Leadership Lunch Club

03/12/2026

Want to stand out and put your business front and center with over 100 leaders and professionals in our community at our next event on April 16th?

You will receive a 30-second promotional video worth $1,000 that you can use in your organization as well an opportunity to show it at our next event if you become a high level Silver Sponsor! You'll also receive a reserved table of 8 for your team or valued customers along with several other perks.

Contact us to learn more: https://leadershiplunchclub.com/contact/

03/11/2026

👥 Great Leadership Isn’t a Solo Sport

If you want real ROI from leadership events, don’t just send one person—send a team.

When someone attends alone, they may return inspired, but they often have to translate the ideas, sell the vision, and push implementation uphill. When teams learn together, something different happens.

They build shared language.
They process ideas in real time.
They challenge and refine what will actually work.
They return aligned—not just informed.

Shared learning is also powerful team-building. Implementation becomes “we decided,” not “here’s what I learned.” That shift alone dramatically increases follow-through.

Learning experiences shouldn’t just spark ideas—they should accelerate ex*****on. Shared learning turns inspiration into action.

That’s why we encourage you to invite your team members and bring the conversation back to your organization.

Register your team for our next event: https://leadershiplunchclub.com/eventbrite-event/leadership-under-fire-lessons-from-veteran-ceos/

03/10/2026

Hear directly from leaders who trust Priority Health for their employee benefits. From cost savings to award-winning service, they're proud to help businesses thrive by delivering affordable, high-quality coverage:

This is "Priority Health Employer Testimonials" by Priority Health on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

03/09/2026

What High-Pressure Leadership Teaches Us About Everyday Decisions

Most leaders won’t face combat — but many face pressure every day.

Adjusting strategy mid-course. Maintaining morale under stressful circumstances. Making high-stakes decisions while carefully managing risk.

Leaders who’ve operated in truly high-stakes environments understand something critical: pressure doesn’t create new habits — it reveals the ones already in place. That’s why preparation, clarity, and decision discipline matter long before a crisis appears.

Veteran leaders develop frameworks for thinking clearly under stress, prioritizing what matters most, and acting decisively without panic. These same principles apply directly to business and nonprofit leadership in uncertain times.

Learn more about these leadership lessons at our next Leadership Lunch Club event.
👉 Register now to join the conversation:

Learn how veteran CEOs lead under pressure, build resilient teams, and stay mission-focused—drawing from military and business experience.

03/07/2026

📚 Exciting news for leadership readers!

Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them — our featured book for the upcoming Leadership Under Fire event — is currently on special at Horizon Books - Traverse City!

Horizon has 11 copies available for just $8.98, plus 5 signed copies for $26 (retail price). It’s a powerful leadership read on preparing for high-pressure moments before they arrive.

Stop by Horizon and grab your copy before they’re gone! 📖

03/04/2026

Reaching one of the largest TV markets east of the Mississippi, UpNorthLive delivers timely news, weather, sports, and community stories to 23 counties across northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Their broad reach and trusted reporting play a vital role in keeping our region informed and engaged.

Thank you to UpNorthLive for being our media sponsor and helping amplify meaningful leadership conversations across northern Michigan.

👉 https://upnorthlive.com/

WPBN offers news, sports, weather and items of local interest in Traverse City, Michigan and nearby towns, including Frankfort, Beulah, Interlochen, Kingsley, Garfield Township, Glen Arbor, Suttons Bay, Kalkaska, Kingsley and Manton, Michigan.

02/27/2026

For each event, we select a featured book that aligns with the message. For our April event, we've chosen, "Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them".

In leadership, the worst time to prepare for a crisis is during one.

A New York Times bestseller and named one of Amazon’s Top 25 Books of the Year, Conquering Crisis by Admiral William H. McRaven outlines ten essential lessons leaders should master before high‑pressure moments arrive. The book emphasizes preparation, clear thinking, and steady leadership as the foundation for navigating uncertainty with confidence.

Blending insights from military service, business leadership, and real‑world challenges, it shows how resilience, integrity, and adaptability help leaders stay mission‑focused—and even turn adversity into opportunity.

It’s a practical, no‑nonsense guide for leaders who want to show up calm, decisive, and prepared when it matters most—and a perfect companion to our Leadership Under Fire event. Available through our official bookseller, Horizon, and at the Traverse City District Library.

Review this book and others in our bookstore: https://leadershiplunchclub.com/bookstore/

02/26/2026

What does leadership really look like when the pressure is on and the stakes are real?

At our next Leadership Lunch Club event, Leadership Under Fire: Lessons from Veteran CEOs, you’ll hear directly from local veteran-owned business leaders who’ve led teams in moments where clarity, trust, and decisive action weren’t optional—they were mission-critical.

This is not theory. It’s real-world leadership forged under pressure and applied to business, teams, and life today.

If you’re leading through uncertainty, change, or high-stakes decisions, this is a conversation you’ll want to be in the room for.

📅 April 16, 2026
⌚ 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 Traverse City Country Club
🎟 Tickets are on sale now (limited seating)

👉 Register here

Learn how veteran CEOs lead under pressure, build resilient teams, and stay mission-focused—drawing from military and business experience.

02/08/2026

"Really well done—commensurate with big-city experience, but with better community engagement.”

“Great topic today — incredibly relevant.”

What a fantastic day at Leadership Lunch Club! Our February 5 event, AI Without the Overwhelm with Rob Patterson, brought together leaders from 87 businesses for an engaging, nearly sold-out conversation on how to use AI with clarity and confidence.

Rob shared practical guidance on cutting through the noise—focusing on just one or two AI platforms, understanding which tools are best for which tasks, and setting clear guardrails so judgment stays human while ex*****on gets help from AI. From turning handwritten notes into action plans, to creating executive summaries, training materials, and creative ideas, the possibilities felt both exciting and approachable.

We especially loved this quote from the feedback survey: "Really well done - commensurate with big city experience, but better community engagement."

We’re grateful for the incredible engagement in the room, the thoughtful questions, delicious food, and the generous support of our sponsors who made this event possible: Rehmann, Priority Health, Grand Traverse State Bank, Vensure Employer Solutions, UpNorthLive, WTCM Radio, Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store, Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems, The Copy Shop, Horizon Books - Traverse City

Photo credit goes to the almost amazing John Robert Williams Photography.

02/05/2026

What an incredible event today! We loved learning how AI can help small businesses grow in practical, approachable ways. With an almost sold-out room, we’re so grateful to everyone who joined us, showed up curious, and invested in their growth as leaders.

More photos and highlights coming soon—stay tuned!

02/04/2026

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow! Be sure to come prepared for an engaging, inspiring day of excellent food, leadership development, and valuable networking opportunities. And don't forget your business card for a chance to win some great prizes!

01/30/2026

At Leadership Lunch Club, we value partnerships with local businesses that show up every day to serve their community — and Precision has been doing just that for 25 years.

Providing trusted plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical services to homes across Northern Michigan, Precision Plumbing and Heating was built on a people-first mindset and a commitment to doing the right thing. That dedication to reliable service and strong values is what has earned the trust of neighbors throughout the region.

We’re grateful for Precision’s support of Leadership Lunch Club and for their continued investment in both the homes and the community they serve.

Learn more: https://precisiontc.com

At Precision, we actively support the non-profit organizations and events that make such a difference in our community.