Épisodes

  • Unity Beats Brilliance: W. Jeff Williams on Leading Cities, Teams, and Change

    Unity Beats Brilliance: W. Jeff Williams on Leading Cities, Teams, and Change
    Jan 28 2026
    In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with W. Jeff Williams, civil engineer, three term mayor of Arlington, Texas, and author of The Unity Blueprint, for a grounded conversation on leadership, unity, and building alignment when the stakes are high. Jeff shares how Arlington transformed into one of the nation’s top destination cities, from retaining major sports franchises to developing stadium districts, Texas Live!, and securing the National Medal of Honor Museum. He explains why unity beats individual brilliance, how trust drives momentum, and why leaders must listen to understand rather than respond. The conversation moves beyond civic projects into the human cost of leadership. Jeff reflects on moments when ego slowed progress, why urgency matters, and how shared purpose turns plans into action. He also breaks down the economics behind public investment, tourism, and long term community growth, using real numbers and lived experience rather than theory. You also hear Jeff’s practical framework for unity in daily leadership, from valuing ideas regardless of title to building teams that sustain momentum through success and failure. The episode closes with a clear challenge for leaders who want results without division. This episode speaks to leaders, founders, public servants, and builders who want alignment, execution, and lasting impact rather than short term wins.
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    39 min
  • Off the Ground: From the Brink of Bankruptcy to a Billion Dollar Trampoline Empire

    Off the Ground: From the Brink of Bankruptcy to a Billion Dollar Trampoline Empire
    Jan 26 2026
    Case Lawrence joins Joe Pardavila for a candid conversation about failure, risk, and building something durable when everything collapses. Case shares the real story behind Sky Zone, from staring down bankruptcy after the financial crisis to growing the world’s largest trampoline park company with more than 300 locations. He explains how desperation shaped his early decisions, why real estate cycles crush unprepared founders, and what banks, timing, and luck teach you about leadership. The discussion goes beyond business mechanics. Case talks openly about marriage, family, and the hidden toll entrepreneurship places on spouses and kids. He explains why he views a founder’s partner as a silent cofounder, how transparency matters during chaos, and why experiences beat products in today’s economy. You also hear how Sky Zone scaled, why membership models changed the industry, and what life looks like after stepping away as CEO.
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    41 min
  • Cultural Excellence Part One: Michele Herlein on Fixing Workplace Culture

    Cultural Excellence Part One: Michele Herlein on Fixing Workplace Culture
    Jan 23 2026
    This episode is part one of a two part conversation on culture with Michele Herlein, author of Cultural Excellence. Joe Pardavila sits down with Michele to explore why so many workplaces feel draining instead of energizing. Michele spent decades transforming culture at Bandag and Bridgestone, where she helped drive major performance gains by focusing on people, behavior, and alignment. She explains why many companies treat culture like posters on a wall, why leaders think their culture is strong when employees feel the opposite, and how simple systems shape behavior every day. Michele breaks down her PVVS model, shares the business impact of intentional culture design, and outlines the steps leaders should take before reworking values, purpose, or strategy. If you want workplaces where people do their best work and feel proud to show up, part one gives you a clear starting point.
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    33 min
  • Mediocre to Meaningful with Benjamin Douglas. Leadership Choices That Shape Culture

    Mediocre to Meaningful with Benjamin Douglas. Leadership Choices That Shape Culture
    Jan 21 2026
    Joe Pardavila sits down with Benjamin Douglas for a direct conversation about why so many workplaces settle for survival instead of commitment.Drawing on more than two decades in human resources, Ben explains how culture breaks down even inside successful companies, and why people disengage long before performance numbers show trouble. He shares the thinking behind his bestselling book, Mediocre to Meaningful, and why leadership choices, not strategy decks, shape belief and behavior at workBen walks through the power of listening before leading, why middle managers carry more pressure than executives realize, and how trust grows through follow through instead of slogans. He explains why doing more with less erodes culture, how honest feedback builds care rather than fear, and why purpose comes from daily decisions, not posters on the wall. The conversation stays practical, grounded, and focused on what leaders do when deadlines, stress, and real people collideThis episode speaks to leaders who want teams who care about the work, not teams who simply clock in and survive the day. It offers clear perspective on how small, intentional actions build meaning, trust, and performance over timeIf you want a workplace where people bring thought, care, and ownership to their work, this conversation gives you a clear place to start.
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    32 min
  • Dr. Michael Horowitz on Fixing Higher Education From the Inside

    Dr. Michael Horowitz on Fixing Higher Education From the Inside
    Jan 20 2026
    In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with Dr. Michael Horowitz to unpack why higher education struggles to change and what leaders can do instead.Dr. Horowitz is the founder of the Community Solution Education System, a nonprofit network of independent colleges built on radical cooperation. Drawing from his career as a clinical psychologist, university president, and system builder, he explains how higher education became siloed, why small fixes fail, and how cooperation creates scale without erasing identity.The conversation moves from Dr. Horowitz’s personal story, including the early lesson of learning to ask for help, to the real pressures facing colleges today. He breaks down why tuition math confuses the public, why endowments are misunderstood, and why financial stress keeps pushing institutions toward closure. Joe and Dr. Horowitz also tackle the college versus trades debate, the myth of college for everyone, and why abandoning higher education altogether creates new risks.You hear how the Community Solution model works in practice, from shared governance and system wide leadership development to creating opportunities smaller colleges cannot achieve alone. Dr. Horowitz explains why urgency belongs at the leadership level, how collaboration strengthens credibility rather than weakens it, and why completion rates matter more than enrollment numbers.This episode is a grounded look at how leaders build resilient systems, protect mission, and create meaningful change without burning people out.
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    38 min
  • Love, Learn, Play: Akhil Gupta on Redefining Success

    Love, Learn, Play: Akhil Gupta on Redefining Success
    Jan 14 2026
    In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with Akhil Gupta, former Chairman of Blackstone India and longtime global business leader, for a wide-ranging conversation about success, meaning, and what truly shapes a fulfilling life. Akhil shares the pivotal moments that led him to walk away from some of the most sought-after roles in global business, including a near-miss during the Mumbai terrorist attacks that forced him to reevaluate how fragile life is and what matters most. That moment set him on a new path, one rooted in learning, reflection, and service. You hear why Akhil left positions defined by money, power, and prestige to study human flourishing at Harvard, what Western culture often misses about happiness, and why chasing success without meaning leaves many high achievers feeling empty. Drawing from Eastern philosophy, modern psychology, and lived experience, Akhil introduces the core idea behind his book Love, Learn, Play, a simple framework for living with purpose. The conversation explores identity beyond job titles, the danger of defining yourself by status, and how humility, gratitude, and curiosity anchor a meaningful life. Akhil also explains how play fuels creativity, why learning keeps you grounded, and how love shows up in leadership, family, and community. You will also hear about the creation of the Universal Enlightenment Forum, Akhil’s mission to highlight shared human values across cultures and religions, and why focusing on common ground matters more than ever. This episode is for leaders, builders, and anyone questioning what comes after achievement, or how to build a life that feels whole instead of hollow.
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    36 min
  • What the Camino Taught Me About Leadership with Peter D. Schwartz

    What the Camino Taught Me About Leadership with Peter D. Schwartz
    Jan 12 2026
    In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with CEO coach, author, and longtime Vistage Master Chair Peter D. Schwartz for a conversation about leadership, growth, and what happens when success strategies stop working. Peter shares the story behind his walk on the Camino de Santiago, a 45-day pilgrimage across northern Spain, and how the journey became a mirror for his own leadership evolution. He explains the moment on the Camino that forced him to confront exhaustion, imperfection, and the limits of chasing mastery, and how that experience reshaped his view of purpose, growth, and meaning. Drawing from decades of coaching hundreds of CEOs, Peter breaks down why early success strategies often fail at higher levels of leadership, how perfection and control quietly stall organizations, and why leaders need to upgrade their internal operating system as complexity increases. The conversation explores letting go of mastery in favor of becoming a journeyman, traveling light by releasing outdated beliefs, and redefining purpose as something you practice daily. Joe and Peter also dig into the power of peer groups, why feedback is difficult but essential, what leaders protect when they resist change, and how vulnerability builds trust inside organizations. Along the way, Peter shares practical insights on clarity, difficult conversations, performance interference, and why the real work of leadership happens over time, one deliberate step at a time. This episode is for leaders, founders, and high performers who sense their old playbook no longer fits and want a more sustainable, human approach to growth.
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    34 min
  • Create More With Purpose: Leadership Lessons From Len Jessup

    Create More With Purpose: Leadership Lessons From Len Jessup
    Jan 7 2026
    Len Jessup joins Joe Pardavila for a clear conversation on leadership, entrepreneurship, and building meaningful work across a long career in higher education and venture investing. A two time university president, former business school dean, and startup investor, Len shares lessons from his latest book, Create More: Lessons Learned from a Life at the Edge of Entrepreneurship, in Five Acts, and connects them to the ideas behind his earlier book, Self Less.

    You hear why great leaders balance service with momentum, how to take smart risks without burning the boats, and why entrepreneurship is a skill you grow, not a trait you are born with. Len also breaks down boredom at work, charisma without showmanship, and the mindset shift leaders need when teams no longer need constant direction. This conversation speaks to leaders, creators, and professionals who want to create more impact without losing purpose.
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    36 min