Episodes

107: "Is a New Question More Valuable Than a New Solution When Innovating? ft. Bruce Vojak
Jan. 28, 2026

107: "Is a New Question More Valuable Than a New Solution When Innova…

Send us a text What if the next big innovation came from a box cutter? Erik sits down with Bruce Vojak—advisor, executive, and author—to explore the surprising, human-driven process of innovation inside mature industries and ...

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106: "SMART Goals vs. Vector Goals: Which One Belongs in 2026?" ft. Alli Murphy
Jan. 26, 2026

106: "SMART Goals vs. Vector Goals: Which One Belongs in 2026?" ft. A…

Send us a text In this thought-provoking conversation, Erik and Alli explore a noticeable shift in how people are setting goals in 2026. Instead of laser-focused metrics and traditional SMART goals, more people are choosing i...

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105: "Do You Know What Kind of Puzzle Piece You’re Actually Looking For?" (lessons from Brett Jesson)
Jan. 23, 2026

105: "Do You Know What Kind of Puzzle Piece You’re Actually Looking F…

Send us a text 🧠 Erik’s Take In this post-interview reflection, Erik revisits key insights from his conversation with Brett Jesson, Chief Growth Officer at DDC Group. What stands out isn’t just Brett’s strategic clarity—it’s ...

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104: "How Do You Build Culture That Isn’t Just a Slide Deck?" ft. Brett Jesson
Jan. 21, 2026

104: "How Do You Build Culture That Isn’t Just a Slide Deck?" ft. Bre…

Send us a text In this episode, Erik sits down with Brett Jesson, a strategic leader driving growth at a global business process management enterprise. What unfolds is a conversation that transcends business talk and drills i...

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103: “How to Support a Team Member's Growth Without Undermining It” ft. Alli Murphy
Jan. 19, 2026

103: “How to Support a Team Member's Growth Without Undermining It” f…

Send us a text In this energizing co-hosted conversation, Erik and Alli kick off 2026 by exploring a subtle but powerful leadership challenge: how to support (rather than sabotage) someone’s attempt to change. Whether it’s a ...

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102: "Is Building Leaders Better Than Hiring Them?" (lessons from Jeremy Brady)
Jan. 16, 2026

102: "Is Building Leaders Better Than Hiring Them?" (lessons from Jer…

Send us a text 🧠 Erik’s Take Coming out of this conversation, Erik was struck by one thing: this company actually walks the walk . From creative hiring filters to deep leadership development, G Adventures isn’t just saying th...

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101: "What Happens When You Start Hiring for Alignment, Not Just Experience?" ft. Jeremy Brady
Jan. 14, 2026

101: "What Happens When You Start Hiring for Alignment, Not Just Expe…

In this bold and honest conversation, Erik sits down with Jeremy Brady, National Sales Manager at G Adventures, to explore what it really takes to lead high-performing teams in 2025. They unpack why the old sales playbook doe...

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100: "How To Prevent AI from Atrophying Our Brain?" ft. Alli Murphy
Jan. 12, 2026

100: "How To Prevent AI from Atrophying Our Brain?" ft. Alli Murphy

In this timely and thought-provoking conversation, Erik and Alli explore what it means to lead in the age of AI. As team members start working with large language models, AI copilots, and digital assistants, leadership is no ...

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099: "Balancing Intuition and Iteration" (lessons from Chase Damiano)
Jan. 9, 2026

099: "Balancing Intuition and Iteration" (lessons from Chase Damiano)

🧠 Erik’s Take In this reaction episode, Erik reflects on his conversation with Chase Damiano—COO turned systems thinker, father-first decision maker, and founder of Humans at Scale. What stood out most? Chase doesn’t just tal...

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098: "Knowing When to Delegate Vs. When to Develop a Skill" ft. Chase Damiano
Jan. 7, 2026

098: "Knowing When to Delegate Vs. When to Develop a Skill" ft. Chase…

In this episode, Erik sits down with Chase Damiano, former COO of Commonwealth Joe and founder of Human at Scale, for a conversation about structured experimentation, leadership evolution, and building a life—and a business—y...

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097: "Why Saying 'I Messed Up' is Actually a Superpower" ft. Alli Murphy
Jan. 5, 2026

097: "Why Saying 'I Messed Up' is Actually a Superpower" ft. Alli Mur…

In this episode, Erik and Alli take on a vulnerable leadership dilemma: what do you do when you are the one who needs to change—but your team already knows the old version of you? From elephants in the room to scones and sand...

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096: "The Power Behind Zigging When Others Zag" (lessons from Monique Lecomte)
Jan. 2, 2026

096: "The Power Behind Zigging When Others Zag" (lessons from Monique…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this reflection episode, Erik revisits his powerful conversation with therapist, designer, and leadership coach Monique Lecomte, spotlighting three resonant themes: adaptive leadership, the art of zigging whe...

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095: "Letting Go Of Your Fixer Instinct" ft. Monique Lecomte
Dec. 31, 2025

095: "Letting Go Of Your Fixer Instinct" ft. Monique Lecomte

In this episode, Erik sits down with therapist, leadership coach, and seasoned facilitator Monique Lecomte for a raw and generous conversation on the dynamics of leadership, healing, and relational growth. Through the lens of...

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094: "How Can Leaders Manage Ghost Growth Effectively?" ft. Alli Murphy
Dec. 29, 2025

094: "How Can Leaders Manage Ghost Growth Effectively?" ft. Alli Murp…

In this candid, co-hosted conversation, Erik Berglund and Alli Murphy dive into the trending workplace phenomenon of ghost growth —where employees are handed more responsibilities without more compensation. They unpack where ...

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093: "Coaching Is More About Revealing Than Perspective" (lessons from Ann Rivera)
Dec. 26, 2025

093: "Coaching Is More About Revealing Than Perspective" (lessons fro…

🧠 Erik’s Take This episode is Erik’s reflection on the electric, vulnerable, and revealing conversation with performance coach Ann Rivera—a woman whose origin story as a rebellious underdog athlete reads like a masterclass in...

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092: "How Does the Transition From Performer to Leader Look Like?" ft. Ann Rivera
Dec. 24, 2025

092: "How Does the Transition From Performer to Leader Look Like?" ft…

In this episode, Erik sits down with coach and former pro athlete Ann Rivera for a wild, gritty, and deeply human conversation on what it really takes to perform at your peak—when the odds are stacked, the rules don’t fit, an...

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091: "How Can I Be Diplomatic Without Sugar-Coating?" ft. Alli Murphy
Dec. 22, 2025

091: "How Can I Be Diplomatic Without Sugar-Coating?" ft. Alli Murphy

In this sharp and insightful conversation, Erik Berglund is joined by leadership coach and facilitator Alli Murphy to explore a question that came straight from the field: How do I navigate tough conversations with honesty—wi...

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090: "Scalability Breaks When Dismissing the Impact of Small Inefficiencies" (lessons from Craig Dunaway)
Dec. 19, 2025

090: "Scalability Breaks When Dismissing the Impact of Small Ineffici…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this review episode, Erik zooms out from his conversation with Craig Dunaway—President of Penn Station East Coast Subs—to reflect on what makes a franchise truly scalable in today’s business climate. Drawing ...

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089: "What Most People Get Wrong About Franchising" ft. Craig Dunaway
Dec. 17, 2025

089: "What Most People Get Wrong About Franchising" ft. Craig Dunaway

What does it really take to thrive in the hyper-competitive world of quick-service restaurants? Erik sits down with Craig Dunaway, President of Penn Station East Coast Subs, to unpack the operational DNA of successful franchi...

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088: "Are We Confusing Leadership With Responsiveness?" ft. Alli Murphy
Dec. 15, 2025

088: "Are We Confusing Leadership With Responsiveness?" ft. Alli Murp…

In this honest and energizing conversation, Erik and Alli dive into one of the most essential (and overlooked) truths of leadership: You don’t have to be the fixer to be effective. Through vulnerable stories and sharp insight...

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087: "The Hack of Seeing Things as Signals Instead of Symptoms" (lessons from Eric Collett)
Dec. 12, 2025

087: "The Hack of Seeing Things as Signals Instead of Symptoms" (less…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this follow-up to his interview with Eric Collett, Erik shares his personal reflections on the most powerful takeaways—especially the deceptively simple IA/E framework (inflammation over energy). He explores ...

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086: "Is Your Brain Functioning Normally—Or Optimally?" ft. Eric Collet
Dec. 10, 2025

086: "Is Your Brain Functioning Normally—Or Optimally?" ft. Eric Coll…

In this deep-dive conversation, Erik sits down with brain health expert Eric Collett to expose one of the biggest blindspots in leadership and longevity: your brain is not fixed—and it might be failing you in ways you can’t s...

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085: "What If Finishing The Year Strong Meant Doing Less?" ft. Alli Murphy
Dec. 8, 2025

085: "What If Finishing The Year Strong Meant Doing Less?" ft. Alli M…

As Q4 drags on and burnout hits hard, Erik and guest co-host Alli Murphy explore what it really takes to finish the year with clarity, energy, and intention. From mindset shifts to calendar control to a radical idea called “M...

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084: "The Best Salespeople Aren’t Smooth Talkers—They’re Process Machines" (lessons from Gene McNoughton)
Dec. 5, 2025

084: "The Best Salespeople Aren’t Smooth Talkers—They’re Process Mach…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this episode, Erik reflects on his recent interview with legendary sales consultant Gene McNoughton, extracting the most meaningful lessons about leadership, process, and growth. Gene’s clarity around sales p...

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