World's Greatest Business Thinkers

Special thanks to Triangle for sponsoring this episode. Triangle's founder, Matt, is offering a complimentary one-hour strategy session for founders seeking to grow their personal brand. I can't recommend this service enough, and get in quick as there are only three remaining slots available this month!

Get in touch at matt@mattswain.com or book directly at https://www.triangle-branding.com/book-a-call
 
What if the 35,000 decisions you make daily could actually align with your deepest values and drive real success?
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague sits down with Adrienne Adhami, author of Decisions That Matter, and co-founder of Part Two Agency, to explore how leaders can navigate the thousands of decisions they face every day with greater confidence and clarity. Adrienne shares a practical framework for separating high-stakes decisions from low-stakes ones, reducing decision fatigue, and aligning choices with personal values. 
The conversation examines the role of joy as a meaningful measure of success, the power of intuition as learned pattern recognition, and why uncertainty should be embraced rather than feared. Listeners will learn actionable strategies for making better decisions, avoiding analysis paralysis, and building a more intentional approach to leadership and life. 
What You Will Learn:
How to distinguish between high-stakes and low-stakes decisions 

The Six Rules of Engagement framework for structuring decisions 

Why values aren't virtuous abstractions but practical decision filters

The overlooked power of joy as a business metric

How to use the decision-making matrix to score competing options 

Why embracing uncertainty and reframing mistakes as data

 
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts.



About the Guest:
Adrienne Adhami is a bestselling author, podcast host, decision-making strategist, and co-founder of Part Two Agency. She has over 15 years of experience working with high-performing entrepreneurs, CEOs, and Olympic athletes across the health, wellness, and fitness industries. Her expertise spans habit formation, goal setting, decision-making, and leadership, developed through roles ranging from fitness trainer to Director of Innovation at a scaling fitness technology startup. She is the author of *The Power Hour* and *Decisions That Matter: How to Make Decisions in a World of Endless Choice*, where she introduces her proprietary six-rules framework for confident decision-making.
 
Quotes:
"The small, low-stakes decisions in personal and professional life, they really, really matter. When I think about it in the business context, you know, the small, mundane decisions around ownership of certain things, around team capacity, around culture, around work, there are so many small, mundane things that, little by little, they really add up. They are what defines the success of the company."

"It's more about uncovering what you already value and then questioning those. If you think about somebody in business, someone a professional leader who you really admire, someone who you aspire to be like, somebody whose work you find impressive and inspiring, what is it about them that you look up to, that you admire? Write the things down."

"There is a direct correlation between health outcomes and stress and things like the inverse of happiness and joy. When we lack those things, we're more likely to suffer from things like chronic illness, heart disease, diabetes, strokes. If the absence of joy can create these outcomes, then joy really is essential; it's not a frivolous thing, it's essential."

"Intuition isn't this woo-woo thing that's just a feeling. It's actually based on pattern recognition in the brain. Our brains take in hundreds and thousands and millions of data points, and we spot patterns and red flags. Your gut feeling is not random; listen to it, pay attention to it."

 
Keywords:
Primary Keywords (Core Themes): decision making frameworks, habit formation, goal setting, decision making process, business decision making, daily decisions, high stakes decisions, low stakes decisions, values-based decision making, decision matrix, uncertainty in business, regret and decision making, intuition and gut instinct, professional decision making
Secondary Keywords (Related Subtopics): six rules of engagement, decision filters, personal mission statement, core values identification, joy in work, professional joy, mental load management, digital boundaries, work-life balance, entrepreneurship mindset, mistake as learning opportunity, reversible decisions, pattern recognition, compounding effect of small decisions, impact assessment
 
Episode Resources:
Adrienne Adhami on LinkedIn

Part Two Agency Website

Decisions That Matter: How to Make Decisions In a World of Endless Choices Book

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

Special thanks to Triangle for sponsoring this episode. Triangle's founder, Matt, is offering a complimentary one-hour strategy session for founders seeking to grow their personal brand. I can't recommend this service enough, and get in quick as there are only three remaining slots available this month!

Get in touch at matt@mattswain.com or book directly at https://www.triangle-branding.com/book-a-call


What if the blueprint for building a multi-million dollar business from scratch was sitting right in front of you?
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague speaks with Art Juedes and Rick Gering, co-founders of Eastbay,  about how a chance meeting at a Wisconsin 10K race led to the creation of Eastbay, one of the most influential mail-order athletic retailers in history. Starting with just 108 pairs of running shoes, they built a multi-million-dollar business by focusing relentlessly on direct customer access, operational excellence, and fast adaptation to customer behavior. 
The conversation explores how Eastbay survived supplier crises, built loyalty through community rather than marketing, and maintained a 40-year partnership grounded in trust and compromise. It's a masterclass in customer obsession, entrepreneurial resilience, and building enduring competitive advantage without massive capital. 
What You Will Learn:
How to build a competitive advantage through radical customer focus

Why operational excellence becomes your moat when you lack capital

The pivot principle: Let your customers redesign your business model: 

How to navigate supplier relationships when you're undercapitalized

Why trust and compromise are the non-negotiable foundations of long-term partnerships

The framework for decision-making under uncertainty

 
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions for doing this are here.
 
About Guest:
Rick Gering and Art Juedes are co-founders of East Bay, the pioneering mail-order athletic footwear retailer that revolutionized direct-to-consumer sports retail. Born two days apart in June 1952 in Warsaw, Wisconsin, these lifelong runners transformed their passion for athletics and customer service into a business empire that grew from a basement operation to a $35+ million enterprise before their 1997 sale to Foot Locker. Their expertise spans supply chain innovation, brand building in competitive markets, and creating loyal communities through exceptional customer experience, lessons forged during the "sneaker wars" of the 1980s and 90s, when they secured exclusive partnerships with Nike, Reebok, and emerging brands like Under Armour.
 
Quotes:
"We were at our wits' end trying to figure out how we would get product, how we would get shoes because we had no money. There were three of us who originally were going to go into it, and I had called Art to maybe be the fourth because he was the one who would have made it work. It was a number of chances all put together, by people who didn't really know what the end game was going to be." - Rick

"Our first sale became our second business plan. Once the kids tried the shoes on, they weren't giving them up; they were selling right there. The kids couldn't wait to get the shoes so much that they loved them, so we realized that our idea to take orders and send shoes later was out the door." - Art

"There weren't a lot of other distractions, so we really could focus on the athlete and our customer, listen and learn, and figure out what makes what's important to them. In a larger town, there's so much more noise that even the athletes get distracted. The big thing that we did differently than any other retail store is go directly to the kids." - Rick

"We decided to go all in on the Nike Air line. If that line didn't sell, we were toast. But it was a great seismic shift for East Bay because Jordan was a seismic shift in the shoe and footwear industry. Before that, everyone looked at athletic footwear as equipment, and after that, athletic footwear became part of your identity." - Art

Keywords:
Primary Keywords (Core Themes): East Bay running shoes, mail order business, sneaker entrepreneurship, direct-to-athlete business model, small town startup, customer-centric business strategy, athletic footwear industry, Nike Air Jordan partnership, business partnership success, mail order catalog strategy
Secondary Keywords (Related Subtopics): inventory management startup, supplier relationships Nike Reebok, business pivots adaptation, catalog marketing strategy, mail order logistics, athletic retail innovation, team sports sales, sneaker culture history, vertical integration business, customer service excellence, competitive advantage small business
 
Episode Resources:
The Book of Eastbay on Amazon

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

Special thanks to Riverside for sponsoring this episode. Try Riverside Pro free for one month by visiting creators.riverside.com/NickHague and use the code "WGBT podcast".
 
What if hospitality wasn't just about service, but about making people feel genuinely seen?
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, Will Guidara joins Nick Hague to explore why hospitality is one of the most practical and profitable business strategies available. Drawing from his experience transforming Eleven Madison Park into the world's best restaurant, Guidara explains the difference between service and hospitality, why making people feel seen creates lasting loyalty, and how intentional systems can scale spontaneous acts of kindness. 
He unpacks his five-pillar culture framework: Excellence, Communication, Collaboration, Feedback, and Repair, and shares actionable lessons on hiring, leadership, and customer experience. From the famous "hot dog moment" to overlooked emotional touchpoints, this conversation reveals how unreasonable hospitality creates unforgettable brands and energized teams. 
What You Will Learn:
How to distinguish service from hospitality and why it drives customer loyalty.

The "Dreamweaver" hiring model that scales spontaneous acts of generosity 

Why excellence is the prerequisite for hospitality, not a luxury add-on

The five interconnected cultures that create unreasonable hospitality

How to hire for chemistry and cultural fit while simplifying job requirements

The overlooked touch points that create the greatest emotional impact

 
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.
 
About Guest:
Will Guidara is a hospitality strategist, author, and former restaurateur best known for transforming Eleven Madison Park into the world's number-one restaurant. With a background rooted in family values, shaped profoundly by his parents' resilience and commitment to service, Guidara has built a philosophy centered on "unreasonable hospitality": the intentional choice to invest relentless creativity and intention into how people feel, not just what they receive. His bestselling book *Unreasonable Hospitality* (over 1 million copies sold) and its practical companion *The Unreasonable Hospitality Field Guide* translate his restaurant expertise into actionable strategies for leaders across industries. 
Will's insights on building high-performing teams, creating cultures of excellence, and delivering transformative customer experiences make him an essential voice for ambitious leaders seeking to move beyond transactional business toward meaningful human connection.
 
Quotes:
"I fell in love with hospitality through the interchange between my mom, my dad, and me. We were a family that was centered on caring for her, and watching how my dad never felt bad for himself in doing that, in fact, to the contrary, he clearly derived pleasure from it, which inspired me to also derive pleasure from it."

"Adversity is a terrible thing to waste. When I think about some of the most jarring and disappointing and adverse moments I've experienced in my life, I can now look back at almost all of them with gratitude because I don't believe I would have gone on to do what I did next or become the man I've become absent those experiences."

"What people don't do consistently enough is slow down when those things happen to try to more fully understand why the thing happened, such that they can build systems behind the idea and turn it into a consistent part of the culture. That's when you truly transform an organization."

"Service is the thing that you do, getting the right plate of food to the right person within the right amount of time. Hospitality is how you make people feel when you do those things. People will forget what you say, they will forget what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel."





Keywords:
Primary Keywords (Core Themes): unreasonable hospitality, hospitality industry, customer experience, service excellence, culture building, restaurant management, 11 Madison Park, hospitality strategy, guest experience, business hospitality
 
Secondary Keywords (Related Subtopics): Dreamweaver position, peak end rule, service vs hospitality, customer journey mapping, hospitality culture, team building, feedback culture, collaborative leadership, experience design, brand loyalty, customer retention, emotional connection in business
 
Episode Resources:
Will Guidara on LinkedIn

Unreasonable Hospitality Website

Unreasonable Hospitality Book

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

 
Triangle's founder, Matt, is offering a complimentary one-hour strategy session for founders seeking to grow their personal brand. I can't recommend this service enough, and get in quick as there are only three remaining slots available this month!

Get in touch at matt@mattswain.com or book directly at https://www.triangle-branding.com/book-a-call

Special thanks to Riverside for sponsoring this episode. Try Riverside Pro free for one month by visiting creators.riverside.com/NickHague and use the code "WGBT podcast".
 
What if the secret to peak performance in business wasn't about working harder, but about training your mind as Marines train for combat?
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, Nick Hague speaks with Simon Jeffries about engineering peak performance under pressure. Drawing on elite military training, Jeffries explains why consistency, not motivation, is the real driver of success. He introduces practical frameworks like the "Skills × Performance = Results" equation, nervous system regulation, and the Chaos Drill to manage stress in real time. The conversation reframes resilience as a trainable system, showing leaders how to build mental fitness, avoid burnout, and create sustainable high performance in both business and life. 
What You Will Learn:
How to multiply your impact through the Skills × Performance = Results equation

Why consistency beats motivation: The three pillars of sustainable high performance

The Chaos Drill: A three-step stress reset that rewires your response under pressure

How to separate mental health from mental fitness

The identity-building strategy that precedes achievement

How to navigate the transition from one life chapter to another without losing yourself

Why organizational standards, not values statements, predict performance decline

 
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts.
If you would like to triple your productivity and go from average to unstoppable check out Simon's Special Forces Operating System - https://go.thenaturaledge.com/sf-system/?utm_source=podcast



About Guest:
Simon Jeffries is a performance strategist and founder of The Natural Edge, specializing in translating elite military training principles into actionable frameworks for business leaders and entrepreneurs. With a distinguished background in the Royal Marines and Special Boat Service, including three combat tours to Afghanistan, Simon brings unparalleled expertise in high-pressure performance, mental fitness, and organizational culture. He helps founders and CEOs become top 1% performers by deconstructing and rebuilding their personal operating systems through evidence-based strategies rooted in neuroscience and behavioral psychology. His work addresses the critical gap between technical skill and consistent performance, tackling challenges like burnout, procrastination, and stress management that plague modern business leaders.
 
Quotes:
"At the absolute core of it, it's having that really clear certainty that that is all you want to do. There is no question that that is your goal, that that is the path because when you're undertaking anything hard, if you have if that's not certain or the questions around that purpose of you being there, the cracks will quickly begin to show as you go into the process."

"It's called self-distancing. So it's that ability to separate, like you said, it's the ability to step outside of the thoughts and emotions, which makes it then easier to take the required action. What would Batman do in this situation? And it is really powerful. It's something that we can, you know, so it's a powerful mindset tactic. Again, if you practice it, that can be really useful to get you to take action when you're struggling to."

"It's your skills multiplied by your performance get your results because you can have the best skills, the most talent. But if under pressure, you get stressed, you become reactive, you lose your patience, you're not focused, you're distracted. Well, you're underperforming. You can't get the results that you're capable of."

"Consistency is just the path to if you're not consistent in anything, you're never gonna hit your true potential is the simple fact. Look at the best people in the world in anything. They are they consistently show up at the level that's required. So the best people in business, the best athletes, the best shoulders, soldiers, they are consistent."

 
Keywords:
Primary Keywords (Core Themes): Royal Marines training, special forces mindset, performance psychology, elite operator, leadership under pressure, military discipline, business performance, operating system optimization, mental fitness, resilience training, special boat service, combat psychology, high-performance culture
 
Secondary Keywords (Related Subtopics): mindset development, nervous system regulation, stress management, self-distancing technique, chaos drill, self-talk training, procrastination solutions, perfectionism coaching, anxiety management, focus and discipline, willpower vs systems, behavioral change, neuroplasticity training, response vs reaction
 
Episode Resources:
Simon Jeffries on LinkedIn

The Natural Edge Website 

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

What if the secret to thriving in the age of AI and relentless disruption isn't perfecting what you do today, but knowing what you'll need to do tomorrow?
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, Nick Hague speaks with Howard Yu, LEGO Professor at IMD Business School, on future readiness, corporate transformation, and business innovation. Drawing on examples from NVIDIA, Intel, Yamaha, Steinway & Sons, Novartis, Walmart, and Grab, Yu explains how adopting leap strategies and scaling new capabilities drive sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
The conversation highlights practical approaches to business innovation, organizational reinvention, and sustainable growth, while showing how leaders can stay ahead of disruption and drive long-term business model evolution.
What You Will Learn:
●      The Three Non-Negotiable Management Principles That Drive Sustainable Growth
●      How to Own, Not Outsource, Your Next Leap
●      The Transparency-Driven Culture That Turns Failures Into Competitive Advantages.
●      Why Your Sales Team Is Your Earliest Warning System
●      The "Plus One Skill" Career Strategy for AI-Driven Workplaces
●      How AI Amplifies Your Competitive Edge (If You Use Proprietary Data Correctly)
●      The Historic Pattern of Leaping Across Centuries
●      How to Identify When Your Industry Is About to Jump and Create Disruption
 
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.
 
About Guest:
Howard Yu is the LEGO Chair Professor of Management and Innovation at IMD (International Institute for Management Development) in Switzerland, where he leads the Center for Future Readiness. With a background in studying corporate disruption at Harvard Business School and 14+ years of research across 400+ companies in seven industries, Yu has become a leading voice on how organizations sustain competitive advantage in rapidly changing markets. He is the author of "LEAP: How to Thrive in a World Where Everything Can Be Copied" and the creator of the Future Readiness Indicator, a proprietary measurement tool that identifies leading indicators of corporate resilience before financial performance declines.
Quotes:
"It's this dual mandate, if you want, that is to perform every quarter, every year, and you transform for tomorrow also at the same time. Average company we've seen, sometimes they do one side, like performance, quarterly earnings. Sometimes, then they swing into transformation, like, you know, reinvent themselves. But what we've seen is the company has stamina, they do both at the same time, and at its core is to focus on scaling up a few."
"When something fails, this requires the company to talk about it, to do an after-action review without finger-pointing and blaming. To identify the root cause of our fumble, let's do better next time, codify that lesson,, and share it? This is how you sustain that momentum."
"The reality is adapt and learn. It's not persistent. And that little improvement, you compound it, and many, many improvements are empowered by many, many people across the organization. If you're a small company, it doesn't matter. If you're a small team, just five people."
"If you're a senior executive, skip level, talk to the front line, you know, the sales guy or the salesperson on the front end to ask some of the leading questions. To what extent do our customers have alternatives? To what extent do you have pricing pressure? Now, from that angle, we could already have a realistic assessment of the extent our core is still healthy."
 
Keywords:
Primary Keywords (Core Themes): future readiness, corporate transformation, business innovation, leap strategy, organizational reinvention, competitive advantage, disruptive innovation, scaling new capabilities, business model evolution, sustainable growth
 
Secondary Keywords (Related Subtopics): future readiness indicator, perform and transform, dual mandate leadership, proprietary data strategy, AI integration, knowledge domains, capability building, organizational culture, change management, strategic foresight, product innovation, market disruption
 
Episode Resources:
Howard Yu on LinkedIn
IMD Business School Website
World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts
World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify
World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube