What's the Big Idea with Andrew Horn

62. Rand Stagen: The Compounding Power of Leadership (From a World-Class Executive Coach)

What if the “long game” of leadership isn’t about knowing the perfect playbook or chasing the next quick fix, but about the discipline to choose, practice, and recommit, week after week, for years on end? What if the most profound growth you’ll ever experience as a founder or leader is not a moment of sudden insight, but the slow compounding of self-awareness, responsibility, and everyday choices over decades?   This episode of What’s the Big Idea features Rand Stagen, seasoned entrepreneur, founding member and former board chair of the Conscious Leadership community, and for more than twenty-five years, the driving force behind the Stagen Leadership Academy. Widely known for his insistence that culture and leadership can’t be separated, and for helping organizations play the “infinite game,” Rand brings decades of experience in guiding high-performing teams, family businesses, and visionary founders beyond short-term tactics to something deeper, stickier, and far more meaningful.   Andrew sets the stage for an organic, candid conversation that cuts to the core of what makes responsible leadership both liberating and daunting. The two dive into Rand’s own journey, from a clueless 23-year-old publisher thrown into the fire, to a leader deeply shaped by years of coaching and reflection, and unpack the difference between traditional training (short, episodic, skill-based) and the kind of long-term development that actually transforms capacity, character, and results.   Inside this episode, Rand lays out foundational frameworks and practices, delivered with humility, hard-won stories, and a deep respect for paradox. He challenges Fortune 50 CEOs (and every ambitious founder) to grapple with the tension between short-term fires and the decades-long arc of impact, revealing why the real work isn’t about saying “yes” to every shiny opportunity but about developing the discernment to say “yes” to your deepest priorities, over and over.   You’ll walk away with practical insights, including:   * The Rubber Band Principle - Why conscious leaders must hold the polarity of urgent, short-term needs and long-term vision, not either/or, but both/and. Learn to discern what’s a “problem to solve” vs. a “tension to manage.” * Responsibility as the Heart of Leadership - Discover why Rand defines leadership in a single word, responsibility, and how adopting unconditional responsibility radically changes your culture and your results (hint: “Leaders get the organization they deserve.”) * The Power of Prioritization Frameworks - Hear Rand’s battle-tested tools for evaluating tradeoffs, aligning your team, and holding yourself publicly accountable to the big rocks that matter, especially when your entrepreneurial instincts want to chase every new idea. * From Self-Awareness to Culture - Explore how genuine self-awareness is the “upstream” driver of culture, and why feedback, somatic practices, and even triggering relationships can become your greatest teachers, if you choose to see them that way. * Discernment over Judgment - Rand offers memorable distinctions (judgment is fear-based, discernment is love-based) for navigating when to be authentic, transparent, and vulnerable, and when to hold back, with wisdom and intention.   Why does this conversation matter right now? Because in a noisy, high-velocity world, the leaders who thrive aren’t the ones with the fastest answers, but with the deepest roots, the ones who can steward themselves and their teams through both turbulence and triumph, with clarity, humility, and rigor. For founders, CEOs, or anyone aspiring to lead with more relational integrity and long-term impact, this episode is a compass for building not just better organizations, but better humans.   Settle in for a wise, grounded, and refreshingly candid conversation. Let Rand and Andrew remind you: transformation isn’t a sprint; it’s a compounding journey of daily responsibility. Listen in, and remember, what you practice today becomes who you (and your company) will be in ten, twenty, even fifty years.

61. Scott Britton: Conscious Accomplishment - How to Use Personal Achievement for Spiritual Growth

After climbing the “success mountain” of Princeton, Forbes 30 Under 30, a successful exit to SalesForce, Scott found himself cracked open by a spiritual awakening that forced him to build a bridge between rapid inner growth and a life of high achievement. Today, that bridge looks like writing, a vibrant online community, and honest conversations about integrating self-realization with contribution, prosperity, and adventure. Scott is a pioneer at the intersection of modern entrepreneurship and spiritual transformation. He’s spent the past six years living out the question: How do you pursue the expansion of consciousness while deeply thriving in the modern world? The result is his new book Conscious Accomplishment [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FV86BG4T?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_P8HYNEQ79B2KT1YWSD4Q_2&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_P8HYNEQ79B2KT1YWSD4Q_2&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_P8HYNEQ79B2KT1YWSD4Q_2&bestFormat=true], which is coincidentally launching today (10/8). Why does this matter to me? Because, like Scott, I know what it’s like to “win” and get the thing we told ourself we wanted, only to discover something’s still missing. We talk openly about that search. I’ve sat with Scott in men’s retreats where the work was messy, real and that’s what I appreciate most about him: Scott’s not trying to look enlightened. He’s practicing in public. He’s using everyday life as the ground for his awakening, and inviting others to do the same. You’ll hear us dig into the myth that spiritual depth and worldly impact are at odds. Scott’s entire project, his book, his podcast, his Substack [https://substack.com/@scottbritton], is a living refutation of that. As he says, “As you uplift yourself, you become better resourced to uplift others.” That’s not just a line. It’s his truth and he’s sharing it beautifully.

60. Dan Doty: How Service and Volunteerism Can Save Men… and Maybe America.

When I was a lost 21-year-old with no idea what I wanted to do with my life, service saved me. I didn’t know where to find fulfillment or a sustainable, financially viable career, but I remembered the joy of supporting young people with disabilities to play sports in college. My dad said simply, “Why don’t you just do more of that?” With nothing else to hang on to, I took his advice and started my first nonprofit, Dreams for Kids DC. Running that organization, I realized that marginalized communities—like folks with disabilities—are often only seen as recipients of service, not as people who can give. We evolved our programs so that the kids we served also had opportunities to serve others, showing them they were capable of contribution. For me, service has always been one of the most direct pathways to purpose. That’s why I’m so excited to have Dan Doty on the podcast today. Dan is a founder of Everyman, one of the men’s work facilitators I respect most in the world, and an excellent father, husband, and deeply good man who genuinely cares about people. He’s in it for the right reasons. After helping bring on the second wave of men’s work with Everyman, Dan has launched a new initiative called Manpower, which brings men together around community-driven service projects nationwide. I felt so aligned with his mission that I joined as an inaugural board member to help in a small way. This conversation dives into men’s work, the loneliness epidemic, and the power of finding purpose through giving back. Here’s what you’ll take away: * The Inward/Outward Balance: Dan highlights a core insight: men’s group work that stays focused only on inner process often fizzles out. Actual transformation starts when vulnerability and bonding translate into local, hands-on action. * Service as State Change, and Behavior Change: You’ll learn why volunteering together isn’t just good for the recipient, but radically shifts the mental health, self-respect, and sense of belonging for the men themselves. Dan and Andrew break down the psychological “stickiness” of meaningful group service, as well as how to design it for regular, long-term impact. * Simple, Replicable Tools: Explore the blueprint behind Manpower, hyper-local groups, a pair of work gloves as a symbol, and a no-nonsense approach: find out what your community needs, then bring a crew and show up. No heroics, no ego, just practical usefulness. * A Redefinition of Healthy Masculinity: Examine why integrating “traditional” strengths (action, responsibility, hands-on work) with modern emotional fluency can build a new model for men: less about labels, more about tangible contribution and real community. Why listen, and why now? Because the loneliness and confusion facing so many men isn’t just abstract, it’s showing up in rising suicide rates, isolation, and a hunger for leadership that actually serves. For founders, leaders, and anyone working on themselves, this episode is a reminder: fulfillment, and real growth, don't happen in isolation. The real medicine might just be found, together, in the service of others. Tune in for a wise, grounded, and deeply hopeful conversation. Let Dan and Andrew remind you: it’s not just about “doing the work,” it’s about getting to work, side by side, building the world (and the selves) we most want to see. Listen in. The next big idea may start right down the block, with a pair of gloves and a group of guys, ready to serve.

59. David Gelles - Why Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away

What if business could be as human, and as messy, as life itself? What if being an ethical leader wasn’t about hitting some mythical state of perfection, but rather about showing up, getting a little lost, and finding your values again and again along the way? On this episode of What’s the Big Idea, Andrew sits down with David Gelles, New York Times reporter, bestselling author, and one of the most thoughtful chroniclers of modern leadership and capitalism. If you’ve grappled with questions about doing “good business” or wondered whether it’s really possible to put planet and people on equal footing with profit, David’s the guy you want in your corner. His latest book, Dirtbag Billionaire, tells the wild and often contradictory story of Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, who not only built a world-class company on his own weird, gritty values, but ultimately gave the whole thing away. This episode goes way deeper than another pat case study in “purpose-driven business.” Andrew and David push into the real questions: What does it actually look like to build a values-driven company while wrestling with your own imperfections? Can you succeed in capitalism without losing your integrity? And why is holding steady to your purpose so hard, and so necessary, right now? Here’s what you’ll take away: * The Real Story Behind Patagonia: David strips away the glossy myth and shows us the messy, human, deeply paradoxical path that Chouinard and Patagonia actually walked. You’ll hear how sticking to your values doesn’t mean getting it right every time, and why the magic is in working through the contradictions. * Consistency vs. Perfection: Learn why it’s not about speaking out on every issue, but about aligning your actions, and your silences, with your true commitments, even (especially) when it’s inconvenient or costly. * The Power (and Cost) of Radical Purpose: Hear what happened when Patagonia’s founding family gave away the company and renounced billions, and what it really takes for leaders to use business as a platform for something much bigger than themselves. * Success Models That Don’t Look Like the Cliché: Curious who else is out there, quietly (or not-so-quietly) redefining what ethical business can look like? David names names, from Eileen Fisher to unlikely manufacturing CEOs, and shares how even “normal” companies can live their values. Why does this matter? Because for founders, leaders, and anyone wanting to build something that endures and honors their deepest values, the path is rarely black-and-white. In a time when corporate activism, mission-washing, and burnout all mix together, it’s deeply heartening, and genuinely useful, to see that “doing it right” is mostly about staying present to your own messiness, learning as you go, and never mistaking profit for purpose. If you want frameworks, real stories, and the unvarnished truth about leading with integrity in modern business, you’ll find all that and more here. Listen in for a conversation that’s thoughtful, honest, and rooted in the idea that being an ethical leader is less about being a saint and more about coming back, again and again, to what matters most.

58. John Wineland: The Art of Sacred Intimacy

How do we turn love and intimacy into a living practice, one that transforms how we lead, connect, and show up in our romantic relationships?   On this episode of What’s the Big Idea, Andrew sits down with John Wineland, celebrated teacher, author, and guide to all things relationship, intimacy, and embodied masculine leadership. John is known for his transformative workshops and years of study with David Deida, as well as for helping thousands of people move past cliché ideas about intimacy toward something much deeper, kinder, and truly life-changing.   If you are curious about sacred intimacy, tantra, or what it means to lead from the heart, John brings these sometimes mystified topics down to earth. He clarifies that sacred intimacy isn’t a fixed state , but the practice of allowing the divine - love, consciousness, presence, to flow through your relationships. Drawing on stories from his own journey and decades working with men, women, and couples, John shares a toolkit for both cultivating connection and facing its challenges.   Here’s what you’ll take away from this conversation:   1. The Four Pillars of Sacred Intimacy: John introduces the central framework that has guided his work: intimacy (our shared humanity), devotion to the field of love, sexual polarity (understanding and honoring difference), and the commitment to deep personal work. Each is a cornerstone, and together they become the supports for a relationship not just to survive, but to thrive. 2. Making Love Safe and Alive with Ritual and Repair: Learn how simple weekly rituals like “temple nights” or structured praise sessions can shift a partnership from transactional to transformational. The episode outlines approaches for regular check-ins and explains why honest repair work is foundational to trust and emotional safety. 3. Nervous System Mastery for Modern Life: For men in particular, John goes deep on the value of cultivating embodied presence, emotional regulation, and clear intention. These are the building blocks not only of romantic connection, but also of authentic leadership and executive presence. You’ll hear concrete practices around structure, breath, and nervous system co-regulation. 4. Practical Intimacy Habits Anyone Can Try: From co-breathing with your partner, to establishing rituals of praise and play, to crisp strategies for moving through the storms of conflict, John offers tools that you can start using today.   Why does this matter now? In an era of chronic busyness, digital distraction, and surface-level connection, our ability to create depth and safety in our most important relationships is a fundamental skill.   Listen in for a conversation that’s both wise and immediately useful, blending frameworks, real stories, and the kind of honest reminders we all need.