Contagious Confidence Podcast

Redefining Success & Failure & the Power of Hard Conversations with Doug Wallace, Jr., President & Founder of the Hopeful Elephant Organization

• Katie Hawkes • Season 6 • Episode 7

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When I have guests on my podcast, I always like to have a topic, but sometimes there’s beauty in having a conversation with a guest about one thing and it surprisingly leads to something we didn’t even plan for. 

What started as an interview about redefining failure and success turned into a really beautiful story of how a former professional poker player left poker behind to pursue a life that provided him with more than he could ever have imagined. And how a set of unique circumstances led him to start a non-profit focused on helping others approach hard conversations. 

Doug Wallace Jr. – President and Founder of The Hopeful Elephant Organization (THEO) is a former poker player turned Director in the Health and Fitness industry. Throughout his education and work, Doug has been creative in addressing challenging situations with compassion and professionalism. His approach to building strong relationships centers around open and honest communication. Doug’s simple idea of using a toy elephant to symbolize there is something you need to talk about has evolved into a 501c3 non-profit organization. By making the elephant in the room something you look forward to rather than avoid, THEO is on a mission to make the world a better place one conversation at a time.

In this episode of the Contagious Confidence Podcast, we talk about:

  • Definition of failure 
  • How to redefine failure 
  • How to define success for yourself 
  • Why do people feel that they need to put on a poker face?
  • The Importance of having hard conversations 
  • Importance of mental wellness 
  • How to approach hard conversations 

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