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Andrew Elliot Stern Group

the hidden secrets of world-class leadership revealed.

I empower individuals and organizations to come alive by creating and fulfilling on their vision for the future.

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💡 burnout breakthrough stories

Greek King Sisyphean pushes his boulder up a never ending incline Melting Into Your Own Seat "Andrew," he slumped into the chair, exhaustion written all over his face. "I've hit up every investor I know, chased down every lead. Feedback’s mixed, and some are dodging my calls. I'm at my wit's end. Maybe it's time to just hit the beach and forget all this." My client, a startup founder, was on the brink. He had Fortune 500 customers, a killer team including an exec twice his age, and plenty of...

29 days ago • 2 min read

The Pitch That Almost Wasn't Ever left a meeting with just a "Send me the deck" and felt something was missing? Setting the Scene Picture this: tasked with pitching a potential game-changer to investors, I found myself hastily assembling numbers with my analyst hours before. I was an executive consultant/"intrapreneur" as a company, and was given a project to present that I - honestly - didn't prioritize until the last minute. As we presented, the enthusiasm in the room was palpable. But...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

How To Make SourDough Bread This week, we're taking an unusual but delightful detour from our regular programming. Sometimes, amid the hustle of leadership and life, what you really need is to master the art of crafting a perfect loaf of sourdough bread. So, let's knead, proof, and bake our way through, because this week's newsletter is all about the warmth and wisdom found in sourdough bread making. Sourdough bread making, with its meticulous, time-intensive process and transformative...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

The Moment Everything Changed I was running for high school student body President. I was 16 years old, and had a great running mate. We were a bit of a favorite. As I was riding my bike around the neighborhood for the upcoming election, it started to hit me: an overwhelming fear of failure. The thought of leading, of being at the forefront, paralyzed me. The idea of speaking in front of 800 of my peers at our annual school event seemed insurmountable. I was crushed, fearing judgment and...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read

A Moment That Defined My Leadership Ever had one of those moments that split your life into 'before' and 'after'? I did, and it's about time I share it with you. This one's about a day that put everything I thought I knew about leadership to the test. Leadership speaker Simon Sinek once talked about how we, as leaders, often rush to judgment when people underperform. The easy route? Write them off, set ultimatums, maybe even show them the door if they don't shape up. But Simon suggested a...

about 2 months ago • 1 min read

Escaping From Prison Imagine being trapped in a cell that’s constantly shrinking around you - because you are growing! Claustrophobic, isn’t it? Now, picture that cell as your comfort zone, and as it shrinks, you’re forced to grow beyond its confines. This is the metaphor for an entrepreneur’s journey, a tale of necessary growth, shedding past selves, and the ache that accompanies it. The Grief of Growth Founders often commiserate about the old days when the company was young and things were...

2 months ago • 2 min read

Duck, Or Get Knocked Out In the midst of a hectic airport scene, a Southwest Airlines employee, struggling to manage a passenger's frustration over a delayed flight, faced an unprecedented challenge. The tension escalated until the customer, overwhelmed by anger, hurled a stanchion at the employee. This moment could have led to predictable outcomes in any other company, with the employee potentially facing severe consequences. Yet, Southwest's CEO chose an unexpected path that would resonate...

2 months ago • 2 min read

Don't Get Wet How tight is your grip? This isn’t just about holding a plastic water bottle with no cap; it’s a metaphor for how you're navigating the tumultuous journey of entrepreneurship. Are you holding on too tight, too loose, or just right? This week, we delve into a concept I often discuss with my clients, one that could redefine your approach to the challenges and uncertainties of leading a startup. The Three Grips: A Tale of Survival 1. The Loose Grip: Consumed by overwork, overwhelm...

3 months ago • 2 min read

On The Edge of ExhaustionImagine this: bloodshot eyes, slumped posture, a voice barely concealing desperation. "Andrew, I'm so tired," a founder confesses to me after a successful fundraising round, now facing the colossal task of growth with that money. This isn't just a story—it's an important crossroads. The Non-Sexy Approach to Founder BurnoutIt's tempting to think of burnout as a rite of passage for passionate founders. But let's get real: passion can only fuel us so far before human...

3 months ago • 1 min read

A Star Before Stardom Imagine a hushed room filled with music industry insiders, all eyes fixed on a small stage in The Bitter End, a renowned venue nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village. The atmosphere is electric, anticipation hanging thick in the air. A young girl takes the stage, her presence both unassuming and captivating. To those in attendance, she was one of many hopefuls; yet, in her, lay A Star Before Stardom. This was not just any performer, but a girl poised on the cusp...who...

3 months ago • 2 min read
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