From The Green Notebook

How To Make a Great Cup of Coffee with Carl Churchill

Send us a textAlpha Coffee co-founder and retired Army lieutenant colonel Carl Churchill joins Joe for a candid conversation on leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to build something that lasts after the uniform comes off.After serving more than two decades in the Army, Carl found himself facing an unexpected second career shaped not by careful planning, but by crisis. In the wake of the Great Recession, he and his wife Lori cashed out their savings and took an all-in leap to build Alpha Coffee from their basement—navigating years of uncertainty, near-misses, and hard-earned lessons before the business finally found its footing. Drawing on his military background, Stoic philosophy, and a refusal to quit, Carl shares how discipline, culture, and clarity of purpose carried him through nearly a decade of struggle.In this conversation, Joe and Carl explore what leadership looks like when there’s no rank to hide behind: how military lessons translate into entrepreneurship, why culture matters more than strategy, and how leaders must adapt their style as contexts and generations change. Along the way, they reflect on stress, perspective, boundaries, and the quiet confidence that comes from having faced truly hard things before.In this episode, Joe and Carl also explore:Tips for making great coffeeWhy Carl chose to walk away from promotion to keep leading people, not staffsWhat “burning the boats” looks like when your family and future are on the lineHow military hardship inoculates leaders against stress and uncertaintyWhy culture—not strategy—is the true differentiator between great and failing teamsLeading younger generations without abandoning standards or expectationsThe challenge of setting boundaries when you genuinely love your workWhether you’re navigating life after military service, building something from scratch, or leading people through uncertainty, this episode offers a grounded reminder that the habits forged in discipline, humility, and persistence still matter—long after the mission changes.A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

The Need to Lead (Without Ego) with Dave Berke

Send us a textRetired Marine Corps fighter pilot, Top Gun instructor, and leadership consultant Dave Berke joins Joe for an honest conversation about ego, responsibility, and what it truly means to lead—both in the arena of combat and in everyday life.As the bestselling author of The Need to Lead, Dave pulls back the curtain on the high-pressure world of fighter aviation, the chaos of ground combat in Ramadi, and the quiet challenges of becoming a better leader at home.  He reveals how his biggest breakthroughs came not from triumphs, but from failure—from dogfights he should have won, leadership roles he wasn’t ready for, and moments where ego clouded judgment.In this episode, Joe and Dave also explore:Why ego is the most dangerous threat to good leadership—and how to recognize the voice that “loves you to death”How Top Gun actually works (and why the instructors are more humble than Hollywood suggests)Lessons from Ramadi—operating in chaos, fighting self-doubt, and learning fast under pressureWhy leaders fail when they cling to control instead of developing othersThe danger of complacency—and how one “guaranteed win” dogfight changed Dave’s approach to preparationPreparing for your own departure as a leader—why good leadership outlasts the leaderThe hard emotional work of transition and why believing in your next mission matters more than salary, title, or prestigeWhether you’re leading in uniform, managing a team, or navigating a major life transition, this episode offers hard-earned wisdom on how to stay grounded, remain teachable, and build teams capable of enduring whatever comes next.Dave Berke is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, former TOPGUN Instructor, and now the Chief Development Officer and a leadership instructor at Echelon Front. As an F/A-18 pilot, he deployed twice from the USS John C. Stennis in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later spent three years at TOPGUN as an Instructor Pilot, Training Officer, and senior staff pilot overseeing the course.He also served on the ground in Ramadi in 2006 as an ANGLICO Forward Air Controller with the Army’s 1st AD, leading his team on scores of combat missions and accompanying SEAL Task Unit Bruiser on nearly every major operation of the Battle of Ramadi.Dave was the only Marine selected to fly the F-22 and became the first operational pilot qualified in the F-35B, later commanding the Marine Corps’ first F-35 squadron. He holds a Master’s in International Public Policy and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.After retiring, Dave joined Echelon Front, bringing deep experience in combat leadership, decision-making, risk mitigation, and building high-performance teams.A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

Fascism, Communism, and the War for Middle-Earth with Joe Loconte

Send us a textDr. Joseph Loconte joins Joe for a powerful exploration of faith, imagination, and courage in times of crisis—how two Oxford professors used story to resist the darkness of their age and inspire generations to come.As a historian and author of The War for Middle-earth: J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945, Dr. Loconte reveals how the trauma of the First World War and the rise of totalitarianism shaped the moral imagination of both Tolkien and Lewis. While fascism, communism, and nihilism were eroding meaning across Europe, these two friends responded with mythic tales that reawakened the timeless virtues of courage, friendship, sacrifice, and faith.In this conversation, Joe and Dr. Loconte unpack what it means to lead with conviction in an age of cynicism—how to confront “the gathering storm” of fear and confusion not through force, but through imagination, integrity, and truth. They explore how literature can serve as resistance, how belief can ground moral clarity, and why cultivating the inner life is essential for any leader facing dark times.Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of the moral lessons behind The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia—and how these works still speak to the leaders, soldiers, and citizens called to stand in the breach today.In this episode, Joe and Dr. Loconte also explore:How the First World War shaped Tolkien and Lewis’s understanding of evil and heroismWhy the 1920s and 1930s created a “crisis of meaning” across the Western worldHow their friendship became a creative alliance and a moral counteroffensiveWhy The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia are, at their core, acts of defiance against despairWhat “the cataract of nonsense” teaches us about propaganda and the need for historical literacyThe spiritual courage required to use one’s gifts—even when the world seems to be falling apartHow both men modeled leadership through faith, fellowship, and imaginationWhether you’re leading in the military, education, or business, this episode offers timeless lessons on how conviction, creativity, and courage can help us navigate our own modern storms—and remind us that even in the darkest times, grace and goodness still have the final word.A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

A Blueprint for Leading Change with Phil Gilbert

Send us a textPhil Gilbert joins Joe for a masterclass on leading lasting change—how to move large organizations, overcome cultural antibodies, and build systems that make transformation stick.As the former head of design at IBM, Phil was tasked with one of the most ambitious corporate transformations of the last decade: to reignite creativity, collaboration, and speed inside a century-old company known for its consistency. Drawing from his new book Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success, he shares the playbook that helped shift IBM’s mindset from compliance to commitment—and what leaders in any field can learn from that journey.In this conversation, Joe and Phil unpack what it really takes to drive change at scale: how to earn voluntary adoption instead of forcing compliance, why culture must evolve alongside strategy, and how language, branding, and storytelling can make or break a transformation. They explore lessons that resonate from boardrooms to battlefields—how to lead people through uncertainty, protect the integrity of a mission, and create a culture that thrives on iteration and learning.Listeners will come away with an actionable framework for driving change—one rooted in human behavior, organizational design, and the power of intentional leadership.In this episode, Joe and Phil also explore:Why the status quo is resilient—and how great organizations learn to challenge it continuouslyHow IBM’s “Hallmark” program turned change into a desirable brand, not a mandateThe formula behind lasting culture: people + practices + placesWhy forcing compliance breeds “antibodies,” and how to inspire genuine belief insteadHow storytelling and small-team “boot camps” made transformation go viral inside a 400,000-person companyThe role of senior leaders in rewarding behavior and reinforcing new normsWhat the “magic people” and The Captain Class teach us about influence from within teamsWhy great leaders think like designers—iterating, prototyping, and refining as they goWhether you’re leading a military unit, a corporate team, or a creative project, this episode offers a field-tested blueprint for driving change that lasts—one built on empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for the craft of leadership.A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind. 

The 7 Rules of Power with Dr. Jeffrey Pfeffer

Send us a textStanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer joins Joe Byerly for a candid and provocative discussion about power—what it is, how it works, and why more good people need to learn to use it. Drawing from his influential books Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t and The 7 Rules of Power, Pfeffer challenges listeners to see the world as it really operates—not as we wish it to be.In this conversation, Joe and Dr. Pfeffer unpack why power isn’t inherently bad, how to build influence without losing integrity, and why refusing to “play the game” guarantees you’ll lose it. They explore lessons that apply equally to military leaders, executives, and anyone who wants to make change in complex organizations—from overcoming imposter syndrome and likability traps to mastering visibility, networking, and personal branding.Listeners will come away with a sharper understanding of human nature, organizational dynamics, and what it really takes to lead with impact and authenticity in competitive environments.In this episode, Joe and Dr. Pfeffer also explore:Why power is a skill—and how good people can learn to use it for goodThe critical difference between power and influenceWhy authenticity, likability, and imposter syndrome can quietly sabotage effectivenessThe importance of appearing powerful—and how confidence often signals competenceHow building a personal brand and network expands your ability to lead and shape changeThe real costs of opting out of power—and how to navigate ambition without egoWhy leaders need a “personal board of directors” to stay grounded once they gain powerWhether you’re leading soldiers, managing teams, or influencing from the middle, this episode offers a masterclass in understanding power—how to earn it, wield it wisely, and ensure that good people rise to positions where they can make a difference.A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind.