In this episode, Paul sits down with entrepreneur and author Fred Joyal to challenge one of the biggest myths about confidence: that you need it before you act. Drawing on his journey from painful introversion to building and leading a nationwide business for nearly three decades, Fred explains why boldness isn’t a personality trait — it’s a learnable skill built through action, discomfort, and repetition.

The conversation explores why so many people hesitate to speak up, put themselves forward, or fully express who they are — and how that hesitation quietly limits careers, relationships, and fulfilment. From the confidence crisis facing younger generations to the comfort-seeking traps adults fall into, Fred breaks down why bold action must come first, how small low-stakes courage rewires behaviour, and why the regret people carry later in life is rarely about what they did — but what they never tried.

Fred Joyal is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author of Boldness: How to Go from Under-Confident to Charismatic in 90 Days. He founded and led a nationwide advertising and referral business for dentists for nearly three decades, serving as CEO for 27 years before its successful exit.

Paul Ryan is an eight-figure CEO, mentor, and host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast. Having built a business that runs with minimal day-to-day involvement, Paul now focuses on helping seasoned entrepreneurs explore the inner game of success — clarity, identity, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and purpose. Through honest conversations with founders, thinkers, and guides, Paul creates space for deeper reflection on what it really means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Paul works with seasoned entrepreneurs who are successful on paper but sensing it’s time for a deeper realignment — helping them clarify what’s next and align their life and business around what truly matters.

🔗 Book a discovery call with Paul: https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan

🌐 Learn more: https://pauljryan.net

In this conversation, Brian Keegan shares the full arc of an entrepreneurial rise and collapse—and the quieter, harder work of rebuilding afterward. He describes the heady years of rapid success in the late ’90s, when everything seemed to turn to gold, followed by the brutal reality of market crashes, 9/11, and a perfect storm that wiped out half the business almost overnight. What followed was receivership, courtrooms, internal conflict, and the kind of personal pressure that strips away ego fast. Brian speaks candidly about how success can distort judgment, how humility often arrives the hard way, and why building wealth and keeping it are two very different skill sets.

Links to full episode:

https://youtu.be/hFqau8F2KHQ?si=nLeipZC1WZ83Il-T

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YAHhLZGfR5rTBLjoMWOvG?si=2Qraye3ESTmgHnl9CCthow

https://coaches.scalingup.com/coaches/brian-keegan

Website: https://pauljryan.net/

Paul works with seasoned entrepreneurs to clarify what’s next and align their life and business to what matters most.

You can book a discovery call with Paul here: https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan

In this episode, Paul sits down with clinical psychotherapist and author Dr. Colman Noctor to explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of modern mental health—particularly for children, teenagers, and young adults. Drawing on nearly 30 years of clinical experience, Colman explains why anxiety has dominated the last decade, and why loneliness is now emerging as a serious and growing issue. They unpack how technology, the loss of unstructured play, and the erosion of community have left many young people without the foundational social skills previous generations absorbed naturally through everyday connection.

As the conversation deepens, the focus widens beyond young people to society as a whole. Paul and Colman reflect on the loss of village, tribe, and spontaneous human connection—and how work and romantic relationships are now expected to meet needs once spread across community. Colman introduces his concept of “cop on” as the ability to respond proportionately to life, rather than living at emotional extremes, and explains the thinking behind the “4–7 Zone” as a practical framework for emotional regulation and sustainable performance. Together, they explore why fulfillment doesn’t come from constant happiness or relentless ambition, but from returning regularly to the middle—where resilience, connection, and meaning are built.

Dr. Colman Noctor is a clinical psychotherapist who has worked extensively with children, adolescents, and young adults for almost three decades. He is known for his clear, practical approach to mental health—helping people develop emotional regulation, resilience, and perspective in an increasingly extreme and disconnected world. Colman is the author of Cop On: What It Is and Why Your Mental Health Depends on It and The 4–7 Zone, and he writes weekly columns on psychology, parenting, and modern life for the Irish Examiner.

Website: http://colmannoctor.com/

Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and podcaster. As host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, Paul explores the inner game of entrepreneurship—purpose, identity, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and conscious success. Through conversations with founders, thinkers, coaches, and spiritual teachers, he creates space for deeper reflection on what it really means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Website: https://pauljryan.net/

Paul works with seasoned entrepreneurs to clarify what’s next and align their life and business to what matters most.You can book a discovery call with Paul here: https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan