Campfire Lessons for Leaders How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward

Introduction: Why Are We Drawn to the Campfire? 1: You Have the Power to Create Your World. 2: Out of Darkness Comes the Light. 3: Embrace Emotional Courage. 4: Failing Forward: The Art of Navigating Setbacks. 5: Disrupt Your Thinking. 6: Don’t Put Yourself In A Box. 7: Fight for What You Believe In. 8: Take the Courageous Leap. 9: Stay Curious and Evolve As You Grow. 10: Don’t Go It Alone. Conclusion: Divergent Minds, Convergent Hearts

Biography

Tony Martignetti, Chief Inspiration Officer at Inspired Purpose Partners, is a trusted advisor, leadership coach and facilitator, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker. He brings together over 25 years of business and leadership experience and extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. Find out more about Tony at www.ipurposepartners.com.

Marshall Goldsmith

Engaging and powerful! Drawing from the stories of world-class leaders, Campfire Lessons offers a grounded and insightful approach to leadership. Get inspired and discover practical tips to start becoming a better leader for your team and company today.

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times Bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

 

Peter Bregman

"Campfire Lessons for Leaders" is a captivating exploration of the power of introspection and personal growth. As a leadership and change expert, I appreciate the book's unique approach to showcasing the importance of self-awareness and reflection in achieving success. Tony’s ability to draw parallels between their stories and the broader human experience makes this book an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to gain insight into their own journey. Tony's engaging storytelling and thought-provoking insights will inspire you to embrace your past and use it as a catalyst for positive change in your life. Highly recommended.

Peter Bregman, #1 Executive Coach, Bestselling Author of Leading with Emotional Courage, and Leadership Expert

 

Dorie Clark

By exploring the past, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and develop the self-awareness that is essential for growth and success. This book offers a practical roadmap for uncovering and making sense of our personal histories, and I particularly appreciate Tony's compassionate approach. "Campfire Lessons for Leaders" is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand how their past experiences can propel them forward and achieve their goals. Highly recommended!

Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game and executive education faculty, Duke University Fuqua School of Business

 

 

 

 

Whitney Johnson

Tony Martignetti's “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” is aptly named. He has a gift for conversation, for connection, and for evoking the feeling of a campfire. Interestingly, Tony started his career in life sciences. Now, through conversation and curiosity, he brings people and their stories to life. Lovely.

Whitney Johnson, CEO of Disruption Advisors, a Thinkers50 Top 10 Management Thinker, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

 

Ron Carucci

For years now, we’ve heard that vulnerability and authenticity are hallmarks of great leaders and great humans. But what does that actually look like when done well? Author Tony Martignetti invites us into sacred space – the intimate moments around proverbial campfires where we let down our guards, open our hearts and minds, and reveal the deepest desires and angst about our future. Through compelling, heartfelt stories, the guests of Tony’s podcast, The Virtual Campfire, disclose the journeys they’ve traveled to marvelous discoveries of their gifts and aspirations. Through their stories, you’ll delve more deeply into your own and discover aspects of yourself you’d not imagined. So pull up to the fire, pour your favorite beverage, get your favorite blanket, and dive into this book and, through it, into your own story.”

Ron Carucci, Managing Partner, Navalent, Best-Selling Multi-Award-Winning Author of Rising to Power and To Be Honest

 

Laura Gassner Otting

The secret to our future can be found in our past, and the best way to uncover lessons from our journeys is through the act of telling our stories. In Campfire Lessons for Leaders, Tony Martignetti uses the power of storytelling to provide practical tools and strategies to help us all.

Laura Gassner Otting, Author, Speaker, Catalyst, and Executive Coach

 

 

 

 

Alisa Cohn

Stories form our lives, and Tony Martignetti is an expert on helping us mine our past stories, transform them, and help us fulfill our true mission in life. In “Campfire Lessons for Leaders,” he shares wonderful stories from others along with practical tools to help you get in touch with your own stories so that you can propel yourself toward a powerful future. A wonderful and useful book!

Alisa Cohn, Executive Coach and Author of From Start-up to Grown-up

 

Todd Cherches

The classic image and metaphor of “gathering ‘round the campfire” brings to mind the sharing of stories, bonding with others, and taking some time for self-reflection. And that – and so much more – is what we get from this wonderful new book by leadership coach Tony Martignetti. Drawn from his more than 200 podcast interviews, Tony shares with us a wealth of valuable leadership and life lessons learned from many of the top authors and thought leaders of our era. Both a leadership book and a self-help book, “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” provides us with tales of transformation themed around the author’s innovative and powerful “Three C’s” framework, leading us on an engaging, enlightening, and empowering journey of exploration and discovery that will enable us to uncover our purpose and our passion…and turn our visions into realities.

Todd Cherches, CEO and Executive Coach, BigBlueGumball, and Author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life

 

Franziska Iseli

If you're looking for a book that combines insightful interviews and the transformative power of storytelling, then Tony’s book is the one. Tony, a gifted interviewer, understands how to masterfully draw out the wisdom of his interviewees, helping readers understand themselves and the world in a more profound way. Whether you're on a quest for personal growth, looking to be enlightened, or sparking your imagination, I highly recommend Tony’s work.

 

Franziska Iseli, Marketing & Brand Strategist. Founder of Basic Bananas & Oceanlovers. Mentor, Author & Global Speaker

 

 

 

Alain Hunkins

In "Campfire Lessons for Leaders: How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward,” every page shines with Tony Martignetti’s three principles of grounded leadership: Curiosity, Compassion, and Connection. The book is filled with insightful stories from dynamic leaders who share their own lessons learned so that we can benefit from their wisdom. You would be well served to take a seat around this “Campfire” to listen and learn.

Alain Hunkins, CEO, Hunkins Leadership Group, Author, Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders 

 

Paula Rizzo

Tony’s writing resonates with those of us in moments of growth. With his kind and insightful way, he digs into deeper topics to incorporate your past journey into your future. His book, “Campfire Lessons for Leaders,” is a path to living a happier and more purposeful life.

Paula Rizzo, Best-Selling Author of Listful Thinking & Listful Living, Speaker, Media Trainer, Emmy-Award Winning Video/TV Producer, Productivity Expert, LinkedIn Learning Instructor

 

Nihar Chhaya

“Campfire Lessons for Leaders” by Tony Martignetti is a compelling exploration of the power of storytelling and how we can use our past experiences to gain more meaning and insight into our present life and prepare for the journey ahead. As a former guest on Tony's Virtual Campfire podcast, l experienced firsthand Tony’s gift for uncovering the stories of others. In real-time and through masterful conversation, he demonstrates the power of taking these stories and using them in intentional ways toward future fulfillment. What I love about this book is that in addition to stories, it’s filled with practical advice based on Tony’s "flashpoints" concept as a way of better understanding their own journey and charting a path forward. Campfire Lessons for Leaders is a must-read, whether you're going through a major life transition or just looking to add more purpose to your daily routine.

Nihar K. Chhaya, MBA, MA, MCC, President, PartnerExec

 

 

 

Dolores Hirschmann

“Campfire Lessons for Leaders” is an artful co-creation led by Tony Martignetti. In this book, Tony creates intentional space for deep conversations with leaders who have overcome challenges and have harnessed their journeys to create a powerful future. Tony's unique gift to leading powerful conversations and accessing deep insights from his podcast guests has led to this wonderful compilation of insights that will guide you, the reader, to uncover your past to reveal your future. It is a must-read for anyone looking to create meaning and impact in their lives.

Dolores Hirschmann, Clarity, Communications & Virtual Business Strategist, Speaker & Author, TEDxOrganizer

 

Dave Melville

Tony has a fantastic ability to dive into people's psyches and identify what motivates them. His book pulls back the curtain on what it takes to live a purpose-filled life.

Dave Melville, CEO & Founder at The Bowdoin Group

 

Larry Gennari

Vocation, the great Frederick Beuchner said, is “the place where our deep gladness meets the world's deep need.” For almost all of us, our days are spent in advance of far more prosaic goals, often out of necessity but also because intentionality is hard, elusive, and sometimes unsettling. Thinking about our own stories - and considering why we can end up in the same old familiar places - is the first and best step for vocational discernment and, ultimately, to self-fulfillment. Tony’s book is a worthy companion for those leaders who want to make this important journey.

Larry Gennari, Attorney & Law Professor or Larry Gennari, Attorney, Gennari Aronson, LLP 

Oleg Konovalov

Vision is a collective understanding of how the future will look like and what value it will create for all. In "Campfire Lessons for Leaders: How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward,” Tony Martignetti tapped elegantly into the personal visions of prominent leaders and experts and shared powerful lessons to fuel our vision. My highest recommendations.

Oleg Konovalov, one of the top global thought leaders, the da Vinci of visionary leadership

Luke Timmerman

We all need time to explore, discover what our gifts are, and bring them to life. Tony Martignetti, in a revealing series of interviews that are the basis for this book, digs beneath the surface to learn about how people discovered their gifts and then found their own path to success. This is a book for anyone seeking to reach their full potential at work and in life.

Luke Timmerman, Biotech Journalist, Author, Entrepreneur, Founder of The Timmerman Report

 

Ed Evarts

I think we can all remember sitting around a campfire when we were children and hearing stories that scared us in a fun way. Who would have thought that we might have actual stories from our past that could influence, impact, or even scare us? Tony has collected a treasure trove of stories and experiences of courage, inspiration, and creativity into this fabulous collection. As a student of bravery in the workplace, I love how Lesson Three - Embrace Emotional Courage inspires readers to acknowledge and welcome feelings that may be uncomfortable to explore - isn’t this what positive and meaningful progress is all about?

Ed Evarts, Leadership and Team Coach and author of Drive Your Career: 9 High-Impact Ways to Take Responsibility for Your Own Success

 

Lane Gardner

Tony's on to something here! There's so much wisdom, insight, and healing to be found in understanding our past experiences. By uncovering and recovering important parts of ourselves, often buried and disowned during difficult parts of our journey, we can discover more of our true essence, more of our innate brilliance. This book is a gift to all those seeking a more aligned, purposeful, and fulfilling life!

Lane Gardner, Speaker, Singer/Songwriter, and Author of LIFELINE: Recovering Your Mental Wellness Through Uncovering Your Creative Brilliance

 

 

 

 

Jeff Gothelf

In a world seeking inspiration, this book manages to uncover it for us in a familiar place — our past experiences. Through personal, vulnerable, and practical storytelling, the reader is carried further into their own journey not only with inspiration but with clear steps to take forward. A must-read in today’s world.

Jeff Gothelf, Author of Forever Employable and Sense & Respond

 

Nate Regier

Tony Martignetti combines vast personal and professional experience with wisdom stories from hundreds of courageous people to distill the narrative of how compassion can create transformation. Our past, no matter how rough, can be a catalyst for growth when we learn how to be with ourselves and others through the struggle. “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” connects the dots between the challenges of our past, the uncertainty of our present, and the purpose of our future. Compelling. Relatable. Inspiring.

Nate Regier, Ph.D., CEO and Founding Owner of Next Element Consulting, Author and Speaker

 

Celine Schillinger

With this book and the stories he has gracefully collected from the most diverse and exciting guests, Tony Martignetti does us a great service: he broadens our perspectives. Yes, the powerful transformations recounted here were possible. They were achieved by people from all walks of life, and Tony himself did not lack courage. This uplifting and optimistic book invites us to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead, including those we create for ourselves. There are more than we often imagine.

Celine Schillinger, Author of “Dare to Un-Lead," Porchlight 2022 Leadership & Strategy Book of the Year. Founder & CEO at We Need Social

 

 

 

 

 

Steven Morris

"Campfire Lessons for Leaders: How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward" is a book that speaks to the heart, calling us to reflect on the experiences that have shaped us and embrace them as a catalyst for growth. In this inspiring work, Tony Martignetti invites us to sit around the campfire of our own lives to share our stories and connect with others.

Through Tony's own personal journey and the stories of others, we come to see that our past can be a powerful source of insight and transformation if only we are willing to look at it with eyes of compassion and understanding. By embracing our vulnerability and sharing our stories, we find a sense of belonging and connection that nourishes our souls. You’ll warm the heart of your past and nourish your future with “Campfire Lessons for Leaders.”

Steven Morris, Brand & Culture Building Expert, Business Strategist, Author of “The Beautiful Business,” and Artist. Matterco.co

 

Kelly Wendorf

Tony Martignetti brings a voice of sanity, equanimity, and compassion to the often-intimidating underworld of self-discovery. In ”Campfire Lessons for Leaders:  How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward,” he creates conditions for harvesting the important insights our history bestows and honors those insights with the integrity they deserve.

Kelly Wendorf, Author of Flying Lead Change - 56 Million Years of Wisdom for Leading and Living (Sounds True)

 

Michael O’Brien

“Campfire Lessons for Leaders” is the book I wish I had at the start of my career. Along with his campfire guests, Tony does an amazing job of weaving stories of letting go and rebirth that will help anyone wishing to live a fulfilled life and create a vibrant career. Campfire Lessons makes s'mores taste better, so grab a seat by the fire and breathe in Tony's wisdom.

Michael O’Brien, Tech Start-Up CEO, Creator of The Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation App, Executive Coach

 

 

Leslie Williams

If you're looking to discover and live out your purpose, then Tony's book is the perfect roadmap. He has a gift of uncovering how the ‘flashpoints’ in life converge to define the purpose and drive growth. Through skillful and probing interviews of impactful leaders, he elucidates the evolution of different pathways that lead to success. His genuine conversations and insights motivate readers to take action on their journey to find what truly matters. His enthusiasm for life and passion for helping others to discover their full potential is remarkable. There's no doubt that Tony's book will open your eyes to the possibilities within yourself and provide a guide to help you on your personal journey. I wholeheartedly recommend this inspiring and informative work by an inspirational writer. Read it and gain clarity on uncovering your unique journey driven by purpose!

Leslie J Williams, Co-Founder, President & CEO, hC Bioscience

 

Paula Soteropoulos

Tony Martignetti takes readers on a journey of self-discovery through captivating and compelling stories of individuals from different backgrounds and circumstances. The key themes he has teased out provide insights and common learnings we can each identify in our own past. His unique focus on “flashpoints” in our life is a practical, yet powerful way to reflect on what has shaped us and moved us toward living a purposeful and inspired-driven life. A thought-provoking yet practical read!

Paula Soteropoulos, Biotech Executive Leader, Venture Investor & Entrepreneur, Board Director

 

Joanne Kamens

The “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” are real solutions from real people who have overcome hurdles and made strides by learning and listening. Tony has a way of bringing out big ideas you didn't even know you had. Applying these ideas to practical change will help anyone grow and transform.

Joanne Kamens, Ph.D., Scientist and DEI Consultant Founder, Mass Association for Women in Science

 

 

 

 

Amir Ghannad

Having been a guest on the Virtual Campfire podcast myself, I can attest to Tony’s skillful art of sparking profound dialogues that reveal timeless and universal truths that have shaped his guests’ journeys. “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” is a wonderful collection of inspiring stories from the podcast, along with Tony’s insightful guidance on how to apply the wisdom from those stories to one’s own situation and achieve success and fulfillment.

Amir Ghannad, Author of The Transformative Leader, Founder & CEO, The Ghannad Group

 

Diana Theodores

There has never been a more critical need for leaders to connect to a deeper sense of self and authenticity to serve at their best. This is the very ground upon which we stand – our roots and ballast – sourced from our life story. This book is an extraordinary, guided archaeological dig into the archives of life, masterfully led by Tony Martignetti. What comes up into the light is the revelation that, In the words of Walt Whitman, “I am larger, better than I thought…” Uplifting and hopeful, “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” will release your inner standing ovation.

Dr. Diana Theodores, Presence & Performance Coach, Speaker, Author, Performing as YOU, Director of Theatre 4 Business Ltd

 

Ann Brennan

You are the architect of your life. For Tony Matignetti, these are more than just words. They are the passion he lives his life by and the passion he instills in his coaching clients. So whether you believe you are stuck where you are or have a small spark that is telling you there is more out there for you, “Campfire Lessons for Leaders” is for you. This book will give you the boost you need to take the next step in your journey toward your purpose.

Ann Brennan, Owner of ASMM Digitial Marketing, Co-host of the Marketing Mums Podcast, and Founder of Burgers and Bands for Suicide Prevention

 

 

 

 

Nancy Barrows

"Campfire Lessons for Leaders” by Tony Martignetti is a practical guide that shows readers how to turn abstract concepts into reality. Drawing on coaching experiences and interviews with diverse individuals, Tony offers valuable insights, stories, and exercises to help readers understand and integrate their past into their present. With thought-provoking questions and real-world exercises, this book provides a roadmap for navigating life's transitions and living with purpose. Get ready to unlock the power of intentional living with this compelling book!"

Nancy Barrows, #1 Best-Selling Author, Co-Host & Chief Engagement Officer @VoiceYourVibe, Founder & Chief Excitement Officer @THEChickWithTheToolbelt, Co-Founder & CMO @PeakAboo, Keynote Speaker

 

Alexis Artin

Leaders light the fires and blaze the trails that illuminate paths to the enlightenment so many of us seek. They stoke the flames so they burn bright enough for us all to see ourselves and each other clearly. They ignite something in us, an inner spark that is ready to become an inferno. They understand that the element of fire has the power to transform, create, and destroy so we can continually grow. Tony is that quintessential leader, and his "campfire" is a legacy we can all gather around in awe and immense gratitude for its brilliance.

Alexis Artin, Master Embodiment Teacher & Licensed Growth Coach