The Leaders' Arena Podcast

"All my friends are at a lacrosse tournament in Ocean City and I'm sitting here setting up a Microsoft Link server with Jordan."That one line from Mason Viener tells you everything you need to know about what it actually looks like to grow up inside a family business.Not the highlight reel. The Saturday mornings. The summer breaks. The years you don't fully understand what's being built around you, until one day you do.Mason and Jordan Viener sat down with me on The Leaders' Arena Podcast to talk about their father Wayne, who started VienerX in 1991, and what it really meant to be raised inside an entrepreneurial household with two business-owning parents who poured everything they had into their kids, their companies and their craft.Check out VienerX at VienerX.com and follow them on all platforms at @VIENERX.Listen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeThe Leaders’ Arena Podcast is produced by The FreeMind GroupSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Mason and Jordan Viener grew up watching their father Wayne build an IT firm from the ground up in 1991. Now they're running it themselves, and the company looks nothing like it did then.In this episode of The Leaders' Arena Podcast, Nate Fochtman sits down with the brothers behind VienerX, an industry-agnostic enterprise technology management firm serving multi-location brands across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. We get into what it was really like growing up in an entrepreneurial household, the unglamorous truth about IT infrastructure, why bad processes get worse when you add software, and why Jordan thinks AI might be doing more harm than good.No script. No agenda. Just two guys who were setting up computers over summer break while their friends were at lacrosse tournaments, talking about what it actually takes to build something worth handing down.Topics covered:Wayne Viener's origin story: from CPA to IT pioneerWhat it's like growing up with two entrepreneurial parentsWhy IT is the foundation of every business, not just a cost centerMulti-location brand consistency and the tech behind itAI, hallucinations, and why "I don't know" is more valuable than a confident wrong answerData strategy before dashboards: what most companies skipWhy software amplifies bad processes instead of fixing themCheck out VienerX at VienerX.com and follow them on all platforms at @VIENERX.Listen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeThe Leaders’ Arena Podcast is produced by The FreeMind GroupSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

In our latest episode of The Leaders' Arena Podcast, Rob Tracz MS, CSCS joins Clifford Starks and I for a raw conversation on what it actually takes to scale without losing your soul in the process.Rob shared his powerful transition from the world of elite strength coaching to high-performance strategy. We talked about "robot mode" - that state where you’re financially successful but completely disconnected from your family, your health and yourself.If you’re a founder feeling the weight, this one is for you - TheLeadersArenaPodcast.comConnect with Rob Tracz:Website: RobTracz.comListen to Surviving the Side Hustle Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch Surviving the Side Hustle Podcast | Subscribe to Surviving the Side Hustle on YouTubeListen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeThe Leaders’ Arena Podcast is produced by The FreeMind GroupSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

High performance often comes at a high price. In this episode of The Leaders' Arena, hosts Clifford Starks and Nate Fochtman sit down with Rob Tracz, a former strength and conditioning coach turned high-performance strategist.Rob opens up about his journey from "robot mode,” working 16-hour days and losing touch with his family - to the wake-up call of losing his father to cancer. We dive deep into the "rugby mentality" of leaving it all on the field, the transition from side hustle to CEO, and why the ultimate goal of business isn't just money - it's connection and freedom.In this episode, we discuss:The danger of staying in "robot mode" for too long.Why you must connect with yourself before you can lead others.The unique camaraderie of rugby and what it teaches about vulnerability.Reality checks for anyone looking to quit their job for entrepreneurship.How to stop people-pleasing and start setting firm boundaries.Connect with Rob Tracz:Website: RobTracz.comListen to Surviving the Side Hustle Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to Surviving the Side Hustle on YouTubeListen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeThe Leaders’ Arena Podcast is produced by The FreeMind GroupSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

The glory of business isn't found in your bank account - it is found in the autonomy and agency you gain over your life. In this clip from The Leaders' Arena Podcast, we discuss why shifting your mission from profit to freedom changes everything. Nate Fochtman & Clifford Starks break down the importance of the "becoming" process and why the ultimate game is about connection: with yourself, with others and through the experiences you create.Listen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

We all love a good vision board, but putting a picture on a wall doesn't magically turn you into the person capable of sustaining that reality.There is a massive gap between identifying what you want and actually becoming the leader, founder or parent who can execute it.This was a powerful conversation from a recent episode of The Leaders' Arena Podcast with Leonne Sherr and Clifford Starks.Here is the hard truth from the episode about personal growth and leadership development: it is an inside job first. It happens completely out of sight. You have to build the internal infrastructure before the external reality ever shifts.If you are frustrated that your outside world doesn't match your goals yet, this is a must-read.- Why sustainable success and mindset shifts can't be hacked.- How to build the exact tools you need when the market (or your current season of life) doesn't provide them.- Why the internal problems you solve today become the exact playbook someone else needs tomorrow.Stop waiting to be saved and start building. Listen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

I failed at getting sober. A lot.We always tell people, "Don't be afraid to fail," but we rarely talk about what failure actually looks like in practice. On a recent episode of The Leaders' Arena Podcast, I sat down with someone who has seen my failures and successes firsthand: Coach Rick Hendrickson.I’ve known Coach since I was seven years old in Berkeley Springs, WV. He was my high school wrestling coach, later my boss for many years and ultimately, family.During this episode, we talked about my journey to hitting three years of sobriety. The reality is, getting to this point required a massive amount of "shedding." Shedding old mindsets, old habits and sometimes, shedding people. Not to place blame, I own my decisions, but because resetting your life requires absolute accountability.It also required doing the hard, uncomfortable work. After going through five different therapists, I finally found one who was a recovering alcoholic. We did immersion therapy. I would go sit at a bar, order a beer, stare at it and actively force myself to confront every negative thing it had caused in my life.It rewired my brain so completely that recently, when I had to taste a single drop of a cocktail recipe for a client, my brain registered it as rubbing alcohol.Sobriety isn't just about stopping. It's about completely clicking your mind into a different place.I am incredibly grateful to Coach for being a mentor through the years of false starts, so I could finally get to the finish line.Listen to The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsWatch The Leaders’ Arena Podcast | Subscribe to The FreeMind Group on YouTubeSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Are you trying to build an online business using someone else's blueprint? In this clip from The Leaders' Arena Podcast, Ted McLyman explains why the "one size fits all" approach to business often fails. If a strategy goes against your natural wiring and temperament, it will not work for you. Discover why you need to stop forcing yourself into lockstep formulas and start designing a "one size fits me" hybrid approach that is efficient, effective, and tailored to your personal strengths. The outcome is what matters, not how you get there.Check out TedMcLyman.comFull story available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Wherever You PodcastSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

"We spend our whole lives trying to climb the ladder, only to find it’s leaning against the wrong wall."In this episode of The Leaders’ Arena, Nate Fochtman and Clifford Starks sit down with retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and behavioral finance expert Ted McLyman. If you’ve ever felt like traditional financial planning doesn’t "fit" you, there’s a biological reason for that.Ted breaks down why information isn’t knowledge, why your "money temperament" is hardwired, and why most gurus are lying to you about one-size-fits-all success.What we discuss:- The "Pathfinder" vs. The "Maintainer": Why some founders are wired to fix and others are wired to manage. - Biology vs. Bank Statements: Why your ancient brain isn't designed for a digital economy. - The "Lies" of 2008 & 2026: Navigating a crashing job market by creating your own LLC. - The 15% Rule: How to identify if you are actually wired for the "guru" program you just bought. Connect with Ted:Website: TedMcLyman.com Book: Confessions of a Reformed Financial AdvisorCheck out TheLeadersArenaPodcast.com for more stories or Wherever You Podcast: Spotify, Apple, etcSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

What actually changes a person: motivation, or pattern recognition?In this episode of The Leaders’ Arena Podcast, I’m joined by my co-host Clifford Starks and our guest Deevo The Storyteller (Chief Experience Officer, Storyteller) for a real, unscripted conversation about what happens when life forces a mirror in front of you and you choose to look.We get into:Why most “decisions” are unconscious and how that runs your relationships, money and leadershipTrauma, shame, guilt and what it takes to rebuild your identity instead of repeating the loopThe difference between “being transparent” vs. showing up with integrity and reading the roomStorytelling as the oldest technology for connection and why your story matters even if you “just sell widgets”How Deevo uses diagnostics, values work and structured reflection to help founders at inflection pointsGratitude as a discipline, not a vibe and why perspective is the real power moveCo-parenting, divorce and the uncomfortable truth: some chapters end so the next one can startNo script. No agenda. Just three men trying to tell the truth about the work.Connect with Deevo: thebrandstoryteller.com Follow / Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, mindset, resilience and building a life you can actually live inside of.Check out TheLeadersArenaPodcast.com for more information.Support the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

What if the reason you keep “knowing what to do” but still can’t follow through… isn’t discipline?In this episode, we sit down with Quentin McCain, co-owner of The Leaders Edge and a subconscious mindset coach who works with leaders on anxiety, productivity, high performance, limiting beliefs, and the deeper root issues that keep people stuck.We get into the difference between the conscious mind (the goal-setter) and the subconscious mind (the goal-getter), why talk-only change can plateau and what happens when you remove the belief that growth has to be hard.This conversation also turns into something bigger than mindset work:Building trust with strangers in real timeWhy presence is disappearing in modern lifeThe “lone wolf” myth in leadership and what changes when you build with a partnerQuentin’s path from the Arizona Burn Center to coaching leaders worldwideWhat community looks like in Brazil, and what we’ve lost in the U.S.If you’re a founder, operator, executive, or simply someone trying to build a better life with less noise and more clarity, this one will land.Check out Quentin's story at TheLeadersArenaPodcast.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Wherever You Podcast.Support the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Most people are waiting.Waiting for the right moment.Waiting for less stress.Waiting for someone to show up and fix it.But here’s the truth:Nobody’s coming.In this episode of The Leaders’ Arena Podcast, Clifford Starks sits down with leadership coach and parenting strategist Leonne Sherr to unpack the real work of leadership - the internal work most people avoid.This conversation goes deep into:Why reacting is costing leaders, parents, and founders everythingHow “B → Do → Have” changes behavior permanentlyWhy clarity, alignment, and responsibility always come firstHow small daily shifts create generational changeWhy leadership starts at home — and inside youThis isn’t about hustle.It’s not about doing more.It’s about becoming the person who can respond under pressure.If you’re a parent, founder, leader, or human trying to navigate chaos with confidence - this episode is for you.Watch. Reflect. Start today.Support the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

This episode is personal.Rick Hendrickson isn’t a stranger to me. He’s my high school wrestling coach, a lifelong mentor, and one of the biggest reasons I understand what leadership actually looks like when no one’s watching.We talk about what it means to be a man in 2025 without the performative nonsense. We get into emotional intelligence, accountability, and the reality that there is no neutral in how you show up in the world: you’re either contributing or you’re contaminating.Coach shares his story from growing up in Grafton, West Virginia, to building a life in education, athletics, and mentorship - plus the behind-the-scenes truth of how he ended up in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia and later helped build Mercesburg Adventure Camps into a real business engine rooted in people, standards, and culture.We also talk about my 3-year sobriety milestone and what it looks like to lose your direction, fall off the bridge, and come back with your life intact - without blaming anyone else.If you care about leadership, coaching, education, or just becoming the kind of person people can count on, this one’s for you.Subscribe for more conversations with founders, leaders, operators, and people who’ve lived the lessons.Support the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Most people think entrepreneurship is about strategy, hustle, and execution.It’s not.It’s negotiation.With people.With systems.And most of all, with yourself.In this episode of The Leaders Arena, former UFC & Bellator Fighter Clifford Starks and Nate Fochtman go deep into the realities founders don’t talk about: survival mode, self-inventory, over-ownership, addiction in all its forms, leadership embodiment, and why most people avoid the internal work until life forces them to stop.We talk about why stepping into the arena is always harder than expected, how society tells people what to do instead of asking what they want, and why failure, discomfort, and aggressive mistakes are often the fastest teachers. We unpack parenting, mentorship, hiring, negotiation, abundance mindset, and the danger of confusing external validation for internal alignment.This conversation also marks the announcement of Nate’s new founder and executive coaching program - built for operators who are tired of chaos, fire drills, and carrying everything in their head, and ready to turn vision into systems that actually work.If you’re building something, leading people, recovering yourself, or questioning the path you’re on - this one will hit.Recorded for founders, leaders, and people who are done running from the mirror.More Stories at TheLeadersArenaPodcast.comSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Today’s episode of The Leaders’ Arena is all about leadership under pressure.Clifford Starks and I dive into what it actually means to stand firm when the ground shifts beneath you. We talk about internal alignment, personal development, and the difference between reacting to the world and responding with intention. Clifford brings his perspective as a coach and former UFC fighter, and I bring two decades of navigating highly regulated, constantly shifting industries.We cover resilience, owning your voice, serving the right audience, staying small and nimble when the world expects you to play it safe, and why the underdog mentality has shaped both of us. We get into setbacks, identity, self-ownership, and the real work of becoming someone who can hold steady in the middle of uncertainty.This conversation wasn’t planned. A guest canceled, we turned the mics on, and something real came out - an unscripted discussion between two people who know what it feels like to adapt, pivot, and stay rooted while the pressure builds.If you’re a leader, a founder, or someone trying to grow through the noise, this episode will resonate.Support the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

We dive deep with the brilliant Timothy Morgan, founder of Giver Marketing Network, who functions as a Fractional CMO and helps causes and companies amplify their purpose. Timothy and the hosts (Nate Fochtman and Clifford Starks) break down why authenticity and human connection are the only way to win in modern business.We hit on why relying on a perfect script is failing you, how to craft an authentic origin story (Background + Aha Moment), and the two core steps every solopreneur needs to make a massive impact. Nate shares a powerful, emotional story about why the idea of the "self-made millionaire" is entirely false, and Timothy reveals his essential formula for true leadership: Responsibility + Influence.If you feel stuck, lost your purpose, or are just tired of trying to do it all yourself, this is the episode you need right now.In this Episode:Timothy's "lonelypreneur" aha moment and the founding of Giver Marketing Network.The two-step formula for creating an authentic origin story that converts.Why the Giver Marketing Network focuses on mission-driven companies.Timothy's essential new definition of leadership: Responsibility + Influence.The core principle of success: Find Your Superpower and Find Your Team.Nate Fochtman's emotional realization about EGO and the myth of doing it alone.Connect with Timothy Morgan and get his new book, Jade: givermarketing.com/jadeConnect with Clifford StarksLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clifford-starksCompany: The Fighter's Formula - TheFightersFormula.comConnect with Nate FochtmanLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natefochtmanCompany: The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.comSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com

Is the robot takeover coming for sales? Daniel Johnson, Founder of Sovereign Sales Agency, argues that the order taker is obsolete, but the true problem-solver is irreplaceable. In this powerful episode of The Leader's Arena, Daniel dives deep into why most B2B sales teams are failing and why they need to stop relying on tech stacks to fix fundamental communication issues.Daniel reveals the secret to closing high-stakes deals: it’s not about a fancy pitch; it’s about strategic empathy and mastering the basics. Learn why great salespeople are often former athletes 3, how to use "uncomfortable questions" to uncover a client's core pain, and why the most critical sales skill today is simply learning how to be a human being again.We discuss the clear difference between virtual and in-person sales - why the gravitas and non-verbal cues of a live conversation can’t be replicated on a video call. Daniel explains that your entire journey, your personality, and even your personal style are your greatest assets in business and in life. It's time to ditch the scripts, embrace the fundamental human connection, and build a resilient career that AI simply cannot touch.Connect with Daniel JohnsonLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sales-leaderCompany: Sovereign Sales Agency - ​​SovereignSalesAgency.comConnect with Clifford StarksLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clifford-starksCompany: Starks Enterprises - TheFightersFormula.comConnect with Nate FochtmanLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natefochtmanCompany: The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.comSupport the showProduced By The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com