The Savage Leader Podcast

Ep. 30: Old Navy Co-Founder and Board Member Jenny Ming on Why Strong Brands Focus on Their People
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Jenny Ming, Iconic Brand Builder, Experienced Board of Director and CEO. Jenny discusses how she developed her authentic leadership style, why she never viewed joining Old Navy as a risk, why an organization’s people are their most important asset, and so much more!

Ep. 29: Commsafe AI CEO and Former Navy SEAL Ty Smith on Managing Conflict and Toxic Communication
In this episode, Darren Reinke Chats with Ty Smith, Founder and CEO of CommSafe AI. Ty discusses the significant impact bullying had on his childhood, how the Navy SEAL teams gave him the skillsets needed to thrive as a tech entrepreneur, and why toxic communication is costing companies money and what leaders can do to stop it.

Ep. 28: Pray.com CTO Ryan Beck on Overcoming Childhood Challenges, Going to Jail, and Finding Purpose
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Ryan Beck, Chief Technology Officer at Pray.Com. Ryan discusses what it was like growing up with a single mom, how he got involved in drugs and gangs, how his time in jail guided him toward his faith, why you need to prioritize purpose within your organization, and so much more!

Ep. 27: San Diego Sport Innovators Executive Director Bob Rief on Helping One Person and One Company Each Day
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Bob Rief, Executive Director, San Diego Sport Innovators. Bob discusses his nonlinear career journey from ski rep to running companies such as Nike Golf, Reef Sandals, and Sanuk Footwear as well as how he helps small companies succeed and why the most important attribute of any company is authenticity.

Ep. 26: Selling From the Heart Author Larry Levine on How to Sell Authentically through Care and Emotion
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Larry Levine, Author of Selling from the Heart. Larry discusses what it means to sell from the heart, the importance of authenticity and substance in sales, what "heartset" is and how to develop it, and more.

Ep. 25: Hollywood Actor Chase Kim on How to Stay Relevant and the Importance of Persistence
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Chase Kim, a Hollywood actor who has starred in shows Magnum P.I., Bosch, and Silicon Valley. Chase discusses leaving the corporate world for a career in Hollywood, gaining support from those who originally doubted him, maintaining his calm when it matters most, and staying relevant over a 16 year acting career.

Ep. 24: Pray.com CEO Steve Gatena on Solving Society’s Biggest Challenges by Growing Faith and Cultivating Community
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Steve Gatena, CEO of Pray.com. Steve shares the biggest lessons he learned while playing college football under Pete Carroll, how the loss of his business partner led to the creation of Pray.com, how Pray.com fulfills its purpose of creating a world where everyone leaves a legacy of helping others, and so much more.

Ep. 23: Dendreon Head of HR Phil Dana on Cultivating Purpose within Your Team
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Phil Dana, Head of Human Resources at Dendreon. Phil shares how the lessons he learned in the military and in construction have benefited him in his HR career, the importance of cultivating purpose within your team and organization, and why he intentionally surrounds himself with those smarter than him.

Ep. 22: H2 Sports Marketing CEO Heiner Hilbert on Building Professional Athletes Brands Through Human Connection
In this episode, Darren Reinke Chats with Heiner Hilbert, CEO of H2 Sports Marketing. Heiner discusses the lessons he learned working with iconic sports stars such as Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Michael Jordan, the factors that led him to launch his own sports marketing agency, as well as how he uses human connection to build trust with clients and develop their long term brands.

Ep. 21: FireStory Communication Academy CEO Jason Jordan on the Importance of Storytelling for Leaders
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Jason Jordan, CEO of the FireStory Communication Academy. Jason discusses why powerful stories are an untapped resource for leaders and how you can gain confidence telling authentic stories both personally and professionally through creating a FireStory.

Ep. 20: Broom Ventures Founder Joe Musselman on Building Mission-Driven Companies and Power of Knowing What You Believe
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Joe Musselman, founder of Broom Ventures, The Honor Foundation, and the Honor For Life Foundation. Joe talks about being a shameless optimist and altruist, how a spinal injury during Navy SEAL BUD/S training led him to founding The Honor Foundation, why his venture’s mission statements were often reflections of his own, and why knowing what you believe is one of the most powerful tools you can leverage as a leader.

Ep. 19: UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center Alexa Koenig on Using Social Media to Fight For Human Rights
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Alexa Koenig, Executive Director of UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center (HRC) and Co-Founder of the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab. Alexa discusses the spark that led her to fight for human rights, how the HRC uses social media to prosecute war criminals, and some of the tools leaders can use to build alignment when working with groups that may share different values or priorities.

Ep. 18: Retired Navy Captain Dr. Mark Brouker on Leadership Lessons from 30 years in the Navy
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Mark Brouker, Retired Navy Captain and Founder of Brouker Leadership Solutions. Mark discusses the powerful leadership lessons he learned in the Navy, why he attributes his success to taking care of his people, the power of saying “I Don’t Know”, and how to build a sense of hope for your team when facing a crisis.

Ep. 17: Courageous CEO Ryan Berman on Using Courage as a Competitive Advantage
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Ryan Berman, CEO of Courageous Brands and author of the book Return on Courage. Ryan discusses the tips and tricks you can use to implement courage in both your personal and professional life, why leaders need to readjust their views on millennials being entitled, and why courage is a competitive advantage that few companies fully utilize.

Ep. 16: FashionPhile CEO Ben Hemminger on Driving Growth through Authentic Relationships
Darren Reinke chats with Ben Hemminger, Co-Founder and CEO of FASHIONPHILE. Ben discusses how a lack of job opportunities in Hawaii led him to "re"-commerce, the importance of having relevant metrics to assess growth, and why FASHIONPHILE’s first value is “We believe in Authenticity.”

Ep. 15: Award Winning Radio Personality "AJ" Machado on Connecting with Your Audience
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with "AJ" Machado, award winning radio host and host of The AJ and Sara Podcast. AJ discusses how his quick stint in stand up comedy led to him to pursue radio hosting as a full-time career, why vulnerability and authenticity are the building blocks to creating a more compelling story, and why every business needs to identify their niche.

Ep. 14: New York Times Best Selling Author Brant Cooper on How Companies Can Manage Uncertainty
In the episode, Darren Reinke chats with Brant Cooper, Author of the New York Times best selling book The Lean Entrepreneur and CEO of Moves the Needle. Brant discusses how companies can better manage uncertainty and disruption, the importance of balancing new idea exploration and execution, and how companies can use hackathons to test new ideas and drive results.

Ep. 13: Group Y CEO Mark Sperling on Creating and Sustaining Authentic Brands
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Mark Sperling, Co-Founder and CEO of Group Y. Mark discusses his passion for creating immersive guest experiences at major events, the importance of building and maintaining an authentic brand, the challenges COVID-19 imposed on the event industry, and how the switch to digital consumption of events may be here to stay.

Ep. 12: Documentary Film Maker Nora Poggi on Her Journey into Film Making
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Nora Poggi, director of the award-winning documentary SHE STARTED IT. Nora talks about her journey from journalism to film making, how her films are designed to inspire and empower female entrepreneurs to take action, and how leaders and parents can create equal opportunity for women in business, film, and life.

Ep. 11: Unispace’s Emily Watkins. The Future of Workspaces and Hybrid Working Models
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Emily Watkins, Regional Principal at Unispace. Emily discusses the future of workplaces, how companies are engaging employees in an in person/remote hybrid set-up, the impact of new workplaces on employees and leaders, and what leaders should be thinking about from a workplace perspective.