In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Dan Snow, Berkeley PhD and Harvard Business School professor turned BYU educator; for a thoughtful conversation on identity, reinvention, and choosing a life of deep purpose over conventional success.
Dan shares his journey from the factory floors of Ford to the lecture halls of Harvard, and why he ultimately walked away from the elite academic path to teach and mentor at BYU. With rare humility and clarity, he unpacks the quiet courage it takes to start over, the challenges of being “the outsider,” and what it means to build a life that actually aligns with your values.
They explore leadership, legacy, and how the most meaningful growth often comes from embracing discomfort. Whether it’s navigating faith in unfamiliar environments or making high stakes career pivots, Dan’s story is a powerful reminder that status isn’t the goal, impact is.
00:00 | Introduction & Chelsea’s Journey
03:55 | Education as Leadership Development
07:34 | Dan’s Upbringing in Colorado Springs
13:30 | Being the Outsider & Building Empathy
17:22 | Faith, Contrast, and Cultural Identity
19:43 | Mission in Rome & Early Lessons in Rejection
22:59 | The Pivot Away from Law School
26:24 | Working at Ford & Career Clarity
30:05 | Choosing a PhD Over Corporate Success
31:48 | Berkeley, Humility, and Academic Culture
39:30 | The Dissertation: Last Gasp of Carburetors
45:26 | The Hidden Power of Applied Theory
49:13 | Greatness, Grit, and the Clay Christensen Standard
54:14 | Turning Talents into Purpose
56:01 | Reinvention & The Power of Starting Over
58:41 | Spiritual Greatness in Everyday People
01:02:06 | Creation, Progress & the Human Drive
01:03:04 | Teaching at Oxford & Global Perspectives