The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast

Most people think creativity is something you either have or you don't — a gift, a gene, a mysterious lightning bolt that strikes a chosen few. Kyle Scheele has spent his career dismantling that belief, and in this conversation he makes the case that creativity isn't magic at all. It's problem-solving. And everyone already does it, every single day.
In Part 1 of this episode:
Why your brain is not a truth-seeking machine — it's a belief justification machine: give it the belief "I'm not creative" and it will spend the rest of your life finding evidence to prove you right
Kyle's spontaneous ideation theory — the creativity myth he compares to the 17th century scientific belief that dirty rags and wheat kernels spontaneously generated mice, and why most people's understanding of where ideas come from is just as wrong
The coffee shop moment that defined Kyle's career: his friend Isaac told him, "most people come in here, talk about an idea, and the next time you hear about it, it's just an idea again — you come in two days later editing the footage"
How Kyle went from broke high schooler selling "Osteoporosis is bad to the bone" T-shirts out of the school lunch room to getting a line into Urban Outfitters in his first year of college — and what that early experience installed in him about figuring things out
Why 70% of the time, when companies give their teams the bandwidth to explore a challenge internally, the answer is already there — it's just inside the head of someone who hasn't been asked yet (Harvard Business Review, cited on stage)

Content Warning: This episode includes a brief discussion of childhood suicidal ideation. Kyle shares openly about his experience as a child feeling isolated in school and experiencing dark thoughts, before a friendship changed his perspective. The conversation is handled with care and context, but we want our listeners to be prepared.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — available 24/7 in both the US and Canada.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Creativity as Problem Solving
00:36 - Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro
03:24 - Turning Ideas Into Action
06:33 - Early Hustle T Shirt Business
11:40 - Belief Systems Block Creativity
15:27 - Ambition Versus Contentment
20:59 - No Right or Wrong in Ideas
25:06 - AI Limits and Skin in Game
26:46 - School Struggles and Finding Belonging
28:44 - It Only Takes One Person To Make An Impact
29:36 - Creative Kid Origins
30:12 - Student Council Confidence
31:45 - Baby Steps Momentum
32:15 - Window Of Possibility
33:45 - Vision Into Action
35:08 - Fuel Creativity Thrives Within Constraints
36:49 - Recovering Curiosity
39:34 - Questioning Limiting Beliefs
44:15 - Everyone Is Creative
45:41 - Claiming Artist Identity
48:29 - Business Needs Crystal Clear Goals
51:12 - Creativity As Problem Solving
52:39 - Unlocking Team Innovation
57:27 - Closing Remarks and Stay Tuned For Part 2
Resources mentioned:
Several books (for adults and childen) referenced written by Kyle, can be found here: https://kylescheele.com/Books
Harvard Business Review study on internal innovation
Heather Moyse — Olympic athlete referenced by Dwayne re: chunking goals
Spontaneous generation theory / Francesco Redi experiments — referenced in context of the creativity myth
Orbis Medicinae — Jan Baptist van Helmont, referenced in context of spontaneous generation
Steve Jobs interview — paraphrased by Kyle re: everything in the world being made by people no smarter than you
LeanScaper Operations Intensive — conference where Dwayne first saw Kyle speak

Quotes:
“ What you might consider might be right or wrong is really based on what's the possibility of it happening, and then it'll only be judged when you look back on it in history.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ If you don't get clear on that goal, it's hard to know where to go.” - Kyle Scheele
“ Creativity is just problem-solving. Every idea is the solution to some problem.” - Kyle Scheele
"If it never gets any better than this, what a life. But I think it can get better than this." - Kyle Scheele
About Kyle Scheele: Kyle Scheele is an author, speaker, and creativity expert known for turning bold ideas into unforgettable results — from hosting a Viking funeral for the regrets of 21,000 people to launching the world's first fake marathon. With more than 750 keynotes delivered in all 50 states, Kyle combines humor, sharp insights, and real-world experimentation to help organizations unlock creativity and innovation at scale. He has worked with teams at Walmart, Deloitte, Fidelity, and Chick-fil-A, and his work has been featured in WIRED, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and Yahoo!. His books include We Put a Man on the Moon, How to Host a Viking Funeral, A Pizza With Everything On It, and A Sunday With Everything On It.
Connect with Kyle Scheele: https://kylescheele.com/
Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan
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Linked In
Website
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

In Part 2, Kyle and Brent Pease go beyond the race course and into the harder terrain — the screaming match in a New York City taxi after a broken wheelchair nearly ended their marathon, the board member who called every morning during school drop-off, and what it actually takes to build an organization that can run without you.
This is where the mission meets the mechanics, and where two brothers figure out how to grow up together in public.
In this episode:
How Kyle and Brent built the Kyle Pease Foundation from scratch — including the nine months it took to help their very first family, the decision to race at least once a month to create visibility, and how they've grown from six events in 2013 to 64 events across 14 states last year
The New York City Marathon story: the wheelchair broke mid-race, Brent spent an hour trying to fix it with help from the NYPD, and eventually told Kyle he was done — and what Kyle said back that got them across the finish line
Brent's framework for hiring in a nonprofit: passion for the mission matters more than fit for the role, and for every non-disabled hire, he wants to add another employee with a disability doing real work — not stuffing envelopes
The Dick Hoyt lesson — the father behind the famous push-assist duo called Brent before the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship and gave him these words of advice: "just keep pushing the pedals"
How Kyle became the athlete-coach he is today: years of sitting on the sidelines, listening to adults talk, and watching his brother compete gave him an observer's precision that most coaches never develop

Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now: 👉 Donate here: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast

Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Purpose Meets Passion
00:22 - Podcast Intro And Setup
01:25 - Priorities And Time Juggling
03:13 - Scaling A Mission Nonprofit
05:52 - Mentors And Running It Like Business
08:51 - Spreading The Mission Through Racing
12:42 - Measuring Impact And Growth
14:25 - Adaptive Equipment And Inclusion
19:00 - Speaking And Education Programs
21:58 - Kona Gear Innovation
24:46 - When Things Break And Tempers Flare
28:26 - Brotherhood Evolved
29:00 - Humanity in Relationships
30:44 - Keep Pushing Pedals
33:47 - Fiercely Experience It
34:12 - Hawaii Cutoff Heartbreak
35:51 - Still Growing Forward
37:33 - Family Balance and Kids
39:17 - Twin Brother Dynamics
41:16 - Parenting and Inclusion
44:43 - Kyle as Coach
49:20 - Scaling Beyond Racing
53:06 - Volunteer and Donation Match
55:51 - Closing Thanks and Disclaimers
Resources mentioned:
Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease’s book
The Kyle Pease Foundation — kylepeasefoundation.org
TED Talk: The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong — Dan Pallotta
The Hoyt family — Dick and Rick Hoyt, pioneer push-assist racing duo
Field of Dreams — film referenced by Kyle and Brent
Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne: "emotion is motion"
Alvin Law — thalidomide survivor and speaker referenced by Dwayne
IRONMAN World Championship, Kona, Hawaii

Quotes:
“ It does not have to be something that we fiercely protect. You know, it's something that we can all fiercely experience.” - Brent Pease
“ I think that we're still growing. We're still evolving. When you stop growing, that's when you need to walk away from whatever you’re doing.” - Kyle Pease
“It got the point where I basically just looked at him. I was like, dude, I'm done. I'm out. This isn't us. I dunno what we're doing. And Kyle said, well, you can quit, but I'm gonna finish.” - Brent Pease
"These small lessons inside of our relationships that teach us about humanity — a lot of times what's missing in the world, and you guys are sharing it through stories like that, which I think is supremely powerful.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ Because finding people who love what the mission is, like, that's more critical to me than finding the person who fits the exact role. Because if you have somebody who loves what you do and believes in it - a true believer if you will - then they're gonna be able to lean into whatever the task is and grow because they're willing to do it for the people that we serve.” - Brent Pease

About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons.
Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities.
Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/
Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan:
Facebook
Instagram
Linked In
Website
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Kyle and Brent Pease have completed more than 100 races together — including two IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii — and in 2024 they broke the push-assist course record with a finish time of 14 hours, 8 minutes, and 3 seconds.
Kyle, born with cerebral palsy, is the coach, the motivator, and the athlete who has to be the most positive force in the world for 15 hours straight while his brother, Brent, pushes him across 140.6 miles. What looks like a sports story from the outside is something much harder to categorize: a 15-year study in resilience, gratitude, and what it actually means to show up when both of you want to quit.
In Part 1 of their conversation:
How Brent and Kyle broke the push-assist course record at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii — and what 15 years of racing together has taught them
Why Brent says true balance is an illusion — and how he and Kyle define "all in" as the real unit of energy management, shifting fully between Ironman training, family, and the foundation depending on the season
Kyle's framework for getting out of dark moments: prayer, music, visualization, and the discipline of reducing the time between a hard moment and a shift in perspective
What the foundation's inclusive employment program looks like on the ground
How racing together has taught both brothers to say "I'm not okay" — and why that vulnerability has become one of their greatest competitive and leadership advantages

Support the Kyle Pease Foundation Dwayne is matching donations — up to $5,000 total. Every dollar counts twice right now - Donate here 👉 https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/events/99987-the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast

Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Get Out Your Own Way
00:39 - Podcast Welcome
02:29 - Meet Kyle and Brent
04:00 - Ironman Explained
05:50 - Why They Race - Mindset
08:45 - Kyle Positivity Tools
10:12 - Show Up Anyway
13:29 - Dark Days Tools
17:34 - Brent One Step Focus
21:25 - Gratitude in the Body
24:36 - Process Over Outcome
27:44 - Kyle Coaching Brent
31:32 - Brotherhood and Empathy
34:02 - Vulnerability and Faith
41:13 - Business vs Ironman
44:26 - Closing and Subscribe
Resources mentioned:
Beyond the Finish — Kyle and Brent Pease's book
The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF) — kylepeasefoundation.org
IRONMAN World Championship
Kennesaw State University — Kyle's alma mater
Florida State University — Brent's alma mater
Tony Robbins — referenced by Dwayne in context of emotional states and the "figure eight"

Quotes:
“ Although you don't know what I go through on a daily basis, it is a struggle, right? I choose to look at my life as I get to do this, I don’t have to do this.” - Kyle Pease
“ I would say the hardest thing is that real balance is an illusion. You know, people talk about balance all the time. True balance is knowing when to be all in and what to be all in on.” - Brent Pease
“Ironman isn't for everybody. I mean, less than 1% of triathletes set foot on the Ironman in Hawaii. Kyle's done it twice.” - Brent Pease
"I look at it as an opportunity to showcase my ability rather than my disability." - Kyle Pease
“ I’ve gotten better and better over the years to say, I'm not okay. This doesn't feel good. You know, this is hard.” - Brent Pease
“The mind leaves the relationship before, you know, the physical body leaves the relationship.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ Can you get in the water and just start swimming? Can you do that much? Because you might feel better if you start.” - Brent Pease

About Kyle and Brent Pease: Kyle Pease is a six-time IRONMAN finisher and co-founder of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF), born with cerebral palsy and widely regarded as one of the most compelling voices on disability inclusion in the country. Brent Pease is an endurance athlete, coach, and Executive Director of KPF, who has raced alongside Kyle in over 100 events including six IRONMAN triathlons.
Together they made history as the first push-assist brother team to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2018, and have since helped raise well over $10 million in support of athletes with disabilities.
Connect with the Kyle Pease Foundation: https://kylepeasefoundation.org/

Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan
Facebook
Instagram
Linked In
Website
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

What separates average teams from truly high-performing ones?
In this episode, Dwayne Kerrigan breaks down the real mechanics of building high performance teams — from hiring A-players to creating a culture of accountability, coaching, and continuous improvement.
Backed by real-world experience across decades in business, Dwayne walks through the systems, frameworks, and leadership mindset shifts required to build teams that don’t just function but thrive.
You’ll learn why most hiring processes fail, how to identify true A-players, and why the behavior you tolerate ultimately becomes your company’s standard. Dwayne also dives deep into onboarding, coaching, culture, and the hidden psychological patterns that impact performance — including ego, storytelling, and leadership blind spots.
This is not theory, this is a practical blueprint for leaders who want better results through better people.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Ego And Needs
00:39 - Podcast Introduction
01:11 - Why Teams Matter
03:03 - AI And Future Workforce
04:32 - Role Clarity First
06:17 - Interview Intensity
08:58 - Hiring Process Steps
13:58 - Scorecards And Evaluation
16:08 - Compensation And Bonuses
19:19 - Onboarding With Outcomes
22:46 - Episodic Engagement Coaching
26:12 - Culture Standards
28:53 - Measure And Document SOPs
31:19 - My Style Document
35:32 - Hunting For A Players
36:52 - Traits Of High Performers
41:52 - Culture Skill Matrix
43:19 - Developing B Players
44:52 - Coaching Low Culture Talent
46:18 - Managing C Players Fast
48:14 - Story Meaning Behavior Model
52:17 - Standards Above the Line
54:42 - Four Culture Principles
57:06 - Team Dysfunctions Breakdown
01:00:44 - Q&A Backbenching and Ego
01:09:18 - Accountability Without Morale Loss
01:14:16 - Moving Players Up the Chart
01:18:00 - Leadership Growth and Triggers
01:20:57 - Recognizing Base Hits
01:24:06 - Closing and Disclaimers
Key Takeaways:
The Behavior You Tolerate Becomes the Standard
Hiring A-Players Starts With Clarity
Always Be Recruiting
Onboarding Is a Competitive Advantage
Coaching Is Not Optional
Measure Everything
Most Team Problems Are Psychological
A, B, and C Players Require Different Strategies

Resources Mentioned:
Phil Jones – Exactly What to Say
Rich Divinney – The Attributes
Patrick Lencioni – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Tony Robbins – Human Needs & Triad Framework
Byron Katie – Loving What Is
Keith Cunningham – Business Mentorship

Referenced Episodes (The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast):
Phil Jones episode (sales, communication, and training insights) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/27-exactly-what-to-say-with-phil-m-jones/
Rich Divinney episode (attributes + performance under pressure) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/16-transition-tactics-and-building-high-performance-teams-with-former-navy-seal-rich-diviney/
Emma Murray episode (performance mindset + A/B game thinking) https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/61-breaking-the-b-game-loop-how-top-performers-master-their-mindset-with-emma-murray/

Also these Emma Murray episodes:
https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/the-mindset-secret-to-crushing-your-b-game-with-emma-murray/
https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/127-skillset-vs-mindset-the-real-performance-equation-with-emma-murray/
https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/128-critique-over-criticism-emma-murray-on-learning-faster-under-pressure/

Quotes:
“Everything we do, we do to meet our needs.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“The behavior that you allow in your presence becomes the standards.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ Keep it simple. Stupid complexity is the enemy of execution.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they’re too heavy to be broken.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“Anything you monitor will get better.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“Progress equals fulfillment.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“Don’t adjust your standards to meet someone’s mediocrity.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan
Facebook
Instagram
Linked In
Website
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Most business owners think AI and new technology will fix what's broken in their company. Paul Akers disagrees — and he's been inside factories with 10,000 employees on every continent to back it up.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Paul and Dwayne go deeper into the mechanics of Lean culture, and why the secret to happiness and business success might be the same thing.
In this episode:
Paul's three-word formula for rolling out Lean in any organization without blowing up the culture: slow, consistent, and self-selection
The 30-minute challenge: instead of solving an employee's problem on the spot, Paul gives them 30 minutes to come up with three solutions on their own — and why that single shift changes everything about how a team operates
Why Lean is not a burden — it's pure joy: when every tool is where it belongs, every process flows, and people aren't waiting on you to fix things, the business stops grinding and starts moving
Paul's take on AI and technology: they are accelerants to a well-run company, not a substitute for one

Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Technology Not The Answer
00:17 - Podcast Intro And Setup
01:20 - Change Only When Ready
01:58 - Burn The Ships Commitment
03:05 - Slow Consistent Self Selection
04:11 - The Bob Conversation
06:17 - Labor Laws And Firing Customers
07:14 - Communicate With Video
09:11 - Lean Should Feel Fun
10:28 - Tools And Process Thinking
13:00 - Progress Equals Happiness
13:33 - Gemba Walkthrough Basics
15:22 - Teach People To Solve Problems
17:30 - Meetings Are Mostly Waste
20:19 - No Departments Just Lean
21:25 - What Gemba Really Means
22:56 - Job Sites And Lean Visits
25:21 - Action This Day - Winston Churchill
28:43 - Capture Lists And Proximity
31:04 - Text Expanders For Flow
32:23 - Instant App Sharing
32:54 - Flow With Text Expanders
34:10 - Avoiding Overproduction
34:32 - What Slow Really Means
36:02 - Lean Health Basics
38:47 Lean Life Happiness Map
40:36 - Filling Knowledge Gaps
42:34 - One Improvement Daily
44:34 - AI As An Accelerant
46:31 - Simple Finance Systems
49:07 - Lean Culture At Home
52:43 - Japan Mission Requirements
54:25 - Hiring For Humility
56:24 - Lean Is Fun Closing
58:23 - Where To Find Paul
59:59 - Podcast Wrap Up

Resources mentioned:
2 Second Lean — Paul Akers
Lean Health, Lean Travel, Lean Life, Banish Sloppiness — Paul Akers
Toyota Production System (TPS)
Kaizen foam — referenced tool for visual process organization
5 Whys — Japanese problem-solving method referenced
Training Within Industry (TWI) — referenced framework
Getting Things Done — book by David Allen
FastCap YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/user/fastcaptv

Quotes:
“ The answer to having a great company is not to focus on technology or focus on AI. Those are tools that are accelerants to a well run company. You still have to have a well run, well organized company with well-trained people.” - Paul Akers
“ I almost don't know what's going on in my company anymore. It's, it's so, they're, they're so far ahead.” - Paul Akers
“ I met a lot of my needs of significance and certainty by solving people's problems for them.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ Slow, consistent and self-select. Self-select. The people that don't wanna do this will self-select out.” - Paul Akers
“ People are depressed, because nothing's changing. And matter of fact, they're in decline. This Lean thing, this idea of continuous improvement is like the secret to life.” - Paul Akers
About Paul Akers: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for professional builders, started in his garage in 1997. FastCap now has thousands of distributors in over 40 countries and launches 20–30 innovative products per year. Paul is the author of 2 Second Lean — now available in 15 languages and a Shingo Institute award winner — along with many additional books. He has won Seattle Business Magazine's Business Executive of the Year and spoken in over 34 countries.
Connect with Paul Akers: https://paulakers.net/
Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan
Facebook
Instagram
Linked In
Website
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.