Finding Your Summit

Mark Pattison

Finding Your Summit with Mark Pattison explores resilience, leadership, peak performance, and overcoming adversity. Mark is a former NFL player, Seven Summits mountaineer, Mount Everest summiter, Emmy Award winner, entrepreneur, author, and former Sports Illustrated executive. Through inspiring conversations with athletes, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and adventurers, discover powerful lessons on mental toughness, personal growth, success, and achieving meaningful goals in business and life.

  1. 5d ago

    EP: Kenton Cool - 20 Everest Summits: The Mountain Guide Who Turned Alpine Dreams into Reality

    Host Mark Pattison sits down with Kenton Cool, one of the world's most accomplished high-altitude mountain guides who has successfully summited Mount Everest an astonishing 20 times, making him one of only a handful of Western guides who continuously return to the world's highest peak year after year. In this electrifying conversation between two mountaineers who first met at Everest Base Camp in 2021, Kenton shares his extraordinary journey from a college student catching the climbing bug to becoming the go-to guide for elite one-on-one Everest expeditions, revealing why working with a single client rather than 24 creates the nimbleness to capitalize on weather windows that others miss, how pre-acclimatization and efficient rotations can reduce time on mountain from two months to three and a half weeks, and why Everest is actually kinder on the body than the European Alps despite being far more dangerous. This episode offers a masterclass in mountain efficiency and calculated risk management, demonstrating why the most dangerous conditions often come from impatience rather than the mountain itself, how collaboration between competing expedition companies opened the mountain in record time after a massive serac blocked the Khumbu Icefall for 19 days, and why 274 climbers summiting on a single day represents an avoidable disaster waiting to happen when just two days of patience would have cut that number to 65. Kenton opens up about the 2010 near miss that changed his entire guiding philosophy, why modern base camp luxuries with espresso machines and space heaters seduce people into thinking Everest is easy when the mountain itself hasn't changed since 1953, the devastating impact of climate change turning the Matterhorn completely black with zero snow coverage, and how his Everest Gin made with actual summit water raises money for the Gurkha Welfare Trust. Key Topics Discussed: The One-to-One Revolution: Why Safety Demanded a Complete Business Model Shift Kenton reveals the pivotal moment in 2010 when a client slipped on the Hillary Step and seriously injured her back, creating a crisis situation where he wasn't present because he was guiding another climber in a group of five or six. Discover why this near miss made him completely rethink his approach to mountain guiding, and how he realized that working one-on-one like guides do in the European Alps represents the safest possible way to operate on Everest. Learn why this decision meant walking away from the economies of scale that allow operators with 24 clients to generate massive financial returns, and why Kenton believes safety and the client experience matter more than maximizing profit. Hear about spending two years working with clients before ever setting foot on Everest, building intimate knowledge of how they respond when tired or hungry, and creating trust that allows both guide and climber to push into tight weather windows with confidence. Kenton explains why working to someone's strengths and building up their weaknesses creates acclimatization speeds faster than traditional thinking suggests, and how the flexibility to go again in 48 hours when someone feels strong or wait a day when they need rest transforms the entire expedition timeline. The Three and a Half Week Blueprint: How Efficiency Beats Endurance Every Time Discover the revolutionary approach that Kenton pioneered around 2011 or 2012 that has since influenced how other operators think about time on mountain. After completing a door-to-door Everest expedition in approximately three and a half weeks, one of the fastest times recorded to that point, Kenton realized that grinding people down by keeping them at 5,500 meters for six to eight weeks was counterproductive. Learn why even with great food and comfortable base camp setups, the human body simply cannot recover well at extreme altitude, and how streamlining rotations and reducing wait time between pushes keeps climbers strong and sharp. Hear about the stark difference between working with a large group where you must cater to the lowest common denominator versus working one-on-one where a physically and mentally strong climber like Mark can move through rotations in 48 hours instead of waiting a full week. Kenton explains why this approach isn't about cutting corners but about taking efficiencies where you can, reducing exposure to objective dangers like the Khumbu Icefall, and capitalizing on small weather windows that require confidence in both the mountain and the client. The 19-Day Serac Standoff: When Collaboration Saved the 2024 Season Kenton unveils the dramatic story of the 2024 Everest season when a massive serac blocked the route through the Khumbu Icefall, delaying the entire season by 19 days and causing panic that the climbing window might close before it ever opened.

    EP: Kenton Cool - 20 Everest Summits: The Mountain Guide Who Turned Alpine Dreams into Reality

  2. Jul 15

    EP: Jeff Chandler - From Husky Football to CEO: Building Culture and Crushing Burgers at 50+ places

    Host Mark Pattison sits down with Jeff Chandler, former CEO of HopDoddy Burger Bar who spent over two decades building restaurant empires and just completed his final day leading a 50+ location better burger concept across nine states, revealing why the leadership lessons learned under legendary University of Washington football coach Don James became the blueprint for creating culture-driven organizations that prioritize mission over metrics. In this deeply authentic and timely conversation recorded just 48 hours after Jeff officially stepped down from his CEO role, he shares his extraordinary journey from playing Husky football in the 1990s to spending 18 years building the Ram Restaurant & Brewery with family before making the courageous decision to walk away when personal values diverged from company direction, ultimately finding his way to HopDoddy where he transformed a chaotic five-location concept with five different operating systems into a unified brand powered by four core values: be open minded, have the hunger, own it, and just do it. This episode offers a masterclass in authentic leadership and sustainable growth, demonstrating why culture is a living breathing patchwork quilt that must be constantly tended like grapes or plants to stay healthy, how inspiring people with a mission larger than themselves creates elite results that transcend paychecks and job security, and why the ability to lead from the front, middle, and back without insecurity separates transformational leaders from those who simply learned spreadsheets and marketing in business school. Jeff opens up about the transformational impact of Don James' Thursday talks that focused on developing young men of character rather than X's and O's, the bittersweet moment of leaving a family business he'd invested his entire adult life building, why he's not a natural entrepreneur with blank paper ideas but rather someone who takes lightning in a bottle concepts and supercharges them through team building and systems refinement, and how COVID became one of the most invigorating and fun professional experiences of his career because it forced radical innovation and daily problem solving when everyone threw their playbooks out the window. Key Topics Discussed: The Don James Foundation: How Thursday Talks Built Leaders for Life Beyond Football Jeff reveals the transformational impact of playing under Don James at the University of Washington and why those formative years set the stage for everything he accomplished professionally and personally over the next three decades. Discover how DJ's coaching philosophy centered not on X's and O's or polishing game plans but on developing young men of character, and why his Thursday talks focused on being better human beings and better men rather than better football players. Learn why the lesson of how to follow may have been more important than learning how to lead, and how understanding that it's not about you as an individual but about making yourself the best contributor to something larger than your own glory became the mantra Jeff carried into every business he touched. Hear about the stark contrast between what business school teaches spreadsheets, economics, social media, marketing and the complete absence of leadership development, leaving 24 year olds to zigzag through corporate careers until they suddenly become CEOs expected to lead organizations full of diverse personalities without any training in what matters most. The Family Business Crossroads: When Personal Values Diverge from Company Direction Discover the difficult but necessary decision Jeff made after 18 years as the face of the Ram Restaurant & Brewery, a family business where he'd invested blood, sweat, and his entire adult professional life. Learn why despite the company being in a very good spot financially and the business being healthy, there emerged a divergence of company values and personal values that stifled his ability to be a genuine authentic leader. Jeff explains how this wasn't about anything nefarious or dishonest but simply about not being able to be the best version of himself and lead in an authentic way, and why he believes you cannot just read a book and lead like Howard Schultz or Ron Shaich but must do it genuinely from something innately born, honed, and refined within yourself. Hear about the bittersweet nature of taking a step backwards from something you've invested so much of yourself into, and why charting his own course became essential even though walking away from family and 18 years of building was one of the hardest decisions he ever made. Finding Lightning in a Bottle: The Search for HopDoddy and What Makes a Scalable Brand Jeff unveils what he learned about himself during the transition period between the Ram and his next opportunity, and why understanding your own strengths and weaknesses allows you to find the right fit rather than forcing yourself into the wrong role.

    EP: Jeff Chandler - From Husky Football to CEO: Building Culture and Crushing Burgers at 50+ places

  3. Jul 7

    EP: Fred Couples - From Jefferson Park to the Masters: A Seattle Golf Legend's Journey

    Host Mark Pattison sits down with Fred Couples, a legendary PGA Tour champion, Masters winner, and one of golf's most beloved figures who has spent over four decades competing at the highest levels of professional golf while maintaining one of the smoothest swings the game has ever seen. In this deeply personal and entertaining conversation, Fred shares his extraordinary journey from a nine year old caddy at Seattle's Jefferson Park Golf Course to winning the Green Jacket at Augusta in 1992, revealing why growing up on tiny greens with severe slopes made him one of the best iron players on tour, how his college roommate Jim Nance became CBS's iconic Masters broadcaster, and why staying clean and sober in a sport filled with pressure allowed him to remember every shot while others forgot their greatest moments. This episode offers a masterclass in longevity and authenticity, demonstrating why visualization matters more than mechanics when the pressure is on, how working class roots and blue collar parents instilled the work ethic that sustained a career spanning multiple generations, and why the simplest advice be yourself creates the most genuine success both on the course and in life. Fred opens up about his father working two jobs at Dairy Gold and the Woodland Park Zoo so the family could survive, the devastating back injury in 1990 that has plagued him for 31 years but never required surgery, the heartbreaking years caring for his wife Thais as she battled breast cancer down to 68 pounds, and why his friendship with Tiger Woods is built on trust and leaving each other alone rather than constant contact. Key Topics Discussed: The Gutter Lane at Jefferson Park: How Seattle's Public Course Built a Champion Fred reveals the humble beginnings that shaped his entire approach to golf and created the foundation for his Hall of Fame career. Growing up as a kid who didn't fit in after his family moved to Beacon Hill, he found refuge caddying for his brother's friend Steve Dallas at age nine and falling in love with the game on Jefferson Park's nine hole par three course where he could play all day for three dollars and fifty cents. Discover why being the weakest player in his group meant getting thrown in the gutter lane to just keep grinding, and how Jefferson's tiny greens with severe slopes forced him to develop pinpoint iron accuracy that would become his greatest weapon on tour. Learn why Fred believes growing up on that humble public track was the greatest thing that ever happened to him because if you can hit the first green at Jefferson Park you can hit the first green at Pebble Beach or anywhere the PGA Tour plays. Hear about playing in constant rain and cold without a glove because his parents couldn't afford to keep replacing seven dollar gloves that got ruined in Seattle weather, and why that necessity created the signature no glove grip that defined his entire career. The University of Houston and the Roommate Who Became a Broadcasting Legend Discover the remarkable stroke of fate that placed Fred in a dorm room with Jim Nance, the future voice of CBS Sports and the Masters, when both were just 17 and 18 years old. Fred explains why their coach would repeatedly say Jim Nance is going to be president someday while never predicting Fred or teammate Blaine McAllister would become tour champions, and how Jim was already making 25 to 35 thousand dollars as a sophomore selling clips to API and UPI while his roommates scraped by. Learn about Jim coming home at night with clips of Nolan Ryan and Warren Moon and practicing his broadcast calls by announcing Fred and Blaine coming up the 18th hole at Augusta, interviewing them in their dorm room years before it would actually happen. Hear about the emotional moment in Butler Cabin in 1992 when Fred won the Masters and had to avoid looking at Jim's face during the interview because seeing his college roommate presenting him the Green Jacket was the hardest thing he ever did, and why both of them broke down crying the moment they went off air. The 1992 Masters: When Visualization Became Reality in Butler Cabin

    EP: Fred Couples - From Jefferson Park to the Masters: A Seattle Golf Legend's Journey

  4. Jun 30

    EP: Tim O'Donnell - From Naval Academy Swimmer to Ironman Podium: Chasing the Kona Dream

    Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Tim O'Donnell, a professional Ironman triathlete, over 50-time podium finisher, and endurance athlete who has competed at the highest levels of triathlon for nearly two decades, establishing himself as one of the most consistent performers at the Ironman World Championship in Kona. In this inspiring conversation, Tim shares his extraordinary journey from a struggling distance swimmer in a Northern California swimming family to becoming a top contender at the world's most prestigious endurance event, revealing why the ability to embrace discomfort became his superpower, how focusing on one day a year instead of over-racing throughout the season created sustainability with sponsors, and why pivoting away from Olympic dreams at the peak of his national team career to chase Ironman glory required the courage to bet on himself when no one else saw it coming. This episode offers a masterclass in resilience as a system rather than a trait, demonstrating why the lessons learned from swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running a full marathon in under eight hours apply to every challenge in life, how building the right support team around an individual sport makes the magic happen, and why stepping back from racing now allows Tim to teach others that resilience isn't something you're born with but a process anyone can learn through his Built Forward framework of reset, reframe, and rebuild forward. Tim opens up about his older brother forcing him to try out for the Naval Academy triathlon team when he hated the sport, the electric energy on the pier in Kona where the fittest endurance athletes in the world gather at their peak with anxiety and anticipation crackling in the air, and why leaving altitude three to four weeks before race day to fine-tune at sea level became the secret weapon that elevated his performances when it mattered most. Key Topics Discussed: The Worst Swimmer in the Family: How the Gutter Lane Built a Champion Tim reveals the humble beginnings that shaped his entire approach to endurance sports and life. Growing up as the youngest of four brothers in a swimming family where everyone swam competitively, he was the worst swimmer and couldn't compete in the sprint events or technical strokes. Discover why coaches threw him in the distance lane, what he calls the gutter lane, and made him just keep training really hard doing endless laps staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool. Learn about the pivotal moment at age 12 or 13 during a brutal test set of eight 400 IM races from a dive, arguably the hardest swimming event, when the kid in the end lane that no one was paying attention to started beating people as the sets got longer. Tim explains how this clicked for him that his superpower wasn't speed but resilience, the ability to work hard and push through when everyone else was fading, and why this realization at such a young age became the foundation for everything that followed in triathlon and beyond. The Naval Academy and the Brother Who Changed Everything Discover the family connection that altered Tim's entire life trajectory. All three of his older brothers attended the United States Naval Academy, and when Tim arrived as a plebe freshman, his brother Thomas was still there and forced him to try out for the triathlon team even though Tim was on the varsity swim team. Learn why Tim initially hated triathlon and kept at it anyway, and how by his junior year after finishing his sophomore year he realized this might be what he wanted to do with his life. Hear about the courage it took to stop swimming at the peak of his college swimming career when he was having breakout performances that shocked his coaches, and why having the foresight to shift direction when you're at the top of one thing to chase something greater requires betting on yourself in a way most people never do. Tim explains how his swimming pedigree gave him a six foot five wingspan despite being just under six feet tall, and why understanding that elite marathoners are all legs while elite swimmers like Michael Phelps are all torso helped him recognize his physical advantages. Kona: The Electric Energy and Brutal Reality of the Ironman World Championship Tim unveils what it's actually like to compete at triathlon's Super Bowl where the fittest endurance athletes in the world converge on the Big Island of Hawaii at their absolute peak. Discover why there's an energy on the island that impacts the entire day, and how standing on the pier in the morning with hundreds of athletes experiencing anxiety, anticipation, and electric tension creates an atmosphere unlike any other race. Learn about the unique challenges of Kona including the different salinity of the ocean that causes cramping and vomiting, four to five hours on the bike through lava rock with the sun pounding down,

    EP: Tim O'Donnell - From Naval Academy Swimmer to Ironman Podium: Chasing the Kona Dream

  5. Jun 29

    EP 296: Mike Hulbert - From PGA Tour Champion to CBS Rules Expert: Inside the Ropes

    "Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Mike Hulbert, a three-time PGA Tour winner, 26-time major championship competitor, and CBS Sports rules analyst who has spent over four decades at the highest levels of professional golf. In this entertaining and insightful conversation, Mike shares his extraordinary journey from winning the FedEx St. Jude Classic in his second year on tour to playing in four Masters tournaments, competing alongside legends like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, and ultimately transitioning to a 15-year career with CBS as the network's golf rules expert. This episode offers a masterclass in golf excellence and longevity, demonstrating why course management and a world-class short game separated the greatest players from everyone else, how the transition from persimmon clubs to modern technology has transformed the sport, and why maintaining relationships and staying connected to the game creates opportunities long after competitive careers end. Mike opens up about the surreal moment of winning his first tour event and immediately knowing he'd earned a Masters invitation, the stark differences between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's games, and why Tiger's elite short game made him nearly unbeatable in his prime despite Rory being the superior driver of the golf ball. Key Topics Discussed: The First Tour Win: When Victory Means Augusta Mike reveals the unforgettable moment in 1986 when he won the FedEx St. Jude Classic at Colonial Country Club in Memphis, beating his close friend Joey Sindelar by one stroke after stiffing a shot on the 18th hole. Discover why the very first thought that entered his mind after sinking that 12-inch winning putt was "I'm going to the Masters," and how earning that coveted invitation represented the culmination of years of grinding to get on tour in 1984. Learn about the dramatic final hole where Joey was already in the clubhouse tied for the lead, standing behind the green watching as Mike faced the pressure shot of his young career. Mike explains why winning early in his career was so crucial because you never know if you'll get another chance, and how that first victory validated all the sacrifices and hard work required to compete at the highest level. Augusta National: The One Place That Never Changes Mike shares what makes the Masters different from every other major championship and why it holds a special place in every professional golfer's heart. Unlike the US Open, PGA Championship, and Open Championship which rotate venues, Augusta National remains constant year after year, creating a unique opportunity for players to build course knowledge and experience. Discover why Augusta's strict policies including the complete ban on cell phones even decades ago created an atmosphere of respect and tradition that other majors couldn't match, and how spectators who misbehave are escorted down Magnolia Lane and out to Washington Road without hesitation. Learn about Mike's 15 years working for CBS at the Masters as their rules analyst, giving him the privilege of experiencing this iconic venue from both sides as competitor and broadcaster. Mike explains why even among the four majors he played in throughout his career, the Masters never lost its magic or its ability to inspire reverence from players and fans alike. The Big Three: Arnold, Jack, and Tiger's Common Thread Mike unveils what separated Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods from every other player of their respective generations. Growing up idolizing Jack Nicklaus, Mike witnessed firsthand how the Golden Bear's course management and ability to deliver under pressure made him nearly unbeatable when holding a lead coming down the stretch. Discover why Jack's mastery with a one iron, now an obsolete club, exceeded most players' abilities with their modern hybrids, and how he strategically missed greens in positions where he could use his putter even through rough. Learn about Mike's friendship with Arnold Palmer as a member at Bay Hill, and why Mr. Palmer's first words whenever he saw Mike were always "Do you need anything?" revealing the generosity and class that made him beloved beyond his seven major championships. Mike explains how all three legends were "needle movers" for television, drawing audiences that transformed golf into a mainstream sport, and why their professionalism extended to spending hours every day signing memorabilia and responding to fans. Tiger vs. Rory:

    EP 296: Mike Hulbert - From PGA Tour Champion to CBS Rules Expert: Inside the Ropes

  6. Jun 16

    EP 298: Frank Fumich: Surviving Mt EVERST and living to tell about it.

    "Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison reconnects with Frank Fumich, an accomplished adventure athlete and mountaineer who just returned from successfully summiting Mount Everest using a revolutionary three-week rapid ascent approach after pre-acclimatizing for two months in a hypoxic tent in his Virginia guest room. In this raw and deeply emotional conversation recorded just weeks after Frank descended from the world's highest peak, he shares the harrowing reality of what actually happened during his Everest expedition, revealing why money cannot buy your way up the mountain, how running out of oxygen on descent created a life-threatening moment he hasn't fully shared with his wife, and why standing next to the frozen body of a climber while waiting in two-way traffic on the Hillary Step delivered the sobering reminder that nobody who stays on that mountain ever thought they would be the one who didn't come home. This episode offers a masterclass in survival, humility, and life perspective, demonstrating why the summit doesn't matter when life matters, how the most dangerous moment often comes on the descent when exhaustion and oxygen depletion create deadly conditions, and why the experience of looking over the edge forces you to confront what truly matters when you have a family waiting at home. Frank opens up about the devastating moment his teammate turned around at the Hillary Step and made the admirable decision to prioritize his family over his summit dream, the week-long delay caused by the massive serac in the Khumbu Icefall that made international news, and why he spent the final moments on summit day locked in total concentration knowing this was life or death and not some fun adventure.\n\nKey Topics Discussed:\n\nThe Reality Check: When Pre-Acclimatization Meets Altitude's Brutal Truth\nFrank reveals that despite two months of sleeping in a hypoxic tent and successfully climbing Mera Peak at 21,500 feet, his body simply did not respond well to extreme altitude. Discover why even simple exertion at base camp sent him into total panting fits that were genuinely scary, how he learned he had to take measured steps and avoid sudden movements or risk gassing out completely, and why just practicing skills on the glacier below base camp taught him that his physiology was going to make this climb far more difficult than anticipated. Learn about the shocking reality that he had zero appetite throughout the expedition, struggled to eat even at base camp where nice food was available, and how forcing down an entire bag of sausage and cheese at high camp before the summit push may have saved his life. Frank explains why the pre-acclimatization strategy is still the best and safest way to climb Everest by reducing Khumbu Icefall exposure from six passages to one, but it cannot change how your individual body responds once you're actually living at extreme altitude.\n\nThe Khumbu Icefall Awakening: Six Hours Fifteen Minutes of Vertical Hell\nDiscover why the Khumbu Icefall on day one became one of Frank's hardest days on the entire expedition. Leaving at midnight and climbing for over six hours through the constantly shifting maze of ice blocks, Frank found himself so physically gassed on technical vertical walls that he had to stop mid-climb and catch his breath while climbers backed up behind him. Learn why he wasn't thinking about the danger of ice blocks collapsing because the physical demand was so overwhelming, and how this early experience made him realize he needed to slow everything down or he would never make it. Hear about Mark's experience dry heaving at Camp Two on his first rotation despite living at 6,000 feet and training at 10,000 feet daily, and why the Khumbu's combination of extreme exertion, technical climbing with heavy packs, and doing essentially a thousand pull-ups while gaining altitude creates a devastating introduction to what lies ahead.\n\nStanding Next to Death: The Body on the Hillary Step\nFrank shares the chilling moment that brought the mountain's deadly reality into sharp focus. As he stood on the narrow technical section just after the Hillary Step waiting for two-way traffic to clear, he realized he was standing with his left crampon just two inches from the frozen body of a climber who never made it home. Discover how Mark revealed this was his tent mate from Antarctica, Don Cash, lying in a small nest of snow on that exposed rock where maintaining purchase on crampons is incredibly difficult. Learn why Frank stood there for five minutes staring at this sobering reminder that nobody on that mountain ever thought they would be the one who stayed, and how this moment reinforced that this was serious business where every decision and every step mattered. Hear about the poor climber Frank's team watched pass away during their expedition, and why these experiences fundamentally changed his perspective on what he was asking his family to endure.\n\n

    EP 298: Frank Fumich: Surviving Mt EVERST and living to tell about it.

  7. Jun 9

    EP 297: Yuriy Boyechko - CEO of Hope for Ukraine: Surviving Human Safari and Drone Warfare

    Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison reconnects with Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope for Ukraine, a humanitarian organization operating in the most dangerous war zones of Eastern Europe, delivering life-saving aid to civilians trapped in cities under constant drone surveillance and artillery bombardment. In this urgent and deeply sobering conversation recorded in May 2026, Yuriy provides a real-time update on what has become one of the most brutal and overlooked humanitarian crises of our time, revealing why the war that began in 2022 has evolved from conventional combat into what he calls "human safari," where Russian forces use AI-powered drones to hunt individual civilians on the streets, drop mines disguised as donuts into playgrounds, and systematically terrorize populations to force entire cities into abandonment. This episode offers a masterclass in courage under fire and humanitarian persistence, demonstrating why ordinary people with extraordinary determination can hold back the second largest army in the world, how volunteers risk their lives driving 140 kilometers per hour through drone-infested zones to deliver food packages, and why the 60,000 civilians still living in basement cities like Kherson represent the front line of democracy itself. Yuriy opens up about the evolution from operating on hope in 2022 to operating on "define hope" in 2026, the devastating reality that four million internally displaced Ukrainians have nowhere to go because safe areas are priced beyond reach, and why his forthcoming book captures the stories of regular people whose courage is rewriting what humanity thought possible in the face of relentless aggression.\n\nKey Topics Discussed:\n\nFrom Hope to Define Hope: Four Years of War and the World Has Moved On\nYuriy reveals the stark difference between 2022 when every aid organization in the world flooded into Ukraine and 2026 when only the most committed teams remain. Discover why he and Mark originally spoke at the end of 2022 when Yuriy believed the war would be over in three to six months, and the crushing reality that four years later the situation is worse than ever with no end in sight. Learn why Hope for Ukraine has shifted from operating on hope to operating on "define hope," acknowledging that optimism alone cannot sustain humanitarian operations when the global news cycle has moved on to Iran and other crises. Yuriy explains why the teams that remain are those who simply cannot leave because abandoning these populations would mean certain death for thousands, and how the mathematics of survival have become brutally simple when you're one of the few organizations still willing to enter the kill zones.\n\nHuman Safari: The Drone Warfare Revolution That Changed Everything\nDiscover the terrifying new reality of modern urban warfare that Yuriy calls "human safari." Unlike 2022 when aid convoys could drive into cities, distribute supplies, and leave without incident, 2026 has brought AI-powered drones that constantly patrol the skies above cities like Kherson, hunting for any sign of human movement. Learn why a simple trip to a coffee shop can result in a missile strike within minutes, how Russian forces use drones as spotters to pinpoint individual civilians and launch targeted attacks, and why the only defense is driving at 110 to 140 kilometers per hour while scanning the sky and listening for the telltale buzzing sound. Yuriy shares the devastating story of a family taking their two young daughters to a playground when a missile strike killed the father and injured the mother and both children, ages five and three, illustrating why Kherson has become what he describes as a total war crime scene.\n\nThe Three Hour Window: How Aid Missions Work in a Basement City\nYuriy unveils the precise and dangerous choreography required to deliver humanitarian aid in 2026. Teams load vans with food, hygiene products, and supplies in western Ukraine, then drive overnight to a staging area 60 kilometers from Kherson where they sleep. At 4 AM they wake and make the high-speed run into the city with one driver pushing maximum speed while two spotters watch through windows and listen for drones, using detection devices to identify threats. Discover why Kherson is now called "basement city" because residents spend most of their time underground, only rushing out when the aid van arrives to grab a food kit before retreating to safety. Learn about the two to three hour operational window before drone activity makes the mission impossible, why the team parks under trees for concealment, and how reducing exposure to the deadly Khumbu Icefall equivalent—the journey through drone zones—from six passages to one represents a massive safety improvement in humanitarian

    EP 297: Yuriy Boyechko - CEO of Hope for Ukraine: Surviving Human Safari and Drone Warfare

  8. Jun 2

    EP 296: David Meltzer - From Sports Agent to Gratitude Guru: Empowering a Billion People

    Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with David Meltzer, a renowned entrepreneur, sports executive, bestselling author, and one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the world who has made it his life's mission to empower over a billion people to be happy by making a lot of money for the sake of helping others and having fun. In this energizing and deeply inspiring conversation, David shares his extraordinary journey from running the most notable sports agency in the world under legendary agent Lee Steinberg to becoming chairman of the Unstoppable Foundation, chief chancellor of Junior Achievement, and chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute, revealing why the simple act of saying thank you before bed and upon waking has more power to transform your life than any complex personal development program. This episode offers a masterclass in gratitude, purpose, and conscious relationship building, demonstrating why surrounding yourself with people aligned with your divine direction creates exponential value, how ditching toxicity and negative influences allows you to fly higher than you ever imagined possible, and why the simplest things we do consistently and persistently in pursuit of our potential create the most extraordinary outcomes. David opens up about being purposefully named by his single mother with six kids as a beloved servant, the profound lesson Lee Steinberg taught him about never negotiating to the last penny and not doing business with difficult people, and why his experiences building sustainable villages in Kenya and Tanzania with Warren Moon represent the most meaningful work of his entire career. Key Topics Discussed: The Billion Person Mission: How a Thousand Times a Thousand Creates Global Impact David unveils his audacious mission to empower over a billion people to be happy, and the surprisingly simple math that makes this seemingly impossible goal achievable. Discover how he realized that God would not give him an invitation without already knowing his limitations, and how this revelation set him free to figure out the path forward. Learn why the mission comes down to finding a thousand people like Mark who will empower another thousand to empower a thousand more, creating the mathematical progression where a thousand times a thousand equals a million, and a million times a thousand equals a billion. David explains why he's never met anyone who makes a lot of money for the sake of helping others and having fun who isn't happy, and how creating this collective consciousness in his lifetime simply requires identifying and empowering the right thousand influencers who share his values and vision. The Power of Thank You: The Most Agreed Upon Way to Change Your Life Discover the deceptively simple practice that David credits as the foundation of his entire philosophy and the easiest way to transform your existence. Learn why saying thank you before you go to bed and when you wake up is free, takes point one seconds, and represents the most agreed upon method for life change whether you're a world thought leader, an NFL superstar, or someone just starting their journey. David explains why it's nearly impossible to be angry and grateful at the same time, making gratitude the ultimate choice in how we experience each moment. Hear about the greater lesson of gratitude for life itself, and why doubling down on the simple things that are simple not to do creates exponential value when they become non-negotiables like sleep, family, health, faith, and the study of finance, time, and relativity. Named with Definite Purpose: David Means Beloved, Meltzer Means Servant David shares the profound origin story of his name and how his single mother raising six kids purposefully gave him an identity that would shape his entire life trajectory. Discover how David means beloved and his last name Meltzer actually means waiter or servant, and how his mother made him live up to his name as a beloved servant to provide value to other people. Learn why in honor of his name and the definiteness of purpose his mom gave to that meaning, he gives that same meaning to his own life and aligns his past with this divine direction. David explains how this early framework created by his mother became the foundation for everything he does, from his speaking career to his charitable work to his mission of empowering billions. Lee Steinberg's Three Rules: Never Negotiate to the Last Penny, Always Be Fair, Don't Do Business with Dicks Discover the wisdom David gained from working under legendary sports agent Lee Steinberg, who represented eight first round draft picks in a row and created more charities than all other sports agencies combined. Learn about the three principles Lee taught David that became the title of his controversial but highly marketable book from Simon & Schuster,.

    EP 296: David Meltzer - From Sports Agent to Gratitude Guru: Empowering a Billion People
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4.9
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129 Ratings

About

Finding Your Summit with Mark Pattison explores resilience, leadership, peak performance, and overcoming adversity. Mark is a former NFL player, Seven Summits mountaineer, Mount Everest summiter, Emmy Award winner, entrepreneur, author, and former Sports Illustrated executive. Through inspiring conversations with athletes, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and adventurers, discover powerful lessons on mental toughness, personal growth, success, and achieving meaningful goals in business and life.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Pattison
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    309
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mark Pattison
  • Show Website
    Finding Your Summit

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