Leadership is easy when things are calm, it gets real when people are hurting. In this episode of The Clark Connection Podcast, Aaron Clark sits down with Kyle Wilkes, entrepreneur and funeral director, to break down leadership under pressure, emotional intelligence in high-stress environments, and what it takes to lead through grief, conflict, and responsibility. Kyle shares his journey from nursing to funeral services, the grind of apprenticeship, and the reality of business ownership in an industry where every detail matters. This conversation dives into leadership during crisis, handling difficult family dynamics, building trust through attention to detail, and why teams fail when leaders fail to train and develop them. If you are serious about leadership, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and building strong teams, this episode will challenge how you think about ownership, resilience, and accountability. Topics in this episode, leadership under pressure, leading through grief, emotional intelligence in leadership, entrepreneurship and business ownership, apprenticeship and skill development, handling conflict and family dynamics, team training and leadership responsibility, resilience and vulnerability in leadership, attention to detail in business, continuous learning and growth. Watch until the end for key insights on staying composed, leading with clarity, and building trust when it matters most. Connect with Coach Clark Website, https://coachaclark.com Email, aaron@coachaclark.com Join the community, https://www.skool.com/leadership-multipliers-4731 Ask THE Coach Have a question you want answered on the show, submit it here, https://forms.gle/CxAoZ2xw6Z8aDifg8 If this episode adds value, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it. Connect with Kyle: Website: wilkesfuneralhomega.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyle.wilkes.73700 or https://www.facebook.com/wilkesfuneralhome Premium Sponsor: Vicki with Hubbard Flooring Studio Call: 225-924-1582 Website: www.hubbardflooringstudio.com Address: 11880 Boylan Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Sponsors: Brian with Steadfast Electric call: 225-457-7957 or website: https://steadfastelectric.com/ Bobbie with A Comfy Quest, LLC Call: 225-773-0307 or visit https://www.massagebook.com/biz/AComfyQuestLA9521 Andrew with Automate Integrate Professional Services Visit: Https://automate-integrate.com or email andrew@automate-integrate.com Dr. Robert W. Smith DC, DABCI Chiropractic Internist Visit: https://www.brspine.com/ or Call: 225-291-2626 00:00 Coming Up 00:54 Theme Song 01:33 Welcome to the Show! 06:49 Kyle's Journey into Funeral Services 15:35 Transitioning from Employee to Owner 22:23 Handling Family Dynamics in Grief 25:41 Leadership Lessons from Personal Experiences 32:06 Leadership Lessons from Sports Organizations 34:54 The Man in the Mirror: Self-Leadership 36:46 Managing Stress and Expectations 39:09 Team Dynamics: Supporting Each Other 46:21 The Importance of Small Details 50:39 Resilience and Continuous Learning 53:56 Overcoming Adversity and Personal Growth