The Most Fascinating Podcast in the World

Sam Mushaw: The Power of Taking Responsibility

Pat DiCerbo sits down with Sam Mushaw - President of Dimension Fabricators, Navy Seabee veteran, and a leader who built his career the hard way: through responsibility, consistency, and respect for people.From growing up in Clifton Park to serving in the U.S. Navy - building in some of the toughest conditions in the world - Sam brought that same mindset into business. Starting in a small, struggling shop, he helped scale Dimension Fabricators into a powerhouse, taking on projects worth tens of millions of dollars.This episode dives into: - What the Navy Seabees taught him about leadership under pressure - Building a company from the ground up...literally and figuratively - Taking on massive projects (including $80M+ infrastructure jobs) - Why great leaders don’t yell...they build trust - Creating a culture where people actually want to show up - The small things that drive big loyalty (recognition, respect, accountability) - Why Sam actively fires toxic customers to protect his team - The mindset of always asking: “How can I do better for you?”This isn’t theory. It’s real leadership, built over decades - through long hours, tough decisions, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

Larry Kittelberger: What It Really Takes to Lead Under Pressure

Pat DiCerbo sits down with Larry Kittelberger - former top executive, corporate fixer, and one of the rare leaders who has operated at the highest levels of American industry during moments of real crisis.From growing up in small-town Pennsylvania to helping reshape companies like Honeywell and Lucent Technologies, Larry’s career wasn’t planned - it evolved through adaptability, pressure, and a relentless focus on solving problems that most people would run from.This episode dives into: - What it’s like to save a company on the brink of collapse - Leading massive restructurings (including cutting 80,000+ jobs to keep a company alive) - The reality behind corporate leadership—pressure, risk, and responsibility at scale - How technology transformed entire industries—from shipbuilding to computing - The mindset required to lead through uncertainty and chaos - Why “win-win or nothing” is the only way to move people - The truth about AI, leadership, and the future of businessLarry doesn’t speak in theories - he speaks from experience. From working alongside legends like Larry Bossidy and Frank D’Amelio to influencing the evolution of modern computing, this conversation is a masterclass in leadership under fire.

Robert Maxfield: How to Ask Better Questions and Live a Bigger Life

Pat DiCerbo sits down with Robert “Max” Maxfield for a wide-ranging conversation about curiosity, confidence, storytelling, travel, creativity, and learning how to fully show up in life. Max grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri, shaped by a veterinarian father, an interior designer mother, sports, golf, fraternity life, travel, and a lifelong pull toward adventure. From Mexico to Shanghai, from film sets to personal growth seminars, Max has built a life around asking better questions, seeing from different perspectives, and helping people feel more alive in their own story.This episode covers: - Why curiosity can change a life - How asking questions creates real connection - What actors understand about honesty and identity - Lessons from travel, filmmaking, parenting, and personal growth - Why “leaning into life” might be the whole point

Hugh Rice: Turning Patience Into a Competitive Advantage

Pat DiCerbo sits down with Hugh Rice, who spent nearly five decades with FMI helping shape the modern construction industry.Hugh shares how a kid from rural Alabama—originally planning to be a farmer or Air Force officer—found his way into consulting and never left. What started as “a couple years before a real job” turned into a career advising contractors across the country on strategy, succession, and M&A.Along the way, he helped pioneer how construction companies think about ownership transitions and acquisitions—long before private equity entered the space.This conversation goes beyond construction. It’s about: - Why relationships—not transactions—drive long-term success - The patience it takes to build a reputation that compounds - How entire industries evolve (and where construction is headed next) - What 50+ years in one company teaches you about trust, value, and doing the right thing

Alexandra Phillips: Why Purpose Comes From Action, Not Discovery

In this episode, Pat DiCerbo sits down with Alexandra Phillips for a wide-ranging conversation on purpose, change, and what it really means to do work that matters.Alexandra shares her journey from growing up on the Upper West Side, to Brown University, to a career in the performing arts—and ultimately walking away from it all after becoming a mother to pursue a more aligned path.Today, she leads a change leadership and executive coaching practice, helping leaders and organizations navigate growth, uncertainty, and transformation.This conversation goes deeper than business. It explores: - Why purpose isn’t something you “find”—it’s something you build through action and service - The truth about coaching (and why it’s not about telling people what to do) - How great leaders balance empathy, performance, and clarity The connection between business, science, and something more human