I Have Some Questions...
Most people know the headline of a leader’s story. Few know the path it took to get there. This podcast goes beyond titles, book launches and business wins, to explore the lived journey behind the thought leader.
Through deep, unhurried conversations, we uncover the moments that shaped them—the doubts, pivots, convictions, and quiet breakthroughs that built their body of work.
Each episode features authors, coaches, executives, and bold thinkers who have forged their own path. Instead of rehearsed talking points, they’re invited into a space where thoughtful questions unlock something more human. The result is a layered conversation that reveals not just what they preach, but how they became the kind of person who can teach it.
Because we believe the best stories aren’t always told—they’re revealed. And when brilliant people are given the right questions and the room to answer them fully, what emerges is insight you can feel, frameworks you can apply, and a deeper understanding of what it truly takes to lead, create, and contribute at a meaningful level.
Episodes
157 episodes
159: "Is Your Current Sales Process Working Against You?" (reflections on Daniel Schmidt)
🧠 Erik’s TakeErik zooms in on something most people intellectually “know” but don’t operationalize: sales is a process—but we resist treating it like one.What stood out most isn’t just the seven steps—it’s where the leverag...
158: Daniel Schmidt: "Selling is a System, Not a Personality Trait"
This episode dives into the intersection of engineering precision and sales leadership intuition. Daniel Schmidt shares his journey from technical design work to leading global sales teams—and the surprising realization that transformed everyth...
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157: "You've Probably Just Scratched the Surface of AI" ft. Justin Coats
This conversation shifts from theory to reality.Erik and Justin move beyond what AI could do and into how it actually works today—and more importantly, how most people are using it wrong without realizing it.From...
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156: "Delegation Without Scaffolding Can Break Your People" ft. Alli Murphy
In this co-hosted episode, Erik and Alli break down how great leaders actually delegate, develop people, and engineer growth opportunities.They explore why most stretch projects fail, how to build “scaffolding” around new responsibilitie...
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155: "Are You Managing Parts Intead of Leading the Whole System?" (reflections on John Dues)
🧠 Erik’s TakeErik came into this conversation with resistance—and left with a complete shift in perspective. That tension became the unlock.What initially felt abstract or overly theoretical (Deming’s “System of Profound Kn...
154: John Dues: "What Does a System of Profound Knowledge Really Look Like?"
This conversation with John Dues challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in leadership: that people are the primary drivers of performance.Drawing on W. Edwards Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge, John introduces a...
153: "Are We Misunderstanding AI Job Loss Completely? ft. Justin Coats
In this follow-up to last week's conversation, Erik and Justin tackle one of the most emotionally charged topics in AI: job displacement.But instead of fear-based predictions, they reframe the conversation entirely. The real story isn’t ...
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152: "What If Your Team’s Feedback Is the Wake-Up Call You Need?" ft. Alli Murphy
What happens when your team tells you that you’re the problem?In this candid, real-world conversation, Erik and Alli unpack one of the most uncomfortable leadership moments: being told your stress is impacting your team. Instead...
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151: "Does External Chaos Really Create Internal Opportunity? (reflections on Adam Plouffe)
🧠 Erik’s TakeAfter reflecting on his conversation with Adam Plouffe, Erik realized something important: some of the most brilliant leadership thinking in the world lives quietly inside companies we rarely hear about.Adam ma...
150: Adam Plouffe: "What Does Great Leadership Look Like When the Ground Keeps Shifting?"
Adam Plouffe has spent decades leading inside an industry most people rarely think about—but one that quietly shapes the global economy: steel.As COO of Brunswick Steel, Adam operates at the intersection of supply chains, tariffs, intern...
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149: "Vague Thinking Produces Weak Outputs, Specially with AI" ft. Justin Coats
This episode marks the beginning of a new weekly series featuring Justin Coats—AI expert, co-founder of LearnAir™, and now recurring co-host. Erik brings his biggest questions about AI in business, and Justin brings grounded, practical answers....
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148: "What Do You Do When Your Boss Isn’t Doing Their Job—But You Could?" ft. Alli Murphy
In this conversation, Erik and Alli unpack a deceptively simple leadership dilemma: Should you step in and do the work to prove you're ready for the next level—or hold back to avoid being taken advantage of?What unfolds is a nuanced expl...
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147: Are Misaligned Incentives Shaping the Outcomes We Complain About? (reflections on Addison Hosner)
🧠 Erik’s TakeIn this reflection episode, Erik steps back from his conversation with legal commentator and Young Voices contributor Addison Hosner to unpack the deeper themes that emerged.What stood out most wasn’t just the le...
146: Addison Hosner: "Can the Legal System Be Both Profitable and Ethical?"
In this episode, Erik sits down with attorney and nonprofit executive Addison Hosner to unpack the realities behind the legal profession — from burnout in family law to the structural incentives that shape how justice is practiced.Addiso...
145: "What Would You Want From Your Manager If You Survived a Layoff?" ft. Alli Murphy
Mass layoffs, uncertainty, and pressure to perform—this conversation tackles one of the hardest realities leaders face: guiding a team through chaos when you don’t have answers yourself. Erik and Alli unpack what leadership actually...
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144: "Are We Going About Measuring Success All Wrong?" (reflections on Patrick Guerette)
After his conversation with Patrick Guerette, Erik reflects on a simple but uncomfortable idea: we may be measuring success completely wrong.In sports, success is usually measured by medals, championships, and rankings. But those metric...
143: Patrick Guerette: "Are We Measuring Success in Athletes the Wrong Way?"
In this conversation, Erik sits down with Patrick Guerette to explore what sports systems can teach us about leadership, development, and long-term performance.Patrick shares insights from his experience in sport and athlete development,...
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142: "What Happens When Your Team Suddenly Doubles in Size?" ft. Alli Murphy
The rise of the “mega manager” is real—and it’s breaking traditional leadership models. In this conversation, Erik and Alli unpack what happens when managers go from leading 6–8 people to 12–16 (or more), why it’s happening, and how leaders can...
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141: "True Buy-In Comes From Involvement" (reflections on Ashley Falsafi)
🧠 Erik’s TakeIn this reflection episode, Erik revisits his conversation with Ashley Falsafi and pulls out the leadership principles that stuck with him most — especially around trust, mentorship, and buy-in.What stood out was...
140: Ashley Falsafi: "Leadership Skills Are Mostly Portable"
Ashley Falsafi didn’t take the traditional path into sales—or leadership. From operations to high-ticket sales to COO of an oil brokerage education company, Ashley’s journey challenges the myth that you have to “come up through the ranks” to le...
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139: "What Happens When Efforts Don't Translate to Outcomes?" ft. Alli Murphy
In this episode, Erik and Alli unpack one of the most frustrating leadership scenarios: when growth outpaces execution—and your team’s hard-earned wins start slipping away. Instead of diving into operational fixes, they go deeper into the leade...
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138: "The Key to Knowing How to Develop Mutually Beneficial Relationships" (reflections on Charles Byrd)
🧠 Erik’s TakeIn this reflective follow-up, Erik unpacks the brilliance behind Charles Byrd’s joint venture framework—and why it hit deeper than just “networking advice.” What stood out wasn’t hype. It was structure.Charles do...
137: Charles Byrd: "Mastering Follow-Ups Is a Necessity"
In this conversation, Erik sits down with Charles Byrd—joint venture strategist and founder of PureJV—to unpack the systems, psychology, and subtle habits that turn conversations into million-dollar opportunities.From mastering follow-u...
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136: "Should You Avoid or Plan For Conversational Landmines?" ft. Alli Murphy
A real-world leadership scenario sparks a deep, practical conversation between Erik and Alli: how to deliver difficult organizational news that may feel like a step backward for someone—even when it’s the right move.This episode unpacks ...
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135: "Sometimes You Don't Need The Final Roadmap; a Destination Will Do" (reflections on Andrea Brown)
🧠 Erik’s TakeIn this reflection, Erik unpacks his conversation with Andrea Brown — and admits something uncomfortable: he wasn’t fully sold on her exit-strategy-first mindset at first.The big idea that stuck?You don’t hav...