A Leadership Coach's Perspective | Luis Velasquez
From Adversity to Empowerment: Resilience, Leadership, and the Human Factor
Leadership isn’t just about influence—it’s about overcoming, adapting, and showing up with purpose.
In this episode, Natasha sits down with Luis Velasquez, leadership coach, Harvard Business Review contributor, and Founder of Velas Coaching, for a powerful conversation on resilience, perception, and leading with intention.
Luis opens up about his remarkable journey from a background in fungal genetics to the frontlines of executive coaching in Silicon Valley. Diagnosed with a brain tumor that impacted his speech, Luis turned adversity into a catalyst for growth—transforming his life and the lives of leaders around him. Now, through his coaching and teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business, he helps executives shift their self-perception, lead with authenticity, and build trust in high-stakes environments.
Highlights & Takeaways:
💡 How personal adversity can sharpen leadership clarity and empathy
💡 The invisible power of perception in leadership—and how to shift it
💡 Why resilience is more than grit, and how to build it from the inside out
💡 How to stop managing optics and start building trust
Learn more about Luis Velasquez:
🌐 Website
Human Side Up
What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
Connect with Natasha:
🎧 Spotify
📺 YouTube
Connect with CLARA:
📺 YouTube
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