Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On Purpose

• Becoming Better: How Vertical Development Transforms Leadership, Purpose, and Personal Growth with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson

  Dr. Dan sits down with leadership researcher, author, and mindset expert Dr. Ryan Gottfredson to explore what it truly means to become better—better leaders, parents, partners, and human beings. Drawing from his groundbreaking work on vertical development, Ryan reveals why most of us are overdeveloped in “doing” and underdeveloped in “being,” and how this imbalance limits our growth, purpose, and connection in every part of life.  During this powerful and deeply human conversation with Dr. Dan, Ryan shares personal stories of emotional neglect, independence, healing, and the courageous work of rewriting one’s internal operating system. Dr. Ryan and Dr. Dan dive into the profound relationship between self-awareness, compassion, resilience, and authentic leadership and why healing isn’t a soft concept, but a neurological upgrade that changes how we respond to stress, relationships, and opportunity. Listeners will learn the difference between horizontal development (knowledge, skills, and doing) and vertical development (mindsets, presence, and being), and why the most effective leaders elevate through intentional inner work.  This episode is for anyone seeking deeper purpose, greater self-awareness, healthier relationships, and a more grounded, empowered approach to leadership. Whether you’re guiding a team, raising a family, or navigating your own personal evolution, today’s episode offers inspiration, clarity, and transformative possibility. Take Ryan’s free assessments, explore his books (including Becoming Better), and access additional tools at. For more information, visit ryangottfredson.com and follow @ryangottfredson  on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Purpose, Growth, and Authentic Leadership: Embrace Your Ripple Effect with Dr. Lauren Speeth

  Dr. Dan welcomes Dr. Lauren Speeth—award-winning author, educator, storyteller, and global changemaker—for a powerful conversation about purpose, resilience, and the courage to live an authentic, hope-filled life. Drawing from her new book Taking the Stairs and Liking It, Lauren shares the seven transformative principles that shaped her remarkable journey, including wisdom passed on directly from President Jimmy Carter. In this inspiring and deeply human episode, Lauren opens up about shaping her identity beyond titles, navigating loss and reinvention, and discovering her unique path to service and leadership. Dr. Speeth and Dr. Dan explore what it means to show up with compassion, to cultivate self-awareness, and to take purposeful steps toward the person you want to become—especially when life feels overwhelming. Listeners will hear stories about music, creativity, Lauren’s formative childhood experiences, the profound power of small acts of kindness, and how each of us has the ability to uplift others through our presence. This conversation is a reminder that we all have a ripple effect—and that the world needs the unique strengths only you can bring. This episode will inspire you to pause, reflect, reconnect, and remember – your presence matters more than you know. For more information, visit https://bgu.edu/dr-lauren-speeth and follow @elfenworksproductions on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Facing Fear, Finding Purpose: Empowerment, Authenticity, and Wholeness with Courtney Smith

  Dr. Dan interviews coach, Enneagram teacher, and author Courtney Smith to explore how we grow, evolve, and reclaim our most authentic selves. Courtney shares the transformational journey that took her from a high-achieving, analytical career to helping leaders and individuals uncover the stories, fears, and inner patterns that shape their lives. Together, they dive into themes of self-awareness, purpose, empowerment, courage, compassion, and authentic leadership, revealing how we can all step out of our “zone of greatness” and into our true zone of genius. Drawing from Courtney’s work with the Enneagram, Conscious Leadership tools, and her new workbook Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness: A Process for Reclaiming Your Full Self By Elise Loehnen and Courtney Smith, this episode breaks down how old stories and inherited beliefs keep us stuck — and how understanding fear, rewriting narratives, and naming our “parts” can create profound personal growth. This episode is an invitation to slow down, tune inward, and step courageously into a more authentic and connected version of yourself. It’s for leaders, caregivers, creators, and anyone committed to personal evolution and meaningful impact. For more information, visit CourtneySmithConsulting.com and follow Courtney Smith on Substack. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Creativity, Healing, and Connection: Self-Discovery Through Adversity and Art with John Guillemette

  Artist and writer John Guillemette joins Dr. Dan for a moving conversation about paradox, purpose, and the transformative power of creativity. From being misdiagnosed and over-medicated to rediscovering balance and meaning as a hospital janitor during the pandemic, John’s story reveals how struggle can become the source of wisdom. Together, John and Dr. Dan explore the courage it takes to live authentically, the importance of self-discovery through art, and the beauty of collaboration that honors our shared humanity. They discuss John’s acclaimed illustration work with repeat MIAGO guest Dr. Gina Barreca on Gina School: It’s Not What They Teach You, It’s What They Learn, and his upcoming illustrated memoir Relapse of a Recovering Ego Addict. This episode is a meditation on growth, resilience, and what it means to “make it a great one” — even when life feels messy, strange, or contradictory. For more information, visit musingjohn.com and follow @musing_john on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan #MakeItAGreatOne #DrDanPeters #JohnGuillemette #Creativity #Resilience #Authenticity #Mindset #Growth #SelfAwareness #ArtAndHealing #Leadership #Connection #Courage #Inspiration #Humanity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Power, Healing, and Hype Women: Remember Who the F*ck You Are with Erin Gallagher

  In this powerful and honest conversation, Dr. Dan Peters talks with Erin Gallagher–CEO, author, and founder of the Hype Women movement—about what it truly means to remember who you are and break free from systems, expectations, and internalized beliefs that keep us small. Erin shares her journey of trauma, transformation, triumph, and how she turned a viral moment into a global movement with Dr. Dan, highlighting as her journey from pain into purpose and self-doubt into empowerment. Together, she and Dr. Dan explore how women (and everyone) can challenge patriarchal conditioning, set boundaries without guilt, embrace duality, and step into their full, authentic selves. This episode is about courage, self-awareness, and the radical act of hyping others up as we rise together. Erin reminds us that empowerment starts with asking, “Is it still working?”—and having the bravery to make a different choice when it’s not. For more information, visit www.hypewomen.com and follow on Instagram @erin.gallag.her on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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