Sep 22, 2026 · 40 min
Steve Davis Jr. turns career uncertainty into a business blueprint
Design Thinking: How to Build, Scale, and Upgrade Your Life Like a Product | Steve Davis Jr. | E13
The episode shows how athletes and entrepreneurs can use reflection, experimentation, and courage to build work aligned with their identity.
- 1Designing a career starts with values and experimentation, not a fixed plan for every outcome.
- 2Reflection can turn difficult transitions and coaching expertise into practical products such as guided journals.
- 3Betting on a business requires courage, resilience, community, and a willingness to learn through failure.
Don't miss
Steve describes leaving the security of his role with the University of Minnesota Alumni Association to pursue his business full time.
The brief
Steve Davis Jr.’s NFL ambitions did not materialize, forcing him to reconsider an identity built around football and begin a period of career exploration.
Drawing on Big Ten football, Steve argues that confidence, adaptability, and performance under pressure remain useful when building a business.
His approach follows Designing Your Life: start with values and identity, then experiment with possible directions instead of trying to predict the perfect future.
Journaling helped Steve convert difficult experiences and coaching knowledge into daily-habit and weekly-reflection products, using accessible tools and his network to launch them.
The defining bet came when he left the University of Minnesota Alumni Association to pursue his business full time, pairing courage with resilience and continued learning.
Books & mentions
Some links are affiliate links — PodLume may earn a commission if you buy.
