Finding Your Summit

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Jon Gordon, the internationally renowned leadership expert and bestselling author of 32 books including the iconic The Energy Bus, for an inspiring conversation about positive leadership, the power of process over results, and why the greatest leaders learn to love the battle rather than fear it. In this energizing episode, Jon reveals the counterintuitive truth that he's not naturally positive but rather has spent his life mastering the art of overcoming negativity, and shares the profound insights he's gained from working with championship coaches and Fortune 500 companies around the world. This episode offers a masterclass in sustainable excellence, demonstrating why commitment always trumps goals, how forgiveness unlocks creativity, and why the teams that connect deeply become the ones that commit fully. Jon opens up about his journey from restaurant owner to thought leader, the writers block that changed his philosophy forever, and th

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Kristen Ulmer, former US Ski Team mogul skier turned extreme skiing legend who held the title of best female big mountain extreme skier in the world for 12 consecutive years. In this paradigm-shifting conversation, Kristen reveals why everything we've been taught about conquering and overcoming fear is fundamentally wrong, and shares the revolutionary approach that transformed her from adrenaline junkie to thought leader on fear and anxiety. This episode offers a complete reframe on one of humanity's most misunderstood emotions, demonstrating why fear isn't something to be eliminated or overcome, but rather something to embrace intimately as a performance enhancer and pathway to flow states. Kristen shares powerful insights from her death-defying career jumping off 70-foot cliffs on skis, her interviews with legends like Alex Honnold and Laird Hamilton, and why the goal of being fearless is not only impossible but actually causing the anxi

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Jim Sonefeld, the original drummer and founding member of the iconic 90s rock band Hootie and the Blowfish, for an extraordinary conversation about fame, addiction, redemption, and the power of second chances. In this deeply moving episode, Jim opens up about his remarkable journey from playing sold-out stadiums with one of the biggest bands of the 1990s to battling alcoholism, finding sobriety, and reinventing himself as a contemporary Christian artist, speaker, and devoted father. This episode offers a masterclass in resilience, demonstrating how someone can achieve extraordinary success, lose themselves in the process, and ultimately find their true summit through faith, discipline, and authentic self-discovery. Jim shares the untold story behind writing the massive hit "Hold My Hand," the surreal experience of going from bar band to number one album in America, and why stepping away from fame at age 40 to get sober was the most importa

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Tom Ziglar, CEO of Ziglar Inc. and son of the legendary motivational icon Zig Ziglar, for an inspiring conversation about legacy, leadership, and the art of scaling impact beyond a single generation. In this deeply insightful episode, Tom reveals how he transformed his father's timeless wisdom into a modern coaching and leadership empire while overcoming the immense pressure of living up to one of the most recognizable names in personal development history. This episode offers a masterclass in authentic leadership, the power of daily disciplines, and why the greatest leaders focus on asking questions rather than giving orders. Tom shares the pivotal moments that shaped his father's legendary career, his own journey from self-imposed pressure to authentic impact, and the revolutionary coaching methodology that's transforming corporate cultures across the globe. Key Topics Discussed: The Pivotal Moment That Created Zig Ziglar Tom reveals the

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Kevin DeRooy, an award-winning filmmaker and extreme adventurer who has turned personal trauma into transformative storytelling. In this deeply moving conversation, Kevin shares his remarkable journey from a devastating divorce to conquering mountains around the world, and ultimately experiencing clinical death for 15 minutes—an encounter that forever changed his understanding of life, purpose, and the spiritual dimension of extreme adventure. Find Kevin DeRooy at TrueSummit.LLC or email Kevin at TrueSummit.LLC to learn more about The Journey Within docu-seriessue extreme challenges aren't running toward something—they're running away from pain, trauma, and a life they're afraid to face. Kevin and Mark dive deep into the psychology of risk-taking, the healing power of mountains, and the mysterious "third man phenomenon" that guides people at the edge of survival. Key Topics Discussed: From Divorce to Denali: When Trauma Drives Adventur

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Kim Alexis, the iconic supermodel who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated six times and defined beauty in the 1980s. In this refreshingly candid conversation, Kim shares her remarkable journey from Buffalo swimming pools to New York City runways, and how she's transformed herself from a household name in fashion to a passionate advocate for healthy aging, wellness, and empowering women to find beauty from within. This episode delivers a masterclass in reinvention, demonstrating how someone can leverage past success into meaningful purpose while aging gracefully and authentically. Kim opens up about the challenges of transitioning from a career built on youth and beauty to becoming a certified fitness instructor, integrative health practitioner, and wellness ambassador—proving that true beauty and relevance come from continuous growth, adaptation, and service to others. Key Topics Discussed: From Swimmer to Supermodel: The Unexpected Jou

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Shep Rose, the beloved reality TV star who has captivated audiences for 11 consecutive seasons on Bravo's Southern Charm. In this refreshingly honest conversation, Shep opens up about the darker side of fame, his transformative journey with plant medicine, and how he's redefining success beyond the camera's glare. This episode offers a rare glimpse behind the curtain of reality television stardom, exploring the paradox of living a seemingly charmed life while battling the very real challenges of maintaining authenticity, purpose, and balance when the world expects you to be the life of every party. Key Topics Discussed: The Reality Behind Reality TV: When the Party Becomes Your Prison Shep candidly reveals how he found himself trapped in a persona—the fun-loving, always-available guy who never says no. Learn how idolizing renegades like Joe Namath and living up to the hype of being everyone's favorite party companion led him to a crossroad

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with legendary college football coach Chris Peterson for a masterclass in leadership, culture-building, and the art of developing people beyond their sport. Chris, who built an extraordinary legacy with a 79% career winning percentage, two Coach of the Year awards, and championship runs at both Boise State and the University of Washington, opens up about why he stepped away from coaching at the peak of his career and what he's learned about leadership that transcends the game. This episode goes deep into the philosophy that defined Chris's coaching career: Built for Life—a comprehensive approach to using the demanding platform of football to build character, discipline, and life skills that players carry long after their playing days end. Mark and Chris explore the critical distinction between rules and standards, the importance of organizational alignment, and why the greatest enemy to success isn't the opponent across the field—it's the dysfu

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! Host Mark Pattison sits down with Hondo Carpenter, the longest-tenured beat reporter for the Las Vegas Raiders, for a candid deep-dive into organizational dysfunction, leadership failures, and what it takes to build winning cultures in professional sports. As a former Raiders player himself, Mark brings unique insight to this conversation about a storied franchise struggling to find its identity in the modern NFL. Hondo, who has covered multiple NFL teams including the Raiders, Rams, and Chiefs for Sports Illustrated, delivers an unflinching analysis of the Raiders' tumultuous 2024-25 season and explores the critical question on every fan's mind: How does Tom Brady's minority ownership role influence the franchise's future? This episode offers rare insider access to the inner workings of an NFL organization in crisis, examining everything from Pete Carroll's failed tenure to the upcoming draft decision on potential generational talent Cam Ward (Mendoza). Key Topics Discuss

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! After a year and a half hiatus, host Mark Pattison returns with an incredible entrepreneurial journey featuring Jacob Salem, CEO of Easy Metrics, who transformed himself from a credit card debt-laden fitness trainer into a $15 million business empire through speaking, coaching, and digital marketing. This episode delivers a masterclass in business scaling, social media marketing, and building sustainable revenue streams. Jacob shares the raw truth about his early struggles and the strategic decisions that catapulted him from barely making ends meet to managing $4 million per month in client advertising and building multiple seven-figure companies. Key Topics Discussed: The Comeback Story: From Debt to Seven Figures Jacob opens up about his early days working multiple jobs, playing the credit card shuffle game, and making the bold decision to invest in himself through Zig Ziglar's certification program at age 22. Learn how he leveraged credibility from established brands to

Welcome back to Finding Your Summit! After a two-year hiatus, host Mark Pattison returns with an incredible conversation featuring legendary football coach Jim Mora, who recently made the leap from UConn to become the new head coach at Colorado State University. This episode marks a special full-circle moment as Jim was Mark's very first podcast guest on Episode 1, and now returns for Episode 276. The two former teammates dive deep into the art of building winning cultures from the ground up, drawing from Jim's remarkable track record of turning around struggling programs. Key Topics Discussed: The UConn Turnaround Story Jim shares the incredible journey of transforming a program that won just six games in five years into a powerhouse that achieved back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in the school's 120+ year history. Learn how he walked into a "walking dead atmosphere" and created a winning mindset. Leadership Principles That Work Discover the three core messages that drive Jim's coaching ph

Adrian Ballinger is a British-American certified IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide, certified through the American Mountain Guides Association and a sponsored climber and skier.Ballinger is the founder and CEO of Alpenglow Expeditions, and has been guiding full-time for 25 years. He has led over 150 international climbing expeditions on six continents, and made 18 successful summits of 8,000m peaks. He is known for pioneering the use of pre-acclimatization for commercial expeditions as early as 2012, which can cut the amount of time typically spent on an expedition in half.Adrian is the only American to have made three successful ski descents of 8,000m peaks, including the first ski descent of Manaslu from its summit. He is also the fourth American to have summited both Mount Everest and K2 without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Kelly Lynn Adams is a life coach who has gone through her own transformation. She is very talented and can help others make the necessary pivot needed when fear holds you back. Great episode to kick off the year and help you achieve your goals.

I met Kenton Cool on Mt EVEREST in 2021. He is an amazing and talented Englishman who has scaled MT EVEREST 14 times with no end in sight. He guides clients all over the world and had scaled most of the major peaks out there. This is a super engaging conversation w/ Kenton on where he has been, his philosphy on life and where he's going in the future.

Shane Jacobson is the CEO of the V Foundation which was started by Jim Valvano and ESPN in 1993. Jim V is a former coach who had won a national championship for NC State and later became a broadcaster on ESPN calling basketball games. He got a brain tumor and in his last speech, echoed those words, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”Today, Shane is carrying on his legacy to raise money and awareness to eventually defeat all forms of cancer. Shane talks about how they are doing this and his association with Dick Vitale.

Yuriy Boyechko is the CEO and President of Hope for Ukraine. It's a non-profit, set up to help all the people of that country who have been displaced with food, water, clothing and shelter. We had a great chat talking about their mission, challenges and where the war is going. Tune in...

Shawn Richardson went through a bumpy road a few years ago and was left with, where do I go from here? The mountains came calling and she has now turned her passion into a career while reaping the benefits of being in the outdoors and helping to solve various mental health issues. You never know when failures can turn into opportunities. Go Shawn go...

This podcast was a wonderful opportunity to speak with film director, Nancy Svendsen, about her 10-year passion project covering the remarkable life of Pasang, a Nepalese climber. She documents the obstacles Pasang had to overcome to climb Mount Everest and become the first Nepalese woman to climb the highest mountain in the world. Fascinating chat learning what she lived for—and ultimately died for.

The U Conn football team went 4-44 the last 4 years prior to Jim Mora showing up. He turned the football team in 2022 going 6-6 and being selected to play in a bowl game against Marshall. How do you change the mindset of young men who only know whats its like to lose? Listen to Jim Mora on how get got his players to believe and buy in to have a championship mindset. Amazing turnaround...