Casi Joy: Chasing Ambitious Goals

This week Andrew talks with former NFL quarterback Christian Ponder. Andrew & Christian dive deep into a journey that led Christian from a tough first season in pee wee football as a kid all the way to the NFL. Today, Christian is the Founder & CEO of The Post, a new private membership network connecting athletes turned business leaders. In this conversation, Christian shares a behind-the-scenes look at the mindsets, philosophies, & experiences that have shaped his approach on and off the field. You’ll hear actionable ideas on leadership, entrepreneurship, success, & more. This conversation is a powerful reminder of the ripple effect we can create when we bring people together around common bonds & shared experiences. 

Show Highlights: 

0:00 - Intro
2:56 - Childhood football memories
6:26 - Modeling game after John Elway
7:56 - College recruiting process
8:52 - Building confidence
10:21 - Preparation
14:20 - Leadership
15:25 - Tom Brady
16:41 - Brock Purdy
19:31 - Creating The Post
23:25 - Scaling a community 
28:09 - Building a thriving community
30:02 - Vision for The Post

This week Andrew talks with songwriter & country music artist Casi Joy. In 2017, Casi took NBC’s The Voice by storm with a 4-chair turn during her blind audition — and Rolling Stone called it one of the show’s top ten auditions of all-time. Casi’s run to the show’s live finals ultimately catapulted her music career to the next level. This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at Casi’s journey — and many of the success secrets powering her music career. Casi shares her creative process, how she overcomes doubt, the biggest lessons she learned on The Voice, tips for chasing ambitious goals, & so much more. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
3:12 - Talent show at 5 years old
6:40 - Building confidence
8:15 - Overcoming imposter syndrome
9:25 - Signing with Radio Disney
10:04 - Channeling excitement
10:40 - “Blissful dissatisfaction”
11:05 - Appreciating the journey
12:55 - “Mental time travel”
15:06 - Decision to move to Nashville
18:40 - Experience on The Voice
28:05 - Selling home & living on tour bus
29:38 - BTS typical week for Casi
30:55 - Creative process
36:32 - Relationship with fans

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This week Andrew talks with bestselling authors Kate Quinn & Janie Chang. Kate & Janie recently teamed up to co-author a brand new book “The Phoenix Crown” which was just released on February 13th. In this conversation, Kate & Janie share a behind-the-scenes look at their respective creative processes & how they collaborated to write their latest book together. This conversation is filled with actionable ideas on writing, creativity, & collaboration — and it’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when remarkably talented individuals work together towards a common goal. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
2:37 - Kate’s childhood
3:51 - Janie’s childhood
5:40 - From corporate job to writer
6:56 - Kate on developing her craft
13:05 - How books transcend time
14:37 - Janie on developing her craft
15:40 - Business of writing
16:58 - Building community in solitary field
21:54 - Avoiding comparisons with others
24:46 - “Rising tide” of authors
30:03 - Creative process
36:49 - Collaborating on project together
39:32 - Accountability partners

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This week Andrew talks with University of North Carolina Field Hockey Head Coach Erin Matson. Erin’s story is unlike any you’ve ever heard before. In January 2023, UNC named Erin its field hockey head coach. At the time, she was just 22 years old — and it was just 2 months following her graduation as a student from UNC. Suddenly, she was the head coach for the same program she had just finished starring in as a student athlete. In her first year as a head coach, she went on to lead UNC to a national title — becoming the youngest D1 college head coach to win a national championship. This conversation is for anyone out there who wants to take a bold risk, do something that’s never been done before, & defy conventional wisdom — no matter where you are in your personal or professional journey. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
4:36 - “I didn’t want to be overlooked”
6:37 - Interview process
8:32 - Finding out she got the job
10:05 - Lessons from Mack Brown
10:34 - Studying leadership
11:01 - Creating your own luck
14:45 - Learning from great performers
16:15 - Performing amidst doubters
20:03 - Transparency & overcommunication
23:10 - Leading by example
24:15 - “They need to know you will fight for them”
24:35 - What it means to be a tarp puller
24:54 - The “garbage can” story
27:26 - The power of details
29:26 - Rewiring thinking from player to coach
34:10 - Listening & tailoring communication
35:25 - Always looking to improve
38:28 - Balancing long-term vision with short-term demands

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This week Andrew talks with USA Today & international bestselling author Eliza Knight. Eliza writes historical fiction & historical romance novels. She is the author of over 40 books — including The Mayfair Bookshop & Starring Adele Astaire. In this conversation, Eliza shares the tools, techniques, & mindsets that power her success as one of the most prolific authors in her genre. You’ll get a behind the scenes look at her creative process, daily workflow, & how she workshops ideas with other authors. This conversation is filled with actionable lessons on developing new ideas, writing fascinating stories, & the power of collaborating with others. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
2:18 - Early memories of storytelling
4:07 - Importance of reading
5:20 - Reading different genres
6:29 - Creating interesting characters
11:20 - Nuances of historical fiction
13:13 - Eliza’s creative process
15:38 - Assessing a new idea
19:48 - Co-authoring a book with 5 others
22:01 - Weekly writing sessions with other writers
23:05 - Daily workflow
24:15 - Objectives of different drafts
27:27 - “Walk & plot”
29:14 - Writing interesting sentences
30:46 - Avoiding comparison
32:04 - Where work ethic comes from

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This week Andrew talks with psychology researcher & author Tania Luna. Tania is an expert on the science of surprise — and how surprise can transform our work, relationships, & everyday life. Tania is the author of the book Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable & Engineer the Unexpected.  In this conversation, Tania shares powerful insights on the science of surprise & how to “engineer’ surprises that positively impact our own lives & the lives of others.  Additionally, you’ll learn how to utilize surprise to unleash your creativity, improve decision-making, power your growth, & become more resilient. This episode is filled with groundbreaking ideas & actionable lessons for everyone. 

Show Notes:

0:00 - Intro
5:15 - Science of surprise
5:59 - Surprise as an intensifier
6:46 - The “surprise sequence”
7:40 - Why we want to share surprise
8:15 - Why surprise is more memorable
11:43 - Clearing a flood at TED Global
13:06 - Little surprises vs. big surprises
14:12 - Engineering surprise
14:39 - Changing perceptions
18:16 - Setting expectations
21:42 - How trees grow resilience
22:50 - Finding the right amount of struggle
24:51 - The “struggle sandwich”
27:15 - Embracing the unexpected
29:29 - Increasing cognitive output
31:28 - Impact of “spontaneous collisions”
33:29 - Improving decision-making
36:54 - Sharing power

Twitter/X: @andrewhmoses
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This week Andrew talks with entrepreneur & aerospace engineer Jordan Noone. In 2015, Jordan co-founded Relativity Space to build 3D printed reusable rockets — based on an initial concept drawn on the back of a coffee shop receipt. The company went on to build & launch the world’s first 3D printed rocket and today is valued at over $4 billion. Jordan is also the co-founder & general partner at Embedded Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups focused on space operations, digital engineering, & advanced manufacturing. In this conversation, Jordan shares how he turned a passion for “tinkering” and a love for Legos into the world’s first 3D printed rocket. You’ll hear powerful lessons about starting companies, building teams, & how to give yourself a “head start” on any project or venture. This conversation is about entrepreneurship, innovation, the power of following your passions, & so much more.

Show Highlights

0:00 - Intro
2:33 - Jordan’s childhood
3:05 - Tinkering as a kid
4:59 - Learning with Legos
6:44 - USC rocket propulsion lab
13:01 - Giving yourself a head start
15:07 - Leading a company
15:58 - Evolving and adapting
17:57 - Overcoming sunk cost fallacy
18:44 - Admitting when you’re wrong
19:31 - Building teams
22:05 - Evolving company culture
23:42 - Venture capital investing
28:05 - Finding undervalued businesses
30:37 - “Finding an area you uniquely think about”
32:20 - Going against status quo

Twitter/X: @andrewhmoses
Instagram: @AndrewMoses123

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This week Andrew talks with Emmy & Peabody Award-winning journalist Sarah Spain. A through line in Sarah’s life & work has always been her curiosity — and a remarkable willingness to try new things. As a kid & teenager, Sarah played lots of different sports — and was also in the band, chorus, & theater. In college, she competed as a heptathlete. In 2010, she joined ESPN and has since served as a columnist for espnW, a SportsCenter reporter, a host of numerous podcasts, & appeared on many different programs on the network. In this conversation, Sarah shares a behind-the-scenes look at her career. You’ll hear lessons on how to adapt to new roles, become a better listener, overcome adversity with creativity, & more. This episode will help you turn curiosity, empathy, & versatility into a superpower.

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
2:52 - Sarah’s versatility
3:30 - “jack of all trades”
5:44 - SNL dream
5:56 - Comedy & acting
6:21 - Stumbling into sports broadcasting
7:07 - The power of differences
11:25 - Continuous learning
16:03 - Lessons from Second City Conservatory
23:37 - “It’s scary to change your mind”
33:25 - Power of storytelling
34:50 - Curiosity & empathy
37:50 - David Letterman & SNL
39:35 - Deland McCullough
43:18 - Writing a book
47:50 - A year of growth

Twitter/X: @andrewhmoses
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This week Andrew has two guests — and a conversation you don’t want to miss. Andrew talks with Hootie & The Blowfish drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld and hit singer-songwriter Edwin McCain. Soni was first on the podcast in July 2023 & he’s back for an even deeper dive on his career and the success secrets that powered Hootie & The Blowfish to become one of history’s most iconic bands. Along the way, Soni and the Hootie guys crossed paths with another young musician, Edwin McCain, who went on to achieve his own global fame & success with mega hit songs “I’ll Be” & “I Could Not Ask For More” — two of the most iconic love songs in the history of pop music. Both Soni & Edwin join Andrew for a remarkable conversation. You’ll hear all about their storied careers, creative process, & so much more. This is a fantastic conversation about music, friendship, & the power of lifting others up. 

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
5:55 - Edwin’s early days
8:07 - Edwin dropping out of college to pursue music
10:19 - Soni & Edwin cross paths
11:09 - “Test marketing” ideas
13:37 - Supporting others on the journey
14:35 - Healthy competition
15:40 - Southeast music ecosystem
20:08 - Soni on writing Hootie hit song “Hold My Hand”
22:23 - Edwin’s first record deal
23:16 - Edwin on writing “I’ll Be”
27:45 - Overcoming challenges
34:44 - Persistence 
39:20 - Necessity & desperation
46:59 - Creativity
49:10 - Recent collaborations 
51:30 - Summer Camps With Trucks Tour 

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This week Andrew talks with Jesse Cole — the founder of Fans First Entertainment & owner of the world famous Savannah Bananas. The Bananas have sold out every game since their first season and have entertained millions around the globe. Jesse & his team are fanatical about the fan experience — and have a tireless passion to experiment and do things the world has never seen. In this conversation, Jesse shares powerful ideas on how to be more creative, take bold risks, & win fans for life. You’ll hear Jesse’s system for coming up with 10 new ideas per day, how to build an “idea factory”, why he wears a yellow tuxedo every day, & so much more. This is a conversation you don't want to miss.

Show Highlights:

0:00 - Intro
3:07 - Idea for Savannah Bananas
4:11 - Early days as entrepreneur
5:35 - “Fans first differentiator”
7:12 - Lifelong fans over short-term profits
8:35 - Getting through messy
8:55 - Calling 100,00 fans to thank them
9:24 - Looking to other industries for new ideas
10:11 - Studying Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, & other innovators
11:35 - Inspiration from Henry Ford
12:17 - Building an idea muscle
12:51 - 10 ideas per day
14:20 - Saturday Night Live creative framework
16:05 - Debriefing to improve
17:40 - What Jesse looks for in players & cast
22:55 - “We never walk past trash”
23:17 - Why Jesse wears a yellow tuxedo 
25:25 - Dealing with criticism
29:01 - National Baseball Hall of Fame
30:49 - Meeting baseball legend Lee Smith 
31:33 - “Every game is someone’s first game”

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