Podcast
Disruption Lab
Hosted by Patrick Leddin PhD · EN
Disruption isn’t coming—it’s already here. Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or chasing a dream, curveballs are part of life. Disruption Lab helps you turn them into breakthroughs.
Hosted by Patrick Leddin and inspired by his book Disrupt Everything and Win (with James Patterson), each episode brings bold ideas and real stories to help you thrive in a fast-changing world.
Disruption is powerful—but so are you.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Disrupt the Spotlight with Opera Singer and Leader Keri Alkema
2d ago00:33:59Tap to summarizeWhat happens when you step away from the spotlight and choose to lead in an entirely new way?Patrick sits down with internationally acclaimed opera performer Keri Alkema to discuss reinvention, leadership, creativity, and the future of the arts. After a celebrated career performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, Keri is stepping into a new role as the future director of the Nashville Opera.Together, they explore the transition from performer to leader, what it means to carry forward an art form while challenging the status quo, and how disruption often requires the courage to leave behind an identity that once defined you.Keri brings energy, honesty, and vision to a conversation about purpose, leadership, and building something bigger than yourself.
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Disrupt the Stories We Tell with Fox Business Reporter Lydia Hu
1w ago00:35:59Tap to summarizeHow do you find your voice and stay steady when the world feels chaotic?Patrick sits down with Lydia Hu, attorney turned journalist and familiar face on Fox Business, for a conversation about career pivots, high-pressure moments, and navigating disruption in real time. The two first connected while appearing together on Varney & Company during the height of Patrick and James Patterson’s media tour.Lydia shares her journey from practicing law to becoming a nationally recognized business reporter covering some of the most disruptive moments in recent history, including COVID, financial uncertainty, and rapidly changing economic conditions.This episode explores communication, reinvention, and the importance of stepping into uncomfortable opportunities before you feel fully ready.
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Disrupt the Way You See Problems with DonCo’s President David Mendelson
2w ago00:35:04Tap to summarizeMost people see waste, excess, or leftover materials as a problem. David Mendelson sees opportunity.Patrick talks with David Mendelson, leader of multi-generation family-owned company DONCO, about creativity, problem solving, and operating in a world where every phone call brings a new challenge. David and his team help organizations rethink industrial byproducts, excess inventory, and unused materials by finding innovative ways to put them back into use.Featured in Disrupt Everything and Win, David exemplifies what positive disruptors do best: seeing what others miss and thinking differently when faced with uncertainty.This conversation is about mindset, ingenuity, adaptability, and why some people are able to find possibilities where others only see obstacles.
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Disrupt Career Reinvention with Forbes Contributor Kathy Caprino
3w ago00:41:39Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to reinvent yourself in a world shaped by layoffs, AI, uncertainty, and constant change?In this episode, Patrick sits down with career and leadership expert Kathy Caprino, Forbes columnist, executive coach, educator, and host of the Finding Brave podcast. The two first met at the World Business Forum in New York City, where Kathy’s thoughtful questions and genuine care for people immediately stood out.Together, they explore career reinvention, leadership visibility, personal growth, and what it really means to navigate disruption well. Kathy shares insights from years of helping professionals find clarity, courage, and direction in moments when the future feels uncertain.Whether you’re considering a career pivot, trying to lead through change, or simply wondering what’s next, this conversation will help you think differently about your path forward.
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Disrupt Your Voice with Megan Piphus
May 500:34:58Tap to summarizeWhat does it really mean to find your voice? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Megan Piphus to explore how voice is not just something you have. It is something you develop, refine, and sometimes fight to uncover. Megan’s journey is anything but typical. She started as a self-taught ventriloquist at a young age, went on to appear on America's Got Talent, built a career that spans performance, music, and storytelling, and eventually became a puppeteer and cast member on Sesame Street. But what makes this conversation stand out is not just what she has accomplished. It is how she disrupted herself along the way. From finance and real estate to creative work that aligns with who she truly is, Megan made intentional choices to step into her voice rather than settle for a path that did not fully fit. This conversation will challenge you to disrupt the assumptions you carry about who you are supposed to be and how you are supposed to show up. It is about finding the confidence to use your voice, even when it looks different from what others expect. Megan’s story is also featured in the New York Times bestselling book Disrupt Everything and Win, which Patrick coauthored with James Patterson. To learn more about Megan and her work, visit her website: https://www.MeganPiphus.com
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Disrupt the Idea of a Single Path with Colleen Brown and Pierce Brown
Apr 2800:57:28Tap to summarizeWhat if success doesn’t follow a single path? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Colleen Brown and her son Pierce Brown for a conversation that highlights two very different journeys, both pursued with clarity and intention. Colleen has led at the highest levels as a CEO and board member. Pierce has built a global following as the author of the Red Rising series. Their careers look nothing alike, and that is exactly the point. This conversation will push you to disrupt the belief that there is one right way to build a meaningful life. You will hear how each of them found and committed to their own path, how they think about their work, and how they continue to grow without trying to become someone else. What stands out most is the dynamic between them. There is a deep sense of respect, admiration, and appreciation for each other’s journey. It is a reminder that we do not have to choose the same path to support, value, and learn from one another. If you are navigating your own direction, this episode offers a grounded perspective. You do not need a single path. You need your path, and the awareness to recognize and respect it in others. Learn more about Pierce’s work at https://www.piercebrown.com
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Disrupt Stress & Joy with Amy Leneker
Apr 2100:32:34Tap to summarizeWhat if the stress you’re feeling isn’t something to manage but something to rethink entirely? In this episode of Disruption Lab, Patrick sits down with Amy Leneker to explore how our relationship with stress shapes the way we show up at work and in life. Too often, we treat stress as the enemy and joy as something we will get to later. Amy challenges that thinking and offers a more practical approach that helps you navigate pressure without losing yourself in the process. This conversation will push you to disrupt the way you think about stress, success, and what it means to enjoy the life you are building. Amy is the author of Cheers to Monday, where she shares insights and tools to help people create more energy, clarity, and fulfillment in their everyday lives. You can learn more at her website https://www.amyleneker.com
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Disrupt Your Measure for Success with New York Times bestselling author Jim Murphy
Apr 1400:41:37Tap to summarizeIn this conversation, Patrick sits down with Jim, a former professional athlete and a sought-after coach at the highest levels of sport and beyond, to explore the ideas behind his earlier work Inner Excellence and his newly released book The Best Possible Life. Together, they dig into the hidden barriers that often get in our way when we are striving for something meaningful.Along the way, Patrick shares honestly how he sometimes “sabotages” himself. Jim challenges that framing and offers a more useful way to think about it, giving language that shifts how we see our own behavior and potential.If you are trying to do meaningful work, make a difference, or simply live a fuller life, this episode is a thoughtful look at what it really means to disrupt yourself and redefine success on your own terms.
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Disrupt Limits with Lucy Westlake
Apr 700:33:18Tap to summarizeLucy Westlake is the youngest North American woman to summit Mount Everest. But this episode isn’t just about climbing mountains. It’s about what happens when a father-daughter relationship evolves from guide and follower to peers… and eventually to independence. We talk about Denali, Kilimanjaro, and summiting every U.S. high point together. But more importantly, we explore what it means to choose your own path, follow your passions, and step forward when it’s time to climb on your own. A powerful conversation about growth, identity, and the courage to chart your own course.
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Disrupting Your Life for Good with James Patterson
Mar 3100:32:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Disruption Lab, I sit down with James Patterson, one of the world’s most prolific and widely read authors, to talk about the ideas behind our New York Times bestselling book Disrupt Everything and Win.This conversation is less of an interview and more of a back-and-forth dialogue. We discuss why we took on this project, what we discovered along the way, and why disruption is not something to fear but something to engage with intentionally.We also explore what it means to disrupt your life for good: making choices that align with what matters most, challenging the status quo in thoughtful ways, and taking ownership of the path ahead.If you are looking to think differently about change, leadership, and how to create a life of meaning and impact, this conversation offers a practical and personal starting point.
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