He turned down the Naval Academy as a teenager, got cut from his high school varsity, and still found his way to become a Division I basketball player and 34-year career in the United States Army retiring as a Major General. That arc is why Cedric Wins’ klimb story is so impactful: it’s not a highlight reel, it’s a blueprint for resilience, leadership under pressure, and doing the right thing when it costs you.

We talk about how winning habits get built early, why the Virginia Military Institute “chose him” more than he chose it, and how service finally started to click for him once he realized the similarities between the military and organized sports. Cedric shares a mistake from his early officer days that would shape his leadership philosophy: mission success means nothing if you fail to support the people you're leading. If you manage a team, lead a classroom, or run a business, you’ll recognize that moment instantly.

We also discuss the lessons he learned in crisis leadership at VMI during COVID-19 and intense public scrutiny. The General breaks down what leaders actually do when an institution’s culture and reputation are on the line: assess the climate, clarify mission and values, rebuild trust, and listen better than you speak. We also get into his core non-negotiables: integrity, character, and the courage to choose “the hard right” over “the easy wrong.” You’ll leave with practical leadership lessons, a sharper sense of what grit really means, and a reminder that the extra mile stays uncrowded for a reason.

If this conversation helps you, subscribe to The Klimb, share it with a friend who’s leading through a tough season, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. What’s one “hard right” you’re choosing this week?

Keep Klimbing!

Follow General Wins here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedric-t-wins/

Subscribe to Adrian for more content -

• Instagram: @adrianbranchspeaks
• LinkedIn : @adrianbranchspeaks
• YouTube: @adrianbranchspeaks
• Download The Klimb here: https://theklimbwithadrianbranch.buzzsprout.com

One pivot can decide the next 30 years of your life. I sit down with Bruce K. Rosenblum, a former baseball standout who thought he was headed for the majors until reality hit in college and forced a hard, early reinvention. What follows is a story about setbacks, identity, and how you keep moving when the dream you trained for is no longer on the table.

Bruce takes us from his childhood dreams of playing for his hometown LA Dodgers to the moment he realized he wouldn't reach the major leagues. From there, we trace how he broke into the entertainment industry through media research, learned the language of ratings from scratch, and built credibility through preparation and trust, eventually becoming the Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Media Research & Insights Group. Along the way, he shares the unforgettable Paramount Pictures softball game that accidentally became the best networking event of his life, putting him in front of the executives who mattered and proving the power of performing under pressure.

Bruce also shares insights into the balance between creative instinct and analytical evidence in media. He explains his impactful research on television and how audience trends, positioning, and even wardrobe choices affect public perception of TV shows. If you care about leadership principles, career pivots, networking that actually works, or business strategy, this conversation brings real lessons you can use immediately.

Subscribe to The Klimb, share this with a friend who’s navigating a pivot, and leave a review so more climbers can find these stories.

Keep Klimbing!

Follow Bruce here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-k-rosenblum

Subscribe to Adrian for more content -

• Instagram: @adrianbranchspeaks
• LinkedIn : @adrianbranchspeaks
• YouTube: @adrianbranchspeaks
• Download The Klimb here: https://theklimbwithadrianbranch.buzzsprout.com

What happens when you achieve every goal in life and still feel lost? Jesse Heisler did exactly what he was taught: chase the biggest house, the biggest car, the biggest bank account and call it “the good life.” By 32, he had the toys, the status, and the wins. Sitting alone with all of it, one word cut through the noise: purpose.

We walk through Jesse’s winding path from Southern California to UNLV, from nearly joining the military to landing at Pepsi, where mentorship and pressure helped him build a real sales work ethic. Then one unprofessional moment and a “bad joke” became a wake-up call about character, reputation, and what it really means to be a professional. From there, Jesse steps into a family business and finds himself inside a toxic, Wolf of Wall Street-style culture that promises freedom but quietly drains the soul.

The conversation turns when Jesse finds The Purpose Driven Life and begins a faith journey that includes doubt, conviction, and what he describes as a supernatural experience of God’s love. That inner change forces real-world decisions: leaving an unhealthy environment, reshaping his definition of success, and moving toward service. Today, Jesse mentors inmates in the California penal system while also working in private equity with values-driven leaders, and he shares how LinkedIn became the “new golf course” that opened doors through genuine connection.

If you’ve ever wondered why achievement can still feel empty, or how to rebuild after a misstep, this one will meet you right where you are. Subscribe to The Klimb, share this episode with a friend who’s chasing success, and leave a review so more climbers can find stories like Jesse’s.

Keep Klimbing!

Follow Jesse here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jes-h/

Subscribe to Adrian for more content -

• Instagram: @adrianbranchspeaks
• LinkedIn : @adrianbranchspeaks
• YouTube: @adrianbranchspeaks
• Download The Klimb here: https://theklimbwithadrianbranch.buzzsprout.com