The Savage Leader Podcast
Learn how to become a better leader from the inside out. This isn't your traditional leadership podcast as I believe that leadership lessons come from conventional sources such as entrepreneurs and successful business executives as well as from unexpected places; Navy SEALs, professional athletes, sports coaches, musicians, entertainers and more. On each episode, I interview leaders from all walks of life so that you walk away with tips to apply to your life and career.
I'm your host Darren Reinke, founder of Group Sixty and author of The Savage Leader: 13 Principles to Become a Better Leader from the Inside Out.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 40 minutes
- Episodes
- 72
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
#72: Why Humor is a Superpower at Work
Can humor really make you a better leader? Paul Osincup thinks so—and he’s got the research (and hilarious stories) to prove it. In this episode, we explore why fun > funny, how to lead with levity w…
#71: Leading with Vulnerability, Clarity, and Purpose
In this episode of The Savage Leader Podcast, Darren Reinke sits down with Maggie Brady, VP of HR and Talent at White Cap, for a powerful conversation about leading with vulnerability, clarity, and p…
#70: The Mindset and Skills of a Great People Manager
In this episode of The Savage Leader podcast, Darren Reinke sits down with Michael Glass, Head of Talent and Learning & Development at Resmed, for an unfiltered dive into the world of people manageme…
#69: Rallying a Community to Solve Homelessness—An Inside Look at the Lucky Duck Foundation
Homelessness is a crisis, but one organization is making remarkable strides in San Diego.
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation, to uncover their …
#68: Using Scarcity to Drive Creativity at Sears and Kmart
In this episode, Darren Reinke interviews Ramon Marquez, the COO and CMO of the iconic retail brands Sears and Kmart.
Ramon shares his fascinating journey from selling sweaters in college to rising th…
#67: Focus on The Customers of Your Customers to Create Purpose
In this episode, Darren Reinke interviews Alok Chanani, the co-founder and CEO of BuildOps. Alok shares his fascinating journey from serving in the military as a combat engineer to founding a technol…
#66: Uplifting Others through the Power of a Paycheck
In this episode, host Darren Reinke interviews Bonni Pomush, the inspiring CEO of Working Wardrobes. Bonni shares transformative stories of uplifting others and her insights on building a purpose-dri…
#65: Karen Brasch on Breaking Barriers as a Navy Pilot and Shifting into Tech
In this episode, host Darren Reinke interviews Karen Brasch, the Head of Business Strategy & Operations at AWS. Karen shares her remarkable journey from growing up as the daughter of an Air Force pil…
#64: Margie Newman Tsay on Building Your Reputation and Managing Crises
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Margie Newman Tsay, an expert in reputation management and crisis communication. Margie discusses her journey from theater to leading a communications fi…
#63: Reducing Congestion, Improving safety, and Cutting Emissions via Curb Management Solutions
In this episode of The Savage Leader Podcast, Darren Reinke sits down with Jordan Justus, the innovative co-founder and CEO of Automotus. Dive into the world of curb management solutions that are res…
#62: Mike Kijewski's Journey from High School Physics Teacher to Medcrypt CEO
In this episode, Darren Reinke speaks with Mike Kijewski, the founder and CEO of MedCrypt. Mike discusses his journey from teaching high school physics to pioneering cybersecurity solutions for medic…
#61: Michael X. Burns on Grateful Dead and Rasta Inspired Leadership
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Michael Burns, a serial entrepreneur with a diverse background ranging from tech recruiting to cannabis farming. Michael shares his journey to becoming a…
#60: Aaron Fulkerson on Rebuilding Trust in Technology
In this episode of The Savage Leader Podcast, Darren Reinke chats with Aaron Fulkerson, CEO of Opaque Systems. Aaron discusses his transition from entrepreneurship to ServiceNow and how he's found hi…
#59: Anthony Lee on Revolutionizing Education at Westcliff University
In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Anthony Lee, CEO of Westcliff University. Anthony shares his journey from childhood passions to leading a university that's making a significant impact i…
# 58: How Two Army Rangers Created an Engagement Ring Company
In this episode, Darren Reinke explores the journey of entrepreneurship with Co-Founder of Wove, Andrew Wolgemuth. Andrew recounts his unique journey from West Point to becoming an Army Ranger to sta…
#57: OzzSom AI Founder Som Shahapurkar on Why Knowledge is Dead and Creativity is Flourishing
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Som Shahapurkar, leading AI expert and founder of OzzSom AI. Som discusses the current state of AI, the importance of guardrails in preventing unintended con…
#56: Alternate Side Co-Founder Zack Zarrillo on Building Authentic Brands in Music
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Zack Zarrillo, the co-founder of Alternate Side, a full service music company that represents a diverse roster of platinum and gold talent with a combined ca…
#55: Volo Beauty Co-Founder Jonathan Friedman on Developing an Entrepreneurial Risk Profile
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with the Jonathan Friedman, Co-Founder and President of Volo Beauty, about his entrepreneurial journey. Jonathan shares insights into how he dealt with failure as…
#54: William Toti on Making the Transition from Submarine Commander to CEO
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with former Navy Submarine Commander and Sparton CEO William Toti. William discusses what it’s really like to live on a submarine for months on end, the key leade…
# 53: Musician Wes Geer on Life as a Rock Star and Transforming Lives through Music
In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with musician and founding member of the band Hed PE and Korn guitarist, Wes Geer. Wes shares his experience falling in love with music, his inspiring story about…