The Courageous Podcast with Ryan Berman

Blake Mycoskie built TOMS into a global phenomenon, gave away more than 100 million pairs of shoes, and helped redefine what it meant for business to be a force for good. But beneath all that success was a belief he couldn’t outrun: that he was never enough. After selling TOMS, Blake fell into a profound depression that forced him to confront just how far his life had drifted from who he really was. In this deeply personal conversation with Ryan, Blake opens up about the shame that kept him isolated, the moment he finally admitted he needed help, and why radical honesty became the beginning of finding his way back to himself. He also shares why a group of longtime friends became his greatest “insurance policy,” how he’s approaching entrepreneurship differently at 50, and the thinking behind his new ENOUGH movement and No Magic Pill podcast. Plus, Blake explains why some of the most courageous work we can do is examine where our lives have fallen out of alignment with our values—and actually do something about it.

What happens when you reach the top of the mountain and realize there’s still more of yourself to discover? Ahmet Bozer spent 25 years at The Coca-Cola Company, eventually becoming President of Coca-Cola International, overseeing operations across more than 200 countries and roughly $80 billion in retail revenue. But his next chapter turned inward. In this conversation with Ryan, Ahmet shares what leading across vastly different cultures taught him about the things people have in common, how he learned to reset after difficult moments rather than carry them into the next meeting, and why the most important person any leader will ever learn to lead is themselves. They also dig into the idea behind his new book, Soulgery, and why Ahmet believes our thoughts, emotions, and everyday patterns can either trap our potential or help unlock it.

Suffer from achievement addiction? It’s a real thing. When accomplishment becomes the drug and slowing down feels threatening because it forces you to sit with yourself you might be in it. Mandy Balak knows the feeling. She was succeeding on the outside while quietly running on empty. As a three-time founder, she led a growing team, and collected plenty of accolades all while navigating the loss of her father, and a pattern of pushing through everything alone. Now, as President of The Gathering and author of new book Chasing Enough, Mandy is challenging high achievers to rethink what sustainable success looks like. In this conversation with Ryan, she opens up about how childhood patterns can quietly follow us into our careers, and the wake-up call that finally forced her to stop and look inward. Mandy also breaks down the difference between a “chasing leader” and a “choosing leader,” and the simple question that can reveal what’s really driving you.

This week, Ryan Berman is turning the Courageous Podcast toward a different kind of challenge: raising courageous kids. Fresh off a back-to-school appearance on KTLA, Ryan shares the full segment and expands on why curiosity can be one of the best ways to help kids navigate fear, anxiety, and unfamiliar situations. He talks about resisting the urge to rescue kids from discomfort, building confidence through small acts of courage, and the simple formula he tries to follow as a dad: attention + belief. Plus, Ryan shares why courage is a muscle kids can strengthen over time and a simple question for every parent to consider: when you walk into the room, are your kids gaining energy from you?

Dr. Shirley M. Collado knows firsthand how transformative an education can be. The daughter of Dominican immigrants who grew up in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood, she became the first in her family to attend college and eventually made history as the first Dominican American to serve as president of a four-year college in the United States. Now, as President and CEO of College Track, she’s taking on an even bigger challenge: making sure a student’s zip code, family income, or access to resources doesn’t determine how far their talent can take them. In this conversation, Ryan and Shirley unpack College Track’s 10-year commitment to first-generation students and the unlikely partnerships helping bring that mission to life, from Kevin Durant and his mother Wanda to the Baltimore Ravens and M&T Bank. They also wrestle with a much bigger question about the future of higher education and why America has struggled to tell a compelling story about its value.