Disruption Lab
Hosted by leadership expert Patrick Leddin and inspired by his book 'Disrupt Everything and Win' (co-authored with James Patterson), Disruption Lab explores how to turn life's curveballs into breakthroughs. Each episode features bold ideas and real stories aimed at helping leaders, parents, and dreamers thrive in a fast-changing world. The podcast frames disruption as an opportunity rather than a threat, reminding listeners they have more power than they realize.
Episodes
Disrupt the Corner Office with G Adventures Founder Bruce Poon Tip
For over a century, business has been built around the hero at the top. Bruce Poon Tip is tearing that model down.At 22, Bruce maxed out two credit cards to launch G Adventures after no bank would back him. He went on to grow it 40% a year for two decades, turned down a $100 million offer, and pioneered community tourism worldwide. Then, in 2020, revenue dropped to zero and operations shut down in
Disrupt the Noise and Hear the Signal with Entrepreneur Tsvetta Kaleynska
We're drowning in noise: headlines, hot takes, endless feeds. But buried in every purchase, review, and complaint is a signal, and Tsvetta Kaleynska has built a career cutting through the chaos to hear it.Disruption isn't new to Tsvetta. She grew up in post-communist Bulgaria as an entire economy was being torn down and rebuilt, taught herself English, and earned a scholarship to college in Brookl
Disrupt at the Speed of Business with Executive Leader Jennifer Colosimo
Most people who write about high-performing teams have studied them. Jennifer Colosimo ran them, with a number attached.As Enterprise President at FranklinCovey she owned strategy, consulting and coaching services, and the commercial organization across the US, six international direct offices, and 60 global licensees. Before that she led global operations, learning and development, change managem
Disrupting How You Actually Get Things Done, with author Scott Thele
Almost nobody has a shortage of ambition. Walk into any organization and you'll find big dreams, real desire, people who genuinely want to do something that matters.So why does so little of it get done?Because desire isn't the constraint. Discipline is. Definition is. Process is. Most goals never move because they were never defined sharply enough to act on, and there was never a process to carry
Disrupting Leadership Across Cultures with Victoria Roos Olsson
Most of us learned to lead in one place. One organization, one country, one set of unwritten rules about how people are supposed to talk to each other, disagree, and get things done. Then somebody puts us in a different room — and half of what we knew stops working.Victoria Roos Olsson has spent her entire career in those rooms.In this episode, Patrick sits down with Victoria, his coauthor on the
Disrupt the Playbook with CEO Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson has lived on both sides of the scoreboard.At Apple, he was the Senior Vice President of Retail Operations who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Steve Jobs to build the Apple Store from a blank sheet of paper — inventing the Genius Bar along the way and creating what became the most profitable retail square footage on earth. Before that, he was the merchandising leader at Target who brou
Disrupting the False Tradeoff with Author and Former CEO Doug Faber
Doug Faber started his career on a loading dock at eighteen. He finished it in the CEO's office.In this episode, Patrick sits down with Doug — his friend, colleague, and coauthor — to walk that climb, and to unpack what those years in operations taught him about leading real people under real pressure. Doug shares what changed in him between the dock and the corner office, what he got wrong along
Disrupting a Nearly 60-Year-Old Company with Ragan CEO Diane Schwartz
Consider the position: you run the company that teaches everyone else how to communicate, and then the ground shifts so fast that nobody knows what to say anymore. Not your customers. Not the executives paying your customers to find the words. Not you.That's roughly the seat Diane Schwartz took in 2019 as the new leader of Ragan Communications. What followed was a pandemic, an industry rewrite, an
Disrupting Scarcity with Chris Whitney of One Generation Away
Chris Whitney doesn’t believe America has a food shortage. As he puts it, it’s a logistics problem, not a supply problem — and he’s spent the last decade proving it.In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick Leddin sits down with Chris Whitney, founder and CEO of One Generation Away. After spending six months in a food line himself, Chris started rescuing surplus food from grocers, farms, and rest
Disrupting Your Comeback with Celina Sattelkau, Professional Golfer, Ladies European Tour
We all have setbacks. Times when we fall short, lose our footing, or watch the plan we built come apart. Those moments are inevitable. What you do next isn't.This week on the Disruption Lab, Patrick is joined by professional golfer Celina Sattelkau, a former Vanderbilt All-American who went from being unable to hold a golf club to winning two professional tournaments in ten days.Celina grew up in
Disrupting Belief with Psychologist and Author Owen Fitzpatrick
Content Warning: Discussion of depression and suicide ideationOwen Fitzpatrick has studied propaganda where it does its worst work. North Korea. Afghanistan. Rwanda. Iran. More than 100 countries in all. And after all of it, he landed on an uncomfortable conclusion: the most effective propagandist in your life isn't a government, a company, or an algorithm. It's the voice in your own head.But this
Disrupting Gaming with Ethan Zoubek, President of Atari
In 1972, a company called Atari did something almost no one does: it created an industry from nothing. Pong, the 2600, the joystick in your hand — Atari didn't just join the video game business, it invented the culture around it. But this episode of The Disruption Lab isn't really about video games. It's about what happens after you win. How do you keep a legendary brand relevant across five decad
That's a Wrap on Season Two
Thank you for your support! We will see you next month for season three of Disruption Lab.
Disrupt Invisible Rules with Former World #1 Female Poker Player and Author Cate Hall
Who decided the rules you live by are actually the rules?Patrick sits down with Cate Hall, author of the forthcoming book You Can Just Do Things: How High-Agency People Get What They Want Out of Life, for a conversation about agency, reinvention, resilience, and challenging invisible limits.Cate’s story is anything but conventional. She went from attorney to world-class poker player to battling ad
Disrupt Your Life by Design with Craig Ballantyne
What if the life you want isn't built through hustle, but through intentional design?In this episode of Disrupt Everything, Patrick sits down with entrepreneur, bestselling author, and performance coach Craig Ballantyne to explore why discipline isn't about restriction. It's about freedom. Known by many as "The World's Most Disciplined Man," Craig has helped hundreds of business leaders and entrep
Disrupt Your Big Idea with Innovator Tommy Pennington
What would happen if you stopped waiting for permission and simply started tackling big problems?Patrick talks with Tommy Pennington, a Vanderbilt graduate and rising innovator, about what it means to think boldly at any age. Tommy has explored everything from fusion-powered technology to traffic flow systems to helping nonprofits gain access to large-scale donated goods through his work at SIMPLI
Disrupt the Spotlight with Opera Singer and Leader Keri Alkema
What happens when you step away from the spotlight and choose to lead in an entirely new way?Patrick sits down with internationally acclaimed opera performer Keri Alkema to discuss reinvention, leadership, creativity, and the future of the arts. After a celebrated career performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, Keri is stepping into a new role as the future director of the Nashville Opera
Disrupt the Stories We Tell with Fox Business Reporter Lydia Hu
How do you find your voice and stay steady when the world feels chaotic?Patrick sits down with Lydia Hu, attorney turned journalist and familiar face on Fox Business, for a conversation about career pivots, high-pressure moments, and navigating disruption in real time. The two first connected while appearing together on Varney & Company during the height of Patrick and James Patterson’s media
Disrupt the Way You See Problems with DonCo’s President David Mendelson
Most people see waste, excess, or leftover materials as a problem. David Mendelson sees opportunity.Patrick talks with David Mendelson, leader of multi-generation family-owned company DONCO, about creativity, problem solving, and operating in a world where every phone call brings a new challenge. David and his team help organizations rethink industrial byproducts, excess inventory, and unused mate
Disrupt Career Reinvention with Forbes Contributor Kathy Caprino
What does it take to reinvent yourself in a world shaped by layoffs, AI, uncertainty, and constant change?In this episode, Patrick sits down with career and leadership expert Kathy Caprino, Forbes columnist, executive coach, educator, and host of the Finding Brave podcast. The two first met at the World Business Forum in New York City, where Kathy’s thoughtful questions and genuine care for people
Disrupt Your Voice with Megan Piphus
What does it really mean to find your voice? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Megan Piphus to explore how voice is not just something you have. It is something you develop, refine, and sometimes fight to uncover. Megan’s journey is anything but typical. She started as a self-taught ventriloquist at a young age, went on to appear on America's Got Talent, built a career that
Disrupt the Idea of a Single Path with Colleen Brown and Pierce Brown
What if success doesn’t follow a single path? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Colleen Brown and her son Pierce Brown for a conversation that highlights two very different journeys, both pursued with clarity and intention. Colleen has led at the highest levels as a CEO and board member. Pierce has built a global following as the author of the Red Rising series. Their caree
Disrupt Stress & Joy with Amy Leneker
What if the stress you’re feeling isn’t something to manage but something to rethink entirely? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Amy Leneker to explore how our relationship with stress shapes the way we show up at work and in life. Too often, we treat stress as the enemy and joy as something we will get to later. Amy challenges that thinking and offers a more practical appr
Disrupting How We Take a Hit and Bounce Back with Charlie “The Spaniard” Brenneman
In this episode of Disruption Lab, former UFC fighter, NCAA wrestler, teacher, and author Charlie “The Spaniard” Brenneman shares his journey from the wrestling mat to the octagon to the classroom and beyond. It’s a raw, honest conversation about getting knocked down—physically and emotionally—and what it takes to get back up stronger every time.Charlie talks about the power of persistence, the im
Disrupting Your Life for Good with James Patterson
In this episode of Disruption Lab, I sit down with James Patterson, one of the world’s most prolific and widely read authors, to talk about the ideas behind our New York Times bestselling book Disrupt Everything and Win.This conversation is less of an interview and more of a back-and-forth dialogue. We discuss why we took on this project, what we discovered along the way, and why disruption is not
Disrupting How You Measure Your Life with NYT Bestselling Author Karen Dillon
What if you’ve been measuring the wrong things all along?In this episode of Disruption Lab, host Patrick Leddin sits down with Karen Dillon—former editor of Harvard Business Review and New York Times best-selling co-author of How Will You Measure Your Life? with Clayton ChristensenThey dig into the pivotal “disruptive conversation” that changed Karen’s direction, leading her to co-create a book th
Disrupting the Worst-Case Scenario with NYT Bestselling Author and Combat Veteran Matt Eversmann
What does it take to lead when the situation is intense, uncertain, and everything’s on the line?In this episode of Disruption Lab, Army Veteran, combat leader, and NYT bestselling author Matt Eversmann shares what he’s learned about courage, clarity, and composure in the face of chaos. From the battlefields of Somalia (as portrayed in Black Hawk Down) to boardrooms and leadership training today,
Disrupting Finance and Founders with Serena Ainslie of Girl Math Capital
In this episode of the Disruption Lab podcast, Patrick Leddin sits down with Serena Ainslie, founder of Girl Math Capital, to explore how she’s rewriting the rules of investing and entrepreneurship. Serena shares her unconventional path into the world of venture capital and the mission behind Girl Math Capital—empowering women to confidently step into the financial arena and build companies that d
Disrupting the Courage to Be First with NYT Bestselling Author Andrew Maraniss
What does it take to be the first? To break through when no one like you has done it before?In this episode of Disruption Lab, NYT bestselling author and Vanderbilt’s Director of Special Projects Andrew Maraniss joins us to explore what it means to be a trailblazer. Known for his powerful books at the intersection of sports and social justice—including Strong Inside, Singled Out, and Inaugural Bal
Disrupt Limits with Lucy Westlake
Lucy Westlake is the youngest North American woman to summit Mount Everest. But this episode isn’t just about climbing mountains. It’s about what happens when a father-daughter relationship evolves from guide and follower to peers… and eventually to independence. We talk about Denali, Kilimanjaro, and summiting every U.S. high point together. But more importantly, we explore what it means to choos
Disrupting the Inner and Outer Game with Klaus Kleinfeld
What if real leadership isn’t just about driving results—but also about protecting your energy, staying grounded, and living a life that matters?In this episode of Disruption Lab, host Patrick Leddin sits down with Klaus Kleinfeld—former CEO of Siemens and Alcoa, advisor to global leaders, and author of Leading to Thrive. Drawing on decades of experience across industries and continents, Klaus off
Disrupting the Grind with Bree Groff
What if work could actually be… fun?In this uplifting episode of Disruption Lab, transformation expert and author Bree Groff challenges the way we think about work—and why fun, meaning, and progress don’t have to be separate things. With years of experience guiding companies like Google, Pfizer, and Target through big change, Bree knows what it takes to create a better way of working—one where peo
Disrupting the Way We Work and Live Through AI with Sumeet Chabria
In this premiere episode of Disruption Lab, host Patrick Leddin sits down with Sumeet Chabria, Founder and CEO of ThoughtLinks, a strategic advisory firm specializing in AI and enterprise transformation for banking and capital markets.With decades of C-suite leadership at Bank of America and HSBC, Sumeet brings unparalleled insights into how AI is reshaping our work and lives.They delve into the c
Disrupt Your Measure for Success with New York Times bestselling author Jim Murphy
In this conversation, Patrick sits down with Jim, a former professional athlete and a sought-after coach at the highest levels of sport and beyond, to explore the ideas behind his earlier work Inner Excellence and his newly released book The Best Possible Life. Together, they dig into the hidden barriers that often get in our way when we are striving for something meaningful.Along the way, Patrick
Disrupting Your Performance with Coach and NYT Bestselling Author Jim Murphy
In this episode of the Disruption Lab podcast, Patrick Leddin sits down with Jim Murphy, author of Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life. Jim shares his remarkable journey—from professional baseball and FedEx, to years of solitude in the desert, to coaching world-class athletes and leaders.They discuss what true success really means, why purpose
Welcome to Season 2 of Disruption Lab
-
Disrupting Leadership by Putting People First with Bob Chapman
“What if leadership isn’t about driving results, but about caring for people?On this episode of The Disruption Lab, Patrick Leddin sits down with Bob Chapman, Chairman and former CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, to explore a radically different approach to leading people and building organizations.Bob has spent decades transforming a $3.6 billion global company by embracing what he calls “Truly Human Leade
Disrupt the Way You Show Up with Ashley Herd
The way people behave at work does not stay at work.The way we are treated by our boss, our colleagues, and the people we lead changes how we show up everywhere else. It shapes our mood, our confidence, and the way we interact with the people we care about most. In other words, behavior at work creates ripple effects far beyond the office.In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick Leddin sits down
Welcome to Disruption Lab
Disruption isn’t coming—it’s already here. Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or chasing a dream, curveballs are part of life. Disruption Lab helps you turn them into breakthroughs.Hosted by Patrick Leddin and inspired by his book Disrupt Everything and Win (with James Patterson), each episode brings bold ideas and real stories to help you thrive in a fast-changing world.Disruption i
Disrupting at High Speed with Professional Racing Driver & Entrepreneur Phiroze Bilimoria
What would you do if every decision you made had to be right, and you had less than a second to make it?In this episode of The Disruption Lab, Patrick Leddin sits down with Professional Racing Driver & Entrepreneur Phiroze Bilimoria to explore what it takes to perform when the pace is relentless and the pressure is high. Phiroze shares how he manages split-second decisions, works seamlessly wi
Disrupting Our Impact at Work with NYT Bestselling Author Liz Wiseman
What if the biggest breakthroughs in your career come from saying yes to the hard stuff—the roles you’re not quite ready for, the problems no one wants, the uncertainty everyone avoids?In this episode of The Disruption Lab, NYT bestselling author and leadership expert Liz Wiseman shares why she believes her own success came from what she calls a naive yes. We explore the difference between ordinar
Disrupting Limiting Beliefs with Neuroscientist Josh Davis and Entrepreneur Greg Prosmushkin
What if lasting change was closer—and more possible—than you think?In this episode of Disruption Lab, host Patrick Leddin sits down with neuroscientist Dr. Josh Davis and entrepreneur Greg Prosmushkin, co-authors of The Difference That Makes the Difference: NLP and the Science of Positive Change.They explore how Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)—once considered niche or esoteric—can be a powerful
Disrupting Career Paths with Lori Béen
Feeling stuck in your career? You’re not alone—and you’re not without options.In this episode of Disruption Lab, career coach and author Lori Béen shares her wisdom from over 25 years of helping people break out of ruts, shift careers, and pursue work that actually aligns with their purpose. From working with college students to coaching seasoned professionals through reinvention, Lori has seen it
Disrupting How We See Each Other with Artist Imran Nuri
What can 100 strangers and 1,000 everyday objects teach us about ourselves—and each other?In this episode of Disruption Lab, artist and storyteller Imran Nuri joins us to talk about what happens when you slow down, ask good questions, and truly see the world around you.Imran is the creator of Advice from America, a powerful photojournalism project where he traveled to all of the 48 lower states in
Disrupting What It Means to Be Human with Jeff Burningham
What happens when you spend your life climbing the career mountain—only to find the summit is empty?In this episode of Disruption Lab, entrepreneur, investor, and former gubernatorial candidate Jeff Burningham joins us to explore what it really means to be human in an AI-powered world. Jeff shares the inspiration behind his new book The Last Book Written by a Human and offers insights on purpose,
Recommended
McKinsey on Consumer and Retail
megahired.com
Hard Knocks Podcast
Effective Weight Loss for Moms | High protein, Strength Training, Lose Weight, Meal Planning, Fat Loss, Healthy Habits
The Human-Animal Connection - Pet Life Radio Original
Infinite Health with Dr. Arasi Maran
The Daily
World News Tonight with David Muir
English Vocabulary Help
The Joe Rogan Experience
TED Talks Daily
Learn English B1 with Daily News | English Listening Practice
