Coffee & Change

Today's story features Paul Shepherd, a Sydney based entrepreneur and creator of a unique system that helps leaders to live a life of purpose and meaning through a holistic 360-degree approach that nurtures the mind, body, and soul. Prepare for a dynamic conversation with this incredible human being. Enjoy the listen. You can find out more about Paul at http://www.paulbshepherd.com

Nadine's mission is to ambitiously push human potential and humanity forward by empowering others to clarify the highest vision of their future and fulfill that by optimizing their performance and wellbeing, enabling them to lead with purpose and activate systemic change.

Nadine has worked with elite athletes and high-performance coaches across all sports in Ireland for over 8 years as well as with C-level executives, senior leaders and leadership teams in national, international and Fortune 500 companies. As a change facilitator and innovator, Nadine is passionate about activating systemic transformation and has led multiple projects at national level in Ireland to create systems change in education, youth leadership, society and in the wellbeing curriculum at post-primary level. Nadine also supports entrepreneurs globally through her signature online program, The Celtic Leader, to take their big-hearted vision to purpose-driven mission.

Nadine's unrelenting focus on leading an emerging future that serves us collectively, along with her steadfast belief in my clients’ strengths, resources and highest potential is the driving force in my work. Nadine utilizes pioneering tools and transformational techniques to educate and empower her clients and work with deep care, attention and privilege to serve. As Khalil Gibran, the Sufi poet said “work is love made visible,” and it is her honor to lead with love and purpose in all she does. And it is my honor to share Nadine's story.

Today's story comes from Julio Alvarez, a first-generation Ecuadorean American who has worked for the largest consumer brands, helping connect people to emerging new products in meaningful ways.

Over the last 12 years, Julio has created retail experiences as an Apple store leader, led Google’s annual Year in Search brand campaign, supported a luxury brand acquisition at Airbnb, created the PMM function at Tumblr, and championed Lyft’s ability to overcome strong COVID headwinds with leadership across two mission-critical areas: Health Safety and Self-Driving Rides.

Julio is passionate about mental health + sustainability and sees them as the most pressing opportunities of our lifetime, so he's taking time post-COVID to explore how he can best add value at-scale here.

Fun fact: Perhaps second only to Gayle King, Julio has watched all 4,563 episodes of the Oprah Show. These days, you might call that a Ph.D in storytelling! Enjoy the discussion.

On this episode we hear the story and journey of former gymnast champion now novelist, Scott Wilbanks. Scott's first novel, The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster was a book I couldn't put down. Now, five years later, I am re-reading the book for the third time and connecting with Scott to say thank you for listening to the inner voice that placed one sentence in his head and began his journey as a novelist and author. Enjoy the discussion.

Happy Summer and thanks for listening. Just as the seasons change, we too are changing things up a bit here on Coffee & Change. As we head into the summer season, as families begin to reunite, take road trips, make memories and celebrate moments together, we want to meet people where they are at, wherever they are listening. And my guest on this special episode makes that possible. The musical opening you are hearing is the summer season composition and score for this podcast, penned and played by none other than Jason Latham.

As art of our creative partnership, Jason wanted to bring our listening community a sound for summer. That sound captures the season and spirit perfectly, as I will be taking a few episodes of the podcast on the road this summer...meeting people where they are at.

So to kick off that special series, let’s hear from the composer and creator, who in his story reminds us of the power of playing in through, learning from the next generation, and listening to your heart while being pulled toward pathways and tidepools by the unbridled power of unconditional love.

Learn more about Jason and his craft at: https://www.facebook.com/harmony.toanz

Today’s story comes from Sharon Brewster. Sharon is the Chief Brand and Creative Officer at Brewster Branding, a creative agency specializing in helping businesses connect with customers. She is passionate about business innovation, growth, and entrepreneurship. Merging brand strategies, creativity, technology, and a psychologically-nuanced technique, Sharon collaborates with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a personalized, purposeful and recognizable brand that some would consider their first true reflection in copy. Using web, social media, print, and audience segmentation, Sharon designs with a supportive and inclusive approach to help clients achieve their business goals and life goals. Enjoy the listen.

You can find Sharon at http://www.brewsterbranding.com/portal

Today’s story comes from Brendan McWeeney. Brendan is a User Experience Design Manager at LinkedIn. In November of 2018 Brendan wrote an article on Linkedin titled:

“You May Not Be My Leader: My Personal Philosophy on Design Leadership.”

This year, as we emerge from the Pandemic our work has evolved in ways we never could have imagined, this article not only caught my eye, but spoke to my heart. I believe we are at an unprecedented crossroads in leadership - from design to development to delegation. The whole definition needs to be rewritten based on new ways of working to address the new challenges that can’t be solved with the tools we learned, in all those books we read, and courses we sat through. So where do we begin? Well, I am hoping for you, it may begin in the power of reading the words of Brendan McWeeney who courageously shared how he decided to construct his own Personal Philosophy of Leadership after completing a Masters in Information Design and Strategy. Brendan puts the power back in the hands of each leader to revisit the assumed methods and measures of leadership, and instead craft one that drives all forms of value innovation, casts a vision to inspire others to act, and creates new forums of empathic inclusion to lead alongside others in change.

Today’s story comes from Seth Adams, the Land Conservation Director for Save Mount Diablo. Thirty three years ago, Seth joined Save Mount Diablo as their first staff member. His passion brought him to the city by the bay, and as a resident of the East Bay he uses a powerful combination of passion, purpose and persistence to manage change admirably in a variety of focus areas. Seth has earned numerous awards and accolades for his work in advocacy, government relations, procurement and acquisitions, and educational and media programs rooted in changing hearts and minds to benefit the climate and the Earth. Among Seth's accomplishments are participation in the preservation of tens of thousands of acres of land as well as the creation of Urban Limit Lines all while supporting the raising of over a billion dollars in conservation funding. Seth is an avid hiker, and amateur historian. Enjoy the listening and the wisdom shared.

Learn more at: https://www.savemountdiablo.org/

Today’s story comes from someone I admire and believe in and have had the chance to get to know these past few months. Paul McCarthy is the founder and author of the forthcoming book on FIRED Leadership.

I first heard Paul speak about his work and thought leadership on the Humans Now and Then Podcast with Rebecca Scott. While listening, I found myself stopping in my tracks as Paul posed questions that frankly, no one dared to say aloud before. At the heart of his inquiry is a purpose driven desire to understand why after almost $400 billion a year is spent on leadership development, it still isn’t working.

Paul speaks his truth and shares facts that many organizations do not want to admit. Plain and simple. And in his inquiry and investigation for even more truth in this industry, Paul helps us understand what some may consider an ongoing, unsolved mystery. Why is it, that after all this investment in top talent, organizations are continuing to fire their top talent.

As Paul asks each question in numerous interview this year, I find myself listening deeper and relating to his experience. Paul asks leaders, and you the listeners:

Are you courageous enough to have an honest conversation about what isn’t working in your organization's approach to leadership development?

Paul’s story and his work brings up a lot for me, and I know that many of us have similar and shared experiences. My hope and intention in sharing his story, my story and our stories, is that we each can individually and then collectively muster up the courage and integrity to start having different conversations and make change at the heart of the problem in leadership development today. This conversation is important. The implications are exponential. The need is pressing. The future generation of leaders depends on us to unsubscribe from a false narrative and author a new way forward that involves fresh thinking, inquisitive thinking, real and accountable conversations, expressive and challenging questions and direct and transparent conversation.

You can learn more about Paul on LinkedIn at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmccarthy73/

Today’s story comes to us from Sharon Laflamme. Sharon focuses her work and passion on helping others change and grow through what is referred to as somatic experiences.

In studying the power of the somatic, Sharon seeks to liberate people from the habits, traumas, and beliefs that are creating unhappiness, poor health, lack of fulfillment and stagnation in their life. Sharon empowers and teaches others the skills to create serenity and healing in our world, using own own energetic makeup. Enjoy the discussion.

You can learn more about Sharon at https://www.creatingserenitynow.com/