Andrew Coplon is the Founder of Craft Beer Professionals, a national network dedicated to the growth and betterment of the Craft Beer industry and Founder of Secret Hopper, a mystery shopping and consulting company for craft beer businesses. Andrew joins Access Your Leadership to talk about his journey that’s led him to developing a community of over 17,000 craft beer industry professionals. He shares his take on the current state of the industry, what experiences he’s had and created for his craft beer peers and how leadership plays into any and all careers in this industry. For instance, what’s different about conferences/workshops that CBP organizes and hosts? What kinds of things are attendees initially hungry for and then saying about CBP events that they’ve attended? Why is connecting and building new relationships such an important part of business and leadership? What were the early years like when first launching Secret Hopper and then CBP? From where or why did you have the idea to create such a community and how receptive were people at the start? While the craft beer industry is an industry of passionate people, how does a company culture contribute to a vibe and who does that impact? How important is it to love what you do when you’re starting something new? What are ways that leaders in this industry, or any industry, can motivate and inspire their team members and employees? How do you utilize data in your leadership and decision-making process and is that the most valuable tool in leadership? What’s the difference between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship? What were some of the learnings taken from working in food services and then leading a craft beer professionals community? How does curiosity play into the way people connect, build relationships and lead? So much of what is discussed about the craft beer industry, can be applied to any leader or professional in any industry. Enjoy the episode and if you’re in the industry and not connected to Andrew or CBP, I encourage you connect!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

Click here to connect with Andrew and learn more about Craft Beer Professionals (CBP)

Click here to check out the CBP Facebook community

You can also connect directly with Andrew at andrew@craftbeerprofessionals.org

Click here to learn more and/or purchase your tickets to the Inaugural Virginia Brewers Conference, Sept. 16-18, 2024 in Richmond, VA.

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Kathleen E.R. Murphy, an Executive Sports Coach and CEO of her company Market Me Too out of Boston, Massachusetts, joins Access Your Leadership to talk about her transition from corporate to coaching. Kathy shares how throughout her career she had a feeling that there was more she could be doing to align with her purpose. She initially explored providing coaching in a business/leadership context and later blended her experience and passion into working with sports teams and their coaching staff. Kathy has worked with athletes and teams at all levels of sport and has researched and written extensively about her findings. Kathy addresses questions such as what is executive (or leadership) presence and why is it so highly desirable by clients at a certain point in their career? What is the real economic impact of retention and why is it so important to invest heavily in culture and setting employees up for success early on? What led to the decision to leave corporate and start the coaching journey? How did you leverage transferable skills at this transition point in your career? What/Who inspired you to explore sports leadership with athletes and their coaches? How are the corporate coaching and sports leadership coaching similar and different? Are people all motivated the same way and if not, why? What are Gallup Strengths and how do you incorporate those into your coaching? Where does writing fit into the work you do? What’s the secret ingredient to championship teams and who can find out what that might be? Kathy shares a ton of insight and explains in detail the work she does and the value it creates for her corporate clients and sports teams and athletes. Enjoy!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Kathleen E.R. Murphy on LinkedIn

Click here to connect with Kathy and learn more about Market Me Too

Click here to check out Kathy’s YouTube Show, Murf+Me Unfiltered

Click here to check out our episode together on Murf+Me Unfiltered

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Dr. Heidi K. Gardner, an old friend and Harvard colleague, joins Access Your Leadership to share her incredible journey around the world, leading her to being an expert in the area of collaboration. Dr. Gardner is a Distinguished Fellow and Lecturer at Harvard Law School, a Co-founder of Smarter Collaboration International and CEO of Gardner & Co., a research and consulting firm that provides collaboration focused solutions with boards and senior leadership teams to transform their organizations. From her early years of growing up in/near Amish Country Pennsylvania, Heidi later ventured out to make her mark on the world. In this episode, Heidi shares a bit about the ways in which she chose to expand her horizons, perspectives, education and experience. She talks about her experience working for several elite organizations and institutions, where in the world those opportunities took her and how she managed herself and her decision-making through those various twists and turns. How important is it to work with purpose-driven organizations and how does that align with how you lead your own organization and team? In what ways do passion, diversity and authenticity impact what we choose to do in our role as leaders? Is positivity and surrounding ourselves with positive people necessary to be successful or simply a “nice-to-have?” How is managing oneself through challenging situations as a leader also so beneficial to those you lead? What did having supportive parents and family allow for you to see for yourself as you started your academic and professional career? Why was it so important to not only visit but live and work in other parts of the world and what did that reveal about you? Did you ever feel pressure to take a certain path and what was your process for managing that? How have you learned to relate to your inner critic and what role has your support network played in that? Why has gratitude and never forgetting where you came from been so important in your journey? What perspective of the world, the people around you and yourself in the world have you maintained that has served you best? From Japan, to Germany, South Africa, the U.K. and then back to the U.S., Heidi has engaged with and impacted so many throughout her years as a professional and continues to do so as she builds her businesses. This conversation is a reminder of what is possible for a leader when they follow their heart, their passion and their purpose. Enjoy the episode!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect directly with Dr. Heidi K. Gardner on LinkedIn

Click here to learn more about Gardner & Co.

Click here to purchase Smart Collaboration or Smarter Collaboration

Click here to learn more about Smarter Collaboration International

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Rhonda Kohn, a Real Estate Advisor with Keller Williams Realty, joins Access Your Leadership to share her inspiring story about life after cancer and serving her clients. Rhonda helps buyers and sellers in both the Florida and California markets and she is also a three-time cancer survivor. In this episode, Rhonda shares what it was like finding out that she would be fighting cancer (and fight she did) and what impact each of those experiences had on her life and business of serving her clients. She talks about how she got started, what brought her to Florida and how she’s taken her business national. What is the difference between being alive and living? How or where did sharing or choosing not to share her health situation with others impact her and her business early on? What are some challenges that she has faced working with clients and how have her experiences impacted how she handles those now? Why are relationships so important in real estate or any business interaction? What did the fight against cancer again and again and again teach her about fighting for her clients? How is trust built quickly when taking on new real estate clients? What is so valuable about transparency and honesty to both agent and client in this work? Why is the difference between being dismissive and being selective so important? The resilience shared by Rhonda in this episode will completely shift how you show up and appreciate life. Take the time to list and enjoy!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Rhonda on LinkedIn

To learn more about Rhonda and her work check out her website

You can also connect directly with Rhonda at 800-825-0102 or at rhondakohn@kw.com

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Al Kenny, an internationally respected coach, joins Access Your Leadership again for Part Two of his story of transformation that he shared back in March 2024. As you may recall, Al works to help people achieve their goals and dreams without stress and pressure. In Part One of this conversation, Al shared how he received some rather sobering feedback from a potential hire he was considering for a role on this team. Upon hearing that, Al embarked on a journey that had him learning a ton about performance culture, leadership and most importantly, a great deal about himself. In this episode, Al generously shares the ins and outs, ups and downs of that nearly eight-year journey, its impact on his company, his colleagues, his career and himself. Al's masterful way of describing the lessons and learning that he gained through this journey is captured in this conversation. How and why was hearing such honest feedback at that point in your career such a gift? What were the next steps taken to start learning more about what leadership meant and how you could lead in an authentic way? How was this "newer" version and this pursuit received and/or supported by colleagues who might have had a different previous perception of you? What is the significance of "right and wrong" in how leaders lead themselves and others? Is it really a leader's role to have all the answers or know the "right" way to do things? How does a leader maintain focus on their role as a leader while still creating space for others to add value and grow? How did leading by example impact how people perceived this journey you were on? These a many other questions are so honestly discussed as Al generously shares his experience and growth through this period of his life. If you're wondering if being a leader is something you can do overnight or how knowing (and loving) yourself play a role, you'll want to tune in. Enjoy!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Al on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

To connect with Al directly you can email him at al@alkenny.org

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Russ Katzman, a Strategist, Coach, Mentor, Author and International Speaker and the Founder and CEO of Progeny Coaching and Consulting LLC, joins Access Your Leadership to talk about how purpose and evolution are two key ingredients for success in leadership and business. Russ shares some of the details on his own journey, starting from his early years in Wisconsin all the way to where he is now as a husband, father and business owner living in the Tampa area. He explains one of his superpowers, which he discovered early on in his career, that allows him to bridge communication gaps between business units while still maintaining the ability to see and strategize for the bigger picture. Speaking to similar audiences and both working with experienced professionals, Hakim and Russ discuss some pitfalls to leadership and best practices that directly impact the way individuals lead themselves, others and their businesses. How challenging can it sometimes be for leaders or owners of a business to relinquish control and step back? Where does purpose come into play when understanding ourselves, what motivates us and the actions we take to achieve our goals? What “work” would you be willing to do for free and how does that play into how we assess our career choices and goals? Whose responsibility is it to give leaders permission to evolve, and why is it so necessary to have that permission? What makes being comfortable with being uncomfortable so powerful as we grow as leaders? How important is slowing down and taking time to self-audit when making big life choices and/or career transitions? Is a commitment to life-long learning an important aspect to effective leadership? What is the best leadership style and how does adaptability play into leading oneself and others? How does being clear on your values impact the authentic leadership style we ultimately adopt and apply in our life and career? There are so many directions these questions and others could have taken this conversation, but there is no shortage of value shared in this episode. Listen up, listen again and enjoy!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Russ on LinkedIn

To connect with Russ and learn more about Progeny Coaching & Consulting visit https://progenycc.com/

You can also email Russ directly at russ@progenycc.com

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Check out these links!

1. The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday -

In this special Mental Health Awareness Month episode of Access Your Leadership, Hakim guides you through a brief 5-minute medidation dedicated to creating peace, power and passion in who you are as a leader. Hakim wants ever leader to absolutely love their leadership journey, both for what that creates for the life and career of the individual as well as for those they lead.

This guided meditation is designed specifically for leaders to highlight the importance of mental health, especially in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. As leaders, the pressures and responsibilities can often lead to stress and burnout, making mental health practices not just beneficial but essential. This meditation session serves as a tool to enhance awareness, reduce stress, and cultivate a mindset of connection and clarity.

During this short meditation, you will be guided through techniques that focus on deep breathing and mindfulness, encouraging a moment of pause in their busy schedules. This practice helps leaders step back from the day-to-day demands and reconnect with their inner calm and wisdom. Even a short session can improve concentration, foster emotional stability, and boost decision-making capabilities by clearing the mind and alleviating the weight of constant high-stakes thinking.

Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a vital reminder of the importance of mental well-being, particularly in leadership roles where the ripple effects of one's mental state can influence entire organizations. By engaging in guided meditations, leaders not only enhance their own mental health but also set a powerful example for their teams, promoting a healthier, more mindful, and empathetic workplace culture. This meditation is an invitation for leaders to prioritize their mental health, ensuring they lead not just with skill, but with their hearts and with wellness as their foundation.

Angel Gonzalez, the CEO of Millennium Benefits, joins Access Your Leadership to share his journey learning about and then ultimately leading his family insurance practice. Starting in the business in 1996, Angel worked closely with his mother and (then) step-father to support them in building the business. Never expecting to stay in the business long-term, he evolved not only as a professional but as a relationship-focused leader of their family owned and operated insurance brokerage focused on employee group benefits. In this episode, Angel shares what it was like to learn the business at a young age from his experienced, successful and quite different mother and step-father. He explains how he gained a deeper understanding of all aspects of running and business and how big a role relationships play in sustaining and growing such a business. What’s it like to start your career working in a family business? How does managing the operations of the business differ from the client relationship side and how do they support one another? What about insurance and benefits was appealing enough to build a career around that? How did your mother and the way she led herself influence the leader you’d come to be? How did your personality and love of people contribute to your success and love for the business you now run? Why was your shared focus on relationships such a big factor in the work dynamic that you shared with your mother? What has it been like to step out from your mother’s shadow and now lead on your own? How did it feel to not be partnering with your mother after working side-by-side for so long and after her diagnosis? How does one make the shift from doing it all themselves to being able to delegate? What are the benefits of delegating and accepting support? What role does ego play in delegating? How can being self-aware, leading oneself effectively and doing a regular self-audit be helpful as a leader? Why is caring about clients and treating them like family a differentiator in business and how does it impact how you target prospective clients? This conversation is all about heart and how being relationship-focused not only benefits your family and working relationships, but how your clients experience you and how your business grows. Angel is clearly committed to his own leadership journey and bringing others along with him as he and his company continue to rise. Enjoy the conversation!

Feedback (I/we want to hear from you):

You can connect with Angel on LinkedIn

To connect with Angel and learn more about Millenium Benefits visit https://www.mbimiami.com/

You can also connect directly with Angel at angel@mbimiami.com

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook/LakhdarCoaching

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or someone you know, then drop me a line at hakim@lakhdarcoaching.com

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.