Confident Risks

Taylor Rowan
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Confident Risks with Taylor Rowan is the podcast for entrepreneurs, leaders, and dreamers who are ready to stop overthinking and start taking bold action. Each week, Taylor breaks down what it really means to take risks with confidence sharing stories, strategies, and mindset shifts that help you grow your business, build resilience, and trust yourself through uncertainty. From navigating big decisions to overcoming fear of failure, you’ll discover how to transform challenges into opportunities and step fully into your potential. Whether you’re launching your first idea, scaling a business, or

  1. 8h ago

    2nd Due Training | Giving the Next Generation a Reason to Teach

    For the first time on Confident Risks, we've got two guests at the table. Steve "Jonesy" Jones, recently promoted to Division Chief of Training at the City of Coeur d'Alene Fire Department after nearly 25 years, and Justin Capaul, KCFR Battalion Chief and 4th generation firefighter. Together they co own 2nd Due Training, and in this episode they share why it exists and who it's really for. 2nd Due started in 2014 when a group of instructors needed an LLC and insurance to teach out of state. But the mission became clear fast. Small volunteer and combination departments get the same fires as the big cities. They just show up with fewer people. Their most popular class, Shorthanded Tactics, was built to answer that exact problem, sketched out on a bar napkin with Chief Jeff Welch. Everything 2nd Due does comes back to bringing quality, affordable training to the crews that need it most. When the original instructors started retiring, 2nd Due was headed for the end. Steve stepped up to keep it going. Now, with both of them only a few years from their own retirements, they see 2nd Due as an avenue for the next generation. They already own the trailers, the tools, and the insurance, so younger instructors can step in as lead instructors while Steve and Justin handle logistics and coach from the back. It's about carrying on what mentors like Jeff Welch, Rick Clutter, Chris Sleigher, and David Rhodes poured into them. They also talk about bringing the Backstep Symposium back after COVID, with 60 students and a lineup that included Chris Sleigher, John Kwan, Jay Bonnefield, Scott Herbert, and keynote speaker David Rhodes, with every dollar of proceeds going to the Jeff Welch Memorial Foundation. And they break down the partnership with Taylor'd Systems, from the first walkthrough at District 4 to installing a prop on the island of Molokai for Maui County, and how hands on feedback from the drill ground has shaped training props now in hundreds of departments across the country. Steve also opens up about a hard season of his own. After nearly 35 years between fire and EMS, he thought he could keep pushing it all down. But you never know when your drum is going to overflow. Someone close to him saw it coming and connected him with help before it hit, and with that support, his family, and the work he put in, he got back on the line. His message is simple: if you're struggling, there's help, and it's okay to ask for it. Whether you're a firefighter, an instructor, or someone thinking about what you'll leave behind, this episode is a masterclass in mentorship, legacy, and giving the next generation a reason to carry it forward. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Call or text 988. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  2. Sep 8

    M.A. LMFT Nicole Nestor-Gray | Caring for Those Who Care for Us

    Meet Nicole Nester Gray, a licensed marriage and family therapist with 35 years in the mental health field and 20 years dedicated to working with first responders. From her office in Hayden, Idaho, she founded and leads the First Responder Clinician Support Team, and in this episode she shares the mission behind caring for the people who spend their lives caring for everyone else. Nicole explains how the First Responder Clinician Support Team came to be, and why it works. Every clinician is vetted both clinically and culturally, through a strict process that has turned away many qualified therapists who simply weren't the right fit. As Nicole puts it, you can be a great trauma therapist, but if you don't understand the culture of the first responder world, it's a whole different thing. The team now runs three clinical and mentor teams covering the top five counties in the region and into Spokane Valley. First responders are a highly specialized population. They see things most people never will, and they carry it. Nicole's team calls themselves specialists for a reason. The trust they build, the reputation they've earned, and their deep understanding of the culture are what allow first responders to finally open up and get the help they need. Nicole also speaks about being on the ground during one of the most difficult days the Idaho first responder community has faced. Because her team was already in place and the relationships were already built, they were able to go to work immediately, deploying clinicians, chaplains, and peer supporters to care for those in the middle of the crisis. It's a powerful reminder that the support systems we build in advance are the ones that carry us through the hardest moments. Whether you're a first responder or not, Nicole's work is a reminder that the people who run toward danger and carry the weight of other people's worst days deserve care too. Mental health isn't weakness. Reaching out is strength. And no one should have to carry it alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Call or text 988. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  3. Sep 1

    Retired CAL FIRE Captain Scott Herbert | Giving Firefighters Eyes in the Smoke

    Meet Scott Herbert, a retired CAL FIRE Captain with a 22 year career and a lifelong passion for training the next generation of firefighters. Today he works with Seek Thermal, helping departments across the country put life saving technology into the hands of firefighters. In this episode, Scott shares his journey, his philosophy on developing people, and why thermal imaging is changing the fire service. Scott started as a paid call firefighter at 18, with the fire station sitting right next to his high school. He spent seven years there, worked as a roofer, joined a wildland hotshot crew, and eventually landed a full time career with CAL FIRE out of Riverside County, where he spent the bulk of his 22 years. Some of Scott's proudest work was running a fire explorer program for roughly 14 years, training somewhere between 350 and 400 young firefighters ages 14 to 21. He says that's where he truly learned how to teach, because you can't rely on life experience with a 14 year old. You have to find what makes each person tick. His belief is simple: work ethic and confidence can beat raw talent every time. The heart of this episode is thermal imaging. Scott explains how these cameras give firefighters the ability to see through smoke, find the seat of the fire faster, locate victims, and find their way out when disoriented. As he says, we don't send our military into battle without eyes, so why send firefighters into a burning building without them? What used to be one expensive camera per battalion is now affordable enough to put on every single firefighter. In Scott's words, it's cheaper than a set of turnouts, and it saves lives. Scott is also honest that even the best technology can hinder you if you don't train with it. Like a set of irons, a thermal camera in the hands of someone who never practices won't help when it counts. His crawl, walk, run philosophy applies to everything: master the basics, then add the tools. Whether you're a firefighter or someone who leads and develops people, Scott's wisdom on mentorship, work ethic, and using the right tools the right way is one worth hearing. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  4. Aug 25

    Retired Chief David Rhodes | The Search Decision That Saves More Lives

    Meet David Rhodes, Chief (Ret.), Education Director for FDIC and Editor in Chief of Fire Engineering. With a 30 year career in Atlanta and a national reputation as a teacher and creator of the Georgia Smoke Diver program, David is one of the most respected voices in the fire service. David opens with a harrowing story from his early days, laying on the ground at a fire he had no business being at, with a burned firefighter beside him and almost no training to fall back on. That experience shaped his lifelong mission to make sure firefighters are truly prepared for the reality they will face. The heart of this episode is David's approach to search, a course he wrote nearly 20 years ago. While most training focused on the technique of search, David focused on the decision making. Where do you start? He compares it to playing blackjack. There is a book that tells you the odds for every hand, and if you play those odds, you have the best chance of winning. Search works the same way. By reading the building, the conditions, the time of day, and your knowledge of the neighborhood, you can determine the highest probability location of a victim. Start there, work your way back, and you make more rescues. David also breaks down his popular Nuts and Bolts presentation, which uses core values as the foundation for building a strong organization. These principles are universal to any team, any business, and any group trying to perform at a high level. From a chance conversation with a fire chief during a land surveying job, to becoming a battalion chief in Atlanta, to leading education at the largest fire conference in the world, David's journey is a masterclass in curiosity, commitment, and giving back to the next generation. Whether you are a firefighter or someone who leads people in any field, David's wisdom on preparation, decision making, and core values will change how you think about doing your job well. Watch or listen to the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Until next time, stay sharp and stay resilient.

  5. Aug 18

    Battalion Chief Chris Sleigher | Leadership is an Infinite Game

    Meet Chris Sleigher, a retired Battalion Chief with a 25 year career and an inductee into the Arizona Firefighter Hall of Fame. Today he travels the country teaching and mentoring firefighters, and in this episode he breaks down what real leadership actually looks like. Chris opens with a line that reframes everything: "It's not my job to bring you home at the end of your shift. That's easy. It's my job to bring you home at the end of a 25 year career and teach you everything that I possibly can." That's the heart of how he leads. It's not about surviving one call. It's about developing people for the long haul. Drawing on Simon Sinek's idea of the infinite game, Chris explains that leadership isn't something you win. Search and rescue and running fire calls are the easy part. The real work is building relationships across the entire organization so that when you want to make a change, you're not butting heads. You've already built the trust, and the obstacles disappear. He also shares one of the most freeing lessons in the episode: you don't have to change to be a leader. So many people get promoted and think they have to act differently. But the best leaders are the ones who got the role precisely because of who they already were. You just have to be authentically yourself and genuinely care about your people. When asked what he wants his crews to know at the end of it all, Chris doesn't mention the Hall of Fame or anything he accomplished. He says simply, "I want the guys to know that I care about them." Everything else is fluff. Whether you lead a fire company, a business, a team, or a family, Chris's philosophy on authentic, caring, relationship first leadership is one that will stick with you. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  6. Aug 11

    Spokane Fire Captain Scott Coldiron | 2 Minutes to Save a Life

    Meet Scott Coldiron, Captain of Truck 14 at Spokane Fire on the South Hill. Scott is known for training at an elite level, and in this episode he breaks down the mindset, the discipline, and the real life stakes behind why he trains the way he does. Scott shares one of the most incredible saves of his career. From air break to calling "we've got him in the front yard" was just 2 minutes and 8 seconds. The doctor later said that 10 seconds longer and the patient would have been gone. That's not luck. That's the direct result of relentless training, pace, and a serious approach to the job. His philosophy is simple: 110% on every effort. Master the basics, drill the basics, and never forget the basics. His crew runs timed drills, laddering buildings, VES, and forcing the roof off the aerial, then compares notes across the station. Drawing on methods he learned from FDNY, he standardizes the work across shifts and crews so everyone always knows their tool and their job. Whether it's a working fire with a rescue or a false alarm, his team approaches all of it with the same intensity and professionalism. Scott also speaks with real humility about the privilege of being a firefighter. Good pay, a strong pension, and the respect of the community are things he doesn't take for granted. The way he sees it, the only way to earn that respect is to operate at the highest level every time he steps on the rig, and to hold everyone who trains under him to that same standard. Whether you're a firefighter or not, Scott's mindset about discipline, standards, and earning your position is one that applies to any pursuit worth taking seriously. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  7. Aug 4

    First Responder Coach Darren Richardson | The Part of the Job Nobody Talks About

    Darren Richardson spent 14 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 18 years total as a first responder before a mental health crisis changed the course of his life. Today, he's a first responder coach, motivational speaker, and two time amputee who helps first responders, veterans, and others navigate trauma and rebuild their sense of purpose. In this powerful episode, Darren opens up about the part of the job nobody talks about. Darren says it plainly: the hardest thing he ever did in his life wasn't running into a fire or performing a rescue. It was asking for help. He shares that it was easier for him to tell a mother her child was no longer alive than it was to raise his hand and admit he was struggling. That's the reality so many first responders carry, and it's exactly why this conversation matters. Darren's journey started in the Denver, Colorado area, where he spent years with a busy department before taking a lateral position with South Metro Fire as a firefighter/paramedic. He grew up in a small mountain town near Yosemite, went to college in Colorado, and fell in love with the fire service during his paramedic internship. Later in his career, Darren pursued a second chapter and interviewed for a chief position. He didn't move past that first interview panel, and at the time it stung. But he now sees it as a blessing. That closed door led him to build his coaching business, focused entirely on first responder mental health, the very thing he needed most. Darren is also honest about how far first responder mental health support has come and how far it still has to go. Some areas have strong conversations happening, but other departments still resist it, choosing to fund a new truck or training center over mental health resources. As Darren puts it, all of those things are needed, but if you don't have someone mentally capable of doing the job, a new truck won't fix that. Whether you're a first responder, a veteran, or someone quietly fighting a battle no one sees, Darren's story is a reminder that asking for help isn't weakness. It's the bravest thing you can do. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Just call or text 988. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders. New episodes every week.

  8. Jul 21

    Hot Wash: ESFD Deputy Fire Chief Charlotte Pegoraro

    After every guest, Taylor follows up with a recap to process and break down the biggest takeaways. This is the Hot Wash on Charlotte Pegoraro's visit. Charlotte came highly recommended, and once Taylor started mentioning her name around the North Idaho and Eastern Washington fire community, everyone knew her. She's at every event, always thinking outside the box, and truly dynamic at what she does. Here are the highlights that stuck with Taylor most. First, be a bigger fish in your own pond. So often we feel like we have to move up, move on, or go somewhere bigger to make an impact. But Charlotte flips that idea. She's at a small volunteer department and, instead of chasing something bigger, she's chosen to grow deeper roots right where she is. Sometimes the grass isn't greener somewhere else. Growing where you're planted is its own kind of success. Second, her investment in her community is bar none. Charlotte could easily coast and take the job day by day. Instead, she goes above and beyond with genuine passion for the people in her area, and that makes her whole community better. Third, she took the confident risk. Charlotte was in her 30s with kids, working a completely different job, when she saw an opportunity and took it. She did it on the side at first, taking calls in the middle of the night while raising her family. No excuses. How many of us see opportunities, think about them, and never act? Charlotte is the prime example of someone who looked at the fear and went for it anyway. And finally, get uncomfortable on purpose. What are you doing each month to push yourself out of your comfort zone? Because almost every opportunity comes from the very things that make us uncomfortable, the things we second-guess, the things that add a little pressure. Until you lean into those things, it's very hard to be successful. We appreciate Charlotte for everything she does for Coeur d'Alene, the greater region, and the community she serves. Until next time, stay sharp and stay resilient. Subscribe to Confident Risks for real stories from firefighters and first responders, plus weekly recaps. New episodes every week.

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About

Confident Risks with Taylor Rowan is the podcast for entrepreneurs, leaders, and dreamers who are ready to stop overthinking and start taking bold action. Each week, Taylor breaks down what it really means to take risks with confidence sharing stories, strategies, and mindset shifts that help you grow your business, build resilience, and trust yourself through uncertainty. From navigating big decisions to overcoming fear of failure, you’ll discover how to transform challenges into opportunities and step fully into your potential. Whether you’re launching your first idea, scaling a business, or

Information

  • Creator
    Taylor Rowan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Taylor Rowan
  • Show Website
    Confident Risks

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