Ryan broadcasts from a spaceship to talk about a risky experiment with EU food safety negotiators—and why the world needs more A+ attempts instead of guaranteed C+ outcomes.

Episode Summary:

Ryan takes you to space (sort of) to talk about a trip to Brussels, where he ran communication sessions for 60+ food standards negotiators—despite knowing nothing about food standards. Instead of playing it safe, he designed a custom negotiation game called Space Race Quest: personas with conflicting priorities, made-up planets, and real practice in listening, clarifying, and finding compromise. It could have flopped. It didn't.

This episode is about the case for trying the risky thing—the work that only you can offer—instead of settling for lukewarm.

Remote Pep Talks with Ryan Millar
Episode: Setting Sail on New Ventures

Episode Summary
Ryan once dismissed sailing as an elitist pastime. But after stepping aboard tall ships at SAIL Amsterdam, he discovered something else entirely: sailing is rebellion, discipline, and freedom all at once. In this episode, Ryan unpacks how the craft of sailing offers powerful lessons for launching new ventures — including his own with Dashwell, a company helping people communicate with clarity, presence, and impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why real freedom is built on discipline, competence, and teamwork.
• How to “put miles beneath the keel” when starting something new.
• What sailing can teach us about leading, adapting, and showing up fully.

Key Quotes

• “Sailing is the ultimate ‘forget convention’ move — it’s freedom earned through skill.”
• “Even in calm waters, you’re always working your ship. Progress never happens on autopilot.”
• “Launching something new means casting off — even if the horizon feels uncertain.”

Your Pep Talk
Whether you’re sitting on an idea, halfway through a project, or ready for a new chapter, this is your invitation: cast off, adjust your sails, and set your course. The discipline and craft you bring will carry you further than you think.

Ryan’s New Venture
This episode is also the beginning of Dashwell — Ryan’s new coaching and training company that blends improvisation, storytelling, and presence to help professionals thrive when it matters most.
👉 Learn more at www.dashwell.org

Credits
Sailboat sounds: Studio Nowhere
Music: Josh “Bone 40”

We're going back into the vault and reissuing some old episodes. Enjoy this one in which Ryan dives into the topic of imposter syndrome, which let's be honest, is probably something you've wrestled with in the past. Hopefully successfully, though it's likely an ongoing battle.