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The Sean Trace Show

Sean Trace

Join host Sean Trace on The Sean Trace Show, where creativity and inspiration collide. Each episode features a diverse group of creatives sharing their personal stories, insights, and creative processes to help you ignite your own spark of inspiration. With a focus on authenticity, resilience, abundance, and health, Sean's goal is to help you discover your own unique journey and empower you to live a more inspired life. So tune in and get ready to be inspired.

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30 episodes
Avg 38 min
English

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September 22 · 41 min
Why We Stop Saying Yes | Kelly Leonard | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with Kelly Leonard, the legendary creative executive behind Second City, the theater that launched Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Stephen Colbert. We dig into the real origins of "Yes And," tracing it back from a social worker teaching immigrant kids in Chicago all the way to boardrooms and FBI hostage negotiators. Kelly breaks down why our default setting as humans is to say no, and why that instinct is quietly killing our creativity, our careers, and our relationships. We talk about the Keith Jarrett Köln Concert story, the science of why introverts feel better acting like extroverts, and why the biggest barrier to innovation isn't failure, it's success. What's one "no" you regret saying?
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September 21 · 4 min
I Was Addicted to Being Busy
For a long time, staying busy made me feel like I had control. Five podcasts in a day, constant projects, always working, it felt like I was moving forward. Then I slowed down and realized something uncomfortable: being busy and making progress are not the same thing. And when the work stopped, some of the anxiety I had been outrunning came right back. I’m still figuring this out. For now, the goal is simple: control the things I can control and learn to let go of the rest.
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September 21 · 42 min
How to Move Forward When Fear Holds You Back | Frank Viscuso | The Sean Trace Show
I’ve always believed that some of the best leadership lessons come from places you wouldn’t expect, and in this conversation, I got to explore that idea with retired deputy fire chief and author Frank Viscuso. We talked about what firefighters can teach us about fear, pressure, teamwork, and leadership and why staying calm in a crisis isn’t simply something you’re born with. Frank explains how training, preparation, urgency, and what he calls “ruthless repetitions” can help us make better decisions when everything starts falling apart. We also dug into trust and empathy, why great leaders inspire people instead of demanding loyalty, and how spending real time with your team can build stronger relationships. We talked about conflict, workplace drama, unresolved tension, and why teams can fall apart even when talented people are involved. One lesson that really stuck with me was Frank’s advice to “stop expecting you from other people.” Different people respond differently, and great leadership starts with understanding that. What happens when you stop avoiding the hard things and start moving toward them?
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September 4 · 49 min
Pushing Back Chaos | Kris Hregdovic | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with retired Navy SEAL senior chief Kris "Herge" Hregdovic, and this conversation cracked me wide open in the best way. We start with a story about my daughter and a moment on a train in Bangkok that taught me what it really means to fight the good fight He breaks down why so many men wait until they're completely broken before asking for help. We also get into servant leadership, the lie that toughness is about looks or titles, and why knowing who you are internally matters more than anything you can lose externally. Herge spent twenty years in the SEAL teams and six deployments learning this the hard way, and now he's teaching men how to lead with humility instead of ego. What's one battlefield in your own life you've been afraid to walk back onto?
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September 3 · 52 min
What's your One Word? | Cancer Survivor, Serial Entrepreneur Rich Keller | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with Rich Keller, a former corporate branding executive who walked away from a thirty-year career on the spot to help people discover their identity in a single word. Rich breaks down why so many of us stumble when someone asks "tell me about yourself," and how conflating what we do with who we are quietly steals our confidence, our resilience, and our sense of purpose. We talk about Apple, Steve Jobs, and why iconic brands never waver from their core value, then bring it back to something deeply personal: grief, gratitude, and what it means to keep showing up when life reminds you that time is not guaranteed. What's the one word you'd use to describe yourself?
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August 28 · 49 min
Generational Food Trauma Is Real | Cynthia Blancaflor | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with naturopath and anti-inflammation expert Cynthia Blancaflor, and this conversation cracked something open for me. Cynthia grew up watching diabetes and heart disease take her family one by one, until she discovered a deep gut detox technique from a Chinese medicine master that healed her own sciatica in two weeks. Now she's built a program, Self-Care Blueprint, that's helped her clients heal chronic pain, autoimmune disease, and inflammation just by changing what they eat. We got into what she calls generational food trauma, and why 80% of grocery store food is ultra-processed junk dressed up as nourishment. What's one food habit from your childhood you've had to unlearn as an adult?
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August 26 · 44 min
ADHD Needs Structure | Lisa Woodruff | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with Lisa Woodruff, founder of Organize 365 and author of The Paper Solution and Escaping Quicksand, to talk about why so many of us feel exhausted before the day even starts. We got into the invisible workload that runs every household, the 20 to 40 hours a week it actually takes to keep a family functioning, and why treating your home like a business with real systems changes everything. We also talk about parents putting themselves last, how organization is a learnable skill, and what it really means to run your household like the CEO you already are. What's the one area of your household that always seems to fall apart, and what would it take to finally fix it?
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August 25 · 46 min
From Losing Everything to Feeding Thousands | Glenn Freezman | The Sean Trace Show
In this episode, I sit down with Glenn Freesman, founder of Digital Speaker Agent and the force behind the Two Hands, Two Meals, Two Lives movement, for a raw conversation about resilience, reinvention, purpose, artificial intelligence, and paying it forward. Glenn shares how losing nearly everything at 13 pushed him to sell 500,000 soft pretzels, help save his family’s home, and build a lifelong belief that one act of kindness can transform generations. We talk about why he came out of retirement, taught himself Python, and developed technology that helps professional speakers find and apply for speaking opportunities faster. But this conversation goes far beyond entrepreneurship. Glenn explains his mission to redirect unused conference food to people who need it, creating social impact without adding unnecessary cost or waste. We also explore his concerns about AI misinformation and the growing struggle to separate truth from confident-sounding fiction. What is one small action you could take today that might change someone else’s life?
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August 20 · 44 min
Why You Quit When Things Get Hard | Navy SEAL Thom Shea | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with retired Navy SEAL Thom Shea for a conversation that hit me harder than I expected. We got into why so many of us quit long before we actually reach our limits, and Thom broke down the four excuses that quietly sabotage every person's potential. We talked about why practice and repetition matter more than talent, why modern comfort has made us softer without us even realizing it, and why the lie we tell ourselves about how we feel is the biggest barrier to growth. Thom shared stories from SEAL training, raising his own kids, and running his leadership business, all pointing to one truth: showing up matters more than being ready. What's one excuse you keep telling yourself that's holding you back from something you actually want?
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August 20 · 8 min
Don’t Duel the MOFO | Anger Is Fuel, Don’t Let It Drive | The Sean Trace Show
Today was one of those days where anger completely took over. A project my wife and I had worked on for months got canceled, and I found myself furious, exhausted, and thinking about the absolute worst ways to deal with conflict. Including, apparently, wondering whether dueling people is still legal in 2026. But the more I thought about it, the more I came back to one idea: Anger is fuel. Don’t let it drive. Anger can tell you something is wrong. It can give you energy, courage, and resolve. But if you let it make your decisions for you, it can destroy the very outcome you’re trying to create. Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr are a pretty extreme example. Their conflict ended in a duel. Hamilton died. Burr survived, but his future was devastated. Nobody won. So when someone pisses you off, screws you over, or makes you want to throw hands, ask yourself: What am I actually trying to win? Sometimes the strongest move isn’t saying everything you feel. It’s controlling the fire long enough to use it for something productive. I’m still working on this one. How do you handle yourself when you’re seriously angry?
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August 18 · 38 min
Some Grow From Pain. Others Get Stuck | Anne Grady | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with Ann Grady, bestselling author and resilience expert. Ann opens up about raising her son Evan, who lives with autism and severe developmental delays, and how that journey reshaped everything she understands about adaptability. We dig into the real difference between enduring hardship and actually being resilient, why your brain treats uncertainty like a tiger attack, and how learned helplessness quietly rewires your nervous system over time. Ann breaks down her EVOLVE framework, explains why confidence comes from behaving rather than believing. We also get into the locus of control, the grief-like curve of change, and why comfort can become its own kind of cage. Would you say you're currently "standing in the storm" or "sitting it out in the cave"?
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August 11 · 44 min
Burnout Is Costing You More Than Money | Dr. Karthik Ramanan | The Sean Trace Show
What happens when you achieve the career, money, and success you thought would make you happy and still feel empty? In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Dr. Karthik Ramanan, a former Wall Street professional turned naturopathic physician and emotional health mentor, to explore the hidden cost of high performance. We talk about his journey from working 12 , 14 , and even 18 hour days during the Great Recession to realizing that professional achievement wasn't creating the life he actually wanted. We dig into the early signs of burnout, why entrepreneurs keep moving the goalposts, how chronic stress affects leadership and decision-making, and why slowing down can actually make you more productive. Dr. Karthik also explains the difference between true resilience and emotional repression, why successful entrepreneurs can still feel deeply lonely, and how profit, purpose, health, relationships, and money all connect. Most importantly, we explore how to question the money scripts and definitions of success we've carried for years and intentionally build a life that actually feels successful. What does success mean to you when you take money and status out of the equation?
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August 10 · 43 min
Stop Living on Autopilot and Lead with Purpose | Michael B. Clegg | The Sean Trace Show
In this episode, I sit down with leadership development expert and Q Works Group CEO Michael “Clegg” Clegg to explore why being busy isn’t the same as being productive. We unpack how unclear priorities, weak boundaries, and the habits we quietly tolerate can drain our energy and keep us trapped in a “default future.” Clegg shares how a devastating accident in 2023 forced him to reassess his life, rediscover his purpose, and build everything around three pillars: freedom of time, money, and purpose. We also discuss the power of saying no, using the Eisenhower Matrix to eliminate distractions, and choosing a North Star that guides your daily decisions. From self-awareness and leadership under pressure to honest feedback, personal growth, and work-life balance, this conversation offers practical ways to stop overcommitting and start living with intention. I walked away reminded that real change doesn’t begin with confidence, it begins with commitment, clear standards, and the courage to get uncomfortable. What are you tolerating right now that’s keeping you from becoming the person you know you could be?
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August 4 · 38 min
Why Spinning in Circles Might Make You Smarter | Sheila Thelen | The Sean Trace Show
I had no idea how much the vestibular system could affect the way we move, think, react, and navigate everyday life until this conversation with master figure skating coach and vestibular training specialist Sheila Thelen. We talk about the connection between balance, brain health, cognitive performance, reaction time, aging, sports performance, and independence and why Sheila believes these abilities can be trained throughout life. Sheila shares how her work has expanded from elite athletes and figure skating into vestibular training for older adults, people recovering from concussions, children with sensory challenges, and military operators. We also explore neuroplasticity, fall prevention, brain speed, motion sickness, and why simply moving your head and challenging your balance may matter more than most of us realize. What stuck with me most is the idea that getting older doesn’t automatically mean accepting declining balance, slower reactions, or less confidence in movement. There may be more we can actively train than we think. What ability do you want to still have when you’re 80?
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July 31 · 43 min
Silence Is A Skill | Jenn Alex | The Sean Trace Show
Communication isn’t something you’re either naturally good or bad at, it’s a skill you can actually train. In this conversation with Jenn Alex, I wanted to understand why communication breaks down so easily, even when everyone involved thinks they’re being clear. We talk about why people say yes when they really mean no, how assumptions create unnecessary mistakes, and why trying to sound smart can actually make your message harder to understand. Jenn also explains why difficult conversations get worse when we avoid them, why preparation matters when emotions are high, and how one simple habit like pausing can completely change the way we listen and respond. We also get into workplace communication, public speaking, leadership, body language, and why simplifying a complicated idea is often a sign of expertise, not a lack of it. The biggest takeaway for me is that effective communication isn’t about talking more. It’s about making sure the other person actually understands what you meant. What’s one communication habit you wish more people would stop doing?
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July 30 · 47 min
Feeding the World: The Truth About Ranch Life | Jaclyn Wilson | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with Jaclyn Wilson, a fifth-generation cattle rancher from the Sand Hills of Western Nebraska. Jaclyn helps run Flying Diamond Beef, a ranch homesteaded back in 1888, and she broke down why the "simple country life" people romanticize is actually one of the most dangerous and misunderstood professions out there. We talked about the wild misconceptions people have about American agriculture versus what she's seen traveling the world, the terrifying reality of working with animals that can weigh up to two thousand pounds. Did you know where your food actually came from growing up, or were you today years old when you found out how much work goes into it?
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July 29 · 49 min
Kids Notice Everything | Christia Spears Brown | The Sean Trace Show
In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with developmental psychologist Christia Spears Brown to explore how children learn stereotypes, recognize differences, and absorb bias from the world around them. Christia explains that children notice race, gender, skin tone, and appearance much earlier than many parents realize. The real issue is not that kids see differences, but how they begin attaching assumptions and meaning to those differences. We discuss how children pick up subtle messages through body language, media, toys, friendships, school environments, and adult reactions. Christia also explains why young children sometimes repeat hurtful words without fully understanding them, how stress can expose unconscious bias, and why avoiding conversations about discrimination can leave kids to create their own inaccurate explanations. Most importantly, we explore practical ways parents can raise kinder, more open-minded children through honest conversations, diverse representation, shared experiences, and meaningful connections with people from different backgrounds. What is one lesson about differences, kindness, or acceptance that you want every child to learn?
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July 27 · 44 min
Work Is Performance | Jeroen Kraaijenbrink | The Sean Trace Show
I sat down with strategy and culture expert Jeroen Kraaijenbrink to ask the question that's been on my mind for years: why do so many leaders pretend everything is fine when it's clearly not? Jeroen calls it the ostrich effect, and he breaks down why organizations have quietly made dishonesty the rational choice. We get into his PACE framework, purpose, awareness, connection, and energy, as the real foundation for honest leadership, and why even CEOs secretly feel like frauds. We also talk about why work and personal life were never meant to be separated, and what it really takes to build a culture where people feel safe telling the truth. When was the last time you told someone "I'm fine" when you really weren't?
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July 22 · 47 min
Sit With The Chaos | Marc Lesser | The Sean Trace Show
Why do so many successful people achieve everything they thought they wanted and still feel dissatisfied? In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with Zen teacher, executive coach, author, and mindful leadership expert Marc Lesser to explore the relationship between mindfulness, business leadership, happiness, and the human mind. Marc shares lessons from spending ten years at the San Francisco Zen Center before earning an MBA, building companies, and bringing mindfulness practices into organizations such as Google. We discuss why human beings are naturally wired to search for danger, why being hard on ourselves does not necessarily make us more productive, and how satisfaction, curiosity, and wonder may actually improve creativity and leadership. We also explore psychological safety, workplace culture, imposter syndrome, conflict, meditation, and the importance of turning toward difficult emotions instead of avoiding them. This conversation is a reminder that mindfulness is not about escaping work or ambition. It is about becoming more present, compassionate, and fully human while pursuing meaningful goals. What could change in your life if you started creating from satisfaction instead of fear?
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July 20 · 33 min
Your Brain Is Lying | Drenda Thomas Richards | The Sean Trace Show
In this episode of The Sean Trace Show, I sit down with speaker and belief disruptor Drenda Thomas Richards to uncover the hidden beliefs and stories that keep us stuck. We explore how subconscious beliefs can influence our confidence, fuel self-sabotage, and make us afraid to pursue change even when we already have the skills to move forward. Drenda explains why fear of judgment often begins in childhood, how our careers can become tied to our identities, and why uncertainty surrounding AI and the future can trigger a fear of becoming obsolete. We also discuss people-pleasing, burnout, healthy self-care, and the guilt many of us experience when setting boundaries. One of the biggest lessons from our conversation is that failure does not define who we are. Failure is feedback, and every unexpected result gives us an opportunity to adjust, build resilience, and choose a different direction. Sometimes rebuilding your life begins with taking a breath, questioning the story in your head, and realizing that you are allowed to change your mind. What belief or story are you ready to stop carrying?
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