Hard Knocks

Hard Knocks

Author: Hard Knocks Language: English Episodes: 18
There's a difference between hearing a piece of advice and truly understanding the wisdom behind it. Hard Knocks is built on that distinction, moving beyond the surface-level tips that fill our feeds to explore the real stories where genuine insight is forged. Each conversation in this podcast centers on mentorship, but not in a theoretical way. Guests become the guiding voice you might have missed, sharing not only what they learned but, more importantly, how they learned it. You'll hear about the specific struggles, the unexpected turns, and the personal transformations that gave their lessons weight and truth. In a culture saturated with quick fixes, this is a space for depth and nuance, where the journey itself is the teacher. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining access to a series of candid, late-night conversations with people who have been through something meaningful and are willing to unpack it all-the failures, the doubts, and the hard-won clarity. It’s about finding applicable wisdom in the messy, human experiences we all share.
Episodes
Rob Corrao: Is The Grass Really Greener on the Other Side? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:20
Hello and welcome back once again to Hard Knocks! This time we're speaking with Rob Corrao, a man who is not just a business owner, a business founder, but he is also one of the amazing pilots for Angel Flight and tons o…
Justin Gray: What Matters to You and The Marketing Cheat Code [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:27
This time we're talking to Justin Gray, a man who by almost every single factor you could say has lived the American dream. Starting with blue collared work for his dad, to building and selling multiple companies. But we…
Jack Hojnar: It's Not Too Late to Start Over, Just Start Right Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:41:28
In this raw episode, we sit down with Jack Hojnar, a wildly successful entrepreneur and longtime friend of John, who rode the dot-com boom, launched companies, and saw them acquired. But true to Hard Knocks style, we div…
David Avrin: From A Cappella to the World Stage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:17
Meet David Avrin—a former a capella singer with “The Diners” who traded harmonies for a global stage, speaking in 28 countries to teach companies how to create brilliant customer experiences. From his roots as the second…
Cate North: Fighting Cancer and Embracing Life's Challenges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:36
Our newest episode out now on all platforms 🎙️⁠ Our close friend Cate has lived with cancer for three decades. In this new episode she shares her remarkable journey and the wisdom gained - from the power of asking for he…
Perry Marshall: Getting to the bottom of the swamp and Defeating Cancer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:22:55
Here's our conversation with Perry Marshall, a trailblazer marketing guru now leading the most revolutionary cancer research out there (stage 0 detection). We talk about the need to be willing to challenge authority, how…
Alexandra Watkins: From Match.com date to naming The Baconator [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:18
Here's our conversation with Alexandra Watkins, a professional Namer. She's the woman who gave The Wendy's Baconator its name amongst many other well known brands. We talk about how she got her start (a Match.com date),…
Dennis Yu: Mentorship and Sharing Your Gifts With the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:22
Time for another episode of Hard Knocks! This time we have Dennis Yu, one of the most hard working, analytical, knows how to have fun, and well read people I know. Here's some sneak peeks of things we chat about: 1. His…