Books4Guys

Books4Guys
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Self-Improvement

The Books4Guys Podcast is where books meet real talk — featuring conversations with authors, athletes, and everyday leaders to spark curiosity and help more men discover the power of reading. It’s not just about books — it’s about growth, grit, and becoming better every single day. 

  1. 1d ago

    How to Become a Better Leader by Leading Like Yourself | Tami Chapek

    Tami Chapek didn't begin her career expecting to become a leadership coach or entrepreneur. Her journey started in marketing, where an early promotion suddenly put her in charge of a team without much preparation for how to actually lead one. Like many new managers, she initially copied the leadership styles she had experienced herself, including becoming a micromanager before realizing she needed to find a better way.  In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Tami shares how those early leadership lessons eventually led her to launch WeInspireWe and write Leadership Redefined: Defy the Ordinary to Unleash Your Potential. At the center of her approach is a simple idea: great leadership isn't about copying someone else's style. It's about understanding your own strengths, developing the areas where you need to improve, and learning how to lead authentically.  Tami and Chris also talk about how leadership itself is changing. Today's leaders may be managing as many as five generations in the workforce while navigating remote and hybrid work, rapidly changing technology, AI, and very different expectations from employees. Despite all that change, Tami believes one thing remains at the center of effective leadership: human connection. Understanding the people you work with, communicating expectations clearly, and learning what motivates them can solve many of the problems leaders face.  The conversation also explores why companies often fail to properly develop their leaders. Organizations may invest in first time managers or senior executives while overlooking the people in the middle. Tami explains why leadership development should be an ongoing journey rather than a one time training program, because the skills needed to lead change as your responsibilities grow.  Topics discussed include: becoming a first time manager, overcoming micromanagement, finding your authentic leadership style, starting a business after corporate burnout, building relationships instead of constantly selling, writing Leadership Redefined, imposter syndrome, leading multiple generations, AI and the changing workplace, remote and hybrid work, human connection, communication and expectation setting, developing middle managers, identifying your strengths, and why leadership is a journey rather than a destination. Tami leaves leaders with a practical place to start: understand your strengths, decide how you want to show up, identify where you need to grow, and then intentionally put those behaviors into practice every day.

  2. 4d ago

    Who Says I Can’t? Rob Mendez on Mindset, Resilience & Overcoming Challenges

    Rob Mendez has spent his life refusing to let limitations define what is possible. Born without arms or legs, Rob grew up surrounded by sports and found his calling in football coaching, eventually building a story that would capture national attention. But behind the accomplishments is a much bigger lesson about mindset, perseverance, happiness, and learning to focus on what you can control.  In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Rob shares his journey from growing up around sports to becoming a football coach and author of Who Says I Can’t?. He talks openly about the practical challenges he's faced, from transportation and physical pain to the long hours required to coach, and why he refuses to allow those obstacles to determine what he can accomplish. For Rob, coaching has always been about more than football. It's about teaching people how to believe in themselves.  Rob also reflects on the whirlwind of attention he received in 2019, traveling the country, attending the ESPYs, meeting some of the biggest names in sports, and sharing his story with audiences around the country. Today, however, his perspective on success has changed. Becoming a father has helped him recognize that accomplishments and recognition aren't the same thing as happiness, and some of the most meaningful moments in life happen far away from the spotlight.  The conversation ultimately comes back to the message behind Who Says I Can't? Rob explains that everyone has difficult days, doubts, financial pressures, relationship problems, and moments when things don't go according to plan. The key is paying attention to how you think when those challenges arrive. Instead of building a list of reasons something can't be done, ask a different question: How am I going to get through this?  Topics discussed include: Rob's childhood and love of sports, becoming a football coach at 18, overcoming physical and logistical challenges, why coaches are teachers, his rise to national attention, attending the ESPYs, meeting athletes he grew up watching, becoming a father, the difference between happiness and success, dealing with bad days, gratitude, asking for help, the importance of mindset, and the message behind Who Says I Can't? “Who says I can’t? Nobody.”

  3. 6d ago

    Why Putting Others First Makes You a Better Leader | Dan Albaum

    Dan Albaum has spent decades building a career around marketing, leadership, communication, and helping people succeed. After working with major brands including Cisco and Honeywell and across technology, fitness, and education, he has seen firsthand what separates great leaders from those who simply hold leadership titles.  In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Dan joins Chris to discuss his new book, The Giving Edge: Why Putting Others First Creates Your Greatest Advantage, and why servant leadership isn't a soft approach to leading. Dan explains why empowering people can actually create greater accountability, how putting your team first can produce better results, and why leadership should ultimately be about growing people rather than protecting your own position.  Dan also shares lessons from interviewing hundreds of leaders, including why the most successful people aren't afraid to admit mistakes, continue learning throughout their careers, and surround themselves with people who know more than they do. The conversation explores leadership in a rapidly changing workplace, what Dan sees in the next generation of leaders, and why sometimes you have to "go slow to go fast."   In this episode:  Why servant leadership isn't soft leadership  How putting others first can become a competitive advantage  What bad bosses taught Dan about becoming a better leader  Why empowerment creates greater accountability  The difference between leadership and simply having a title  Lessons from 37 leaders featured in The Giving Edge What Dan has learned from more than 300 podcast conversations  Why great leaders don't need to be the smartest person in the room  Learning from mistakes instead of trying to appear perfect  What the next generation expects from leaders and companies  Staying adaptable as technology and AI change the workplace  Why leaders sometimes need to "go slow to go fast"  Building a legacy through the people you help develop At the heart of Dan's message is a simple idea: leadership isn't about how high you climb. It's about how many people you help grow along the way. The Giving Edge challenges leaders to move away from ego driven, command and control leadership and instead build teams through trust, empowerment, accountability, and service. Dan's goal is to help create a new generation of leaders who understand that putting others first isn't a weakness. It can become one of their greatest advantages.  www.the-giving-edge.com

  4. Oct 26

    How a Near Death Experience Changed Everything | Dan Wenker

    Dan Wenker was approaching his 50th birthday when he decided he wanted to do something bigger than throw another birthday party. A self described city guy and Boy Scout dropout, Dan set his sights on climbing Mount Rainier. He lost 30 pounds, got into some of the best shape of his life, reached the summit, and discovered a passion for mountaineering that would completely change his life. Years later, that passion nearly killed him. While descending the Grand Teton in 2022, Dan lost control while glissading down a snowfield. He shot between two boulders, went over a cliff and fell roughly 60 feet into a dark ice moat next to an underground waterfall. Dan was knocked unconscious and eventually woke up alone, injured and trapped in the darkness with no clear way out. As the cold set in, his climbing partner Jim desperately tried to find a way to rescue him. Then Jim remembered something that would ultimately help save Dan's life: the extra climbing rope he had volunteered to carry. Dan eventually felt the rope hit him in the darkness and managed to climb out despite later discovering that he had broken his leg. After his rescue, an EMT told him just how extraordinary his survival had been. Three other people had previously fallen into the same ice moat. All three had been body recoveries. Dan was the first rescue. That experience became the foundation for his book, Staying on Guard. In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Dan shares the incredible story of his fall and rescue, the role faith played in his experience, and why nearly losing his life changed the way he thinks about the time he has left. In this episode: Why Dan started climbing mountains at 50Going from city life to becoming a mountaineerClimbing Mount Rainier and Mount KilimanjaroThe Grand Teton accident that nearly took his lifeFalling 60 feet into an underground ice moatThe climbing rope that helped save his lifeWhy Dan believes his survival was a miracleThe meaning behind Staying on GuardRefusing to use age as an excuseLiving what Dan calls a "What If" lifeReturning to the Grand Teton and eventually reaching the summitHow the outdoors transformed Dan physically, mentally, and spirituallyWriting as a way to process a traumatic experienceWhy a near death experience changed his perspective on timeFinding purpose in sharing your story with othersDan eventually returned to the Grand Teton at 65 and reached the summit. His message isn't that everyone needs to start climbing mountains. It's that we shouldn't automatically close doors because we're getting older. Instead of saying, "I don't do that anymore," Dan encourages people to ask a different question: What if I could? For Dan, the day that almost became the worst day of his life ultimately became one of the most important days of his life. It gave him a different appreciation for faith, family, adventure, purpose, and the time we're given. https://www.danwenker.com/store/p/staying-on-guard-book

  5. Oct 23

    The Power of Reading, Writing & Thinking Deeply in the Age of AI | Douglas Cole

    Author and educator Douglas Cole returns to the Books4Guys Podcast for a conversation about writing, creativity, reading, artificial intelligence, and his award winning novel, The White Field. Originally published in 2020, The White Field didn't get the launch Douglas had envisioned as the COVID shutdown eliminated many of the traditional opportunities for readings, bookstore events, and promotion. After his original publisher later closed, the book found a new home with Unsolicited Press, giving Douglas an opportunity to reintroduce the story to readers. The White Field follows a man attempting to rebuild his life after getting out of prison and the challenges that come with trying to reenter society. Douglas explores stigma, limited opportunities, guilt, second chances, and the feeling of escaping one prison only to enter another. At the same time, he wanted the novel to be fun, funny, and adventurous, eventually developing into a crime story with unexpected twists. Chris and Douglas also dig into a bigger conversation about what technology and AI could mean for reading, writing, and creativity. Douglas shares what he's seeing from his students, why younger writers may be entering the classroom with less reading experience, and why slowing down can actually help us think with greater clarity and depth. In this episode: The story behind the second release of The White FieldWriting a 30,000 to 40,000 word first draft by handCreating believable characters and finding your voice as a writerWhy reading is essential to becoming a better writer and thinkerWhat Douglas is seeing from students in the age of AIUsing AI as a tool without replacing your own creativityWhy writing by hand can help slow down your thinkingThe value of reading deeply instead of consuming everything fasterFinding time and space to be creativeThe differences between writing poetry, short stories, and novelsWhy writers should experiment and find the process that works for themAt a time when technology makes it easier than ever to produce something quickly, this conversation is a reminder that faster isn't always better. Reading, writing, thinking, and creating still require intentionality. Douglas also reminds us that sometimes the best thing you can do is keep a notebook nearby, stay curious, and keep exercising your creative muscles.

  6. Oct 21

    Uncovering a Family’s Hidden History in Nazi Germany | Ruth Hillelson & The Right Side of Wrong

    What would you do if two old suitcases completely changed what you knew about your family's history? In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Chris sits down with Ruth Hillelson, author of The Right Side of Wrong, to discuss the remarkable true story she uncovered through family letters, photographs, documents, and years of research. Ruth's journey began after reconnecting with relatives in Germany. During a visit with her cousin, she was given two small suitcases that had belonged to her grandfather and survived World War I and World War II. Inside were documents, photographs, and letters written in German, Polish, and Russian. As Ruth began translating them, an incredible family history emerged. She discovered the story of her German grandfather falling in love with her Russian Jewish grandmother, her family's escape to Poland, two uncles who were later conscripted into the German military, an aunt who worked as a spy for the Polish resistance, and family members caught inside some of the darkest moments of European history. One of Ruth's biggest discoveries was learning that her own uncles had fought for Germany during World War II while her American father served in the U.S. Navy. She also learned important context that changed how she understood their stories, including the reality that being drafted into the German military did not necessarily mean someone supported Hitler or the Nazi regime. Chris and Ruth discuss why history looks different when we experience it through individual people rather than dates, governments, and armies. Ruth's research ultimately taught her that history isn't only created by famous political leaders. It's also created by ordinary people and the individual acts of courage they make when confronted with extraordinary circumstances. In this episode, you'll hear about: The incredible family history behind The Right Side of WrongTwo suitcases filled with WWII letters and photographsRuth's search for her family's pastA German and Russian Jewish love storyHer family's experiences during World War I and World War IIFamily members conscripted into the German militaryHer aunt's work with the Polish resistanceDiscovering previously unknown family secretsWhat life was like inside Nazi GermanyUnderstanding the Holocaust through individual storiesWhy nationality doesn't tell someone's entire storyThe importance of preserving family historyWhat genealogy can teach us about ourselvesWhy Ruth believes individuals make historyThe years of research behind the bookThe Right Side of Wrong is ultimately more than a story about Ruth's family. It's a reminder that history becomes much more complicated and human when we stop looking only at countries and armies and begin looking at the individual people who actually lived through it. Sometimes the stories that help us better understand history have been sitting inside our own families all along.

  7. Oct 20

    Hillary Frank on Wedlocked, Storytelling & the Art of Creating Great Podcasts

    SEO Podcast Title Hillary Frank on Wedlocked, Storytelling & the Art of Creating Great Podcasts Podcast Summary Hillary Frank has spent decades telling stories through radio, podcasts, books, and documentaries. She began her audio career by creating a homemade radio story and sending it to This American Life, eventually becoming a contributor to the show. She later created the award winning podcast The Longest Shortest Time and worked as the story editor and host of ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcast documentary Six Who Sat. In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Hillary shares how a shy kid who loved recording herself on cassette tapes became a professional storyteller and interviewer. She breaks down what makes a story worth telling, how she approaches interviews and production, and why curiosity has played such an important role throughout her career. Hillary also shares one of her simplest rules for finding a great story: ask what is surprising about it and why should people care? We also dive into Hillary’s new original audiobook, Wedlocked, a thriller built specifically for audio. The story follows Zara, a popular online fitness instructor whose marriage begins to unravel as she experiences a series of bizarre health problems while becoming inexplicably happier. Hillary explains why she chose an immersive, multi voice audio format, how her background in podcasting influenced the project, and why thrillers can be especially powerful as audiobooks. Topics Discussed How Hillary Frank got her start with This American LifeOvercoming shyness through interviewing and storytellingCreating The Longest Shortest TimeHillary’s work on ESPN’s 30 for 30How professional storytellers find compelling storiesWhat makes someone a great interviewerThe creative process behind producing podcasts and documentariesWhy Hillary created Wedlocked specifically for audioUsing multiple actors and sound to create an immersive audiobookWhy thrillers work so well in audioBooks and audiobooks Hillary recommendsBooks Mentioned Wedlocked by Hillary Frank Pet by Catherine Chidgey The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris Big Swiss by Jen Beagin About Books4Guys Books4Guys is on a mission to help more people become better readers, thinkers, learners, and leaders. Subscribe to the Books4Guys Podcast for more conversations with authors, leaders, athletes, entrepreneurs, and interesting people with stories worth sharing.

  8. Oct 19

    Do the Hustle: How to Turn Setbacks Into Success | Don Kurz

    Success rarely happens in a straight line. In this episode of the Books4Guys Podcast, Chris sits down with entrepreneur, former athlete, and author Don Kurz to discuss his book Do the Hustle and the lessons he's learned through a lifetime of success, failure, reinvention, and starting again. Don grew up in Queens and became a three sport athlete before playing lacrosse at Johns Hopkins. Athletics was a huge part of his identity until a devastating knee injury tore his ACL and MCL and completely changed the direction of his life. What initially felt like an ending eventually opened an unexpected door into another world entirely: dance. That experience became an early example of a lesson Don would encounter repeatedly throughout his life. Things won't always go according to plan. Life isn't always fair. You can't control every setback, but you can control what you do next. Don carried that philosophy into business, where his journey included building companies, launching a hedge fund, navigating the 2008 financial crisis, losing money, changing directions, and continuing to rebuild. He explains why resentment and bitterness only make difficult situations worse and why learning to accept reality is the first step toward moving forward. One of the central ideas in Do the Hustle is what Don calls "accept and embrace." First, accept what actually happened. You lost the job. The business failed. The relationship ended. You got injured. The client left. Then embrace the responsibility of deciding what you're going to do next. Chris and Don also discuss fear of failure, regret, work ethic, personal responsibility, entrepreneurship, reinvention, and why there is still no replacement for putting in the work. In this episode, you'll hear about: How to overcome major setbacksTurning failure into opportunityWhy life doesn't always follow the planDon's journey from college athlete to entrepreneurRecovering from a career changing injuryLearning to accept realityDon's "accept and embrace" philosophyWhy resentment holds you backOvercoming fear of failureKnowing when to pivot or cut your lossesTaking personal responsibility for your futureWhy hard work remains a competitive advantageNavigating difficult seasons in businessHow setbacks can eventually make you betterThe importance of biographies and memoirsWhy your next chapter doesn't have to be defined by your last oneDon's message isn't that setbacks don't hurt. They do. The lesson is that the setback doesn't get to make the final decision about where your life goes next. Accept what happened. Learn from it. Embrace what's next. Then get back to work.

See All (217)

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Books4Guys Podcast is where books meet real talk — featuring conversations with authors, athletes, and everyday leaders to spark curiosity and help more men discover the power of reading. It’s not just about books — it’s about growth, grit, and becoming better every single day. 

Information

  • Creator
    Books4Guys
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    217
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Books4Guys
  • Show Website
    Books4Guys