The Extra Mile - The Official Charity Miles Podcast

We're thrilled to welcome the Jimmy Fund to the Charity Miles family. For those who don't know, the Jimmy Fund raises money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, a truly miraculous place. Their signature event is the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai, which takes place each year on the course of the Boston Marathon®.  Yes, you can actually walk all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon course, from Hopkinton to Boylston Street, to raise money to fight cancer! (They also have shorter distances like a half marathon, 10k, or 5k.) For obvious reasons, they can't have the Jimmy Fund Walk in person this year. But we are honored to help them bring this very special event to life in Charity Miles. One of the things that makes the Walk special is how they dedicate each mile and half mile to a different hero-- a patient whose story exemplifies what makes Dana-Farber such a special place. These are the heroes that we'll be showcasing in Charity Miles.  One of those stories comes from today's guest,

Katherine Adamenko is the Manager of Well-being at Ropes & Gray LLP, one of the best law firms in the world. I used to work for a couple of law firms just like Ropes & Gray, and I can't recall anyone being concerned with wellness back then. But times surely have changed. When we were getting ready to launch our new Employee Empowerment program for companies to sponsor their employees, I cold-emailed a bunch of law firms to see who would be interested. Katherine was the first to get back to me, and was very helpful as an early adopter, and in providing feedback for us to make the program better. Since then, we've had many amazing companies reach out to join our Employee Empower program, including Salesforce, Allbirds, Workday, Gilead, Truist and more. In just a few short months, this program has already helped raise over $2 million in corporate commitments for great charities. Katherine's help was crucial in helping us get the platform off the ground. Which is why I wanted to talk with Katherine to sh

My first interview with Bob received more positive feedback than any other interview I recorded. For those who missed it, I highly recommend going back a couple episodes to listen to our first interview.   It's just two episodes back. In the first interview we talked about how to have uncomfortable conversations. In this conversation we talk a bit more about why to have uncomfortable conversations. We dive deeper into the purpose of uncomfortable conversations, the challenge of slippery slopes and how to why we need to build conflict resilience. Again some more background on Bob... Bob Bordone is a senior fellow at Harvard Law School, a former Harvard Law School Professor, and Founder and former Director of the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program. When I was in Law School (16 years ago!), Bob was my advisor.  With all that is going on in the world today, I thought it would be great to dust off my old negotiation and conflict management textbooks, and give Bob a call.

Meb Keflezighi is an Olympic Silver Medalist and the winner of the Boston and NYC Marathons.  He's a legend in the sport, and probably one of the most loved athletes in recent years. I asked for Meb's insight on how he handles unforeseen challenges, and for his perspective on the Black Lives Matter movement. Huge thanks to Meb for all he does to inspire. #EveryMileMatters

Bob Bordone is a senior fellow at Harvard Law School, a former Harvard Law School Professor, and Founder and former Director of the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program. When I was in Law School (16 years ago!), Bob was my advisor.  With all that is going on in the world today, I thought it would be great to dust off my old negotiation and conflict management textbooks, and give Bob a call. I'm glad I did.  Because now more than ever, we all need to develop our conflict resilience skills-- the ability to listen deeply, assert authentically, promote creativity, and foster mutual gain. For more on Bob click here. If you're listening to this before June 19th, click here to learn more about a panel that Bob is hosting on Approaches to Processing, Anger, Anxiety and Grief. #EveryMileMatters!

Jason Russell is the Co-Founder of Black Men Run, and a stroke survivor.  He's a voice we need to hear from. And he has a simple, but powerful message: Listen. Thank you, Jason. #EveryMileMatters! -Gene

Dan Pallotta is one of my heroes. His book, Uncharitable, dared to challenge the conventions that constrained the way we thought about charity. His 2013 iconic TED talk has been viewed nearly 5 million times. My first interview with him a couple of years ago is one of my favorite interviews ever. And now he's further distilled his insights into The Everyday Philanthropist, a simple, easy-to-understand guide to help us all understand that there’s a better way to do giving. In this interview, you'll get a small taste of what Dan is about. It's too good to sum up here. You'll have to listen. And then go buy the book. Seriously, go buy this book.  We're not getting a cut or anything.  But we need everyone to read this. Here's the link to find it on Amazon. Big thanks to Dan for helping us all dream bigger. #EveryMileMatters

Dave McGillivary is the race director of the Boston Marathon. As many of you know, the Boston Marathon was one of the first major events that was "postponed" because of the coronavirus.   When they originally postponed it, they were hoping that they'd be able to run it in September. However, as it became apparent that this would not be possible, either, they last week made the hard decision to "go virtual", at least for this year. It's not yet clear when we'll be able to have races and live events like the Boston Marathon again. Dave shares more about how they came to these difficult decisions, and what it will mean to run the Boston Marathon "virtually". He also shares his own story and journey to the Boston Marathon, his run across the U.S. for the Jimmy Fund, and so much more. Thanks Dave!

Kevin Carrol is a Katalyst, a spark. I first met Kevin at a conference several years ago and I've been a huge fan ever since. When I met him, he was the "Creative Katalyst" at Nike.  Phil Knight called him the Mayor of Nike. But his journey to Nike was never preordained.  He took a lot of twists and turns, like the feather in Forest Gump. Kevin was raised by his grandparents in Philadelphia after his parents, addicted to drugs, abandoned him at age six. Everything in his environment told him that he should never amount to anything. But out of necessity, he found a way to build community and seek wisdom from others-- drug dealers, veterans, positive deviants, teachers and more. Growing up, Kevin played basketball and football.  But after suffering a few concussions on the football field, he started playing soccer, which helped pave his path to college. From there, Kevin found his way to the Air Force where he became a translator while also studying to become a sports trainer. After leaving the Air Force, he th

Kristen Ulmer is one of the world's top extreme athletes-- ever. As a big mountain extreme skier, she was #1 in her sport for 12 years in a row, and regularly named the top female extreme athlete by all the magazines and authorities that rate that kind of thing. As she made her living by literally defying death on a daily basis, Kristen learned a lot about fear. She learned how to harness her fear to propel her to new heights.  And she learned how fear could cripple her if she ignored or tried to "conquer" it. For regular listeners of our podcast, you might recognize Kristen's voice from our intro music: "Fear is an asset, an ally here to help you be magnificent." That was from the first interview I recorded with Kristen, more than two years ago at the Spartan World Championships in Lake Tahoe. Since then, I've re-listened to that original interview several times.  It's one of my favorite that I've ever recorded.  Each time I listen, I learn something new. With COVID-19, we're all living through a very scary

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm tremendously honored to share this podcast with Stacey Stewart, CEO of March of Dimes, one of our newest charity partners. When we started working with March of Dimes, I was very surprised to learn that the United States is one of the most dangerous countries to be pregnant and give birth. Which is why Stacey and March of Dimes are leading the charge in fighting for the health of all moms and babies. In this slightly rainy (and hilly) interview, Stacy and I talk about the March of Dimes' history, how they solved the problem of the polio virus, and how they're now fighting for maternal health, both scientifically and systemically. It's also worth noting that March of Dimes pioneered the idea of walking for charity. That's why they're called the March of Dimes... In other words, they're the original Charity Miles! Thanks to Stacey and her team for the opportunity to support their mission. Congrats to Stacey for earning her 101 Mile Club T-Shirt during this interview! And of course,

Joe doesn't pull any punches. And I was taken aback when he jumped right into the interview by saying that he thinks we need to let everyone out of the quarantine now. But as we got into it, I understood what he meant. We can't hide from COVID-- just like we can't hide from any of our fears. Doing that only delays the inevitable, and maybe makes it even worse. There's a lot of practical and jarring wisdom in this interview.  Some if it may be hard to hear.  Some of it may even shake you up a bit. But maybe that's what we all need... On a more personal note, Joe has been one of the most influential mentors on my Charity Miles journey. I first met Joe almost six years ago and, through the years, I've tried to emulate many of his leadership qualities. He leads by example, from the front.  He has exceptionally high standards for himself and everyone he meets. He's always raising the bar.  Metaphorically and literally. In early March, as it became clear we were headed for a pandemic, I found myself getting very de

Kris Putnam-Walkerly is a trusted advisor to some of the world’s leading philanthropists. For over 20 years, ultra-high net worth donors, foundations, Fortune 500 companies, celebrity activists and wealth advisors have sought her advice to transform their giving and increase their impact. But Kris' expertise isn't just relevant for "big" philanthropists.  It's super relevant to anyone who wants to make an impact for charity Like all of us. In this interview, we discuss Kris' most recent book, Delusional Altruism, to uncover principles that can help all of us make a much bigger impact for all the charities we care about. This conversation is super important now, as many of our favorite charities are struggling in the shadow of COVID-19. They need our help NOW.  Kris' advice can help us all rise to the occassion. For more on Kris' latest book, click here: https://delusionalaltruism.com. Big thanks to Kris for sharing so much with us. #EveryMileMatters!

I met Robyn nearly 20 years ago, when we GAVE each other a high five. That one high five completely changed my life. Since it's #GivingTuesdayNow, I want to encourage you to GIVE someone else a (socially distant) high five. You'll make their day.  You might even completely change the trajectory of your life. Also, since it's Giving Tuesday Now, I want to encourage everyone to make a donation to charity TODAY. Of course, it's important to support COVID-relief efforts.  But I also hope you'll support the charities you would have supported before the pandemic. They NEED our help. COVID-19 did NOT cure cancer.  Or Parkinson's, Alzheimer's or Diabetes.   It doesn't educate children or provide clean water.  It doesn't protect our environment or animals. I know many of us are hurting personally. But nothing will make us all feel better than reaching out to help someone else.   Big thanks to Robyn for helping me learn this... and for changing my life. And big thanks to all of you for stepping up to rise to the chall

This is a time for leaders to step up. Which is why I'm thrilled to share this conversation with my friend, Gerard Adams. Gerard is a serial entrepreneur and host of the internet-television series, Leaders Create Leaders. Most importantly, he's from New Jersey, which is where all great minds come from. Gerard always knew how to hustle. After nearly getting busted for selling marijuana as a teen, Gerard decided that he preferred more legitimate business ventures. He has since founded two eight figure businesses, one of which (Elite Daily) was sold for $50 million. Since then, Gerard has become passionate about teaching what he has learned about entrepreneurship to cultivate other leaders. And boy, do we need some leaders right now. Big thanks to Gerard for sharing so much with us, supporting Charity Miles, and for helping me get my bearings on the new Zoom-styled podcast. #EveryMileMatters

This may be the perfect interview for the times we find ourselves in. Jimmy Choi was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease when he was 27 years old.  He spent the next eight years in denial, ignoring the Parkinson's, gaining weight, walking with a cane... until, one day, he fell down the stairs while holding his infant son. That was the wake up call Jimmy needed to turn his life around. First he got educated about Parkinson's. Then he started walking with his cane. Then he started walking without his cane. Then running. Then running a 5K. Then running a half marathon. Then running a marathon. Then running many marathons. Then competing in "ninja" competitions with his daughter. Then competing on American Ninja Warrior... Three times! In other words, Jimmy knows something about overcoming obstacles. One of those things, he says, is that you have to give yourself a license to fail. Failure is not a problem if you learn from it. When confronted with a new obstacle, you'll almost inevitably fail as you try to figure

I was recently introduced to Danny Grossman by a mutual friend. As soon as I heard a bit of his story, I wanted to interview him on the podcast. Originally from the USA, Danny Grossman served for six years as an F-4 navigator flying fighter aircraft for the US Air Force, earning honors as 9th Air Force “Top Gun”. After making aliyah to Israel in 1979, Danny served in the IAF for over 20 years, including nearly 200 combat missions, and earned a medal for a strategic reconnaissance mission to Iraq. After the Air Force, Danny served as Israel Director for the American Jewish Congress. For the past several years, Danny has been an independent consultant for strategic, diplomatic, security and public affairs.  His clients are some of the most influential players in Israel and the U.S., including my former law professor, Alan Dershowitz. Danny has incredible wisdom to share under any circumstances.  But I was particularly interested in hearing his perspective on the coronavirus.   Danny did not disappoint, sharing

George Weiner is one of the smartest people I know, particularly when it comes to charity. As the founder of Whole Whale, he helps charities every day make the most of the digital tools available to them. Whenever I need HONEST feedback, I call George. I'm always glad whenever I heed his advice. I always regret when I don't. Which makes this interview particularly sobering-- and steeling. While I'm trying to maintain a positive outlook, and while many of us are eager for things to "return to normal", George reminds us that we're gonna be in for a long haul. We may have been caught off guard on February and March, but we cannot be caught off guard for what's to come.  We need to prepare now, mentally and otherwise. There are some very key takeaways in this interview: 1.  We're not yet feeling the full effects of COVID-19. Get ready for a long haul. 2.  Our charities are REALLY hurting now too-- even as they're needed more than ever.  If you're going to make a donation this year, make it NOW! 3.  Do the Census!

Nate Checketts is the Co-Founder & CEO of Rhone, a premium men's performance lifestyle company.  They make awesome gear for running, working out and more. Like all businesses CEOs, COVID-19 threw Nate a major curveball.  He responded not only on behalf of Rhone, but also by creating BrandsxBetter, a coalition of 128 (and growing) like-minded brands who are committed to providing aid in a time of crisis. All coalition members have pledged to donate 10% of their proceeds to charities focused on fighting and alleviating the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on our communities.  Additionally, they have all committed to providing customers with additional value, like discounts or gifts with purchase. At a time when all these brands are extraordinarily challenged, it's amazing to see them rise to the occasion and go the extra mile for their employees, customers and communities. To learn more and support the amazing brands in BrandsXBetter, go to: https://BrandsXBetter.com. Big thanks to Nate for walking wi

Ethan Zohn is a former professional soccer player who was selected to compete in the third season of Survivor... which he won.  He used his winnings to start a fantastic non-profit, Grassroots Soccer, which uses soccer to help kids around the world. Then he developed a rare form of cancer-- which he beat, twice. Along the way, he played Survivor again (but lost), ran a few marathons, raised a lot of money for charity, and moved up to a beautiful cabin in the New Hampshire woods with his wife. He recently competed in his third season of Survivor, in which all the contestants are past winners.  Kinda like an All-Star game. The season is airing now, so no spoilers. I've known Ethan for many years now, and have always admired him.  I've wanted to interview him on the podcast, but it was always hard to coordinate travel to NH to make it happen. Well, we were planning to do the interview in Boston this week before he ran the Boston Marathon. But that was obviously canceled due to the coronavirus. But since the viru