Fighting Drift and Finding Purpose: Reflections on Christine Caine's Powerful Message at GLS 25

Welcome to the eighth episode of the 2025 Global Leadership Summit Recap Series on Stories from the River! This week, CEO Charlie Malouf is joined by Carl Hillesland, Director of Retail Performance at Broad River Retail, to reflect on Christine Caine’s powerful session at the Summit.

Christine Caine—author, speaker, and founder of the A21 anti-human trafficking campaign—shared her personal journey of discovering her life’s purpose and the critical turning point that led her to confront the realities of human trafficking. In her talk, she warned leaders about the danger of drift—the subtle but steady loss of vision and purpose that happens when we simply do nothing.

Charlie and Carl explore how Christine’s stories, like discovering she was adopted and later encountering the vast scope of human trafficking, illustrate the need to stay anchored to a clear why. They unpack her vivid analogy of two beach umbrellas representing boundaries that prevent us from drifting and discuss how Memory Makers can apply these ideas in their own work and lives.

The conversation highlights:

- How to recognize and combat “drift” in leadership and life - The importance of boundaries, vision, and purpose to stay aligned - Practical ways Memory Makers are already using Christine’s message to realign with their mission - Why leaders must intentionally Re-Anchor, Rebuild, and Reignite their passion to avoid languishing or losing focus

This episode is a call to action for Memory Makers to be intentional lighthouses—staying grounded, shining with purpose, and helping others navigate life’s currents toward meaningful impact.

Watch the other episodes in the GLS 25 Recap series:

Consistency Over Charisma: Takeaways from Craig Groeschel's Opening Keynote at the 2025 Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/cwNiyzyD-go     

Unlocking Potential and Conquering Goals: Takeaways from Jon Acuff's Closing Keynote at the Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/TxtGAFeenSo     

Live Life Like a Diversified Portfolio & More Insights from Thasunda Brown Duckett @ GLS25 - https://youtu.be/-qUowzD4-5M   

Less Really Is More: Takeaways from Juliet Funt’s Tactics to Cut Clutter at GLS25 - https://youtu.be/aa7gHNA_Wao   

Leadership Lessons from Nick Saban: Process, Discipline, and Transformation at the Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/P7ldcRfsQrg   

How Regenerative Performance Can Transform Work: Insights from Dr. James Hewitt’s GLS Talk - https://youtu.be/rnMkFRvbqho 

How to Leave a Legacy that Matters: Reflections from John Maxwell's GLS Talk - https://youtu.be/kJ4h56zdFWY 

Additional resources:

Books by Christine Caine - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christine-Caine/author/B001JS7NIY?  

The Vision Driven Leader by Michael Hyatt - https://visiondrivenleader.com    

https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Driven-Leader-Questions-Energize-Business/dp/0801075270 

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QhdkM-iFmTs 

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes. 

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com    

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail