Backstage Pass: Ep. 30 - Belonging Starts When You Stop Fitting In with Sun Ah Brock

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 30 - Belonging Starts When You Stop Fitting In with Sun Ah Brock

Backstage Pass: Ep. 30 - Belonging Starts When You Stop Fitting In with Sun Ah Brock

sun ah brock bio

Sun Ah was born in Korea and abandoned at 4 years old. She was adopted by a North American family and had never explored her cultural roots - until now.

Her speech shares a deeply personal story, which weaves together relatable anecdotes and examples for those who’ve experienced feelings of not fitting in. Over time, Sun Ah realized that fitting in and belonging are not synonymous with one another, and when we learn the difference, we can finally move towards living a more fulfilled life.

The audience will feel inspired to connect deeply, quickly, and authentically, and will understand why being vulnerable matters when looking to build connection. She'll also provide straightforward, actionable ideas for fostering a sense of belonging in any stage of life's journey, from our businesses to our relationships and beyond. Sun Ah is a gifted story teller, and she will inspire you to dig deep, reflect & lean into your emotions.

Sun Ah has built a multi million dollar design business and now she is on a mission to create the largest interior design community in North America. Her vision goes beyond beautiful spaces. She is building places, both physical and emotional, where people feel a deep sense of belonging.

As the founder of LUX decor, a leading interior design firm, and MARU, a fast growing platform for designers and tradespeople, Sun Ah is passionate about the power of storytelling and human connection. To her, these are the cornerstones of meaningful relationships in both life and work.

Learn more about sun ah brock

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis talks with entrepreneur and storyteller Sun Ah Brock, whose journey from abandonment in Korea to rediscovery and reconnection decades later is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Sun shares how her search for belonging transformed her understanding of leadership, connection, and authenticity. Through her businesses, Lux Decor and Maru, and her speaking, she helps others uncover what it truly means to belong—not by changing who we are, but by arriving as ourselves.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • Belonging vs. Fitting In: True belonging means being accepted as you are. Fitting in often requires changing parts of yourself—and that can be lonely.

  • The Power of Vulnerability: Genuine connection begins when we let others see who we really are. Sharing even small personal truths builds stronger teams and communities.

  • Leadership with Heart: As a leader, your openness sets the tone. When you model authenticity, others feel safe to do the same.

  • Rediscovering Identity: Sun’s journey to reconnect with her biological family and cultural roots shows how healing and growth come from facing the past.

  • Everyone Has a Story: Whether through adoption, immigration, or personal reinvention, Sun reminds us that sharing our stories helps others feel seen—and that’s where belonging begins.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Sun Ah Brock to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 29 - The Soul On Fire Mindset For Purpose That Lasts with John O'Leary

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 29 - The Soul On Fire Mindset For Purpose That Lasts with John O'Leary

Backstage Pass: Ep. 29 - The Soul On Fire Mindset For Purpose That Lasts with John O'Leary

John O’Leary bio

In 1987, John O’Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given less than a 1% chance to live.

This epic story of survival was first showcased in his parents’ book, Overwhelming Odds, in 2006. Originally printing 200 copies for friends and family, his parents have sold 60,000+ copies. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world.

John inspires 50,000+ people at 100+ events each year. He speaks to companies and organizations across industries, such as: sales, healthcare, safety, marketing, finance, faith, education and insurance.

Consistently described as “the best speaker we’ve ever had,” John receives nearly 100% of his engagements from referrals. His schedule is a testament to the power of his message and who he is as an individual.
His emotional story-telling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each of his presentations truly transformational.

John is a two-time #1 National bestselling author. His first book ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life has sold 250,000+ copies and been translated into 12 languages. IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy published in May 2020 with many saying it is the message we all need right now.

Filming is currently underway to bring John's bestseller, SOUL ON FIRE, to the silver screen. Directed by Sean McNamara, the movie has an impressive cast list including William H. Macy (Shameless), John Corbett (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Joel Courtney (The Kissing Booth), DeVon Franklin (Jesus Revolution), and Stephanie Szostak (A Million Little Things).

SOUL ON FIRE counters the belief that we are defined by our mistakes or the difficulties we endure. It instead celebrates the parts of John's story that are most enduring and most universal—that when community comes together, when personal imperfections are embraced and when we allow who we wish we were to finally give way to the gift we already are, amazing things happen.

John's award-winning Live Inspired Podcast has more than 2.5 million downloads and enjoys world-class guests like Brene Brown, Mitch Albom, and Shawn Achor.

John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.

Learn more about john o'leary

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, John O'Leary shares his inspiring journey from a tragic childhood accident to becoming a motivational speaker and author. He discusses the recent premiere of the film based on his life story 'Soul on Fire,' the importance of community, and the impact of storytelling. John emphasizes the significance of pursuing a life of purpose and the power of individual choices in making a difference.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • John O'Leary's journey is about resilience and community support.

  • The creation and premiere of the film 'Soul on Fire' and how it reflects deeper life lessons.

  • Storytelling is a powerful tool for connection and healing.

  • The seven choices in John's book that guide personal growth.

  • The power of one individual can change lives.

  • Tailoring messages for audiences enhances their impact.

  • Life is a gift, and recognizing this can transform perspectives.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing John O’Leary to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 28 - The Ethics Trap Every Leader Faces with Andy Fastow

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 28 - The Ethics Trap Every Leader Faces with Andy Fastow

Backstage Pass: Ep. 28 - The Ethics Trap Every Leader Faces with Andy Fastow

andy fastow bio

Andy Fastow was the Chief Financial Officer of Enron Corp. from 1998 – 2001. In 2004, he pled guilty to two counts of securities fraud, and was sentenced to six years in federal prison. He completed his sentence in 2011, and now lives with his family in Houston, Texas. Andy currently consults with management, directors, attorneys, and hedge funds on how to best identify potentially critical finance, accounting, compensation, and cultural issues.

His training sessions focus on risk in the “gray zone”, where decisions that may technically be allowed give rise to risks that are not properly considered. He helps attendees better understand the limited role of auditors and attorneys, how technically-correct but ethically-challenged decisions may be interpreted by the market, and the steps they can take to become more self-aware and able to identify, price, and manage these risks.

Andy is the only Enron executive that has taken full responsibility for his actions and has both repeatedly and publicly expressed remorse. In addition to serving his prison sentence, Andy forfeited far more money than he ever earned at Enron. He is credited with being the individual most responsible for helping recover $6 billion for Enron shareholders.

His sessions are also typically awarded 1 ½ hours of CLE and CPE Ethics credits.

Learn more about andy fastow

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis is joined by Andy Fastow, the former CFO of Enron, to discuss about ethics, leadership, and decision-making in business. Andy shares his journey of taking responsibility for his role in the collapse of Enron, the importance of understanding risk in the gray areas of business, and how corporate culture plays a crucial role in ethical decision-making. He emphasizes the need for leaders to ask critical questions and to foster an environment where risks are identified and managed effectively. The discussion also touches on the relevance of the Enron case in today's business landscape and the importance of continuing education in ethics and risk management.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • Andy Fastow takes full responsibility for his actions at Enron.

  • The importance of understanding risk in the gray zone.

  • Corporate culture is crucial for fostering ethical decision-making.

  • Loopholes can lead to unethical behavior despite following the rules.

  • Human nature often leads to overlooking hidden risks in business.

  • Risk assessment should take precedence over mere compliance.

  • Continuing education in ethics is vital for professionals.

  • Andy encourages open dialogue and questions in corporate settings.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Andy Fastow to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 5 - Peter Sheahan: Owning & Accelerating Transformation

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 5 - Peter Sheahan: Owning & Accelerating Transformation

Backstage Pass: Ep. 5 - Peter Sheahan: Owning & Accelerating Transformation

peter sheahan bio

After decades of standing in the fire with leaders of high-performing organizations, Peter Sheahan has come to believe that an organization will only go commercially where its leaders first go personally.

Having grown his own companies by accelerating the growth and transformation for clients that include: Apple; Chick-fil-A; DeBeers; and AT&T -- Peter will provoke you to get bigger, by getting better! When leaders are true to their purpose, they gravitate towards doing work that matters and solving higher-order problems. The journey to get there requires that they have the courage to tell themselves the truth, take intelligent risks, and assume ownership for driving the alignment necessary to build an organization which behaves in ways worthy of its leadership position.

In being true to his own ambitions and relentless pursuit of growth, Peter has published seven books, built three global companies and delivered more than 2,500 presentations in 40+ countries. Today he is focused exclusively on inspiring leaders to do the hard work required to accelerate growth and transformation.

Learn more about peter sheahan

show notes

Peter Sheahan is an entrepreneur, strategist, C-suite advisor, and in-demand speaker. After writing Generation Y, his first book, he quickly found himself in boardrooms speaking about understanding and connecting with the next generation. Since then, Peter has written several books and has headlined countless speaking events. During the episode, Peter shares the importance of owning change to accelerate transformation on teams.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • Where Peter’s career started and the trajectory it took from there.

  • Why Peter wanted to write about the value shifts of young people.

  • How he ended up teaching about change and disruption globally.

  • How he got the nickname “CEO whisperer,” and his method for pushing people.

  • Peter’s process for preparing for a keynote speech and the interview he must have first.

  • What it takes to be a great leader in today’s organizations.

  • Why he decided to sell some of his businesses and what he’s focusing on instead.

  • Peter’s ideal audience and who he loves speaking to the most.

  • What happened when he crossed paths with Brené Brown and why he’s a big fan.

  • How speakers set expectations for their events and why some seem high maintenance.

  • Why speakers are prone to depression (despite what it looks like on the outside).

  • The advice Peter has for event planners when making speaker selections.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Peter Sheahan to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 27 - War-Time Interrogator’s Secret to Trust with Eric Maddox

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 27 - War-Time Interrogator’s Secret to Trust with Eric Maddox

Backstage Pass: Ep. 27 - War-Time Interrogator’s Secret to Trust with Eric Maddox

Eric Maddox Bio

Upon graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1994, Eric Maddox joined the U.S. Army as an infantry paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne Division. After spending three years as a paratrooper, jumpmaster and a qualified ranger, Eric reenlisted as an interrogator and Chinese Mandarin linguist. Since 9/11, Eric has conducted over 2,700 interrogations while deploying eight times in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) to include multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

In 2003, while assigned to a special operations task force in Tikrit, Eric conducted over 300 interrogations and collected the intelligence which directly led to the capture of Saddam Hussein. As a result, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Director’s Award and the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement. After being hired as a civilian with the Department of Defense, Eric continued to help fight the Global War on Terror (GWOT) until 2014. In May 2015, he earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and is now a private consultant and negotiator and lives in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Eric is also the author of Mission: Black List No. 1 (Harper Collins, 2008), which he wrote with the permission of the Department of Defense.

Learn more about eric maddox

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Eric Maddox discusses the importance of empathy-based listening in building trust and effective communication in both personal and professional settings. 

Key topics in this episode include:

  • Empathy-based listening is crucial for building trust.

  • Organizations need to focus on understanding their clients.

  • Listening is more important than pitching in conversations.

  • Trust is the foundation of effective partnerships.

  • Empowerment within teams leads to better outcomes.

  • How Eric’s techniques can be applied across various industries.

  • Empathy-based listening vs. sympathy-based listening.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Eric Maddox to your next event!

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