Wisdom that empowers.
Meet Mentor Pete
30 years as a senior executive in media — including 21 years at ESPN — working with some of the most powerful brands in the world and for visionary leaders including Ted Turner, Bob Iger, and George Bodenheimer. Today, Pete channels that experience into mentoring the next generation.
Mentorship for Young Adults Who Are Ready to Thrive
Real mentorship, real conversations, real outcomes. Kindling bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to be — personally and professionally.
The course you always wish you had.
A video-based mentorship platform designed to empower young adults with the skills, tools, and mindsets to thrive personally and professionally. Filmed over 6 days with a diverse group of young adults — active peer discussion, action-focused learning.
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Pause and take time to understand what you actually want, what lights you up, and craft a personal mission statement.
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Create the conditions to succeed — routines, character traits, well-being, and understanding how failure becomes your greatest teacher.
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Discover authentic ways to create connections, build opportunities, and forge meaningful long-term relationships.
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Capitalize on everything you've learned to land career opportunities — preparing, building rapport, and following up effectively.
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Reframing Failure
Failure is a necessary and important part of success. When we frame failure in a healthy way and use it to our advantage, it can be a game-changer.
Kindling Outcomes
Gained clarity and became better prepared, personally and professionally
Increased overall confidence and ability to get things done
Established valuable routines and habits
Gained skills in adaptability for changing conditions
Built lasting relationships through authentic, strategic networking
Interviewed with confidence and improved rapport-building
Became a more effective communicator, collaborator, and listener
Shifted to a growth mindset — using failure as fuel
Hear about the Kindling Experience
“Thank you, Peter, for the knowledge and wisdom you shared with Kindling. I find myself actively using the skills you taught to maintain and improve my wellness and mindset.”
— Tito, Age 24
Kindling fills the gap between education and the real world.
Kindling provides a strategic path toward understanding who you are, what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and how you can create the conditions to succeed.
01 A Fourth Space for Growth
We focus on teaching critical foundational skills and mindsets often missing in workplaces, educational institutions, or homes.
02 Conversation-Based Learning
Our unscripted, immersive, Socratic peer-group experience is largely missing in the online learning space. No lectures. Real dialogue.
03 Built for a Changing World
We prepare young adults in all aspects of life so they can be adaptable to changing conditions and perform at their best — no matter what.
03 Research-Backed, Action-Oriented
The 160-page Kindling Journal bridges theory and practice — proven to strengthen accountability, improve retention, and drive real results.
My Story
Kindling began with the spark of an idea.
During my 21 year career at ESPN, I became very involved with the company’s internship program. This exposed me to an incredible selection of young adults from all across the country. Ivy Leaguers, community leaders, and renowned athletes alike would come into my office vying for a coveted position at the “worldwide leader in sports”. But even amongst the most impressive of resumes, I began to notice a common thread.
Over the years, as I continued to work with and mentor new employees and coworkers, this same thread became more and more apparent to me. Regardless of the wide diversity in experience, education, and social/economic background, the young adults I was seeing all wished that they had been better prepared to purposefully shape and navigate a career path. They wanted those essential lessons that bridge the gap from things you learn in school to things you learn for life.
The mentors I’ve had throughout my career have undoubtedly made an incredible difference in my success and I will always be grateful for each of them. And I have always known that I’d want to pay it forward. Which is why I wanted to create Kindling — a course designed to provide the timeless skills and mindsets to help create the conditions to succeed at whatever you want to accomplish in life – both personally and professionally. To prepare you to be adaptable and agile for the many pivots in life with your own personal toolbox of skills.
Several years ago, I decided to leave a successful and fulfilling career at ESPN to pursue this calling. I studied under incredible minds in all areas of life – leaders in psychology, mentorship, as well as health and wellness. I traveled and met with a diverse range of young adults to learn and understand what their concerns were and the ways in which they wanted to grow and thrive. And I read everything I could get my hands on.
Most importantly, I still consider my education as ongoing and plan to always be a student of life, so that I can consistently bring new lessons and ideas to this platform.
I’m so glad you found your way here and I look forward to sharing this journey with you.
FOUNDER & CEO, KINDLING
Pete Russell
Pete is Founder and CEO of Kindling, an online mentorship platform for young adults. He brings 30 years of experience as a senior executive in media — specifically advertising, sales, and marketing. Pete worked with some of the most powerful brands in the world, including 21 years at ESPN, and has had the great fortune of working for some of the most visionary minds in Corporate America, including Ted Turner, Bob Iger, and George Bodenheimer.
His extensive experience in interviewing, hiring, training, and mentoring young executives has prepared him well for this important responsibility and personal calling.
Pete graduated from Villanova University with a business degree in marketing and was captain of the varsity tennis team. He's a former triathlete, marathoner and enjoys all forms of fitness. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, children's author Kat Yeh. They have two adult children.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Kindling is a video-based mentorship platform that empowers young adults with the skills, tools, and mindsets to thrive personally and professionally. Fundamentally, it's about helping young adults cultivate personal agency — the confidence and belief that they have what it takes, can take charge of their lives, and make things happen.
Filmed over 6 days with a diverse group of young adults, Kindling combines the appeal of unscripted content with a structured program centered on active peer discussion and action-focused learning. Think of it as a masterclass for life skills — mentorship and a supportive community always in your pocket.
The program covers 36 chapters of learning organized within 4 core pillars:
01 Create Your Career Path
Pause and take time to understand what you actually want, what lights you up, and craft a personal mission statement.
02 Build Your Personal Brand
Create the conditions to succeed — routines, character traits, well-being, and understanding how failure becomes your greatest teacher.
03 Master Networking
Discover authentic ways to create connections, build opportunities, and forge meaningful long-term relationships.
04 Stand Out in Interviews
Capitalize on everything you've learned to land career opportunities — preparing, building rapport, and following up effectively.
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✓ Kindling Program — Immediate and lifetime access to 36 pre-recorded chapters covering topics to support your personal and professional goals. No lectures. All topics are explored through conversation with a cast of your peers.
✓ 160-Page Action Item Journal — Thought-provoking questions and action items for each of the 36 chapters. Handwritten journaling has been proven to promote intentionality, improve memory retention, and support learning.
✓ Kindling Community — Connect with peers enrolled in the program. Share insights and breakthroughs, ask questions, form groups, and build your networking and relationship skills in real time.
✓ Kindling Library — Hundreds of resources organized by chapter and subject — books, articles, TED Talks, podcast interviews, and more.
✓ Kindling Live — Periodic live virtual meetups where we explore topics and answer the questions you suggest, hosted by Mentor Pete.
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Based on feedback from students who have gone through Kindling:
✓ Gained clarity and became better prepared, personally and professionally
✓ Increased overall confidence and the ability to get things done
✓ Established valuable routines and habits
✓ Gained skills in adaptability for changing conditions
✓ Better able to solve problems through critical thinking and journaling
✓ Became a more effective communicator, collaborator, and listener
✓ Created opportunities and built lasting relationships through authentic and strategic networking
✓ Interviewed with confidence and improved on authentically building rapport
✓ Shifted to a growth mindset — using failure, adversity, and setbacks as healthy opportunities for growth
Note: Kindling cannot legally guarantee outcomes. Results may vary.
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✓ Accessibility — Wisdom and insight that is accessible and affordable to everyone through an immersive online platform.
✓ Dynamic Conversation — Filmed with 12 young adults across 20+ hours of topics. Built around conversation, storytelling, and experiential learning — not lectures.
✓ Continuity — Access and review content as often and as long as you like. As your interests and needs change over time, Kindling grows with you.
✓ Community & Live Meetups — A private, long-term community of peers to share ideas, breakthroughs, and struggles. Regular live sessions keep the connection consistent and the learning ongoing.
✓ Action & Accountability — Every one of the 36 chapters promotes action through the 160-page journal. Because talk is cheap — Kindling makes sure you actually do the work.
Make It Happen.
Kindling is for young adults who are ready to invest in themselves — and build the life they want, on their own terms.
PROGRAM
skool.com/kindling/about
EMAIL
info@gokindling.com
WEBSITE
gokindling.com