Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.
Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163
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Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.
Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163
He Built Coach Into a $5 Billion Company, But Feared Failure Every Day | Lew Frankfort
The Anxious Achiever
45 minutes
2 weeks ago
He Built Coach Into a $5 Billion Company, But Feared Failure Every Day | Lew Frankfort
What happens when one of America’s most admired CEOs admits that fear of failure never left him, even after building a multi-billion-dollar brand? In this episode, I sit down with Lewis Frankfort, the former CEO who transformed Coach from a small leather goods company into a global powerhouse and coined the term “accessible luxury”. Lew shares about the lifelong anxiety that drove him to excel, the depressive episodes that followed high-pressure seasons, and the methods to stay grounded, from meditation and exercise to cognitive coaching and “magic and logic” leadership. Get ready to see how even the most accomplished leaders are powered by the same fears and how facing them with purpose, curiosity, and compassion unlocks greatness.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 Meet Lew Frankfort, former CEO of Coach, Inc.
02:00 How was the term “accessible luxury” born?
06:15 How do high-performing leaders manage depression?
10:00 Ways to turn fear of failure into fuel for growth.
14:00 The discipline that turned Coach into a best-in-class business.
19:30 What happens when success leads to disconnection and burnout.
23:30 Daily practices that restore energy and emotional balance.
26:00 Lew’s first mental health toolkit.
30:00 Interviewing method to uncover self-awareness and potential blind spots.
36:15 Why great leaders hire for complementarity, not similarity.
40:30 Lew’s “Three-Bucket Framework” for CEOs.
43:00 Why therapy and mental health care should be normalized for every leader.
Resources + Links
Get your copy of Lew’s book, “Bag Man: The Story Behind the Improbable Rise of Coach” HERE
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow Lew Frankfort on LinkedIn @lewfrankfort
The Anxious Achiever
Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.
Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163
