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The Coaches Room with Coach Kav

The Coaches Room with Coach Kav

By: Justin Kavanaugh
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 The Coaches' Room Podcast, hosted by elite performance coach Justin Kavanaugh, widely known as Coach Kav, offers an in-depth look into the world of high-performance coaching. With a background as an Olympic coach, speaker, and author, Coach Kav brings his extensive experience to the forefront, helping athletes, entrepreneurs, and leaders unlock elite performance. Each episode features conversations with top-tier coaches, performance staff, and scientists, delving into topics such as coaching methodologies, personal development, and player development. Listeners gain valuable insights into the strategies and mindsets that drive success in competitive environments. Whether you're a coach, athlete, or someone interested in the dynamics of high-performance teams, The Coaches' Room Podcast provides practical advice and inspiration to elevate your game.2025 Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • The Leadership Lessons from the Batter's Box | Brandon Eaton

    The Leadership Lessons from the Batter's Box | Brandon Eaton
    Nov 12 2025
    What if our deepest-held beliefs about "failure" are all wrong? And what if the flaw we see in ourselves isn't a weakness, but the very engine of our success? My guest today is Brandon Eaton, the CEO and co-founder of the 10-year sporting goods brand, Stinger Sports. But this conversation isn't about business, it's about the "why" behind it. Brandon's entire company was built from a painful childhood observation: watching talented kids get "priced out" of the game they loved . He built his life's work on a promise to fight for them. This is one of the most honest conversations I've ever had about the true meaning of leadership and the stories we tell ourselves. Brandon shares the powerful moment he finally redefined "failure" not as the act of striking out, but as the refusal to grow from it . He also makes a raw admission about a personal flaw he calls "helpnesia": the high-performer's inability to ask for help . This led us to a deep exploration of the difference between "reacting" and "responding" , the power of leading by a "standard, not by your feelings" , and the simple test to find out if your internal monologue is destroying your potential . This episode is a blueprint for anyone who has ever felt like a victim but is determined to take their power back. It left me asking one question: What could you achieve if you truly believed that you only fail when you quit? 🔑 Key Takeaways Redefine Your Relationship with Failure: The episode's central theme is reframing failure. Brandon defines true failure not as striking out, but as "when you don't take something positive from it... you're not growing" . Coach Kav adds that "you don't fail unless you quit". Lead by a Standard, Not Your Feelings: As a leader, you don't have the luxury of leading by your emotions. Coach Kav provides a powerful framework: "You have to lead by how do you set a standard? ...So you have to lead by the standard, not by your feelings". Victimhood is a Surrender of Power: When discussing losing, Brandon offers a profound insight: "As soon as you're a victim, you take all your power away because it's external. It's not internal... If you take ownership of it... That's your power" . A "Real Team" Shares in the Success: Brandon shares his company's high-level compensation philosophy. He has built a pay structure where "on a team you benefit from the success of your teammates," arguing that "You can't say we're a team and then you do something well and I don't benefit from it" . Audit Your Self-Talk: Your internal monologue dictates your performance. Brandon provides a simple test: "How are you talking to yourself? Would you talk to somebody else that you're trying to uplift in that way? And if the answer is no, it's probably not productive" . Leadership is What You Do When No One is Watching: Brandon shares a story of picking up a piece of trash. He doesn't know or care if his employees saw him. The lesson is that leadership is about "setting that tone" and solving minor problems as part of your DNA, not as a performance. Identify and Name Your Flaws: In a moment of vulnerability, Brandon admits his biggest flaw is being a "doer" to the point that he forgets to delegate. He gives it a name: "Helpnesia"—"I forget to ask for help" . Timestamp: (00:00) Introduction: The "Girl Dad" & 10 Years of Stinger Sports (02:49) The "Why": Why Stinger Was Born to Fight the "Country Club Sport" (06:05) The "Junker Car" Parable: A Grandfather's Entrepreneurial Spirit (07:35) "Baseball is Life": Learning to Compete and Overcome Adversity (09:12) The Litmus Test for Your Self-Talk (10:39) Coaches: Stop Using the "S-Word" (Slump) (12:45) Brandon's New Definition of Failure: "You're Not Growing" (14:32) Coach Kav's Framework: The Difference Between "Reacting" and "Responding" (15:58) The "Useful Mentality" Test (17:01) Why Pro-Grade Gear Matters for Young Athletes (20:30) The "Look Good, Play Good" Philosophy (25:31) The "Game on the Line" Mindset: Do You Want the Ball? (27:18) How to Show Up: Don't Take a "Rough At Bat" to the Field (27:57) Coach Kav's Framework: Lead by Standard, Not by Feelings (30:35) The "Picking Up the Trash" Parable of Leadership (33:23) The CEO as Engineer: "I Love the Act of Trying to Break It" (35:58) Finding Your "Therapy": The Flow State of Hitting a Baseball (39:31) How to Build a Real Team: "If It Isn't Measured, It Can't Be Improved" (42:33) Our Pay Structure: "On a Team You Benefit From Your Teammates' Success" (44:03) Coach Kav's Parable of the "Monkey Trap" (49:28) Why "Losing is Contagious" and Creates Victims (50:24) "As Soon As You're a Victim, You Take All Your Power Away" (53:27) The Stinger Sports "Superhero" Mission: VALUE (54:48) The Villain We Fight: Declining Quality and Rising Prices (57:42) The Leader's Flaw: My "Helpnesia"
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Simplicity Is the Highest Form of Mastery | Junaid Ahmed

    Simplicity Is the Highest Form of Mastery | Junaid Ahmed
    Nov 4 2025

    This conversation explores the critical importance of first impressions in communication, particularly in video content. It emphasizes how quickly audiences make decisions about their engagement and the role of brand presence in capturing attention.

    Takeaways:

    • The average person takes three seconds to make a decision.

    • First impressions are crucial in retaining audience attention.

    • Brand presence significantly influences viewer engagement.

    • Clarity in communication enhances audience connection.

    • Video content must be engaging from the start.

    • Understanding audience behavior is key to effective communication.

    • Effective branding can lead to better audience retention.

    • The initial moments of a video are critical for success.

    • Engagement strategies should focus on immediate impact.

    • Creating a strong presence can differentiate your content.


    Timestamp:

    00:00 – 04:22 | The Origin of Simplicity

    04:23 – 08:47 | From Hobby to Purpose

    08:48 – 13:29 | The Power of Visibility

    13:30 – 18:54 | Building Confidence Through Clarity

    18:55 – 23:38 | Simplicity Protects Creativity

    23:39 – 27:41 | Technology Meets Human Connection

    27:42 – 32:55 | Leadership in the Light

    32:56 – 37:18 | Designing Environments for Flow

    37:19 – 41:10 | The Discipline of Showing Up

    41:11 – END | Final Reflections
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    57 mins
  • Pressure Reveals Who You Really Are | Ari Meisel

    Pressure Reveals Who You Really Are | Ari Meisel
    Oct 30 2025

    In this episode Ari Meisel sits down with Coach Kav for a wide-ranging conversation about how high performance actually gets made not in moments of comfort, but under pressure and constraint. They trace the practical architecture of effectiveness (optimize → automate → outsource), the difference between productivity and true effectiveness, and why asynchronous communication and disciplined boundaries create space for real impact. Personal stories from building a house with limited resources to EMS leadership and the muscle of saying "no" puncture the theory with lived, actionable examples.

    The tone is intimate and direct: lessons arrive as short, hard truths that invite the listener to rethink how they work, lead, and pass on what they know.

    Takeaways:

    1. Pressure reveals truth. The moments of chaos expose who's truly built for leadership.

    2. Optimize before you automate. Systems fail when speed outpaces clarity.

    3. Say no to create space. Boundaries are what make focus sustainable.

    4. Courage comes before comfort. Action breaks fear — hesitation feeds it.

    5. Legacy is generosity. Sharing what's easy for you changes someone else's world.


    Chapters:

    00:00 – 04:20 | The Power of Restriction — How limitations breed innovation
    04:21 – 07:30 | Expansion and Contraction — Why recovery is part of growth
    07:31 – 22:00 | Systems, Focus, and Saying No — Creating space for what truly matters
    22:01 – 27:56 | Communication and Trust — Solving the real 80% of business problems
    27:57 – 38:14 | The Future of Coaching — Asynchronous communication and leadership evolution
    38:15 – 44:07 | Productivity vs Effectiveness — Rethinking the meaning of "work"
    44:08 – 45:21 | Courage and Action — Why hesitation is the real suffering
    45:22 – 46:48 | Legacy — Sharing what comes easy to you to create impact


    Follow Ari:
    X: https://x.com/arimeisel
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arimeisel/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/productivity-coach-entrepreneur?utm_source=chatgpt.com
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arimeisel/?utm_source=chatgpt.com


    Follow Coach Kav:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-kavanaugh-80629682/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkav/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachkav/
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoachesRoomWithCoachKav
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    1 hr and 30 mins
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