What happens when the competitive drive that fueled an NFL career turns into an entrepreneurial journey?

In Episode 8 of Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics, Kevin and Steve sit down with former Oklahoma Sooners and NFL wide receiver Mark Clayton to discuss his path from the football field to the business world and how the lessons learned in sports continue to shape his success today.

Mark shares the story behind Livv Audio, the innovative headphone company he founded after identifying a problem during his playing career. From sketching ideas while recovering from injury to navigating product development, manufacturing setbacks, patents, and fundraising, his journey is a masterclass in resilience and perseverance.

The conversation also explores the similarities between sports and entrepreneurship, the importance of leadership and teamwork, and why the willingness to embrace adversity often separates success from failure.

Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on innovation, competition, and turning an idea into reality.

• Mark Clayton's journey from quarterback to NFL wide receiver
• The skills that translate from sports to business
• How Livv Audio was born from a simple problem
• Overcoming manufacturing and startup challenges
• Leadership lessons from athletics and entrepreneurship
• Why relationships and resilience drive long-term success

Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics explores leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the people who are redefining success both on and off the field.

00:00 – Welcome to Around the Diamond 00:10 – Mark Clayton's Journey from High School to the NFL 07:59 – Which Professional Athletes Are the Best Competitors? 12:54 – The Art of Route Running and Football IQ 19:47 – How Sports Prepared Mark for Entrepreneurship 27:30 – The Birth of Livv Audio and an Innovative Idea 30:02 – Passion, Product Development, and Building a Business 33:06 – Manufacturing Challenges and Lessons Learned 36:03 – Improving the Product Through Customer Feedback 39:34 – Taking a Leap of Faith into Entrepreneurship 43:52 – Scaling a Business While Building the Right Team 52:25 – Balancing Family, Innovation, and Business Ownership 1:03:05 – Leadership Lessons from Sports and Entrepreneurship

This episode is a great blend of football, business, leadership, and innovation, making it one of the strongest conversations yet in the Around the Diamond series.

What does success look like when the dream keeps evolving?

In Part 2 of "The American Dream Isn’t Dead… It Just Looks Different," Kevin and Steve continue their conversation about leadership, competition, teamwork, and the pursuit of something bigger than yourself.

Steve shares how American Diamond Logistics is embracing AI and innovation to create efficiencies that are redefining what's possible in the logistics industry, while Kevin reflects on the lessons learned from a lifetime of competition—from growing up with older brothers to playing Major League Baseball.

The discussion explores how sports and business often follow the same blueprint: building strong teams, overcoming adversity, staying focused on a common goal, and understanding that success is about far more than what people see on the surface.

From leadership responsibilities and company culture to legacy and personal growth, this episode dives into the mindset required to build something meaningful and leave a lasting impact.

In This Episode: Why American Diamond is going all-in on AI The competitive mindset behind growth and success What sports teach us about leadership and teamwork The hidden challenges of entrepreneurship and professional athletics Building a culture where everyone rows in the same direction What legacy really means beyond revenue and recognition

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or chasing your own version of the American Dream, this conversation is packed with insights on resilience, purpose, and long-term success.

Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics explores leadership, innovation, logistics, and the people driving meaningful change in business and beyond.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 – Continuing the American Dream Conversation 05:39 – Why American Diamond Is Going All-In on AI 08:21 – Competition, Sports, and the Drive to Win 11:00 – The Gen X Mindset and Mental Toughness 16:39 – How Team Sports Prepare You for Business 21:45 – Building a Culture of Teamwork and Accountability 25:02 – The Hidden Responsibilities of Leadership 29:35 – What Fans Don't See Behind Professional Sports 34:39 – Legacy, Sacrifice, and Respect 37:44 – What Steve Wants American Diamond's Legacy to Be 42:32 – Advice for Entrepreneurs, Athletes, and Future Leaders 45:48 – Closing Thoughts and Final Takeaways

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/ Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

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What does the American Dream actually look like in 2026?

In Part 1 of this special episode of Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics, hosts Kevin Mensch and Steve Weinberg sit down with Elise Delaney to talk about chasing dreams, building careers, and creating something bigger than yourself.

From Major League Baseball stories and startup struggles to leadership lessons and the evolution of American Diamond Logistics, this episode dives into the mindset behind success—and the sacrifices that come with it.

Steve breaks down how ADL evolved from “just creating a job” into a nationally recognized, tech-centric 3PL, while Kevin shares powerful insights from professional baseball about honesty, leadership, coaching, and perseverance.

This one is equal parts business, sports, culture, and motivation—with plenty of laughs mixed in along the way.

Chapters

00:00:10 – Vacations, Cardboard Cutouts & Chaos Begins 00:02:50 – Meet Elise Delaney & Her Role at ADL 00:06:30 – The Interview That Changed Elise’s Career Path 00:09:38 – Why ADL’s Culture Feels Different 00:12:17 – What the American Dream Means Today 00:15:34 – Kevin Mensch’s MLB Journey & Baseball Sacrifices 00:21:24 – How American Diamond Logistics Was Built 00:25:38 – The Risks Behind Chasing Big Dreams 00:32:07 – How Technology Changed the 3PL Industry 00:36:44 – Leadership, Honesty & Coaching the Next Generation 00:40:01 – Part 2 Preview: Continuing the American Dream Conversation

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/ Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

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What happens when the guy who ran one of the largest agent networks in logistics decides to start fresh—and do it better?

On this episode of Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics, hosts Kevin Mench and Steve Wineriter sit down with John Draeger, VP of Agency Services at ADL, to break down how culture, technology, and leadership are redefining what it means to be a logistics agent.

From scaling agencies without adding headcount to eliminating operational anxiety through automation, this conversation dives deep into the future of freight—and why ADL’s model might be miles ahead of the competition.

If you’re an agent, entrepreneur, or anyone in logistics looking to grow faster (and smarter), this episode is a blueprint.

Chapters

00:00:10 – Meet John Draeger & His Move to ADL 00:05:42 – Building an Elite Agent Program from the Ground Up 00:12:41 – Why Culture Matters More Than Ever in Logistics 00:19:50 – Turning Agents into Entrepreneurs 00:23:36 – Eliminating Anxiety Through Automation 00:25:36 – The Technology Giving ADL Its Edge 00:29:11 – Why ADL’s Model Is Ahead of the Competition 00:31:22 – The Future of Agency Growth at American Diamond

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/ Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

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What happens when AI takes over the most inefficient part of logistics?

In this episode of Around the Diamond powered by American Diamond Logistics, Kevin Mench and Steve Wineriter sit down with Dr. Srijan Kumar, CEO of Lighthouse AI, to break down how artificial intelligence is transforming the freight and supply chain industry from the inside out.

From invoice processing to freight bill audits, Lighthouse AI is automating the back office in ways that were impossible just a few years ago—cutting processing times, improving cash flow, and eliminating massive operational bottlenecks.

Dr. Kumar shares how his background in AI at companies like Google and Home Depot—and firsthand experience running brokerage accounting—led him to build a platform that’s now redefining how logistics companies operate.

This episode dives into:

Why logistics has lagged behind in technology—and what’s changing now How AI is automating accounting, invoicing, and dispute resolution The real impact on efficiency, margins, and scalability Why AI doesn’t replace people—it frees them to focus on relationships What the future of AI-powered logistics looks like

From processing invoices in seconds to reducing back-office costs and improving team morale, this conversation shows how AI is no longer the future—it’s already here.

If you’re in logistics, supply chain, freight brokerage, or business operations, this episode is a must-listen.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 – How AI Is Revolutionizing Logistics Accounting 13:22 – Why Traditional Tech (Like OCR) Failed Logistics 20:11 – Automating Invoices, Freight Bills & Back Office Work 28:52 – Solving LTL Disputes with AI 32:59 – How AI Improves Efficiency and Team Morale 40:46 – The Impact on Cash Flow, Scale, and Growth 45:35 – The Future of AI in Logistics & Supply Chain

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/ Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

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What makes someone walk away from a stable corporate career to take a chance on something uncertain?

In Episode 2 of Around the Diamond powered by American Diamond Logistics, Kevin Mench and Steve Wineriter sit down with COO Jim Nichol and CCO Cliff Robbins to break down the real story behind building a logistics company from the ground up—and why betting on yourself can pay off.

Jim shares what it was like leaving a $500 million company to join a $2 million startup, while Cliff explains how he went from being a customer of American Diamond Logistics to becoming part of the leadership team after seeing their technology, execution, and service outperform the competition.

This episode dives into:

The mindset behind taking career risks Why relationships still drive the logistics industry How American Diamond built a true “dream team” culture The importance of adaptability in supply chain and freight What it really takes to scale a company in a constantly changing market

From card tables and fax machines to building a company on the verge of nine-figure growth, this is a conversation about leadership, vision, and doing whatever it takes to win.

If you’re interested in logistics, entrepreneurship, business leadership, or supply chain innovation, this episode gives you a real look behind the curtain.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 – Welcome + Meet the ADL Leadership Team 02:22 – Leaving a $500M Company for a Startup 08:03 – Betting on Yourself and Taking Risks 15:12 – Building the “Dream Team” Culture 22:26 – Why Direct Communication Beats Corporate Structure 22:51 – How ADL Adapts in a Changing Logistics Industry

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/ Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

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