About Us - The Leadership Lab
OUR BELIEF

The world and our families are desperate for full-hearted leadership.

CORE FOCUS

Enable leaders to be the best version of themselves at home and work.

CORE VISION

Make the world whole through local communities of full-hearted leaders.

CORE PURPOSE

Provide successful leaders clarity, courage, and confidence to live more meaningful, purposeful and influential lives through our local membership communities and leadership advising.

CORE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

Do good work.
Keep Heart.
Love People.
TRTFOOT (Teddy Roosevelt the F!#* Out of Things)

CORE TENETS

The world and our families are desperate for full-hearted leadership.
We must lead ourselves first.
We can be more than successful.
What got us here won’t get us where we want to go.
We don’t have to go it alone.
Leadership is an art.
When it comes to leadership; EQ>IQ.

MOTTO

Be more than successful.

THE LEADERSHIP ICEBERG
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS
Show Up

Be here now & somewhere else later.
Unplug.
Come Prepared.

Be Brave

Trust takes more courage than time.
Truth is freedom. Freedom is scary.
Lean into confrontations. Offer courageous feedback.
Open up. Practice vulnerability.
The most valuable gift you have to share is your Self.

One person’s work is everyone’s work

We’re more the same than we are different.
Look for similarities and connection (not solution).
Listen for themes.
Engage the story.

Be Curious

Ask honest questions.
Eliminate “Why?”
Avoid Yes/No questions.
Listen before you speak.
Ask the courageous question

Delight

Encouragement is always welcome.
Celebrate yourself. Celebrate others.

Stay True

Practice confidentiality.
Keep your own conscience.
Distrust openly.
Trust your own gut.

MEET OUR COACHES
Stephen James, LPC-MHSP
Stephen James, LPC-MHSP

Principal, Executive Advisor

Stephen has spent his professional career helping others live lives of meaning and significance in several different contexts:

  • sought-after leadership advisor and consultant
  • a private practice psychotherapist working with individuals and couples for almost 20 years
  • mental performance coach with championship-winning head coaches, athletes, and teams from a variety of environments including MLB, MLS, NFL, NHL, Olympics, USL, and the SEC
  • founder & executive director of Sage Hill Counseling
  • co-author of seven books, including the bestselling “Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys.”

Stephen earned his master’s in Counseling from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and his bachelor’s from Belmont University.

He has been married to Heather for over 25 years, and together they have four children.

Scott Hearon
Scott Hearon

Principal, Executive Advisor

Scott is a social entrepreneur who builds and contributes to organizations that influence leaders to live and lead with courage and clarity. His professional contexts include:

  • Leadership advisor and organizational consultant for growth minded solo-preneurs and team leaders seeking clarity and alignment
  • Co-founder and former Executive Director of the Nashville Coaching Coalition
  • Chief Operations Officer for the Leadership Lab
  • Teacher and workshop facilitator for people-centric organizations

Scott, a Nashville native, earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and is certified in the Spiritual Root SystemTM. He is husband to Allison and Dad to Fisher and Hart (and soon to be a third) and their black lab, Ranger.

Brett Williams
Brett Williams

Principal, Executive Advisor

Brett is a commercial real estate (CRE) professional, technologist and committed leader of people. His career has included:

  • 2020-2023 – led a team of 200+ CRE professionals and technologists in support of SitusAMC’s technology initiatives
  • 2004-2020 – founded and led CJC Technologies, a software company servicing CRE lenders globally. CJC was sold to SitusAMC in 2020.
  • 2001-2004 – Led team of technologist in support of integration post acquisition
    and ongoing development of internal systems.
  • 1997-2001 – Principal at Univest Financial Services leading teams in portfolio due diligence and software development. Univest was sold to GMAC
    Commercial Mortgage in 2001.

Throughout his career Brett has focused on servant leadership, working to build a sustainable culture of family, respect, and care. Brett has been an active member of The Leadership Lab since 2020.

Dane Anthony
Dane Anthony

Executive Coach

Dane’s professional path focuses on leading and facilitating conversations of meaning and purpose helping others explore the deeper connections that bring awareness and grounded practices to work and relationships.

He has fostered engagement-centered leadership in the following contexts:

  • more than 30 years in Higher Education as University Chaplaincy, Student Services Administrator, and Faculty member.
  • spiritual guide and mentor for more than 30 years through spiritual direction, vocational discernment, men’s groups, and retreat leadership.
  • 20+ years of experience teaching and consulting with the StrengthsFinder Inventory for individuals and businesses.

Dane earned his bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and his Master of Divinity from Midwestern Seminary.  In addition, he holds certifications in Spiritual Direction and as a Prepared Facilitator in the Circle of Trust Retreat process from the Center for Courage & Renewal.

He has been married for more than 25 years to Maggie. They have 3 grown children.

Haley Boswell
Haley Boswell

Leadership Advisor

Haley’s experience has brought forth a mission that focuses on helping people move through
life from a place of deeper connection, congruency, and originality. In disrupting the status quo,
she guides conversations that find the human heart and release an internal knowing one can be
led by.

Her professional contexts include:

  • Provides therapy and coaching to individuals, couples, and families to uncover their story, make meaning, and step further into who they’re made to be
  • Facilitates small groups and workshops to assist people find connection, experience
    healthy confrontation, and gain clarity
  • Engaged in a Leadership Development Program focused on developing technical leaders
    through coaching, one-on-one mentoring, and community service
  • Traveled to and worked with 10+ manufacturing sites across the country as a Certified
    Quality Auditor (CQA) to lead audits, maintain accreditation requirements and customer
    relationships
  • Experienced in Engineering Management to develop business strategies, oversee operations, and lead teams

Haley earned a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University and
a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Southern Illinois University with an
Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) Certification. She
resides in Nashville, TN with her husband of 14 years, their two children and two great danes.

Rachel Darter
Rachel Darter

Executive Coach

Rachel is an advocate for others who brings together business and personal leadership
skills to help individuals lead lives of meaning and purpose. Rachel’s talents draw from
her ability to intersect her experience in various sectors with her desire to see individuals
and organizations succeed with a heart-led approach. Her experience includes:

  • Worked as an auditor for a Big 4 public accounting firm with an emphasis on
    health care services and large health systems
  • Oversaw connections and hospitality ministry for a church of more than 2,500
  • Facilitates group therapy to help people live more authentically
  • Provides therapy and coaching for individuals to help them embrace tension with
    the goal of movement, healing and change
  • Experience crafting organizational strategy and managing teams

Rachel holds both Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Master of
Accountancy degrees from Belmont University, and a Master of Marriage and Family
Therapy degree from Trevecca Nazarene University. Rachel resides in Nashville, TN. She
is wife to Jim and mother to Eleanor and Owen.

Carlos Evans
Carlos Evans

Advisor

Carlos is a people-first leader who loves the art and science of leadership. He leverages his talents, values, skills, experiences, and story to maximize what is truest and most significant about the leaders that he gets the opportunity to influence and impact.
His leadership experience includes:
  • 20+ years as a Naval Aviator, to include being a Commanding Officer of an operational, forward-deployed Navy squadron of 250 service members.
  • ‎Commercial Airline Pilot for the top domestic U.S. carrier.
  • Talent Development Coach at a leading aerospace company.
  • ‎Founder of a cutting-edge organization serving men in pursuit of faith and growth.
Carlos holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a Master’s in Military Studies and an Executive MBA. He resides in Franklin, TN with his beautiful bride, Casey, and two incredible kids, Claire and Colton.
Ronnie Frizzell
Ronnie Frizzell

Leadership Advisor

Ronnie has coached and facilitated a group coaching process for leaders since 2015. The throughline in his work has always been to help others recover themselves so they can live with vitality, meaning, and impact. His for-profit and non-profit professional contexts include:

  • Leadership and Small Business Coach for small to medium-sized businesses.
  • Teacher and workshop facilitator creating meaningful change and clarity for the future.
  • Led a boutique talent agency partnering with non-profits to raise transformational resources.

Ronnie, hailing from the great nation of Texas, earned his bachelor’s degree from Belmont University and lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Erin and their two young children.

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Sarah Norris, LPC-MHSP
Sarah Norris, LPC-MHSP

Executive Coach

Sarah’s professional experience has always included an element of helping people align who
they are with what they do and how they do it. Having worked in the music business,
professional speaker business and now heart business, Sarah has helped others at the
intersection of head & heart work for a long time:

  • Leads a staff of 15+ counselors, oversees business strategies and operations, as well as
    develops and mentors therapists
  • Provides therapy and coaching for individuals who are stuck, in crisis or desiring some
    type of change
  • Facilitates small groups and workshops to help people live more authentically
  • Has performed in-depth analyses for professional speakers, helping them improve their
    brand & materials, remove barriers and become more bookable
  • Has spent a good portion of her life around on-stage talent, working directly with
    artists/speakers/executives, and developing an instinctive ability for knowing what works
    and what doesn’t

Sarah has a Master’s in Counseling from Dallas Seminary, as well as a Music Business degree
from MTSU. She resides in Nashville, TN with her husband, her daughter, and her second favorite
girl in the world, her beloved dog.

Hilary Solomon
Hilary Solomon

Director, Women's Leadership Community

Hilary’s professional path focuses on facilitating conversations of meaning and purpose with female entrepreneurs, executives, division leaders, and licensed professionals who want to give more to those they love and lead.

Her experience includes:

  • Worked for over 10 years as a brand strategy consultant for Chick-fil-A corporate and creative agencies sharing powerful stories and building brands, programs, campaigns, and consumer experiences.
  • Her multifaceted experience – from public affairs in Washington D.C, brand strategy and innovation, and advertising in Amsterdam – allows Hilary to understand diverse challenges and situations.
  • Currently developing a Women’s Community within the leadership ecosystem for growth-minded, successful female leaders.
  • Certified Executive Coach and workshop facilitator

Hilary earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Furman University and resides in Nashville, TN.  She is married to Bryan and is mom to Clare, Luke and a baby on the way.

MEET OUR TEAM
Neely Rein
Neely Rein

Executive Assistant

Maria Estes
Maria Estes

Hospitality Coordinator