To The Top: Inspirational Career Advice

Omaid Homayun
  • 5.0 (34)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

We interview authors, entrepreneurs, and thoughts leaders to share their blueprints for success that you can also apply in your own life.

  1. 4D AGO

    #121 Patrick Mouratoglou: Building Unshakeable Confidence

    Patrick Mouratoglou is one of tennis's most successful and unconventional coaches, known for his work with Serena Williams during her dominant return to form—helping her win 10 Grand Slams and reclaim the world number one ranking. But his journey to the top began in the darkest of places: a childhood marked by crippling shyness, zero self-esteem, and such severe social anxiety that he couldn't make eye contact without fear of vomiting. When his dream of becoming a professional tennis player was crushed at 15, that rock bottom moment became the catalyst for an extraordinary transformation. Today, Patrick coaches the next generation of champions, founded the innovative Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), and has written a book about the "progress zone"—the space where confidence is built through small, daily victories. His approach to coaching is refreshingly transparent in a sport known for secrecy, and his insights on building champions apply far beyond the tennis court. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why the worst thing that happens to you might be the best thing—how Patrick's devastating rejection at 15 became the turning point that saved his life and launched his coaching career The hidden truth about motivation—why players (and people) who seem "unmotivated" are actually protecting their confidence, and what really drives elite performance How to rebuild someone's confidence from zero—Patrick's unconventional methods, including secretly rigging matches to create winning streaks and psychological breakthroughs What separates champions from great players—the mindset traits of Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic that have nothing to do with talent The art of hearing what people think, not just what they say—Patrick's most powerful coaching skill and why "the weather is nice" means completely different things in London versus Miami

    1h 11m

  2. DEC 16

    #120 Steve Lucas: Embracing Your Superpowers

    Steve Lucas is the CEO of Boomi, a leading integration and automation platform. Before joining Boomi, Steve served as CEO of Marketo, where he led the company's transformation from a $1.6 billion valuation to its acquisition by Adobe for $4.75 billion in just 24 months—one of the largest software acquisitions in history. Prior to that, he held executive leadership roles at SAP and Salesforce, and cut his teeth in technology at Microsoft in the early 1990s. Steve is the author of "Digital Impact," exploring how AI and intelligent automation are reshaping business and society. A passionate advocate for diabetes research after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 26, he serves on the board of the Children's Diabetes Foundation and recently established an endowed chair for diabetes research at the University of Colorado. Known for his curiosity, authenticity, and unwavering commitment to customers—he makes it a rule to speak with at least one customer every single day—Steve brings a unique blend of technical expertise and people-first leadership to one of technology's most transformative eras. In this episode, we discuss: How Bill McDermott's simple advice—"just be you"—freed Steve from a decade of self-doubt and changed his career trajectory The power of saying "no": How Steve took Marketo from $1.6B to $4.9B by doing less, not more Why talking to a customer every single day is non-negotiable and how it transforms your entire organization Turning adversity into strength: Steve's journey with type 1 diabetes and the moment that changed his perspective forever The future of AI in the workplace and why we're the last generation of managers to manage only humans

    1h 17m

  3. DEC 5

    #119 Jeff Pearlman: The Art of Storytelling

    div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 standard-markdown"> Jeff Pearlman is a New York Times bestselling author and one of America's most compelling sports writers, known for his meticulous reporting and ability to bring readers inside the locker rooms and lives of sports' most fascinating figures. He spent years as a writer for Sports Illustrated, where he famously broke the John Rocker story and honed his craft of finding extraordinary stories in unexpected places. Pearlman has authored numerous bestsellers including "The Bad Guys Won" about the 1986 Mets, "Showtime" about the Lakers dynasty which became an HBO series, "Boys Will Be Boys" about the Dallas Cowboys, and books on Bo Jackson, Walter Payton, Brett Favre, and Tupac Shakur—the latter requiring interviews with 650 sources. His YouTube show "Press Box Chronicles" has become a viral sensation, with millions tuning in to hear him share nostalgic deep dives into sports history's most memorable moments, characters, and forgotten stories. Today, Jeff continues to prove that great storytelling is built on one simple principle: getting the details right and treating people with kindness along the way. In this episode we discuss:    -Why getting the facts trumps fancy writing -Why we should build relationships through kindness -Why other people's success doesn't diminish yours -His extraordinary story he published on 9/11 and more..   - email questions to omaid@omaid.me

    1h 11m

  4. OCT 11

    #118 Max Richter: Moving Fast and Breaking Things - Buidling Insta360

    Max Richter grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, surrounded by cameras—his father was a photographer with a Leica who ran an advertising business. After studying engineering and business, Max found himself restless in corporate life, eventually making his way to Shenzhen, China, where he met a campus legend named JK who had borrowed $2,000 from his father to start a camera company. What happened next was a decade-long journey of near-bankruptcy, pivotal pivots, and ultimately building Insta360 into a company that challenged GoPro and partnered with the very camera brand that filled Max's childhood home. Today, Max serves as a co-founder of Insta360, a company that's redefined how millions of people capture and share their lives. In this episode, you'll discover: The "dark year" of 2017 when Insta360 had over 100 employees, was running out of cash, and Samsung had just entered their market—and the unexpected user behavior that saved the company Why the moment you're closest to giving up is often the exact moment you need to push through, and how this principle turned a struggling startup into a company that makes $30+ million annually The career advice Max wishes he'd known at 25 about the dangers of overthinking and why "just starting" beats perfect planning every single time How immersing yourself in uncomfortable, foreign environments shapes you into a more open-minded person—and why Max believes traveling early is one of the most underrated career accelerators The sacrifices nobody talks about when building a global company, and why finding the intersection of passion, profit, and societal impact matters more than any single factor alone

    1h 12m

  5. AUG 5

    #117 Jay Shetty: On Finding Your Purpose

    Jay Shetty has inspired millions of people through his inspirational YouTube videos, best-selling books and his podcast, On Purpose. He shares much of his wisdom as a former monk through his teachings. In this interview we discuss: -The #1 trait of high performers -The hardest part of finding your purpose -Why we should study people instead of envying them -The best career advice he ever received  -What we get wrong about trauma -How to cultivate meaningful relationships and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

    1h 7m

  6. JUL 31

    #116 Keith Hawk: Relentless Focus on the Process

    Keith "Pistol" Hawk was VP of Sales at LexisNexis where he led a salesforce of over 1,000 people. He co-authored "Get-Real Selling: Your Personal Coach for REAL Sales Excellence" and he's given many keynote speeches at corporate events about leadership.  In this episode we discuss: -How his upbringing helped him become self-reliant at an early age -The power of presence when raising children -The keys to a long, happy marriage  -Pitfalls of leadership -Having hard conversations at work, and more -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

    1h 18m

  7. JUL 22

    #115 Ariel Kaye: The Art of Progress Over Perfection

    Ariel Kaye is the founder and CEO of Parachute, the Los Angeles-based home essentials brand she launched in 2014. With no prior retail experience, Ariel transformed a simple observation about the lack of quality, non-toxic bedding into a multi-million dollar company that has redefined the direct-to-consumer home goods space. Before founding Parachute, she worked in marketing and media, experiences that proved invaluable in building a brand known for its storytelling and customer-centric approach. Today, Parachute operates retail stores across the country and has partnered with major retailers like Target, all while maintaining its mission of bringing comfort and quality into people's homes. In this episode we discuss: Why "I'll figure it out" is a legitimate business strategy – How embracing uncertainty and learning as you go can be more powerful than having all the answers upfront The transformative power of belief – How one friend's confidence in her abilities changed everything, and why believing in others (and telling them so) can literally change lives Why asking for help is your secret weapon – How to overcome the fear that not knowing everything makes you weak, and why the best leaders are the ones who know what they don't know How to handle rejection without losing momentum – Practical strategies for dealing with hundreds of "nos" from investors while staying focused on your vision The art of progress over perfection – Why small, consistent actions often matter more than grand gestures, especially for high achievers who get stuck in perfectionist cycles -- Check out the t-shirts for the podcast: https://www.bonfire.com/to-the-top-4/

    58 min

  8. JUL 17

    #114 Jeanelle Teves: Unshakeable Self-Confidence

    We're joined by Jeanelle Teves, Chief Commercial Officer of North America at Bugaboo, the premium Dutch stroller company known for its innovative design and engineering excellence. Jeanelle's career journey is a masterclass in turning uncertainty into opportunity—from answering phones at her parents' dental practice at age nine to scaling global brands at Nike across Europe and New York, and now leading growth for one of the world's most recognizable parenting brands. As a first-generation Filipino American who lived in the Netherlands for nearly a decade before becoming a new mother herself, she brings a unique perspective on building careers, leading teams, and creating products that truly solve problems for parents worldwide.  In this conversation, you'll learn: -The "Why Not You?" mindset that her immigrant parents instilled and how it shaped every major career decision -Her 5 AM routine and "3-3-3 exercise" for starting each day with intention and gratitude -Why being "consistently good beats being occasionally great" and how small, compound actions build extraordinary careers -The art of "praising in public and criticizing in private" to build psychological safety and high-performing teams -How she identified the perfect career opportunity at the intersection of personal experience and professional growth -Bugaboo's obsessive approach to solving real parental problems and why their durability standards are seven times higher than industry minimums -The power of treating your network like a bank account and making relationship deposits before you need to make withdrawals Whether you're early in your career or leading teams of your own, Jeanelle's insights on communication, consistency, and finding green shoots of optimism even in challenging times will change how you think about building both professional success and personal resilience.

    45 min
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We interview authors, entrepreneurs, and thoughts leaders to share their blueprints for success that you can also apply in your own life.

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