Heart First Leadership

Welcome to Heart First Leadership, the podcast dedicated to raising consciousness through the principles of Heart First Leadership.

In a world that often teaches us to lead from pressure, fear, and external validation, we offer a different path—one rooted in awareness, alignment, and leading from within.

Join your hosts, Ryan and Heidi Sawyer, as they share powerful conversations, practical tools, and real-life insights designed to help leaders, parents, coaches, and athletes build true mental strength and live with intention. Through the lens of Heart First, you’ll learn how to shift from reaction to creation, from doubt to clarity, and from survival to purpose-driven leadership.

If you’re ready to elevate how you think, lead, and live, this is where it begins.

Co-host

Ryan Sawyer

Ryan Sawyer helps athletes, leaders, and high performers develop the mental strength, resilience, and confidence needed to excel under pressure. A former national champion college football coach, he went on to found the Heart First Mental Strength Academy after coaching at Central Washington University and Eastern Washington University.

Today, Ryan partners with teams and organizations to build high-performance cultures through his Integrated Mindset and Competitive Edge frameworks. Drawing on his background in elite sport, neuroscience, and leadership development, he equips individuals with the tools to perform at their best when it matters most.