Badass Softie

Dr. J.J. Peterson

A Badass Softie is unapologetically ambitious and leads with heart. Ambitious and kind. Fun and driven. Powerful and deeply human. Badass Softie, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson, is a podcast that challenges the false choice leaders are too often given: be strong or be compassionate. The world doesn’t just need more leaders — it needs leaders bold enough to make an impact and compassionate enough to make it meaningful. Each episode pulls back the curtain on leaders, creators, and innovators who are rewriting the rules of what real leadership looks like. You’ll walk away with stories, insights, and practical takeaways that show you how to lead with both strength and softness — the very definition of being a Badass Softie. Subscribe and step fully into the kind of leader the world is waiting for. 

  1. vor 3 Tagen

    The Best Marketing Isn't About You

    The best marketing isn't about getting people to notice you. It's about helping the right people recognize themselves in what you have to say. Too often, business owners treat marketing like a performance—trying to sound more professional, more polished, or more like everyone else. But the more you edit yourself out of your message, the harder it becomes for the people you were meant to serve to connect with you. In this episode, Dr. J.J. Peterson talks with StoryBrand guide and former Broadway actor Matt Wolfe about why your voice matters, how to stop performing, and why the most effective marketing starts by focusing less on yourself and more on the people you're trying to help. What You'll Learn Why the best marketing isn't about you—it's about the people you're trying to serve. How trying to sound "professional" can actually weaken your message. Why your unique voice helps the right customers recognize they've found the right guide. The surprising connection between Broadway performance and authentic marketing. Matt's four-word mindset shift for walking into any room with confidence. A practical first step to clarifying what you want your business to be known for. Ready to put this into practice? One of the best ways to clarify your marketing message is to write a simple one-liner that explains who you help, what problem you solve, and why it matters. Download Dr. J.J. Peterson's free One-Liner Worksheet and start building the message your customers will actually connect with. https://www.drjjpeterson.com/one-liner Mentioned in This Episode Brand3: https://www.brand3.net  The CEO's Heart for Service Podcast: https://www.brand3.net/the-ceo-heart-for-service-podcast

  2. 20. Juli

    The Hardest Marketing Decision You'll Ever Make

    What if the biggest reason your marketing isn't working has nothing to do with your website, your social media, or your messaging? What if it's the decision you've been avoiding? After spending more than two decades helping global brands like Nike and Adidas tell clearer stories, Kris Jones made a surprising move—she narrowed her own business to focus on one specific audience. That decision didn't make her business smaller. It made her message unforgettable. In this episode, Kris joins Dr. J.J. Peterson to explore why the hardest marketing decision isn't choosing another platform or creating more content. It's deciding what you want to be known for—and having the courage to let everything else become secondary. Together they discuss why clarity attracts better clients, why repeating yourself is one of the most effective marketing strategies, and why the fear of excluding people often keeps businesses from ever becoming truly memorable. If you've ever worried that choosing one message means closing doors, this conversation may completely change the way you think about marketing. In This Episode Why becoming known starts with making one difficult decision Why narrowing your message doesn't have to mean limiting your business How to serve multiple audiences without confusing your brand The StoryBrand framework and why every great story begins with a customer who has an unsolved problem The two questions Kris uses to uncover what businesses should really be known for Why saying "no" often leads to attracting more of the right clients How repetition builds trust—and why you're probably changing your message too soon Ready to Clarify Your Message? If this episode challenged you to think differently about what you want to be known for, here are two free resources to help you take the next step. From Dr. J.J. Peterson: Download the One-Liner Worksheet to clarify your message and create a simple, memorable way to communicate the value you bring. 👉 https://www.drjjpeterson.com/one-liner From Kris Jones: Download The Five StoryBrand Soundbites That Bring You More Clients to learn how to confidently talk about your business in a way that attracts the right people. 👉 https://www.reddoorstories.com/free-resources

  3. 13. Juli

    Why Customers Don't Remember Your Business

    Your company probably doesn't have a differentiation problem. It has a memory problem. Dr. J.J. Peterson kicks off a new marketing series by exploring one of the biggest misconceptions he encounters in strategy sessions. Most businesses believe they need to stand out from the competition. In reality, many simply haven't decided what they want customers to remember. Using research from psychology, a famous farmers market experiment, and examples from some of the world's most recognizable brands, J.J. explains why saying more often makes your message weaker—and why clarity is one of the most generous things you can offer your customers. What You'll Take Away Why most businesses have a clarity problem, not a differentiation problem How too many messages create confusion instead of confidence What a famous jam study reveals about customer decision-making Why memorable brands aren't always the ones with the most value A practical exercise to identify the three things you want customers to remember Whether you're leading a company, building a personal brand, growing a business, or sharing an idea that matters, this conversation will help you communicate with greater clarity so the people you're meant to serve remember you. If you're trying to figure out what your business should be known for, this is the work Dr. J.J. Peterson helps leaders and organizations do every day. Visit https://www.drjjpeterson.com/ to learn more about his messaging and marketing strategy workshops and how to build a brand customers actually remember.   Follow Badass Softie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badasssoftiepod Website: https://www.badasssoftie.com

  4. 29. Juni

    Why We Perform Instead of Telling the Truth

    Most people don't set out to become performers. But over time, it's easy to trade pieces of ourselves for approval, success, certainty, or the version of us we think other people want to see. Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with author and book coach Ally Fallon for a conversation about authenticity, ambition, and the courage it takes to tell yourself the truth. Together, they explore why so many people lose touch with their own voice while chasing external validation, how performance can quietly replace authenticity, and what it means to trust yourself when the rewards aren't immediate. Ally shares lessons from a season that brought her family to the brink of bankruptcy, the unexpected insights that emerged from a 30-day Instagram experiment, and why some of the most important growth happens long before anyone else can see it. For leaders who have ever wondered whether they're building a life that feels true—or simply becoming what the world rewards—this conversation offers a different way to think about success. What This Explores • Why finding your authentic voice takes courage • The difference between your inner and outer horizon • Why we perform for approval without realizing it • Letting go of likes, views, and external validation • What failure can teach us about purpose • Why meaningful work doesn't always make immediate sense • Listening when your body tells you something is out of alignment • Leading with authenticity instead of performance If this conversation resonated with you, consider following Badass Softie and sharing it with someone who may need the reminder that success and authenticity don't have to be at odds. Mentioned in This Episode The Artist's Way: https://juliacameronlive.com/book/the-artists-way-a-spiritual-path-to-higher-creativity Ally Fallon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon  Follow Badass Softie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badasssoftiepod Website: https://www.badasssoftie.com

  5. 22. Juni

    What Happens When Everything Becomes Practical

    What if the moments that change someone's day are the ones we almost talk ourselves out of? The compliment we never give. The thank you we never send. The invitation we never make. The extra effort we decide isn't necessary. In this conversation, Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with bestselling author and hospitality expert Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, to explore a simple idea that has the power to change how we lead, work, and live: Never let a gracious impulse pass. From a brief conversation with a catering team that still talks about the experience years later to creating moments of surprise and wonder that people never forget, Will shares why hospitality has very little to do with restaurants and everything to do with making people feel seen. Along the way, they discuss why affirmation matters more than we realize, why some of the most meaningful things we do will never show up on a spreadsheet, and why creating a little more magic in the world might be one of the most important responsibilities we have as leaders. What This Episode Explores Why people never outgrow the need to feel seen What hospitality really means beyond customer service The competitive advantage of caring Why some ideas are worth more than their immediate return How to create moments people remember Why joy shouldn't be reserved for special occasions What happens when we stop letting gracious impulses pass If this episode makes you think of someone, don't just send them the link. Tell them why. Mentioned in This Episode Unreasonable Hospitality: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/products/unreasonable-hospitality-the-remarkable-power-of-giving-people-more-than-they-expect  The Unreasonable Hospitality Field Guide: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/products/unreasonable-hospitality-the-field-guide  Website: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com  Milk Bar: https://milkbarstore.com  Follow Badass Softie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badasssoftiepod Website: https://www.badasssoftie.com

  6. 15. Juni

    Maybe Consistency Isn't The Goal

    Melissa Greene spent years as a member of the Grammy-nominated Christian music group Avalon before becoming a pastor, speaker, writer, and advocate.   But along the way, life began challenging some of the beliefs she had always held—and forcing her to confront an uncomfortable truth: Growth doesn't happen by staying the same.   Melissa joins Dr. J.J. Peterson to explore what happens when certainty starts to crack, why changing your mind can feel so threatening, and how curiosity, compassion, and life experience can reshape the way we see ourselves and others.   While faith and theology are part of the conversation, this episode is really about something much bigger: growth, identity, and what happens when life asks us to become someone new. Together they explore a question many of us quietly wrestle with: Who are we becoming?   What We Explore • Why changing your mind can feel like changing your entire world • What happens when life no longer fits the story you've been told • Why some people stay curious while others double down • The power of meeting people beyond labels and assumptions • Why growth often requires letting go of certainty • What happens when your world gets bigger • Why you shouldn't expect to be the same person ten years from now   This episode is for you if you've ever questioned something you once believed, found yourself growing in unexpected ways, or wondered what it means to evolve without losing yourself along the way.   Mentioned in This Episode Substack: https://melissagreene.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissagreene   Follow Badass Softie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badasssoftiepod Website: https://www.badasssoftie.com

  7. 8. Juni

    Failure Doesn't Always Mean You're Wrong

    What happens when the strategy stops working, but the mission still matters? Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with entrepreneur, author, and Copper founder Allison Trowbridge for a conversation about leadership, adaptation, and the difference between staying committed to a mission and staying attached to a plan. Over the course of building Copper, Allison faced investor rejections, major pivots, layoffs, and moments when continuing forward seemed impossible. Yet through every version of the company, one thing remained unchanged: the people she set out to serve. The result is a powerful leadership conversation about knowing what should remain fixed, what must evolve, and why some of the most important leadership decisions begin with letting go. What This Explores • Why great leaders stay committed to the mission—not the original strategy • The difference between persistence and stubbornness • How to know when a pivot is necessary • Why success can create more pressure, not less • What failure teaches that success never can • The role community plays when leadership feels lonely If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who is building something meaningful. MENTIONED IN THIS CONVERSATION Copper Books:  https://copperbooks.com/ Website: https://www.allisontrowbridge.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisontrowbridge/   Follow Badass Softie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badasssoftiepod Website: https://www.badasssoftie.com

Info

A Badass Softie is unapologetically ambitious and leads with heart. Ambitious and kind. Fun and driven. Powerful and deeply human. Badass Softie, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson, is a podcast that challenges the false choice leaders are too often given: be strong or be compassionate. The world doesn’t just need more leaders — it needs leaders bold enough to make an impact and compassionate enough to make it meaningful. Each episode pulls back the curtain on leaders, creators, and innovators who are rewriting the rules of what real leadership looks like. You’ll walk away with stories, insights, and practical takeaways that show you how to lead with both strength and softness — the very definition of being a Badass Softie. Subscribe and step fully into the kind of leader the world is waiting for.