The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast

Kyle Scheele went from 17 TikTok followers to a million in 25 hours — not because he had a strategy, but because he finally stopped waiting for the right time and posted the video. In Part 2, he and Dwayne walk through the five things every idea needs to make it into the world, why AI is a sycophancy machine that will confidently tell you exactly what you want to hear, and why creativity is a team sport — and always has been. In Part 2 of this episode: The five things every idea needs — a chance, a home, a time and place, a bodyguard, and a crew — and the specific, practical way each one applies inside a business or organization Why Kyle went from 17 followers to a million on TikTok in 25 hours: a one-minute video about photoshopping his dad's tilted head in a family portrait, and the James Joyce principle that explains why the most particular stories become the most universal The chemical company story: a PhD chemist had known for years that her company's product would work perfectly in another industry — and never said anything, because no one asked Why AI is good at the "I" and the "A" of the idea cycle (inspiration and action) but can't do discovery or evolution — because those require taste, distaste, and skin in the game that no algorithm has How fear of running out of money drove Kyle's entire entrepreneurial career — and why that fear, managed well, doesn't make you play small, it makes you play smart. Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Creativity Needs Others 00:32 - Podcast Intro and Setup 01:30 - Give Ideas a Chance 04:44 - Ideas Need a Home 07:20 - Systems That Invite Ideas 11:56 - Launch Now Not Perfect 13:20 - TikTok Breakthrough Story 21:06 - Protect Ideas with Bodyguards 27:23 - Ideas Need a Crew 29:25 - Creativity Needs a Crew 30:50 - Viking Funeral Origin Story 33:03 - Fear of Regret as Fuel 35:05 - Calculated Risks Over Gambling 37:08 - Strategic Projects and Social Media 42:22 - The Idea Cycle Framework 45:35 - Where AI Helps and Misses 51:08 - AI as a Tool and Its Tradeoffs 55:02 - Creativity Beyond Business 56:44 - Applying Creativity Tools to Life 01:01:10 - Final Thanks and Wrap Up Resources mentioned: Several books (for adults and childen) referenced written by Kyle, can be found here: https://kylescheele.com/Books TED Talk: How to Find a Wonderful Idea — OK Go, on creativity and discovery Vivian Maier — street photographer whose work was discovered posthumously Tony Robbins — Business Mastery referenced by Dwayne ChatGPT / AI — referenced throughout Quotes: “ I always say creativity is a team sport because life is a team sport. You are not designed to do any of this stuff on your own, and even if you did, what would be the point of it all?” - Kyle Scheele “ On my third video, I went from 17 followers to a million followers, and that changed the course of my business, my trajectory, my life. It opened so many doors for me, and that all happened off a video that I almost didn't post because I almost didn't post any of them because I was waiting for the right time and the right place. “ - Kyle Scheele “ Give everyone notebooks on your team. Just give them a pocket notebook and go, "Hey, here's the things I want you to start looking for. This week, here's a focus.” - Kyle Scheele “ The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw (quoted by Kyle Scheele) “ If you're not innovating, you're dying, and that is just the truth.” - Dwayne Kerrigan About Kyle Scheele: Kyle is an author, speaker, and creativity expert known for turning bold ideas into unforgettable results — from hosting a Viking funeral for the regrets of 21,000 people to launching the world's first fake marathon. With more than 750 keynotes delivered in all 50 states, Kyle combines humor, sharp insights, and real-world experimentation to help organizations unlock creativity and innovation at scale. He has worked with teams at Walmart, Deloitte, Fidelity, and Chick-fil-A, and his work has been featured in WIRED, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and Yahoo!. His books include We Put a Man on the Moon, How to Host a Viking Funeral, A Pizza With Everything On It, and A Sunday With Everything On It. Connect with Kyle Scheele: https://kylescheele.com/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Most people think creativity is something you either have or you don't — a gift, a gene, a mysterious lightning bolt that strikes a chosen few. Kyle Scheele has spent his career dismantling that belief, and in this conversation he makes the case that creativity isn't magic at all. It's problem-solving. And everyone already does it, every single day.In Part 1 of this episode: Why your brain is not a truth-seeking machine — it's a belief justification machine: give it the belief "I'm not creative" and it will spend the rest of your life finding evidence to prove you rightKyle's spontaneous ideation theory — the creativity myth he compares to the 17th century scientific belief that dirty rags and wheat kernels spontaneously generated mice, and why most people's understanding of where ideas come from is just as wrongThe coffee shop moment that defined Kyle's career: his friend Isaac told him, "most people come in here, talk about an idea, and the next time you hear about it, it's just an idea again — you come in two days later editing the footage"How Kyle went from broke high schooler selling "Osteoporosis is bad to the bone" T-shirts out of the school lunch room to getting a line into Urban Outfitters in his first year of college — and what that early experience installed in him about figuring things outWhy 70% of the time, when companies give their teams the bandwidth to explore a challenge internally, the answer is already there — it's just inside the head of someone who hasn't been asked yet (Harvard Business Review, cited on stage)Content Warning: This episode includes a brief discussion of childhood suicidal ideation. Kyle shares openly about his experience as a child feeling isolated in school and experiencing dark thoughts, before a friendship changed his perspective. The conversation is handled with care and context, but we want our listeners to be prepared.If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — available 24/7 in both the US and Canada.Episode Highlights:00:00 - Creativity as Problem Solving00:36 - Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro03:24 - Turning Ideas Into Action06:33 - Early Hustle T Shirt Business11:40 - Belief Systems Block Creativity15:27 - Ambition Versus Contentment20:59 - No Right or Wrong in Ideas25:06 - AI Limits and Skin in Game26:46 - School Struggles and Finding Belonging28:44 - It Only Takes One Person To Make An Impact29:36 - Creative Kid Origins30:12 - Student Council Confidence31:45 - Baby Steps Momentum32:15 - Window Of Possibility33:45 - Vision Into Action35:08 - Fuel Creativity Thrives Within Constraints36:49 - Recovering Curiosity39:34 - Questioning Limiting Beliefs44:15 - Everyone Is Creative45:41 - Claiming Artist Identity48:29 - Business Needs Crystal Clear Goals51:12 - Creativity As Problem Solving52:39 - Unlocking Team Innovation57:27 - Closing Remarks and Stay Tuned For Part 2Resources mentioned:Several books (for adults and childen) referenced written by Kyle, can be found here: https://kylescheele.com/BooksHarvard Business Review study on internal innovationHeather Moyse — Olympic athlete referenced by Dwayne re: chunking goalsSpontaneous generation theory / Francesco Redi experiments — referenced in context of the creativity mythOrbis Medicinae — Jan Baptist van Helmont, referenced in context of spontaneous generationSteve Jobs interview — paraphrased by Kyle re: everything in the world being made by people no smarter than youLeanScaper Operations Intensive — conference where Dwayne first saw Kyle speakQuotes:“ What you might consider might be right or wrong is really based on what's the possibility of it happening, and then it'll only be judged when you look back on it in history.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“ If you don't get clear on that goal, it's hard to know where to go.” - Kyle Scheele“ Creativity is just problem-solving. Every idea is the solution to some problem.” - Kyle Scheele"If it never gets any better than this, what a life. But I think it can get better than this." - Kyle ScheeleAbout Kyle Scheele: Kyle Scheele is an author, speaker, and creativity expert known for turning bold ideas into unforgettable results — from hosting a Viking funeral for the regrets of 21,000 people to launching the world's first fake marathon. With more than 750 keynotes delivered in all 50 states, Kyle combines humor, sharp insights, and real-world experimentation to help organizations unlock creativity and innovation at scale. He has worked with teams at Walmart, Deloitte, Fidelity, and Chick-fil-A, and his work has been featured in WIRED, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and Yahoo!. His books include We Put a Man on the Moon, How to Host a Viking Funeral, A Pizza With Everything On It, and A Sunday With Everything On It.Connect with Kyle Scheele: https://kylescheele.com/Connect with Dwayne KerriganFacebookInstagramLinked InWebsiteDisclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

In Part 2, Kyle and Brent Pease go beyond the race course and into the harder terrain — the screaming match in a New York City taxi after a broken wheelchair nearly ended their marathon, the board member who called every morning during school drop-off, and what it actually takes to build an organization that can run without you. This is where the mission meets the mechanics, and where two brothers figure out how to grow up together in public. In this episode: How Kyle and Brent built the Kyle Pease Foundation from scratch — including the nine months it took to help their very first family, the decision to race at least once a month to create visibility, and how they've grown from six events in 2013 to 64 events across 14 states last year The New York City Marathon story: the wheelchair broke mid-race, Brent spent an hour trying to fix it with help from the NYPD, and eventually told Kyle he was done — and what Kyle said back that got them across the finish line Brent's framework for hiring in a nonprofit: passion for the mission matters more than fit for the role, and for every non-disabled hire, he wants to add another employee with a disability doing real work — not stuffing envelopes The Dick Hoyt lesson — the father behind the famous push-assist duo called Brent before the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship and gave him these words of advice: "just keep pushing the pedals" How Kyle became the athlete-coach he is today: years of sitting on the sidelines, listening to adults talk, and watching his brother compete gave him an observer's precision that most coaches never develop Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now: 👉 Donate here: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Purpose Meets Passion 00:22 - Podcast Intro And Setup 01:25 - Priorities And Time Juggling 03:13 - Scaling A Mission Nonprofit 05:52 - Mentors And Running It Like Business 08:51 - Spreading The Mission Through Racing 12:42 - Measuring Impact And Growth 14:25 - Adaptive Equipment And Inclusion 19:00 - Speaking And Education Programs 21:58 - Kona Gear Innovation 24:46 - When Things Break And Tempers Flare 28:26 - Brotherhood Evolved 29:00 - Humanity in Relationships 30:44 - Keep Pushing Pedals 33:47 - Fiercely Experience It 34:12 - Hawaii Cutoff Heartbreak 35:51 - Still Growing Forward 37:33 - Family Balance and Kids 39:17 - Twin Brother Dynamics 41:16 - Parenting and Inclusion 44:43 - Kyle as Coach 49:20 - Scaling Beyond Racing 53:06 - Volunteer and Donation Match 55:51 - Closing Thanks and Disclaimers Resources mentioned: Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease’s book The Kyle Pease Foundation — kylepeasefoundation.org TED Talk: The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong — Dan Pallotta The Hoyt family — Dick and Rick Hoyt, pioneer push-assist racing duo Field of Dreams — film referenced by Kyle and Brent Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne: "emotion is motion" Alvin Law — thalidomide survivor and speaker referenced by Dwayne IRONMAN World Championship, Kona, Hawaii Quotes: “ It does not have to be something that we fiercely protect. You know, it's something that we can all fiercely experience.” - Brent Pease “ I think that we're still growing. We're still evolving. When you stop growing, that's when you need to walk away from whatever you’re doing.” - Kyle Pease “It got the point where I basically just looked at him. I was like, dude, I'm done. I'm out. This isn't us. I dunno what we're doing. And Kyle said, well, you can quit, but I'm gonna finish.” - Brent Pease "These small lessons inside of our relationships that teach us about humanity — a lot of times what's missing in the world, and you guys are sharing it through stories like that, which I think is supremely powerful.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Because finding people who love what the mission is, like, that's more critical to me than finding the person who fits the exact role. Because if you have somebody who loves what you do and believes in it - a true believer if you will - then they're gonna be able to lean into whatever the task is and grow because they're willing to do it for the people that we serve.” - Brent Pease About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons.Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities. Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan:FacebookInstagramLinked InWebsiteDisclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Kyle and Brent Pease have completed more than 100 races together — including two IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii — and in 2024 they broke the push-assist course record with a finish time of 14 hours, 8 minutes, and 3 seconds. Kyle, born with cerebral palsy, is the coach, the motivator, and the athlete who has to be the most positive force in the world for 15 hours straight while his brother, Brent, pushes him across 140.6 miles. What looks like a sports story from the outside is something much harder to categorize: a 15-year study in resilience, gratitude, and what it actually means to show up when both of you want to quit. In Part 1 of their conversation: How Brent and Kyle broke the push-assist course record at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii — and what 15 years of racing together has taught themWhy Brent says true balance is an illusion — and how he and Kyle define "all in" as the real unit of energy management, shifting fully between Ironman training, family, and the foundation depending on the season Kyle's framework for getting out of dark moments: prayer, music, visualization, and the discipline of reducing the time between a hard moment and a shift in perspective What the foundation's inclusive employment program looks like on the ground How racing together has taught both brothers to say "I'm not okay" — and why that vulnerability has become one of their greatest competitive and leadership advantages Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now - Donate here 👉 https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Get Out Your Own Way 00:39 - Podcast Welcome 02:29 - Meet Kyle and Brent 04:00 - Ironman Explained 05:50 - Why They Race - Mindset 08:45 - Kyle Positivity Tools 10:12 - Show Up Anyway 13:29 - Dark Days Tools 17:34 - Brent One Step Focus 21:25 - Gratitude in the Body 24:36 - Process Over Outcome 27:44 - Kyle Coaching Brent 31:32 - Brotherhood and Empathy 34:02 - Vulnerability and Faith 41:13 - Business vs Ironman 44:26 - Closing and Subscribe Resources mentioned: Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease's book The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF) — kylepeasefoundation.org IRONMAN World Championship Kennesaw State University — Kyle's alma mater Florida State University — Brent's alma mater Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne in context of emotional states and the "figure eight" Quotes: “ Although you don't know what I go through on a daily basis, it is a struggle, right? I choose to look at my life as I get to do this, I don’t have to do this.” - Kyle Pease “ I would say the hardest thing is that real balance is an illusion. You know, people talk about balance all the time. True balance is knowing when to be all in and what to be all in on.” - Brent Pease “Ironman isn't for everybody. I mean, less than 1% of triathletes set foot on the Ironman in Hawaii. Kyle's done it twice.” - Brent Pease "I look at it as an opportunity to showcase my ability rather than my disability." - Kyle Pease “ I’ve gotten better and better over the years to say, I'm not okay. This doesn't feel good. You know, this is hard.” - Brent Pease “The mind leaves the relationship before, you know, the physical body leaves the relationship.” - Dwayne Kerrigan “ Can you get in the water and just start swimming? Can you do that much? Because you might feel better if you start.” - Brent Pease About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons. Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities. Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/ Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan Facebook Instagram Linked In Website Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

What separates average teams from truly high-performing ones?In this episode, Dwayne Kerrigan breaks down the real mechanics of building high performance teams — from hiring A-players to creating a culture of accountability, coaching, and continuous improvement.Backed by real-world experience across decades in business, Dwayne walks through the systems, frameworks, and leadership mindset shifts required to build teams that don’t just function but thrive.You’ll learn why most hiring processes fail, how to identify true A-players, and why the behavior you tolerate ultimately becomes your company’s standard. Dwayne also dives deep into onboarding, coaching, culture, and the hidden psychological patterns that impact performance — including ego, storytelling, and leadership blind spots.This is not theory, this is a practical blueprint for leaders who want better results through better people.Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Ego And Needs00:39 - Podcast Introduction01:11 - Why Teams Matter03:03 - AI And Future Workforce04:32 - Role Clarity First06:17 - Interview Intensity08:58 - Hiring Process Steps13:58 - Scorecards And Evaluation16:08 - Compensation And Bonuses19:19 - Onboarding With Outcomes22:46 - Episodic Engagement Coaching26:12 - Culture Standards28:53 - Measure And Document SOPs31:19 - My Style Document35:32 - Hunting For A Players36:52 - Traits Of High Performers41:52 - Culture Skill Matrix43:19 - Developing B Players44:52 - Coaching Low Culture Talent46:18 - Managing C Players Fast48:14 - Story Meaning Behavior Model52:17 - Standards Above the Line54:42 - Four Culture Principles57:06 - Team Dysfunctions Breakdown01:00:44 - Q&A Backbenching and Ego01:09:18 - Accountability Without Morale Loss01:14:16 - Moving Players Up the Chart01:18:00 - Leadership Growth and Triggers01:20:57 - Recognizing Base Hits01:24:06 - Closing and DisclaimersKey Takeaways:The Behavior You Tolerate Becomes the StandardHiring A-Players Starts With ClarityAlways Be RecruitingOnboarding Is a Competitive AdvantageCoaching Is Not OptionalMeasure EverythingMost Team Problems Are PsychologicalA, B, and C Players Require Different StrategiesResources Mentioned:Phil Jones – Exactly What to SayRich Divinney – The AttributesPatrick Lencioni – The Five Dysfunctions of a TeamTony Robbins – Human Needs & Triad FrameworkByron Katie – Loving What IsKeith Cunningham – Business MentorshipReferenced Episodes (The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast):Phil Jones episode (sales, communication, and training insights) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/27-exactly-what-to-say-with-phil-m-jones/Rich Divinney episode (attributes + performance under pressure) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/16-transition-tactics-and-building-high-performance-teams-with-former-navy-seal-rich-diviney/Emma Murray episode (performance mindset + A/B game thinking) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/61-breaking-the-b-game-loop-how-top-performers-master-their-mindset-with-emma-murray/ Also these Emma Murray episodes:https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/the-mindset-secret-to-crushing-your-b-game-with-emma-murray/ https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/127-skillset-vs-mindset-the-real-performance-equation-with-emma-murray/ https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/128-critique-over-criticism-emma-murray-on-learning-faster-under-pressure/Quotes:“Everything we do, we do to meet our needs.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“The behavior that you allow in your presence becomes the standards.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“ Keep it simple. Stupid complexity is the enemy of execution.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they’re too heavy to be broken.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“Anything you monitor will get better.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“Progress equals fulfillment.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“Don’t adjust your standards to meet someone’s mediocrity.” - Dwayne KerriganConnect with Dwayne KerriganFacebookInstagramLinked InWebsiteDisclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.