The Courage To Lead

The Courage To Lead

What does it really take to be a courageous leader? To walk away from the 9-to-5 and build something of your own? To rise above divorce, bankruptcy, illness—or any of the setbacks life throws your way—and still create meaningful success? On The Courage to Lead, business and leadership coach Harlan Hammack interviews bold entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, dynamic keynote speakers, and industry leaders who’ve done just that. These are real conversations about risk, resilience, and rising to the occasion—packed with hard-earned wisdom, practical takeaways, and the inspiration to help you step up and lead with courage. New episodes uploaded weekly. More at www.ib4e-coaching.com.

  1. 12/09/2025

    Episode 296 - Arias WebsterBerry - Courage to Ignite

    Arias WebsterBerry is a seasoned entrepreneur and digital marketing expert with over a decade of experience building revenue-generating brands. As Founder and CEO of WebsterBerry Marketing, he has led hundreds of clients to measurable success through tailored services in web design, sales funnels, social media, CRM, email marketing, and branding. Arias is also the creator of Launch Ignition AI, an innovative business accelerator that automates website, funnel, and campaign creation in minutes, helping clients achieve up to 312% lead growth and 5× revenue increases. He’s launched multiple ventures, including Ignite Funnels, and authored Content Cannon, which guides entrepreneurs in generating a month’s worth of content in a single day. You can connect with Arias on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariasweb/ or on his website: https://www.websterberrymarketing.com/ ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #ariaswebsterberry #ignite #websterberrymarketing #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    54 min
  2. 12/03/2025

    Episode 295 = Jesse Johnson - Courage to Be a SuperGiver

    Jesse K Johnson brings more than 20 years experience spanning high school and division I coaching (cross-country/track), private counseling practice, equine-partnered leadership coaching, and most recently, as a speculative fiction author. Jesse is a counselor, coach, and author whose work explores what it means to live with purpose, integrity, and compassion in a complex world. He’s the founder of SuperGivers, a coaching and consulting organization that helps people and businesses align their giving and leadership with their deepest values. Jesse’s debut novel, Transcendents, is a gripping and thought-provoking story set in a future shaped by power, oppression, and the human drive for freedom. Through his fiction and his coaching, Jesse challenges us to look at what it truly means to heal, to lead, and to transcend the systems that hold us back. You can learn more about Jesse and his book Transcendents on his website: https://www.jessekjohnson.com/. You can also learn more about Jesse's equine leadership coaching work on his website: https://www.supergivers.com/ ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #authenticity #transcendents #equineleadership #supergivers #jessekjohnson #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    52 min
  3. 11/26/2025

    Episode 294 - Heather Whelpley - Courage to Rebel

    Heather is a speaker, award-winning author, executive coach, and leadership development consultant passionate about empowering women to live, work, and lead with grounded confidence. With her unique blend of expertise and authenticity, Heather has become a frequent speaker for companies and conferences across the US and globally. Prior to starting her business, Heather spent over a decade at Cargill and Ameriprise in a wide variety of HR, leadership development, and change management roles in both offices and plants in the U.S., Latin America, and Australia. She’s the author of two transformative books - An Overachiever's Guide to Breaking the Rules and Grounded Wildness: Break Free from Performing Your Life and Start Living It. You can connect with Heather on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherwhelpley/ You can also learn more about Heather and her speaking. I highly recommend you book her for your next management meeting or trade show. https://www.heatherwhelpley.com/ ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #authenticity #heatherwhelpley #speaker #author # #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    54 min
  4. 11/11/2025

    Episode 292 - Melissa Boggs - Courage to Rewrite Your Script

    Some leaders follow a script… Melissa Boggs believes in rewriting it. Her leadership journey began in tech, but it didn’t take long for her to realize that conventional leadership models were failing the very people they were meant to support. Burnout, disconnection, and rigid systems were treated like normal, even celebrated. But Melissa saw something different: a chance to lead with intention, courage, and humanity. Melissa Boggs has been a CEO, a coach, a keynote speaker, and an agile transformation leader. Today, Melissa serves on the Board of Directors for both the National Speakers Association Colorado Chapter and the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado. But more than titles or roles, Melissa is driven by a core belief: that thriving organizations are built when leaders choose authenticity over authority, and create cultures where people actually want to show up. You can connect with Melissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-boggs/. You can also check out her programs and invite her to speak at your conference by going to her website: https://melissaboggs.com/ ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #authenticity #melissaboggs #transformation #skatingkeynotespeaker #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    53 min
  5. 11/04/2025

    Episode 291 - Adrienne Barker - Courage to Define Your Niche

    Adrienne Barker, MAS brings over 35 years of business experience to the table as a business educator, podcast host, producer, and guest booking agent. She’s the host of Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed, a regular speaker on Clubhouse and The Morning Chatter, and is dedicated to helping you and your brand shine—on air and online. Adrienne has helped consultants, universities, nonprofits, hospitality companies, and product-based businesses increase visibility, refine messaging, and achieve measurable results. Whether running a LinkedIn lead generation campaign, producing a podcast, or turning a podcast into a book, Adrienne combines imagination with proven process. You can connect with Adrienne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennebarkermas/ You can also catch her on her podcast - Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed - wherever you get your podcasts. ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #communication #adriennebarker #niche #podcasttobook #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    42 min
  6. 10/28/2025

    Episode 290 - Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer - Courage to Lead with Fierce Grace

    Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer is a USA Today bestselling author, executive coach, and internationally recognized expert in human capital strategy. With over 30 years of C-suite experience across industries, Cynthia empowers individuals and organizations to challenge limits, invest intentionally, and unlock untapped potential. She is the creator of the Now, Near, Next career framework, the Human Capital Investment Strategy (HCIS), and the 7-Minute Pivot, a daily practice for meaningful change. Through her masterclasses, books, and speaking engagements, Cynthia equips professionals to reclaim their power, reframe their path, and outperform their past. You can connect with Dr. Cynthia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcynthiabentzenmercer/ You can also learn more about her work and her leadership coaching on her website: https://www.bentzenperformancepartners.com/ Be sure to grab copies of her book - Now, Near, Next - a long with the companion guide - Intentional Allyship - on her website and wherever fine books are sold. You can also pre-order her newest book - Human Capital Investment Strategy, available in 2026. ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #cynthiabentzenmercer #humancapital #nownearnext #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    56 min
  7. 10/21/2025

    Episode 289 - Shelby Joy Scarbrough - Courage to Remain Curious

    Shelby Joy Scarbrough is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker focused on advancing civility and leadership. A former Presidential Trip Coordinator for the Reagan White House and a State Department protocol officer, Shelby’s career has been rooted in diplomacy, respect, and human connection. Shelby is Co-Founder and CEO of the Global School of Entrepreneurship, offering a new and innovative MBA program that offers a one-year, one-cohort, one-life-changing experience for aspiring entrepreneurs. Shelby’s upcoming book, entitled “Pioneer: Destiny of the Dreamers, and Doers“ is a labor of love, documenting the qualities of those who embody the pioneering spirit. You can connect with Shelby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-scarbrough/ You can also learn more about Shelby on her website: https://shelbyjoyscarbrough.com/ Shelby's books - Civility Rules and Undaunted - are both available on her website and wherever fine books are sold. ******************************************** Want to learn how to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees? Interested in learning how to scale your business to increase revenue and profit while working less? Then join my Business Success Mastermind group. A new cohort is starting. Now accepting applications: https://ib4e-coaching.com/mastermind ******************************************** Please support this podcast: https://ib4e-coaching.com/podinfo #leadership #leadershipcoaching #business #success #shelbyscarbrough #civility #curious #author #ib4ecoaching ******************************************** If you like this podcast, consider supporting the effort. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

    1 hr
4.4
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

What does it really take to be a courageous leader? To walk away from the 9-to-5 and build something of your own? To rise above divorce, bankruptcy, illness—or any of the setbacks life throws your way—and still create meaningful success? On The Courage to Lead, business and leadership coach Harlan Hammack interviews bold entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, dynamic keynote speakers, and industry leaders who’ve done just that. These are real conversations about risk, resilience, and rising to the occasion—packed with hard-earned wisdom, practical takeaways, and the inspiration to help you step up and lead with courage. New episodes uploaded weekly. More at www.ib4e-coaching.com.