10 April 2026
Jiu Jitsu Changed My Life and Leadership | Jeremy Hass
40% Better - Engineering Leadership
About
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Jeremy Hass shares powerful insights from his leadership journey, shaped by his experiences in the military, startups, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Jeremy dives into the importance of resilience, risk-taking, and personal growth, explaining how embracing challenges can lead to long-term success in both life and business. He also discusses how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu transformed his mindset, teaching discipline, adaptability, and emotional resilience.
The conversation explores how leaders can build strong teams, communicate effectively, and develop future leaders within their organizations. Jeremy also shares practical advice for navigating failure, pursuing meaningful work, and surrounding yourself with the right people.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why resilience is essential for leadership and business success
How Brazilian Jiu Jitsu shapes mindset and discipline
The importance of risk-taking in personal and professional growth
How to build and mentor future leaders
Why effective communication is critical in leadership roles
How to overcome failure and learn from setbacks
The value of emotional intelligence in leadership
Why chasing passion leads to long-term fulfillment
Key insights:
“I’d rather try and fail than not try at all.”
“Surrounding yourself with the right people is key.”
“Jiu Jitsu saved my life.”
“My job is to build and enable the person below me.”
“Chase what makes you happy.”
This episode is perfect for leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to grow personally and professionally through resilience, discipline, and purpose.
Timestamps:
00:00 The Foundations of Leadership
02:52 Early Career Experiences and Responsibilities
05:53 Embracing Challenges and Risk-Taking
09:00 Resilience and Overcoming Failure
12:07 The Role of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Personal Growth
15:08 Leadership Lessons from Martial Arts
18:08 Current Work and Helping Startups
21:13 Operational Challenges in Business
23:52 Building Future Leaders
26:57 Effective Communication in Leadership
30:12 Personal Projects and Future Aspirations
33:11 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom
Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, growth, and performance.
#Leadership #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Startups #EmotionalIntelligence #RiskTaking #Mindset #BusinessGrowth #40PercentBetter
I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Bill and the 40 % Better podcast team
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wblennan/
Visit the 40 Percent Better website here: https://40pb.com/
Listen to 40 % Better on these podcast platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qkqdMPkR9BqYPM7UPa4P0
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40%25-better---engineering-leadership/id1709546347
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/01ad162e-7a33-4df4-8c29-04c4af0405fc/40-better---engineering-leadership
#40PercentBetter #BillLennan #Leadership #TeamPerformance #EmployeeEngagement #PsychologicalSafety #BusinessGrowth #Kaizen #EngineeringLeadership #Coaching The 40% Better podcast with Bill Lennan unlocks previously unheard-of performance levels in teams and leaders. Bill Lennan, founder of 40 Percent Better, interviews experts on employee engagement, psychological safety, engineering leadership, and actionable mental models. Learn how to foster high-performing teams, improve team productivity, and achieve sustainable success in business through a focus on human-centered systems.
#technologyleadership #productmanagement #engineeringleadership #leadershipdevelopment #careergrowth #podcast
Jeremy dives into the importance of resilience, risk-taking, and personal growth, explaining how embracing challenges can lead to long-term success in both life and business. He also discusses how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu transformed his mindset, teaching discipline, adaptability, and emotional resilience.
The conversation explores how leaders can build strong teams, communicate effectively, and develop future leaders within their organizations. Jeremy also shares practical advice for navigating failure, pursuing meaningful work, and surrounding yourself with the right people.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why resilience is essential for leadership and business success
How Brazilian Jiu Jitsu shapes mindset and discipline
The importance of risk-taking in personal and professional growth
How to build and mentor future leaders
Why effective communication is critical in leadership roles
How to overcome failure and learn from setbacks
The value of emotional intelligence in leadership
Why chasing passion leads to long-term fulfillment
Key insights:
“I’d rather try and fail than not try at all.”
“Surrounding yourself with the right people is key.”
“Jiu Jitsu saved my life.”
“My job is to build and enable the person below me.”
“Chase what makes you happy.”
This episode is perfect for leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to grow personally and professionally through resilience, discipline, and purpose.
Timestamps:
00:00 The Foundations of Leadership
02:52 Early Career Experiences and Responsibilities
05:53 Embracing Challenges and Risk-Taking
09:00 Resilience and Overcoming Failure
12:07 The Role of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Personal Growth
15:08 Leadership Lessons from Martial Arts
18:08 Current Work and Helping Startups
21:13 Operational Challenges in Business
23:52 Building Future Leaders
26:57 Effective Communication in Leadership
30:12 Personal Projects and Future Aspirations
33:11 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom
Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, growth, and performance.
#Leadership #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Startups #EmotionalIntelligence #RiskTaking #Mindset #BusinessGrowth #40PercentBetter
I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Bill and the 40 % Better podcast team
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wblennan/
Visit the 40 Percent Better website here: https://40pb.com/
Listen to 40 % Better on these podcast platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qkqdMPkR9BqYPM7UPa4P0
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40%25-better---engineering-leadership/id1709546347
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/01ad162e-7a33-4df4-8c29-04c4af0405fc/40-better---engineering-leadership
#40PercentBetter #BillLennan #Leadership #TeamPerformance #EmployeeEngagement #PsychologicalSafety #BusinessGrowth #Kaizen #EngineeringLeadership #Coaching The 40% Better podcast with Bill Lennan unlocks previously unheard-of performance levels in teams and leaders. Bill Lennan, founder of 40 Percent Better, interviews experts on employee engagement, psychological safety, engineering leadership, and actionable mental models. Learn how to foster high-performing teams, improve team productivity, and achieve sustainable success in business through a focus on human-centered systems.
#technologyleadership #productmanagement #engineeringleadership #leadershipdevelopment #careergrowth #podcast