GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor

Coach Steve Mellor
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What does it mean to be ready to pursue growth? Should we pursue growth when we don't feel ready?  And how do we achieve optimal growth by readying ourselves for everything that comes with it? The GrowthReady Podcast seeks to form a true appreciation for all facets of the growth process as we learn from high performers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.  Hosted by Steve Mellor, a seasoned high-performance executive coach and former US Olympic swim coach, each episode explores the pivotal moments that define true growth and the work that went into getting ready for it.  Through candid conversation and detailed personal accounts, guests share their unique experiences of overcoming challenges, embracing transformation, and what it takes to get ready for every step of their growth journey.

  1. Episode 317: Your Voice Is Your Edge: Dr. Leslie Gordon on Confidence, Presence, and Speaking Up

    6D AGO

    Episode 317: Your Voice Is Your Edge: Dr. Leslie Gordon on Confidence, Presence, and Speaking Up

    What if the thing holding you back isn’t a lack of expertise, but the fact that your voice hasn’t caught up to what you know? In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Dr. Leslie Gordon, a speech, voice, and accent expert who helps high-performing professionals speak with more confidence, presence, and impact. Leslie introduces the idea of the “growing edge,” a powerful replacement for the word “weakness,” and explains why real growth requires more than mindset. It requires action, repetition, awareness, and the willingness to step into unfamiliar territory. This conversation is for anyone who has ever left a meeting thinking, “I should have said something,” or who knows they have something valuable to contribute but struggles to make their voice match their expertise. Why “growing edge” is more useful than calling something a weakness  Why high performers struggle to speak up, even when they know their stuff  How self-evaluation can help growth or quietly block it  How to work with the inner critic using Leslie’s “name it to tame it” strategy  Why presence, breath, and body tension shape how your message lands  Why confidence is built through action, not simply something you either have or don’t haveConnect with Dr. Leslie Gordon: Website: https://www.leslie.gordon.speech/lesliegordonspeech.com Send us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    50 min
  2. Episode 316: Coaching Corner: Why Self‑Sufficiency Isn’t High Performance

    APR 22

    Episode 316: Coaching Corner: Why Self‑Sufficiency Isn’t High Performance

    There’s a moment in the Tour de France most people miss. Not the sprint finish. Not the podium. Not the yellow jersey. It’s the mountain stage, where you realize the leader isn’t actually alone. We use that image to challenge a belief a lot of high performers quietly live by: self-sufficiency equals strength. It might be the very thing that helped you win early stages of growth… and the same thing that now limits what’s next. We explore why high performance isn’t just about endurance and capacity, it’s about exposure. Exposure to feedback, discomfort, new reflections, and the kind of community that forces you to practice who you’re becoming. What you’ll hear in this episode Why we confuse self-sufficiency with high performanceThe hidden cost of carrying pressure in isolationWhy growth requires exposure, not just effortWhat community gives you that a mirror can’tA better question than “How much can I handle?”The Tour de France lesson: nobody wins the mountain stages alone00:00 Why the mountain stage matters 00:36 The leader is never really alone 01:18 The hidden cost of carrying pressure in isolation 02:22 When self-sufficiency starts limiting growth 03:25 Growth requires exposure, not just endurance 04:05 Why community matters 04:47 Choosing a room that stretches you 05:42 What community gives you that a mirror can’t 06:18 What pro cyclists have to unlearn 07:12 No one wins the mountain stages alone 08:03 A better question for high performers 08:42 You might win one stage alone 09:33 Final reflection and share the episode 09:51 Outro If this episode hit, share it with one leader who’s been carrying too much alone. A simple send could be the support they didn’t know they needed. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    11 min
  3. Episode 315: Failure Is the Benchmark w/ Leanda Cave

    APR 15

    Episode 315: Failure Is the Benchmark w/ Leanda Cave

    A lot of high-performers know how to win, but far fewer know how to use failure well. And when life gets uncomfortable, the instinct is often to avoid it, rush past it, or pretend it didn’t mean anything. My guest today, Leanda Cave, is a four-time world champion triathlete who’s lived through elite success, personal setbacks, major transition, and a powerful season of self-discovery beyond sport. In this episode, you’ll hear how failure can become one of the greatest forces for growth, why awareness changes everything, and how to redefine high performance in a way that actually serves your life long term. We talk about setbacks, discomfort, relationships, identity, longevity, purpose, and what it looks like to keep evolving when your next chapter asks something different from you. Why being growth ready means being prepared to failHow failure can become a gateway instead of a stopping pointThe difference between winning the race and winning the journeyWhy comfort can quietly block growthLearning through relationships, patterns, and self-awarenessThe role of awareness in transformationReframing high performance as longevityHealth as a long-term leadership strategyPurpose, philanthropy, and life after elite sportBuilding a meaningful next chapter beyond one identity or laneLinks and resources mentioned Instagram: @leandacaveInstagram: @leandacavecoachingBest BuddiesTEDx talk: Failure Is the Force That Shapes YouLeanda website: www.leandacave.comSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    50 min
  4. Episode 314: Who Are You When No One’s Watching? with Joe Smarro

    APR 8

    Episode 314: Who Are You When No One’s Watching? with Joe Smarro

    What does it really mean to be Growth Ready? In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Joe Smarro for a deeply honest conversation about identity, self-awareness, and the cost of living for everyone else. Joe shares why growth starts with curiosity, why so much of our identity is inherited rather than chosen, and why external validation keeps so many high-performers stuck. Together, they explore the tension between the person we present to the world and the person we sit with in private, and how closing that gap can transform the way we lead, live, and grow. About the guest: Joe Smarro is a speaker, trainer, former Marine, and former police officer who now leads SolutionPoint+, where he and his team teach human behavior, de-escalation, wellness, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Key takeaways: What it means to be “Growth Ready”Curiosity, self-awareness, and introspectionIdentity vs. titles and external validationThe “representative self” vs. the private selfWhy high-performers get stuck in fear and safetyThe cost of denying yourselfBoundaries, selfishness, and self-worthTherapy, healing, and emotional intelligenceThe obituary exercise and legacyAligning your life with what matters mostConnect with Joe Smarro SolutionPoint+ websiteJoe Smarro’s books on AmazonErnie & Joe: Crisis Cops on HBOInstagramLinkedInFacebookSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    58 min
  5. Episode 313: Own the Room in Your Next High-Stakes Moment even If You Don’t Feel Ready w/ Samara Bay

    APR 1

    Episode 313: Own the Room in Your Next High-Stakes Moment even If You Don’t Feel Ready w/ Samara Bay

    In this episode, Steve sits down with Samara Bay to unpack what it really means to be “ready” when the stakes are high. Together, they explore the connection between body, mind, and communication—and why so many high-performers flatten their presence by trying to hide fear instead of working with it. Samara explains how public speaking is really about power, permission, and presence. She shares why “readiness” is more of a body-based practice than a mental state, how love-based thinking can shift us out of fight-or-flight, and why the warm-up before any important conversation may be the real work. Key Takeaways: Why readiness is more physical than mentalThe role of body awareness in communicationPublic speaking as a reflection of power and self-trustHow fear creates a flattened version of usWhy naming what’s happening in the room builds trustThe shift from fear-based thinking to love-based communicationSocial evaluative threat and the modern version of fight-or-flightWhy context matters in every communication momentThe importance of imagination, curiosity, and play in leadershipWhy warm-ups and rituals matter before big momentsMissed opportunity as the hidden cost of poor communicationLinks and Resources Mentioned Permission Inc. — permissioninc.coPermissionaries newsletter — available via Samara’s websitePermission to Speak by Samara BayUpcoming TEDx talk — Samara said it will be shared on her website once releasedSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    58 min
  6. Episode 312: Growth Is What You Learn From the Leap w/ Megan Torrance - Readiness, AI, and Leadership

    MAR 25

    Episode 312: Growth Is What You Learn From the Leap w/ Megan Torrance - Readiness, AI, and Leadership

    About the guest: Megan Torrance is a workplace learning and development leader who helps organizations create better systems for growth, performance, and skill development. In this conversation, she brings together practical insight from her work in learning design, her perspective on AI as an augmentation tool, and her own lived experience as an athlete, coach-supported leader, and endurance hiker. About the episode: In this episode, Steve sits down with Megan Torrance to unpack what it really means to be growth ready. Megan reframes growth as what we learn from a leap, not just the leap itself, and explains why readiness is less about feeling fully prepared and more about having the mindset, tools, support, and willingness to step into the next challenge anyway. Megan shares how real growth happens when people are clear on the goal, supported with the right systems, and willing to reflect in the middle of discomfort. Key topics and themes discussed What “growth ready” really meansWhy growth comes from learning through the leapThe difference between being a teacher and teachingWhy workplace learning should focus on performance, not completionReflection as a critical part of the learning loopThe role of AI in personalized learning and leadership developmentReadiness, uncertainty, and the “gulp” before the next challengeBuilding systems that make the next right action easierCuriosity as a driver of long-term growthExpanding capacity inside and outside of workLessons from ice hockey, coaching, and endurance hikingResources mentioned Megan Torrance on LinkedInTorrance Learning — torrancelearning.comAI Implementation Guide for L&D by Megan TorranceKhan AcademyMagicSchoolSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    47 min
  7. Episode 311: Build a High-Trust Team - Even If Growth Is Testing Your Culture w/ Meghan Popoleo

    MAR 18

    Episode 311: Build a High-Trust Team - Even If Growth Is Testing Your Culture w/ Meghan Popoleo

    About the guest: Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, where she has spent the last decade helping organizations grow through strong people strategy, culture, and leadership. She came into the business from the nonprofit world, openly admits she did not start out loving HR, and has grown into a values-driven leader known for vulnerability, execution, collaboration, and people-first leadership. About the episode: In this conversation, Steve sits down with Meghan to unpack what it really means to be “growth ready.” Megan shares why vulnerability is not weakness, but a leadership advantage, especially when you’re scaling a company, building culture, navigating succession, leading hard conversations, and raising a family at the same time. For founders, executives, and high-performers, this episode is a practical reminder that sustainable growth starts with values, trust, and the courage to ask for help. Key Takeaways: Why vulnerability is essential for personal and professional growthMegan’s journey from nonprofit leadership into HR and people operationsThe partnership between Megan and founder Marsha O’ConnorHow hard conversations strengthen leadership tandemsProtecting company culture during growthWhy “teammate” matters more than “employee”Women in leadership, motherhood, and asking for helpThe tension between saying yes, learning fast, and avoiding overwhelmBuilding new service lines without losing core valuesWhy relationships are a true growth leverCreating communities that support female leaders and entrepreneursLinks and resources mentioned: The O’Connor Group: www.tocgrp.comThe O’Connor Group on LinkedIn57th Street Partners Shadow HerSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    52 min
  8. Episode 310: Lead With Yes - Authenticity, Reinvention, and Doing Work That Actually Fits w/ Raymond Lee

    MAR 11

    Episode 310: Lead With Yes - Authenticity, Reinvention, and Doing Work That Actually Fits w/ Raymond Lee

    About the Guest: Raymond Lee is the founder of CareerMinds, a virtual outplacement and leadership development company he started in 2008. After years of building the business, Raymond went through a deep season of self-reflection in late 2021 that reshaped how he saw leadership, identity, and growth. He later sold CareerMinds and stepped into a new chapter with even greater clarity around impact, authenticity, and helping people find work that truly aligns with who they are. He’s also the host of the Clocking Out podcast and author of the book Clocking Out. About the Episode: In this conversation, Steve Mellor sits down with Raymond Lee for a powerful discussion on what it really means to be growth ready. Raymond shares why authenticity became the turning point in his life, how curiosity helped him move through fear, and why so many high-performers stay stuck in careers that look successful on the outside but feel misaligned on the inside. Key Takeaways: What “growth ready” means through the lens of authenticityWhy authenticity builds trust, connection, and leadership impactRaymond’s identity shift in December 2021Curiosity as a companion to authentic growthFear of change vs. the pain of staying the sameThe story behind the Clocking Out podcastRaymond’s mother’s career change into archaeology at age 50Why meaningful change starts with small steps“Lead with yes” as a practical mindset for reinventionAsking better questions: What excites me? What brings value?Using your story to help others find their true pathResources: CareerMindsClocking Out podcastClocking Out book by Raymond LeeFinding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David KesslerRaymond Lee on LinkedInSend us Fan Mail Support the show Connect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellorBook Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.comSupport the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellorOfficial Website - https://growthready.com/---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

    55 min
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What does it mean to be ready to pursue growth? Should we pursue growth when we don't feel ready?  And how do we achieve optimal growth by readying ourselves for everything that comes with it? The GrowthReady Podcast seeks to form a true appreciation for all facets of the growth process as we learn from high performers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.  Hosted by Steve Mellor, a seasoned high-performance executive coach and former US Olympic swim coach, each episode explores the pivotal moments that define true growth and the work that went into getting ready for it.  Through candid conversation and detailed personal accounts, guests share their unique experiences of overcoming challenges, embracing transformation, and what it takes to get ready for every step of their growth journey.

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