In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Stark, Navy SEAL veteran turned leadership coach. Kevin shares how his journey from military service to personal and leadership development has shaped the way he helps leaders, executives, veterans, and teams live with more purpose and clarity.

Kevin’s work focuses on guiding clients to manage energy, self-awareness, and structure in life so they can be better leaders, parents, and humans.

We talk about:

• Quick Icebreakers:

  • Favorite books → Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, How to Be Free by Epictetus, plus the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita • Favorite movies → The Last of the Mohicans, Dances with Wolves, The Goonies • Weird fact → He can immerse himself in any genre of music, from George Strait to Slayer to ’90s hip hop.

• His coaching style is authentic and adaptive. He resists over-niching, choosing instead to let his pulse and message attract the right people. His clients include executives, veterans, parents, and anyone seeking deeper alignment.

• Kevin’s best clients share humility, courage, and the willingness to fail and try again. His proudest moments come when capable people gain patience and self-awareness to cross the bridge from knowing → doing → being.

• One powerful story: a surgeon he coached found himself calmer and more focused during a high-stakes operation—down from a “10” stress level to a “6”—because of practices they worked on together.

• On tough clients: sometimes people show up excited but won’t do the work. Accountability matters, and clients must take steps themselves to not only measure their responsibility, but to improve it. He views coaching as true partnership between the people involved.

• He emphasizes accountability as one of the most underrated but crucial parts of coaching. But they have to commit to action.

• Soapbox: modern life has made us transactional and impatient. True growth requires slowing down, wrestling with challenges, and building patience. Wisdom is discovered within the struggle.

• How he grows his coaching business: Kevin leads with service and authenticity. His focus is deep, personal connections with a few clients and retreat participants each year, mixing veterans with business leaders to create powerful shared experiences.

🔗 Connect with Kevin: aretepath.com

🔗 Find him on LinkedIn: Kevin Stark