Missiles, Drugs, Comedy and the Myth of the Hero’s Journey with Marc Hogan

Growth Mixtape Podcast with Bob Mathers

Today, we talk with Marc Hogan, a renowned speaker and psychologist with a pretty interesting path from selling missiles, drugs and cigarettes to stand-up comedy and coaching leaders.

LinkedIn is a funny place. It can be noisy and isolating like all social media is, but it can also create genuine connections - and that’s how I found Marc. There was something about what he was saying and how he was saying it that hit me right between the eyes - brutally honest, a bit out there and funny as shit.

Marc talks about getting pulled over by the cops with a truckload of missiles, and realizing maybe he needed a change. He’s most famous for taking a $1 bet to do a standup routine at the largest comedy festival in the world - a move that led him to psychology and traveling the world speaking to Fortune 500 companies about his unique insights on leadership.

This was so much fun, and left me with a lot to think about around how I spend the remaining years of my career and how I show up with those around me.

Please enjoy, Marc Hogan.

Key takeaways:

• From Missiles to Comedy: Marc’s wild career shift from selling weapons to performing stand-up at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival shows how taking risks can lead to unexpected and rewarding paths.
• The Power of Personality: Marc dives into how understanding your personality traits can shape your success and why some of us are wired for extroversion, while others thrive in quieter roles.
• Psychology in the Workplace: Learn how your "first team" — the family you grew up with — influences your behaviour in teams at work and why it matters for leadership.
• The Myth of the Hero’s Journey: Marc challenges the idea that hard work alone is the key to success and reveals the unseen factors like personality, privilege, and timing that really shape our journeys.
• Conquering Comedy: Hear how Marc tackled the most terrifying form of public speaking—stand-up comedy—at the world’s biggest comedy festival and what it taught him about resilience.
• Why We Don’t Always Get Along: Discover how Marc applies behavioural psychology to help teams and leaders understand and bridge differences, making collaboration more effective.
• Rethinking Success Stories: Marc breaks down why the oversimplified "hero's journey" we see on social media doesn't tell the full story and how embracing nuance can lead to a more honest understanding of success.

Connect With Marc:
LinkedIn
Website
LinkedIn
Resources:
Taming Tigers by Jim Lawless
Books on Hypnotism by Paul McKenna

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Connect with Bob Mathers
Website
LinkedIn