Lessons from Leaders with Brian Beckcom
Writings · Conversations · A Lifetime of Learning

Brian Beckcom

Trial lawyer, computer scientist and philosopher. Co-founder and owner of VB Attorneys. Host of Lessons from Leaders.

Writings and conversations about judgment, leadership, persuasion and a lifetime of learning.

Play Latest Episode

Start Here

Five essays on books, grappling, golf, fly fishing and persuasion. Different interests, with a shared curiosity about how people learn and make decisions.

Explore selected writings   |   Listen to Lessons from Leaders   |   About Brian

Recent Episodes

Jan. 21, 2026

Laughter and Leadership: A Conversation with Adam Christing

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Adam Christing, a humorist, keynote speaker, and author, to talk about the power of laughter, connection, and storytelling. Adam has spent four decades performing more than 4,000 humor presentations for CEOs, Fortune 500 companies, major nonprofits, and high-stakes audiences around the world. He is a member of Hollywood’s iconic Magic Castle, has worked with David Copperfield, authored The Laugh Factor: The 5 Humor Tactics to Link, Lift, and Le
Sept. 22, 2025

Psychedelics and Spirituality: A Conversation with Rev. Hunt Priest

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Rev. Hunt Priest, an Episcopal priest who openly shares how psilocybin (magic mushrooms) transformed his faith and ministry. Hunt took part in a groundbreaking Johns Hopkins/NYU study where clergy explored psychedelics, and the experience reshaped and reinvigorated his spiritual life. In our conversation, Hunt shares how partaking in the study expanded his understanding of Christianity, deepened his relationship with God, and challenged him to reth
July 29, 2025

Salad Dressing and Second Chances: A Conversation with Gregory Vetter

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Greg Vetter, a charismatic entrepreneur and storyteller best known for turning his mom’s salad dressing into a $300 million brand - before losing it all. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build, and rebuild, a business from the ground up. Greg is a high-energy and insightful founder who co-created Tessemae’s with his brothers, which became the leading organic salad dressing company in the U.S. through relentless hard work,
May 15, 2025

Mindful Leadership from a Mindfulness Master: A Conversation with Pankaj Singh

I recently sat down with Pankaj Singh, a mindfulness and leadership expert. In this episode, we talk about how mindfulness can make you not just a better leader, but a better person. It was a pleasure chatting to Pankaj, a multi-faceted and dynamic individual known for redefining leadership through mindfulness practices. He has extensive experience in business as an engineer and notably steered National Auto Care through a ransomware attack within 48 hours as their Chief Technology Officer.
May 1, 2025

Lessons from Seal Team Six: A Conversation with Rob Roy

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Roy, a Navy veteran, former member of SEAL Team Six, and the founder and CEO of Trident Coaching and Consulting. Rob brings decades of experience in elite military operations and leadership development,...
Feb. 14, 2025

Growing LinkedIn from 400 to 4000: A Conversation with Steve Cadigan

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Cadigan, the HR leader who helped scale LinkedIn from 400 to 4,000 employees in just four years. Steve shares how his passion for team dynamics and workplace culture fueled this explosive growth and shaped LinkedIn’s early success. We also discuss why prioritizing culture over salaries matters, the value of hiring for potential rather than experience, and how aligning employee goals with company impact creates a thriving workforce.

Recent Blog Posts

Oct. 19, 2026

A Lawyer Reviews the (new) iPad Pro with iOS 11

A game-changing update A year and a half ago, I first reviewed the iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. I predicted that a lot of lawyers would ditch their bulky Acer laptops and rush to adopt the iPad Pro as their primary computing device.…
Oct. 19, 2026

Fishing, Photography, and the Leica Q

I became interested in photography at the same time I became interested in fly fishing. Fly fishing and photography are perfect companions, for many reasons. First, when you’re fly fishing you are in some of the more scenic nature spots in the wor…
Oct. 19, 2026

Playing and staying at Pine Valley

A typical Pine Valley cabin. Eight years ago when I started playing golf I would not have broken 120 at Pine Valley. Nor would I have appreciated the greatness of the course. It’s no accident Pine Valley has been consistently ranked as the numb…

About the Host

Brian Beckcom Profile Photo
Brian Beckcom

Trial lawyer, computer scientist and philosopher

Brian Beckcom is a trial lawyer, computer scientist and philosopher, co-founder and owner of VB Attorneys, and host of Lessons from Leaders. His writings and conversations explore judgment, leadership, communication, learning and performance. His interests include books, golf, fly fishing and photography.

Reviews

Is Buddhism true

"I enjoyed the discourse and ideas."

schlawyer | Nov. 5, 2020

Broad ranging and insightful

"Brian is a skilled advocate and this podcast stays bc away from the strictly legal but brings insights from a trial attorney across a spectrum of subject areas."

altysin | Dec. 30, 2024