The world has never been filled with more media. From books to podcasts to TED talks, – and, of course, Running Insight –  run specialty leaders navigating the daily demands of leadership, customer service and community building have plenty of places they can turn to for inspiration and information.

Here, running retailers from across the country share the books, podcasts and shows that have shaped how they lead teams, serve customers and think about their work.

The 27th Mile: How to Smooth the Rough Transition Out of Your Running Years, by Dimity McDowell

Released earlier this year, The 27th Mile examines the emotional toll, identity crisis and life adjustments athletes face when their peak running years disappear into the rear-view mirror. McDowell, the co-founder of Another Mother Runner, explores running’s relationship with self-image, mental health and social circles and shares real-life accounts of navigating one’s post-athletic life alongside strategies to find purpose, movement and community outside of logging miles. 

For Cynthia Vissers, manager of Feet First Sports in Columbia, MD, The 27th Mile highlights the possibilities of life beyond running. It also encouraged a renewed empathy for the customers she encounters.

“While our store is centered on serving runners, most of our daytime customers are simply looking for a comfortable pair of shoes to help them live their lives with ease and keep moving forward,” Vissers says. “Having insight into the transition beyond the running years has helped me provide a more personalized experience for many of those customers, meeting them where they are in their own movement journey.”

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, by Will Guidara

Guidara’s New York Times bestseller traces his work to transform Eleven Madison Park from a middling New York City restaurant into one of the globe’s premier dining spots through radical, over-the-top customer service. Many running retailers tout the book’s influence, including 1st Place Sports owner Jane Alred, who has distributed copies to her managers, and Fleet Feet Cincinnati owner Frank DeJulius.

Guidara’s focus on creating a culture of hospitality particularly resonated with DeJulius, who has worked hard to create processes at his stores that cultivate remarkable retail experiences.

“This book has helped me become better at taking care of people, but more importantly it has helped me help others learn the joy of serving others,” DeJulius says.

“Forks,” Season 2, Episode 7 of “The Bear”

Speaking of Unreasonable Hospitality, Guidara and his book served as inspiration for the award-winning television series “The Bear.”

In this particular Season 2 episode, decorated chef Carmy sends his cantankerous cousin Richie to an elite fine-dining restaurant to train with staff. From polishing forks to tracking how the staff lives the establishment’s “every second counts” mantra, Richie begins to recognize the power of purpose as well as the critical importance of standards. He also gains newfound pride in his professional identity.

Watching the episode, CT Run Co. owner Megan Searfoss noted parallels between the fictional restaurant and her running stores. Like staff at a fine-dining restaurant, her fitters, too, offer empathy and support and are challenged to thrive in service-oriented environments.

“This episode of ‘The Bear’ can show a team member how active listening and small gestures of kindness go a long way for all of us,” Searfoss says. “Being in the service industry is challenging yet hugely rewarding when you lean in.” 

“Slingin’ Shoes” with Mark Sullivan and Chris Farley

Missouri Running Company co-owner Bryan Kelpe credits conversations with his run specialty colleagues, particularly at industry events like The Running Event (TRE) and the RIA Summit, for spurring him to revisit his hiring practices and retool his store’s customer service. It’s why he enjoys the Slingin’ Shoes podcast hosted by TRE co-founder Mark Sullivan and Pacers co-owner Chris Farley.

The one-year-old podcast hosts lively discussions about the run specialty business, bringing in store leaders, brand executives and other industry personnel to explore everything from business strategies to staffing to run specialty’s long-term outlook.

Kelpe says listening to the Slingin’ Shoes podcast feels like sitting around a table at TRE or the RIA Summit. He enjoys hearing how other retailers approach common industry challenges and appreciates the idea sharing that has helped him sharpen his business over the years.

“The spirit of collaboration is what makes events like TRE and the Summit so valuable, and Slingin’ Shoes captures that same feeling throughout the year,” Kelpe says.

“The Diary of a CEO” with Steven Bartlett

Bartlett created “The Diary of a CEO” podcast to share the unfiltered thoughts of some of the world’s most fascinating CEOs and thought leaders, hopeful their reflections and lessons would help others lead richer lives.

Jenna Gawors, director of operations at New York-based Confluence Running, is a religious listener of the podcast and found the October 23, 2025, episode with Oz Pearlman (aka The Mentalist) especially insightful. In the 80-minute show, Pearlman discussed reading people, building trust and gaining buy-in.

But it was Pearlman’s suggestion to catalog small, meaningful details about people that most resonated with Gawors and spurred a conscious effort to do just that.

“This is obviously great for relationship building between businesses, but it’s also great for customers,” Gawors says. “They feel so special when you recall details of their last injury or their shoe needs, or you can ask them how that race or surgery went.”

“The Model Health Show” with Shawn Stevenson

Author and nutritionist Shawn Stevenson’s podcast aims to make complex health issues digestible while helping listeners raise their overall wellness and quality of life. Karen Roberts, the owner of Amarillo, TX-based Get Fit, found the show’s July 27, 2026, podcast with The Power of Positive Habits author Jon Gordon particularly insightful.

In the episode titled “Use These Simple Habits to INSTANTLY Transform Your Results,” Gordon discussed how to shed negative habits and implement beneficial habits. He also introduced the practice of the gratitude walk, a regular 10-30 minute phone-free walk in which you voice gratitude for life’s blessings.

Roberts found inspiration in Gordon’s suggestion to intentionally incorporate gratitude and joy into daily life as well as his reminder that strong leadership begins with a leader’s own personal habits. She then accepted Gordon’s challenge to pick three productive habits to immediately develop.

“I picked squat like a child for my physical health, smile more for my mental health and pray for my spiritual health,” Roberts says.

Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman

Wickman’s 246-page tome aims to be a pragmatic guide to organizing and leading a business. He introduces the Entrepreneurial Operating System and six core components driving business success: creating a vision, surrounding yourself with the right people, tracking meaningful metrics, acknowledging challenges, building key systems and “traction,” a concept Wickman defines as bringing discipline, focus and accountability to execute the vision.

Nathan Hohenstein, co-owner of Tortoise & Hare Sports in Glendale, AZ, is admittedly “terrible about asking for help,” but he credits Traction for nudging him in a more productive direction, including helping him delegate tasks and share ideas with staff.

“As a small business owner, you wear 100 different hats. How do you know which hats you can hand off to others? How do you cultivate ownership and accountability?” Hohenstein says. “Traction helped me ask these questions and strengthen our team.”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson

Manson’s 2016 book with a startling title urges readers to acknowledge that time, care and attention are not infinite ingredients in one’s life. As such, we have to choose what matters, particularly prioritizing items that align with our personal values. Manson also reminds that we need to take responsibility for our choices and understand our limits.

RUNdetroit co-owner Justin Craig says the book’s focus on discerning what delivers true value has helped him determine where to move forward and where to cut bait.

“For me, I can’t get behind every event and opportunity, so I take the stance that if it’s not a ‘Heck-yeah!’ than it’s a ‘Hell-no!’” Craig says.