Steve Mosko had just come from Philadelphia to work at Sony Pictures Television when he found himself in a meeting in Los Angeles to discuss syndication with the producers of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, “Seinfeld.” Present were not only the show’s producers but also Jerry Seinfeld himself. He looked around the room and thought: What am I doing here?
And then the familiar phrase hit him: Act like you’ve been there before. The first time he heard those words came after he scored his first touchdown in high school and spiked the ball in his excitement. The gesture cost his team a penalty and the chance for an extra point, but more to the point it cost Steve a serious ear full by his coach Gerry Gray. Steve forgets most of Gray’s less than complimentary harangue, except for six words that remained tattooed on his brain: “Act like you’ve been there before!”
The sage advice from his old coach got him through the meeting and, more importantly, made him realize that he did belong in that meeting—and in many more meetings that resulted in some of the biggest television hits of the past 25 years, including “Jeopardy,” “Wheel of Fortune,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” “Shark Tank” and many more.
Today he is the CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment and produces a number of programs including Capital One College Bowl hosted by Peyton Manning that premieres on NBC on June 22nd!
In this hilarious episode, Steve draws on vivid examples taken from the worlds of lacrosse, football, and golf to provide business advice leaders can use to get themselves through their own tough times.
You will learn:
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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