The One Away Show

The One Away Show
  • 5.0 (122)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

I believe one moment can change everything. On The One Away Show, I sit down with entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to talk about the pivotal experiences that reshaped their path—personally or professionally. These conversations go beyond the surface. We explore the decisions, turning points, and inner shifts that define who we become and how we show up in the world. If you're drawn to stories of growth, identity, and purpose, I think you'll feel at home here. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. I'm glad you're here.

  1. 3d ago

    One Marker Away From Landing the Plane

    Andy Hilger never planned on a corporate career. English and philosophy major. Master's in creative writing. Spent his 20s working in a group home and an environmental company — pretty sure the corporate world wasn't for him. Then he took a job at Allegiance Group just to pay the rent. And one chaotic meeting changed everything. A flip chart marker rolled in front of his chair. He reached down to pick it up. His boss pulled his chair away. And suddenly the behind-the-scenes note taker was standing in front of four angry people being told to "land the plane." What happened next set the trajectory for a 25-year career that took him from note taker to President of Allegis Group — one of the largest staffing companies in the world. In this episode, Andy breaks down: The one moment that pulled him out of the background and into the arena Why the best leaders breathe in stress and breathe out calm How a startup with "fire, fire, fire, ready, aim" energy became a billion dollar company The agility vs. ability framework — and why your degree's half life is about 2.5 years Why careers are still being run on waterfall when the world has gone agile What lifelong learners have that makes them nearly AI-proof How he's spending his next chapter: teaching at Duke, writing, and helping people retain their agency in a world that keeps changing If you've ever felt like a square peg in a round hole — and wondered if that might actually be your superpower — this one's for you.

  2. Aug 13

    One Library Away From a Life of Leadership

    At 11 years old, Dusty Holcomb's parents pulled him out of school. No classroom. No curriculum. Just a library card and a world of books waiting to be devoured. What felt like an oddity at the time turned out to be the greatest gift of his life. Dusty spent his formative years reading biographies of Eisenhower, Rommel, and Lincoln — not because anyone told him to, but because he was fascinated by one idea: ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That curiosity planted a seed that grew into 28 years of leading organizations, 15 of them as President or CEO — and now a second career coaching the next generation of leaders through the most disruptive moment in business history. In this episode, Dusty breaks down: Why being homeschooled at 11 became the greatest inflection point of his life What military history taught him about leadership before he ever ran a team The first principle of leadership that most managers never figure out: it's not about you Why clarity and alignment are the two most underrated tools in any leader's arsenal How great leaders architect machines — and let go of who gets the credit The 86% problem: why most organizations are paralyzed by AI and what to do about it The three pillars every leader needs to evaluate AI decisions: return on capital, return on time, return on new opportunity Why "designed by a human" needs to become the only acceptable standard If you believe leadership is a craft worth mastering for life — this one's for you.

  3. Aug 5

    One Lunch Away From the Only Job He's Ever Had

    Aaron Vaccaro was a senior in college, striking out on every internship, staring into the abyss. One spring afternoon, after an investment club presentation, he spotted a board member in the lunchroom and did something most people wouldn't — he asked if they could grab lunch. That board member knew a guy in Seattle. Didn't really know what he did. Just had a feeling they'd connect. That feeling turned into a phone call. That phone call turned into a summer internship. That internship turned into 12 years working alongside Eric Anderson — investor, visionary, and the man Aaron credits for everything he knows about business and life. In this episode, Aaron unpacks what it actually looks like to find the right mentor, earn their trust, and grow alongside them for over a decade — from scaling TopGolf to building Singularity University. We get into: The one lunchroom moment that changed everything What to look for in a mentor — and what they're looking for in you Why capability plus values alignment is the formula for any great partnership The art of unbundling complex problems — and why most people conflate everything Visionary leaders vs. execution leaders — and figuring out which one you are What succession planning looks like when your mentor is your north star Why deep tech, energy, biology, and robotics are where Aaron is placing his bets next The unexpected lesson of becoming a first-time dad If you've ever wondered what it takes to find the right person to learn from — and how to make the most of it — this one's for you.

  4. Jul 30

    One Eagles Game Away From Building an Empire

    Marc Shaw never planned to be in the title business. He wanted to prosecute insider trading at the SEC. Never got the callback. Instead, at the 2002 NFC Championship Game — a loss, by the way — he struck up a conversation with the guy sitting in front of him. That stranger was in the title space. And he offered Mark some closings on the side while he finished law school. That one conversation turned into a career. And that career turned into Worldwide Title — one of the fastest growing title companies in the country, built on a simple belief: technology doesn't replace trust. It just relocates it. In this episode, Marc breaks down: How a stranger at an Eagles game changed the entire trajectory of his life What he saw in the title industry that nobody else was paying attention to Why his first employees are still with him today — and what that says about culture The human expertise layer that no amount of AI can replace Why title insurance is fundamentally a promise, not a transaction The Atari to PlayStation 10 analogy for where AI is headed — and what it means for his industry Why judgment, relationships, and trust are about to become the most valuable skills in business If you've ever stumbled into something that turned out to be exactly where you were supposed to be — this one's for you.

  5. Jul 23

    One Daughter Away From Discovering His Life's Work

    Naren was a lawyer at three different venture-funded tech companies when the dot com bubble burst and took all three of them with it. So he did what any reasonable attorney would do next. He started a children's book company. It started with a bedtime story for his three-year-old daughter, a Virginia Tech mascot named the Hokie Bird, and some truly terrible illustrations. That one book sold 5,000 copies in six months — and unlocked a niche nobody had touched: children's books at the intersection of licensed sports content and university pride. 350 universities later, he had a publishing company. Then in 2018, he pivoted again — into thought leadership publishing through Amplify, helping executives, entrepreneurs, and experts turn their ideas into books that open doors nothing else can. In this episode, Naren breaks down: Why he went from law to publishing — and why it made more sense than it sounds How one proof of concept became a deal with 350+ universities and Major League Baseball The 2018 pivot to thought leadership books and why it changed everything Why a book is the ultimate long-form content flex — and what LinkedIn posts will never be able to do The AI writing question every author is wrestling with right now — and where the line actually is Why your email list is still your single most valuable asset at launch The bureau strategy that gets speakers more bookings from a single book tour If you've ever thought about writing a book — or wondered if it's still worth it — this one's your answer.

  6. Jul 14

    One Exit Away From Building Something Entirely Their Own

    Stephanie spent 20 years helping her dad grow his natural ingredient business. She fell in love with the work, the industry, and the meaning behind it all. Then they sold it — and she was left staring at a blank page. What do you do when the thing that gave your work its soul is gone? You build something new. From scratch. On your own terms. And if you're lucky, you get to do it with the person you love most. In this episode, Stephanie and Tyler share the story behind Dabble & Dollop — a kids' personal care brand built on values, not venture capital — and what it actually looks like to build a business together as husband and wife. We get into: Why selling the family business was the catalyst Steph needed to bet on herself How Tyler went from investment banking to Mint Mobile to co-founder — and why the timing finally felt right What working with her dad taught Steph about autonomy, risk, and what meaningful work actually feels like The real consumer insight that changed their entire product strategy Why parents of newborns will spend anything — and what happens at age three The cash flow reality of self-funded consumer products (spoiler: it's brutal) Why the entrepreneurship unicorn story is a lie — and what seven years of fighting actually looks like How Steph stays positive when the road gets hard If you've ever wondered what it takes to build something real — with no outside money, no safety net, and everything on the line — this one's for you.

  7. Jul 8

    One Yes Away From the Greatest Decision of His Life

    Derek Coburn has made a lot of decisions in his life. Good ones. Bad ones. But ask him which one changed everything — and the answer comes without hesitation. Marrying Melanie. Not a business deal. Not a career pivot. Not a bold financial bet. The person he chose to build his life with. And 17 years, two kids, and a thriving wealth management practice later — he's more convinced than ever that who you marry is the most important decision you'll ever make. In this episode, Derek gets refreshingly honest about what it actually takes to build a great marriage, a great career, and a great life — at the same time. We get into: Why "happy wife, happy life" is some of the worst advice ever given Starting therapy while engaged — and never stopping The privilege nobody talks about: waking up next to someone you love The Tale of Two Tonys — and why you probably only need to save 1% to retire well The $50,000 moment every parent is taking for granted right now Why he restructured his entire day around being available when his kids want him What it means to be in the "regret minimization business" Why he's not selling anything — and why that makes everything he says more worth hearing If you've ever wondered what it looks like to actually design a life you don't want to escape from — this one's for you.

  8. Jun 16

    One Crisis Away From Finding Out What You're Made Of

    In February 2020, Willie Litvack had his biggest month ever. Squadup — the self-service ticketing platform he'd spent six years building brick by brick — had just crossed $400K in monthly revenue. The business was profitable. The momentum was real. Then the phone rang. Within nine days, revenue went from $400K to zero. Willie had to furlough 17 people on a call with a lawyer billing $700 an hour — a lawyer he couldn't afford. And he had to figure out how to keep the lights on with almost nothing in the bank. What he did next is a masterclass in leading through chaos. In this episode, Willie shares: How he built Squadup from zero to $5M ARR without VC money — and why that made COVID hit harder The emotional reality of letting 17 people go in a single day and what it took to carry that Why the CEO's job is to be a shield — and what happens when the shield breaks How they used the downtime to rebuild the product and came out stronger on the other side The eventual exit and what it actually felt like Why he started Press On Ventures — and what "press on" means to him personally The three I's framework he uses to evaluate every founder: Integrity, Intensity, Intelligence The role his wife Madeline played in making all of it possible If you've ever had to hold it together when everything was falling apart — this one's for you.

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About

I believe one moment can change everything. On The One Away Show, I sit down with entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to talk about the pivotal experiences that reshaped their path—personally or professionally. These conversations go beyond the surface. We explore the decisions, turning points, and inner shifts that define who we become and how we show up in the world. If you're drawn to stories of growth, identity, and purpose, I think you'll feel at home here. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. I'm glad you're here.

Information

  • Creator
    The One Away Show
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    456
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The One Away Show