The Dwayne Kerrigan 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/

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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
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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.

Paul Akers started FastCap in his garage with no MBA, no funding, and one simple conviction: fix what bugs you. Today FastCap ships over 2,000 products to more than 40 countries, and runs on a philosophy so simple it fits in two words — eliminate waste.
In Part 1 of this conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with Paul to unpack the Lean methodology that made it all possible, and why it has nothing to do with manufacturing.
In this episode:
Paul breaks down the eight wastes of Lean thinking — overproduction, transportation, inventory, defects, over-processing, wasted motion, customer waiting, and wasting human potential — using a Costco toilet paper run as the most memorable example you'll ever hear
Why Paul calls himself a "Lean maniac", not a lean practitioner: "How do I improve this? And how do I make it easier for everyone around me?" — the two questions that drive every decision at FastCap
The communication standard Paul holds his entire organization to: no one should ever have to ask you a question twice, and why every back-and-forth email chain is a symptom of a deeper waste problem
How FastCap documents every single process — from cleaning a toilet to setting up a $250,000 injection molding machine — using eight-step visual SOPs, QR codes, and unlisted YouTube videos that any employee can access instantly
Why Paul starts every Lean implementation the same way, regardless of company size: the bathroom. And why every visitor to FastCap — including presidents of major corporations — cleans the bathroom before they're allowed a tour
The mindset Paul refuses to argue with: if you're not ready to change, he's not interested in convincing you — and why that boundary is itself a Lean principle

Episode Highlights:
00:00 - No Questions Twice
00:22 - Podcast Welcome
00:54 - Meet Paul Akers
04:37 - FastCap Origin Story
08:31 - Lean Gospel Mindset
10:34 - Lean Maniac Defined
13:42 - Eight Wastes Explained
17:03 - Small Daily Improvements
20:10 - Hunger and Underdogs
28:31 - Lean History Lesson
31:36 - Toyota Just In Time
34:15 - Skeptic to Believer
35:25 - Lean Is People First
36:33 - Stop The Line Mindset
38:00 - Three Habits Of Toyota
40:46 - Morning Meetings
42:45 - Dialogue Not Monologue
43:26 - Keynote Agenda And Culture
48:03 - Defects And Kanban Flow
51:56 - One Hour Before Work Pays
53:59 - Ego And Leadership Growth
57:08 - How To Start
01:03:16 - Standard Work And QR Training
01:07:30 - Who Actually Changes
01:08:22 - Wrap Up And Disclaimers
Resources mentioned:
2 Second Lean — Paul Akers
Lean Health, Lean Travel, Lean Life, Banish Sloppiness — Paul Akers
The Amezawa Legacy — Paul Akers
Lean the Gospel Dressed Up in a Business Suit — Paul Akers (in progress at time of recording)
Out of the Crisis — Dr. W. Edwards Deming
Toyota Production System (TPS)
FastCap — Paul Akers' company
Bob Taylor / Taylor Guitars — referenced as Paul's early mentor
Training Within Industry (TWI) — referenced framework
FastCap YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/user/fastcaptv

Quotes:
"I have no time whatsoever to convince you of common sense. Zero." - Paul Akers
“ I read Dick and Jane like 10 times when I had to read it in front of the class. I had to read it over and over and over again and memorize it so I didn't screw it up when I read in front of the class.” - Paul Akers
“ But there's one thing that I've kind of realized in life is that the reason why we don't have something in our life is because of the story that we're telling ourselves.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“Everything I look at, I'm always thinking, how do I improve? How do I increase the quality and reduce the burden on me and the people around me? So I want everything to be. Easy for everyone. No struggle in flow.” - Paul Akers
“ No one should ever ask you a question twice. If you communicate to someone, your communication should be so clear that when you say it and the words come out of your mouth, they go, I understand exactly what you want.” - 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 including Lean Health, Lean Travel, and Lean Life. 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.

Most entrepreneurs think the next stage of their business requires a better strategy. Dwayne Kerrigan disagrees. In Part 2 of his live keynote at the LeanScaper Operations Intensive in Cape Coral, Florida, he makes the case that what's actually required is a different identity — and that without that shift, no system, tool, or team will get you where you're trying to go.
In this episode:
Dwayne walks through his personal identity chart — from the "warrior" and "general" identities that ran his life for years, to the consciously designed identities he operates from today, including the Chairman, the Profit Seeker, and the Peak Performance Coach
Why the Serenity Prayer became one of the most powerful business tools Dwayne ever learned — and how distinguishing what you can and can't control transformed his leadership at 32 years old, running an $18M business with 300 employees
A live identity creation exercise: how to write your own eulogy for a specific business role, and why that process is the starting point for becoming who your business needs you to be
The eight stages of the entrepreneur and the business lifecycle — and why understanding exactly where you are in both is critical to knowing which identity needs to show up
The four economic seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) and why Dwayne believes the landscaping industry is currently sitting somewhere between late fall and early winter
40 years of lessons learned — distilled into the principles that have shaped how Dwayne builds, leads, and recovers

Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Tsunami Of Change
00:27 - Podcast Mission
00:59 - Internal Vs External
02:07 - Serenity Prayer Lesson
03:42 - Identity Chart Origins
04:32 - From Warrior To General
06:10 - Purpose And Marriage
07:47 - Building New Identities
08:48 - Chairman Identity Script
09:50 - Language And Questions
12:38 - Borrowing Role Models
13:41 - Post Fight Debrief
14:40 - Create Your Identity
16:48 - Write Your Eulogy
17:46 - Visualization And Realism
19:01 - Do The Work
19:48 - Physiology Guidelines
20:15 - Physiology and Rituals
20:57 - Energy and Emotions
22:00 - Identity Agent Tool
23:53 - Daily Identity Editing
24:56 - Future Shock and Adaptation
26:22 - Economic Seasons Framework
27:58 - Entrepreneur Stages
29:13 - Business Lifecycle Reality
31:33 - Shift Identity in 3D
31:56 - Courage and Deep Thinking
34:57 - Lessons Learned Log
37:19 - Hard Won Business Rules
40:19 - Final Fear and Farewell
Resources Mentioned:
Think and Grow Rich — Napoleon Hill
Stephen Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey Institute
Keith Cunningham — referenced as the "Rich Dad" in Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad
Tony Robbins — Date With Destiny, UPW seminars
Identity framework AI agent — available at The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast: https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com/identity-framework/

Quotes:
“You can either be right or you can be rich, but you can't be both.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“I did this for my wife through a lot of pain and self suffering, I had to get to the point where the general just couldn't run the show anymore because it was just not sustainable.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“You don't experience the life that you live. You're experiencing the life that you focus on.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
“ My greatest fear in life is on my final day to meet the man that I could have been.” - 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.