-earned: adapt to whatever comes your way.
A lifelong runner and hospitality entrepreneur, David’s life changed fast when a knee issue turned into cancer. Faced with two paths—an invasive rebuild with uncertain outcomes or amputation with a clear shot at living fully—he chose the decision that protected what mattered most: movement, presence, and the life he wanted to keep saying yes to.
Then came the second wave: recovering during COVID while trying to keep multiple hospitality businesses alive. What followed wasn’t just a comeback story. It was a full reset.
In this conversation, David shares what it looked like to let go of the “more, bigger, next” mindset, selling the house, exiting the businesses, and trading a life of constant pressure for a life built around freedom, health, and daily happiness. Along the way, he talks candidly about the hard days too: the frustration, the self-consciousness, the work of journaling when you don’t feel like it, and the discipline of choosing yourself before life forces the issue.
About the Guest:
David Hiler is a former hospitality operator who built and ran multiple businesses, including a restaurant and brewery, before stepping into a new chapter after losing his leg to cancer.
Today, David works as a consultant for bed & breakfasts and country inns, while traveling full-time with his wife in an RV—building a life around movement, simplicity, and the places that make them feel most alive.
He’s also an advocate for accessible mobility through So Everybody Can Move, supporting efforts to improve insurance coverage for prosthetic options that help amputees live fully (including water legs, running blades, and sport-specific prosthetics).
Connect with David:
- Instagram: @dhiler
- Facebook: @drhiler
- Advocacy: https://soeverybodycanmove.org/
- Adaptive Training Foundation: https://www.adaptivetrainingfoundation.org/
- Amputee Coalition: https://amputee-coalition.org/
Connect with Steve Mellor
Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
- Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
- Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163
Connect with GrowthReady
Join the community and keep your growth journey going:
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
- Official Website - https://growthready.com/
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