November 14, 2026
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503. How Did One Inspiring Entrepreneur’s Battle with Cancer Ultimately Lead to the Transformation of Youth and Dads in a South Florida Community? | John Sitomer

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with John Sitomer, a fitness entrepreneur, dad, and the founder of South Florida’s Council of Dads. “I spent one-third of my life battling cancer, says Sitomer, “I’m thrilled it was me!” What a remarkable thing to say! In this interview, you’ll find out why he is grateful for his disease and what he learned. It wasn’t an easy journey, but it is absolutely inspiring! During Sitomer’s second bout with cancer, he didn’t know if he was going to make it through. As the father of a young child, that was especially devastating news. As he lay seriously sick in the hospital, a friend gave him a book—The Council of Dads—that ultimately changed his life. At the time he was given the book, however, Sitomer was so sick that he could not even open the book or turn a page! In fact, it was 10 months after that visit that John began to read the book. Once he started reading, he couldn’t put it down… and, blessed with an entrepreneurial mindset, he began to take action soon after he finished the book. For John, battling cancer not only made him a better person, it led him to discover what he feels is his calling in life, namely, to mentor boys and girls who need a positive parental influence. In this episode, John talks about “brotherhood” vs. “friendship,” about “Pay it Forward” vs. being a victim, and about the blessings of seeing inner-city kids being transformed into confident, positive, givers. He talks about the men who told told him they’d been waiting a lifetime for something like this (South Florida’s Council of Dads) where they can give! And… John talks about having NO fear! The book John received, The Council of Dads, was written by another dad, Bruce Feiler, who had faced a similar situation battling cancer. You can find it listed in our Show Notes below. What will it inspire in you? Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO broadcast on Salem Radio in San Francisco, via live-streaming on iHeart Radio worldwide or anytime, on ANY podcast platform, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, iTunes, TuneIN, Stitcher, Google Play and all the others. Sign up for the podcast here.

SHOW NOTES:

JOHN SITOMER:

BIO: See two news articles on John Sitomer below.
BOOK that changed his life:
- The Council of Dads: A Story of Friendship & Learning How to Live, by Bruce Feiler
South Florida’s Council of Dads:
- Local ‘Council of Dads’ Takes a Unique Look at Community Service and Charitable Giving Dedicated Dads — Feature story in the Wellington Insider magazine
- John Sitomer and The Council of Dads—AW Spotlight
- John Sitomer and The Council of Dads, by Krista Martinella, Another Door Opens

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:32 — 80.3MB) | Embed

October 31, 2026
by thementorsradio Leave a comment

501. What the Dying Teach Us About Living | Jane Porter, RN

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Jane Porter, RN, who has spent more than 40 years in healthcare and more than 20 years devoted to hospice and palliative care. Porter is the author of On the Edge of Eternity: A Compassionate Guide for Families When a Loved One is Dying. Jane Porter’s life is living proof that purpose has no expiration date: she earned her RN degree at age 55, founded Grace & Glory Hospice at age 70 during the height of the COVID pandemic, and published her first book at age 76. Modern culture teaches us to run from discomfort, obsess over external achievement, and avoid the reality of suffering. Yet, it is at the very threshold of life where worldly status is stripped away, and we discover what it actually means to be alive. In this episode, Porter shares first-hand stories and remarkable realities from the dying, the truth behind California hospice fraud and how to vet ethical providers. You’ll also learn what hospice nurses witness that medicine cannot explain, the importance of releasing the hostage of guilt, the benefits of facing uncomfortable conversations today, long before earthly time runs out, and the power of four liberating phrases—”I love you,” “I forgive you,” “Will you forgive me?” and “Thank you.” Porter captured her bedside observations and practical wisdom in her book, On the Edge of Eternity: A Compassionate Guide for Families When a Loved One Is Dying. Today, Jane joins us to share what the dying teach us about character, forgiveness, and how to live a truly fulfilling life. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO broadcast on Salem Radio in San Francisco, via live-streaming on iHeart Radio worldwide or anytime, on ANY podcast platform, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, iTunes, TuneIN, Stitcher, Google Play and all the others. Sign up for the podcast here.

SHOW NOTES:

JANE PORTER:

BIO:
- BIO: Jane Porter, RN
BOOK:
- On the Edge of Eternity: A Compassionate Guide for Families When a Loved One Is Dying, by Jane Porter, RN

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:10 — 59.3MB) | Embed

October 24, 2026
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500. Mr. Super Bowl’s Master Class for Managing Complexity and Innovation | Jim Steeg

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jim Steeg, known publicly as “Mr. Super Bowl” and credited with transforming the Super Bowl from a singular championship to a multi-day extravaganza. While many books have been written about Super Bowl games, never has one been written about how the Super Bowl itself became the greatest sporting event created in the twentieth century. Only one person can tell that story definitively, and that is Jim Steeg, who joins host Dan Hesse to give The Mentors Radio show audience a sneak peak into his upcoming book. Publicly known as “Mr. Super Bowl,” Jim spent almost four decades at the upper-most management levels in professional football, twenty-six of those years leading the NFL’s Special Events Department. During that time, he transformed the Super Bowl from a simple singular championship football game into a multi-day entertainment, marketing, and media extravaganza, as well as a beloved “national holiday.” In his book, entitled Super!, Jim chronicles the history, growth, and behind-the-scenes making of the Super Bowl, with lessons from which we can all learn, including how to build a lasting institution. Currently a consultant across both collegiate and professional sports, Steeg resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In his yet-to-be-released book, Super!, Jim chronicles the history, growth, and behind-the-scenes making of the Super Bowl over his tenure, with many never-before-told stories, humorous anecdotes, and poignant moments. He takes readers behind the NFL’s velvet rope on Super Bowl Sunday, as well as the days, months, and years leading up to kickoff. He lets you in on the brainstorming, decision making, politics, issues, and problem-solving that go along with being the one man in charge of the world’s biggest one-day event. Sharing keen observations, revealing moments and thought-provoking conversations with an impressive who’s who of the NFL, sports, entertainment, television, government, and politics, Jim Steeg joins Dan to pull back the curtain for the first time.

SHOW NOTES:

JIM STEEG:

BIO:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Steeg
BOOK:
- Super! Untold Stories of the Super Bowl (November 17, 2026 release), by Jim Steeg
ARTICLE:
- Super stories from the man behind the NFL’s biggest game, by Terry Lefton — Sports Business Journal

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:38 — 58.6MB) | Embed

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RAJ SISODIA, PhD:

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