Yes Your Way to Success: What Endurance Teaches Us About Leadership with Gavin Mlinar

Most people spend their lives trying to avoid failure. Gavin Mlinar has built his life around walking straight into it. From leaving home to pursue freestyle skiing as a teenager, to returning after multiple knee injuries to earn a starting role on the football field, to walking away from a successful executive career without a clear plan for what came next, Gavin has repeatedly chosen uncertainty over comfort. And more often than not, those decisions began with a simple phrase: "Yes, I'll figure it out." In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, Ed Molitor is joined by Gavin Mlinar,  a former Wall Street equity research founder, VP at a Japanese company, and two-time finisher of the 29,029 Everesting challenge. Together, they explore the surprising connections between endurance athletics, leadership, and the art of saying "yes" before you figure it out. Gavin shares his journey from Division III football and the USA Junior Olympic ski team to corporate leadership, startup life, and the humbling world of 36-hour vertical climbing challenges. He opens up about fainting before lunch on his first attempt, ignoring his coaches for 20 weeks, and finally finishing under the worst weather conditions in event history. But the real throughline? A philosophy he learned from his father, a 747 pilot who treated everyone like they were in his home: lead with help, and let the rewards take care of themselves. Because success isn't about controlling outcomes. It's about enjoying the process, embracing toddler logic, and showing up for others without expecting anything in return.   OUR GUEST Gavin Mlinar is the CEO and Founding Member of Blacklisted Consulting, a sourcing and procurement consulting firm that helps organizations save money while optimizing the way they buy goods and services. A former Wall Street Equity Analyst and Investment Banker, Gavin has leveraged his negotiating and communication skills, industry expertise, and passion for problem-solving into a successful career in sourcing, procurement, and supply chain leadership. Throughout his career, he has negotiated large, complex, multi-million and multi-billion-dollar agreements with many of the world's leading IT, Professional Services, and Corporate Services suppliers, helping organizations drive efficiency, accelerate growth, and achieve significant cost savings. But Gavin's journey has been guided by a philosophy that extends far beyond business: say YES, then figure it out. That mindset has shaped everything from earning a starting spot on his high school varsity football team without a reputation, to competing on the USA Junior Olympic skiing team, to launching multiple businesses and leading teams through change and uncertainty. A husband of 19 years, proud father of two, and lifelong believer in growth over comfort, Gavin brings a practical, relatable perspective to leadership and performance. One of his proudest accomplishments was completing the 29029 Everesting Challenge on his third attempt after failing twice—a powerful reminder that failure is only final when you stop showing up. Whether negotiating billion-dollar contracts, leading organizations through transformation, or speaking to audiences about leadership and resilience, Gavin's message remains consistent: success is rarely about having all the answers. It's about having the courage to take the next step, learn along the way, and keep moving forward.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: Why failure is often learning in disguise Lessons from elite athletics that translate directly into leadership and business How endurance challenges reveal strengths and blind spots under pressure The importance of listening beyond simply hearing words How feedback loops accelerate growth and performance Why preparation matters more than motivation during difficult challenges How leaders learn to embrace diverse perspectives and different motivations What toddler logic teaches us about learning, resilience, and persistence Why relationships create opportunities that strategy alone cannot How serving others first can become a powerful business advantage    RESOURCES & LINKS  Gavin Mlinar Website - http://yesyourway.com LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-mlinar-2295b83/ Blog: https://yesyourway.com/blogs/one-more-ascent Book: https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Your-Way-Success-Dont/dp/B0FC5M9GHQ   Ed Molitor LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/themolitorgroup/ Website - https://coeffex.com/podcast YouTube Channel - The Athletics of Business - https://www.youtube.com/@theathleticsofbusiness   Timestamps [00:00] Dynamic intro [01:35] Meet Gavin Mlinar [02:35] Building businesses and embracing entrepreneurship from an early age [04:00] Learning communication through cold-calling and rejection [05:07] From freestyle skiing to collegiate football [09:48] Choosing between athletic dreams and practical realities [12:52] The "Say Yes and Figure It Out" mindset [13:50] COVID, burnout, and a life-changing turning point [15:40] Discovering the 29,029 Everesting challenge [18:39] The first endurance challenge and a humbling setback [21:31] Missing the lessons hidden in plain sight [22:42] Heart rate training and endurance fundamentals [25:19] Why failure became one of Gavin's greatest teachers [27:44] Patience, listening, and slowing down [29:10] Leadership lessons from managing people with different motivations [31:27] Toddler logic and the power of continuous learning [33:49] Building systems, feedback loops, and preparation habits [36:37] Learning from mistakes and improving performance [38:17] Family challenges, Alzheimer's, and staying focused [40:14] Finishing the challenge and trusting the process [41:46] The success of Say Yes and Figure It Out [42:19] Leading with generosity and helping others first [43:12] The influence of Gavin's father and treating people with respect [46:55] How helping others unexpectedly created new opportunities [49:20] Final reflections and closing thoughts