Unlocking Moves

What happens when your identity is suddenly taken away… and you're forced to start over?
Join us for this week's episode of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in a leader's journey that unlock their true potential. Most leaders love to share their "glory" stories but host Kurt Wilkin believes we learn more from the "gory" ones.

On this episode, Kurt sits down with Patti Boyle, one of the most sought-after executive coaches in Texas and founder of Pure Potential Consulting, for a powerful conversation about career transitions, purpose, and what really happens when high-performing leaders leave their jobs.

Patti shares raw, real stories from decades of working with executives: from CEOs and CFOs to top performers navigating layoffs, burnout, and identity loss. She explains why losing a job doesn't just impact income but it shakes your identity, your community, and your sense of purpose.One of the most powerful themes in this episode: things don't happen to you -- they happen FOR YOU.From having a gun pulled on her in a classroom early in her career, to building and selling a company with 33 locations, Patti's journey is filled with transformational moments that shaped her mission to help others discover (or rediscover) their purpose.

You'll also learn:

• Why networking is NOT "take, take, take" but it's also it's "give, give, give"
• How most jobs are actually found (and why LinkedIn alone won't cut it)
• What to do first after losing your job (hint: it's not your resume)
• The dangerous "messy middle" of transition, and how to navigate it
• How to turn setbacks into reinvention opportunities

Whether you're in transition, feeling stuck, or simply asking "what's next?", this episode is packed with practical advice and perspectives you can use immediately.

About Patti Boyle

Patti Boyle is the founder of Pure Potential Consulting and an executive coach with over 27 years of experience helping leaders navigate career transitions and discover their purpose. She previously built a training and development company that grew to 33 offices before being acquired by Adecco / Lee Hecht Harrison. She is also the author of Thrive with Purpose.

About Kurt Wilkin

Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For over 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young and today serving as Founder of BusinessEarth and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-movesSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unlockingmoves

From ROTC to the Army, to SEC basketball coach, to Razorback Radio: Matt Zimmerman’s Unlikely Coaching Journey

Join us on this special March Madness edition of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in a leader’s journey that unlock real potential. Many leaders love to tell their “glory” stories, but host Kurt Wilkin believes we learn more from the “gory” stories. On this episode, Kurt sits down with Matt Zimmerman (Coach Z) to discuss service, sacrifice, basketball, and the unexpected turns that shape a career.

Matt’s story starts in rural Arkansas, but it was shaped early by a military family. His father served in both Korea and Vietnam, and that foundation of discipline and duty stayed with him. Matt grew up loving basketball, worked as a student manager at Arkansas under Hall of Famer Nolan Richardson, and thought he might stay around the Razorbacks after college. Instead, an ROTC scholarship led him into five years of active duty in the Army, including long stretches away from the game he loved. From there, he returned to Arkansas and built a meaningful career as a high school coach, finding purpose in mentoring young players and building lasting relationships.

This episode is packed with lessons on loyalty, leadership, reinvention, and why some of the best moves in life begin with a call you never expected. If you've ever wondered how one opportunity can completely redirect your path, Coach Z's story is a reminder to stay ready, stay humble, and trust where the next move might lead.

About Coach Z - Matt Zimmerman

Matt Zimmerman is a longtime basketball coach, broadcaster, and Razorback insider. He served five years on active duty in the U.S. Army, coached high school basketball in Arkansas, and later joined Mike Anderson’s staffs at UAB, Missouri, and Arkansas. Today, he is a co-host of The Razorback Daily and a color commentator for Razorback basketball broadcasts.

About Kurt Wilkin

Kurt is a connector of dots, ideas, and people. For over 30 years, he's advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young and today serving as Founder of BusinessEarth and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital. He’s a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and leaders build their companies.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-movesSpotify:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unlockingmoves#UnlockingMoves #Leadership #CollegeBasketball

#Razorbacks #Coaching #MilitaryLeadership #Arkansas #MikeAnderson #NolanRichardson

From Accenture to Tortillas: Rocío León's Leap Into Purpose-Driven EntrepreneurshipJoin us this week on Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in a leader's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many leaders love to share their "glory" stories, but host Kurt Wilkin believes we learn more from the "gory" ones. In this episode, Kurt sits down with Rocío León, or Rocí, an entrepreneur who walked away from a successful consulting career at Accenture to build a purpose-driven food company rooted in culture, health, and heritage.Rocí's journey begins in Jalisco, Mexico, where childhood memories of making tortillas with her abuela planted the seeds for something bigger. After an 11-year career advising Fortune 500 companies worldwide, Roci felt a growing pull toward entrepreneurship. But leaving a stable, high-income consulting job was not an easy decision. She shares the moment she stepped away from corporate life, the intentional pause she took to reconnect with her passions, and the realization that she wanted to build something meaningful.What started as experimenting in her kitchen turned into a brand built around blue corn tortillas made with amaranth, an ancient grain used by Aztec civilizations that adds protein, fiber, and natural binding without additives. Rocí and her co-founder began selling at farmers' markets, listening closely to customer feedback, and refining their products.Then came the breakthrough: Roci and her team entered and won the H-E-B's "Quest for Texas Best" accelerator contest. Months later, they launched in 21 stores across Austin! The experience validated her belief that purpose, culture, and quality ingredients could resonate with modern consumers.Kurt and Rocí also discussed imposter syndrome, building a brand from scratch, and why entrepreneurs often need to step back from the noise of corporate life to discover what they truly want to create.If you've ever considered leaving a comfortable career to pursue something more meaningful, Rocí's story is a powerful reminder that the biggest unlocking moves often start with a leap of faith.About Rocío LeónRocí León is an entrepreneur and former Accenture consultant who founded a purpose-driven tortilla brand inspired by her Mexican heritage. Her company focuses on healthier corn tortillas made with blue corn and amaranth, combining ancient ingredients with modern nutrition. Rocí's products gained early traction at farmers' markets and quickly expanded into retail after winning a competitive H-E-B brand accelerator program.About Kurt WilkinKurt is a connector of dots, ideas, and people. For over 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young and today serving as Founder of BusinessEarth and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-movesSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unlocking-moves#UnlockingMoves #Entrepreneurship #CPG #StartupStory #HispanicEntrepreneurs #FoodStartup #ConsumerBrands #Leadership #BusinessJourney

Ramon Ray started fixing computers and blogging on the side while working at the United Nations. The side hustle got him fired—and that's the plot twist that turned him into a keynote speaker, author, and founder of SmallBizTechnology.com ('99) and Smart Hustle Media.

Today, he helps brands and small businesses level up with personal branding and practical growth playbooks.

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FULL EPISODE HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VIv8eDal57wbb9aLNYC48?si=2d2bff26e3ee49ba

⁠⁠#UnlockingMoves⁠

“Don’t F With Me”: The Moment Mark C. Winters Walked Away and Bet on Himself

Join us on this special episode of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in a leader’s journey that unlock real potential. This conversation came together quickly, and because of that, it’s raw, unfiltered, and honest in the best way. Many leaders love to tell their “glory” stories, but host Kurt Wilkin believes the real lessons live in the “gory” ones. This episode delivers exactly that as Kurt sits down with Mark C. Winters, co-author of Rocket Fuel and author of the newly released book Visionary.

Mark takes us back to a defining moment early in his career at Procter & Gamble, when a single conversation with his boss shattered the perfectly mapped path to becoming CEO. That moment sparked what he calls his “entrepreneurial seizure”, the realization that he could not live in a world where someone else controlled his future. With a pregnant wife at home and no severance package, Mark quit anyway. What followed was a crash course in entrepreneurship, sleepless nights, financial pressure, and lessons that would shape his later thinking on visionaries, integrators, and leadership at scale.

The conversation goes deep into what it really takes to be an entrepreneur. Mark breaks down the emotional toll, the isolation, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. He shares why entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to solve the world’s biggest problems, why capitalism only works when it is sustainable, and why entrepreneurship is not for everyone.

Kurt and Mark also unpack the ideas behind Visionary, including the ten pillars of great visionary leadership, the need for self-awareness, and how defining your version of freedom changes the way you build companies.

If you're an entrepreneur, a visionary, or someone questioning whether to take the leap, this episode is a raw, honest look at the cost, the upside, and the responsibility that comes with building something that matters.

About Mark Winters

Mark C. Winters is the co-author of Rocket Fuel and the author of Visionary. He is a longtime EOS expert, entrepreneur, and advisor who has started, acquired, and exited more than a dozen companies. Mark is known for his work helping visionary and integrator leaders operate at their best and build businesses that align with their personal definition of freedom.

About Kurt Wilkin

Kurt is a connector of dots, ideas, and people. For over 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young and today serving as Founder of BusinessEarth and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital. He’s a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-moves

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unlocking-moves

#UnlockingMoves #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Visionary #RocketFuel #EOS #FounderJourney #BusinessGrowth #GoryStories

She left a 20-year career in finance to run EOS Worldwide.

Most people hear "EOS" and think Visionaries. Kelly Knight built her career in the other seat. After two decades in financial services, she stepped into the Integrator role at EOS Worldwide, then became President, the person who actually makes Gino Wickman's system run.

About Kurt Wilkin

Kurt Wilkin is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder and visionary of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He is a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

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FULL EPISODE HERE: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ovPdYNexNaT9IruDIxLzn?si=33498d7a7b314227

⁠#UnlockingMoves⁠

"I almost refused to be CEO."

In 2013, Autumn Manning was building a tech company in Arkansas, where there weren't many women leading startups. Instead of waiting for a model, she became one. She co-founded YouEarnedIt (later Kazoo/WorkTango), moved it to Austin to scale, and led it as CEO, even though, by her own words, her path there was "twisty, turvy" and she had to burn the old playbook to get there.

That's the kind of transition we're spotlighting: not job-hopping, redefining what leadership can look like.

About Kurt Wilkin Kurt Wilkin is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder and visionary of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He is a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

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FULL INTERVIEW HERE: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4py8eiU2v9x9UcHn9tCrxH?si=c0a6d3b028104d91

⁠#UnlockingMoves⁠ ⁠

FROM DELL TO HOT SAUCE ON “HOT ONES.” 🌶️

Listen to the Full Episode here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/jtPjLYrHfYb

In this episode, Kurt sits down with @josuerivas, a Peruvian immigrant who walked out of a stable systems engineering job at Dell to chase food. He literally left the office and went straight to culinary school then built restaurants, lost it all, and had to start over taking prep-cook gigs in Portland just to get back in the kitchen.

Josue didn’t quit. He later launched @savirfoods the chef-crafted hot sauce brand out of Austin that’s been featured on @hotones.This is why we’re posting these: career change isn’t always “I pivoted from marketing to product.” Sometimes it’s engineer → chef → broke → founder… and it still works!

Unlock the full story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOsi7d6yetA&t=2416s

career transition, immigrant founder story, Dell to culinary school, Savir Foods, Hot Ones feature, food entrepreneur, real second chances, restaurant to CPG, unlocking moves podcast

About Kurt Wilkin Kurt Wilkin is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder and visionary of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He is a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

-----------Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-moves/id1683361653

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kurt-wilkin

#UnlockingMoves #HireBetter

The Power of Pause: Why Every Leader Needs a Sabbatical

Join us for this week’s episode of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in a leader’s journey that unlock real potential. Many leaders only want to share their “glory” stories, but host Kurt Wilkin believes we learn more from the “gory” ones. This week’s guest, Mike Aviles, proves that sometimes the boldest move a leader can make is simply stepping away.

Mike Aviles is a hired-gun CEO known for steering major turnarounds and successful exits with companies like Foster Grant and Vignette. But perhaps his most profound decisions weren’t about strategy or profit, they were his 3 one-year-long sabbaticals. In this powerful conversation, Mike and Kurt break down how taking intentional time off helped him rediscover purpose, strengthen his marriage, and become a better leader. Mike shares lessons from growing up in Brooklyn with an alcoholic father, moving on to a small local college and his journey to KPMG, earning a Stanford MBA, and later learning how to slow down after years of chaos in private equity and tech.

Mike opens up about what he calls “psychological detox”. Unlearning the identity of being a CEO, and how faith, travel, and reflection gave him a new sense of self. He explains how each sabbatical made him more grounded, self-aware, and connected, ultimately shaping the kind of leader he wanted to be. For anyone wrestling with burnout, identity, or the fear of slowing down, this episode will challenge how you define success and remind you that stepping back might be your next unlocking move.

About Mike Aviles

Mike Aviles is a veteran CEO with multiple private equity-backed turnarounds and exits, including Foster Grant, Activant Solutions, and Vignette. A Stanford MBA and former KPMG professional, Mike is known for balancing high-performance leadership with introspection and personal growth.

About Kurt Wilkin

Kurt is a connector of dots, ideas, and people. For over 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young and today serving as Founder of BusinessEarth and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital. He’s a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-moves

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unlocking-moves

#UnlockingMoves #HireBetter #Leadership #Sabbatical #Entrepreneurship #GrowthMindset #SelfDiscovery #Burnout #WorkLifeBalance #Purpose

How did Poppi go from the Dallas Farmer's Market to selling at a value of $1.95 BILLION in five years?Unlocking Moves dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. On this episode, Kurt chats with Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, founders of Poppi - the world's fastest growing soda brand that is better for you and tastes GREAT. From humble beginnings operating at a weekend farmer's market booth as a side gig, to open tryouts for Shark Tank, to becoming one of the fastest growing beverage companies in human history - Allison and Stephen have experienced countless ups and downs along the way. In this deep dive behind the scenes, they discuss the grit and entrepreneurial spirit required to grow a business, the process behind Shark Tank, and being "digital first" by building a community of raving fans...Oh, and they did all of this while raising a family! About Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, Co-Founders of Poppi - Allison is the Chief Brand Officer, and Stephen is the Chief Product Officer. Poppi is a delicious, prebiotic, better-for-you soda made with clean ingredients. Struggling with a variety of health issues, Allison created Poppi after discovering the health benefits of apple cider vinegar and experimenting in her kitchen to make it taste great. She leads the Austin-based beverage company's overall brand strategy and innovation. She pioneered the brand's cultural cache and digital-first approach, attracting a loyal community and billions of views on TikTok and Instagram. Stephen leads the company's product development and innovation.About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.