The Executive Athlete Podcast

In this episode of Executive Athlete, I sit down with Jeff Benton, founder and CEO of Paragon Performance Evolution, to explore why coherence, not hustle, not strategy, not even willpower, is the ultimate competitive advantage. We dive into why 90% of our 60,000-70,000 daily thoughts are the same as yesterday (and 70-80% are negative), how heart-focused breathing resets your nervous system in 30 seconds, and why gratitude produces 14 biochemical changes in your body, including doubling DHEA levels. 

In this episode of Executive Athlete, I sit down with Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva, board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Aesthetic Lab in Newport Beach, to explore how aesthetic medicine has evolved from vanity-driven procedures to a strategic pillar of executive performance and longevity. We dive into why first impressions matter more than we think (milliseconds, not minutes), how metabolic health determines surgical outcomes, and why the future of plastic surgery is moving from structural "carpentry" to regenerative medicine that optimizes how we age from the inside out.

In this episode of the Executive Athlete, I sit down with Hayden McComas, Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned documentary filmmaker and author of The Modern Monk, to explore his dramatic journey from hustle culture burnout to holistic wellness. After selling his business, Hayden embarked on a spiritual sabbatical that nearly destroyed his health. We dive into the health crisis that changed everything, why sleep is the foundation of peak performance, and the five-pillar framework that transformed his life. This conversation is essential for any executive or high performer who's been pushing too hard for too long.

In this episode of the Executive Athlete, I sit down with Anna Gudmundson, CEO and co-founder of Sensate, to explore how infrasound resonance technology is revolutionizing stress management and nervous system regulation. We dive into why meditation apps fail mass market users, the science of vagal nerve toning, and how Anna built a company that prioritizes compassion for human struggle over perfection. Her insights on leadership, functional medicine, and the future of personalized health are essential listening for any executive athlete.

In this episode of Biohacking for the Executive Athlete, I sit down with Gold Porter, founder and CEO of Riveter Consulting Group, to explore her unconventional path from Marine paralegal to luxury lifestyle management expert. We dive into how she serves ultra-high-net-worth clients while maintaining her own cutting-edge wellness protocols, the spiritual practices that keep her grounded in a demanding industry, and why she believes in questioning every program we've inherited from childhood.Timestamps:2:35 - From Marine paralegal to Wall Street6:26 - Energy drains in high-pressure executive lives8:33 - Fitness as a church10:50 - Structuring business around wellness, not the other way around13:20 - Energy coach and daily grounding practice18:05 - Travel biohacking20:20 - Influencing high-profile clients through example, not advice23:05 - Advice for executives new to biohacking27:03 - Leading with radical honesty in a PC world30:00 - The garden that grew from her biggest challenge32:17 - Balancing ambition with contentment33:36 - Success definedConnect with Gold:Company Website: https://riveterinc.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gold-porter-6b481525/About Riveter Consulting Group: Premier lifestyle management and domestic staffing firm serving elite executives, families, and athletes across the United States and abroad. Specializing in ultra-high-net-worth client support with discretion, logistical precision, and strategic thinking.Connect with Nicole:Stay connected with Nicole Ward for more insights on leadership, sales excellence, and the intersection of health and performance.Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleward111/Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5c0mQ7HMqldnb3w3C2HNm6Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-executive-athlete-podcast/id1828954832

In this episode of Biohacking for the Executive Athlete, I sit down with Joe Chura, founder and CEO of Go Brewing, to explore his incredible journey from Ford assembly line worker to tech entrepreneur to non-alcoholic craft beer pioneer. We dive into his transformative health journey during COVID, how quitting alcohol revealed clarity he never knew existed, and why he's building a wellness-focused brewery that's reshaping mindful social drinking. Joe shares his daily protocols, the philosophy behind "acceptable risk," and why sometimes you need to say yes before you know how it will all play out.

In this episode of the Executive Athlete, I sit down with Todd Vande Hei, founder of Stark Health, to explore his remarkable transformation from a sick manufacturing executive to a health optimization pioneer. We dive into how he applied business principles to revolutionize healthcare delivery, creating a team-based approach that treats the human body like the complex system it is. Todd shares his personal journey from seizures and heart issues in his 30s to peak health at 56, revealing the foundational protocols and integrated systems that make sustainable optimization possible for high-performing executives.

In this episode of The Executive Athlete, I sit down with Angel Morgan, Chief Business Development Officer at Cherry Bekaert, to explore the intersection of wellness and sales excellence. We dive into Angel's evolution from a young entrepreneur to a biohacking executive who treats her body as a vessel for peak performance. From discovering that sleep was the key to managing her ADHD and leadership effectiveness, to implementing the "whole self" philosophy with her sales team, Angel shares her candid journey of using health as a competitive advantage.Timestamps:5:15 - Health as a mission, not a hobby10:25 - Sleep as the game-changer14:32 - Tech, wearables, and hormone replacement therapy18:46 - The "three S's" travel strategy for sales executives22:13 - From daily to weekly perspective27:36 - Instilling wellness mindset in sales teams31:14 - Longevity and toxic load39:55 - The influence of leadership and showing up for others-----Connect with Angel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelmichellemorgan/About Cherry Bekaert: Cherry Bekaert is a Top 25 nationally focused CPA advisory firm that embraces the challenge of being set apart through actions, not words. They focus on helping clients achieve success by being the very best for their clients, starting at the human level.-----Connect with Nicole:Stay connected with Nicole Ward for more insights on leadership, sales excellence, and the intersection of health and performance.Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleward111/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBAnwBACChwListen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5c0mQ7HMqldnb3w3C2HNm6