How can founders and high performers lead their relationships with the same clarity and intention they bring to their businesses, and create partnerships that feel connected, alive, and deeply meaningful?

Welcome back to the Founder Series, a 6-part journey supporting founders, business professionals, and high performing men who want to evolve from high functioning stress into embodied and integrated leadership.

A form of leadership that allows you to stay clear and calm under pressure by aligning who you are with how you lead.

In this episode, we explore a subject where the rubber truly meets the road for so many founders I work with...

Men who lead teams, inspire others, and move entire organizations forward, yet quietly struggle to create the depth and satisfaction they long for in their romantic relationships.

The truth is, most of us never learned the skills, tools, or principles needed to thrive in relationship. And for founders especially, the very traits that drive success in business are often the same traits that limit us in love, intimacy, and honest relating.

At the same time, our earliest imprints of love shape how we relate as adults, often unconsciously. Without realizing it, we rely on the same strategies that once kept us safe, the patterns that earned us connection, approval, or belonging growing up. And over time, these strategies begin to recreatethe very challenges we faced in childhood.

Eventually, this leads to a breakdown of safety and trust.

The spark fades.

Intimacy becomes inconsistent.

Communication turns surface-level.

And many founders discover how this bleeds into their work, their clarity, their presence, and their ability to lead.

In this conversation, Bjoern and I explore what keeps founders stuck in love and intimacy.

In this episode, discover:

• The impact that not having an education around relationships has on how we show up in love

• How our conditioning from parents, media, culture, and past experiences shape the way we do love and intimacy

• Questions and principles that help men step into relationship with more intention, clarity, and awareness

• The 4 key pillars that make relationships work in our view

• What creates emotional depth and closeness in long-term partnership

• How to navigate conflict in a way that brings partners closer rather than further apart

• How polarity fades over time and how it can be reignited

• How relationship can become a vehicle for both partners’ individual and shared growth

At its core, this episode offers a roadmap for founders and high performing men to lead with authenticity, steadiness, and heart.

To show up in heated moments without collapsing, to listen without losing themselves, and to offer direction while honoring their partner’s experience. To become a man whose presence creates safety, intimacy, and connection, in romantic relating and in every area of life.

If you are a man who has developed himself professionally yet struggles in relationship, and you long to feel more rooted, open, and present in love and intimacy, I trust this episode will meet you where you are.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Join the first cohort of our upcoming co-led group membership, "The Integrated Founder Circle": https://www.alexlehmann.co/theintegratedfoundercircle

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Bjoern Keune:

🌐Discover more about 'Acta': https://www.acta.so/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernkeune/

What is the real value of founders, leaders and high-performing men being in close contact with their emotions?

And how can becoming aware of what’s happening inside of us, and learning to lead ourselves through it, not weaken our leadership but actually strengthen it over time?

Welcome back to this episode in the Founders Series, a 6-part journey exploring the challenges founders, business professionals, and high performing men face today, and supporting them in evolving from high functioning stress into embodied and integrated leadership.

A form of leadership that allows you to stay clear and calm under pressure by aligning who you are with how you lead.

In this conversation, Bjoern and I explore a common issue we see among many high performing men:

• Disconnection, disembodiment, and emotional numbness.

For many, success has come at the cost of losing touch with their bodies and shutting down their emotional experience. Most of us were taught that strength means staying in control and not showing weakness or humanness.

Over time, this didn’t make us stronger. It hardened us. It built emotional armor that keeps us functioning, but prevents us from being deeply connected to ourselves or others.

So we avoid asking for help. We avoid receiving support. And we look for ways to manage the emotional intensity that leadership naturally brings.

The cost of emotional avoidance is high:

It disconnects us from the signals of our own body and from meaningful intimacy.

It burns us out.

It leaves us feeling flat or numb, chasing hits of aliveness through work, achievement, substances, or validation.

And in relationships, we often project what we haven’t dealt with onto partners, teams, or the business itself, creating rupture and disconnection.

In this conversation, find out:

• Why many founders and high performers quietly struggle when they don’t yet know how to be with what they feel or work with it effectively

• The real cost of emotional suppression in leadership and performance

• How to return to seeing emotions as intelligent signals meant to guide more effective leadership

• How emotional awareness shows up in leadership in real, practical ways

• The five core emotions we see many men struggling with

• What emotional steadiness looks like when pressure rises

• How a man can move from emotional numbness toward emotional leadership in a tangible way

• How to bring emotional experience into relationship, professionally and intimately

This conversation is for any man who values effectiveness as a leader and wants to step out of the paradigm he has beenconditioned into.

It is for the man who wants to feel more alive, more connected, and more grounded in who he truly is.

If you’ve been feeling numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your inner world, or if you simply sense that more is available for you, I trust that this episode will speak directly to you.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Join the first cohort of our upcoming co-led group membership, "The Integrated Founder Circle": https://www.alexlehmann.co/theintegratedfoundercircle

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Bjoern Keune:

🌐Discover more about 'Acta': https://www.acta.so/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernkeune/

Many founders carry pressure, heaviness, and expectations that few people ever see...

And even after everything they’ve built, many feel disconnected from themselves, unsure how to lead in ways that feel honest, aligned, and true.

Today, I’m excited to introduce a project that feels deeply meaningful to me:

The Founders Series, a six-part podcast series created with my close friend, Bjoern Keune.

This series speaks directly to the challenges founders, business professionals, and high-performing men face today.

It’s designed to support a shift from high-functioning stress into embodied and integrated leadership, where clarity and centeredness are possible even under pressure.

The inspiration began in August, when Bjoern and I led a workshop for founders in Berlin. It quickly became clear how naturally our approaches complemented each other.

While my background is in embodied coaching, somatic work, and group facilitation, Bjoern brings over fifteen years of entrepreneurial experience, along with his work as a mentor, advisor, and investor, grounded in years of practice in Zen meditation.

It became clear how naturally our approaches complemented each other...

In my coaching practice, I’ve come to intimately understand the inner challenges high performing men face. And Bjoern understands them from the inside out, having lived through many of the same pressures.

Together, we share a clear and embodied perspective on what founders actually need.

What became undeniable is how many founders are still operating in the dark:

They carry the intensity of leadership without knowing how to work with it or ask for support...

They struggle to remain true to themselves when things get difficult...

Relationships suffer, both in business and at home...

And many feel disconnected from their worth, wellbeing, and deeper sense of purpose...

This founder series was created to offer a new path forward.

Our first conversation explores how to lead in ways that don’tcreate more pressure or disconnection, but instead bring us closer to ourselves and to each other.

In this episode, you’ll find out:

• How founders can build companies from their core, staying connected to their inner genius while serving others

• How Bjoern’s company, Acta, brings these principles to life through truth, presence, and genuine service.

• What becomes possible when founders reconnect with their innate core, and how this reconnection changes the way they make decisions, lead, and create.

• The hidden pressures many founders carry, the emotional toll of leading alone, and why emotional leadership and nervous system awareness are essential

• How cultivating relationships rooted in truth, connection, and genuine care directly impacts leadership

• What it means to create from devotion rather than stress, following inner excitement and honesty instead of external pressure

For the past two months, this has been the project Bjoern and I have been building, and I’m genuinely excited to now share it with you.

If you’re a man that wants to lead differently, with more clarity, integrity, and presence, this series is for you.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Join the first cohort of our upcoming co-led group membership, "The Integrated Founder Circle": https://www.alexlehmann.co/theintegratedfoundercircle

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Bjoern Keune:

🌐Discover more about 'Acta': https://www.acta.so/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernkeune/

Chris Marhefka is a Master Coach, worldwide retreat facilitator, and co-founder of the men’s movement "Thirteen Pines". He also hosts the "Fully Expressed" Podcast, alongside his work as an investor and speaker.

As an experienced entrepreneur, Chris has grown and exited several six- and seven-figure companies. For over a decade, he lived the life of a serial entrepreneur, building businesses and chasing his definition of success at the time.

All of this came to an abrupt halt after he experienced a stress-induced brain injury. ..

What initially appeared to be a physical breakdown became a turning point that reshaped his entire life.

During his recovery, Chris developed a deep mindfulness practice and began asking more honest questions about the life he was living and the man he wanted to be.

That reckoning led him into an initiation that ultimately changed the trajectory of his entire life.

Over the past eight years, Chris has immersed himself in emotional healing, trauma facilitation, somatic work, breathwork, relational coaching, masculine embodiment, and leadership development.

He has since worked with over 2,000 clients across physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual domains, supporting men in becoming more grounded, capable, and fully expressed.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Chris’ personal journey as a serial entrepreneur, and the life-altering transition point that reshaped how he relates to success, identity, and leadership

• Why moments of breakdown can serve as powerful initiations into deeper maturity, rather than something to avoid or bypass

• The core distinctions between boy psychology and man psychology, and how these patterns show up

• How men can learn to lead themselves through moments of breakdown and transition, and cultivate more honest, grounded, and truthful expressions of who they are

• What masculine leadership truly entails in Chris' perspective

• The importance of developing the capacity to listen, to our inner knowing, as a foundation for leadership and connection

• The importance of cultivating openness, humility, and a beginner’s mind

• How the Russian martial art Systema has been supporting Chris to step into deeper embodiment

At the heart of this conversation is a deeper inquiry into how we meet moments of breakdown in our lives...

And how these moments, when met honestly and with sincerity, can become the ground for a more truthful, embodied, and mature expressions of who we are.

This is a powerful conversation for any man navigating a transition, questioning his identity, or sensing that life is asking more of him.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Chris Marhefka

🌐 Website: https://www.chrismarhefka.com/

🌐 Discover more about "Thirteen Pines": https://www.thirteenpines.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismarhefka

🎧 Listen to Chris' podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1X5smBK27JlLjxR4Fbir3q?si=d2ea870e815b46da

🔥Episodes you might enjoy:

Nic Warner: Are We Failing Men Without Initiations Into Manhood? | EP 34: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VmXXcviyNnHTFanuFF32y?si=tQT8SWLvS8G8NmtRgLtnAg

Chris Bale: Why Are Men Struggling Today & What Can They Do? | EP 27: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3vLPotDJsjkrfmkyWUeYXJ?si=d7x3AmtIQ02xiLisR_vPHA

Michael Holt is a holistic health expert, masculine vitality specialist, and martial artist whose work sits at the intersection of holistic health, meditation, and awakened masculine leadership.

As the founder of the internationally renowned "Savage & Saint Collective", Michael serves elite performers in the cultivation of vitality, depth of consciousness, and performance excellence.

His extensive background in meditation, martial arts, western psychology, core shamanism, holistic health, and exercise science comes together to form a unique approach that is trusted by top executives, founders, athletes, artists, and entertainers around the world.

As I got deeper into Michael’s work, I was struck by how naturally it aligns with a truth I’ve come to know in my own life:

The masculine path requires our capacity to cultivate range and develop fluency in complementary opposing qualities, in Michael’s terms, the Savage and the Saint...

Simply put, the Savage is the part of us that is primal, instinctual, disciplined, relentless, and willing to meet and move through challenge.

The Saint is the part of us that is awake, conscious, devoted, and anchored in truth, love, and a deep acceptance of each moment.

In his work, Michael does not teach men to choose one or the other. He teaches them to integrate both, to train the body and sharpen the mind, to soften the heart and expand awareness, so a man can govern himself fully and live with clarity, direction, and depth.

In his own life, he has forged a path that unmistakably reflects the depth of this integration.

From decades of martial arts, qigong, and meditative practice, to years of guiding men through embodiment, discipline, and peak performance, Michael has developed a unique framework that helps men become dangerous and safe, powerful and compassionate, structured and spiritually awake.

In this high-paced conversation between the two of us, we explore:

• The defining traits of the Savage and the Saint

• What it means to cultivate both the Savage and the Saint within oneself

• Why the biggest fear for many high performers is simply letting the sword down

• Why physical mastery is inseparable from spiritual development

• How discipline can eventually be transformed into a way of devotion that becomes effortless

• The common misconceptions about what meditation actually is

• The real value of meditation and what it can teach us

• The importance of emotional maintenance and the cost of letting emotional backlog accumulate

• How to build masculine vitality and strengthen your virility as a man

This was a potent and energizing conversation with a man who has spent countless hours honing his craft and dedicating himself to supporting men in becoming more integrated, grounded, and fully expressed in their masculine essence.

If you’re a man seeking more masculine range, vitality, & inner peace, I trust this episode will land deeply.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Michael Holt

🌐 Website: ⁠https://savageandsaint.com/⁠

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savageandsaint

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZJo2ZDCNTv1QtKfKaSn64A

🔥Episodes you might enjoy:

Eli Buren: Embodied Leadership — Cultivating Presence & Depth | EP 29: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vqmGKNDBxm2pmH8hi6ckr?si=4b60b11ecfd448db

René Schwarzgruber is a Relationship Coach, Facilitated Breath Repatterning Practitioner, and Co-Founder of "ReallyAlign".

Growing up in a small town in Austria, Rene initially followed the traditional western path, building a career in banking, yet deep down he knew that there was something more for him...

In his mid-20's, he took a leap of faith, leaving behind his stable life, moving to Norway with his then partner, and beginning to travel.

His journey led him to co-found "Life is a Beach Party", where he spent over a decade creating experiences for 1000's of young travelers across the globe.

Over the years, René began to wake up to the hidden costs of the life he had built, acknowledging how he'd been defined by the chase for pleasure, validation, and approval, and the avoidance of responsibility and discomfort...

Eventually, life began to knock on his door through numerous challenges, calling him into deeper maturity and out of the frame of boy psychology that had, in many ways, been dictating his life.

This time of introspection, led him down a journey of discovery, healing, embodiment, and emotional awareness.

Eventually, his journey brought him to Bali, where I met him back in 2023 as he stepped into the same Breathwork Facilitator Training I had completed a few years prior...

Through this work and his personal breakthroughs, René stepped into a new purpose of supporting others through embodied coaching, and breathwork.

This calling led him to step out of his travel company and birth his current venture, "ReallyAlign", a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs release stress, reconnect with themselves, and step into deeper alignment.

René and I reconnected again a few months ago, unexpectedly sharing some raw truths about our first interactions with each other.

This led to a powerful discussion, unpacking the conditioned beliefs we both still carried, the fears that still existed, and through that rawness, confirming the values that we both hold so dear: being solid, integrated men, cultivating meaningful relationships, and supporting others to step out from behind the masks of everyday life into deeper alignment.

This led me to want to invite him on the show, and this conversation surely didn't dissapoint, where you'll discover:

• What it takes to move beyond unhealthy competition and learning to celebrate the success of others

• The hidden motives behind his early drive to build a party company, and the deeper growth it led him toward

• The importance of failing fast and embracing discomfort as a path to growth

• René's personal journey of forgiving his mother and transforming his relationship with her

• How he moved from “boy psychology” to embodied, mature masculinity

• What he’s learned about provision, leadership, and the role of being a man in modern relationships

• Why breathwork has become his life’s work, and, in his words, one of the most powerful tools for transformation he’s ever experienced

• Why so many modern relationships break down

This was an inspiring conversation with a man I consider a growing friend, and I hope you enjoy this raw and honest exchange.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with René Schwarzgruber:

🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.reallyalign.com/⁠⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rene.schwarzgruber

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rene-schwarzgruber-breathwork?originalSubdomain=de

Dr. Robert Glover is back for his second round on Heart of Man...

For anyone not yet familiar with his work, Dr. Glover is a renowned therapist, speaker, and coach, and the author of the best-selling book "No More Mr. Nice Guy".

Over the last four decades, he's been shedding light on what he calls Nice Guy Syndrome and has helped countless men across the globe in life, sex, and relating.

In that time he has authored four books and, in 2023, founded "Integration Nation", an international community for men.

After participating alongside Robert at a five-day men’s retreat with John Wineland in Northern California, I invited him back for a second conversation.

Since we laid the foundations in our first episode around Nice Guy Syndrome and why Nice Guys struggle in love and life, I wanted to focus this time on dating and attraction, especially given Dr. Glover’s widely popular book "Dating Essentials for Men".

In this conversation we specifically explore what leads women to lose attraction to “Nice Guys,” and how men can lead more powerfully in dating and keep the spark alive in their current relationships.

In this interview discover:

• What leads men to pre-reject themselves, and how they can start saying yes to life and walk through the doors that are already open.

• Our experiences of being in connection with other men, doing men’s work, and how this inner work impacts our relationship to women.

• Why Robert does not believe in “approaching” women and why he favors an attraction model for dating.

• What Nice Guys get wrong about dating.

• What leads men to hide their sexual agenda, and how to be more honest about one's intentions.

• Why having a pre-sex talk and creating a clear container can be valuable before engaging with any woman.

• Why, in Robert’s words, women are “sexual Ferraris,” and men are “sexual mopeds,” and what that actually points to.

• What positive emotional tension is, why it matters to women, and practical ways to create it.

• Why the meaning of life is to get our hearts broken, and consequently, that the key to life is learning to suffer well.

Over the years of being a fellow podcast listener myself, I’ve received immense benefit from listening to coaches and practitioners I’ve been inspired by offering anonymous coaching sessions to their listeners.

Every time I tuned in, I found these sessions to be an incredible opportunity to get to know myself on a deeper level.

And while the content of what might be occurring for someone is unique to them, the themes that are addressed are, in my eyes, universal. Themes that we all need to face and work through...

Whether it’s moving through self-sabotage, overcoming anxiety, finding forgiveness, accepting ourselves for who we are, or learning to lead ourselves better.

To offer you deeper context of my world outside of being a podcaster, and to give you a glimpse into my work as a coach and somatic practitioner, I decided to periodically release these experiences, where I guide someone through a process of the work I offer in-person, which includes a 1-hour coaching session and a 1-hour breathwork journey.

In this session, you’ll have the opportunity to listen to the challenges Artur is navigating as we explore themes of self-sabotage, self-trust, and self-leadership.

Like many men I work with, Artur wanted to address the blocks holding him back from doing the work he deeply wants to step into, moving past patterns of self-sabotage.

After a few minutes of investigation, and directing my curiosity toward his experience, we oriented our session around his internal world, something I commonly do within these sessions.

What Artur ended up finding was a surprise to him, as he was completely oblivious to the blind spots right in front of him.

If you listen closely, I would argue that this is going to be a session many of you might be able to relate to...

It highlights that self-leadership isn’t just about the execution of our task lists or the actions we want to take, but rather, it often begins by being there for ourselves in the moments that are silently demanding it.

This one was for sure a relatable one for me, and I know for many high performers I work with as well.

If you enjoyed this style of podcast and found value in it, my encouragement is to let me know: reach out, leave a comment or give the podcast a 5-star rating to show it some extra love.

If you’ve been a listener of this show for a while, you’ll know that I truly do my best to offer a platform that brings genuine value, consistently demanding excellence of myself in the process.

And the reason why is because I genuinely care and I want men to succeed. My aspiration is to create the kind of roadmap I wish I had when I was walking through the thick of it on my own journey.

I hope you enjoy this one.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

🔥 Episodes you might enjoy:

Alex Lehmann: What Facing Death Taught Me About Living Fully — A Journey into Authenticity, Transformation & Masculinity | EP 55 [W/ Edward Dangerfield]: https://open.spotify.com/episode/15d0ed0fROCj5NfoFMlj0T?si=90351b71136b43b2

Om Rupani is a teacher, author, and speaker who’s been teaching about BDSM, polarity, and man–woman relating for almost 2 decades.

He’s also the author of Prerequisites to Ecstasy, a no-nonsense guide exploring what it truly takes to create the love and intimacy we say we want.

Today, his work focuses on helping men embody their masculinity with confidence and depth, supporting women in cultivating passionate, harmonious relationships with their men, and guiding singles and couples to consciously integrate elements of BDSM into their intimacy.

Integral to his teachings are explorations of the Dom and Sub archetypes as a pathway to greater self-knowledge and erotic depth.

Om deeply believes that a thriving erotic life sits at the heart of a fulfilling partnership.

Through his integrated approach, courses, and workshops, he helps men and women explore and embody their Eros in all its nuance, depth, and expression, guiding them to build relationships that are not only functional and thriving, but erotically alive.

I first came into contact with Om’s work earlier this year.

Even though I was completely new to the world of BDSM, reading his book and listening to his podcast gave me a felt sense that this field might offer an access point to expand my capacity for greater leadership and depth.

And all I can say is that the impact his training had on me was both surprising and deeply inspiring.

That experience led me to invite him into this conversation, exploring how BDSM can help us become better leaders.

In our interview, we explore:

• The concept of containment: what it is, why it matters, and how a man can begin to cultivate it.

• What it means to become self-contained, grounded, and anchored in one’s own core.

• How couples can move beyond habitual ways of relating by embodying different archetypes, especially the Dom and Sub partnership, to invite more Eros and flow into their dynamic.

• Why Om believes men should pursue the path of sexual competence, not as a performance, but as a way of deepening confidence, presence, and connection.

This is the first time on the podcast that we touch on the realms of BDSM and kink, and I understand that this can bring up curiosity, or even resistance, for some listeners.

My encouragement, as always, is to stay open and notice what arises within you.

In my own life, this is how I’ve approached many fields of work that, at first, felt confronting yet sparked my curiosity at the same time.

Over time, that approach has supported me in discovering deeper truth about what I value, what I care about, and who I am.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with Om Rupani:

🌐Learn more about Om's upcoming retreat: https://omrupani.org/bdsm-principles-dom-sub-exploration-course

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omrupani1

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OmRupani

🎧 Listen to Om's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/66UofO9yMSCIm5AyyXg4yO?si=5e085ac13b9e4b30

📕 Read Om's Book "Prerequisites to Ecstasy": https://www.amazon.com/Prerequisites-Ecstasy-No-Nonsense-Really-Create/dp/1521533768

🔥 Episodes you might enjoy:

Michaela Boehm: Why Polarity Isn't Enough, And What Makes Love And Intimacy Thrive | EP 53: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NfXPySl7QapkyMJvVyhQ4?si=cEhBmeFDQseQZ0EQJO9Bbw

Chris Bale: How Can Men Today Reclaim Their Boldness? | EP 44: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4c4UtA1P9cKQbUUG3zEtgB?si=EPBn4pcgSzam-wMoI4py2w

David Chambers is a Dating, Relationship, and Intimacy Coach who has spent the last decade guiding men into creating the love, sex, and connection they long for by helping them cultivate authenticity, emotional intelligence, and self-leadership.

His work today invites men to drop the masks of performance and step into a truer way of relating—one where intimacy, attraction, and deep connection can naturally emerge from who they really are.

But David didn’t come to this work through theory...

This path was shaped by his own lived experiences. After years of painful relationships, years of chasing validation through meaningless sex, and a deep fear of commitment, he found himself disconnected from the very love and joy he longed for.

The breaking point came during a world trip, after another painful breakup in Bolivia...

What could have been just another collapse instead became a defining turning point.

David committed to a journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth that reshaped his entire understanding of masculinity, intimacy, and what it truly means to love well.

Through this path, he shed the weight of stereotypes and societal expectations he learned of what a “real man” should be.

He discovered that sharing his feelings doesn't have to be a sign of weakness but an act of courage, that authentic vulnerability creates deeper connection, and that our imperfection make us human and relatable.

It was this commitment towards transformation that now fuels his work with men:

• Guiding them to create authentic attraction, build deep emotional connections, embody healthy masculinity, and experience connected sexual intimacy.

In our conversation, David & I dive into:

• The root causes of fear of intimacy and commitment in men, and why many avoidant men struggle to feel safe in relationships.

• How childhood imprints of love and attachment styles shape the way men show up in dating and long-term relationships.

• How men who fear commitment can learn to feel safe again, and practical steps to rebuild trust.

• The importance of emotional intelligence for men in relationships, including learning to be with your own emotions and to hold space for your partner’s.

• The difference between sex & true intimacy.

• The hidden longing behind sexual promiscuity in men, and how embracing the need for nurturance, gentleness, and physical touch can transform intimacy and self-connection.

I found this to be a deeply raw & wide-ranging dialogue, and I’m grateful for David’s honesty and lived experience in demonstrating how we can challenge our old narratives and imprints of love, relationships, and what it means to be a man, in order to create connections that feel safe, authentic, connected, and alive.

—

Connect with Alex Lehmann:

🌐 Website: https://www.alexlehmann.co/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexlehmann_

🎥 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartofmanpodcast

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlehmann-hom

🎧 Listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts and leave a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-of-man/id1697289478

✉️ Email: [email protected]

🤝Think we might be a good fit to work together? Let’s find out & schedule a free connection call (two spots available at present time): https://ahb8n7i1908.typeform.com/to/ddTCwpJP

—

Connect with David Chambers:

🌐 Website: https://www.theauthenticman.net/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUduzipk3B4iLy5yU-vRIA

🎧 Listen to David's Podcast "The Authentic Man Podcast": https://open.spotify.com/show/64n26CAX3FIhJj7aMR2CO6?si=dbc48cb6ed174b7b

🔥 Episodes you might enjoy:

Ryan Moresby-White: 'Heal The Boy, So The Man Can Appear' | EP 46: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0o12DLCEdr639SK3Ht57k6?si=_GcNsSaISGinqTKtFtoQiQ

Chris Bale: How Can Men Today Reclaim Their Boldness? | EP 44: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4c4UtA1P9cKQbUUG3zEtgB?si=EPBn4pcgSzam-wMoI4py2w