Worthy Wins: Finding Clarity & Success in What Matters Most with John Olinger

On this episode of The Jon Gordon Podcast, I sit down with John Olinger—author, consultant, and former Nike marketing leader—for an honest and insightful conversation about his new book, Worthy Wins.

John's journey is shaped by both professional achievement and personal loss: from a decade with Nike working alongside elite athletes and the world's most advanced technology, to navigating the unexpected death of his father and the perspective-shifting realization that time is both scarce and uncertain. In our conversation, John shares the story behind Worthy Wins, the powerful concept of getting radically clear on what matters most, and why so many of us risk "winning" at the wrong things without ever realizing it.

Together, we explore John's lessons from the corporate world—where clarity and alignment can mean the difference between organization-wide momentum and wasted effort—as well as his personal life, where the true measure of success lies in relationships and intentional living. John opens up about the tensions between accomplishment and connection, the influence of mentors like Kobe Bryant, and practical strategies for identifying your own worthy wins, whether leading a team or navigating your family.

About John,

John Olinger spent a decade as a Brand and Digital Marketing leader for Nike and Jordan Brand, including three years captaining Global Marketing for Kobe Bryant. He reached a career inflection point after the unexpected passing of his father and left Nike in 2022 to become a consultant, author, and speaker. His first book, Worthy Wins, came out in 2025 to help individuals and organizations win in the places that matter most. John was recently tapped to become the President of Unitus, a Christian footwear and apparel brand, started by NBA player Jonathan Isaac. John is married to his AMAZING wife, Erin, and they are raising three energetic boys in Florida.

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