ISSUE #001 | THE LEADERSHIP CONTRARIAN
As I sit here writing this, I want to begin with something simple and honest:
This is the first time in a long time that I’ve sat down to write directly to you, personally, thoughtfully, with intention.
And if I’m being candid… it feels overdue.
For years, our company has done meaningful work with leaders, helping them navigate crises, build teams, increase capacity, grow resilience. And yes, we’ve sent emails. Many of them. Useful ones. Necessary ones.
But what we haven’t done is something I’ve felt deeply called to do:
Write to you from a more personal place - not only as a partner in two companies, a consultant, a coach and the CEO of Half a Bubble Out, but also as Michael:
A husband. A father. A man of faith. And a leader who has weathered storms, large and small.
So today marks the beginning of something new.
This is Issue #001 of The Leadership Contrarian Newsletter, and unlike anything we’ve done before, these posts will come directly from my own heart, my own hand, and my own lived experience.
Because if I’m going to ask leaders to live and lead holistically…
I need to model and share all of it.
For more than 23 years, my wife Kathryn and I have built companies together.
For more than 32 years, we’ve built a marriage.
And for more than 32 years, we’ve pursued one powerful idea:
Your life and your business are not meant to be siloed.
Not emotionally.
Not spiritually.
Not in the way you lead.
Not in the way you show up.
You are one person.
With one soul and one identity.
Moving through different settings.
But the world we grew up in… certainly didn’t teach that.
I grew up in a family where the rule was:
“You behave one way in public, and another at home. You don’t talk about pain. You don’t reveal dysfunction. You protect the family reputation at all costs.”
And like many of you, I learned early on that work, family, faith, relationships -
each belonged in separate boxes.
Neatly labeled.
Neatly divided.
Neatly hidden.
But as I became a man, a husband, a father, and a leader, something in me refused to accept that model.
I didn’t want a divided life.
I didn’t want a divided marriage.
I didn’t want a divided heart.
And I certainly didn’t want to build businesses that forced people to leave part of themselves at the door.
So Kathryn and I chose something different.
We chose a holistic life, messy at times, beautiful at times, but always integrated.
And over the years, something astonishing happened:
Our marriage strengthened.
Our daughter flourished.
Our businesses saw good times and hard times but always weathered the storms.
And the leaders we served began transforming - not just their companies, but their lives.
This newsletter is an extension of that work.
Each week, I’ll share a short message, something practical, something honest, something rooted in the realities leaders face.
My goal is not to add noise to your inbox.
My goal is to create connection.
To offer tools, stories, insights, and truths that help you grow your capacity, build resilience, and become the kind of leader whose life is stronger because it's integrated like a three stranded cord.
Because when your cup gets bigger:
Your world gets better.
Your business gets healthier.
And everyone around you feels the impact.
We’ll also continue sending occasional communication in the form of updates, invitations, resources as “The HaBO Team.”
But this newsletter?
This one is personal.
There’s a reason you’re reading this right now.
Somewhere in your leadership journey, you’ve felt the pull toward something deeper:
A more integrated life.
A healthier business.
A more aligned soul.
A bigger cup.
More resilience.
More capacity.
More joy.
If that resonates - even a little - then you’re in the right place.
And if it doesn’t?
That’s okay too.
This newsletter may not be for everyone.
But for the leaders who feel the tension…
Who feel the potential…
Who feel the call…
What comes next will meet you right where you are - and take you even further.
If any part of this message resonated with you...
Even a sentence...
A phrase...
A feeling...
Would you reply and let me know?
Tell me the one thing that stood out.
The one thing that connected.
The one thing that encouraged you.
I’d love to hear it.
***
Next week, we’ll dive into a topic that has shaped much of our work with leaders over the years:
VUCA
(Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity)
I’ll explain what it means…
and why it matters now more than ever.
Until then...
Keep learning.
Keep growing.
and God bless,
- Michael Redman
Half a Bubble Out (aka: HaBO)
Business Consulting | Leadership Coaching