Shit My Dad Taught Me

This week we’re joined by Chris Cullen, keynote speaker, mindset coach, three-time author, and founder of a performance consultancy helping leaders, teams, and organizations perform at their highest level.

Chris’s journey is anything but ordinary. A former Michigan State baseball captain who went on to play in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system, he later built a successful career in medical sales and leadership at Stryker before shifting his focus toward mindset, leadership, and performance.
Today, his work helps organizations and elite teams rethink how they approach pressure, discipline, and personal growth.

In this conversation we talk about:
• The mindset shift from “I have to” to “I get to”
• Why discipline is the foundation of real confidence
• The mental battle behind endurance events like Ironman
• The importance of mentorship and surrounding yourself with the right people
• Why many young men today struggle with connection, identity, and purpose
• Building resilience through adversity and rejection
• How community, service, and gratitude shape a meaningful life

Chris also shares the story behind his book, I Get To, and the powerful framework it introduces for reframing challenges and building a stronger mindset.
At its core, this episode is about ownership. Taking control of your thinking, your habits, and your life, especially when things get difficult.
Because real growth rarely happens when everything is easy.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal ServicesThe Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

This week, we’re joined in studio by Ryan Lazar, tech and AI executive, sales leader, former GM of Canada at Qualtrics and CareerBuilder, and proud Detroit sports fan.

Ryan’s career didn’t follow a straight line. After studying civil engineering and getting laid off during the recession, he pivoted into sales, starting at Xerox, grinding it out, building relationships, and ultimately leading high-growth teams across North America. Along the way, he’s learned that success isn’t about titles. It’s about culture, discipline, and surrounding yourself with the right people.

We talk about:
• Growing up in a small Ontario town with a schoolteacher dad
• Being taught discipline, organization, and respect at an early age
• Making the jump from engineering to sales
• What separates good leaders from great ones
• Why networking and relationships change everything
• Coaching his son’s baseball team and raising confident, resilient kids
• Showing up as a dad consistently
• The evolution of AI, customer experience, and where technology is headed next

Ryan shares powerful insights on leadership under pressure, building winning cultures, and why communication and decision-making will matter more than ever in the AI era.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about legacy. What we carry from our fathers, what we pass on to our kids, and how purpose changes when you become a parent.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:
This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services
The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

It’s not just highlight reels and championship rings. It’s late draft picks, getting cut, second jobs, injuries, and fighting to stay in the league every single season. Kyle Buchanan has spent 14 years in the National Lacrosse League. He was a 6th-round pick. He got released. He almost walked away. Now he’s a 3x NLL Champion with the Buffalo Bandits — chasing a fourth.
In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we talk about what life in pro lacrosse is really like: the mental grind, surviving roster cuts, playing in front of 19,000 fans in Buffalo, balancing a sales career with professional sports, and raising strong daughters while chasing titles. Most pro lacrosse players have second jobs. Most careers don’t last this long. This is the side of the NLL you don’t see — the sacrifice, the pressure, and the lessons that outlast the game.
Guest: Kyle Buchanan — 3x NLL Champion | Buffalo Bandits | Husband | Girl Dad

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:
This Episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services
The Clothing & Swag Sponsor: One Bone

What does it really take to last 15 seasons in professional football?
In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with 2x Grey Cup Champion Chris Van Zeyl, one of the most respected offensive linemen in the CFL and a true student of the game. From switching positions early in his career…To battling dark seasons, career-threatening injuries, and identity shifts…To winning championships and redefining greatness beyond the field…
Chris opens up about:
The mindset that built a 15-year career in the Canadian Football LeagueWhy learning how to lose matters more than learning how to winThe pressure of professional sports and what happens after the final gameThe discipline, intention, and leadership required to stay at the topWhat football taught him about fatherhood and legacyThis isn’t just a football story.
It’s a story about resilience, growth, and showing up — as an athlete, a leader, a husband, and a dad.If you’re chasing longevity in your career, raising kids, or trying to build something that lasts… this one’s for you.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal ServicesThe Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

🎙️ This week on Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with Sim Bains — architect, designer, entrepreneur, and founder of All Eyes On Me.

Sim’s work lives at the intersection of space, culture, and human experience. As the driving force behind All Eyes On Me, he’s redefining what luxury eyewear and optometry can feel like — not just through product, but through emotion, environment, and intention.
Born in Windsor and raised in Tecumseh, Sim took a non-traditional path early on. He left university before completing his degree, choosing instead to bet on himself and chase a calling in the optical world — long before entrepreneurship was trendy. That decision set the foundation for a career built on instinct, discipline, and an uncompromising eye for detail.
From launching his first boutique at a young age to establishing a flagship presence in Toronto’s Yorkville district, Sim has created immersive, jewel-box-style spaces featuring curated eyewear from global icons like Cartier, alongside collaborations with art, fashion, and lifestyle brands. With private showrooms, elevated hospitality, and exclusive events, All Eyes On Me has become more than a retail experience — it’s a destination.
Today, the brand operates three locations across Yorkville, Oakville, and Milton, supported by a tight-knit team of optometrists and front-of-house staff all aligned around Sim’s vision of excellence. He’s not chasing trends — he’s setting standards.
Most importantly, Sim is also a father of two. In this conversation, we go beyond architecture and business to talk about fatherhood, legacy, balance, and how becoming a dad has reshaped how he builds, leads, and lives.
This episode is a masterclass in modern luxury, intentional leadership, and the quiet lessons that shape who we become.
Special thanks to our incredible sponsors: This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services.
The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone.