To The Top: Inspirational Career Advice

This interview explores the journey of Albert Chow, co-founder of Silk & Snow, a Canadian sleep & lifestyle company that started as a mattress-in-a-box business. Chow discusses how his immigrant parents and blue-collar background influenced his business approach, particularly his focus on supply chain transparency and quality manufacturing. Through organic growth and without outside funding, the company evolved from a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 to a successful acquisition by Sleep Country in 2023, maintaining its commitment to sustainable, high-quality products throughout its growth. In this episode we discuss: -Why Albert emphasizes the importance of staying true to your values, even when faced with trends or easier paths -Why he advocates for strategic risk-taking, noting how he first "de-risked" his life (established career, marriage, home) before starting his business -Why operating with a healthy amount of fear can be a powerful motivator -Being passionate about what you do is essential since y

This is the story of Amir Loloi, the founder of Loloi Rugs, one of the largest rug companies in America. It traces his remarkable journey from arriving in Dallas as a 16-year-old Iranian immigrant in 1976, barely speaking English, to building a 650-person company that has transformed the rug industry. Through early jobs at Burger King and driving an ice cream truck, to spending 25 years learning the rug business before starting his own company, Amir shares how his father's advice to "walk a straight line" shaped his business philosophy of integrity and constant improvement. The interview explores how he built his success through reputation and relationships, eventually bringing his two sons into the business to help create a lasting legacy. It's a quintessential American dream story that illuminates the power of perseverance, the importance of reputation, and the value of staying focused even after achieving success.

Dan Martell is the bestselling author of “Buy Back Your Time” and a growth coach for business leaders. He is also the founder of Martell Ventures, a portfolio of companies that makes over $100M in revenue. After spending time in jail and rehab at the age of 17, Dan turned his life around. He taught himself to code, founded and led 3 tech companies to exit, and has invested in over 60 startups. Dan was named Forbes Top 10 Business People to Follow on Social Media and is a highly sought-after speaker, including events by Tony Robbins, John Maxwell, and other top leaders. His content, keynotes, and coaching programs have helped thousands of clients unlock growth, get fit, and develop the mindset to become the best version of themselves. In this interview we discuss: -How to implement the methodology of Buying Back Your Time -How to structure our time to maximize our energy -The most common pitfalls to watch out for when trying to maximize buying back your time -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Coach Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He previously led the Oakland Raiders to prominence, and hosted Monday Night Football. He's currently joined Barstool Sports and has a YouTube channel called Gruden Loves Football where he breaks down game previews and interviews NFL players and coaches. In this episode we discuss: -the traits of a Gruden Grinder -why it's important to be a lifelong learner (or to accumulate knowledge) -lessons from Bill Walsh and Al Davis -how to build your adaptability muscle -how to handle pressure better -how to improve your attention to detail -why it's important to be ready when opportunity knocks and more -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Dwayne Cowan is the President of the Residential HVAC business at Trane Technologies. He earned his degree in biological engineering from the University of Georgia and his MBA from the Arizona State University. For nearly 20 years he's led teams in the HVAC industry both at Thermo King and now Trane -- which is widely known as the leader in the HVAC industry. In this episode we discuss: -the importance of preparation  -why the best leaders are inclusive -why asking for help is a sign of courage -why the best leaders usually don't have all the answers -why you should lead with openness in your life and career and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Mark Matson is a financial expert and investment advisor. As the founder and CEO of Matson Money, his firm has $8.6B in assets under management while serving 35,000 families nationwide. Mark published his book, Experiencing the American Dream: How to Invest Your Time, Energy, and Money to Create an Extraordinary Life. During our interview, we discuss: -Why money can't buy happiness -The misconceptions we've been taught about The American Dream -How we can change our relationship with money and (and basic finance tips) -How challenging experiences can build character -Why sometimes your greatest strength can also be your weakness and much more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Richard Krulik is the CEO of Briggs & Riley, a well established luggage brand that has been in existence for over 30 years. Richard and I discuss the rich history including: -how he onboards new employees to create a better culture at work -why good companies are built on trust -how to prepare in advance of chaos, or as he says "fly the plane" -how his father led by example -what he hopes his team would say about him as a leader -why it's important to view problems as opportunities -how they demonstrate company values like "smart & steady" -why it's important to travel for personal growth

Tessa West is a professor of psychology at NYU. She's the author of Jerks at Work and Job Therapy: Finding Work That Works For You. Tessa's TED Talk -- The Problem With Being "Too Nice" at Work has nearly 800,000 views. In Job Therapy she provides a science-backed handbook that will help you better understand your relationship with your job and how to improve it. She also discusses the most common reasons why people are frustrated in their careers and how to address them. In this episode we discuss: -debunking career advice myths -how to balance emotion & logic when making career decisions -the difference between the person who sends hundreds of resumes out with no plan vs the person who takes action -the 5 sources of career frustration and more -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Kim Scott has worked in leadership roles at companies like Apple and Google. She is also a best-selling author as her book, Radical Candor, is one of the most beloved business books of the last decade. In Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better -- she details how organizations that optimize for collaboration and honor everyone's individuality are often more successful, joyful places to work. In this episode we discuss: -Why it's the leaders' responsibility to call out bias on a team -The significance of fostering a respectful culture at work -What we can all do to aspire to be better teammates (being an upstander) -Book recommendations and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Dan Harris was an award-winning ABC Journalist who anchored Nightline. He's widely known for having a panic attack on national TV. Through a lot of inner work, he published 10% Happier about his traumatic experience and how he was able to rehabilitate himself which included practices like meditation. Dan's TED Talk on self-compassion has eclipsed 3 million views. We discuss his work including: -What he learned about himself through interviewing hundreds of people -The inflection point that led to his 360 assessment to understand what people really think of him -What he learned from his mentor, Peter Jennings -What he recommends to try to strike balance in life -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Brianna Wiest is the best-selling author of The Mountain Is You, 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, and The Pivot Year. Her books have been read by millions of people and she is widely recognized for her wisdom of navigating life's challenges. In this episode we discuss The Mountain Is You including: -the definition of self-sabotage -the ways you can recognize self-sabotage -how we can begin to course correct -the significance of following your intuition or gut -what she's learned about happiness and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Scott Tannen is the founder and CEO of a luxury linen and home goods company called Boll & Branch. They're best known for their luxury organic cotton bed sheets. Scott began his career working for established consumer packaged goods brands like Nabisco and Wrigley where he led digital marketing teams. He went to become the founder of Boll & Branch with the goal of bringing products to market that were sustainable for cotton farmers that eventually disrupted an industry. You'll enjoy this episode if you're curious about: -How mentors can challenge you to level up your game -How our parents can influence our life and career decisions -Why it was important for Scott to invest 2 years figuring out how to make products in a sustainable way that was good for people and the environment -How is $2 million bet with Howard Stern paid off -Why you should never sacrifice things that are important to you that you'll regret for work (and how to do it) and more.. -- email comments or questions to omaid@omaid.me

Jacob Pechenik is the co-founder and CEO of Lettuce Grow, a company that makes hydroponic, self-watering farm stands that help you grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables at home -- the way nature intended. Jacob has sustained success in multiple industries and brings a unique perspective in terms of what habits and mindset has helped him over the years. In this episode we discuss the mission behind Lettuce Grow including: -How he's been able to sustain excellence in multiple careers -How in hindsight, his past expereince became the stepping stones for his most important work -How to embrace the beginner's mindset, and more.. -- email questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me

The Score That Matters is a book by Ryan Hawk and Brook Cupps about personal excellence and narrowing down on what really matters in your life rather than comparing yourself to others. Ryan is the host of The Learning Leader Show, 3-time author and a keynote speaker. Brook is the head basketball coach at Centerville High School in Ohio where they've won a state title and are one of the top teams in the nation. In this episode we discuss: -Core values and how to develop them -The importance of foxhole friends both personally and professionally -The importance of trust and your reputation, and more.. --- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

James Clear is a habit formation expert. His book, Atomic Habits, has sold over 20 million copies. He ships a weekly newsletter to 3 million subscribers. His new app, Atoms, is the digital extension of his book to help people make their habits stick. In this episode we discuss: -The difference between someone who can lose 180 lbs doing P90X compared to the one who won't make a change -The deepest level of behavior change, identity-based goals, and how to achieve them and stay on track -How to break bad habits, and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Michael Lombardi is one of the leading experts in analyzing the NFL. He currently hosts The GM Shuffle and recently published his second book, Football Done Right, which pays homage to the history of the NFL and former great players and coaches. He's the former General Manager of the Raiders and Patriots, and he learned the game as a scout under the legendary Bill Walsh with the San Francisco 49ers in the mid 1980s. In this episode we discuss: -The impact of Monday Night Football in pop culture -How he got his break at UNLV -The impact of Bill Walsh had on him as a lifelong learner -Draft picks that were successful and ones that he regrets -Advice to his sons on how to be the best coaches and more.. --- consider leaving a review and email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Robert Griffin III is a Heisman Trophy winner, Pro Bowler, and NFL Rookie of the Year. He's currently an ESPN analyst and hosts the podcast, RG3 & The Ones. In this episode we discuss: -Why he wanted to emulate Michael Jordan -The criteria he used to select Baylor University after receiving 25 scholarships -Receiving recognition vs the joy of developing others -Traits of the best bosses and leaders -How he responded in the face of adversity, and more.. --- email questions or comments to omaid@omaid.me

Ali Abdaal makes productivity more fun. He teaches through his YouTube channel, podcast (Deep Dive) and his book titled Feel Good Productivity.  In this episode we discuss: The moment he decided to change careers from medicine to a full time YouTuber The importance of a beginners mindset How asking for help actually strengthens relationships How to get more clarity around your goals, and more.. -- please consider leaving a review, email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Joshua Church and Rob Church are cousins who founed one of the leading cold plunges out of necessity because they needed a better recovery tool for cold water immersion. In this episode we discuss: -The origin story behind the cold plunge tub they developed -The benefits of cold water immersion  -The most important lessons fromt their parents, book recommendations, and more -- please email questions to omaid@omaid.me

Nick Bailey serves as the President and CEO of RE/MAX. A licensed real estate broker for over 26 years, Nick has broad experience across multiple segments of the industry. He has been a Sr. Vice President at Market Leader, a Vice President at Trulia/Zillow and, just prior to rejoining RE/MAX, the President and CEO of Century 21. Originally from Wyoming, Nick bought his first investment property as a teen and earned his real estate license at 21. He's been named one of the top 25 most influential leaders in the industry. In this episode we discuss: -Why he commuted 200 miles to university -Why it's important to be a lifelong learner -How to build trust quickly and authentically -Why 'sparkle' is one of the most important traits he looks for in hiring and more.. -- email questions to omaid@omaid.me