What does it take to successfully pivot your career and create meaningful impact?

In this episode of Tools, Talents & Techniques, Dustin sits down with Alex Waters, a leader in the San Diego startup community and a key force behind Program Labs, an organization that designs and operates entrepreneurship programs that expand opportunity and strengthen communities.

Alex shares the unconventional path that took him from aspiring doctor to philosophy student and ultimately into the dynamic worlds of startups, EdTech, and nonprofit innovation. He reflects on pivotal moments, unexpected transitions, and the lessons learned from failure that shaped his approach to leadership, learning, and social impact.

Whether you are considering a career change, building a venture, or developing programs that matter, this conversation delivers practical insight you can apply right away.

In this episode, we cover:

• Navigating career pivots with confidence

• How philosophy influenced Alex’s leadership style

• Lessons from startup culture and the EdTech sector

• The importance of relationships in long-term success

• Learning from failure and building resilience

• Why constraints can fuel creativity

• The mission behind Program Labs

• Strategies for entrepreneurs building momentum

About Alex Waters: For more than 15 years, Alex has helped support early-stage founders, strengthen institutions, and advance social impact initiatives through thoughtfully designed entrepreneurship programs.

Learn more:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watersalex/

Program Labs: https://www.theprogramlabs.org/

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📖 Balanced by Design: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBZGTW27

In this episode of Tools, Talents & Techniques, I sit down with Eric Kapitulik, founder of The Program, to unpack what it truly takes to build elite teams and durable leaders.

Eric shares his journey from military service to working with professional sports teams and corporations across North America. At the core of the conversation is a simple but demanding idea. Success comes from consistent hard work, personal accountability, and a commitment to becoming the best version of yourself.

We talk about lessons from high-performance environments, the difference between happiness and satisfaction, and how parenthood reshaped Eric’s leadership philosophy. This episode is a practical look at emotional resiliency, lifelong learning, and why taking 100% responsibility is the foundation of trust, culture, and long-term success.

Key Takeaways

-Success starts with defining who you want to become

-Hard work, sacrifice, and discipline never go out of style

-Listening to understand is more powerful than listening to respond

-Emotional resiliency protects relationships and performance

-Taking 100% responsibility accelerates personal growth

-Lifelong learning is a leadership requirement, not a bonus

-Parenthood changes how you view leadership and legacy

-Time management reflects your real priorities

Chapters

01:36 Introduction to Eric Kapitulik

03:16 The journey behind The Program

08:02 Defining success and personal growth

10:56 Lessons from high-performance environments

14:52 Happiness vs satisfaction

17:17 Parenthood and leadership evolution

21:15 Lifelong learning and curiosity

24:58 Emotional resiliency and accountability

29:03 Lessons from Coach Snyder

34:52 Regret, reflection, and moving forward

41:48 Subscribe and outro

More from Eric

🌐 https://theprogram.org/

📘 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119574307

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-program-llc/

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kapitulik-6996a048/

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📖 Balanced by Design

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Overcoming adversity changes everything.

In this episode of Tools, Talents & Techniques, I sit down with marathon runner, author, and podcast host Bishoy Tadros to explore resilience, endurance sports, parenting, empathy, and personal growth.

Bishoy shares his powerful story of battling leukemia as a child and how that experience shaped his mindset, values, and lifelong commitment to pushing past limits. From hosting the Mile 40 podcasts, to writing his books (Break Barriers, Mile 40, Audacious) , to running marathons and raising children with intention, Bishoy explains what it really takes to do hard things without losing yourself.

We talk about endurance sports as a metaphor for life, how empathy is forged through struggle, and why stubbornness can actually be a strength when it is rooted in values. This conversation is about persistence, grace, and finding motivation from within.

Key Takeaways

• Childhood adversity can shape lifelong resilience
• “Break Barriers” is built through lived experience
• Endurance sports teach patience and discipline
• Writing helps unlock authenticity and self-discovery
• Empathy deepens through hardship
• Parenting is about modeling values, not just advice
• Stubbornness can become long-term commitment
• Motivation often comes from both pain and purpose
• Community plays a critical role in growth
• Personal evolution never really stops

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bishoy Tadros 00:52 Writing Break Barriers 09:12 Overcoming Adversity Through Endurance Sports 14:30 The Power of Sharing Personal Stories 19:09 Writing, Authenticity, and Self-Discovery 24:13 Relationships and Personal Transformation 26:39 Empathy Built Through Experience 31:26 Endurance Events and Mental Strength 32:34 Parenting With Purpose and Example 36:12 Stubbornness as Commitment to Values 39:35 Finding Motivation From Within 46:08 Outlasting Doubts and Hard Seasons

Follow Bishoy

https://www.bishoytadros.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/btadros/ https://www.youtube.com/@UCHvuxTTbSiOPkggBR5A2AFg https://www.instagram.com/bishoy_tadros/

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🎵 C€$ https://open.spotify.com/artist/21zXwxV9nWaiE6iAleU6ww

📖 Balanced by Design https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBZGTW27