Balancing Founder Vision with Operational Discipline

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Lew Frankfort is an American business executive who grew Coach from $6 million in sales to a $5 billion global brand during his 35-year tenure. Joining Coach in 1979, he became CEO and Chairman, taking the company public in 2000 and pioneering the "accessible luxury" market segment. Named multiple times to Barron's "World's Most Respected CEOs" and Institutional Investor's "Best CEOs in America," he retired in 2014 and co-founded Benvolio Group, investing in early-stage consumer brands. 

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/lew-frankfort/ 

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➡️ Talking Points

00:00 – Intro

01:22 – Why Lew Started Writing After Retiring

04:37 – Thriving Under Pressure

07:45 – Finding Your Career North Star

10:17 – The Danger of Being “Too Principled”

15:29 – Lew’s Path Into Leadership

20:28 – What Great Leadership Looks Like

21:37 – Sponsor Break

24:37 – Carrying the Coach Legacy Forward

34:00 – The Power of Magic & Logic

44:01 – Sponsor Break

46:53 – Balancing Intuition and Strategy

50:05 – What Drives Lew Today

54:44 – Opening Up About the Dark Side of Leadership

59:36 – The Role of Fear in Success

1:02:42 – Advice to His 20-Year-Old Self

1:04:23 – The Big Idea Behind His New Book

1:05:12 – The Lesson He Wants to Leave His Kids