Going Big! with Kevin Gentry

What does it take to lead when the stakes are high, resources are limited, and traditional systems aren't delivering?

Retired Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann has lived that question. In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry explores Scott's remarkable journey from 18 years in Special Forces to helping organize the Pineapple Express, a volunteer-led effort to rescue Afghan allies during the 2021 fall of Afghanistan. What began as an effort to save one former Afghan commando grew into a network of veterans and volunteers demonstrating the extraordinary potential of trust, relationships, and decentralized leadership.

Scott also shares his deeply personal journey after military service, including how storytelling helped him overcome a devastating period of transition and discover a new way to serve. Today, through theater and storytelling workshops, he helps veterans and military families turn their experiences into opportunities for healing, connection, and impact. This conversation offers valuable lessons about leadership, entrepreneurship, community engagement, and finding ways to turn life's greatest challenges into meaningful contributions.

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*If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is always available. Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to connect with someone today.

What does it take to turn a life shaped by violence into a life devoted to peace?

In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry talks with Antong Lucky, president of Urban Specialists, who shares his remarkable journey from helping start the Dallas Bloods to becoming a leader in community violence prevention.

After serving time in prison, Antong encountered mentors who recognized his leadership potential and challenged him to use it for good. One of his boldest moves came after his release, when he entered the neighborhood of his former enemies to ask for peace and begin working with young people.

Antong explains how mentorship, accountability, and firsthand experience can help interrupt cycles of violence. He discusses the work of Urban Specialists, the role of Original Gangster University in training community changemakers, and his new book on fatherlessness in urban America. He also shares an ambitious vision to mobilize one million men to mentor young people for one hour a week. Discover how a second chance can become a lifetime of service, and how anyone can help a young person find a better path.

What does it take to make a difficult decision when the stakes are high and the opposition is fierce? 

 

Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker joins host Kevin Gentry on Going Big! to discuss the leadership decisions that defined his career, from confronting Wisconsin’s $3.6 billion budget shortfall to surviving a 2012 recall election after protests involving more than 100,000 people. Walker reflects on the personal cost of leadership, the mentors who shaped him, and the faith that helped him navigate threats and intense public pressure. The conversation also explores Walker’s decision to leave the 2016 presidential race and his current role as president of Young America’s Foundation, where he works to develop the next generation of leaders. 

 

Through stories about mentorship, risk-taking, public service, and a student who found the courage to lead after meeting peers who shared his convictions, Walker offers lessons on recognizing opportunities, knowing when to move on, and using personal gifts to make a lasting contribution.

How does a small Christian university reverse years of enrollment decline and launch a $500 million fundraising campaign? 

 

Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Taylor University, joins Going Big! host Kevin Gentry to share how a bold vision, a distinctive institutional identity, and a commitment to student development helped transform the university’s trajectory. In five years, Taylor grew campus enrollment by 45%, achieved four consecutive years of record enrollment, and built momentum around one of the largest fundraising campaigns in Christian higher education.

 

In this conversation, Lindsay explains why organizations cannot cut their way to greatness, how to inspire donors through a compelling vision, and what his research on influential leaders taught him about mentorship and leadership development. He also reflects on his own career transitions, the role of faith in major decisions, and the importance of understanding what makes an organization truly distinctive. Nonprofit executives, fundraisers, board members, and leaders looking to scale their impact will find practical lessons in Taylor’s remarkable turnaround.

What does it take to build something everyone else says is impossible?

In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry sits down with author and journalist Josh Dean to explore the remarkable story of Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the legendary Lockheed engineer who created the Skunk Works and helped produce some of the most consequential aircraft of the 20th century.

Johnson promised to build America’s first jet fighter in 180 days and delivered it in 143. He later led the development of the U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird, transforming aviation and providing the United States with critical intelligence capabilities during the Cold War. Dean explains how Johnson combined audacious goals with disciplined execution: exceptional talent, extreme focus, minimal bureaucracy, delegated authority, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking.

The conversation offers lessons far beyond aerospace. For anyone leading a business, nonprofit, creative organization, or ambitious project, Johnson’s story raises a fundamental question: How do you create a culture capable of doing things others believe cannot be done?