Her kids found out she was a CIA agent the night before her retirement party.

For 27 years, Ann E. Butler recruited spies, ran covert operations across four continents, and made it home for dinner — all while raising five children who thought mom was just a diplomat.

What You'll Learn:

1. How she went into labor during a clandestine meeting (and still made the handoff)
2. The art of the "bump" — engineering a chance encounter to recruit an asset
3. Why a pregnant mom of five is the perfect undercover cover
4. How to build trust fast enough that someone will commit treason for you
5. The moment her daughter discovered the truth (a mosaic gave it away)
6. What 9/11 was like from inside a European CIA station

Power Quote: "Take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Persevere, even though it's not always easy. And be grateful for those opportunities — because they can turn into extraordinary moments." — Ann E. Butler

Timestamps:

🕵️‍♀️ 0:00 - Introduction 📖 3:30 - Why she wrote the book after 27 years of silence

🤰 8:45 - Going into labor during a clandestine meeting

🚂 15:20 - Almost nine months pregnant on an overnight train in alias

🎯 24:00 - The "bump" — how CIA officers engineer chance encounters

🤝 32:15 - Building trust: how to get someone to commit treason

🏫 40:30 - CIA training: the farm, fake prisons, and pressure tests

💥 48:00 - September 11th from inside a European CIA station

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 55:20 - How her kids finally found out (the night before retirement)

🎬 62:00 - The Americans TV show: how accurate is it?

🏃‍♀️ 68:30 - Running a marathon in Paris (after meeting an asset first)

💡 74:00 - One lesson: Take advantage of opportunities and be grateful

Featured Book: "Wife. Mother. Spy. An Extraordinary Life Filled With Ordinary Days" by Ann E. Butler

Connect with Ann E. Butler:

1. Website: AnnEButler.com

No interview this week.

Just reflecting on an incredible year and looking ahead to what's next.

What's Inside:

1. Spotify stats: almost 100% audience growth and 30% follower increase
2. The #1 most downloaded episode of the year (hint: AJ Brown made it happen)
3. Epic guests: Guy Kawasaki, Roger Gracie, Jon Gordon, Dave Berke, Martin Dugard & more
4. The hardest episode I've ever recorded — saying goodbye to my dad
5. What's coming in 2026: CIA spies, Marine combat vets, and BJJ legends

Highlights from 2024:

1. Jim Murphy (Inner Excellence) — most downloaded episode of the year
2. Roger Gracie — 10x World Champion, changed how I train and teach
3. Jon Gordon & Kathryn Gordon — leadership and relationship grit
4. Guy Kawasaki — Wiser Guy, always delivers
5. Dave Berke & Jamie Cochran — Echelon Front leadership
6. Martin Dugard — Taking Midway, WWII stories
7. The episode about my dad — RIP Fran Ciccarone

Coming in 2026:

1. Ann E. Butler — CIA agent for 20+ years, her kids didn't know until her retirement party
2. Rob Jones — US Marine, Echelon Front instructor, author of "Put Your Legs On"
3. Chris Burns — Black belt under Rickson Gracie, BJJ Instagram legend

The Lesson: You're here, then one day you're not. Let's rock out each and every day. Be present. Be focused. Give your best. Learn from those who came before and share with those who come after.

Subscribe and follow for more in 2026.

#BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #YearInReview #2024Wrapped #Leadership #NewYear #2026 #Grateful #JoeCiccarone

© Joe Ciccarone - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved.

A teacher told him he'd be "dead or in jail." He became an Executive Director of Player Development at the University of Nebraska, earned three degrees from Penn State, and is now building the next generation of champions.

Power Quote:

"The world will judge you by what it sees on the outside — your title, your status, your resume. But real leadership, real strength, real success — that starts on the inside." — Coach Gus Felder

What You'll Learn:

• How a North Philly kid who dropped out of high school ended up with three Penn State degrees
• Why the inside game determines how far the outside game can go
• The power of being present (and why Coach Gus is available until 2am every night)
• How Marcus Aurelius and stoic philosophy shaped his approach to adversity
• Why he hires people who are the complete opposite of him
• The daily habits that keep him sharp: sauna, cold plunge, cigars, Legos, and journaling

Timestamps:

🏈 0:00 - Introduction & Philly connection

🔥 4:30 - From North Philly to Berwick: a whole different world

📚 12:15 - How Marcus Aurelius found a kid from Strawberry Mansion

💪 18:45 - NCAA non-qualifier: proving yourself as a student first

🧠 28:30 - The inside game vs. the outside game

🙏 38:00 - Spiritual devotion & faith in the locker room

👀 45:20 - Being present: listening to understand, not to respond

⚡ 52:40 - NIL, the transfer portal & building loyalty

🔥 62:00 - Forged in the fire: letting adversity transform you

📖 68:30 - Daily habits: sauna, cold plunge, Legos & journaling

❤️ 75:00 - One lesson: Don't let the world make you who it wants you to be

Featured Book: "The Inside Game: Mastering the Mind, Strengthening the Spirit, Leading with Purpose" by Coach Gus Felder

Connect with Coach Gus Felder:

• Book: "The Inside Game" (Amazon)
• IG: Coach Gus Felder

Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds.

#CoachGusFelder #TheInsideGame #Leadership #PennState #Nebraska #NorthPhilly #Stoicism #MarcusAurelius #Faith #BuiltNotBorn #Football #PlayerDevelopment #Podcast #JoeCiccarone

© Joe Ciccarone -...