In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Ryan Heckman, a former Olympic athlete turned private equity leader and entrepreneur. Ryan shares his incredible journey from growing up in Granby, Colorado, to competing in the Olympics at just 16 years old, and how his relentless drive to win—rather than just train—shaped his mindset in both sports and business.
Ryan and Dan discuss the importance of being a maverick, making progress over comfort, and the reality that true leadership sometimes means accepting that not everyone will like you. They dive into the key traits of a great leader, the art of structuring your day for success, and the value of wisdom as a form of wealth. The conversation explores pivotal moments like when a librarian helped him get into CU and how a flight led him into the world of business.
If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or just someone looking for inspiration, this episode is full of wisdom, unconventional success stories, and practical insights on building a life and career on your own terms.
Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/book
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