The jump from $250 million to $2 billion in revenue doesn't happen overnight. Over 25 years, John Burke transformed Trek Bikes into a global powerhouse — one mom-and-pop bike store at a time.

The key to John's success is simple but powerful. Create value for others first, and you too shall be rewarded. 

John and I discuss why the best way to win isn't to focus on "winning," but to focus on "play," and how the principles of The Infinite Game have guided his leadership. And he tells me why creative leadership is exactly what's missing in American government.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

To learn more about John and his work, check out:

his book, A Bold Plan For America

TrekBikes.com

The jump from $250 million to $2 billion in revenue doesn't happen overnight. Over 25 years, John Burke transformed Trek Bikes into a global powerhouse — one mom-and-pop bike store at a time. The key to John's success is simple but powerful. Create value for others first, and you too shall be rewarded. 
John and I discuss why the best way to win isn't to focus on "winning," but to focus on "play," and how the principles of The Infinite Game have guided his leadership. And he tells me why creative leadership is exactly what's missing in American government. This...is A Bit of Optimism.
To learn more about John and his work, check out:
his book, <a href="https://aboldplan.com/">A Bold Plan For America</a>
<a href="https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/">TrekBikes.com</a>

Hi listeners! A Bit of Optimism will be on hiatus through August 2024. We'll be back with more episodes in September!

The future is always bright…if you know where to look. Join me each week for A Bit of Optimism - I talk to inspiring people who teach me more about life, leadership and general interesting things.

Hi listeners! A Bit of Optimism will be on hiatus through August 2024. We'll be back with more episodes in September!
The future is always bright…if you know where to look. Join me each week for A Bit of Optimism - I talk to inspiring people who teach me more about life, leadership and general interesting things.

A Bit of Optimism

The Ultimate Infinite-Minded CEO with Trek Bicycle CEO John Burke

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/519a3010-1bb6-4359-a911-b17d00112323/transcript

Business and poetry usually don't mix. But vulnerability has the power to bring teams together.

Poet IN-Q has found an unlikely audience in business. A slam poetry veteran and accomplished songwriter, companies invite IN-Q to help strengthen their cultures. He works with teams to connect on a deeper level, using poetry to share something human. As he'll tell you, winning over crowds of skeptical businesspeople is an art. 

In this conversation, IN-Q takes me through a powerful exercise in vulnerability. He shares some deeply personal poems and walks me through writing my own, and I learn that to truly connect with someone else, you must offer something of yourself first.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

To learn more about IN-Q and his work, check out:

The Never Ending Now poetry journal

IN-Q.com

Business and poetry usually don't mix. But vulnerability has the power to bring teams together. Poet IN-Q has found an unlikely audience in business. A slam poetry veteran and accomplished songwriter, companies invite IN-Q to help strengthen their cultures. He works with teams to connect on a deeper level, using poetry to share something human. As he'll tell you, winning over crowds of skeptical businesspeople is an art. 
In this conversation, IN-Q takes me through a powerful exercise in vulnerability. He shares some deeply personal poems and walks me through writing my own, and I learn that to truly connect with someone else, you must offer something of yourself first.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
To learn more about IN-Q and his work, check out:
<a href="https://www.in-q.com/the-never-ending-now-poetry-journal">The Never Ending Now poetry journal</a>
<a href="https://www.in-q.com/">IN-Q.com</a>

Creativity Is Connection with poet IN-Q

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/74127219-1475-433d-b18b-b1c40037aaeb/transcript

Our sense of smell has the deepest tie to emotion and memory. But it's also the most overlooked. In business, that's a giant missed opportunity.

Dawn Goldworm knows how to use scent to evoke emotion and create loyalty. From Lady Gaga to Ferrari to books, Dawn designs signature fragrances that allow customers to connect with brands in a more meaningful way. A perfumer turned entrepreneur, her company 12.29 works with some of the biggest names in hospitality, fashion, automotive, and beyond.

Many years ago, Dawn helped me create the Scent of Optimism. I was excited to talk with her about what it takes to compose a new smell from scratch and why smell has the unique ability to make a brand instantly memorable.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

To learn more about Dawn and her work, check out:

12.29

Our sense of smell has the deepest tie to emotion and memory. But it's also the most overlooked. In business, that's a giant missed opportunity.
Dawn Goldworm knows how to use scent to evoke emotion and create loyalty. From Lady Gaga to Ferrari to books, Dawn designs signature fragrances that allow customers to connect with brands in a more meaningful way. A perfumer turned entrepreneur, her company 12.29 works with some of the biggest names in hospitality, fashion, automotive, and beyond. Many years ago, Dawn helped me create the Scent of Optimism. I was excited to talk with her about what it takes to compose a new smell from scratch and why smell has the unique ability to make a brand instantly memorable. This...is A Bit of Optimism.
To learn more about Dawn and her work, check out:
<a href="https://1229scent.com/">12.29</a>

The Smell of Memory with scent designer Dawn Goldworm

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e73929e0-1cdf-4586-90d7-b1bc01892c5f/transcript

Fierce competition can lead to burnout. How do we train ourselves to maintain excellence without giving in to the pressure to perform?

High-performance psychologist Mike Gervais has a solution. He calls it mastery. Mike's approach to mastering our thoughts and emotions has helped Olympians win gold medals, the Seattle Seahawks win the Superbowl, and CEOs take their companies to the next level.

Mike and I sat down to discuss the psychological tools to fine-tune our inner voices and why focusing on purpose instead of outcome empowers us to accomplish difficult things.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.



To learn more about Mike's work, check out his podcast:

Finding Mastery

Fierce competition can lead to burnout. How do we train ourselves to maintain excellence without giving in to the pressure to perform?
High-performance psychologist Mike Gervais has a solution. He calls it mastery. Mike's approach to mastering our thoughts and emotions has helped Olympians win gold medals, the Seattle Seahawks win the Superbowl, and CEOs take their companies to the next level.
Mike and I sat down to discuss the psychological tools to fine-tune our inner voices and why focusing on purpose instead of outcome empowers us to accomplish difficult things. This...is A Bit of Optimism. 
To learn more about Mike's work, check out his podcast: <a href="https://findingmastery.com/podcast-start/">Finding Mastery</a>

Mastery is an Infinite Game with performance psychologist Mike Gervais

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7eff2178-6cb7-4596-923f-b1b60011500b/transcript

The Ultimate Infinite-Minded CEO with Trek Bicycle CEO John Burke

A Bit of Optimism

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