The Action Catalyst
The Action Catalyst interviews top leaders and achievers, sharing hard-earned tips and advice to help you uncover your inspiration and gain valuable insights to overcome setbacks, defeat mediocrity, and reach your goals in life, business, and beyond. Southwestern/Great American, Inc., dba Southwestern Family of Companies, for itself and its related entities and their assigns, reserves and retains all rights to their copyrighted materials and trademarks contained in this podcast.
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Overtime with Outland: Dr. Tony Alessandra, Episode 504
<p>Overtime with Outland is Action Catalyst host Adam Outland's reflections and commentary on discussions with each of his esteemed and accomplished guests.</p><p>In this segment, Adam dissects Episode 504 with Dr. Tony Alessandra, founder of Assessments 24x7.</p>
Assess for Success, with Dr. Tony Alessandra | (Personality, Psychology, Leadership, Personal Development)
<p>Dr. Tony Alessandra, founder of Assessments 24x7 and a pioneering authority in personality assessments, sales psychology, and leadership development, shares insights from more than five decades in the assessment and training industry. In this conversation, Alessandra recounts his journey from door‑to‑door sales and academic leadership to creating widely used assessments that help individuals and organizations improve communication, adaptability, and performance. He explains how modern assessments drive personal growth, better hiring decisions, stronger leadership, and more effective teamwork, and also explores his creation of the "Platinum Rule", lessons learned from failure, the importance of listening and adaptability, and why...
CLIP: Business Isn't Personal...But It Is
<p>Entrepreneur Julie Wainwright, founder and former CEO of unicorn company TheRealReal, shares the importance of relying on data and balancing passion with objectivity as you both start, and scale, your business.</p><p>Hear Julie's full interview in Episode 503 of The Action Catalyst.</p>
REMASTERED: Perfecting Your Sales Pitch, with John Livesay | (Selling, Networking, CEO, Engagement)
<p>John Livesay, funding strategist and author, reveals expert insights into how entrepreneurs and startup founders can craft compelling investor pitches that win funding, including a shift from feature‑based presentations to emotionally driven storytelling, how to structure a winning pitch, grab attention in the first 90 seconds, demonstrate traction, show empathy for both customers and investors, and position the founder as the “jockey” investors want to back. Livesay also covers practical startup fundraising strategies, including angel investing, venture capital, valuations, and family offices, making this episode a must‑listen for entrepreneurs looking to raise capital and communicate their vision with clarity...
CLIP: When To Gift and How Much
<p>John Ruhlin, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of "Giftology", offers guidance on when to give, how much to spend, and how to calculate ROI on gifting to clients or prospects.</p><p>Hear John's full interview in Episode 173 of The Action Catalyst.</p>
Time To Get Real, with Julie Wainwright | (Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Fundraising, E-Commerce)
<p>Entrepreneur Julie Wainwright, founder and former CEO of unicorn company TheRealReal, shares the candid story behind building a billion-dollar luxury resale company after being told at age 52 that she was “unemployable", discusses overcoming public failure, fear, ageism, and gender bias in tech, how her experience at Pets.com shaped her resilience, and the disciplined, data-driven mindset she used to create and scale a disruptive e‑commerce business. Other topics include identifying unmet consumer pain points, balancing passion with objectivity, and practical advice for founders navigating fundraising.</p><p>Mentioned in this episode:</p><p>Dr. Jeremy S. Owoh: Leading Toda...
CLIP: Winning Hearts and Minds in Totality
<p>Lifang He, brand strategist, and former leader at Apple, Amazon, Ring, and Bloomberg, explains how branding is a truly wholistic experience, and one that doesn't stop after you've come up with a name and logo...every interaction matters.</p><p>Hear Lifang's full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.</p>
REMASTERED: Giftology and Strategic Generosity, with John Ruhlin | (Strategy, Gratitude, Relationship Development, Sales)
<p>John Ruhlin, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of "Giftology", shares his proven philosophy of strategic generosity in business relationships, and how thoughtful, personalized, and unexpected gifting can dramatically strengthen client loyalty, drive referrals, and differentiate brands in crowded markets. He breaks down the psychology behind giving, the importance of investing in top‑tier relationships, and why experiences and personal details matter more than price, but also offers practical guidance on when to give, how much to spend, and how to calculate ROI on gifting.</p>
CLIP: The 5 Love Languages at Work
<p>Best-selling author and counselor Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, explains what the 5 love languages ARE, and how to translate the languages into the workplace. </p><p>Hear Dr. Chapman's full interview in Episode 206 of The Action Catalyst.</p>
Brand Power Built In, with Lifang He | (Branding, Tech, Growth, Strategy)
<p>Lifang He, brand strategist, and former leader at Apple, Amazon, Ring, and Bloomberg, explores why brand strategy and product strategy must be inseparable for modern tech success, drawing on firsthand experience launching global products like the iPhone and Amazon Pharmacy. The conversation covers common branding misconceptions in tech, lessons from Apple’s integrated product‑brand philosophy, how Ring’s rebrand unlocked long‑term growth, what Nike’s $28 billion misstep teaches leaders about short‑term performance, and why strong brand identity is a critical differentiator in an AI‑driven, oversaturated market.</p><p>Mentioned in this episode:</p><p>This episode is pre...
