The 5% Podcast Lab

The 5% Podcast Most people quit. They quit when it's hard. They quit when nobody is watching. They quit when comfort becomes easier than growth. The 5% aren't the strongest, smartest, or luckiest. They're the people who keep showing up. Hosted by Mike Norris, The 5% Podcast explores leadership, resilience, and human performance through conversations with firefighters, veterans, athletes, entrepreneurs, and everyday people pursuing excellence. Leadership. Mindset. Performance. Because excellence isn't an accident. It's a choice made every day by the 5%.

The 5% Podcast Lab is a general podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The 5% Podcast Lab, a general show with 0 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The 5% Podcast Lab

  Passion Under Pressure: The Leadership Lessons That Make the Difference

  Sep 7, 20261h 19mS2

  <p>Passion will get you criticized, but it can also make you the person others quietly turn to for real guidance. Chief Frank Viscuso breaks down why leadership, writing, and firefighting all come down to the same thing: intentional action, emotional control, and having the courage to stand for something.From the power of setting expectations up front to the difference between healthy friction and toxic conflict, Frank shares the hard-earned lessons behind Step Up and Lead, Flashpoint, and his new leadership novel One Degree of Difference. He and Mike dig into how to handle negative people, why “be aggressive” can...

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  Episode #91

  Stay Coachable: Baltimore Fire Culture, Brotherhood & the Basics That Matter

  Aug 31, 20261h 12mS2

  <p>EPISODE DESCRIPTION </p><p>The fire service rewards the people who stay humble, keep learning, and know when to stop pretending they have all the answers. Ian Horowitz has lived that lesson from volunteer firehouse rookie to Baltimore City veteran to founder of Brotherhood Buffs and</p><p>- Ian breaks down why the best firemen are usually the ones still willing to be coached. Ian and Mike Norris get into the real culture behind the job: the senior-man mentorship that shapes rookies, the hard lessons of Baltimore City’s tight-knit truck culture, and why “doing it your way” only w...

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  Episode #5

  Mentorship and EV Fires

  Aug 23, 20261h 27mS2

  <p>NEW EPISODE.</p><p>Steve Orsini and I get into what it really means to mentor the next firefighter—and what the mentors in our own careers gave us.</p><p>We talk about the wins, the mistakes, the expectations, and the challenge of training a generation that, not that long ago, was us.</p><p>Then at the 26-minute mark, we shift gears into EV fires and stored energy systems—what firefighters need to understand, what can go wrong, and why this is becoming increasingly important on the fireground.</p><p>This one has some passion behind it, but...

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  Episode #4

  Thinking Under Pressure with Dr. Gary Klein | Decision-Making, Experience & Leadership

  Aug 14, 202648 minS2

  <p>In this episode of The 5% Podcast Lab, I sit down with Dr. Gary Klein, one of the world’s leading researchers on decision-making under pressure and the author of Sources of Power.</p><p>We talk about how firefighters, first responders, and leaders actually make decisions when time is short and the stakes are high. We get into recognition-primed decision-making, building experience in younger members, aggressive versus reckless action, victim psychology, after-action reviews, and how leaders can create better decision-makers without trying to control every decision.</p><p>We also discuss how social media and unrealistic expectations can distort th...

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  Episode #3

  Leading From the Front: Leadership, Fireground Psychology & Tactical Decision-Making with Deputy Chief Doug Ferrigno

  Jul 23, 20261h 44mS2

  <p>In this episode of The 5% Podcast, I sit down with Deputy Fire Chief Doug Ferrigno for a conversation that goes far beyond fire tactics.</p><p>We discuss what it really means to lead from the front—building a culture of accountability, developing company officers, and making sound decisions under pressure. We also dive into the psychology of the fireground, how experience shapes tactical judgment from both the front seat and the chief's car, and why aggressive action must always be balanced with disciplined thinking.</p><p>We also tackle dealing with critics, developing your own leadership philosophy, earning tr...

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