2025 was a great year for the Glue Guys. We had the chance to sit down with some incredible guests and hear stories we’ll be thinking about for a long time. In this special Year in Review episode, we look back on our favorite moments from the show — breaking down the conversations, lessons, and surprises that stood out most. From leadership and culture to competition and career-defining moments, this episode revisits what made each conversation stand out.

Philip Rivers is returning to the NFL at 44 years old — five years retired, coaching high school football, and firmly into the next chapter of his life. And yet, when the Colts called, he said yes. This week, the guys unpack why this comeback is so much more complex — and meaningful — than it looks from the outside. Alex offers a rare, insider perspective on Rivers as a competitor, leader, and processor of the game. Shane explores when a comeback reflects courage versus when it risks becoming a chase. Ravi zooms out to compare sports comebacks with leadership transitions in business — from Steve Jobs to Bob Iger — and what separates the inspiring ones from the ones that feel forced.

Lane Kiffin's shocking move from Ole Miss to LSU ignited one of the biggest controversies in recent college football history. Should he have been allowed to coach Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff? Did the school sabotage its own chance at a national championship? And how much do trust, loyalty, and the transfer portal factor into decisions like this? In this episode, the Glue Guys go deep on the football strategy, the business dynamics, locker room trust, tribalism in sports, and what Kiffin’s move means for the future of college athletics.

Tony Xu, co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, joins the Glue Guys for a rare deep-dive into how great teams, great leaders, and great organizations are actually built. Tony shares the real story behind DoorDash’s climb — from years of near-failure, to navigating fierce competition, to developing a culture that values humility, experimentation, and continuous improvement. What emerges is a remarkably honest look at what it takes to perform under pressure, stay resilient through setbacks, and lead with clarity as the stakes rise.

Shane and Alex sit down with bestselling author Don Yaeger, who has spent years studying one of the most misunderstood forces in sports, business, and life: momentum. Yaeger — a 12-time New York Times bestselling author who has collaborated with legends like Coach K, John Wooden, Walter Payton, and Michael Oher — breaks down the science behind momentum: how it works, how leaders create it, and what truly separates teams that catch fire from those that collapse.

Greg Olsen joins the Glue Guys to dive deep into what it really means to compete — as a player, a coach, and a parent. Greg shares lessons from his father’s old-school New Jersey football program, coaching middle schoolers with Luke Kuechly and Jonathan Stewart, and the challenge of raising kids in today’s hyper-competitive, social-media-driven sports culture.

Ravi Gupta and Shane Battier sit down with tech visionary Bret Taylor, co-founder of Sierra AI and former CTO of Facebook, co-CEO of Salesforce, and chairman of OpenAI. Taylor shares his philosophy on career evolution, explaining why he refuses to let an "ossified version of his past self limit his future self." The conversation covers his journey from Google Maps co-creator to AI entrepreneur, insights on parenting in the AI era, the importance of communication and clear thinking, and his partnership with co-founder Clay Bavor. #BretTaylor #SierraAI #AI #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Tech #CEO #Career #growth #Innovation #Founders #GlueGuys

This week, former pro athlete and Head of Menlo School, Than Healy, joins The Glue Guys a heartfelt and insightful conversations on parenting, leadership, and resilience. Healy shares lessons from decades of working with students and parents in one of the most competitive school environments in America — and explains why failure isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. If you’re a parent, coach, or leader who cares about building strong teams and strong humans, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Glue Guys, Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta dive deep into the concept of aging - both professionally and personally. They explore how different industries favor youth over experience, the power of compounding growth versus explosive success, and finding sustainable urgency in your career. Shane shares his "Imperial Period" concept using music analogies, Alex discusses the challenges of staying relevant in sports media, and Ravi breaks down why consistent 20% growth beats sporadic 80% spikes. The conversation covers everything from health anxiety to maintaining authenticity as you age, choosing whose opinions matter, and balancing professional opportunities with being present for family. A honest discussion about mortality, legacy, and the wisdom that comes with getting older. #GlueGuys #AlexSmith #ShaneBattier #RaviGupta #ProfessionalGrowth #Aging #CompoundGrowth #SustainableUrgency #ImperialPeriod #CareerAdvice

Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith joins Ravi Gupta for an in-depth conversation about the massive differences between high school, college, and NFL football - and how those transitions mirror the challenges of building a business. Alex reveals how he went from running just 15 plays at Utah to learning 200+ plays as an NFL rookie, the brutal reality of playing against elite defenders like Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu, and why most NFL passes are thrown "blind." He shares insights on processing speed, preparation methods, and how great coaches like Urban Meyer and Norv Turner pushed him to evolve. The discussion draws fascinating parallels between quarterback development and founder journeys, exploring themes of mentorship, handling failure, and the importance of finding the right leadership environment to thrive.

Teams that gel. It’s every leader’s ambition. And legendary college football coach ⁠Urban Meyer⁠’s specialty. His approach earned him 17 championship titles, 3 perfect seasons, 5x coach of the year, and one of the most winning records in history (187-32). What does it take to go from a collection of players to a winning institution? Alex and Coach reflect on their time together at Utah. Coach Meyer opens up about the personal toll of his obsessive pursuit of excellence. The conversation gets into the heart, mind, and soul of one the greatest coaches of all time to unpack what it takes to stay on top of your game and win as one team. 

Meta CFO Susan Li joins Glue Guys to share her incredible journey from an immigrant to becoming one of the youngest Fortune 100 CFOs. Susan discusses joining Facebook in 2008 when it had only 400 employees and was smaller than MySpace, her unique childhood experiences, and the sacrifices her parents made coming to America. She reveals insights about Meta's culture of fast learning, succession planning, mentorship philosophy, and working alongside Mark Zuckerberg. Susan reflects on feeling different growing up, the power of books in connecting with others, and how great mentors gave her opportunities rather than just advice. A fascinating conversation about leadership, identity, gratitude, and building one of the world's largest companies. #Meta #SusanLi #Facebook #Leadership #CFO #Stanford #Mentorship #GlueGuys #Business

Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, hosts of the mega-hit podcast Acquired, join Glue Guys to share their incredible journey from side hobby to multi-million dollar business. They reveal how they've doubled their audience every year for 10 years through organic growth and discuss their intense research process. The duo opens up about David's leap from venture capital to full-time podcasting, their "game day" recording rituals, and how they've redefined podcast monetization by focusing on quality over quantity. From grading tech acquisitions to telling the stories of business legends, Ben and David explain how they've created a unique product through obsessive craftsmanship and authentic chemistry.

Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta dive deep into Scottie Scheffler's controversial "What's the point?" press conference before the British Open. The world's #1 golfer questioned his purpose despite dominating the sport, sparking debates about competition, family priorities, and what drives elite performers. The guys explore how Scheffler's vulnerability contrasts with the Michael Jordan mentality, discuss Tom Brady's response, and examine whether this mindset is actually Scheffler's competitive superpower.

Shane Battier and Ravi Gupta dive deep into the art of risk-taking. They explore when to "swing big" versus playing it safe, drawing from Shane's NBA career and Ravi's venture capital experience. The duo discusses earning the right to take risks, avoiding financial and opportunity ruin, and why standing pat can sometimes be the riskiest move of all. From basketball strategy to startup decisions, they break down how to evaluate upside potential, overcome loss aversion, and separate identity from outcomes. Plus, practical advice on lifestyle choices, the "nobody cares" principle, and why great stories never start with "I went home after dinner."

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr joins the Glue Guys for a conversation about leadership, mindset, and championship culture. With nine championship rings (five as a player, four as a coach), Kerr shares intimate stories about playing with Michael Jordan and coaching Steph Curry, the mental strategies that helped him overcome anxiety, and his philosophy of bringing joy to high-pressure situations. From writing "F.I." on his shoes to learning from Phil Jackson's mindfulness approach, Kerr opens up about building championship teams, managing difficult conversations, and why the journey matters more than the destination. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business, whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to⁠⁠⁠ ramp.com/gg⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus.  ----

Mandell Crawley, Chief Client Officer at Morgan Stanley, shares his extraordinary journey from growing up on Chicago's west side to the C-suite of Morgan Stanley. After losing his mother at age 2 and father at 17, Mandell was raised by his grandparents who instilled values of faith, education, and resilience. Mandell discusses vulnerability as a superpower, the balance of purpose and profit, and how trust enabled his non-linear career path. A powerful conversation about authenticity, gratitude despite adversity, and the importance of staying true to yourself while climbing the corporate ladder. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business, whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to⁠⁠ ramp.com/gg⁠⁠ to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus.  ----

From a family of fishermen in southern France to CEO of Instacart – ⁠Fidji Simo⁠'s path breaks every convention. After becoming her family's first high school graduate and attending France's leading university, she rose to lead the Facebook app before taking the helm at Instacart. She shares how she ‘finds the magic’ in people while delivering incredible outcomes. Beyond business, Fidji opens up about living with a rare genetic disease and how it led her to embrace vulnerability. This discussion is full of strategies for ambitious leaders who want to drive change while staying true to themselves. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠ Ramp⁠, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business, whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to⁠ ramp.com/gg⁠ to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus.  ----

In this episode of Glue Guys, NBA Hall-of-Famer Chris Webber talks about building a legacy that outlasts stats or fame. Webber opens up about the moment he realized it was bigger than basketball—and why culture, teamwork, and humility define true success. The guys talk about the feeling of getting drafted #1 overall, passing on the mantle to younger players (like Patrick Mahomes), the tangible value of a glue guy in the locker room, and more. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business, whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ramp.com/gg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus.  —-

Dawn Staley joins the Glue Guys to discuss her incredible journey from North Philadelphia to becoming one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. The three-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time national champion opens up about her new book, sharing insights on leadership, dealing with modern parenting challenges, and building championship teams. Coach Staley reveals how her 2024 undefeated championship team taught her new lessons about coaching, discusses the evolution of player-parent relationships in the NIL era, and explains her "dream merchant" philosophy. She also touches on her NBA coaching interviews and the importance of communication in building successful programs. A candid conversation about resilience, adaptation, and what it takes to lead at the highest level. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the financial operation platform that simplifies everything about how businesses spend money and spend their time. You can manage spend approvals, control your expenses, automate your accounting, track your vendor relationships, book your travel and delight your entire workforce with intuitive business software. Ramp enables you to focus all of your attention on what's most important. Get started now and build a more efficient team and a more profitable business, whether you have five employees or 25,000. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ramp.com/gg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and receive a $250 welcome bonus.  —-