Advertise on podcast: One Question Leadership Podcast

@1QLeadership Question: How can leaders in college athletics use their own story and environment to build better systems for student‑athlete success in the age of NIL? Dr. Ron Moses, Deputy AD at Old Dominion, shares how dropping out of high school, serving in the Army, and returning to college shaped his people‑first leadership style and commitment to mentoring. He explains why he keeps his office in the academic center, how his counseling and HR background inform mental health, academic, and NIL education, and why he treats revenue sharing as a financial literacy and life‑skills challenge for young athletes.  Moses also discusses his work with veterans and military partners. In his opinion, work such as teaching emotional intelligence, transition skills, and organizational development carry over to college athletics. He reflects on leading through an AD transition, using Virginia's competitive athletics landscape to raise standards, and leveraging the region's military presence to teach perspective, teamwork, and leadership.  In summary, Moses shows how lived experience, intentional relationships, and a unique local context can help leaders build holistic support systems that outlast any single person or era. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Stephanie Garcia-Cichosz - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How can leaders uncover the hidden unwritten rules in their organization's culture to move through resistance and find success? Dr. Lauren Bullock, Executive Coach at Stretch and Professor at Temple University, explores how leadership, communication, and culture intersect. Dr. Bullock posits that real leadership lives in the tension between struggle and success, not in titles alone.  Bullock traces her unconventional path from sports information and student affairs into academia and coaching She breaks culture into four parts including values, unwritten ground rules, logos, and organizational systems She links public relations, sport media, and coaching into one process: listening to stakeholders, naming challenges, and helping leaders push through resistance to find relief on the other side.  Dr. Bullock also discusses the misconceptions of a multi-generational workforce. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

In this episode of One Question Leadership Podcast, University of Southern California Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sport Administration Lindsay Jaffe sits down with host Steph Garcia Cichosz to offer insight into her journey from Appalachian State soccer student-athlete to senior-level athletic administrator. The conversation explores the mentors who opened doors throughout her career, the servant leadership philosophy that guides her work, and how she navigates the complex responsibilities of overseeing multiple sports. Jaffe also offers practical insights on sport administration, coaching relationships, leadership adaptability, and building high-performing teams. ·       Great sport administrators fill blind spots, not just manage programs ·       Leadership requires adapting your communication style to the people you serve ·       High-performing cultures are built through consistent behaviors and clear standards Jaffe: "You can't lose the plot. Continue to pour into young people and remember that's why we all signed up for this business."  - One Question Leadership Podcast - Steph Garcia-Cichosz

@1QLeadership Question: Can qualitative process metrics lead to increased revenue in a college athletics department?  In this episode of 1Q, University of Houston Executive Senior Associate AD/Chief Revenue Officer, Alvin Franklin details how he applies coaching principles to his leadership style, dissects the department's people-first hiring preference, and discusses how a process-focused revenue strategy has impacted the Cougars in the NIL and revenue-sharing era. Franklin discusses a "people-first" hiring framework that relies on an evaluation of candidates beyond an AI-driven resume screen. This framework prioritizes direct dialogue, contextual fit, and demonstrated authenticity. Franklin gives his philosophy on the revenue operations model which shows that a shift away from quantitative targets to qualitative process metrics have led to record ticketing, fundraising, sponsorship and concession results.  Franklin also outlines the "8 to 5 Club," as a structured business-community advisory mechanism that informs fan experience design, donor cycles, and NIL activation strategies in a pro-sports market like Houston. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Steph Garcia-Cichosz - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How can schools use NIL and personal branding to serve all athletes, not just the superstars? This episode of 1Q features Tyler Jaynes, Founder and CEO at Influxer. The discussion gives a fast, practical look at how a former walk-on built an NIL company that can help all student-athletes, not just the top 1% of stars. It blends leadership lessons, athlete development, and very concrete ways administrators can plug into Influxer's "NIL for all" model. Tyler's walk-on story sets the tone as he pivots from baseball to football, earns a scholarship, and experiences high-level success during Baylor's Big 12 championship run and a new stadium experience. The conversation touches on "athlete identity syndrome" and the difficult shift from sport to life after eligibility, especially when original career plans no longer fit. The core value for Influxer is "NIL for all." It is a free platform where high school and college athletes, at a licensed school or not, can quickly launch a merchandise storefront, upload their own designs, and earn royalties without setup costs. Influxer currently serves roughly 70,000 athletes, with revenue driven by merchandise sales and brand sponsors. Athletes and schools only see costs when value is created. Jaynes frames merchandise as a first building block of an athlete's long-term personal brand, not life-changing money, and highlights how that portfolio can lead to future deals and post-graduation opportunities. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Are there measurable metrics beyond revenue that lead to championships in college athletics? George Mason AD Marvin Lewis shares how he walked into a department hungry for leadership and, in three years, built a people-first, championship culture grounded in a clear strategic "playbook."  He breaks down the staff survey that set the tone, the shift from bad‑news‑only meetings to high‑energy all‑staffs, and a revised coach evaluation model that finally matches expectations to resources and values more than just wins and losses. Lewis also explains how he uses a senior deputy AD/COO, quarterly "time and score" metrics, and a campus‑wide approach to strategic planning—plus his work on the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee and the Professional Patriots leadership program—to offer a ready-made blueprint for aspiring Division I ADs. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

In this special episode of 1Q, Tai M. Brown welcomes former pro runner and longtime interviewer Steph Garcia Cichosz as the new co-host of the One Question Leadership Podcast. Both reflect on what they learned from years of interviews on the AthleticDirectorU platform.   They discuss former Oklahoma AD, Joe Castiglione's "water the plant" analogy regarding developing staff, former Washington and current USC AD, Jen Cohen's focus on mentorship, and other insightful conversations that have influenced how they think about leadership.   They also introduce a new framework that will quietly guide future episodes, Forward Management. With segments based on creation, cultivation, and affirmation, listeners can zero in on how leaders build culture, sustain it, and celebrate the people inside it. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown - Steph Garcia Cichosz

@1QLeadership Question: Is compliance leadership superpower in college athletics? This episode of the One Question Leadership Podcast follows Erin Adkins' journey from law school to becoming Executive Senior Associate AD for NIL Strategy and Initiatives at UCLA. It explores how compliance, instinct, and relationships prepare leaders to guide student‑athletes and coaches in an era of NIL, the transfer portal, and high‑stakes competitive success. Path to college athletics Erin shares how growing up an Arizona fan, choosing law school, and trying both pro sports and college internships helped her realize that collegiate athletics was where she could directly impact the "product" every day. Why a compliance background is a leadership superpower She explains how compliance touches every corner of an athletic department, giving future sport administrators a 360‑degree view of people, processes, and problems—and making it an ideal launchpad for leadership roles Leading through relationships in the NIL and transfer‑portal era Adkins describes how intentional presence, quick responsiveness, and small daily interactions with coaches and student‑athletes build trust, which then underpins everything from navigating NIL to keeping elite teams—like UCLA baseball's veteran junior core—together and thriving One Question Leaderhsip Podcast - Stephanie Garcia Cichosz - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How does an alumnus-turned-athletic-director leverage personal history, modern college athletics trends, and deep relationships to transform a tradition-rich military institute without losing what makes it unique? Jamaal Walton, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at VMI, talks with Stephanie Garcia-Cichosz about how his path from student-athlete to athletic director at his alma mater shaped his leadership style and philosophy The discussion examines how he is modernizing VMI athletics through fundraising, marketing, NIL, and strategic planning while staying true to the institute's military-centered identity It also highlights the importance he places on relationships—with mentors, staff, cadet-athletes, and family—and how that focus guides major decisions like hiring coaches and opting into the House settlement - One Question Leadership Podcast - Stephanie Garcia-Cichosz - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How can an athletics director build and sustain a championship‑level athletic department in the Great Plains? Montana State Director of Athletics, Leon Costello, discusses presidential leadership transitions on campus, the strategic growth of the athletic department, and how aligned support for athletics drives institutional success. Costello explains how strategic planning, investment in student‑athlete support staff, and revenue growth have fueled competitive success, culminating in a football national championship and a strong departmental culture. He also reflects on coach retention, NIL and transfer‑portal dynamics, and how deep engagement with student‑athletes and coaches helps Montana State sustain a championship environment and long‑term leadership development. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What matters most in how we develop student-athletes? College football analyst Yogi Roth challenges administrators to see athletes not as transactions or brands, but as **human** stories whose mental skills and identity must be developed as intentionally as their physical talent. He argues that in today's NIL and transfer-portal era, alignment on "what matters most" from the president to the graduate assistant is the only sustainable way to support coaches, protect athletes' mental health, and keep sport rooted in purpose rather than purely in revenue.  - Mental performance is framed as a competitive advantage: Roth emphasizes visualization, self-talk, body language, and "competing in the absence of fear," urging programs to front-load mental skills support with licensed professionals just as aggressively as they invest in strength and conditioning.  - Athlete identity and NIL: The discussion warns that a hyper-transactional environment and NIL money amplify "athlete identity syndrome," and calls on coaches and departments to help athletes know their story, voice, and purpose beyond their sport and logo so the college experience sets up the next 40–60 years, not just the next season.  - Alignment and culture as AD work: Roth stresses that presidents, ADs, coaches, and staff must be able to answer the same "what matters most here?" question, and that administrators should structure resources, policies, and daily operations to mirror those priorities to create a sustainable alignment. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How can university presidents creatively lead conference realignment while protecting academic priorities and strengthening institutional and league stability for the long term? Dr. John R. Porter of Lindenwood University, and Dr. Yancy Freeman of University of Tennessee Martin, explore how university presidents balance athletics and academics. The two CEO's discuss leading through conference realignment challenges in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They also cover using creative, business-minded strategy to stabilize and grow their respective institutions. Presidents' role in athletics The guests explain that athletics is often the most visible and attention grabbing part of a university, driving applications, enrollment, school pride, donations, and media exposure, which forces presidents to devote significant time and strategic focus to sports. They emphasize that athletics must enhance the academic mission, not overshadow it, so they deliberately balance funding and messaging between academic priorities and athletic success. Stabilizing the Ohio Valley Conference When member schools left or considered leaving, the Board of Presidents responded with unusually candid, frequent conversations to reaffirm commitment, increase exit fees, and engage consultants to craft a long term strategy and structure for the conference. They describe this moment of "friction" as ultimately positive, creating tighter relationships among presidents, clearer shared vision, and a more intentional search for a new commissioner who can elevate the OVC. Creativity, strategy, and leadership style Dr. Porter applies business discipline and growth thinking—like building a multi-entity education system and treating Lindenwood as an enterprise—to drive execution, revenue growth, and investment capacity that can support both academics and athletics. Dr. Freeman focuses on strategic planning rooted in enrollment management and student experience, contributing an outcome-driven approach to conference strategy and to aligning athletics with campus-wide priorities. -Tai M. Brown - One Question Leadership Podcast

@1QLeadership Question: How can leaders in college sports build innovative, business-savvy organizations that still protect and prioritize the long-term wellbeing and development of student-athletes?   Gary Stokan, retiring President and CEO of the Peach Bowl, reflects on his 47-year career in sports and how coaching principles shaped his leadership in college football. He shares his core frameworks—TEAM (teamwork, empowerment, accountability, management), CARE (customer, attitude, relationships, excellence), and ROCKS (relationships, opportunities, competitiveness, knowledge, strategy)—as simple guides for building people-first, business-smart organizations.   Stokan and 1Q guest host, Steph Garcia Cichosz also unpack his role in growing the Peach Bowl, bringing the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta, and navigating today's changing landscape of NIL, the transfer portal, and playoff expansion. Throughout the episode, he stresses keeping student-athletes' long-term wellbeing at the center while maintaining an "attitude of gratitude" and enjoying the journey. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown - Steph Garcia Cichosz

@1QLeadership Question: What exactly is the problem in college athletics? Sean Frazier, VP of Athletics and Recreation at NIU, discusses how and why the Huskies is restructured its conference affiliations, and also explores how new financial models can help sustain athletics without burdening the institution.   Frazier explains NIU's strategy to "decouple" football from its traditional all-sports conference, moving football to the Mountain West, Olympic sports to the Horizon League, and wrestling to the Pac-12 to reduce travel costs, increase media revenue, and better align regionally while maintaining academic and athletic standards   He describes the financial and strategic logic behind this model, including regional scheduling savings, expanded media markets, and using new conference affiliations to enhance both the university's athletic profile and potential academic and research partnerships   The discussion also explores private capital and private equity in college sports, distinguishing capital from equity, examining venture-capital-style investment, and emphasizing the need for entrepreneurial thinking and stronger governance to address new expenses like revenue sharing and NIL without compromising core academic values   A frequent guest on 1Q, Frazier has always thought strategically, and creatively, about the intercollegiate athletics community and how to position all involved for success. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

How do you become indispensable to your athletics department and athletics director?    Charity Anderson, Assistant AD for Scholar-Athlete Success at UC San Diego, joins 1Q's Steph Garcia Cichosz to offer insight into this question after serving for five years as an Executive Assistant to then-Tritons AD Earl Edwards. Anderson discusses the impact of collaboration and how she remains compassionately curious while staying rooted in her core values.   00:00 - Introduction   01:24 - You've been with the Titans for six years, including five years as executive assistant to the great Earl Edwards. You have a background in sports psychology and you have experience working directly with athletes, including as a SAAC advisor. Walk us through your journey to San Diego.   03:52 - You said you had aspirations to be a sports psychologist - where did that come from?   06:57 - So in the ecosystem of athletics, you wanted to support the holistic, whole person side of an athlete - rather than serve as a coach or agent.   09:00 - Where does the executive assistant side come into this story? How do these puzzle pieces fit together?   12:05 - There are three pieces to your puzzle: your sports psych background, your high level of emotional intelligence, and your organizational capacity. What advice do you give aspiring senior leaders who hope to recreate their own version of this?   15:29 - What was the moment for you when you realized you were living your truth?   18:07 - Respect and trust… when did you trust the senior administrators around you, in that they were taking your perspective and your feedback seriously and truly incorporating your perspective?   21:57 - Do you feel pressure to be an AD or do you feel you can be the most effective from behind the scenes?  - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown - Steph Garcia Cichosz