Visionaries

Building Athletes for Life Beyond the Game: The Seven Pillars with Nick & Michael Ahmed

Whiteboard — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:19:15 -0700

In this powerful conversation, we sit down with brothers Nick and Michael Ahmed, the co-founders of Seven Pillar, a revolutionary approach to developing athletes that goes far beyond performance metrics. After witnessing firsthand the mental health crisis affecting one in three high-performing athletes, these former professional baseball players created a holistic framework designed to build champions in life, not just in sport.

Key Discussion Points:

[02:00] The Genesis of Seven Pillar

How organic conversations between teammates evolved into a comprehensive athlete development system
The decade-long journey from personal struggle to purposeful solution
Why traditional athlete development falls short of preparing players for life

[06:13] The Identity Crisis in Sports

Understanding performance-based identity and its devastating effects
How comparison culture and external validation create unstable foundations
The transformation that happens when athletes discover their true worth beyond the scoreboard

[11:37] Sport as Life Training

Reframing athletics as a vehicle for character development
Why winning isn't everything, but competition still matters
Building skills that translate from the field to family and community

[15:52] The Seven Pillars Framework

Identity - Building unshakeable self-worth independent of performance
Mindset - Developing mental resilience for competition and life
Lifestyle - Creating sustainable habits that support long-term success
Relationships - Fostering authentic community and accountability
Nutrition - Fueling both body and mind for optimal performance
Fitness - Physical preparation that serves athletic and life goals
Recovery - Understanding rest as a competitive and personal advantage

[22:25] Faith and Community in Athletic Development

Why relationships matter more than individual achievement
The role of faith in creating lasting identity and purpose
Building teams and communities that elevate everyone

[26:45] The NIL Generation Challenge

How modern athletics has shifted toward individual focus
The recruiting crisis facing college sports
Developing intangibles and "it factor" in young athletes

Connect with Seven Pillar:

New Story: Being Different and Daring with Brett Hagler

Whiteboard — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:49:08 -0700

Join Whiteboard founder Eric Brown in conversation with Brett Hagler, CEO and co-founder of New Story, for an inspiring deep dive into visionary leadership, social entrepreneurship, and pioneering solutions to the global housing crisis. In this episode, Brett shares his remarkable journey from a 23-year-old college graduate on his first mission trip to Haiti, to building one of the world's most innovative housing nonprofits that's revolutionizing how we think about affordable housing through technology, land ownership, and market-based solutions.

Meet Brett

Brett Hagler is the CEO and co-founder of New Story, a nonprofit dedicated to pioneering solutions to the global housing crisis. Under his leadership, New Story has built thousands of homes across Haiti, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala, and created the world's first 3D printed neighborhood. A Y Combinator alum and recognized thought leader in social innovation, Brett is passionate about creating market-based solutions that serve underserved families while building sustainable, scalable models for lasting impact.

Key Highlights

The Origin Story (00:00-05:11)

How a life-changing trip to Haiti sparked the vision for New Story
The intersection of faith, entrepreneurship, and social impact
Early lessons from a failed e-commerce startup that led to breakthrough insights

Y Combinator & Early Growth (05:11-10:28)

Becoming one of the first nonprofits accepted into Y Combinator (Summer 2015)
The "100 houses in 100 days" campaign that outpaced the Red Cross
Building transparency and trust in international charitable giving

Innovation in Action (10:28-16:54)

Creating the world's first 3D printed neighborhood in partnership with Icon
Taking calculated risks with R&D funding for breakthrough technology
Lessons learned about the true complexity of the housing puzzle

The Evolution to Market-Based Solutions (16:54-22:09)

Shifting from charitable beneficiaries to customers
The importance of land ownership and building credit profiles
Creating sustainable, scalable solutions that attract other market players

Advice for Emerging Entrepreneurs (22:09-26:53)

"Dream big, but start small" - beginning with just one $6,000 house
Why courage is in shorter supply than genius
The power of being different and attracting the right resources

Key Takeaways

Start Small, Dream Big: Every massive vision begins with a single, achievable step
Challenge the Status Quo: Innovation happens when you question why things aren't working
Customers vs. Beneficiaries: Market-based solutions create more sustainable impact than charity alone
Courage Over Genius: Taking calculated risks attracts opportunities that wouldn't otherwise exist
Systems Thinking: True impact requires understanding all pieces of complex problems

Resources Mentioned

New Story - Learn more about their housing innovation work
Icon - 3D printing construction technology partner
Y Combinator - Startup accelerator program
Charity: Water - Clean water nonprofit
Mission of Hope Haiti - International development organization

Connect with Brett Hagler

Brickyard: The Hard Way is the Right Way, with Cam Doody & Matt Patterson

Whiteboard — Wed, 28 May 2025 06:36:19 -0700

Today we're joined by Cam Doody and Matt Patterson, co-founders and general partners at Brickyard. Before launching a pre PMF venture firm in residency, they co-founded Bellhop, a tech driven relocation company that moved over 350,000 households and raised 90. 80 million in venture capital through Brickyard. They provide early stage founders, not just with capital, but operational support, accountability, and a community of builders.

They discuss their entrepreneurial journey from founding Bellhop, a tech-driven relocation company, to establishing a new kind of venture firm focused on early-stage founders. Brickyard offers a unique approach by providing not just capital, but operational support, accountability, and a community.

They reflect on their experiences, the challenges of the venture capital landscape, and the innovative model that demands radical focus and dedication from startup founders. Success stories and key insights from their efforts to create a founder-driven startup ecosystem in Chattanooga, Tennessee, are also highlighted.

Key Moments and Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Visionaries Shaping the Future
00:55 Meet Cam Doody and Matt Patterson of Brickyard
01:53 The Entrepreneurial Journey: From Bellhops to Brickyard
05:24 The Brickyard Vision and Mission
06:27 Challenges and Critiques of Venture Capital
08:36 Brickyard's Approach
14:27 Success Stories and Notable Founders
18:54 Personal Reflections & Principles
22:03 Lessons Learned & Future Plans

Whiteboard is the leading creative and technology partner to visionary leaders and brands, helping them navigate the future with wisdom and imagination.

Visionaries is a Whiteboard and Toldwell production.

Introducing "Visionaries" by Whiteboard

Whiteboard — Thu, 01 May 2025 10:01:15 -0700

We’re all familiar with the visionaries who shaped our past, but what about the ones who are shaping our future?

The ones who see what others don’t.
Who challenge the status quo.
Who imagine a future not just as it is, but as it ought to be.

That's why on Visionaries, we’ll dive deep with today’s boldest thinkers—leaders, artists, and entrepreneurs—who are crafting the next chapter of our world.

How do they see what’s coming?
How do they make the impossible, inevitable?
And how can we learn to think like them?

Because the future belongs to those bold enough to imagine it.