Navigating Leaders

Gabriel Griess

The Navigating Leaders Podcast is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers ready to grow with purpose. It’s hosted by Gabriel Griess, a retired US Air Force officer, CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and founder of Navigating Leaders. Each episode explores what it takes to break through limiting beliefs, clarify your vision, and start really living. Grounded in faith and guided by hard-earned, real-world wisdom, Gabriel helps you identify what’s holding you back and take intentional steps toward lasting impact. Through authentic conversations and practical insights, you’ll gain the tools to lead from the inside out. It’s time to awaken your vision and live boldly.

  1. 9h ago

    Episode 28: Why Your Body Feels Stuck in Survival Mode

    What if the stress you feel isn't just in your mind, but in your body? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with Rome Za, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and holistic health coach, to explore why so many people feel exhausted, anxious, reactive, and disconnected, even when they're doing everything they think they should. From breathwork and movement to nervous system health and daily habits, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about what it really takes to heal, grow, and perform at your best. If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like your body is constantly fighting against you, this episode may help you see your health and your life from an entirely new perspective. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com Hard Roll Jiu Jitsu: hardrolljiujitsu.com Hard Roll Jiu Jitsu YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@hardrolljiujitsu Know What's in Your Water: ewg.org/tapwater The OligoScan: theoligoscan.com ==================== ABOUT ROME ZA Rome Za is a first-degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt with more than 20 years of experience helping athletes, executives, and high performers build resilient bodies that perform for life. After being told he would never compete again because of severe neck injuries, Rome refused to accept the diagnosis. Through breathwork, holistic nutrition, fascia training, and nervous system optimization, he rebuilt his body and returned to doing what he loves. Today, he teaches a holistic approach to health and performance that combines strength, recovery, and resilience, empowering people to move better, recover faster, perform at a higher level, and live with greater freedom. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  2. Jul 14

    Episode 27: Why You Feel So Much Pressure to Provide

    Why does it feel like the weight of your future rests entirely on your shoulders? Whether you're worried about money, your career, your business, or simply trying to keep everything together, the pressure to provide can quietly become one of the greatest sources of fear, anxiety, and burnout. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess challenges one of the biggest lies leaders believe about security, success, and control. Through biblical wisdom, practical leadership principles, and personal reflection, he reveals a mindset shift that can replace fear with freedom and help you lead with greater confidence and peace. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by financial pressure, uncertain about the future, or exhausted from believing everything depends on you, this conversation may completely change the way you think about provision, purpose, and the life you were created to live. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com ==================== CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  3. Jul 7

    Episode 26: Why Winning Starts Before Anyone Is Watching

    Why do some leaders thrive under pressure while others lose momentum when life gets hard? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with championship-winning coach Corey M. Henderson Sr. to explore what it really takes to build a winning culture, lead through adversity, and stay committed when success doesn't come overnight. From losing his corporate career to building one of the top basketball programs in Texas, Corey's journey is filled with hard-earned lessons on leadership, resilience, discipline, accountability, faith, and long-term vision. If you're feeling stuck, facing setbacks, leading a team, or pursuing a goal that feels out of reach, this conversation will challenge the way you think about success and reveal what separates champions from everyone else. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com 📖 Invictus by William Ernest Henley ==================== ABOUT COREY HENDERSON SR. Corey M. Henderson Sr. is the head boys basketball coach and an admissions officer at the Episcopal School of Dallas, where he has served for over 23 years. A 4-year letterman at Texas A&M University, Corey played professionally in Perth, Australia before transitioning into coaching. He built the ESD basketball program from the ground up, earning three consecutive state championships and developing players who went on to compete at the collegiate and professional levels, including Phil Pressy of the Boston Celtics. Corey also served on staff at Kobe Bryant Academy for approximately six years. He leads the Campfire Program at ESD, a mentorship and guidance initiative for student athletes.  📸 Instagram: @cmhe_32  👍 Facebook: @coreymichael.henderson CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  4. Jun 30

    Episode 25: The Missing Link Between Knowing and Growing

    You know what you should do, so why do you still feel stuck? Most people don't struggle because they lack information. They struggle because they never turn what they know into consistent action. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with growth coach Brandon Smeltzer, founder of Undefeated Growth, to explore why some people make meaningful progress while others stay trapped in the same patterns year after year. Together, they unpack the surprising lessons Brandon learned while coaching undefeated sports teams, struggling leaders, executives, parents, and people fighting to save their marriages. The conversation reveals why accountability matters, how small actions create massive change over time, and what separates growth-minded people from everyone else. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, stuck, or frustrated by the gap between where you are and where you want to be, this episode will challenge the way you think about growth and give you a practical path forward. Because lasting transformation doesn't start with knowing more. It starts with taking the next step. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com  Undefeated Growth Website: undefeatedgrowth.com Undefeated Growth Instagram: @undefeatedgrowth Undefeated Growth LinkedIn: @undefeatedgrowth Season of Life—A Football Star, a Boy, a Journey to Manhood: Season of Life Book ==================== ABOUT BRANDON SMELTZER Coach Brandon brings more than twenty-five years of experience in coaching and leadership development. A championship winning sports coach, Brandon can help you and your organization break through walls; functional, relational, or spiritual. He has a unique gift of seeing the big picture and knowing how to map the route forward. Brandon is a certified John Maxwell Team coach and communicator as well as the designer of the Undefeated Growth process. He and his wife have seven kids and are active servant-leaders at their local church. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  5. Jun 23

    Episode 24: What If You're Not as Far Gone as You Think?

    Have you ever felt like you've wandered too far, made too many mistakes, or become someone you never intended to be? Whether you're carrying regret, struggling with shame, feeling disconnected from God, or watching someone you love walk a difficult path, this episode is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond grace. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess shares a personal story, explores the timeless lessons of the Prodigal Son and the Lost Sheep, and challenges us to rethink how we view ourselves and others. Along the way, he unpacks why kindness, compassion, forgiveness, faith, and human connection matter more than ever in a world filled with division, anxiety, judgment, and loneliness. If you've been searching for hope, purpose, healing, redemption, or simply a reminder that you're not alone, this conversation may be exactly what you need. The question isn't whether you've ever been lost. The question is what happens when you're found. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  6. Jun 16

    Episode 23: The Real Reason People Trust You (or Don’t)

    Why do some leaders earn trust, influence, and opportunity while others struggle to make a lasting impact? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with Gary Watson for a conversation about one of the most overlooked factors in leadership and success. If you've ever wondered why certain relationships open doors, why some people naturally attract trust, or why leadership can feel harder than it should, this episode will challenge the way you think about influence, character, and personal growth. Together, Gabriel and Gary explore the hidden factors that shape credibility, decision-making, and long-term success. Whether you're leading a business, a team, a family, or simply trying to become the person you're called to be, this conversation offers powerful insights that can transform the way you lead and live. If you're interested in leadership, emotional intelligence, personal development, influence, faith, mindset, and building a legacy that lasts, this episode is for you. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com  🏢 Trio Workforce Solutions: https://triowfs.com ==================== ABOUT GARY WATSON Gary Watson, known to many as Sivion, is a business leader, entrepreneur, musician, and man of faith with a passion for helping people lead with integrity and purpose. For decades, he has built influence across both the marketplace and the creative arts, earning a reputation for strong character, authentic relationships, and servant leadership. Whether leading teams, building businesses, mentoring others, or creating music, Gary is committed to helping people grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. 📸 Instagram: @SivionDS5 👍 Facebook: @SivionDS5 𝕏 X/Twitter: @SivionDS5 CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  7. Jun 9

    Episode 22: The Real Reason You Feel Stuck (It’s Not What You Think)

    Are you spending your energy on the wrong things? Most leaders don’t lose their way because they lack talent, ambition, or opportunity. They lose their way because they get distracted.  In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess introduces a powerful framework he calls “The Puzzle or the Path.” Through a simple but unforgettable illustration, he explores why so many people find themselves consumed by problems, distractions, relationships, and pursuits that pull them away from the purpose they were created to fulfill.  If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, pulled in too many directions, or uncertain about your next step, this conversation will challenge you to examine what’s truly deserving of your time, attention, and energy. The question isn’t whether you’re moving. The question is whether you’re moving in the direction you were meant to go.  ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  8. Jun 2

    Episode 21: How Faith Changed Sam Trevino’s Life, Marriage, and Leadership

    What if your carpet cleaner carried a calling that had nothing to do with carpets? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess sits down with Sam Trevino, a father of six, man of faith, and founder of Made Clean Janitorial Services. Sam leads with purpose, and his company motto comes straight from Hebrews 9:14. It shows in everything he does. But before his business, beautiful marriage, and bold faith, there was a lost young man in a steel town in Indiana, drinking away his pain and searching for the father he never had. Sam shares the moment a TV preacher stopped him cold, the beer went down, and everything changed. He talks about hearing God’s voice at a quinceañera, proposing to a woman he barely knew, and why, 30 years later, that same obedience still guides him, including raising a three-year-old at age 62. This conversation goes deep on what it means to lead as a man, a father, and a servant, and why none of it works without God in the equation. It ends with a prayer you won’t want to skip. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com ⏩ Made Clean Janitorial Services: www.madeclean.solutions ⏩ Made Clean Janitorial Services on Facebook: facebook.com/MadeCleanJanitorialServices  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Navigating Leaders Podcast is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers ready to grow with purpose. It’s hosted by Gabriel Griess, a retired US Air Force officer, CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and founder of Navigating Leaders. Each episode explores what it takes to break through limiting beliefs, clarify your vision, and start really living. Grounded in faith and guided by hard-earned, real-world wisdom, Gabriel helps you identify what’s holding you back and take intentional steps toward lasting impact. Through authentic conversations and practical insights, you’ll gain the tools to lead from the inside out. It’s time to awaken your vision and live boldly.