Everything They Don't Tell You

Josh Zolin

Everything They Don’t Tell You is candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs focused on the truth about business, leadership, and becoming who you're meant to be. Hosted by Josh Zolin, Everything They Don't Tell You goes beyond surface tips to the mental, emotional, and human challenges behind scaling and leading well. Featuring conversations with John Lee Dumas, Amy Morin, David Meltzer, Dr. Gay Hendricks, Blake Erickson, Dr. Robert Glover, Ken Rusk, and more. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

  1. Aug 25 ·  Video

    The Psychology Behind Every Yes: Dr. Robert Cialdini on Influence Without Manipulation

    Why do people say yes when they don't want to? And what separates influence from manipulation? Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Pre-suasion, joins the show to break down the seven universal principles that shape human decision making. This conversation isn't about tricks or tactics. It's about trust. It's about how people really make decisions, how leaders move people without manipulating them, and what happens when technology starts pulling us farther apart instead of bringing us closer together. Dr. Cialdini explains why reciprocity works when you go first, why authority validates better in multiples, how scarcity drives urgency more than discounts, and why showing people you are one of them is more powerful than simply being like them. He also gets into the ethics of influence, the long term cost of deception, and why organizations that tolerate dishonesty attract the wrong people and lose the best ones. And he shares what Warren Buffett does in his shareholder letters that makes people trust him more, not less. SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ETDTY LISTENERS Get free access to the Cialdini Influence Assessment for 30 days: https://assessment.cialdini.com/ Use code Zolin2026 at checkout. Save 20% on the Cialdini Certified Practitioner Course: https://cialdini.com/certified-practitioner Use code ZolinCCP at checkout. Get the newest expanded edition of Influence: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062937650 In this episode: Why people say yes even when they don't want to The seven universal principles of persuasion How reciprocity unlocks influence when you give first Why liking works better when paired with warmth and approval The difference between similarity and unity How authority validates more effectively in groups Why scarcity of items works better than scarcity of time How loss language outperforms gain language What makes commitment and consistency so powerful The ethics of influence and the long term cost of deception Why dishonest cultures attract cheaters and lose top performers How to humanize your communication in the digital age What Warren Buffett does to establish credibility in his messaging Why influence is a responsibility, not just a tactic Because at the end of the day, influence isn't just about getting someone to say yes. It's about who we become while trying. Learn more about Dr. Robert Cialdini: https://www.cialdini.com/ Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Psychology of Yes 00:02:25 The Seven Principles of Persuasion 00:05:23 Reciprocation: The Most Primitive Principle 00:09:29 Liking: Show Them You Like Them First 00:15:26 Authority and Social Proof: Consensus Wins 00:18:27 The Power of Social Proof and Popularity 00:22:40 Commitment and Consistency 00:24:31 Scarcity: Loss is the Ultimate Motivator 00:31:22 Unity: You Are One of Them 00:36:05 The Ethics of Influence 00:39:17 The Cost of Dishonesty in Organizations 00:43:24 Influence in the Digital Age 00:47:20 Humanize Your Digital Presence 00:54:06 Being an Authority vs. Being in Authority 00:55:38 Warren Buffett and the Power of Honesty #influence #persuasion #leadership #businessethics #etdty

    The Psychology Behind Every Yes: Dr. Robert Cialdini on Influence Without Manipulation
  2. Aug 11 ·  Video

    Anthony Trucks: The Identity That Built Him Nearly Broke Him

    When the thing you built becomes your identity, losing it can feel like losing yourself. Anthony Trucks spent 13 years turning himself into an NFL player. Then football disappeared, and the identity underneath it nearly collapsed too. His business struggled. His marriage fell apart. He lost his health, his status, and nearly himself. In this conversation, Anthony and I unpack the invisible machinery of identity: why we confuse ourselves with our titles, why responsibility restores agency, and why information alone does not create change. Anthony explains dark work, the unseen and often uncelebrated work that rewires who you are when nobody is watching. We also explore: The identity gap that appears when a career or chapter ends Why you were never the fruit, you were always the tree How helplessness can become the darkest lie you believe Why acting out of character can create a new identity The connection between self-respect and self-love Why action creates clarity and motion changes emotion How to stop identifying with outcomes The difference between shadow work and dark work How to intentionally build the person you need to become This is not a clean reinvention story. It is the truth about what can happen when the identity that built you starts breaking you. Learn more about Anthony: darkwork.com anthonytrucks.com Content warning: This episode includes a candid discussion of suicidal ideation and suicide. Some listeners may find this material distressing. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the United States, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Outside the United States, contact your local emergency services or crisis support line. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

    Anthony Trucks: The Identity That Built Him Nearly Broke Him
  3. Jul 28 ·  Video

    The Hard Decisions You Avoid Are Keeping You Stuck | Nick Anderson

    Most people aren't stuck because they don't know what to do. They're stuck because doing it requires them to confront the truth. Nick Anderson knows what it means to move through the thing you never thought you could survive. At 10 years old, Nick lost his father to suicide. Years later, his wife was struck by a car while they were taking a walk and did not survive. Nick was left to raise two young boys while battling grief, depression, and a body that had reached 305 pounds. He eventually looked in the mirror and made a decision: "I can't live this life." "I've got to stay alive for my kids." That decision began a transformation that changed his health, identity, relationships, leadership, and career. Today, Nick is the CEO and co-owner of OneAccord, where he helps companies develop stronger leaders, build executable strategies, navigate difficult personnel decisions, and create businesses that can thrive without being completely dependent on their owners. In this conversation, we get into: The stories we tell ourselves about other people and our own lives Why the only way out is through What actually makes someone a leader The difference between strategy and a collection of tactics Why your strategy must evolve as your company evolves Outgrowing people who helped build the business How to approach conversations most leaders avoid The biggest threat to the value of an owner-led company Building something meaningful for the people you love You probably already know the conversation, decision, or change you've been avoiding. The question is how much longer you're willing to let it keep you stuck. Connect with Nick Anderson and OneAccord: https://oneaccord.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdanderson/

    The Hard Decisions You Avoid Are Keeping You Stuck | Nick Anderson
  4. Jul 21 ·  Video

    The Fears You Don't Know Are Controlling You: Hortense le Gentile

    The fears you recognize may not be the ones controlling you. Executive leadership coach and author Hortense le Gentil joins Josh Zolin to uncover the hidden beliefs, inherited expectations, and "mind traps" quietly shaping how we lead and live. Hortense explains why perfectionism can become a trap, how fear of failure disguises itself as ambition, and why having more success, money, or power rarely silences the internal battle. She also shares the process leaders can use to trace these beliefs back to their source, challenge the voices behind them, and begin writing their own story. In this episode: Why great leaders make space for others The hidden anxiety that comes with leadership How perfectionism becomes a mind trap Why success can disconnect leaders from themselves How to identify fears you did not know you had The difference between introspection and self-awareness Why honest feedback is essential for growth How to face fear without allowing it to take control What it means to move from a "hero leader" to a human leader Hortense le Gentil is an executive leadership coach, speaker, and author of The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Own Voice, Lead with Empathy, and Shine Your Light in the World. Learn more about Hortense: https://www.hortenselegentil.com/ __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

    The Fears You Don't Know Are Controlling You: Hortense le Gentile
  5. Jul 14 ·  Video

    Brad Leavitt: The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

    At 42, Brad Leavitt had a stroke that changed the way he thinks about time, pressure, family, and leadership. In this episode, he and Josh talk about the wake-up call that forced him to rebuild his life with more intention. Brad Leavitt is the founder of AFT Construction and host of The Brad Leavitt Podcast. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Brad joins Josh Zolin for a raw conversation about leadership, pressure, health, family, burnout, and what it really means to rebuild your life after a wake-up call. At 42, Brad had a severe stroke. He recovered, but the experience changed how he thinks about time, presence, health, and the way he shows up as a father, husband, business owner, and leader. Brad and Josh also talk about the realities of leading in a high-pressure business, why communication matters so much, how leaders can protect their teams from burnout, what happens when you keep the wrong people too long, and why building a business should not cost you the life you were building it for. This conversation is for founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders who are carrying more than people see. __ Guest Brad Leavitt https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleavitt/ www.aftconstruction.com __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

    Brad Leavitt: The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Everything They Don’t Tell You is candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs focused on the truth about business, leadership, and becoming who you're meant to be. Hosted by Josh Zolin, Everything They Don't Tell You goes beyond surface tips to the mental, emotional, and human challenges behind scaling and leading well. Featuring conversations with John Lee Dumas, Amy Morin, David Meltzer, Dr. Gay Hendricks, Blake Erickson, Dr. Robert Glover, Ken Rusk, and more. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

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