The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast

Dwayne Kerrigan
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Welcome to The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast. Dwayne has navigated the business world for over 35 years, owning close to 30 businesses in 12 distinct industries. Today, entrepreneurship often seems more about glitz, glamour, and a celebrity venture. On this podcast, Dwayne collaborates with overlooked but accomplished entrepreneurs, delving into their journeys of forging exceptional enterprises. Join them as they share their personal journeys, lessons learned, and strategies that keep them moving forward. Let’s celebrate the true essence of entrepreneurship and inspire the next wave of business trailblazers.

  1. 140: Why Every Person Is Creative with Kyle Scheele

    3D AGO

    140: Why Every Person Is Creative with Kyle Scheele

    Most people think creativity is something you either have or you don't — a gift, a gene, a mysterious lightning bolt that strikes a chosen few. Kyle Scheele has spent his career dismantling that belief, and in this conversation he makes the case that creativity isn't magic at all. It's problem-solving. And everyone already does it, every single day. In Part 1 of this episode: Why your brain is not a truth-seeking machine — it's a belief justification machine: give it the belief "I'm not creative" and it will spend the rest of your life finding evidence to prove you rightKyle's spontaneous ideation theory — the creativity myth he compares to the 17th century scientific belief that dirty rags and wheat kernels spontaneously generated mice, and why most people's understanding of where ideas come from is just as wrongThe coffee shop moment that defined Kyle's career: his friend Isaac told him, "most people come in here, talk about an idea, and the next time you hear about it, it's just an idea again — you come in two days later editing the footage"How Kyle went from broke high schooler selling "Osteoporosis is bad to the bone" T-shirts out of the school lunch room to getting a line into Urban Outfitters in his first year of college — and what that early experience installed in him about figuring things outWhy 70% of the time, when companies give their teams the bandwidth to explore a challenge internally, the answer is already there — it's just inside the head of someone who hasn't been asked yet (Harvard Business Review, cited on stage) Content Warning: This episode includes a brief discussion of childhood suicidal ideation. Kyle shares openly about his experience as a child feeling isolated in school and experiencing dark thoughts, before a friendship changed his perspective. The conversation is handled with care and context, but we want our listeners to be prepared. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — available 24/7 in both the US and Canada. Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Creativity as Problem Solving 00:36 - Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro 03:24 - Turning Ideas Into Action 06:33 - Early Hustle T Shirt Business 11:40 - Belief Systems Block Creativity 15:27 - Ambition Versus Contentment 20:59 - No Right or Wrong in Ideas 25:06 - AI Limits and Skin in Game 26:46 - School Struggles and Finding Belonging 28:44 - It Only Takes One Person To Make An Impact 29:36 - Creative Kid Origins 30:12 - Student Council Confidence 31:45 - Baby Steps Momentum 32:15 - Window Of Possibility 33:45 - Vision Into Action 35:08 - Fuel Creativity Thrives Within Constraints 36:49 - Recovering Curiosity 39:34 - Questioning Limiting Beliefs 44:15 - Everyone Is Creative 45:41 - Claiming Artist Identity 48:29 - Business Needs Crystal Clear Goals 51:12 - Creativity As Problem Solving 52:39 - Unlocking Team Innovation 57:27 - Closing Remarks and Stay Tuned For Part 2 Resources mentioned: Several books (for adults and childen) referenced written by Kyle, can be found here: https://kylescheele.com/BooksHarvard Business Review study on internal innovationHeather Moyse — Olympic athlete referenced by Dwayne re: chunking goalsSpontaneous generation theory / Francesco Redi experiments — referenced in context of the creativity mythOrbis Medicinae — Jan Baptist van Helmont, referenced in context of spontaneous generationSteve Jobs interview — paraphrased by Kyle re: everything in the world being made by people no smarter than youLeanScaper Operations Intensive — conference where Dwayne first saw Kyle speak Quotes: “ What you might consider might be right or wrong is really based on what's the possibility of it happening, and then it'll only be judged when you look back on it in history.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ If you don't get clear on that goal, it's hard to know where to go.” - Kyle Scheele “ Creativity is just problem-solving. Every idea is the solution to some problem.” - Kyle Scheele "If it never gets any better than this, what a life. But I think it can get better than this." - Kyle Scheele About Kyle Scheele: Kyle Scheele is an author, speaker, and creativity expert known for turning bold ideas into unforgettable results — from hosting a Viking funeral for the regrets of 21,000 people to launching the world's first fake marathon. With more than 750 keynotes delivered in all 50 states, Kyle combines humor, sharp insights, and real-world experimentation to help organizations unlock creativity and innovation at scale. He has worked with teams at Walmart, Deloitte, Fidelity, and Chick-fil-A, and his work has been featured in WIRED, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and Yahoo!. His books include We Put a Man on the Moon, How to Host a Viking Funeral, A Pizza With Everything On It, and A Sunday With Everything On It. Connect with Kyle Scheele: https://kylescheele.com/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    1 hr
  2. 139: Passion, Purpose, and the Next Step with Kyle & Brent Pease

    MAY 13

    139: Passion, Purpose, and the Next Step with Kyle & Brent Pease

    In Part 2, Kyle and Brent Pease go beyond the race course and into the harder terrain — the screaming match in a New York City taxi after a broken wheelchair nearly ended their marathon, the board member who called every morning during school drop-off, and what it actually takes to build an organization that can run without you. This is where the mission meets the mechanics, and where two brothers figure out how to grow up together in public. In this episode: How Kyle and Brent built the Kyle Pease Foundation from scratch — including the nine months it took to help their very first family, the decision to race at least once a month to create visibility, and how they've grown from six events in 2013 to 64 events across 14 states last year The New York City Marathon story: the wheelchair broke mid-race, Brent spent an hour trying to fix it with help from the NYPD, and eventually told Kyle he was done — and what Kyle said back that got them across the finish line Brent's framework for hiring in a nonprofit: passion for the mission matters more than fit for the role, and for every non-disabled hire, he wants to add another employee with a disability doing real work — not stuffing envelopes The Dick Hoyt lesson — the father behind the famous push-assist duo called Brent before the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship and gave him these words of advice: "just keep pushing the pedals" How Kyle became the athlete-coach he is today: years of sitting on the sidelines, listening to adults talk, and watching his brother compete gave him an observer's precision that most coaches never develop Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now: 👉 Donate here: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Purpose Meets Passion 00:22 - Podcast Intro And Setup 01:25 - Priorities And Time Juggling 03:13 - Scaling A Mission Nonprofit 05:52 - Mentors And Running It Like Business 08:51 - Spreading The Mission Through Racing 12:42 - Measuring Impact And Growth 14:25 - Adaptive Equipment And Inclusion 19:00 - Speaking And Education Programs 21:58 - Kona Gear Innovation 24:46 - When Things Break And Tempers Flare 28:26 - Brotherhood Evolved 29:00 - Humanity in Relationships 30:44 - Keep Pushing Pedals 33:47 - Fiercely Experience It 34:12 - Hawaii Cutoff Heartbreak 35:51 - Still Growing Forward 37:33 - Family Balance and Kids 39:17 - Twin Brother Dynamics 41:16 - Parenting and Inclusion 44:43 - Kyle as Coach 49:20 - Scaling Beyond Racing 53:06 - Volunteer and Donation Match 55:51 - Closing Thanks and Disclaimers Resources mentioned: Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease’s book The Kyle Pease Foundation — kylepeasefoundation.org TED Talk: The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong — Dan Pallotta The Hoyt family — Dick and Rick Hoyt, pioneer push-assist racing duo Field of Dreams — film referenced by Kyle and Brent Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne: "emotion is motion" Alvin Law — thalidomide survivor and speaker referenced by Dwayne IRONMAN World Championship, Kona, Hawaii Quotes: “ It does not have to be something that we fiercely protect. You know, it's something that we can all fiercely experience.” - Brent Pease “ I think that we're still growing. We're still evolving. When you stop growing, that's when you need to walk away from whatever you’re doing.” - Kyle Pease “It got the point where I basically just looked at him. I was like, dude, I'm done. I'm out. This isn't us. I dunno what we're doing. And Kyle said, well, you can quit, but I'm gonna finish.” - Brent Pease "These small lessons inside of our relationships that teach us about humanity — a lot of times what's missing in the world, and you guys are sharing it through stories like that, which I think is supremely powerful.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Because finding people who love what the mission is, like, that's more critical to me than finding the person who fits the exact role. Because if you have somebody who loves what you do and believes in it - a true believer if you will - then they're gonna be able to lean into whatever the task is and grow because they're willing to do it for the people that we serve.” - Brent Pease About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons. Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities. Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan: Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    57 min
  3. 138: Brotherhood, Resilience & the Ironman with Kyle & Brent Pease

    MAY 6

    138: Brotherhood, Resilience & the Ironman with Kyle & Brent Pease

    Kyle and Brent Pease have completed more than 100 races together — including two IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii — and in 2024 they broke the push-assist course record with a finish time of 14 hours, 8 minutes, and 3 seconds. Kyle, born with cerebral palsy, is the coach, the motivator, and the athlete who has to be the most positive force in the world for 15 hours straight while his brother, Brent, pushes him across 140.6 miles. What looks like a sports story from the outside is something much harder to categorize: a 15-year study in resilience, gratitude, and what it actually means to show up when both of you want to quit. In Part 1 of their conversation: How Brent and Kyle broke the push-assist course record at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii — and what 15 years of racing together has taught themWhy Brent says true balance is an illusion — and how he and Kyle define "all in" as the real unit of energy management, shifting fully between Ironman training, family, and the foundation depending on the season Kyle's framework for getting out of dark moments: prayer, music, visualization, and the discipline of reducing the time between a hard moment and a shift in perspective What the foundation's inclusive employment program looks like on the ground How racing together has taught both brothers to say "I'm not okay" — and why that vulnerability has become one of their greatest competitive and leadership advantages Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now - Donate here 👉 https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Get Out Your Own Way 00:39 - Podcast Welcome 02:29 - Meet Kyle and Brent 04:00 - Ironman Explained 05:50 - Why They Race - Mindset 08:45 - Kyle Positivity Tools 10:12 - Show Up Anyway 13:29 - Dark Days Tools 17:34 - Brent One Step Focus 21:25 - Gratitude in the Body 24:36 - Process Over Outcome 27:44 - Kyle Coaching Brent 31:32 - Brotherhood and Empathy 34:02 - Vulnerability and Faith 41:13 - Business vs Ironman 44:26 - Closing and Subscribe Resources mentioned: Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease's book The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF) — kylepeasefoundation.org IRONMAN World Championship Kennesaw State University — Kyle's alma mater Florida State University — Brent's alma mater Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne in context of emotional states and the "figure eight" Quotes: “ Although you don't know what I go through on a daily basis, it is a struggle, right? I choose to look at my life as I get to do this, I don’t have to do this.” - Kyle Pease “ I would say the hardest thing is that real balance is an illusion. You know, people talk about balance all the time. True balance is knowing when to be all in and what to be all in on.” - Brent Pease “Ironman isn't for everybody. I mean, less than 1% of triathletes set foot on the Ironman in Hawaii. Kyle's done it twice.” - Brent Pease "I look at it as an opportunity to showcase my ability rather than my disability." - Kyle Pease “ I’ve gotten better and better over the years to say, I'm not okay. This doesn't feel good. You know, this is hard.” - Brent Pease “The mind leaves the relationship before, you know, the physical body leaves the relationship.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Can you get in the water and just start swimming? Can you do that much? Because you might feel better if you start.” - Brent Pease About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons. Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities. Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    46 min
  4. 137: Building High Performance Teams with Dwayne Kerrigan

    APR 29

    137: Building High Performance Teams with Dwayne Kerrigan

    What separates average teams from truly high-performing ones? In this episode, Dwayne Kerrigan breaks down the real mechanics of building high performance teams — from hiring A-players to creating a culture of accountability, coaching, and continuous improvement. Backed by real-world experience across decades in business, Dwayne walks through the systems, frameworks, and leadership mindset shifts required to build teams that don’t just function but thrive. You’ll learn why most hiring processes fail, how to identify true A-players, and why the behavior you tolerate ultimately becomes your company’s standard. Dwayne also dives deep into onboarding, coaching, culture, and the hidden psychological patterns that impact performance — including ego, storytelling, and leadership blind spots. This is not theory, this is a practical blueprint for leaders who want better results through better people. Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Ego And Needs 00:39 - Podcast Introduction 01:11 - Why Teams Matter 03:03 - AI And Future Workforce 04:32 - Role Clarity First 06:17 - Interview Intensity 08:58 - Hiring Process Steps 13:58 - Scorecards And Evaluation 16:08 - Compensation And Bonuses 19:19 - Onboarding With Outcomes 22:46 - Episodic Engagement Coaching 26:12 - Culture Standards 28:53 - Measure And Document SOPs 31:19 - My Style Document 35:32 - Hunting For A Players 36:52 - Traits Of High Performers 41:52 - Culture Skill Matrix 43:19 - Developing B Players 44:52 - Coaching Low Culture Talent 46:18 - Managing C Players Fast 48:14 - Story Meaning Behavior Model 52:17 - Standards Above the Line 54:42 - Four Culture Principles 57:06 - Team Dysfunctions Breakdown 01:00:44 - Q&A Backbenching and Ego 01:09:18 - Accountability Without Morale Loss 01:14:16 - Moving Players Up the Chart 01:18:00 - Leadership Growth and Triggers 01:20:57 - Recognizing Base Hits 01:24:06 - Closing and Disclaimers Key Takeaways: The Behavior You Tolerate Becomes the StandardHiring A-Players Starts With ClarityAlways Be RecruitingOnboarding Is a Competitive AdvantageCoaching Is Not OptionalMeasure EverythingMost Team Problems Are PsychologicalA, B, and C Players Require Different Strategies Resources Mentioned: Phil Jones – Exactly What to SayRich Divinney – The AttributesPatrick Lencioni – The Five Dysfunctions of a TeamTony Robbins – Human Needs & Triad FrameworkByron Katie – Loving What IsKeith Cunningham – Business Mentorship Referenced Episodes (The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast): Phil Jones episode (sales, communication, and training insights) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/27-exactly-what-to-say-with-phil-m-jones/Rich Divinney episode (attributes + performance under pressure) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/16-transition-tactics-and-building-high-performance-teams-with-former-navy-seal-rich-diviney/Emma Murray episode (performance mindset + A/B game thinking) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/61-breaking-the-b-game-loop-how-top-performers-master-their-mindset-with-emma-murray/ Also these Emma Murray episodes: https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/the-mindset-secret-to-crushing-your-b-game-with-emma-murray/ https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/127-skillset-vs-mindset-the-real-performance-equation-with-emma-murray/ https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/128-critique-over-criticism-emma-murray-on-learning-faster-under-pressure/ Quotes: “Everything we do, we do to meet our needs.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “The behavior that you allow in your presence becomes the standards.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Keep it simple. Stupid complexity is the enemy of execution.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they’re too heavy to be broken.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “Anything you monitor will get better.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “Progress equals fulfillment.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “Don’t adjust your standards to meet someone’s mediocrity.” - Dwayne Kerrigan Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    1h 25m
  5. 136: Stop Solving Your Team's Problems with Paul Akers

    APR 22

    136: Stop Solving Your Team's Problems with Paul Akers

    Most business owners think AI and new technology will fix what's broken in their company. Paul Akers disagrees — and he's been inside factories with 10,000 employees on every continent to back it up. In Part 2 of this conversation, Paul and Dwayne go deeper into the mechanics of Lean culture, and why the secret to happiness and business success might be the same thing. In this episode: Paul's three-word formula for rolling out Lean in any organization without blowing up the culture: slow, consistent, and self-selectionThe 30-minute challenge: instead of solving an employee's problem on the spot, Paul gives them 30 minutes to come up with three solutions on their own — and why that single shift changes everything about how a team operatesWhy Lean is not a burden — it's pure joy: when every tool is where it belongs, every process flows, and people aren't waiting on you to fix things, the business stops grinding and starts movingPaul's take on AI and technology: they are accelerants to a well-run company, not a substitute for one Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Technology Not The Answer 00:17 - Podcast Intro And Setup 01:20 - Change Only When Ready 01:58 - Burn The Ships Commitment 03:05 - Slow Consistent Self Selection 04:11 - The Bob Conversation 06:17 - Labor Laws And Firing Customers 07:14 - Communicate With Video 09:11 - Lean Should Feel Fun 10:28 - Tools And Process Thinking 13:00 - Progress Equals Happiness 13:33 - Gemba Walkthrough Basics 15:22 - Teach People To Solve Problems 17:30 - Meetings Are Mostly Waste 20:19 - No Departments Just Lean 21:25 - What Gemba Really Means 22:56 - Job Sites And Lean Visits 25:21 - Action This Day - Winston Churchill 28:43 - Capture Lists And Proximity 31:04 - Text Expanders For Flow 32:23 - Instant App Sharing 32:54 - Flow With Text Expanders 34:10 - Avoiding Overproduction 34:32 - What Slow Really Means 36:02 - Lean Health Basics 38:47 Lean Life Happiness Map 40:36 - Filling Knowledge Gaps 42:34 - One Improvement Daily 44:34 - AI As An Accelerant 46:31 - Simple Finance Systems 49:07 - Lean Culture At Home 52:43 - Japan Mission Requirements 54:25 - Hiring For Humility 56:24 - Lean Is Fun Closing 58:23 - Where To Find Paul 59:59 - Podcast Wrap Up Resources mentioned: 2 Second Lean — Paul AkersLean Health, Lean Travel, Lean Life, Banish Sloppiness — Paul AkersToyota Production System (TPS)Kaizen foam — referenced tool for visual process organization5 Whys — Japanese problem-solving method referencedTraining Within Industry (TWI) — referenced frameworkGetting Things Done — book by David AllenFastCap YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/user/fastcaptv Quotes: “ The answer to having a great company is not to focus on technology or focus on AI. Those are tools that are accelerants to a well run company. You still have to have a well run, well organized company with well-trained people.” - Paul Akers “ I almost don't know what's going on in my company anymore. It's, it's so, they're, they're so far ahead.” - Paul Akers “ I met a lot of my needs of significance and certainty by solving people's problems for them.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Slow, consistent and self-select. Self-select. The people that don't wanna do this will self-select out.” - Paul Akers “ People are depressed, because nothing's changing. And matter of fact, they're in decline. This Lean thing, this idea of continuous improvement is like the secret to life.” - Paul Akers About Paul Akers: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for professional builders, started in his garage in 1997. FastCap now has thousands of distributors in over 40 countries and launches 20–30 innovative products per year. Paul is the author of 2 Second Lean — now available in 15 languages and a Shingo Institute award winner — along with many additional books. He has won Seattle Business Magazine's Business Executive of the Year and spoken in over 34 countries. Connect with Paul Akers: https://paulakers.net/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    1h 1m
  6. 135: The Lean Maniac: Paul Akers on Eliminating Waste

    APR 15

    135: The Lean Maniac: Paul Akers on Eliminating Waste

    Paul Akers started FastCap in his garage with no MBA, no funding, and one simple conviction: fix what bugs you. Today FastCap ships over 2,000 products to more than 40 countries, and runs on a philosophy so simple it fits in two words — eliminate waste. In Part 1 of this conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with Paul to unpack the Lean methodology that made it all possible, and why it has nothing to do with manufacturing. In this episode: Paul breaks down the eight wastes of Lean thinking — overproduction, transportation, inventory, defects, over-processing, wasted motion, customer waiting, and wasting human potential — using a Costco toilet paper run as the most memorable example you'll ever hearWhy Paul calls himself a "Lean maniac", not a lean practitioner: "How do I improve this? And how do I make it easier for everyone around me?" — the two questions that drive every decision at FastCapThe communication standard Paul holds his entire organization to: no one should ever have to ask you a question twice, and why every back-and-forth email chain is a symptom of a deeper waste problemHow FastCap documents every single process — from cleaning a toilet to setting up a $250,000 injection molding machine — using eight-step visual SOPs, QR codes, and unlisted YouTube videos that any employee can access instantlyWhy Paul starts every Lean implementation the same way, regardless of company size: the bathroom. And why every visitor to FastCap — including presidents of major corporations — cleans the bathroom before they're allowed a tourThe mindset Paul refuses to argue with: if you're not ready to change, he's not interested in convincing you — and why that boundary is itself a Lean principle Episode Highlights: 00:00 - No Questions Twice 00:22 - Podcast Welcome 00:54 - Meet Paul Akers 04:37 - FastCap Origin Story 08:31 - Lean Gospel Mindset 10:34 - Lean Maniac Defined 13:42 - Eight Wastes Explained 17:03 - Small Daily Improvements 20:10 - Hunger and Underdogs 28:31 - Lean History Lesson 31:36 - Toyota Just In Time 34:15 - Skeptic to Believer 35:25 - Lean Is People First 36:33 - Stop The Line Mindset 38:00 - Three Habits Of Toyota 40:46 - Morning Meetings 42:45 - Dialogue Not Monologue 43:26 - Keynote Agenda And Culture 48:03 - Defects And Kanban Flow 51:56 - One Hour Before Work Pays 53:59 - Ego And Leadership Growth 57:08 - How To Start 01:03:16 - Standard Work And QR Training 01:07:30 - Who Actually Changes 01:08:22 - Wrap Up And Disclaimers Resources mentioned: 2 Second Lean — Paul AkersLean Health, Lean Travel, Lean Life, Banish Sloppiness — Paul AkersThe Amezawa Legacy — Paul AkersLean the Gospel Dressed Up in a Business Suit — Paul Akers (in progress at time of recording)Out of the Crisis — Dr. W. Edwards DemingToyota Production System (TPS)FastCap — Paul Akers' companyBob Taylor / Taylor Guitars — referenced as Paul's early mentorTraining Within Industry (TWI) — referenced frameworkFastCap YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/user/fastcaptv Quotes: "I have no time whatsoever to convince you of common sense. Zero." - Paul Akers “ I read Dick and Jane like 10 times when I had to read it in front of the class. I had to read it over and over and over again and memorize it so I didn't screw it up when I read in front of the class.” - Paul Akers “ But there's one thing that I've kind of realized in life is that the reason why we don't have something in our life is because of the story that we're telling ourselves.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “Everything I look at, I'm always thinking, how do I improve? How do I increase the quality and reduce the burden on me and the people around me? So I want everything to be. Easy for everyone. No struggle in flow.” - Paul Akers “ No one should ever ask you a question twice. If you communicate to someone, your communication should be so clear that when you say it and the words come out of your mouth, they go, I understand exactly what you want.” - Paul Akers About Paul Akers: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for professional builders, started in his garage in 1997. FastCap now has thousands of distributors in over 40 countries and launches 20–30 innovative products per year. Paul is the author of 2 Second Lean — now available in 15 languages and a Shingo Institute award winner — along with many additional books including Lean Health, Lean Travel, and Lean Life. He has won Seattle Business Magazine's Business Executive of the Year and spoken in over 34 countries. Connect with Paul Akers: https://paulakers.net/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    1h 10m
  7. 134: Leadership Without Heroics: Part 2 with Dwayne Kerrigan

    APR 8

    134: Leadership Without Heroics: Part 2 with Dwayne Kerrigan

    Most entrepreneurs think the next stage of their business requires a better strategy. Dwayne Kerrigan disagrees. In Part 2 of his live keynote at the LeanScaper Operations Intensive in Cape Coral, Florida, he makes the case that what's actually required is a different identity — and that without that shift, no system, tool, or team will get you where you're trying to go.  In this episode:  Dwayne walks through his personal identity chart — from the "warrior" and "general" identities that ran his life for years, to the consciously designed identities he operates from today, including the Chairman, the Profit Seeker, and the Peak Performance Coach Why the Serenity Prayer became one of the most powerful business tools Dwayne ever learned — and how distinguishing what you can and can't control transformed his leadership at 32 years old, running an $18M business with 300 employees A live identity creation exercise: how to write your own eulogy for a specific business role, and why that process is the starting point for becoming who your business needs you to be The eight stages of the entrepreneur and the business lifecycle — and why understanding exactly where you are in both is critical to knowing which identity needs to show up The four economic seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) and why Dwayne believes the landscaping industry is currently sitting somewhere between late fall and early winter 40 years of lessons learned — distilled into the principles that have shaped how Dwayne builds, leads, and recovers  Episode Highlights:    00:00 - Tsunami Of Change  00:27 - Podcast Mission  00:59 - Internal Vs External  02:07 - Serenity Prayer Lesson  03:42 - Identity Chart Origins  04:32 - From Warrior To General  06:10 - Purpose And Marriage  07:47 - Building New Identities  08:48 - Chairman Identity Script  09:50 - Language And Questions  12:38 - Borrowing Role Models  13:41 - Post Fight Debrief  14:40 - Create Your Identity  16:48 - Write Your Eulogy  17:46 - Visualization And Realism  19:01 - Do The Work  19:48 - Physiology Guidelines  20:15 - Physiology and Rituals  20:57 - Energy and Emotions  22:00 - Identity Agent Tool  23:53 - Daily Identity Editing  24:56 - Future Shock and Adaptation  26:22 - Economic Seasons Framework  27:58 - Entrepreneur Stages  29:13 - Business Lifecycle Reality  31:33 - Shift Identity in 3D  31:56 - Courage and Deep Thinking  34:57 - Lessons Learned Log  37:19 - Hard Won Business Rules  40:19 - Final Fear and Farewell    Resources Mentioned:   Think and Grow Rich — Napoleon Hill Stephen Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey Institute Keith Cunningham — referenced as the "Rich Dad" in Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad Tony Robbins — Date With Destiny, UPW seminars Identity framework AI agent — available at The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast: https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/identity-framework/ Quotes:      “You can either be right or you can be rich, but you can't be both.” - Dwayne Kerrigan   “I did this for my wife through a lot of pain and self suffering, I had to get to the point where the general just couldn't run the show anymore because it was just not sustainable.” - Dwayne Kerrigan   “You don't experience the life that you live. You're experiencing the life that you focus on.” - Dwayne Kerrigan   “ My greatest fear in life is on my final day to meet the man that I could have been.” - Dwayne Kerrigan   Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan   Facebook   Instagram   Linked In   Website   Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    42 min
  8. 133: Leadership Without Heroics: Part 1 with Dwayne Kerrigan

    APR 1

    133: Leadership Without Heroics: Part 1 with Dwayne Kerrigan

    Most entrepreneurs don't burn out because the business gets too hard — they burn out because they never stopped being the operator. In this keynote, recorded live at the LeanScaper Operations Intensive in Cape Coral, Florida, Dwayne Kerrigan makes the case that the real battle isn't strategic, it's psychological. Until you understand the most powerful force in the human condition, no framework, system, or tool will save you.  In this episode:  Dwayne breaks down the operator's mindset vs. the owner's mindset — and why operators get tired while owners get rich Why your purpose has to be large enough to keep you out of "the tyranny of how" — the trap that pulls owners back into the weeds The identity principle Dwayne calls the single most important lesson from 10+ years at Tony Robbins' side: the most powerful force in the human condition is to remain congruent with how we identify ourselves The event–meaning–emotion–behavior chain, and how changing the meaning you attach to an event changes your results How physiology, language, and focus (the triad) function as your meaning-making filter — and how to use them to access empowering states more consistently  Episode Highlights:   00:00 - Purpose Over How  00:27 - Podcast Welcome  00:59 - Event Introduction  02:53 - Dwayne Takes Stage  04:12 - Finding The Why  05:40 - Mentors And Lessons  08:58 - Business Root Causes  11:55 - Operator Vs Owner  14:48 - Core Values And Purpose  19:37 - Identity Drives Action  21:20 - Bus Fight Identity Shift  24:14 - Reframing a Past Bully  25:17 - Identity and No Negotiation  25:51 - Procrastination Becomes Identity  27:47 - Event Meaning Emotion Loop  31:34 - The Triad Explained  32:45 - Physiology Power Positions  36:31 - Energy Thermostat and Mirroring  40:47 - Language Questions Shape Reality  45:21 - Focus Habits and Meaning  47:49 - Closing Thanks and Disclaimer  Resources Mentioned:  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen Covey Keith Cunningham — referenced as the "Rich Dad" in Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad Tony Robbins — Platinum Partners immersion program Simon Sinek — referenced in the context of finding your why John Grinder — creator of NLP, mirroring and matching technique LMN (Landscape Management Network) — referenced by Dwayne and Mark Bradley  Quotes:  “Taking your passion and turning it into a business is usually not a good wealth strategy.” - Dwayne Kerrigan  “If you stand like this for 10 minutes a day, it will increase your testosterone 20%. You can look this up. This is true 20%. It'll increase your testosterone. If you stand like this, it will reduce your cortisol from anywhere from 23 to 25% and it will increase the odds of you being able to make a decision by 33%.” - Dwayne Kerrigan  “I'm in the ground and I'm down there and I'm like, and I remember thinking, and through the course of this whole thing, this whole event, is that I am never, ever going to get beaten up again.  "From that day forward, I started working out…” - Dwayne Kerrigan   “The most powerful force in the human condition is to remain congruent with how we identify ourselves.” - Dwayne Kerrigan  “Change the meaning, change the emotion, change your life.” - Dwayne Kerrigan  “Operators get tired and owners get rich.” - Dwayne Kerrigan    Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan  Facebook  Instagram  Linked In  Website  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    49 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast. Dwayne has navigated the business world for over 35 years, owning close to 30 businesses in 12 distinct industries. Today, entrepreneurship often seems more about glitz, glamour, and a celebrity venture. On this podcast, Dwayne collaborates with overlooked but accomplished entrepreneurs, delving into their journeys of forging exceptional enterprises. Join them as they share their personal journeys, lessons learned, and strategies that keep them moving forward. Let’s celebrate the true essence of entrepreneurship and inspire the next wave of business trailblazers.

Information

  • Creator
    Dwayne Kerrigan
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Dwayne Kerrigan
  • Show Website
    The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast

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