Sterling Hawkins

The world today is permanently transformed with pandemic fallout, tech disruption, talent shortages and global instability leaving massive and debilitating uncertainty in its wake. Change has always been inevitable for leaders to contend with, but the sheer scale and accelerating pace of change has become overwhelming for even the most diligent leaders. Unchecked, it can unconsciously leave people and companies fearful to take risk, resistant to growth and fatigued, fighting to keep up.

The world of predictability is dead. This defining moment is requiring leaders to get uncomfortable and radically reorientate their relationship to change. Hunting discomfort is the critical new competency required to effectively navigate post-pandemic disruption and thrive in this forever changed world. There are 5 mission-critical practices that have been used to create everything from billion dollar business wins to Olympic gold medalists, that anyone can grab onto and use to build the necessary courage to take intelligent risks, declare big visions and unlock their potential, regardless of the circumstances.

From multi-billion dollar startup collapse and coming back to launch, invest in and grow over 50 companies, Sterling has very personal experience confronting the unknown himself. Combined with research, psychology, the latest brain science discoveries and transformation work with leadership teams around the world, this unique perspective will forever change how you approach both business and life. You’ll discover through heart-wrenching stories, hilarious anecdotes and compelling data an undeniable truth: that during even the most difficult times, we can all realize the most audacious growth, #NoMatterWhat.

Attendee Results:
- Mobilize your team into change agents with the 5 #NoMatterWhat practices to create meaningful growth regardless of the circumstances.
- Lean into the transformation illuminated by the latest brain science behind this radical new approach.
- See how to avoid the pitfalls of growth and how to use the unknown, uncertain and unexpected to advance your objectives.
- Find the presence, peace and authentic connection behind the fear of the unknown
- Be inspired to take and implement the necessary tools to create breakthroughs in every aspect of your business and life.

Sterling was raised in his family’s supermarket, where his Dad created one of the first digital loyalty programs in the US, and together they created the first personalized marketing system for retailers.

Retail today is changing faster than ever before. Venture dollars have accelerated startups flooding the market and COVID-19 has forever changed the face of modern retailing. Taking what he learned in his family’s organization about the creation of value and the importance of people and connection, then combining it with unique, completely new abilities of countless technologies, Sterling explores how we arrived at this point, the surprising future instore for us and how we can create a future which fulfills on our business essentials and delivers on our customers' wants, desires, and needs.

Sterling’s leadership and vision has enabled retailers and their teams to step past the hype that traditional retail is dead. He has empowered organizations to use technology to unify experiences and redefine retail as a flourishing force to be reckoned with, now and in the future.

Attendee Results
- Look at the power shift in the supply chain. Hint, customers are now in charge.
- Open up new possibilities for a retail group can be based on case studies and real results.
- Examine the latest case studies of what’s working and what’s not in the industry.
- Learn how to use the 4 steps of retail innovation.Create new possibilities and potential for your retail and brand operations.
- Humanize technology in the workplace. Confronting and overcoming fears employees may have in the workplace related to technology (taking their jobs, feeling threatened, etc).

We live in a world today of exponential growth and accelerating change. Changing ourselves and our businesses is more necessary than ever. But how? Delivered to global rave reviews in his TEDx talk, Sterling’s background in working with hundreds of startups and Fortune 500 companies has led to the discovery that leading innovation is about embracing our human experience. He’ll illuminate how personal discomfort gives access to breakthrough growth of any type and how to find the courage to not just accept it but to get out ahead of it to be able to lead change as the only competitive advantage.

In this provocative talk, you can step back and see your leadership potential and how it's directly tied to putting yourself on the line for the benefit of those you lead. The talk is a motivational and eye-opening experience where Sterling shares how leaders of companies of any size can embrace the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as robots, IoT and AI and create something completely new without losing who they are in the process.

Attendee Results:
- The critical role our own discomfort plays in our business success (or lack thereof).
- How using discomfort can lead to innovative thinking and breakthrough ideas.
- Experience what the human experience is with a moving and powerful example.
- Learn the methodology behind using constraints, hardships or problems as circumstances to be embraced as our access to innovation.
- Develop an ecology of people who create big goals allows for and even forces actions that were previously unthinkable

Discomfort is inevitable as we all contend with a world disrupted by technology, changed by the pandemic, and fraught with risk, talent shortages and incredible uncertainty. Growth has always been outside our comfort zone, but today it’s forced upon companies and teams in a way that’s unparalleled throughout history. It can quickly become debilitating and exhausting, negatively impacting productivity, morale and ultimately, results.

If discomfort of the unknown is inevitable and growing – leadership necessitates a critical new competency for competitive advantage, hunting discomfort and building their capacity to effectively handle it. Reorienting leaders to the fact that what many may see as the risky move, is less risky than not pursuing it in the long run. Opening executives, teams and cultures to the discomfort of the unknown will ironically leave peace, presence and breakthrough results in its wake – regardless of what’s happening in the world. But it takes the courage of acceptance, the willingness to make mistakes and the vulnerability to let go.

Sterling has been through massive discomfort himself having come back from the brink to sell companies, finish ultra-marathons and get results no matter what it took. Using that experience to work with leaders to hunt their own discomfort and bolstered by cutting edge research, you’ll be equipped with 5 practices to build your discomfort muscle, your capacity to deal with discomfort in any flavor it comes in, to make your team ready for anything and poised to create breakthrough growth.

Attendee Results:
- Radical reframing of discomfort as a necessary and inspiring path to growth (and how avoiding it is holding you back).
- Learn from the latest psychology and brain research on how to use discomfort to learn up to 4x faster.
- See how to access the profound peace on the other side of discomfort to be able to act faster, more effectively and with less stress.
- Understand from case studies and best practices how you can build yourself, your team and your culture to be ready for the unexpected.
- Be lit up and excited to grab onto and use the 5 key practices to create immediate breakthrough results.