The Richard Brooke Podcast

Ben Riley | From Graveyard Shifts to Global Strategy

Episode Summary:
What does it take to rise from the night shift to the executive suite–across continents, cultures, and countless challenges? In this compelling episode, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with Ben Riley, a global sales leader with over 20 years of experience in the direct-selling space.

Ben shares how his leadership journey began in the warehouse, working graveyard shifts to pay for college, and evolved into leading international teams from Korea to Australia. They dive into the hard-earned lessons that shaped Ben’s approach to leadership–what it means to make tough calls, build trust across cultures, and stay grounded through global success.

---

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Ben’s leadership journey started in the shipping department and scaled to global strategy

• What it’s like to lead teams across Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and the U.S.

• How learning new languages shaped his view of leadership and connection

• Why humility, persistence, and personal vision matter more than position

---

About the Guest:
Ben Riley is a seasoned global executive with more than two decades of leadership experience. He began his career at Young Living in 1998 and went on to lead sales and operations across multiple continents, including executive roles at Avon, 4Life, Melaleuca, and Younique.

Ben is fluent in Korean, has lived abroad for over a decade, and brings a rare depth of cultural and operational insight to his leadership. He is a proud husband and father of five. His favorite pastimes include hiking, reading, and cycling.

---

Resources & Links:

Ben Riley Links:

• Instagram: @benhriley
• Facebook: Ben Riley

• LinkedIn: Ben Riley

Richard Bliss Brooke Links:

• Website: richardbrooke.com

• X: RichardBrooke

• LinkedIn: Richard Bliss Brooke

---

Loved This Episode?
Be sure to subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover The Richard Brooke Podcast. If something that Ben or Richard shared inspired you, tag us or share your favorite takeaway—we’d love to hear what resonated.

John Addison | Turning Fear Into Fuel

Episode Summary:

What does it take to lead through chaos, inspire thousands, and come out stronger on the other side? In this powerful conversation, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with John Addison, legendary leader, speaker, and author of Turn Your Fear Into Fuel.

John opens up about his experience guiding Primerica through the 2008 financial crisis and one of the most successful IPOs of the decade. He shares how fear can be reframed as fuel for growth and leadership—and why resilient thinking is more essential than ever.

They also dive into the leadership lessons behind Rory McIlroy’s decade-long journey to finally win The Masters. Whether you're in business, network marketing, or simply navigating life’s pressures, this episode will leave you inspired to lead with courage and purpose.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How John led Primerica through massive disruption and came out stronger
  
  
• The mindset shift that turns fear into power—and how to train it
  
  
• The surprising leadership takeaways from Rory McIlroy’s comeback win
  
  
• Why authenticity, grit, and belief matter more than charisma
  
  
• What it really means to rise, lead, and win on your terms

About the Guest:
John Addison is the former Co-CEO of Primerica, where he spent 33 years driving nationwide growth and transformational leadership. Known for his authentic style and practical wisdom, John now helps individuals and organizations grow through Addison Leadership Group, Inc.

His latest book, Turn Your Fear Into Fuel, is a powerful guide to reframing fear into a force for personal transformation. John continues to inspire as a speaker, author, and thought leader—and as a proud Georgia Bulldogs superfan.

Resources & Links:

John Addison Links:

• Get the Book: Turn Your Fear Into Fuel
  
• Website: johnaddisonleadership.com
  
• Blog: Leadership Insights
  
• Instagram: @addisonleadership
  
• Facebook: John Addison on Facebook
  

Richard Bliss Brooke Links:

• Website: richardbrooke.com
  
• Facebook: facebook.com/RichardBlissBrooke
  
• Instagram: @richardblissbrooke
  
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richardblissbrooke
  
• YouTube: @rbbrooke on YouTube
  

Loved This Episode?
Be sure to subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover The Richard Brooke Podcast. If something John shared lit a fire in you, tag us or share your favorite takeaway—we’d love to hear what resonated.

Seth Godin - Success is Progress

Seth Godin, a pioneer in ethical marketing, discussing his journey, the evolution of email marketing, and the principles outlined in his latest book on strategy. Godin emphasizes the importance of understanding systems, time, games, and empathy in developing effective strategies. He also explores the impact of ownership structures on business strategies and the significance of creating raving fans for sustainable growth. 

Michael DiMuccio - Manifesting Success: The Power of Mindset

Michael DiMuccio, a young YouTube sensation, shares his journey from creating content as a child to becoming a successful content creator with millions of followers. He discusses the influence of his upbringing, the strategies he employed to grow his audience, and his transition into music. Michael emphasizes the importance of hard work, creativity, and understanding the dynamics of social media platforms. He also provides insights into monetization and the significance of delayed gratification in achieving long-term success.

 

Barry Labov - Branding is Everything

In this engaging conversation, Richard interviews branding expert Barry LaBov, who shares his journey from a creative background in music to becoming a leading figure in branding and marketing. Barry emphasizes the importance of differentiation in branding, illustrating his points with case studies from major brands like Audi and Cadillac. He outlines a proprietary five-step process for discovering brand uniqueness and highlights the significance of listening to long-term employees to maintain brand integrity. The discussion also touches on the power of naming and identity in branding, using creative examples from his experiences coaching youth sports. In this conversation, Barry Labov discusses the importance of brand differentiation, community engagement, and the power of storytelling in marketing. He emphasizes the need for brands to celebrate uniqueness, maintain their identity over time, and connect with their communities to build loyalty. The discussion also highlights the pitfalls of cost-cutting measures that can undermine brand identity and the significance of using visual storytelling to convey a brand's message effectively.

Linda Lang - Breaking Barriers: The Rise to CEO

Linda Lang shares her inspiring journey from a lower middle-class upbringing to becoming the CEO and Chairman of Jack in the Box. She discusses her early life, the influence of her family, her educational path, and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated corporate environment. Linda emphasizes the importance of collaboration, work-life balance, and the role of affirmative action in her career. She also reflects on her leadership style, crisis management during the E. coli scare, and her innovative marketing strategies that contributed to the company's success. Linda concludes with valuable advice for young women aspiring to succeed in their careers.

 

James Clear - Global Influencer

James Clear is an author and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. His website receives millions of visitors each month and hundreds of thousands subscribe to his popular email newsletter. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Through his online course, The Habits Academy, James has taught more than 10,000 leaders, managers, coaches, and teachers. The Habits Academy is the premier training platform for individuals and organizations that are interested in building better habits in life and work.

Brian Biro- America’s Number One Breakthrough Speaker

Brian Biro is America's number one breakthrough speaker. He's one of the nation's foremost speakers and teachers of leadership, possibility thinking, thriving on change and team building. He's delivered more than 1800 presentations around the world in the past 30 years. His clients include such diverse organizations as Lockheed Martin, the US Army, the Naval Information Welfare Center, Price Waterhouse Cooper, the University of Notre Dame, U C L A, the Northern Carolina Association for the Advancement of Teaching Senators and representatives from 13 Western states, Deloitte,  Goodyear, the Virginia School superintendents, Kaiser Permanente, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, IHop, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Allstate Insurance, Good Samaritan Hospital, REMAX, Shaklee, the American Dental Association, and hundreds more. A major client offered the best introduction about Brian's impact when he said Brian Biro has the energy of a 10-year-old, the enthusiasm of a 20-year-old, and the wisdom of a 75-year-old, the former vice president of Major Transportation Corporation in the Pacific Northwest.

He helped lead a major turnaround that resulted in the company quadrupling in revenues, becoming solidly profitable, and being named the leader in the air freight industry for customer service and convenience by distribution magazine. Brian is the author of 15 books, including Bestseller Beyond Success, which reached number 16 on Amazon, 100 from over 2 million titles. Brian was rated number one among over 40 speakers at four consecutive magazine international business conferences. He graduated with honors from Stanford and served as the president of the U C L A Graduate School of Management Student Association while earning his M B A from U C L A. He's appeared on Good Morning America and CNN. He has been a guest on more than 300 radio programs, as well as dozens of podcasts throughout the country. He's been a featured speaker at the Disney Institute in Orlando. Brian was named one of U C L A Graduate School of Management's 100 most inspirational graduates in the 75-year history of the school. Most recently, Brian was also honored as one of the top 10 interactive speakers in North America and one of the top 60 motivational speakers in the world.