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Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with legendary college football coach Chris Peterson for a masterclass in leadership, culture-building, and the art of developing people beyond their sport. Chris, who built an extraordinary legacy with a 79% career winning percentage, two Coach of the Year awards, and championship runs at both Boise State and the University of Washington, opens up about why he stepped away from coaching at the peak of his career and what he's learned about leadership that transcends the game. This episode goes deep into the philosophy that defined Chris's coaching career: Built for Life—a comprehensive approach to using the demanding platform of football to build character, discipline, and life skills that players carry long after their playing days end. Mark and Chris explore the critical distinction between rules and standards, the importance of organizational alignment, and why the greatest enemy to success isn't the opponent across the field—it's the dysfunction within your own building. Key Topics Discussed: The Built for Life Philosophy: From Concept to Culture Chris reveals how Built for Life emerged when he unexpectedly became Boise State's head coach, transforming from someone who just wanted to coach offense into a leader who understood that sustainable success requires intentional culture-building. Learn how he developed "train tracks" to keep the program on course during both winning streaks and inevitable setbacks, and why his seniors consistently described the program not in terms of football success, but as a life-changing experience that prepared them for everything beyond the game. The Paradox of Leadership: It's About Others AND About You Discover the two fundamental rules of leadership that Chris has distilled from decades of experience: Rule #1—Leadership is about service and sacrifice for others, aligning and empowering them to unlock their potential. Rule #2—Leadership is paradoxically all about you: self-awareness, self-discipline, and self-improvement. Chris candidly admits his biggest mistake as a coach was spending too much time trying to "get them right" instead of first getting himself right, and why leaders must build their best selves before demanding excellence from others. The Enemy Within: Why Alignment Matters More Than Talent In one of the episode's most powerful insights, Chris explains that after working with multiple organizations since stepping away from coaching, he's discovered the real opponent isn't external competition—it's internal misalignment. Learn why lack of alignment, conflicting egos, and self-interest destroy more teams than any external competitor ever could, and why getting everyone "rowing in the same direction" must happen before you even talk about beating the opposition. Standards vs. Rules: Building Excellence from the Bottom Up Chris draws a critical distinction between rules (what you do at your lowest) and standards (what you aspire to at your best). Discover how he evolved from focusing on rules to building a culture around standards, and why the questionnaires he gave players twice annually revealed they were absorbing life lessons about teamwork, discipline, and character that would serve them for decades. The Process Over Results: Embracing Hard Things Both Mark and Chris share powerful examples of loving the process and embracing difficulty—from Mark's Mount Everest attempt where he literally stepped over bodies to Chris's realization that a leader's primary job is solving problems for others. Learn why the things we're most proud of in life are always on the other side of hard work, why we're wired for comfort but fulfilled by challenge, and how to reframe setbacks as learning opportunities in a results-obsessed world. Leading Yourself First: The Oxygen Mask Principle Chris reveals his biggest regret from 14 years as a head coach: not building his best self while demanding excellence from players. In the 24/7/365 pressure cooker of college football, he found himself sliding backwards, becoming narrower and more worn down. Discover why leaders must have a deliberate plan to maintain their energy, optimism, and presence, and why showing up with your best energy is the foundation for inspiring others to do the same. Why Chris Stepped Away: Purpose, Independence, and Balance In a candid discussion, Chris explains his decision to leave coaching at the top of his game, revealing that he needed clarity about why he was sliding backwards despite external success. Using Morgan Housel's formula for a good life—Purpose + Independence—Chris reflects on how coaching gave him tremendous purpose but zero independence, while his current work helping coaches and organizations with leadership provides balance he never had before. The Cost of Excellence and the Hypocritical Coach Chris doesn't hold back about the all-consuming nature of elite coaching and the irony that coaches spend their lives

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Hondo Carpenter, the longest-tenured beat reporter for the Las Vegas Raiders, for a candid deep-dive into organizational dysfunction, leadership failures, and what it takes to build winning cultures in professional sports. As a former Raiders player himself, Mark brings unique insight to this conversation about a storied franchise struggling to find its identity in the modern NFL. Hondo, who has covered multiple NFL teams including the Raiders, Rams, and Chiefs for Sports Illustrated, delivers an unflinching analysis of the Raiders' tumultuous 2024-25 season and explores the critical question on every fan's mind: How does Tom Brady's minority ownership role influence the franchise's future? This episode offers rare insider access to the inner workings of an NFL organization in crisis, examining everything from Pete Carroll's failed tenure to the upcoming draft decision on potential generational talent Cam Ward (Mendoza). Key Topics Discussed: The Pete Carroll Experiment: Why It Failed Hondo breaks down the discombobulation that plagued the 2024-25 Raiders season, revealing how a Hall of Fame coach was undermined from day one. Learn why Pete Carroll succeeds when he's in charge but struggles when he's not, and how the organization's "group think" approach led to confusion at every level—from players not knowing what plays were being called to six different offensive coordinators in three years for quarterback Aiden O'Connell. Tom Brady's Ownership Role: Asset or Obstacle? In a revealing analysis, Hondo explores the complexities of having the greatest player of all time as a minority owner. Drawing on insights from Magic Johnson about the difficulty of transitioning from legendary player to effective leader, discover why Brady needs to be more present in the building and how his "true north" role is both the Raiders' greatest hope and potential stumbling block. Mark Davis: The Misunderstood Owner Hondo offers a controversial but compelling defense of Raiders owner Mark Davis, explaining how Al Davis—an American icon—completely failed to teach his son the football business. Learn how Mark has grown the franchise from $750 million to nearly $8 billion, built the NFL's best stadium and facilities, yet continues to struggle with football decisions because he's receiving conflicting advice and lacks organizational stability. The Leadership Principle That Changes Everything "Everything rises and falls on leadership"—Hondo's father's steel industry wisdom applies perfectly to the Raiders' situation. Discover why stability and staying true to a vision matters more than talent, as evidenced by elite coaches like Carmen Brassillo leaving the Raiders' dysfunction only to transform the Giants' offensive line into a top-five unit. Cam Ward (Mendoza): The Generational Talent Get an exclusive NFL scout's perspective on the 2025 draft's top quarterback prospect. Hondo reveals why the Raiders were tracking Mendoza before the season began, how he overcame his tendency to drop his eyes under pressure, and why he's "as close to Trevor Lawrence as there's been since Trevor came out." Learn what separates college quarterbacks who succeed in the NFL from those who don't—it's all about the processor. The Processor: Why College Stars Fail in the NFL Mark shares insider knowledge about the massive mental leap from college to professional football, explaining why physical talent alone doesn't translate to NFL success. The ability to read entire fields in nanoseconds while monsters rush at you requires a highly developed mental processor that many college stars simply don't possess. What's Next for the Raiders? With the number one draft pick, a new head coach search underway, and Tom Brady's involvement still being defined, Hondo outlines what must happen for the Raiders to return to "Just Win, Baby" glory. The answer: organizational alignment, coaching stability, and letting the next head coach pick his own staff without interference. This episode delivers critical lessons for anyone in leadership—whether you're running an NFL franchise, a business, or a team of any kind. As Hondo powerfully demonstrates, talent without stability, vision without execution, and ownership without alignment creates nothing but expensive mediocrity. The Raiders have spent nearly $75 million on coaches no longer with the organization. It's time for a different approach. For more information, visit www.MarkPattersonNFL.com and check out Mark's new book Finding Your Summit, detailing his epic Mount Everest journey, NFL career, and the lessons learned along the way. Download your free PDF guide "What's Your Everest" to start accomplishing your biggest goals. Find Hondo Carpenter on Twitter @HondoCarpenter, on Instagram and Threads @HondoSR, on YouTube at Las Vegas Raiders Insider with Hondo Carpenter, and at SI.com/NFL/Raiders/OnSI for the most comprehensive Raiders coverage available.

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! After a year and a half hiatus, host Mark Pattison returns with an incredible entrepreneurial journey featuring Jacob Salem, CEO of Easy Metrics, who transformed himself from a credit card debt-laden fitness trainer into a $15 million business empire through speaking, coaching, and digital marketing. This episode delivers a masterclass in business scaling, social media marketing, and building sustainable revenue streams. Jacob shares the raw truth about his early struggles and the strategic decisions that catapulted him from barely making ends meet to managing $4 million per month in client advertising and building multiple seven-figure companies. Key Topics Discussed: The Comeback Story: From Debt to Seven Figures Jacob opens up about his early days working multiple jobs, playing the credit card shuffle game, and making the bold decision to invest in himself through Zig Ziglar's certification program at age 22. Learn how he leveraged credibility from established brands to open doors and build trust with clients who initially doubted his age and experience. Social Media Marketing vs. Digital Marketing: The Critical Difference Discover why understanding the distinction between these two approaches can make or break your business. Jacob explains how to leverage social media platforms (which you don't own) to drive traffic into your own digital ecosystem (which you do own) - protecting yourself from algorithm changes and platform deletions that can wipe out years of work overnight. Content Strategy That Actually Works Get insider knowledge on what content performs best across different platforms, why Facebook's algorithm only shows your posts to 2-3% of followers organically, and how to create thumb-stopping paid ads that interrupt zombie scrolling. Jacob shares his proven approach to balancing images, videos, and links for maximum organic reach. The Power of Lead Magnets and Email Marketing Learn why "the money is in the list" only if you know how to use it. Jacob breaks down his automated drip email sequences that build trust, establish credibility, and nurture prospects toward buying decisions - all while you sleep. Discover the eliminate-automate-delegate philosophy that allows him to scale multiple businesses simultaneously. Leaving Money on the Table: The Speaker's Biggest Mistake Jacob reveals why most speakers miss massive revenue opportunities by treating keynotes as one-time transactions. Find out how to capture audiences, create backend offers, and build recurring revenue streams that transform a $10,000 speaking gig into six-figure opportunities. Scaling to $15 Million: The Real Numbers From managing $60,000 per month in personal ad spend to overseeing $4 million monthly for clients, Jacob shares the metrics, strategies, and mindset shifts required to scale. He discusses his multiple seven-figure ventures including Easy Metrics, SalemSpeakers.com, and SellCourses.com. 2026 Vision: The Thousand Gig Goal Jacob unveils his big hairy audacious goal for 2026 - booking 1,000 speaking gigs for clients through SalemSpeakers.com, including the story of helping one speaker close a six-figure corporate training contract. This episode is packed with actionable strategies for entrepreneurs, speakers, and business owners ready to stop leaving money on the table and start building scalable, sustainable businesses. As Mark emphasizes, success isn't about the summit - it's about loving the process and staying in the ring. Don't miss this powerful conversation about entrepreneurship, digital marketing mastery, and what it really takes to scale. For more information, visit www.MarkPattersonNFL.com and check out Mark's new book Finding Your Summit, detailing his epic Mount Everest journey, NFL career, and the lessons learned along the way. Download your free PDF guide "What's Your Everest" to start accomplishing your biggest goals. Find Jacob Salem on all social media platforms at @JacobSalem (most active on Facebook) and check out his book Speaker Millionaire Secrets to learn his proven systems for generating revenue through speaking, coaching, and online courses.

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! After a two-year hiatus, host Mark Pattison returns with an incredible conversation featuring legendary football coach Jim Mora, who recently made the leap from UConn to become the new head coach at Colorado State University. This episode marks a special full-circle moment as Jim was Mark's very first podcast guest on Episode 1, and now returns for Episode 276. The two former teammates dive deep into the art of building winning cultures from the ground up, drawing from Jim's remarkable track record of turning around struggling programs. Key Topics Discussed: The UConn Turnaround Story Jim shares the incredible journey of transforming a program that won just six games in five years into a powerhouse that achieved back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in the school's 120+ year history. Learn how he walked into a "walking dead atmosphere" and created a winning mindset. Leadership Principles That Work Discover the three core messages that drive Jim's coaching philosophy: • Actions over words • Discipline over feelings • DNA - who you are and how you reinforce it daily Jim explains why keeping messaging tight and clear is essential, and how the culture you create drops to the lowest common denominator of what you allow. The Process of Excellence Both Mark and Jim share powerful examples of loving the process and embracing hard things - from Mark's Mount Everest summit attempt at 26,500 feet to Jim's team executing over 800 two-minute drills in preparation for crucial game situations. Competitive greatness means being at your best when your best is needed. Building Trust and Reliability Learn why support must equal demands, why team ego must supersede individual ego, and how brutal honesty creates the foundation for championship teams. Jim shares insights from coaching 54 Pro Football Hall of Fame members and what he learned from legends like Ronnie Lott and Morten Andersen. The Colorado State Challenge Jim opens up about his newest challenge - taking over a 2-10 program at Colorado State and building from scratch. He discusses navigating the transfer portal, retaining the right staff members, and identifying which players fit the culture he's building. This episode is packed with actionable leadership lessons applicable far beyond football - perfect for CEOs, business leaders, and anyone looking to create winning cultures in their organizations. As Jim says, "There is no finish line" - champions constantly seek the next challenge. Don't miss this powerful conversation about leadership, culture-building, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. For more information, visit www.MarkPattersonNFL.com and check out Mark's new book Finding Your Summit, detailing his epic Mount Everest journey, NFL career, and the lessons learned along the way.

Adrian Ballinger is a British-American certified IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide, certified through the American Mountain Guides Association and a sponsored climber and skier. Ballinger is the founder and CEO of Alpenglow Expeditions, and has been guiding full-time for 25 years. He has led over 150 international climbing expeditions on six continents, and made 18 successful summits of 8,000m peaks. He is known for pioneering the use of pre-acclimatization for commercial expeditions as early as 2012, which can cut the amount of time typically spent on an expedition in half. Adrian is the only American to have made three successful ski descents of 8,000m peaks, including the first ski descent of Manaslu from its summit. He is also the fourth American to have summited both Mount Everest and K2 without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Kelly Lynn Adams is a life coach who has gone through her own transformation. She is very talented and can help others make the necessary pivot needed when fear holds you back. Great episode to kick off the year and help you achieve your goals.

I met Kenton Cool on Mt EVEREST in 2021. He is an amazing and talented Englishman who has scaled MT EVEREST 14 times with no end in sight. He guides clients all over the world and had scaled most of the major peaks out there. This is a super engaging conversation w/ Kenton on where he has been, his philosphy on life and where he's going in the future.

Shane Jacobson is the CEO of the V Foundation which was started by Jim Valvano and ESPN in 1993. Jim V is a former coach who had won a national championship for NC State and later became a broadcaster on ESPN calling basketball games. He got a brain tumor and in his last speech, echoed those words, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” Today, Shane is carrying on his legacy to raise money and awareness to eventually defeat all forms of cancer. Shane talks about how they are doing this and his association with Dick Vitale.

Yuriy Boyechko is the CEO and President of Hope for Ukraine. It's a non-profit, set up to help all the people of that country who have been displaced with food, water, clothing and shelter. We had a great chat talking about their mission, challenges and where the war is going. Tune in...

Shawn Richardson went through a bumpy road a few years ago and was left with, where do I go from here? The mountains came calling and she has now turned her passion into a career while reaping the benefits of being in the outdoors and helping to solve various mental health issues. You never know when failures can turn into opportunities. Go Shawn go...

This podcast was a wonderful opportunity to speak with film director, Nancy Svendsen, about her 10-year passion project covering the remarkable life of Pasang, a Nepalese climber. She documents the obstacles Pasang had to overcome to climb Mount Everest and become the first Nepalese woman to climb the highest mountain in the world. Fascinating chat learning what she lived for—and ultimately died for.

The U Conn football team went 4-44 the last 4 years prior to Jim Mora showing up. He turned the football team in 2022 going 6-6 and being selected to play in a bowl game against Marshall. How do you change the mindset of young men who only know whats its like to lose? Listen to Jim Mora on how get got his players to believe and buy in to have a championship mindset. Amazing turnaround...

Nate Boyer is an incredible American. He served in the Green Berets for 8 years, then decided to go to college at the University of Texas and then walked on the football team where he was the starting long snapper. Although he got a quick workout with the Seahawks, he has gone onto greater things.   He spent two years on a passion project creating MVP, the Movie. It reflects what he has done for athletes and ex military vets who are looking for true meaning and purpose after they are done either playing or serving. It's a great film.

Tom French is an American mountaineer who I have climbed with on Mt Vinson in Antartica, Cotapaxi in Ecaudor and Mt EVEREST in 2021. Unfortunately, Tom didn't make it to the top in 2021 due to a cyclone storm but reset his mind and came back strong in 2022 and got it done. Tom talks about his facinating tale of how he was able to pull it off.