Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen

Seven years ago, Jeff Crilley told Matt Rosen he needed a podcast. Matt said no. This episode exists because Jeff didn’t give up—which turns out to be a theme throughout his life.

Jeff grew up a poor kid in Detroit before spending 25 years in TV news. He stretched a ten-week internship to fifteen until he got caught, then talked his way into a job that didn’t exist. Years later, he left the only career he’d ever known to start Real News PR from his living room with just 30 business cards.

In this episode of The Grit Mindset, Matt and Jeff talk about turning fear into fight, the difficult clients who teach you the most, and the small changes that can completely alter your direction. Jeff also shares how his daughter helped him see the future of the company he built—and why he almost said no to that, too.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you have what it takes to make the leap, this episode is for you.

What is Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen?

The Grit Mindset is where the people who already broke tell the real version. CEOs whose playbooks died. Green Berets and pro athletes who lost the identity they built everything on. Founders and fund managers who watched the money disappear. Not the LinkedIn version — the specific day it ended, the unglamorous middle, and what the rebuild actually cost.

Hosted by Matt Rosen — CEO of Allata and national media commentator on AI and leadership — every episode follows the story through four acts: who they were before, the break, the rebuild, and the bill.

If you're leading through the next five years, these are the people to learn from. Stay gritty.