Exceptionally Good: Leaders for a Better World

Ryan Maxwell
  • 5.0 (13)
  • NON-PROFIT

We bring you in-depth interviews with exceptional leaders who drive toward a different bottom line — leaders from health care, philanthropy, non-profits, education and rescue services who are doing exceptional work for the good of the world. Exploring their origin stories, their leadership journey and the lessons they learned on their path -- sometimes the hard way -- we bring you close to understand how exceptional leaders tick. On Instagram and Threads @e.g.exceptionallygood.org

  1. SEP 7

    19. Brad Barrett - No Margin, No Mission - How the Tenets of Financial Independence Can Enable Your Exceptionally Good in the World

    In this episode - Brad Barrett, CPA and co-founder of the ChooseFI Podcast, one of the most influential platforms in the Financial Independence (FI) movement. While Brad’s career began in accounting, it’s his work making FI accessible to everyone that makes him a leader worth learning from. The FI movement, as Vicki Robin framed it, asks a simple but profound question: your money or your life? At its core, FI isn’t about hoarding wealth... it’s about using intentional financial choices to reclaim your time, create freedom, and build resilience.  Or, as Sister Irene Kraus, leader of a hospital for those in need, once said: “No margin, no mission.”   Money is not the mission — but it is a necessary and enabling condition to have the impact you dream about. And Brad’s work shines light on how to make margin for good.  In this conversation, Brad and I explore: * How margin (or savings rate) empowers people and organizations to stay on mission. * The traps of traditional financial services — and why Brad shares freely instead of selling. * Practical FI principles that help anyone in service, leadership, or social good sustain impact over the long run. * The importance of aligning financial choices with values and mission. Margin isn’t just a personal concept—it’s essential for organizations dedicated to social good. Nonprofits, schools, and community groups need breathing room in their budgets to weather crises, survive policy shifts, and keep serving when a grant runs dry. The same holds true for individuals: without margin, mission falters. Financial independence tools provide a framework to create that margin, ensuring both people and organizations can endure and thrive in pursuit of their highest purpose. Brad could easily have stepped away after reaching FI. Instead, he uses his talents and skills to lead for exceptional good — helping others see through the noise and build a life of intention, impact, and joy. So dive in and learn how having margin for the mission helps you soar above.  Links: ChooseFI Podcast  - a wealth of accessible conversations about financial independence https://choosefi.com/ JL Collins’ Blog – The Simple Path to Wealth  - a brilliant grounding in the principles, the how and why of FI https://jlcollinsnh.com/stock-series/ The Monk and the Minister -  a parable about freedom and the trappings of high salary https://jlcollinsnh.com/2011/06/02/the-monk-and-the-minister/ The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement  From Mr. Money Mustache https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/01/13/the-shockingly-simple-math-behind-early-retirement/ Jim Collins's (another Collins!) concept of “Preserve the Core / Stimulate Progress” https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/preserve-the-core-stimulate-progress.html •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services Exceptionally Good on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    1h 6m

  2. SEP 1

    18. Ron Rapatalo - Building Trust Like the Flash, Getting Fired and then RONward to What’s Next!

    Ron Rapatalo is a connector, coach, and culture-shifter. A proud New Yorker and the son of Filipino immigrants, Ron brings over two decades of experience in K-12 education, nonprofit leadership, and executive search. He's dedicated his career to cultivating equity and empowering and mission driven organizations. His experiences include leadership roles at Teach for America, New Leaders, Edgility Consulting, Stronger Consulting, and as an advisory board member at Harvard Business Review. As the host of the RONderings podcast, Ron delves into conversations around leadership, Identity wellness, exploring the superpowers that drive personal and professional transformation beyond his professional endeavors. Ron, like all of us, contains multitudes: serving as a career coach, an author, a public speaker, and the founder of the Rapatalo Group LLC, alongside his wife Shanita. Ron’s mission? To dismantle systemic inequities and help leaders and organizations thrive with purpose and integrity. Whether he’s coaching senior leaders or chatting with an Uber driver, Ron’s superpower is building trust—fast. This episode is full of wisdom for anyone navigating leadership, identity, career pivots, or simply trying to live with more alignment. Ron shares openly about what it means to choose purpose over prestige, the power of relationships, and how even professional setbacks (like getting fired) can become transformational growth moments. If you’re a mission-driven leader, this conversation is for you. Ron’s got some great lessons for leaders:  * Building trust is a Superpower * You Are Not Your Job * Ask Better Questions in Your Career * Your Network Is Your Safety Net ........... Connect with Ron! LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo/ Ron’s Newsletter - RONservations https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/ronservations-7192945637582086144/ Ronderings Podcast  https://open.spotify.com/show/4Pimm7Z4j7FO3EiQRxralb •••••••••• More from Exceptionally Good... Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
  https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood ……… Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    1h 1m

  3. AUG 18

    17. Isamu Thung - Systems, Self, and the Struggle to Lead (…all before graduating high school)

    Isamu Thung - Systems, Self, and the Struggle to Lead …all before graduating high school What does it look like to reflect deeply on education systems—after you’ve learned across the ocean and back again …and before you’ve even graduated high school? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Isamu Thung, a recent graduate of High Tech High and one of the most thoughtful young leaders discussing learning, equity, and systems transformation. Despite just finishing high school, Isamu brings a level of wisdom, humility, and systems-thinking that challenges adults in the field to go deeper. We explore: * The hard lessons of leadership and the tension between control and compassion * What Isamu learned by moving between the U.S. and Japan’s educational systems * How a single semester of empowered teaching transformed his trajectory * Why good structure creates freedom—and too much freedom can paralyze * What it means to walk with someone through their learning journey Whether he’s designing professional development tools, mentoring middle schoolers, or rethinking how systems shape outcomes, Isamu shows us what’s possible when curiosity meets deep reflection. This episode is full of insights about identity, courage, and the kind of leadership that grows through humility and struggle. Connect with Isamu Thung: Website: https://isamuthung.com LinkedIn: Isamu Thung https://www.linkedin.com/in/isamu-thung-55429b288/ Email: isamuthung@gmail.com Ron Berger’s Unboxed episode (featuring Isamu): “Schools Can Get Better at Unleashing Student Potential” https://hthgse.edu/podcasts/schools-can-get-better-at-unleashing-student-potential/ •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services 
Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    1h 1m

  4. AUG 11

    16. Dr. César Cruz - Drawing on AI: Ancestral Intelligence

    In this episode, we hear stories — an ancient form of wisdom — as I get to talk with the incomparable Dr. César Cruz. A Mexican-born, Compton-raised educator, César has spent over three decades walking alongside young people who the system has marginalized—not to fix them, but to help them remember their worth. He is the co-founder of Homies Empowerment, a grassroots organization in East Oakland that began as a leadership class for gang-impacted youth and has grown into a full ecosystem for good. In this deeply powerful and provocative conversation, he shares how AI “ancestral intelligence,” grief, graffiti, and basic human needs for belonging all shaped his vision for education. In This Episode, we discuss: * Speaking your truth and acting from the lessons of experience  * What gangs, and Girl Scouts have in common * The journey from subtractive schooling to self-liberation * Harvard, the complexity of his experience at a famous institution * The dangers of founder syndrome and the healing power of letting go * Learning from the deep challenges of being in the darkness of inner struggle — and the power of ancestors to bring us back * Building a high school that centers youth voice, justice, and joy “You are not what you do.  You are not a human doer, you are a human being.  So stop doing and just be.” Relevant Links: Homies Empowerment https://www.homiesempowerment.com/ Donate to Homies Empowerment https://giving.classy.org/campaign/670300/donate Blooms Taxonomy https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/taxonomies-learning Maslow vs Blackfoot https://shanesafir.com/2020/12/before-maslows-hierarchy-the-whitewashing-of-indigenous-knowledge/ Ikigai - a passion that gives value and joy to life The four categories: * “what you love,” * “what the world needs,” * “what you can be paid for,” and * “what you are good at” https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/03/ikigai_japanese_secret_to_a_joyful_life.html Immunity to Change Framework https://www.gse.harvard.edu/hgse100/story/changing-better Immunity to Change - the book for sale at Bookshop.org through Semicolon Bookshop https://bookshop.org/p/books/immunity-to-change-how-to-overcome-it-and-unlock-potential-in-yourself-and-your-organization-robert-kegan/16711272?ean=9781422117361&next=t Wounded by School https://bookshop.org/p/books/wounded-by-school-recapturing-the-joy-in-learning-and-standing-up-to-old-school-culture-kirsten-olson/9133541?ean=9780807749555&next=t •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services 
Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood ⸻ Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    1h 22m

  5. AUG 4

    15. Dr. Arria Coburn - Your Team is Not a Family — It’s a Partnership for Impact

    Dr. Arria Coburn - Your Team is Not a Family — It’s a Partnership for Impact What happens when a new leader inherits a tight-knit “school family”—then faces budget cuts? Or when you’re asked to define your leadership style before you even know how to lead? In this episode, Dr. Arria Coburn opens up about her evolution as an educational leader: from criminal justice major to special education teacher to award-winning principal and now district executive. Dr. Arria Coburn brings nearly two decades of experience in public education. She led the Springfield Renaissance School in Massachusetts to national recognition, including the Magnet School of the Year Award and a 100% college acceptance rate for graduates. Now, in Hartford, she supports a cohort of 10 school principals and helps build equitable, student-centered systems. She is a 2021 Northeastern Ed.D. graduate and a speaker with the Nellie Mae Foundation’s Speakers Bureau. She shares powerful lessons from moments of uncertainty and courage—facing hard conversations, owning her authenticity, and learning to pause, reflect, and lead with purpose. Whether you’re new to leadership or coaching others through it, this conversation is rich with tools for navigating complexity while staying anchored in mission. In This Episode, we discuss: * The myth (and danger) of the “we’re a family” leadership culture * What to do when budget cuts force you to make the hardest calls * Why leaders should not resolve conflict over email * Finding your true voice as a leader—especially when you feel like an imposter * The quiet power of showing up as your full self, and how student voice shaped her leadership “We are a group of human beings who are on this journey and you are linked together with the same cause… And I think it’s what unites.” Relevant Links: Springfield Renaissance School Nellie Mae Speakers Bureau Hartford Public Schools •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services 
Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood ⸻ Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    52 min

  6. JUL 28

    14. Chris Widmaier - Cultivating Community through Nature

    Chris Widmaier - Cultivating Community Through Nature Chris Widmaier is the Founder & Executive Director of Rochester Ecology Partners (REP), a nonprofit that “serves people in Greater Rochester through nature-based learning and community-building.” A former award-winning classroom teacher and instructional coach, Chris left a secure career, earned an MBA-equivalent at RIT, and launched REP on January 1, 2022. His work now centres on helping young people—and the adults who guide them—find nature where they live, work and play. Enjoy the conversation, share it with a leader connected to community through nature and education and learn to think big, act with intention! In this episode we discuss: * Chris’s origin story - Tide-pool research in Maine sparks a lifelong commitment to connect people with the natural world * “Teaching is direct action.” - Chris explains how the classroom became his first arena for systems-level change * Building REP - From boot-strapping to 501(c)(3) status, partnering with Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center, and designing an “ecosystem” of nearby-nature lessons, field studies and community events * Measuring impact - Why outdoor learning reaches multilingual learners and neuro-divergent students—and how REP is quantifying those gains * Leadership lessons - Courage, intentional structures and the power of thinking big while acting locally “We hear it from kids all the time: ‘I feel free today.’” Links & resources Rochester Ecology Partners – https://rochesterecologypartners.org (about page, programs, upcoming events) Urban Ecology Center (Milwaukee) – inspiration for REP’s model – https://urbanecologycenter.org •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services 
Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood ⸻ Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    1h 10m

  7. JUL 27

    13. Miss Zarves

    There is no Episode 13. There is no 19th story. There is no Miss Zarves. Look it up. You are in for a treat.

    16 sec

  8. JUL 22

    12. Tierionna Pinkston - Leading as YOU is What Everyone Wants

    Tierionna Pinkston - Leading as YOU is What Everyone Wants Tierionna Pinkston is a dynamic school leader, educator, and community advocate currently serving as the principal of The Noble Academy in Chicago. Tierionna brings both fierce intellect and deep heart to her work. Known for her commitment to antiracist education and restorative practices, she leads with vision, vulnerability, and a relentless belief in the brilliance of young people. Her leadership is shaped by experience in the classroom, lessons from her own family, and a growing network of Black school leaders committed to healing and liberation in education. In this episode, we discuss: * Tierionna’s journey from Louisville to Chicago and why she chose urban education as her life’s work. * Lessons learned the hard way about transferring leadership skills to a brand-new campus (spoiler: listen before you fix). * Surviving — and then thriving — in a “brutal” first year as principal by reclaiming authenticity and wellness. * Building belonging through design-thinking: how re-imagining physical space and culture helped steady a school. * Legacy Scholars, a Cabrini-Green–focused pathway at The Noble Academy aimed at reparative justice and college readiness. * Why a principal’s self-care isn’t selfish: “If I am not well, nothing else is. The schoolhouse is well when the principal is well.” Relevant Links & Resources: The Noble Academy – campus site & enrollment info https://nobleschools.org/nobleacademy/ Noble Schools https://nobleschools.org/ Tierionna Pinkston on LinkedIn – follow her leadership reflections https://www.linkedin.com/in/tierionna-pinkston-403b07131 Surge Fellowship https://surgeinstitute.org/surge-fellowship/ Cabrini-Green Homes history – context for the neighborhood The Noble Academy serves https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabrini%E2%80%93Green_Homes Give to support Legacy Scholars - an education program that supports young people whose families experienced the displacement and injustice of the policies around Cabrini Green:
https://give.nobleschools.org/give/673051/#!/donation/checkout •••••••••• Follow us: @e.g.exceptionallygood Recommend a leader to be a guest: https://forms.gle/GzHAYmzueE3UnarY6 Feedback – Help us improve: https://forms.gle/aXempCSq2rvdfrCz9 Help us cover costs – give $5, $10, $25, $50 or $?? at our Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/support-leaders-striving-for-exceptional-good-in-the-world More from Exceptionally Good: 📧 ryan@exceptionallygood.org Work with Ryan:
https://www.exceptionallygood.org/services 
Exceptionally Good Articles on Substack: https://substack.com/@exceptionallygood ⸻ Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell Theme music: Ryan Raddatz Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.

    54 min
See All (20)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

We bring you in-depth interviews with exceptional leaders who drive toward a different bottom line — leaders from health care, philanthropy, non-profits, education and rescue services who are doing exceptional work for the good of the world. Exploring their origin stories, their leadership journey and the lessons they learned on their path -- sometimes the hard way -- we bring you close to understand how exceptional leaders tick. On Instagram and Threads @e.g.exceptionallygood.org

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