A lot of high-performers know how to win, but far fewer know how to use failure well. And when life gets uncomfortable, the instinct is often to avoid it, rush past it, or pretend it didn’t mean anything.My guest today, Leanda Cave, is a four-time world champion triathlete who’s lived through elite success, personal setbacks, major transition, and a powerful season of self-discovery beyond sport.In this episode, you’ll hear how failure can become one of the greatest forces for growth, why awareness changes everything, and how to redefine high performance in a way that actually serves your life long term.We talk about setbacks, discomfort, relationships, identity, longevity, purpose, and what it looks like to keep evolving when your next chapter asks something different from you.<ul><li>Why being growth ready means being prepared to fail</li><li>How failure can become a gateway instead of a stopping point</li><li>The difference between winning the race and winning the journey</li><li>Why comfort can quietly block growth</li><li>Learning through relationships, patterns, and self-awareness</li><li>The role of awareness in transformation</li><li>Reframing high performance as longevity</li><li>Health as a long-term leadership strategy</li><li>Purpose, philanthropy, and life after elite sport</li><li>Building a meaningful next chapter beyond one identity or lane</li></ul>Links and resources mentioned<ul><li>Instagram: @leandacave</li><li>Instagram: @leandacavecoaching</li><li>Best Buddies</li><li>TEDx talk: Failure Is the Force That Shapes You</li><li>Leanda website: www.leandacave.com</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new">Send us Fan Mail</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support">Support the show</a>Connect with Steve MellorStay connected and keep growing with Steve:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor</li><li>Book Steve to speak at your next event → <a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'>www.stevemellorspeaks.com</a></li><li>Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating →<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'> Apple Podcasts</a> - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163</li></ul>Connect with GrowthReadyJoin the community and keep your growth journey going:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/</li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'>Facebook</a> - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor</li><li><a href='https://growthready.com/'>Official Website</a> - https://growthready.com/</li></ul>----This podcast was produced on <a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'>Riverside</a> and released via <a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'>...</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;A lot of high-performers know how to win, but far fewer know how to use failure well. And when life gets uncomfortable, the instinct is often to avoid it, rush past it, or pretend it didn’t mean anything.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My guest today, Leanda Cave, is a four-time world champion triathlete who’s lived through elite success, personal setbacks, major transition, and a powerful season of self-discovery beyond sport.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, you’ll hear how failure can become one of the greatest forces for growth, why awareness changes everything, and how to redefine high performance in a way that actually serves your life long term.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We talk about setbacks, discomfort, relationships, identity, longevity, purpose, and what it looks like to keep evolving when your next chapter asks something different from you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why being growth ready means being prepared to fail&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How failure can become a gateway instead of a stopping point&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The difference between winning the race and winning the journey&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why comfort can quietly block growth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Learning through relationships, patterns, and self-awareness&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The role of awareness in transformation&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reframing high performance as longevity&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Health as a long-term leadership strategy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Purpose, philanthropy, and life after elite sport&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building a meaningful next chapter beyond one identity or lane&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Links and resources mentioned&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Instagram:&lt;/b&gt; @leandacave&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Instagram:&lt;/b&gt; @leandacavecoaching&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Best Buddies&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;TEDx talk:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;em&gt;Failure Is the Force That Shapes You&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Leanda website: www.leandacave.com&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us Fan Mail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Steve Mellor&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Steve to speak&lt;/b&gt; at your next event → &lt;a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'&gt;www.stevemellorspeaks.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Support the GrowthReady Podcast&lt;/b&gt; by leaving a 5-star rating →&lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'&gt; Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Growth&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ready&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join the community and keep your growth journey going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://growthready.com/'&gt;Official Website&lt;/a&gt; - https://growthready.com/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast was produced on &lt;a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'&gt;Riverside&lt;/a&gt; and released via &lt;a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'&gt;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A lot of high-performers know how to win, but far fewer know how to use failure well. And when life gets uncomfortable, the instinct is often to avoid it, rush past it, or pretend it didn’t mean anything. My guest today, Leanda Cave, is a four-time world champion triathlete who’s lived through elite success, personal setbacks, major transition, and a powerful season of self-discovery beyond sport. In this episode, you’ll hear how failure can become one of the greatest forces for growth, why a...

Episode 315: Failure Is the Benchmark w/ Leanda Cave

What does it really mean to be Growth Ready?In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Joe Smarro for a deeply honest conversation about identity, self-awareness, and the cost of living for everyone else. Joe shares why growth starts with curiosity, why so much of our identity is inherited rather than chosen, and why external validation keeps so many high-performers stuck. Together, they explore the tension between the person we present to the world and the person we sit with in private, and how closing that gap can transform the way we lead, live, and grow.About the guest: Joe Smarro is a speaker, trainer, former Marine, and former police officer who now leads SolutionPoint+, where he and his team teach human behavior, de-escalation, wellness, resilience, and emotional intelligence.Key takeaways:<ul><li>What it means to be “Growth Ready”</li><li>Curiosity, self-awareness, and introspection</li><li>Identity vs. titles and external validation</li><li>The “representative self” vs. the private self</li><li>Why high-performers get stuck in fear and safety</li><li>The cost of denying yourself</li><li>Boundaries, selfishness, and self-worth</li><li>Therapy, healing, and emotional intelligence</li><li>The obituary exercise and legacy</li><li>Aligning your life with what matters most</li></ul>Connect with Joe Smarro<ul><li><a href='https://solutionpointplus.com/'>SolutionPoint+ website</a></li><li><a href='https://a.co/d/05OHRWny'>Joe Smarro’s books on Amazon</a></li><li>Ernie &amp; Joe: Crisis Cops on HBO</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/joesmarro/'>Instagram</a></li><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesmarro/'>LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/joseph.smarro.754'>Facebook</a></li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new">Send us Fan Mail</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support">Support the show</a>Connect with Steve MellorStay connected and keep growing with Steve:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor</li><li>Book Steve to speak at your next event → <a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'>www.stevemellorspeaks.com</a></li><li>Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating →<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'> Apple Podcasts</a> - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163</li></ul>Connect with GrowthReadyJoin the community and keep your growth journey going:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/</li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'>Facebook</a> - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor</li><li><a href='https://growthready.com/'>Official Website</a> - https://growthready.com/</li></ul>----This podcast was produced on <a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'>Riverside</a> and released via <a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'>...</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What does it really mean to be Growth Ready?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Joe Smarro for a deeply honest conversation about identity, self-awareness, and the cost of living for everyone else. Joe shares why growth starts with curiosity, why so much of our identity is inherited rather than chosen, and why external validation keeps so many high-performers stuck. Together, they explore the tension between the person we present to the world and the person we sit with in private, and how closing that gap can transform the way we lead, live, and grow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About the guest:&lt;/b&gt; Joe Smarro is a speaker, trainer, former Marine, and former police officer who now leads &lt;b&gt;SolutionPoint+&lt;/b&gt;, where he and his team teach human behavior, de-escalation, wellness, resilience, and emotional intelligence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key takeaways:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;What it means to be “Growth Ready”&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Curiosity, self-awareness, and introspection&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Identity vs. titles and external validation&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The “representative self” vs. the private self&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why high-performers get stuck in fear and safety&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The cost of denying yourself&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Boundaries, selfishness, and self-worth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Therapy, healing, and emotional intelligence&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The obituary exercise and legacy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Aligning your life with what matters most&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Joe Smarro&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://solutionpointplus.com/'&gt;SolutionPoint+ website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://a.co/d/05OHRWny'&gt;Joe Smarro’s books on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Ernie &amp;amp; Joe: Crisis Cops&lt;/b&gt; on HBO&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/joesmarro/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesmarro/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/joseph.smarro.754'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us Fan Mail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Steve Mellor&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Steve to speak&lt;/b&gt; at your next event → &lt;a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'&gt;www.stevemellorspeaks.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Support the GrowthReady Podcast&lt;/b&gt; by leaving a 5-star rating →&lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'&gt; Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Growth&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ready&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join the community and keep your growth journey going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://growthready.com/'&gt;Official Website&lt;/a&gt; - https://growthready.com/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast was produced on &lt;a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'&gt;Riverside&lt;/a&gt; and released via &lt;a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'&gt;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

What does it really mean to be Growth Ready? In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Joe Smarro for a deeply honest conversation about identity, self-awareness, and the cost of living for everyone else. Joe shares why growth starts with curiosity, why so much of our identity is inherited rather than chosen, and why external validation keeps so many high-performers stuck. Together, they explore the tension between the person we present to the world and the person we sit with in private, a...

Episode 314: Who Are You When No One’s Watching? with Joe Smarro

In this episode, Steve sits down with Samara Bay to unpack what it really means to be “ready” when the stakes are high. Together, they explore the connection between body, mind, and communication—and why so many high-performers flatten their presence by trying to hide fear instead of working with it.Samara explains how public speaking is really about power, permission, and presence. She shares why “readiness” is more of a body-based practice than a mental state, how love-based thinking can shift us out of fight-or-flight, and why the warm-up before any important conversation may be the real work.Key Takeaways:<ul><li>Why readiness is more physical than mental</li><li>The role of body awareness in communication</li><li>Public speaking as a reflection of power and self-trust</li><li>How fear creates a flattened version of us</li><li>Why naming what’s happening in the room builds trust</li><li>The shift from fear-based thinking to love-based communication</li><li>Social evaluative threat and the modern version of fight-or-flight</li><li>Why context matters in every communication moment</li><li>The importance of imagination, curiosity, and play in leadership</li><li>Why warm-ups and rituals matter before big moments</li><li>Missed opportunity as the hidden cost of poor communication</li></ul>Links and Resources Mentioned<ul><li>Permission Inc. — permissioninc.co</li><li>Permissionaries newsletter — available via Samara’s website</li><li>Permission to Speak by Samara Bay</li><li>Upcoming TEDx talk — Samara said it will be shared on her website once released</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new">Send us Fan Mail</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support">Support the show</a>Connect with Steve MellorStay connected and keep growing with Steve:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor</li><li>Book Steve to speak at your next event → <a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'>www.stevemellorspeaks.com</a></li><li>Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating →<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'> Apple Podcasts</a> - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163</li></ul>Connect with GrowthReadyJoin the community and keep your growth journey going:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/</li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'>Facebook</a> - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor</li><li><a href='https://growthready.com/'>Official Website</a> - https://growthready.com/</li></ul>----This podcast was produced on <a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'>Riverside</a> and released via <a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'>...</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Steve sits down with Samara Bay to unpack what it really means to be “ready” when the stakes are high. Together, they explore the connection between body, mind, and communication—and why so many high-performers flatten their presence by trying to hide fear instead of working with it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Samara explains how public speaking is really about power, permission, and presence. She shares why “readiness” is more of a body-based practice than a mental state, how love-based thinking can shift us out of fight-or-flight, and why the warm-up before any important conversation may be the real work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key Takeaways:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why readiness is more physical than mental&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The role of body awareness in communication&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Public speaking as a reflection of power and self-trust&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How fear creates a flattened version of us&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why naming what’s happening in the room builds trust&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The shift from fear-based thinking to love-based communication&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Social evaluative threat and the modern version of fight-or-flight&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why context matters in every communication moment&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The importance of imagination, curiosity, and play in leadership&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why warm-ups and rituals matter before big moments&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Missed opportunity as the hidden cost of poor communication&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Links and Resources Mentioned&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Permission Inc. — permissioninc.co&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Permissionaries newsletter — available via Samara’s website&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Permission to Speak by Samara Bay&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Upcoming TEDx talk — Samara said it will be shared on her website once released&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us Fan Mail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Steve Mellor&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Steve to speak&lt;/b&gt; at your next event → &lt;a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'&gt;www.stevemellorspeaks.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Support the GrowthReady Podcast&lt;/b&gt; by leaving a 5-star rating →&lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'&gt; Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Growth&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ready&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join the community and keep your growth journey going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://growthready.com/'&gt;Official Website&lt;/a&gt; - https://growthready.com/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast was produced on &lt;a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'&gt;Riverside&lt;/a&gt; and released via &lt;a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'&gt;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, Steve sits down with Samara Bay to unpack what it really means to be “ready” when the stakes are high. Together, they explore the connection between body, mind, and communication—and why so many high-performers flatten their presence by trying to hide fear instead of working with it. Samara explains how public speaking is really about power, permission, and presence. She shares why “readiness” is more of a body-based practice than a mental state, how love-based thinking can s...

Episode 313: Own the Room in Your Next High-Stakes Moment even If You Don’t Feel Ready w/ Samara Bay

About the guest: Megan Torrance is a workplace learning and development leader who helps organizations create better systems for growth, performance, and skill development. In this conversation, she brings together practical insight from her work in learning design, her perspective on AI as an augmentation tool, and her own lived experience as an athlete, coach-supported leader, and endurance hiker.About the episode: In this episode, Steve sits down with Megan Torrance to unpack what it really means to be growth ready. Megan reframes growth as what we learn from a leap, not just the leap itself, and explains why readiness is less about feeling fully prepared and more about having the mindset, tools, support, and willingness to step into the next challenge anyway.Megan shares how real growth happens when people are clear on the goal, supported with the right systems, and willing to reflect in the middle of discomfort.Key topics and themes discussed<ul><li>What “growth ready” really means</li><li>Why growth comes from learning through the leap</li><li>The difference between being a teacher and teaching</li><li>Why workplace learning should focus on performance, not completion</li><li>Reflection as a critical part of the learning loop</li><li>The role of AI in personalized learning and leadership development</li><li>Readiness, uncertainty, and the “gulp” before the next challenge</li><li>Building systems that make the next right action easier</li><li>Curiosity as a driver of long-term growth</li><li>Expanding capacity inside and outside of work</li><li>Lessons from ice hockey, coaching, and endurance hiking</li></ul>Resources mentioned<ul><li>Megan Torrance on LinkedIn</li><li>Torrance Learning — torrancelearning.com</li><li>AI Implementation Guide for L&amp;D by Megan Torrance</li><li>Khan Academy</li><li>MagicSchool</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new">Send us Fan Mail</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support">Support the show</a>Connect with Steve MellorStay connected and keep growing with Steve:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor</li><li>Book Steve to speak at your next event → <a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'>www.stevemellorspeaks.com</a></li><li>Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating →<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'> Apple Podcasts</a> - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163</li></ul>Connect with GrowthReadyJoin the community and keep your growth journey going:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/</li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'>Facebook</a> - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor</li><li><a href='https://growthready.com/'>Official Website</a> - https://growthready.com/</li></ul>----This podcast was produced on <a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'>Riverside</a> and released via <a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'>...</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About the guest: &lt;/b&gt;Megan Torrance is a workplace learning and development leader who helps organizations create better systems for growth, performance, and skill development. In this conversation, she brings together practical insight from her work in learning design, her perspective on AI as an augmentation tool, and her own lived experience as an athlete, coach-supported leader, and endurance hiker.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About the episode:&lt;/b&gt; In this episode, Steve sits down with Megan Torrance to unpack what it really means to be growth ready. Megan reframes growth as what we learn from a leap, not just the leap itself, and explains why readiness is less about feeling fully prepared and more about having the mindset, tools, support, and willingness to step into the next challenge anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Megan shares how real growth happens when people are clear on the goal, supported with the right systems, and willing to reflect in the middle of discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key topics and themes discussed&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;What “growth ready” really means&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why growth comes from learning through the leap&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The difference between being a teacher and teaching&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why workplace learning should focus on performance, not completion&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reflection as a critical part of the learning loop&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The role of AI in personalized learning and leadership development&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Readiness, uncertainty, and the “gulp” before the next challenge&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building systems that make the next right action easier&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Curiosity as a driver of long-term growth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Expanding capacity inside and outside of work&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lessons from ice hockey, coaching, and endurance hiking&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Resources mentioned&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Megan Torrance on LinkedIn&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Torrance Learning — torrancelearning.com&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;AI Implementation Guide for L&amp;amp;D&lt;/em&gt; by Megan Torrance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Khan Academy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;MagicSchool&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us Fan Mail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Steve Mellor&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Steve to speak&lt;/b&gt; at your next event → &lt;a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'&gt;www.stevemellorspeaks.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Support the GrowthReady Podcast&lt;/b&gt; by leaving a 5-star rating →&lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'&gt; Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Growth&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ready&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join the community and keep your growth journey going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://growthready.com/'&gt;Official Website&lt;/a&gt; - https://growthready.com/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast was produced on &lt;a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'&gt;Riverside&lt;/a&gt; and released via &lt;a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'&gt;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

About the guest: Megan Torrance is a workplace learning and development leader who helps organizations create better systems for growth, performance, and skill development. In this conversation, she brings together practical insight from her work in learning design, her perspective on AI as an augmentation tool, and her own lived experience as an athlete, coach-supported leader, and endurance hiker. About the episode: In this episode, Steve sits down with Megan Torrance to unpack what it real...

Episode 312: Growth Is What You Learn From the Leap w/ Megan Torrance - Readiness, AI, and Leadership

About the guest: Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, where she has spent the last decade helping organizations grow through strong people strategy, culture, and leadership. She came into the business from the nonprofit world, openly admits she did not start out loving HR, and has grown into a values-driven leader known for vulnerability, execution, collaboration, and people-first leadership.About the episode: In this conversation, Steve sits down with Meghan to unpack what it really means to be “growth ready.” Megan shares why vulnerability is not weakness, but a leadership advantage, especially when you’re scaling a company, building culture, navigating succession, leading hard conversations, and raising a family at the same time. For founders, executives, and high-performers, this episode is a practical reminder that sustainable growth starts with values, trust, and the courage to ask for help.Key Takeaways:<ul><li>Why vulnerability is essential for personal and professional growth</li><li>Megan’s journey from nonprofit leadership into HR and people operations</li><li>The partnership between Megan and founder Marsha O’Connor</li><li>How hard conversations strengthen leadership tandems</li><li>Protecting company culture during growth</li><li>Why “teammate” matters more than “employee”</li><li>Women in leadership, motherhood, and asking for help</li><li>The tension between saying yes, learning fast, and avoiding overwhelm</li><li>Building new service lines without losing core values</li><li>Why relationships are a true growth lever</li><li>Creating communities that support female leaders and entrepreneurs</li></ul>Links and resources mentioned:<ul><li>The O’Connor Group: www.tocgrp.com</li><li>The O’Connor Group on LinkedIn</li><li>57th Street Partners </li><li>Shadow Her</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new">Send us Fan Mail</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support">Support the show</a>Connect with Steve MellorStay connected and keep growing with Steve:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor</li><li>Book Steve to speak at your next event → <a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'>www.stevemellorspeaks.com</a></li><li>Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating →<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'> Apple Podcasts</a> - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163</li></ul>Connect with GrowthReadyJoin the community and keep your growth journey going:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'>LinkedIn</a> - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/</li><li><a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'>Instagram</a> - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/</li><li><a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'>Facebook</a> - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor</li><li><a href='https://growthready.com/'>Official Website</a> - https://growthready.com/</li></ul>----This podcast was produced on <a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'>Riverside</a> and released via <a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'>...</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About the guest: &lt;/b&gt;Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, where she has spent the last decade helping organizations grow through strong people strategy, culture, and leadership. She came into the business from the nonprofit world, openly admits she did not start out loving HR, and has grown into a values-driven leader known for vulnerability, execution, collaboration, and people-first leadership.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About the episode:&lt;/b&gt; In this conversation, Steve sits down with Meghan to unpack what it really means to be “growth ready.” Megan shares why vulnerability is not weakness, but a leadership advantage, especially when you’re scaling a company, building culture, navigating succession, leading hard conversations, and raising a family at the same time. For founders, executives, and high-performers, this episode is a practical reminder that sustainable growth starts with values, trust, and the courage to ask for help.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key Takeaways:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why vulnerability is essential for personal and professional growth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Megan’s journey from nonprofit leadership into HR and people operations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The partnership between Megan and founder Marsha O’Connor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How hard conversations strengthen leadership tandems&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Protecting company culture during growth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why “teammate” matters more than “employee”&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Women in leadership, motherhood, and asking for help&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The tension between saying yes, learning fast, and avoiding overwhelm&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building new service lines without losing core values&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why relationships are a true growth lever&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Creating communities that support female leaders and entrepreneurs&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Links and resources mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;The O’Connor Group:&lt;/b&gt; www.tocgrp.com&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;The O’Connor Group on LinkedIn&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;57th Street Partners&lt;/b&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Shadow Her&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us Fan Mail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1986480/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Steve Mellor&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Steve to speak&lt;/b&gt; at your next event → &lt;a href='https://www.stevemellorspeaks.com/'&gt;www.stevemellorspeaks.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Support the GrowthReady Podcast&lt;/b&gt; by leaving a 5-star rating →&lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163'&gt; Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Connect with Growth&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ready&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join the community and keep your growth journey going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor'&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://growthready.com/'&gt;Official Website&lt;/a&gt; - https://growthready.com/&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast was produced on &lt;a href='https://riverside.sjv.io/QjdaMo'&gt;Riverside&lt;/a&gt; and released via &lt;a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1968998'&gt;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

About the guest: Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, where she has spent the last decade helping organizations grow through strong people strategy, culture, and leadership. She came into the business from the nonprofit world, openly admits she did not start out loving HR, and has grown into a values-driven leader known for vulnerability, execution, collaboration, and people-first leadership. About the episode: In this conversation, Steve sits down with Meghan to unpack what...

Episode 311: Build a High-Trust Team - Even If Growth Is Testing Your Culture w/ Meghan Popoleo

What does it mean to be ready to pursue growth?Should we pursue growth when we don't feel ready?&nbsp;And how do we achieve optimal growth by readying ourselves for everything that comes with it?&nbsp; The GrowthReady Podcast seeks to form a true appreciation for all facets of the growth process as we learn from high performers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.&nbsp; Hosted by Steve Mellor, a seasoned high-performance executive coach and former US Olympic swim coach, each episode explores the pivotal moments that define true growth and the work that went into getting ready for it.&nbsp; Through candid conversation and detailed personal accounts, guests share their unique experiences of overcoming challenges, embracing transformation, and what it takes to get ready for every step of their growth journey.

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