In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler sits down with Andrea Howard, a U.S. Navy submarine officer, Marshall Scholar, and MIT PhD candidate studying security and strategy. Together, they explore what it means to lead at the intersection of global perspective, academic rigor, and operational responsibility in one of the most demanding environments in the world.

Andrea shares how her journey from Atlanta public schools to the United States Naval Academy, Oxford, King’s College London, and the submarine force shaped her approach to leadership. She reflects on how mentors, civilian professors, and international experiences expanded her perspective and strengthened her ability to make decisions in complex environments where clarity and trust matter most. Her story highlights how broad intellectual curiosity and disciplined execution are not competing traits, but powerful complements in modern leadership.

Listeners will find valuable lessons in Andrea’s experiences beneath the surface and across global institutions, where adaptability, humility, and commitment to purpose are essential to leading well. She also shares insights on how exposure to different cultures and academic disciplines strengthens judgment and prepares leaders to navigate uncertainty with confidence.

The episode concludes with actionable advice for emerging leaders:

• Seek out perspectives beyond your immediate environment.
• Build relationships with mentors who challenge and support you.
• Stay grounded in purpose while expanding your understanding of the world.

Join us in this episode to discover how leadership grows through challenge, curiosity, and service. Andrea’s journey shows that developing a broader lens does not pull leaders away from mission execution. It strengthens their ability to lead when it matters most.

Learn more about Andrea Howard: MIT Political Science profile: https://polisci.mit.edu/people/andrea-howard (polisci.mit.edu) Marshall Scholar profile: https://www.marshallscholarship.org/scholars/scholar-profiles/andrea-howard/ (marshallscholarship.org)

In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler sits down with entrepreneur and customer-loyalty strategist Jason Milen to explore what it really takes to build a business that lasts. Together, they discuss leadership inside a multigenerational family company, the challenges of rebuilding trust after losing customers, and the mindset shift required to move from chasing transactions to creating lasting relationships.

Jason shares lessons from his decades of experience helping grow and reinvent his family’s car wash business, transforming it into a membership-driven model that created predictable revenue and stronger customer loyalty. He explains how leaders can rethink growth by focusing less on acquiring the next customer and more on designing experiences that make people want to stay.

Listeners will hear practical insights from Jason’s journey through setbacks, reinvention, and long-term thinking. He reflects on the importance of resilience, community trust, and building systems that allow businesses to support both customers and leaders over time. Jason also offers perspective on how recurring revenue and loyalty-focused leadership can help organizations create stability in uncertain environments while giving leaders more freedom to focus on what matters most.

The episode concludes with actionable advice for leaders:

• Stop chasing customers and start cultivating relationships.
• Design systems that create predictable growth.
• Build businesses that create freedom, not dependence.

Join us for this episode to learn how loyalty-centered leadership transforms both organizations and the people who lead them. Jason’s story shows how long-term thinking, strong values, and intentional systems can help leaders build something that endures.

Guest Links

Website: https://jasonmilen.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmilen/

In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler sits down with journalist and author Rachel Hartigan to explore the remarkable life and enduring mystery of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. A former writer and editor for National Geographic and The Washington Post, Rachel brings years of research and storytelling expertise to the conversation as she discusses her new book, Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life. Together, Marc and Rachel unpack what Earhart’s life reveals about leadership, courage, and the pursuit of purpose in uncertain environments.

Rachel shares her journey from Nevada to a career in journalism and eventually to writing a book that examines Earhart’s life through four interconnected narratives: her biography and the three leading theories surrounding her disappearance. Along the way, the conversation dives into the challenges of historical investigation, the role of evidence versus assumption, and why certainty can sometimes be the enemy of truth. Rachel also recounts her own experiences traveling on expeditions to remote Pacific islands in search of clues about Earhart’s fate.

Beyond the mystery, the episode highlights the leadership qualities that made Earhart a global icon. From her determination to carve out a path for women in aviation to her ability to lead by example rather than rhetoric, Earhart’s story offers lessons for leaders navigating today’s complex and disruptive environments. Marc and Rachel also explore the power of storytelling in leadership, why data alone rarely moves people, and how great leaders use narrative to connect, inspire, and create meaning.

Listeners will walk away with powerful insights on leadership and personal growth, including:

• Why leaders must often act without having all the answers.
• The importance of resilience when navigating uncertainty.
• How authentic storytelling can inspire action and build connection.

Join us for a fascinating conversation that blends history, mystery, and leadership lessons drawn from one of the most intriguing figures of the twentieth century.

Connect with Rachel Hartigan: Website: https://rachelhartiganauthor.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheljhartigan/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rachelhartiganauthor.com