Win More, Live Better

Zach Brandon
  • 4.8 (24)
  • Self-Improvement

Win More, Live Better is a podcast for sport coaches and high-performing leaders who care deeply about results, but refuse to compromise their well-being, joy, or relationships in the process. This show explores what it really means to win more and live better on your terms. Through stories, conversations, and practical frameworks, each episode helps you sharpen your leadership, strengthen your inner game, and build systems that support sustainable performance for you and those you lead. Hosted by Zach Brandon, a nationally recognized performance and leadership advisor who partners with elite sport coaches, executives, and high performers to help them thrive using practical tools, systems, and mindset frameworks.

  1. 2d ago

    The Six Jobs of a Head Coach | Episode #300 Masterclass

    To celebrate the production of 300 episodes for Win More, Live Better and more than 40+ conversations with championship coaches across sports, Zach steps back to examine a larger question: What are the common themes great coaches consistently reference for sustaining excellence? In this masterclass episode, Zach references past guest conversations and explores the six core roles and responsibilities that head coaches must master in order to sustain excellence, for themselves and others.  Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  2. Sep 17

    Behavior Has a History: Understanding the Athlete Behind the Performance

    When it comes to athletes, coaches see their qualities such as competitiveness, perfectionism, insecurity, confidence, work ethic and need to prove people wrong, to name a few. What they don’t always see is where those behaviors and qualities come from. Using Landon Donovan's journey to become a US soccer icon, this episode highlights what he can teach coaches about empathy, the motivation beneath the behaviors we see, and why learning more about where someone has been can help us better support where they’re going. Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  3. Sep 17

    The Mirror and the Spotlight: How Leaders Handle Success and Failure

    Leadership requires knowing when to use the mirror and when to use the spotlight. When your team falls short, can you examine your own contribution before pointing elsewhere? When your team succeeds, can you step aside and give others the credit they deserve? Using a story from Tim Cook’s leadership at Apple and a recent leadership workshop, Zach explores why ownership and recognition both require courage and why leaders have to recommit to both again and again. Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  4. Sep 15

    Give People Evidence They Matter

    You can hold the retreat, organize the team-building exercise, bring in the guest speaker, and put your values on the wall, but some of your most important culture-building opportunities happen in the ordinary moments in between. In this episode, we use Zach Mercurio’s research on mattering to explore what happens when people feel seen, heard, valued, and needed (and what happens when they don’t). Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  5. Sep 15

    Jay Johnson | Head Baseball Coach, LSU | The Standard Starts With You

    Jay Johnson is the head baseball coach at LSU and one of the most accomplished coaches in college baseball. In five seasons at LSU, Johnson has led the Tigers to two national championships, winning the College World Series in 2023 and 2025. He became the fastest coach to win multiple national titles during his tenure at a single school and has twice earned National Coach of the Year honors. His head-coaching journey began at his alma mater, Point Loma Nazarene, before he spent eight seasons as an assistant under Rich Hill at the University of San Diego. Johnson later led Nevada to its first conference championship and guided Arizona to two College World Series appearances, including the championship series in his first season. Across 14 seasons as a head coach, Johnson has won more than 500 games and developed 34 Major Leaguers, including Kris Bryant, Paul Skenes, and Dylan Crews. Five LSU players under Johnson have been selected among the first six picks of the MLB Draft. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation: [5:15] — The Hardest Decision of Jay's Career [8:35] — Coaching Lessons From Rich Hill [13:51] — Model What You Want From the Team [18:04] — Learning Not to Make Losing Personal [20:58] — The Loss That Changed His Leadership [26:25] — Jay Johnson’s Four-Part Hiring Process [30:43] — If Everyone Agrees, Someone Isn’t Needed [34:53] — Defining and Evaluating His Coaching Process [38:38] — Bringing Outside Expertise to Help Your Staff Grow [41:43] — Coaching the Best Pitcher on the Planet [45:57] — Players Confronting and Demanding the Standard [48:55] — What Skip Bertman Meant to Jay Johnson [53:07] — Never Waste a Failure [56:24] — Helping Players Achieve Their Dreams Learn More About Jay: Follow Jay and his coaching journey here.Learn More About Zach: Zach's Email -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  6. Sep 13

    The Path Forward Isn't Always Straight

    Human nature is to expect progress to be steady, visible and linear, but most meaningful goals are accompanied by setbacks, course corrections and periods when you have to take a step backward in order to go forward. Through the metaphor of tacking in sailing, this episode offers a better way to understand the inevitable zig-zags of growth and how to adjust your process in pursuit of goals, without having to change the destination. Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  7. Sep 8

    Background Check Your Beliefs

    We conduct background checks before giving people important responsibilities. So why not do the same with the beliefs we give influence over our lives? In this episode, Zach shares a simple way to examine the evidence behind your assumptions and limiting beliefs, challenge outdated conclusions, and make sure your past isn't unnecessarily dictating your future. Learn More About Zach: Email Zach -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

  8. Sep 7

    Paul Goldstein | Head Coach and Director of Men's Tennis, Stanford University | The Weight of Caring, Building Culture & Coaching Under Pressure

    Paul Goldstein is the Director of Men’s Tennis and Head Coach at Stanford University. Across 12 seasons leading the Cardinal, Goldstein has compiled more than 200 wins, guided Stanford to the NCAA Championships every season, won conference championships in both the Pac-12 and ACC, and earned ITA Northwest Region Coach of the Year honors five times.  In 2024-25, he led Stanford to 26 wins, an ACC Championship in its first season in the conference, and appearances in the semifinals of both the NCAA Championships and ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Before becoming Stanford’s head coach, Goldstein built an accomplished playing career of his own. He became the first player in NCAA men’s tennis history to start on four consecutive national championship teams at Stanford and was a four-time All-American. Goldstein then competed professionally for a decade, reaching career-high ATP rankings of No. 58 in singles and No. 40 in doubles, advancing to the 2005 US Open doubles semifinals, and earning singles victories over players including Novak Djokovic, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter, James Blake, and Mardy Fish. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation: [5:14] — From Winning Championships to Leading People [13:35] — The Weight of Caring [16:42] — What Business Taught a Tennis Coach [19:46] — From "Me" to "We"  [23:32] — Fostering Culture and Connection at the Dinner Table [25:10] — The Mental Game of Tennis [38:17] — What an Athlete Needs From You Under Pressure [48:31] — Thriving in Stanford's High-Achievement Environment [53:18] — The Doorstop Lesson Learn More About Paul: Watch Paul's Commencement Address at his Alma Mater here.Learn More About Zach: Zach's Email -- Zbrandon1022@gmail.comExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call here.Download my free Win More, Live Better Leadership Playbook here.You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

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4.8
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Win More, Live Better is a podcast for sport coaches and high-performing leaders who care deeply about results, but refuse to compromise their well-being, joy, or relationships in the process. This show explores what it really means to win more and live better on your terms. Through stories, conversations, and practical frameworks, each episode helps you sharpen your leadership, strengthen your inner game, and build systems that support sustainable performance for you and those you lead. Hosted by Zach Brandon, a nationally recognized performance and leadership advisor who partners with elite sport coaches, executives, and high performers to help them thrive using practical tools, systems, and mindset frameworks.

Information

  • Creator
    Zach Brandon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Win More, Live Better
  • Show Website
    Win More, Live Better

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