Do you ever feel like life tries to put you in a box? One career, title, or identity?

In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess sits down with longtime friend, Air Force Colonel, entrepreneur, and public servant Erik “EZ” Brine to explore what it means to live a life that refuses to be defined by a single role.

Erik’s story is a powerful example of how a person can lead in multiple arenas at once. From military service and local government to launching an aviation-inspired whiskey brand and helping veterans find their voice through music with Operation Encore, Erik has embraced a life built around curiosity, service, and purpose.

But the conversation goes deeper than career accomplishments. Erik shares a pivotal moment in his life when he was forced to step away from flying, something that had become central to his identity. That transition forced him to ask a difficult question: If I’m not this role anymore, who am I?

Through that experience, Erik discovered a powerful truth: our jobs are not our identity, they’re simply one part of who we are.

In this episode, Gabriel and Erik explore:

• Why your career should never define your identity
• How embracing multiple passions can create a richer life
• The importance of being a “utility player” in life and leadership
• Why relationships and trust are the foundation of leadership
• How hardship builds resilience and empathy
• The role of mentorship, and why everyone should both seek it and give it
• Why inspiration is the missing ingredient in many leadership models

EZ also shares a leadership framework he’s developed through years of service: leaders must organize, train, equip, and inspire the people they lead.

Leadership isn’t about titles or authority. It’s about building trust, inspiring others, and showing up consistently in the relationships that matter most.

RESOURCES

• Website: navigatingleaders.com
• The Results Tree (Available April 7): shop.harpandswordmedia.com/products/the-results-tree
• Erik “EZ” Brine: linkedin.com/in/erikbrine
  • Operation Encore: operationencore.org
  • Winglore Spirits: winglorespirits.com
  • Brackish Experts: brackishexperts.com

CONNECT WITH GABRIEL

• Instagram @navigatingleaders
• Facebook @navigatingleaders
• YouTube @navigatingleaders
• LinkedIn @navigatingleaders
• TikTok @navigatingleaders

What does real leadership actually look like?

In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess explores a powerful truth: Leadership doesn’t begin with influence, authority, or position; it begins inside of you.

Drawing inspiration from historical and spiritual leaders such as Gandhi, Christ, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa, Gabriel examines what made their leadership so impactful. Their secret wasn’t power or visibility. It was alignment. Their thoughts, words, and actions were congruent, and that alignment built deep trust and influence that continue to shape the world today.

Gabriel challenges listeners to reflect on the difference between modern “headline leadership” and the kind of leadership that flows from integrity, authenticity, and purpose. He explains why trust is foundational to leadership and why it’s impossible to lead people well if our inner life is chaotic or disconnected from our actions.

In this episode, Gabriel explores:

• Why leadership begins with mastering the inner world
• How thoughts shape behavior and influence
• The incredible power and responsibility of our words
• Why actions ultimately reveal who we really are
• The importance of living with alignment and authenticity
• How awareness allows us to break free from past patterns
• Why every moment offers the opportunity to choose differently

Gabriel also reminds us that leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress and awareness. When our thoughts, words, and actions come into alignment with our values and vision, we naturally become people others can trust and follow.

Because the most powerful leadership in the world doesn’t start on a stage.

It starts within.

Leadership is an inside job.

RESOURCES

• Website: navigatingleaders.com
• The Results Tree (Available April 7): https://shop.harpandswordmedia.com/products/the-results-tree
• Napoleon Hill: Think and Grow Rich: https://a.co/d/0hQmc4pg
• Viktor Frankl: Man’s Search for Meaning: https://a.co/d/03veF2cJ

SCRIPTURES & QUOTES

• Proverbs 25:28: “A person without self-control is like a city with broken walls.”
• Matthew 12:34: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
• Napoleon Hill: “If you fail to control your mind, you may be sure you will control nothing else.”

Gabriel also references several historical figures as examples of leaders whose thoughts, words, and actions were aligned:

• Mahatma Gandhi
• Jesus Christ
• Nelson Mandela
• Mother Teresa
• Viktor Frankl

CONNECT WITH GABRIEL

• Instagram @navigatingleaders
• Facebook @navigatingleaders
• YouTube @navigatingleaders
• LinkedIn @navigatingleaders
• TikTok @navigatingleaders

Where does purpose actually come from?

In this powerful episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with faith-driven entrepreneur, pastor, and leadership mentor Mark Moreno to explore a surprising truth: Purpose is often born through pain.

Mark shares his personal story of building a thriving church and ministry only to see everything he had built taken away in a painful season that challenged his identity, faith, and leadership. What followed was a deep process of refinement that reshaped how he views purpose, leadership, and the role of faith in both ministry and business.

Together, Gabriel and Mark unpack how hardship can uncover hidden insecurities, refine character, and ultimately prepare leaders for the next chapter of their calling.

This conversation dives into:

• Why pain is often the starting point of purpose
• The leadership lessons learned through loss and failure
• How identity can become dangerously tied to achievement
• What Mark calls the “pace of grace” in leadership and life
• Why entrepreneurs and leaders often struggle with performance-driven faith
• The difference between asking God to remove pain and asking Him to refine us through it
• How reflection, gratitude, and humility shape healthy leadership

Mark also shares a powerful reminder for leaders and entrepreneurs: God will never multiply what we mismanage, making personal stewardship, character, and self-reflection essential to both spiritual and professional growth.

This episode is a deep and honest conversation about pain, calling, leadership, and faith and how the hardest seasons of life often become the very chapters that shape our greatest impact.

Because sometimes the most painful shifts in life are actually God’s setup for greatness.

RESOURCES

• Website: navigatingleaders.com
• The Results Tree (Available April 7): https://shop.harpandswordmedia.com/products/the-results-tree
• Mark Moreno | Executive Director, Faith Driven Business
• Connect with Mark on Instagram at @mark_a_moreno and Facebook at facebook.com/mark.moreno.351

CONNECT WITH GABRIEL

• Instagram @navigatingleaders
• Facebook @navigatingleaders
• YouTube @navigatingleaders
• LinkedIn @navigatingleaders
• TikTok @navigatingleaders