Nate Feltman: Inspiring conversations with influential leaders

Six months ago, IBJ Media launched a podcast I would host featuring honorees from our Indiana 250 most influential people list we started in 2022.

We called the podcast “Off the Record,” a journalistic term and a tongue-in-cheek nod that the podcast conversation is certainly not off the record! My colleagues liked the idea of further illuminating Indiana’s movers and shakers and providing an avenue to glean nuggets of wisdom from successful Hoosier leaders.

I committed to host the podcast and record three shows a month. I’m now 17 episodes in and enjoying all aspects of doing the show.

This week, we will surpass 10,000 downloads with Jim Morris, vice chair of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, as my guest—just the right guy to have the distinction of moving us past the 10,000 downloads mark.

Last week, “Off the Record” producer Fabian Rodriguez (founder of Culture Collaborative Media) informed me that “Off the Record” peaked at No. 31 on Apple’s Business News podcasts list and that it consistently ranks in Apple’s top 150 business news podcasts. The ranking is a tribute to the Hoosier leaders appearing on the show and the interest level in learning more about what drove their success.

Ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed reading biographies of prominent individuals in business, law and politics. I found it fascinating to study their career paths and learn what motivated them to achieve success in their chosen fields.

One of my favorite biographies is James Bakers’, called “The Man Who Ran Washington,” by Susan Glasser and Peter Baker. James Baker talks about the influence of his father in his life and that his father drilled into him the five P’s: Prior preparation prevents poor performance. I have used that with my kids since they were little.

As we launched “Off the Record,” one of my goals was to glean from our guests similar nuggets that would be helpful to our listeners, especially young professionals working to achieve their dreams.

I ask every guest for the best advice they ever received. My favorites include:

◗ “There’s only two things that you will carry with you: your reputation and whether people trust you. Always value those things.” —Dennis Murphy, Indiana University Health CEO

◗ “Get over it. Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” —Mitch Daniels, former Indiana governor

◗ “This, too, shall pass. Don’t make a permanent decision based on temporary emotions.” —Karrah Herring, Indiana chief equity, inclusion and opportunity officer

◗ “Be careful, because the toes you step on today might be attached to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow.” —Rafael Sanchez, Old National Bank executive vice president

◗ “If you’re not early, you’re late.” —Sue Ellspermann, Ivy Tech Community College president

◗ “The key to success in life is just showing up, because so many people don’t even do that.” —Marcus Cole, Notre Dame Law School dean

◗ “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” —Jim Morris, Pacers Sports & Entertainment vice chair, quoting Herman Wells, former Indiana University president

In addition to these life maxims, “Off the Record” guests share their life and career journey, their advice for young people working to become leaders in their fields, their thoughts for how Indiana can take the next leap forward, and fun facts such as the last book they read and their favorite movies, music groups and foods.

I hope you enjoy the shows as much as I enjoy making them. Listen to “Off the Record” wherever you get your podcasts or at Indiana250.com/podcast.•

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Feltman is publisher of IBJ and CEO of IBJ Media. Send comments to nfeltman@ibj.com.