Career Competitor

About the guest: Paul Davis is a business strategist, intuitive consultant, author, and expert in aligning leaders with their unconscious blueprint to unlock purpose, direction, and fulfillment. With decades of experience turning companies around and guiding high-performers toward meaningful clarity, Paul blends business acumen with deep intuitive insight to help people uncover who they truly are and what they are meant to do.

About the episode: In this powerful conversation, Paul Davis takes us far deeper than traditional conversations about “purpose” and “passion.” He explains why so many leaders unknowingly pursue the wrong goals, repeat the same unfulfilling cycles, and operate on beliefs that work against them. Paul breaks down how intuition, often ignored or misunderstood, is actually the key to discovering our unconscious blueprint and uncovering what we’re truly here to do.

Together, we explore how to align with authenticity, why hunger is the RESULT of inner work (not the starting point), and how high performers can finally find clarity that sticks.

Takeaways:

• Why hunger is a byproduct of clarity, not the starting point
• The difference between passion, purpose, and your unconscious “quest”
• How intuition actually works, and why most people misinterpret it
• The role of beliefs and how they quietly limit success
• How to sense the difference between intuition and rational thinking
• Why following what “everyone else is doing” leads to burnout and misalignment
• Authenticity as expressing your “genius oneness” rather than mimicking others
• How business owners can build differently by trusting their intuitive blueprint
• The value of handwriting, meditation, and self-reflection in unlocking insight

Resources Mentioned:

• Paul’s website - https://davisbusinessconsultants.com/
• Paul’s books - https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Snakes-Ladders-Game-Life-ebook/dp/B0FXS3HSS7
• Reference to Les Brown

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

About the guest: Lane Kawaoka is a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and founder of The Wealth Elevator, a platform dedicated to helping high-net-worth individuals and business owners move beyond traditional investing. A former engineer turned full-time investor, Lane has built a multimillion-dollar portfolio through alternative investments and has built a thriving community that connects accredited investors to real opportunities.

About the episode: In this episode of GrowthReady, host Steve Mellor sits down with Lane Kawaoka, a former engineer who traded his stable career for financial freedom through smart investing and community building. Lane shares his journey from buying his first rental property in 2009 to now leading a network of accredited investors and entrepreneurs focused on growing wealth outside the traditional stock market.

You’ll hear Lane’s insights on the internal vs. external factors that drive growth, why curiosity and humility matter more than ever in business, and how community, not isolation, is the ultimate currency of the wealthy. This conversation is packed with practical mindset shifts for high performers looking to scale not just their income, but their impact.

Takeaways:

• How to know when it’s time to change what got you here
• Why curiosity is the secret growth advantage for leaders
• The importance of community and structured connection
• How Lane transitioned from engineer to full-time entrepreneur
• The difference between external market shifts and internal growth
• The “wealth elevator” framework for building true financial freedom
• Why social relationships, not money, are the real currency of success
• How to stay grounded while scaling to 8 figures and beyond

Connect with Lane:

• Lane’s Book: The Wealth Elevator – Available on Amazon
• Lane’s Podcast: The Wealth Elevator

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

Most leaders set goals that feel safe, but safe goals don’t create transformation.

In this episode, Dr. Nona Djavid shares how to rewire your brain, expand your identity, and design a vision so bold it scares you, then make that vision feel safe enough to live.

We break down her 4-step framework for unreasonable growth, the neuroscience behind identity change, and how to become the person your next chapter requires.

About the Guest: Dr. Nona Djavid is a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and mindset strategist helping high-performing leaders and business owners design “unreasonable” visions and scale their results without burnout. Through her Unreasonable Method™ and neuroscience-backed frameworks, she teaches individuals to expand their identity, align behaviors, and achieve quantum leaps in life and business.

About the Episode: In this GrowthReady episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Dr. Nona Djavid to explore how to go beyond SMART goals and design the life you truly want by thinking, and being bigger. Nona shares her four-step framework for turning “unreasonable” visions into grounded realities, explaining how our nervous system, identity, and behaviors all shape what we believe is possible.

This episode unpacks the neuroscience behind change, the difference between realistic and transformative goals, and why your current identity might be holding you back from the future you’re capable of creating.

• The 3 types of goals: SMART, Inspired, and Unreasonable
• Why your nervous system resists big goals (and how to reprogram it)
• The science of identity expansion
• The role of embodiment in achieving success
• Balancing safety and stretch in your vision
• Why behavior consistency starts with who you believe you are
• How to set goals that pull you forward instead of pushing you to burnout

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Connect with Dr. Nona Djavid on Instagram: @drnonadjavid
• Watch Dr. Nona’s free 90-minute Quantum Leap Workshop (DM her “Quantum Leap” on Instagram to get the link)
• Book Recommendation: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

About the Guest: Anya Cheng is the Founder and CEO of Taelor, a leading men's clothing subscription service that provides personal styling and curated rentals, powered by AI. A Girls in Tech 40 Under 40 honoree, she previously led eCommerce and digital innovation teams at Meta, eBay, Target, and McDonald's. Taelor’s mission is to help people dress up to achieve their goals, whether it's for a job interview, date night, or big presentation, because looking good shouldn’t be a barrier to success.

About the Episode: In this episode, host Steve Mellor talks with Anya Cheng about her leap from corporate exec to founder of Taelor.AI. She shares how she overcame imposter syndrome, bootstrapped with limited resources, and turned repeated “no’s” into millions in funding.

If you’re building something big and feeling unseen, this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• From imposter syndrome to self-belief
• Shifting from employee to entrepreneur mindset
• Growing with limited resources
• Turning rejection into opportunity
• Taelor.AI: using AI to boost confidence
• Networking through loose ties
• Circular fashion & sustainable tech
• Redefining success on your own terms

Experience effortless style with rental and personal styling services:

Taelor: Get 25% OFF your first month of men's clothing subscription.
Use code: PODCAST25
Sign up at: https://taelor.style/pages/membership

Armoire: Get 50% OFF your first month of women's clothing subscription.
Use code: ArmoirexTaelor
Sign up at: https://www.armoire.style/refer/ArmoirexTaelor

Give the gift of time, convenience, and effortless style:

Taelor Gift Cards: Get 10% OFF
Use code: PODCASTGIFT
Purchase at: https://taelor.style/products/menswear-rental-gift-card

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

Ever feel like no matter how much you achieve, it’s still not enough? Like the goalposts keep moving and the pressure to look successful is crushing the joy of actually being successful?

Mitch Matthews is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and success coach who helps people dream bigger, think better, and do more of what they’re built to do. Through his coaching programs and top-ranked Dream Think Do podcast, Mitch empowers leaders and entrepreneurs to overcome limiting beliefs, build intentional habits, and lead with courage and authenticity.

In this conversation, Steve sits down with Mitch Matthews to explore one of the biggest challenges high-achievers face: perfectionism.

They unpack how the constant drive to get it right often robs us of peace, creativity, and real growth. Mitch shares his personal journey from corporate success to coaching freedom, revealing how embracing imperfection not only changed his work, but his life.

Together, they dive into actionable tools for shifting your mindset from performance to purpose, building confidence that isn’t tied to results, and learning how to lead yourself (and others) through seasons of uncertainty and self-doubt.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own standards, this episode is your permission slip to redefine success on your terms.

Key Topics

• The hidden cost of perfectionism in leadership and entrepreneurship
• How to turn pressure into purpose
• The power of curiosity in breaking the perfection cycle
• Redefining success beyond achievement
• Building emotional awareness and resilience
• How to coach yourself out of performance-driven burnout
• The difference between excellence and perfection
• Real tools to reconnect with creativity and authenticity

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Mitch Matthews’ Website
• Dream Think Do Podcast: Listen Here
• Steve Mellor’s Website
• Book Mentioned: Dream Job: Redefined by Mitch Matthews

#GrowthReadyPodcast #LeadershipMindset #HighPerformanceCoach #Perfectioni

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

Ever feel like you’re just treading water, trying to grow, lead, and live with purpose, but never quite feeling in control?

Today’s guest, Mike Milligan, grew up in extreme poverty, endured personal tragedy, and still built a thriving multi–seven-figure business while living life on his own terms. His story of resilience and intentional living is a masterclass in turning adversity into fuel.

About the Guest: Mike Milligan, CFP® is a financial educator, author, and founder of One Oak Financial (“One of a Kind Financial”). A North Carolina native who overcame poverty and personal loss, Mike has dedicated his career to helping others live unique, purposeful lives through personalized financial planning. He also teaches financial literacy at Old Dominion University and is the author of The One of a Kind Financial Plan.

About the Episode: In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Mike Milligan to discuss what it really means to live an exceptional life. From growing up in poverty to leading a multi–seven-figure business, Mike shares how defining his mission,“Be one of a kind and never miss a moment”, has transformed the way he leads, works, and lives.

They explore why you must put value on your time, how to say no with purpose, and why being “selfish” might be the key to serving others better.

• What it means to be “growth-ready”
• How tragedy can inspire transformation
• Why saying “no” more often can lead to freedom
• The illusion of work-life balance vs. being exceptional at both
• Protecting your time as if it were money
• Creating personal mission statements that drive focus and clarity
• Daily micro-wins and how to structure your mornings for success
• Redefining risk and legacy through intentional living

Links & Resources

• Guest Website: https://1oakfinancial.com/
• Book: The One of a Kind Financial Plan (available on Amazon)
• Course: Personal Financial Planning – Old Dominion University

#GrowthReadyPodcast #LeadershipMindset #BeOneOfAKind #HighPerformanceHabits #MindsetMatters #TimeManagement #PersonalGrowthJourney

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

About the Guest: Nathan Pearce is the founder and CEO of Pearce Bespoke, a rapidly growing men’s custom tailoring brand redefining what it means to “look good, feel good.” From running a t-shirt business in his early 20s to building a national franchise in custom suiting, Nathan’s journey is a masterclass in grit, vision, and learning from losses rather than fearing failure. Through his company and charity initiative For Good Measure, Nathan is proving that confidence can be custom-tailored.

About the Episode: In this episode, Steve sits down in person with Baton Rouge-based entrepreneur Nathan Pearce to uncover the lessons behind his explosive business growth — and the mindset that keeps him grounded. From selling his first company to creating a nationwide tailoring brand, Nathan opens up about trusting his gut, building teams who believe in your vision, and learning that leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about showing up.

Steve and Nathan also dive into what it means to be growth ready — how to balance ambition with reflection, handle losses without losing faith, and lead with authenticity at home and at work. This conversation is packed with raw honesty, practical wisdom, and a contagious drive to keep building, learning, and leading.

Key Topics:

• What it truly means to be growth ready
• Learning from losses vs. failures
• The importance of trusting your gut as a leader
• Building and scaling Pearce Bespoke
• The balance between vision and pivoting in business
• Leadership lessons and leading through empathy
• The “don’t be a victim” mindset
• Legacy, purpose, and family balance
• For Good Measure — giving confidence through custom clothing

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Pearce Bespoke: www.pearcebespoke.com
• For Good Measure Charity Campaign: Nominate someone deserving through the Pearce Bespoke website
• Follow Pearce Bespoke on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
• GrowthReady Podcast: www.growthready.com

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

High performers like us can get stuck chasing outcomes, living by ‘shoulds,’ and searching for the perfect choice. That black-and-white thinking keeps us on autopilot and robs us of momentum.

Today’s guest, coach and Changeology host Meg Trucano, has lived this work. After burning out in a prestigious research career, a single question, ‘How will you feel a year from now if nothing changes?’, sparked a complete pivot. Now she helps high-achieving women create identity-level change with what she calls small acts of rebellion, like dropping old rules that don’t serve you and reclaiming your time.     

If you’re ready to trade perfectionism for progress, you’ll learn how intention, agency, and aligned action create real movement, and how to give yourself permission to change your mind.

-------------------------------

About the Guest: Meg Trucano is a coach, podcaster, and change advocate who helps high-achieving women navigate major life transitions with clarity and intention. Through her coaching practice and her podcast Changeology, she empowers clients to rediscover their agency, break free from limiting “shoulds,” and create meaningful, identity-level transformation.

Episode Summary: In this powerful conversation, Steve sits down with Meg Trucano to explore what it really means to be growth ready. Meg shares her perspective on the trifecta of growth—intention, agency, and aligned action—and how choosing to “exercise agency” is the key to creating lasting change.

Together, they dive into why we’re so prone to black-and-white thinking, the cultural obsession with productivity and outcomes, and how self-awareness often defaults to self-criticism rather than possibility. Meg introduces her concept of “small acts of rebellion” and reveals how choice and ownership transform how we show up in life.

From her personal burnout story to her mission of guiding others through life’s biggest shifts, Meg’s wisdom is equal parts practical and inspiring. If you’ve ever wondered how to stop coasting and start choosing the life you want, this episode is for you.

Key Topics & Themes:

• What it means to be growth ready
• The trifecta: intention, agency, aligned action
• The difference between coasting and ex

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community

Too many high-performers get stuck in overthinking. They let opportunities pass, waiting for the “perfect time.”

John Donnelly knows this firsthand. From leading through the 2008 mortgage crash to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at 50, John built his career and life on one principle: say yes until you have to say no.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn how saying yes more often can unlock opportunities, deepen your self-awareness, and help you prepare for your own “mountain.”

We’ll cover how John leads with curiosity in a structured industry, why self-awareness is the ultimate ROI, how to gamify big goals like Kilimanjaro, and the practical ways you can start saying yes to growth, even when fear says no.

---------------------

About the Guest: John Donnelly is the Senior VP of Sales at Service First Mortgage, where he has led through industry highs, the 2008 financial crash, and ongoing disruption from technology and AI. Beyond his decades in leadership, John is a lifelong learner and adventurer, most recently proving it by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at 50. His motto: say yes until you have to say no.

About the Episode: Growth isn’t about waiting for the perfect time, it’s about saying yes, taking action, and learning as you go.

In this episode of the GrowthReady Podcast, Steve Mellor sits down with John Donnelly to explore how saying yes can unlock opportunities, build self-awareness, and lead to transformational growth. From stories of leading teams through chaos to personal lessons gained on Kilimanjaro, John shares how curiosity, consistency, and conscious action create unstoppable momentum.

Key Topics & Themes

• What it means to say yes until you must say no
• Leading through crisis: lessons from the 2008 mortgage collapse
• Why curiosity beats certainty in leadership
• How a 12-hour walk sparked self-awareness and life-changing goals
• The preparation and lessons from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
• Why consistency matters more than perfection
• Turning ceilings into floors: leading with legacy for your family and team

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Connect with John Donnelly on LinkedIn →

Send us a text

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Official Website

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via Buzzsprout

Sign up for the monthly newsletter with Steve and GrowthReady (formerly known as Career Competitor) by providing your details here - Request to become part of our community