“I was fired.”

It’s a sentence most leaders are terrified to say out loud. But for Andrew Snow, getting fired from a major leadership role wasn't the end of his career—it was the birth of his company, Track15.

The secret to his rebound? It wasn't "white-knuckling" it or grinding harder. It was learning how to lean on others.

In this episode of Grit Mindset, we’re tearing down the myth of the "Lone Wolf" founder. Andrew and I discuss why the highest form of grit isn’t just perseverance—it’s the courage to be vulnerable when things fall apart.

In this episode of Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen, Matt Rosen sits down with special guest Eric Winton, former CEO of The Bridge, to explore the real meaning of grit through candid storytelling and valuable life lessons. Eric Winton reflects on his journey from a humble, hardworking upbringing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to climbing the ladder in consulting and tech, successfully navigating major career pivots, setbacks, and entrepreneurship. Together, Matt Rosen and Eric Winton discuss the power of resilience, the challenges and rewards of risk-taking, building high-performing teams, and the importance of believing in yourself when facing adversity. This heartfelt conversation is packed with actionable insights for anyone navigating their own professional or personal challenges, including wisdom on finding your path, overcoming failure, and moving forward with confidence. Don’t miss this honest, inspiring look at resilience, leadership, and the pursuit of success.

Kim Elenez, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish North Texas, shares the powerful impact of granting wishes to children facing critical illnesses. From her diverse career path to leading a large nonprofit chapter, Kim reveals how grit, purpose, and deep empathy drive her work and inspire her team. She also offers honest insights into overcoming self-doubt and the challenges of maintaining hope amid hardship.

Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen (Highlights 2025) brings together entrepreneurs, leaders, and builders for an honest conversation about grit, hard work, and the realities of personal and professional growth. Across the episode, one message is clear: hard work never gets easier, but you get better at doing hard things. Grit isn’t something you’re born with; it’s learned through experience, discipline, and the decisions you make when challenges show up. When you have clarity around the future you want to create, the values you stand for, and why it all matters, it becomes easier to push forward, adapt, and stay in motion, even when things get uncomfortable. Failure is reframed as part of the process, not a personal identity. Every setback is an event, a lesson, and an opportunity to grow. When things feel overwhelming, the advice is simple: focus on the next most important action, keep moving, and build courage by doing the hard things. One speaker shares wisdom passed down from his father: inside your head is a small switch, turn it just half a revolution, and fear becomes fight. The discussion also dives deep into entrepreneurship and career building. For young professionals, success often requires seasons of imbalance, paying your dues, grinding it out, and focusing intensely on your work before expecting balance. Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you, rather than staying comfortable, is emphasized as a key to growth. Vision, self-belief, and refusing to compromise what you’re building matter just as much as skill. Leadership is not about ego. It’s a “we” thing, not a “me” thing. Great leaders inspire hope, belief, and purpose, and they look beyond short-term wins toward a longer 10-year horizon. Giving back through philanthropy and lifting others up is framed as part of a truly successful life. As one guest puts it, happiness, not just wealth, is the real goal, joking that his tombstone will read: He could have made more money, but he couldn’t have had more fun. The episode also highlights the strength of the Dallas–Fort Worth business community, described as dynamic, diversified, and resilient. With strong roots in finance, real estate, aviation, and emerging tech and life sciences, the region continues to adapt and thrive, weathering economic cycles through balance and innovation. Bottom line: Grit is built, not given. The journey is hard, imperfect, and demanding, but it’s also deeply rewarding for those willing to jump, commit, and keep going.

NFL legend. Five-time Super Bowl champion. Unfiltered truth.

In this powerful episode of The Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen, Charles Haley opens up like never before, sharing the raw story behind his greatness. From growing up struggling in school and battling undiagnosed bipolar disorder to playing through pain, winning five Super Bowls, and losing his identity after football, Haley’s journey is a masterclass in real grit.

He breaks down what grit truly means, why failure is part of success, and how shifting from problems to solutions can change your life. Haley also shares the mission behind his Tackle Tomorrow Foundation, his faith, and the lessons he’s passed on to his children about discipline, resilience, and purpose.

This isn’t just a football story. It’s a conversation about mental health, faith, leadership, and finding strength when life hits hard.

If you want motivation that’s real, raw, and unforgettable, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. 🎧🔥

In this episode of The Grit Mindset, host Matt Rosen sits down with his friend, neighbor, and respected healthcare leader Becky Tucker, SVP of Channel Integration at Texas Health Resources, one of the largest faith-based nonprofit healthcare systems in North Texas.

Becky oversees thousands of employees —yet her road to leadership began far from the boardroom. From her early years as a competitive gymnast who moved away from home at just 11, to the injury that first sparked her interest in healthcare, Becky shares how resilience, discipline, and faith shaped her path.

She opens up about:

Her unlikely entry into the hospital world—starting as an administrative assistant after being the “backup hire,” and eventually becoming Texas Health’s first internal resident selected for its leadership fellowship.

Rising through the ranks by embracing ambiguity, building new programs from the ground up, and leading major system-wide innovations in ambulatory and emergency care.

Leading through COVID as a hospital president—navigating fear, scarce resources, and emotional exhaustion while keeping her team grounded through transparency, teamwork, and sheer grit.

Being a female executive in a male-dominated field, including the eye-opening moment when a state representative assumed every man in the room—except her—was the hospital president.

Family, mentors, and finding your village—and why grit must always be balanced with grace.

Becky also shares the powerful influence of her rancher father’s work ethic, the importance of role models, and how she instills grit in her own children by modeling hard work, gratitude, and service.

This is a conversation filled with vulnerability, leadership lessons, and the kind of real-world wisdom that defines The Grit Mindset.

Stay gritty out there.

In this powerful episode of The Grit Mindset, Matt Rosen sits down with longtime friend, mentor, and client Richard Maranville, now CTO of Pinnacle Live, an innovative event-technology company operating in 150+ hotel properties nationwide.

Richard’s story is a masterclass in grit, adaptability, and leadership. From a humble upbringing with a single mother in Southern California to discovering coding on a vintage Tandy computer at age 13, Richard shares how early responsibility and hard work—from paper routes to McDonald's shifts—instilled the resilience that would fuel his entire career.

He walks listeners through his rapid ascent at Kinko’s (later FedEx Office), where he advanced from developer to CIO, managing a 300-person team in his mid-30s. Richard discusses the challenges of earning respect as a young leader, the importance of partnership between IT and business teams, and the lessons he learned about humility, communication, and empowering others.

Richard then opens up about his 12-year chapter at Freeman, the world’s largest event-production company. From stabilizing a broken payroll system to leading digital transformation, navigating multiple tech acquisitions, and managing through the chaos of COVID—when Freeman saw 100% of its revenue vanish almost overnight—he shares candid stories about crisis leadership, rebuilding trust, and the necessity of confronting problems head-on.

The conversation also explores his time as COO and CTO at Salad and Go, where Richard transitioned from tech into operations and supply chain—applying grit, people leadership, and decades of experience to a fast-scaling restaurant brand.

Matt and Richard dive deep into:
-What grit means in real life

-Perseverance, asking for help, leaning on your support network, and giving yourself space to think clearly.

-Lessons for young professionals

— Focus on soft skills, not just coding.

— Don’t play politics—focus on your work.
— Empower your team and take the bullets for them.

-Parenting with grit

— Teaching kids to earn what they want, handle “no,” and work in the service industry to build empathy and resilience.

-Leadership Principles

From early hustle to executive boardrooms, Richard’s journey is packed with insight, humility, and the kind of hard-earned wisdom that defines true grit.

Thanksgiving Special: The Untold Origin Story of Allata

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Host Matt Rosen sits down for a rare solo conversation to share the full origin story of Allata — the pivotal moments, the early supporters, the tough lessons, and the grit it took to build a company from his garage into a national consulting firm.

Matt opens up about the mentors who shaped him, the season of self-doubt, the leap into entrepreneurship, and the unexpected people who pushed him forward—sometimes intentionally, sometimes by accident. From his early years at Pariveda to navigating a difficult leadership environment, to naming the company in his backyard with his wife, this episode traces the real, unvarnished journey behind the Allata you know today.

You’ll hear:

How two founders, Bruce and John, sparked Matt’s passion for people-first leadership

Why timing mattered—and how his wife Stephanie helped build a life that made entrepreneurship possible

The hard quarter that revealed a leader’s true colors and ultimately pushed Matt to strike out on his own

The moment Allata got its name (hint: bamboo + a backyard conversation)

The first clients who took a chance and the early team members who shaped the culture

How the company survived 2020 and why Allata’s core mantra still anchors everything:
Family First. Clients Are King. Take Great Care of Your People.

A heartfelt message of thanks to his team, clients, partners, mentors, and family

This honest, gratitude-filled episode is part reflection, part masterclass in leadership, and part reminder that no entrepreneurial journey is ever walked alone.

If you’re a founder, a leader, or simply someone who believes in building something meaningful—this is a must-watch.

Happy Thanksgiving from The Grit Mindset. Stay gritty out there.