In this special memorial episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen honors the extraordinary life and influence of Larry Cassidy—Marine Corps officer, corporate leader, Vistage Master Chair, mentor, and friend. Drawing from multiple past interviews, Sorensen reconstructs Larry’s story, weaving together personal history, powerful coaching moments, signature questions, and original tribute songs written in Larry’s honor.

Born in 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Larry excelled academically and showed an early aptitude for public speaking. He later served as a Marine Corps Lieutenant and Captain, leading Marines in the Pacific region with discipline, courage, and “bark on the wood” truthfulness—a philosophy that shaped his entire coaching career.

After a distinguished corporate career at General Mills, Quaker Oats, and Wilson Sporting Goods, Larry became a Vistage/TEC Chair in 1987. Over 38 years he earned numerous Vistage awards—including the Robert Nourse Chair of the Year Award and multiple Master Chair Awards—and became one of the most respected leaders in the Vistage global community.

Sorensen pays tribute to his friend through archival dialogue, reflective commentary, and two original songs: “Bark on the Wood – The Unvarnished Truth” and “He Learned to Listen to Understand.”

Larry discovered his true calling—guiding leaders through curiosity-driven, truth-seeking, deeply human conversations. He built a reputation for:

• piercing, soul-searching questions
• empathetic listening
• courageous truth-telling (“with the bark on”)
• community-building (“The Romper Room” chair gatherings)
• and an unwavering belief in each leader’s potential

The Arete Coach Podcast continues to explore the art and science of executive coaching at the highest levels. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on the 23rd day of November, 2025. Portions were previously recorded on January 4th, 2021, December 22nd, 2022, and December 12th, 2024,

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

In this special episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen—executive coach, bestselling author of The AI Whisperer series, and curator of the Arete Coach Podcast—presents a solo discussion on the accelerating rise of artificial intelligence and its implications for leaders, workers, and society at large. Recorded on September 28, 2025, via Zoom, the episode titled “Reimagining and Bridge Building” explores the frameworks behind Sorensen’s two newest books: The Great Reimagining and Building Tomorrow.

With decades of leadership coaching experience and a reputation as a forward-thinking strategist, Severin Sorensen brings deep perspective and actionable vision to this pivotal moment in history through two new books:

• The Great Reimagining: A blueprint for navigating AI-driven disruption through balanced taxation of AI profits, Workfare 2.0 income supports, sovereign AI investment funds, and “The Solomon Solution”—a surplus-sharing framework designed to prevent the polarization of “makers vs. takers.”
• Building Tomorrow: A guide for youth, parents, and educators that frames 30 enduring “hard problems” in areas such as water scarcity, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and environmental stewardship. Written for STEAM-oriented learners, the book encourages the next generation to become problem-solvers in an AI-augmented future.
• Thought leadership: Sorensen has recently published academic work on agentic AI, led large-scale workshops with executives and Vistage Chairs, and integrated the latest generative AI applications into business strategy and executive coaching practices.

Key Insights for Executive-Level Coaches

• AI acceleration and agency: 2025 has seen the dawn of agentic AI—models capable of recursive self-improvement and behaviors that mimic consciousness, raising new opportunities and responsibilities for leaders.
• Bridging disruption with design: The “bridge model” reframes AI disruption not as inevitable collapse, but as a design challenge requiring intentional policy, economic, and community-building responses.
• Work with purpose: Sorensen stresses that while paychecks matter, meaning, identity, and community remain paramount. Coaches must help clients navigate grief, displacement, and reinvention with dignity.
• No one crosses alone: Communities of reinvention—peer circles, guilds, and city hubs—are vital in turning disruption into belonging and shared growth.
• The builder’s mindset: The future is not something that happens to us but something we co-create. Leaders, policymakers, and coaches must “grab a plank” and build the bridge toward flourishing.

The Arete Coach Podcast continues to explore the art and science of executive coaching at the highest levels. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on September 28, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

In this insightful episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen interviews Stephen Bruyant-Langer, a distinguished executive coach, keynote speaker, bestselling author, associate professor, and founder of The Personal Business Plan (PBP). Recorded on February 28, 2025, via Zoom, this episode explores transformative coaching methodologies, future-oriented life planning, and the structure behind personal reinvention .

With an episode titled, "Design Your Future: Blueprint for Life and Career Success", Stephen Bruyant-Langer brings a wealth of corporate and entrepreneurial experience:

• Corporate and executive search experience: Stephen’s early career spanned 15 years in global marketing roles at L’Oréal and Coca-Cola. He then spent two decades in executive search, including a tenure as Managing Partner of Korn Ferry Denmark .
• Transformational pivot: A personal life crisis became the catalyst for his transition to coaching. He developed The Personal Business Plan, a proprietary methodology for life and career planning now used in over 90 countries .
• Thought leadership: Stephen is the author of three influential books: Career, The Personal Business Plan, and The Existential Playbook, addressing themes of success, personal strategy, and meaning .

Key Insights for Executive-Level Coaches

1. Start with the future in mind: Stephen advocates for "future-back" planning—coaching clients to envision life 10–30 years ahead, then reverse-engineer the pathway with clarity and intention .
2. Structure breeds freedom: His 10-session coaching process provides the structure needed for clients to explore deeply while ensuring measurable outcomes—a concept he dubs "freedom systematized" .
3. Pedagogical integration: Stephen combines coaching, curated readings, and a robust online toolkit to help clients create a comprehensive, 100-page life strategy document .
4. Master the Choice-Action-Responsibility model: This mental model targets client blind spots, helping coaches diagnose and address areas where clients may procrastinate, blame, or ruminate .
5. Be available, be present: For high-performing leaders, availability builds trust. Stephen underscores the importance of concierge-level, just-in-time coaching to accelerate impact .

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on February 28, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.