About this episode
Jake Schroeder—former frontman of OP Gone Bad, national anthem singer for the Colorado Avalanche, and executive director of the Denver Police Activities League—now runs the D-Day Leadership Academy, bringing inner-city youth to Normandy, France to learn leadership through the stories of World War II.After concussions, insurance costs, and political shifts dismantled his youth sports programs serving 4,000 kids a year, Jake pivoted. Inspired by the WWII veterans he’d been bringing back to Omaha Beach and Utah Beach since 2011, he transformed his nonprofit into a Normandy-based leadership program built on five pillars drawn from D-Day: leading from the front, total commitment to mission, chaos, preparation, and empathy. In this conversation, he and host Christian Taylor—director of the award-winning documentary The Girl Who Wore Freedom—explore what success really means when the money isn’t there but the mission keeps growing.What You’ll Learn:What does the D-Day Leadership Academy teach kids in Normandy?How do you pivot a nonprofit when your core programs collapse?What did WWII veterans say about people recreating on Normandy’s beaches?How do you define success when your documentary or nonprofit isn’t financially profitable?What are John Elway’s three rules for running a successful charity event?How does Stoic philosophy help when you’re facing failure in filmmaking or leadership?What documentary films should you watch? Elway to Marino, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, Cold War on IceTimestamps:00:00 Introduction03:07 How Christian and Jake met in Normandy, France04:56 The Girl Who Wore Freedom documentary connection06:19 Following up on failure: Epic Bill and redefining success09:00 OP Gone Bad band years: when the road is worth it12:16 Stoicism and choosing your response to hardship15:06 Virginia Beach at night: perspective and insignificance17:16 Documentary filmmaking relationships that last a lifetime18:36 Denver Police Activities League: origin and mission22:00 Starting inner-city hockey with the Colorado Avalanche23:56 Youth sports crisis: specialization, concussions, and insurance27:12 The pivot: shutting down programs and reimagining the mission28:04 How the Normandy leadership program began (2015)30:16 What the D-Day Leadership Academy
