On this episode of The Sea Captain Leadership Podcast, host Phil Bender sits down with Danny Kenny—leadership and performance coach, behavioral scientist, former college soccer player, and facilitator with organizations such as Inspirecore and the McChrystal Group.

Danny’s story is one of identity, resilience, and meaning. After years of defining himself through athletic performance, the end of his playing career sparked a profound personal transition. That journey led him into the world of behavioral science, human performance, and leadership development—ultimately shaping a mission to help others “unlock their lives” and pursue aligned, purposeful success.

Together, Phil and Danny explore how performance is built, how identity evolves, and how leaders can move from striving to living with intention, authenticity, and clarity.

How Danny’s early experiences in sports shaped his view of teamwork, discipline, and leadership—and how those lessons became the foundation of his coaching approach.

Danny shares why he pursued a PhD to understand why people act the way they do—and how research-based insight informs real, human-centered development.

A look at Danny’s approach to designing learning experiences—from intentional agendas to behavioral systems—and why structure matters in real change.

When the cheering stops, many athletes face a loss of direction. Danny opens up about his own transition and how that experience now fuels his work helping others navigate major life and career shifts.

We discuss the shift from high performance to aligned performance—where success is not just measured, but felt.

Danny shares how he helps individuals reconnect to meaning, values, and self-leadership.

Danny reflects on the projects that inspire him today—from coaching leadership teams to writing his Seeking Wisdom newsletter—and shares his vision for helping people make work more human, fulfilling, and alive.

• Performance isn’t just skill—it’s identity, purpose, and environment.
• True growth happens when we ask who we are becoming, not just what we’re achieving.
• Learning design shapes behavior change; change doesn’t happen by accident.
• Transitions are invitations—opportunities to redefine what matters most.
• Leadership begins with self-awareness and expands outward through intentional influence.

Connect with us

SeaCaptainCoaching.com


Instagram link


FB link

Connect with Phil


LinkedIn

Now Available!


The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

On this episode of The Sea Captain Leadership Podcast, Phil Bender sits down with Eric Doherty, President & CEO of DPE International, a global AI and healthcare consulting firm. Eric’s career has spanned pharmaceutical leadership, medical device commercialization, global business development, and now the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.

Rooted in a childhood surrounded by science and medicine — with a pharmacist father and microbiologist mother — Eric has dedicated his work to helping organizations harness data, technology, and innovation to drive better decisions and improve lives.

This conversation explores how AI is reshaping entire industries, what leaders must understand about navigating disruption, and the mindset shifts required to move from reaction to vision.

What We Discuss

From Healthcare Foundations to Global Strategy

Eric shares how his upbringing and early career in healthcare shaped his understanding of how systems function — and why change often requires rethinking those systems from the ground up.

Founding DPE International

Eric explains the problem his firm set out to solve: helping organizations not just adopt technology, but integrate it strategically. The role of AI has dramatically expanded in that mission.

AI as a Catalyst — Not a Replacement

We explore how AI is currently impacting healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and digital health — including which applications matter now and which are still emerging.

Leadership in an Era of Disruption

Industries are shifting fast. Jobs are changing. Efficiency is increasing — sometimes painfully.

Eric and Phil discuss:

• Why adaptability is now the defining leadership skill
• How transparency and communication shape trust during change
• How to ensure transformation is human-centered, not just cost-driven

Navigating Change Without Losing Culture

From COVID diagnostic systems to AI-enabled workflow design, Eric reflects on lessons in resilience, clarity, and guiding organizations through uncertainty.

Preparing for the Next Decade

Eric offers grounded, strategic guidance for leaders who want to remain relevant:

• Stay curious
• Invest in systems, not just tools
• Lead from values, not fear

Key Insights

• AI is not about replacing people — it’s about elevating human intelligence with better data and better systems.
• Leadership during disruption requires clarity of mission, not just efficiency.
• The organizations that thrive are the ones willing to rethink how they work — not just what they do.

About The Sea Captain Leadership Podcast

Hosted by Phil Bender, Founder & CEO of Sea Captain Coaching, this podcast explores the systems, habits, and decisions that empower leaders to build alignment, grow intentionally, and create lasting impact.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Eric

• Kim and Morgan first met in high school and stayed connected through early career chapters in financial services.
• 
  
• Rekroot began as a coaching and consulting firm before evolving into its signature recruiting and recruiter development model.

1. Coaching
2. 
   
3. Consulting
4. 
   
5. Recruiting
6. 
   
7. Recruiter Development & Placement Support

Their model is intentionally integrated—designed to help firms not just hire, but hire well and sustainably.

• Rekroot’s placement fee includes a year-long training program after the recruiter has been hired.
• 
  
• This long-term development model is designed to build confidence, skill, and clarity around the recruiting function.
• 
  
• The result: average recruiter retention of ~3 years, compared to the industry norm of about one year.

• Rekroot pioneered contract recruiting for financial services firms before it became common.
• 
  
• The goal: allow firms to scale responsibly while testing and developing recruiting capacity before committing to full-time roles.

• One of Rekroot’s core business principles is direct and real feedback.
• 
  
• Transparency accelerates alignment between leadership expectations and recruiter performance.
• 
  
• It also builds trust and strengthens long-term partnerships with client firms.

• Kim and Morgan share the mentors and leaders who shaped them—and how modeling confidence, clarity, and empowerment has defined their firm’s culture.
• 
  
• Their work is rooted in helping others see who they can become, not just who they are today.

Hosted by Phil Bender, CEO of Sea Captain Coaching, this podcast explores leadership, growth, culture, and the systems that bring vision into reality—especially within entrepreneurial financial services.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Website: https://rekrootpartner.com

LinkedIn

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage: The Adventure of Your Lifetime

This podcast features Christian “Boo” Boucousis, a former Australian fighter pilot who’s turned his elite aviation mindset into a framework for high performance and leadership.

Boo is now the CEO of Afterburner, and his journey is one of transformation — from being diagnosed with ADHD and a debilitating auto-immune disorder, to becoming a human behavior specialist, strategist, and sought-after keynote speaker.

He’s proof that excellence isn’t born — it’s built.

Key points:

• Boo is neurodiverse and grew up with ADHD, and Phil and Boo talk about why these experiences with adversity gave Boo an edge as a leader.
• Phil and Boo dive in to the unlikely transition from the precision and discipline of being a fighter pilot and moving to the complexity of running a business and advising global leaders.
• The Get It Done (GID) Mindset is one that Boo embraces.
• The Flawless Leadership model is a framework that emphasizes speed, alignment, and adaptability.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Christian “Boo” Boucousis

LinkedIn

Website: https://callmeboo.com

AI Agent (Ask Boo’s book questions): https://ai.afterburner.com

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage: The Adventure of Your Lifetime

This podcast features Jevon Wooden of Bright Minds Consulting.

Jevon is an Bronze Star–awarded Army veteran turned leadership advisor, keynote speaker, and coach. He partners with organizations and entrepreneurs to increase retention, strengthen leadership, and build cultures that drive growth.

And now, Jevon is inspired to live a life leading others to be their best version of themselves.

Key points:

• Jevon inspires others to accelerate their growth by leading with empathy.
• Jevon served in Afghanistan, where he worked in the technology field. He didn’t want to continue with a career in the technology sector, so he looked elsewhere, and coaching is what caught his eye. He became ICF-certified, and then took advantage of professional coaches himself to overcame his own depression and help manage his PTSD.
• Listen in and hear Jevon and Phil discuss Vulnerability as a Super Power and Mistakes as Growth in Disguise.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Jevon Wooden

LinkedIn

https://brightmindconsultinggroup.com

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage: The Adventure of Your Lifetime

This podcast features Kim and Joe Koenig, who have been married for more than 30 years and have three sons and two grandchildren.

Joe is president of World Wide Technology in St. Louis. He joined the company in 1993 when it was a startup. Today the company is a global technology solutions provider with more than $20 billion in revenue.

Kim holds a Masters in Public Administration and after a career in Community Development and serving as CEO of their home, she now serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives of St. Louis’ Jesuit High School, De Smet.

Along with having successful careers, a strong marriage and raising a family, they have battled possibly their biggest challenge of all: Joe’s cancer diagnosis. He was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2017 and given a 50 percent chance to live beyond five years.

Key points:

• This is a truly inspirational story you won’t want to miss.
• 
  
• Joe and Kim took this adversity, overcame it, and are transforming it into good. Not only did they beat the cancer, but they are helping others who are walking a similar path.
• 
  
• Joe and Kim now share their story and are living testimony proof that resilience, perseverance and positivity serve as a backbone for building a foundation for going toe-to-toe with serious health challenges and overcoming adversity in general.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Joe Koenig

LinkedIn

Connect with Kim Koenig

LinkedIn

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage: The Adventure of Your Lifetime

This podcast features Gray Rudd, who along with Josie Secola, spearhead NORA Partners.

Nora Partners is an Operations Consulting Firm that helps financial services firms bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to go.

Key points:

• The Consulting group works with financial services ensembles and partnerships to refine operations, optimize client experience, and focus teams to help them scale their practice and prepare for exponential growth.
• Phil and Gray talk about “Scale” and how to recognize the need for Ensembles and Partnerships to develop it.
• Nora not only works on Scale with its clients but also Leadership of their firms, which includes Vision, Values and Designing Training. FA’s can be really great at selling and managing clients, but NOT running a business.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Gray and Josie

Nora-Partners.com

LinkedIn

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage: The Adventure of Your Lifetime

Elyse Stoner and Angela York discuss how their firm Event Advisors transforms routine Financial Services events into tailored and powerful relationship-building experiences on this podcast.

Event Advisors helps create and host client events that are not only lavish, but meaningful. Their philosophy centers around achieving high event ROM - Return on the Moment™ by focusing on what truly matters: your clients.

Phil and the pair discuss how focusing on client-focused goal-setting, intricate planning, and thorough follow-up ensures each event moment resonates with your attendees and fosters genuine relationships, even after the event ends.

Key points:

• Angela and Elyse focus on incorporating the concept of ROM, or Return on the Moment in your business.
• The pair share a few tips to consider when planning an event for clients.
• Elyse and Angela work with existing administration and their teams on their events, or can plan an event from start to finish. Their website reflects the scope of their business and the different packages they offer.

SeaCaptainCoaching.com

Instagram link

FB link

Connect with Phil

LinkedIn

Connect with Event Advisors

https://event-advisors.net

LinkedIn

Now Available!

The Sea Captain Way for Financial Advisors

The Voyage