What happens when the career you thought would last forever suddenly ends? For Pete Hixson, stepping away from 22 years in pastoral ministry wasn't the end of his mission—it was the beginning of discovering what it had always been.

In this raw and inspiring conversation, Pete opens up about the moment he walked away from full-time ministry, the identity crisis that followed, and how his daughter Hope—who has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability—showed him what it truly means to lift the lid on potential.

From coaching leaders through StoryBrand to founding Beyond Communities, a nonprofit creating residential living for young adults with special needs, Pete's story is a masterclass in staying anchored to your mission even when your direction completely shifts.

Key Themes:

• Redefining calling beyond career and title
• The danger of wrapping your identity around a job
• Lifting the lid on potential (for yourself and others)
• Turning pain into purpose
• The power of chosen family and brotherhood
• Why your mission is not your occupation

CONNECT WITH PETE

Websites:

• petespeaks.org - Coaching and speaking
• beyondcommunities.org - Learn about the mission

Social Media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pete_hixson/
• Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-hixson/

In this episode of Your Next Best Step, I sit down with Thomas Asta, a leadership expert with over 20 years in the medical device industry, to unpack the neuroscience of communication. Together, they explore how empathy, emotional intelligence, and brain chemistry—especially dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin—shape the way we connect, lead, and influence.

Thomas shares powerful stories and frameworks that help leaders move beyond “winging it” in communication to creating environments of trust and growth. From managing stress and imposter syndrome to understanding the “haunted house” of workplace triggers, this conversation bridges science, soul, and leadership in a way that’s both practical and deeply human.

Key Takeaways:

• How emotional intelligence impacts team performance and trust

• The brain chemistry behind effective communication

• The hidden cost of “winging it” in leadership

• Turning conflict into clarity through empathy

• Why every great leader needs a coach

🎧 Tune in, reflect, and take your next best step as a purpose-driven leader.

What does it mean to find joy when life feels impossible? In this episode of Your Next Best Step, I sit down with Mercedes Wilson—TV host, author, nonprofit founder, wife, and mom—who has walked through trauma, divorce, betrayal, and two cancer diagnoses, including stage 4 breast cancer.Mercedes shares how faith, therapy, and self-reflection transformed her pain into peace and taught her how to lead herself and others with hope and authenticity.

Together, we explore:

- The power of facing trauma instead of hiding it

- Why self-awareness and therapy are leadership essentials

- How faith and gratitude can shift even the hardest seasons

- Practical steps to slow down, breathe, and find joy today

If you’ve ever felt tired, stuck, or overwhelmed by life’s battles, Mercedes’ story will inspire you to keep moving forward—rooted in hope and grounded in resilience.

👉 Subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and remember: even the best leaders need a coach in their corner.

Hard conversations don’t have to be scary. In this episode, BC shares the C.A.R.E. Framework—a simple way to give feedback that’s clear, constructive, and growth-focused. Walk away with tools you can use in your very next conversation.

Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode ofYour Next Best Step, I sit down with Jay Adcock, a global coach and movement leader, to uncover why the best leaders lean into simplicity, curiosity, and consistency.

Jay’s story takes us from leaving the corporate world with a 100% pay cut to building a coaching movement that’s training thousands of leaders in nearly 100 countries. Along the way, he shares the lessons learned in South Africa, the power of asking better questions, and the importance of small, sustainable shifts that add up to massive impact.

This conversation is packed with real-life stories, practical frameworks, and timeless leadership wisdom to help you take your own next best step.

We explore:

• Why Simple + Obvious = Genius is a game-changing leadership principle

• How small shifts over time (the “2 Degrees Mindset”) create long-term transformation

• What holistic leadership looks like (physical, emotional, social, spiritual)

In this episode of Your Next Best Step, I welcome a longtime friend and leader, Charlie Mitchell, into the Locker Room for a powerful conversation about calling, curiosity, and courage in the face of change.

Charlie opens up about growing up in Fort Myers, losing his parents young, and stepping into unexpected responsibility as a teenager. He shares how those experiences shaped his heart for cross-cultural ministry, eventually leading him to plant churches in some of America’s toughest neighborhoods—from Camden to Baltimore.

Together, Charlie and I explore:

• Why curiosity is a leader’s superpower—and how “what if” questions spark breakthrough.

• Lessons learned from planting churches in urban communities.

• The importance of listening before leading in any new context.

• Navigating health crises and life detours with faith and resilience.

• How betrayal, setbacks, and failure can become seeds for deeper impact.

Charlie also talks about the birth of Maroon House, his coaching and soul care community for pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who don’t fit the mold but are called to make a difference.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, questioned your path, or wondered what’s next, this episode will remind you that being human isn’t failure—it’s the starting point for your next best step

What happens when success isn’t enough?

In this episode of Your Next Best Step, Brek Cockrell sits down with Nick Kennedy, a serial entrepreneur who built and sold three companies, including an airline—before stepping into his true calling as an executive coach.

Nick opens up about:

Growing up with a father in prison and how it shaped his drive.

Building businesses in healthcare and aviation, and what success cost him at home.

The wake-up call from his wife that forced him to redefine leadership.

Why the loneliness of leadership is real, and how vulnerability changes everything.

Lessons from his book The Good Entrepreneur and the practices that keep him grounded today.

Whether you’re a CEO, entrepreneur, or purpose-driven leader, this conversation will challenge you to slow down, stay curious, and take your next best step.

In this powerful conversation, Brek sits down with longtime friend and higher education leader Scott Traylor to unpack a core leadership truth: saying “everyone matters” is easy... but making people feel it is what transforms culture.

Scott shares his journey of stepping into a vice president role during the Great Resignation, leading nearly 1,000 staff and faculty through turnover, burnout, and transition. Together, Brek and Scott explore:

• Why trust, collaboration, and accountability became the cornerstone values for his team

• How leaders can create environments where staff feel truly seen, heard, and valued

• The difference between transactional leadership and value-driven leadership

• Practical steps for slowing down, listening, and building rhythms that sustain healthy culture

Whether you’re leading a small team, a classroom, or an entire organization, this episode will challenge you to ask: “Do the people I lead feel that they matter?”

Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about titles or results—it’s about people.

What if the secret to becoming a better leader isn’t about titles or tactics, but about values, clarity, and the willingness to grow? In this episode of Your Next Best Step, I sit down with longtime friend and national mortgage lender Joshua Dean to unpack the “cheat codes” every leader needs to navigate business, team dynamics, and personal growth.

Joshua shares candid lessons from leading in the mortgage industry and beyond, how identifying his core values shifted his leadership, why curiosity beats quick answers, and how clarity is actually the ultimate form of kindness. Together, they explore the frameworks that help leaders move from stuck to thriving, including practical insights on coaching, accountability, and building teams rooted in trust and excellence.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be on the other side of your leadership, or how to close the gap between your dream, your drains, and your doubts—this episode will challenge and equip you to take your own next best step.

In this episode of Your Next Best Step, we sit down with Kyria Stephens to unpack what it really takes to lead with impact. From setbacks and doubt to building a movement, Kyria shares how vulnerability, clarity, and consistency shaped his journey from $7.25 an hour to the C-suite and beyond. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to lead with courage when the pressure is on—this conversation will show you why vulnerability is the real leadership flex.