The Tension

with Travis Penfield
  • 3.9 (14)
  • Business
  • Updated Bimonthly

If you’re a builder, leader, or change-maker, you already know the tension: the push and pull between where you are and where you want to be. It’s the moments when success doesn’t feel like you expected, when growth forces hard decisions, or when challenges test your limits. Hosted by Travis Penfield, The Tension explores how high-performing leaders navigate these pivotal moments. You won’t find simple solutions here—because the tension isn’t something to be solved. Instead, you’ll hear stories, strategies, and insights to help you manage the tension and turn it into fuel for your personal and professional success.

  1. 4d ago

    The Tension of Scale

    What does it take to scale something without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of The Tension Podcast, Travis Penfield sits down with longtime friend Tim Heyl, founder and CEO of Homeward, to explore The Tension of Scale and the lessons Tim has learned through nearly two decades of building businesses. Tim’s story started in real estate, where an intense focus on the fundamentals helped him become Austin’s top real estate agent at just 24. He went on to build The Heyl Group into a nationally recognized real estate team before founding Homeward in 2018 to solve a problem he repeatedly saw his clients face in the home-buying and selling process. But this conversation isn’t just about the wins. Tim and Travis talk about the seasons when teams walked out, businesses failed, growth created new challenges, and Tim had to learn that the skills that helped him succeed individually weren’t always the same ones required to lead others. Through it all, Tim shares why some of his greatest growth happened during the hardest seasons, how focus compounds while fragmented attention creates chaos, and why truly scaling something requires the right people and systems—in that order. In this episode, you’ll hear: ✔ Why some of Tim’s hardest seasons produced his greatest growth  ✔ How focus—and knowing what not to pursue—can unlock scale  ✔ Why leaders have to keep learning as the business grows  ✔ The importance of building the right people and systems around you Whether you’re building a company, leading a growing team, or entering a new season of your career, this conversation is a reminder that scale isn’t just about how big something becomes. It’s also about how you grow into the person capable of leading it.

    The Tension of Scale

  2. Aug 3

    The Tension of Impact

    What does it really mean to make an impact? In this episode of The Tension Podcast, Travis Penfield sits down with Rob West—CEO of Kingdom Advisors and host of Faith & Finance—to explore why impact isn't measured by what we accumulate, but by how we steward what we've been entrusted with. Together, they discuss why defining a finish line for "enough" changes the way we think about success, how creating margin allows us to be present for life's most meaningful moments, and why the scorecards our culture celebrates often overlook what matters most. Whether you're leading a business, building a career, managing your finances, or investing in the people around you, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about the legacy you're creating and the purpose behind your work. In this episode, you'll learn: ✔ Why defining "enough" creates the freedom to live and give with greater purpose ✔ How creating margin opens the door for meaningful impact ✔ Three questions to evaluate the scorecard you're living by ✔ Why stewardship extends beyond money to your time, relationships, and influence ✔ How to pursue success without losing sight of what matters most About Rob West Rob West is the CEO of Kingdom Advisors, host of the nationally syndicated Faith & Finance radio program and podcast, and a leading voice on biblical financial stewardship. Through his work, Rob equips financial professionals and individuals to integrate faith and finances while living lives marked by purpose, generosity, and wise stewardship.

    The Tension of Impact

  3. Jul 13

    The Tension of Success

    What does it actually mean to be successful (and how do you know when you've crossed the line from ambition into something that's costing you more than it's worth)? In this episode, Travis sits down with Jeff Davidson, a six-time founder of companies that have cumulatively earned more than $ 400 million in revenue. As the co-founder of Camp Gladiator and Founder & Chairman of Victory Financial, Jeff joins Travis to talk about the tension every high-achiever eventually faces. Jeff's story is a good one: a college basketball player who cold-called his way into finance, married a woman who snuck out on their wedding morning to try out for American Gladiators, and then built one of the most remarkable fitness brands in the country. But behind the growth and the magazine covers was a marriage running on fumes, a fear of failing at both business and family, and a moment at a kids' baseball tryout that changed everything. This is a conversation about redefining your scoreboard — before life forces you to. If you've ever felt the pull between building something great and being present for the people who matter most, this one hits home. Life's messy. Decisions are complex. Let's get into it.

    The Tension of Success

  4. Jun 22

    The Tension of Founder Energy

    Most founder-led companies hit a wall. Not because the idea was wrong, but because the energy that built the business starts working against it. In this episode, Travis sits down with Phil Murray, President of Marbella Interests and an operator who has worked directly under nine founders, to dig into one of the most important and least-discussed tensions in entrepreneurship: what do you do with founder energy as your company scales? Phil and Travis explore the moment founder energy shifts from fuel to friction, why bringing in outside leadership is as much a relationship challenge as a business one, and what it actually looks like for a founder to hand over the reins without losing the vision. If you lead a founder-led company, work inside one, or are trying to scale past what got you here, this conversation is going to hit close to home.

    The Tension of Founder Energy

  5. Jun 1

    The Tension of Making it Count

    We all know time is finite. So why is it so hard to actually live like it matters? In this episode, Travis sits down with Mike Sharrow, CEO of C12, the nation's leading peer advisory organization for Christian CEOs and executives, to wrestle with one of the most deeply human tensions there is: making it count. Mike has spent a decade helping top leaders build businesses and lives of real significance, and in this conversation, he gets personal. From his own story of growing up around domestic violence and divorce, to the weight that shapes the most purposeful leaders he knows, Mike unpacks why "making it count" is never a problem you solve, but a tension you manage every single day. They also take on one of the biggest traps high-achievers fall into: the idea that significance is always one season away. More time with family after this deal closes. More generosity once the business scales. It's a lie most of us are living, and this episode calls it out. If you've ever felt the gap between how you want to spend your time and how you actually do — this one's for you.

    The Tension of Making it Count

  6. May 11

    The Tension of Stewardship

    If you've ever felt guilty for keeping or burned for giving, this one's for you. Travis sits down with his longtime friend Justin Lopez, President of 25 Giving, for a conversation about why stewardship and generosity aren't the same thing…and why getting that wrong can cost you more than you expect. Justin shares how growing up in a family where radical giving was simply the culture shaped a black-and-white worldview that eventually got put to the test. When his family moved into a struggling East Austin neighborhood to love their community in proximity, what felt like obedience turned into some hard, expensive lessons. The experience sent him swinging to the other extreme until one question reoriented everything: What is the most loving thing I can do with what I've been given?

    The Tension of Stewardship

  7. Apr 20

    The Tension of Showing Up

    In this episode, Travis Penfield sits down with Elizabeth Odegaard to explore what it means to show up personally and for others in the hardest seasons of life.  With honesty and depth, she reflects on the tension between carrying pain and continuing to show up for others, the people who showed up for her, and how small acts of presence can carry profound weight. Together, they unpack what it looks like to lead, support, and live with intention as life continues after heartache. This conversation is a powerful reminder that showing up isn’t necessarily about having the right words but about being there when it matters most.

    The Tension of Showing Up

  8. Mar 23

    The Tension of Pursuit vs. Letting Go

    In this episode, Travis sits down with Doug McNamee, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Baylor University, to explore the tension between relentless pursuit and the ability to let go of outcomes. Doug shares his unconventional journey—from working inside Baylor Athletics to stepping away to help lead the fast-growing Magnolia brand, and ultimately finding his way back to Baylor to lead the entire athletic department. Along the way, he reflects on the pressure of defining success, the humility required in leadership, and the faith it takes to pursue big dreams while surrendering control of the results. This conversation is a powerful reminder that ambition and surrender aren’t opposites—they’re tensions to manage for anyone striving to build something meaningful.

    The Tension of Pursuit vs. Letting Go
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Ratings & Reviews

3.9
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

If you’re a builder, leader, or change-maker, you already know the tension: the push and pull between where you are and where you want to be. It’s the moments when success doesn’t feel like you expected, when growth forces hard decisions, or when challenges test your limits. Hosted by Travis Penfield, The Tension explores how high-performing leaders navigate these pivotal moments. You won’t find simple solutions here—because the tension isn’t something to be solved. Instead, you’ll hear stories, strategies, and insights to help you manage the tension and turn it into fuel for your personal and professional success.

Information

  • Creator
    with Travis Penfield
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Tension
  • Show Website
    The Tension