What does it really take to build lasting success?
Entrepreneur Matt Alston joins host Jeff Cluff on The Four Fs Podcast to talk about discipline, mindset, and why freedom always costs consistency.
Before founding and selling a multi-million-dollar company, Surex.com Matt learned the power of repetition—shooting 200 basketballs a day before school—and carried that same focus into business and life. In this conversation, he shares what he’s learned about grit, leadership, and building motivation through action rather than inspiration.
Whether you’re chasing growth, trying to stay consistent, or rebuilding confidence after a setback, this episode will help you get unstuck and move forward with intention.
1. **Roots in McGrath (00:13 – 04:00)**
- Growing up in a town of 2,400 people
- Family legacy: sheep farming, first mayor, deep community ties
- Hutterite colonies and the agricultural backbone of Alberta
2. **Trailblazing Family Heritage (04:00 – 07:40)**
- Great-grandma as Canada’s first female Scoutmaster
- Alston Scout Park traditions
- Entrepreneurial lineage: canning factory, Tanko window factory
- Childhood memories of the factory and “breaking into” the pop machine
3. **Basketball Obsession (08:00 – 12:00)**
- Choosing basketball over hockey in a Canadian town
- Coach’s challenge: 200 shots a day
- Scrappiness: sneaking into gyms, laminated hall pass, falling in love with the process
4. **Mission & Mindset Shift (12:00 – 16:30)**
- Playing junior college ball, then serving a mission in Mississippi
- Influence of President & Sister Sheffield: “With money, you have options”
- Seeds of entrepreneurship planted
5. **Door-to-Door Sales Lessons (16:30 – 20:00)**
- Richmond, Virginia pest control sales
- Realizing success wasn’t a fluke
- Sales as the non-negotiable skill for entrepreneurs
6. **Abundance vs. Scarcity (20:00 – 23:00)**
- Childhood relationship with money
- Teaching kids respect for money and abundance mentality
- Blending discipline with opportunity
7. **Scrappy Problem-Solving (23:00 – 28:30)**
- Gym battles with janitors
- Laminated permission slip hack
- Typing contest and the “bucket of loonies” story
- Parents fostering self-belief and resilience
8. **Defining Success (33:00 – 40:00)**
- Marriage and family as the truest measure
- Intentional living and building generational spaces (lake property)
- Success as adult children still wanting to spend time with you
9. **Surex: Building from McGrath (40:00 – 53:00)**
- Transition from pest control to insurance
- Bootstrapping, early grind, and digital-first vision
- Luck, pivots, and scaling from a small town
10. **Selling Surex (53:00 – 1:03:00)**
- Acquisition journey with Industrial Alliance
- Lessons from investment bankers and due diligence
- Balancing growth, stress, and community impact
11. **Community Impact & Legacy (1:21:00 – 1:35:00)**
- Building jobs in McGrath
- Renovating the old folks’ home into Surex HQ
- Promoting from within and creating ripple effects for families
- Breaking the stigma: “You can go big in a small town”
12. **Looking Ahead (1:41:00 – End)**
- Scaling Surex with AI and branding
- Transitioning from chaos to strategy
- RM Capital: microloans for entrepreneurs in developing countries
- Living with integrity, not shortcuts
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
What do broken surfboards, cattle ranches, and spreadsheets have in common? For David Porter, a senior executive at ServiceNow and former U.S. Army Ranger, they each taught him something essential about resilience, decision-making, and the pursuit of purpose.
In this episode of The Four F’s Podcast, host Jeff Cluff sits down with David to trace an unconventional path — from surfing the North Shore of Oahu to leading elite teams in combat and now steering global operations in tech.
David shares candid insights about engineered failure, the power of solitude, knowing what you don’t want to be, and how running toward fear can unlock your potential. Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, rebuilding after a setback, or simply searching for clarity, this conversation will resonate deeply.
👉 Listen for stories that move from wild to wise — and lessons you won’t hear in any MBA program.
If you want a chance to ask David a question about leadership, tech, how the surf is breaking in Southern California, or whatever else is on your mind, drop a voicemail for a chance to hear David answer in Part 2! https://www.fourfspodcast.com/voicemail/
Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & Intro: Jeff introduces David Porter and sets the stage for a conversation spanning surfing, the military, and leadership in tech.
03:00 – Growing Up “Lord of the Flies” Style: David reflects on his chaotic yet formative childhood in Southern California and lessons learned from a big family.
06:00 – Surfing, Broken Boards & a Wake-Up Call: A near-drowning and shattered knee in Hawaii change everything — and spark an unexpected return to school.
14:00 – Solitude on the Cattle Ranch: David’s time as a ranch hand in Northern Arizona brings discipline, reflection, and the unexpected power of silence.
20:00 – From Econ to the Army: How academic curiosity, grit, and a spreadsheet led to a career-defining pivot into the military.
29:00 – The Option 40 Contract & Engineered Failure: The grueling process of earning his Ranger slot — and how “engineered failure” became a philosophy for life.
38:00 – Lessons from Leadership & Redemption: From being told he’d “never make it” to becoming the Iron Warrior — how David turned setbacks into momentum.
46:00 – Facing Fear as a Compass: Why running toward fear became David’s decision-making framework — from military life to executive leadership.
58:00 – The Spreadsheet That Saved a Career: How one small act of initiative inside airborne school reshaped his trajectory and exemplified fieldcraft in action.
1:10:00 – From Ranger to Tech Leader: How the mindset forged in failure and fieldcraft translates into success at Microsoft and ServiceNow.
1:20:00 – Closing Reflections: David and Jeff unpack what it really means to “know what you don’t want to be.”
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
What does it take to reinvent yourself six times—and still lead with purpose?In this episode, Jeff sits down with Gina Tesla, a global tech executive and social impact leader whose journey has taken her from Queens to the Peace Corps to leading corporate social responsibility at IBM, Microsoft, and Coupa Software.Gina opens up about:💡 How her humble start and community college education shaped her global career🌎 Life lessons from two years in the Peace Corps in Panama🏢 Building IBM’s Corporate Service Corps, often called “the corporate Peace Corps”💬 What leadership, service, and listening really mean in a corporate world🔥 Reinvention in the age of AI—and how to thrive through every transition🫱 How volunteering and board service unlock unexpected opportunitiesThis is a powerful conversation on purpose-driven leadership, resilience, mentorship, and the art of staying adaptable in an ever-changing world.🎧 Tune in if you’re interested in leadership, sustainability, or how to build a meaningful career that still delivers business results.👉 Subscribe for more inspiring conversations about leadership, purpose, and reinventionChapters
00:00 Introduction to Gina Tesla
02:34 Navigating Different Worlds: Urban vs. Rural Life
05:28 The Value of Education and Community College
09:45 From Community College to the Peace Corps
13:08 Career Transitions: From Advertising to Corporate Citizenship
15:32 The Importance of Reinvention in a Changing World
18:19 Soft Skills: The Key to Effective Leadership
18:49 The Essence of Effective Leadership
20:04 Learning from Failure
22:32 Cultural Insights from the Peace Corps
28:06 Navigating Challenges in the Peace Corps
32:19 Transitioning to Corporate Social Responsibility
36:04 Building a Career in Corporate Responsibility
39:47 Global Impact Through Micro Projects
42:42 The Role of Nonprofits in Community Engagement
45:06 The Benefits of Volunteerism
46:54 Board Service and Career Progression
49:32 Transitioning to Microsoft
52:06 Navigating Corporate Social Responsibility During COVID
54:07 Building ESG Initiatives at Coupa
58:20 Driving Change Through the Equal Air Initiative
59:19 Air Quality Disparities and Community Impact
01:01:13 Collaborative Solutions for Air Inequality
01:02:39 Corporate Responsibility and Shareholder Interests
01:05:01 Risk Mitigation and Climate Strategies
01:07:51 The Importance of Mentorship
01:10:16 Finding and Cultivating Mentors
01:12:14 The Power of Vulnerability in Professional Relationships
01:15:10 Reflecting on Small Moments and Their Impact
#Leadership #WomenInTech #CorporateResponsibility #ESG #PeaceCorps #CareerReinvention #Fourfspodcast #Podcast
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
In this episode of the Four Fs podcast, we dive into the fascinating journey of Kevin Schreck, co-founder and CEO of Elevate Consulting and Elevate Innovations. From solving math problems on napkins as a child to leading successful startups, Kevin shares insights into his path of curiosity and innovation. Join us as we explore his experiences in technology, leadership, and the art of balancing personal and professional growth. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that offers a peek behind the curtain of a truly curious mind.
More info on Kevin here: https://www.fourfspodcast.com/guests/kevin-schreck/
About Elevate Consulting: https://elvt.io/
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
In this episode, we sit down with Professor Stacey Lee from Johns Hopkins University to explore the transformative power of negotiation. Stacey shares her journey from law to academia, revealing how empathy and preparation can turn tough conversations into opportunities for building stronger relationships. Whether you're navigating complex negotiations in healthcare or seeking to enhance your communication skills, Stacey's insights offer a fresh perspective on the art of negotiation. Tune in to discover how to harness the power of dialogue to create meaningful and durable agreements.
More information on the episode here: https://www.fourfspodcast.com/guests/stacey-b-lee-jd/
Leave a voicemail here: https://www.fourfspodcast.com/voicemail/
Check out the book Transforming Healthcare Through Negotiation here: https://a.co/d/eKLtTuq
Subscribe to Stacey’s Substack: https://staceyblee.substack.com/subscribe
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-b-lee/
#Negotiation #Empathy #RelationshipBuilding #CommunicationSkills #Leadership #ToughConversations
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
Dr. Gordon Bodnar is Professor of International Finance at the Johns Hopkins University.
The conversation explores the evolving landscape of education, particularly the impact of AI on teaching methods and student attitudes. It discusses the challenges of remote learning, the importance of hard work in education, and the implications of AI in the corporate world. The dialogue also touches on economic concepts such as tariffs, the US debt situation, and the imperfections in financial markets. In this conversation, Gordon Bodnar discusses the implications of fiscal policy and deficits on the US economy, the evolving landscape of digital assets and stable coins, the role of central banks in digital currency regulation, and the future of the US dollar in a changing global economy. He also shares insights from his research on the relationship between GDP growth and stock market performance, including the stock market's role as a forward-looking indicator.
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
In this conversation, Rich Kaplan shares his experiences and insights from his time at Microsoft, particularly during the Y2K crisis. He discusses the importance of leadership, effective communication, and the need for clarity in meetings. Kaplan emphasizes the significance of personal priorities and how they influence decision-making in a corporate environment. He reflects on the lessons learned from influential leaders like Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, and the impact of good leadership on organizational culture and success.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:21 Leadership and Vision
03:31 Effective Communication in Leadership
05:32 Meeting Management Techniques
07:43 Feedback and Guidance in Leadership
10:01 Personal Experiences and Life Lessons
11:35 Health and Priorities
13:50 Philanthropy and Giving Back
15:54 Y2K and Crisis Management
18:02 Innovative Marketing Strategies
20:06 Reflections on Technology and Society
27:12 Navigating the Y2K Challenge
30:09 Establishing Support Policies
33:42 Customer Commitment and Reputation
36:39 Leadership and Accountability
38:19 Influencing Without Authority
49:57 Executing the Y2K Strategy
51:21 Y2K Strategy and Execution
52:58 Confidence in Preparedness
57:04 Lessons from Y2K and Security
01:02:05 Leadership and Culture at Microsoft
01:04:40 Influence of Key Leaders
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
From Casio diary to cyber defense: How technology curiosity shaped Andreae Pohlman's military-Microsoft arc.
In this conversation, Andreae Pohlman (Dr. Dre) shares her journey from a tech-savvy child in Texas to a successful cybersecurity expert. She discusses the importance of networking, the impact of her military service on her career, and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field. Andreae emphasizes the need for self-advocacy, building confidence, and the significance of mentorship in navigating one's career path. The conversation also touches on the importance of authenticity and the lessons learned from failures. In this conversation, Andreae Pohlman (Dr. Dre) shares her journey through the tech and cybersecurity fields, discussing her educational choices, the importance of networking at conferences, and the challenges faced by women in tech. She emphasizes the need for resilience in career paths, the significance of cybersecurity in protecting against threats, and the evolving role of AI in the industry. Andreae also highlights the mission of the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu, which aims to empower underrepresented groups in cybersecurity through education and community support.
https://womenscyberjutsu.org/
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
In this episode, Jeff is joined by Mike Owen—a former Microsoft engineer whose 18+ year tech career started in a unionized grocery store and ended with an unexpectedly powerful final act. Mike shares how he rebounded from a rare “zero rewards” performance review, how a blood transfusion changed his life (and his commitment to donating), and why he became a vocal advocate for salary transparency, mental health, and reverse mentorship at one of the world’s biggest tech companies.
From surviving ulcerative colitis and hospital stays, to transforming Friday virtual happy hours into safe spaces for honesty, Mike’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and radical generosity. We also dive into imposter syndrome, the impacts of the pandemic, coaching younger engineers, and how personal accountability—and community—can change your trajectory.
This conversation is a masterclass in redefining success beyond titles and bonuses. If you’ve ever felt unseen at work, struggled with burnout, or questioned your place in tech, this episode is for you.
You can connect with Mike on his LinkedIn, and check out his financials presentation as mentioned, that helped guide industry transparency on salary.
00:00 Introduction to Mike Owen's Journey
10:12 Navigating Career Challenges and Growth
20:12 The Importance of Salary Transparency
30:10 Reflections on Longevity and Vulnerability in the Workplace
37:55 Mentorship and Learning
38:48 The Importance of Coachability
39:30 Salary Transparency and Its Challenges
41:24 Defining Self-Worth Beyond Numbers
43:17 Overcoming Bad Reviews and Resilience
50:17 Personal Struggles and Recovery
58:21 Reflections on Layoffs and Job Security
01:02:07 The Case for Unionization in Tech
01:11:30 Advice for Young Professionals in Tech
Worms, Y2K, and Wine Cellars. How Chris Walker helped Solve for some of the most prolific Internet Worms in history is much more than BASIC.
From Dartmouth’s BASIC revolution to Microsoft’s Y2K firefight, Chris Walker helped shape the digital world in ways most users never see. In this candid conversation, he opens up about navigating billion-dollar bugs, surviving worm outbreaks, and why being escorted out of Bill Gates’ backyard wasn’t even the weirdest part of his job. Packed with wit, wisdom, and the kind of stories that never made it into press releases.
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
An artist’s evolution: How theater and the arts shaped Jan Nelson’s career in technology
Jan Nelson’s journey spans software revolutions, spiritual resilience, and cosmic creativity. In this episode, Jan reflects on the tension between artistic calling and tech industry demands, recounts surreal Microsoft moments, and explores how his artwork became part of the Lunar Codex. From geometries inspired by Bucky Fuller to navigating a career “interrupted” by innovation, Jan shares stories that stretch from Bill Gates’ dock to the moon.
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
Step into the world of early tech pioneers with a former Microsoft leader who turned project failures into career-defining wisdom, helped launch a vaccine finder during the pandemic over a long weekend, and still managed to teach at the University level! From debugging with punch cards to shutting down airspace for Bill Gates’ wedding, this episode captures the grit, humor, and heart of a remarkable life in and around technology.
If you listen to any of the following shows, we're sure you'll love this episode: The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett), The Shawn Ryan Show, The Lex Fridman Podcast, Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, How I Built This with Guy Raz, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.