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Mountain Cabin
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

We Develop Leaders and Teams Who Want To Level Up Their Emotional Intelligence and Mental Agility

Navigate complexity, build resilient teams, and achieve extraordinary results with Executive Coaching that goes beyond the traditional. 

Kenton Epard, CEO and Founder of The Nexus Initiative, Certified Genos Practioner
Kenton Epard, Member of the International Coaching Federation
Seal showing Kenton Epard is a Certified Executive Coach for The Nexus Initiative

Welcome!

Venn diagram showing The Nexus Initiative's focus on Emotional Intellignce, Mental Agility, Real-World Operating Experience

We focus on the Nexus of these competencies

Kenton Eaprd Founder of The Nexus Initiative

Hi!  I'm Kenton Epard, CEO and Founder of The Nexus Initiative. Welcome to our website!  We look forward to hearing from you.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

The Nexus Initiative is a boutique Executive Coaching practice built on real-world operating experience and multidisciplinary thinking.

Our Mission is to develop Emotionally Intelligent and Mentally Agile Leaders and Teams.

Because managing people is Challenging, and so is the World they inhabit.  

 

We prepare You for Success, and give you the Edge you need to pull it off.

The Challenges.

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Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Stormy Weather

The World Is Challenging, and it's not getting any easier. 
Even with AI.

  • Are hidden emotions sabotaging your leadership decisions?

  • Do rigid mindsets stall innovation and growth within your organization?

  • Is volatility leaving your teams feeling overwhelmed and unproductive?

  • Are you falling behind because the world changes faster than you?

  • Are your people and teams demotivated and disengaged?

You Are Not Alone.  We Can Help.

The Vision.  What If?

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Sunrise over Mountains

What if You or Your Team:

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
  • Performed at a higher level

  • Worked better together

  • Was more creative

  • Was more engaged

  • Had less turnover

  • Better managed conflict

  • Could adapt more easily and quickly to our changing world?

Awards Ceremony

How Much Would That Be Worth To You?

Emotional Intelligence and Mental Agility give You the Keys to the Castle.  

...and Research Shows Why.

Research Backs It Up

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Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Emotional Intelligence Improves Team Performance

 

Psychological Safety was the number 1 factor in building high peformance teams.

~ Google's Project Aristotle

The Rationale

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Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

In today's dynamic landscape, Emotional Intelligence and Mental Agility are no longer soft skills - they are mission critical.

Knowing how to apply them in a real-world setting is essential as is leveraging solutions others have already uncovered.

Mental Agility is core to how we engage the world.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Multidisciplinary Thinking is about being open to finding insights or solutions from any discipline or subject area.

Emotional Intelligence is core to how we engage each other as humans.

Venn diagram showing The Nexus Initiative's focus on Emotional Intellignce, Mental Agility, Real-World Operating Experience

Real-world operating experience is about how we apply it in a practical way.

The Outcomes You Want

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Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Our goal is to get you the results you want.
These are just a few.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Develp your self-awareness and emotional regulations skills.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Improve your ability to focus while maintaining the ability to scope out and see the big picture.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Respond better in challenging situations by increasing your awareness of how emotions link to behavioral choices.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Get practical tips on how to improve your behaviors to get the results you want and the coaching support to sustain it.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Make better decisions faster and improve your ability to think, learn and quickly absorb new information.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Develop strategies on when, and how, to pivot in light of new information.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Get reliable results of how others experience you and how your EI compares to a global benchmark

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Get confidence and peace of mind that you can better handle whatever comes your way 

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Become the manager all employees want to work for.

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Enhance critical thinking and problem-solving ability.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

What People Are Saying

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Somehow I survived as a leader for over forty years without executive coaching but know I could have been much more effective had Kenton Epard been in my corner. He inspires trust, looks beyond the obvious, examines alternatives, and emboldens confidence. Checks all of the boxes!

David W. Magill, EdD

Director Emeritus,

University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

David Magill, Director Emeritus, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

POSITION TYPE:  C-LEVEL
TYPE: NON-PROFIT EDUCATION

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Types of Clients

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Team Meeting

Executives and Executive Teams

  • Private Equity Backed

  • Venture Backed

  • Legacy

Clapping Audience

Small and Middle Market Companies

  • Steady-State

  • Rapid-Growth

  • Distress

Family

Family Businesses

  • Multi-generational

  • Distress

Hands Holding Wooden Plate

Non-Profits

  • Public Schools

  • Private Schools

  • Religious Organizations

Note:  We are open to working special circumstances on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact us to discuss.

Meet Kenton Epard

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

I'm an energetic and curious leader with nearly thirty years of experience. I've worked in many businesses, from fast-paced technology startups in Silicon Valley to Fortune 500 companies to family-owned firms to school and church boards.   

 

I have been a founder, co-founder, operator, board member and entrepreneur. Situationally, I have been involved in rapid growth environments, successful exits, organizational turnarounds, difficult corporate wind-downs, sudden leadership departures, and many more. In short, I've seen a lot. 

 

Through my failures and successes, I believe that developing skills in Emotional Intelligence and Mental Agility is foundational to any sustainable definition of happiness and success.  I further believe that proactively seeking out methods or practices from other disciplines, the essence of multidisciplinary thinking, can help improve decision-making and elimate reinventing the wheel.  These beliefs for the basis for the mission of The Nexus Initiative.  

I am a Certified Executive Coach, a member of the International Coaching Federation, and a certified Genos Emotional Intelligence practitioner.

 

I also hold a BS in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University (Cum Laude) and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.  

Personally, I'm also a married father of three children. I know about juggling it ALL.  I'm an optimist and a realist, and I love "figuring it out."  I'm attracted to challenging situations.  I enjoy reading, exercise (especially hours-long walks that afford me "think time"), travel, good food, and good (bad?) dad jokes.

I launched The Nexus Initiative to bring my experience to help you achieve your vision. 

I invite you to spend time on our website.  Read about our values and beliefs - we actually mean them.  Read what others have said.  Peruse the blog posts, and feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.

 

Let's get to work on your achieving your vision for yourself!

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Credentials

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We believe that developing these competencies can help you constructively handle whatever you encounter.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Real-World Operating Experience.

  • We have lived in the trenches of operating businesses.  From startups to Fortune 500 companies to family business to non-profits.

Investment in Industry Leading Education and Certifications.

  • Certified Executive Coach by an industry leading training firm.

  • Wharton MBA.

Investment in Industry Leading Tools.

  • Get insights into how your thinking processes, behaviors, emotions and operating tendencies affect your performance.

Access to Best Practices In Leadership and Organization Development.

  • Trained on best practices as part of certification.

EI Methods Backed by Psychological Research.

  • Assessment tools based on research. 

Experience-Based, Practical Know-How.

  • We have likely been there, and done that.  

Our Own Success Story.

  • We have track record of success.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Our Values

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01

Emotional Intelligence Is Foundational to Leadership Effectiveness and Performance

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

We believe sustained high performance is not possible without it.

Expect Uncertainty.   Build up Skills in Agility and Resilience

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

We believe an prepared mindset toward adversity or failure helps us overcome it.

02

03

Effective Teams Are Made.    More Importantly, They are Continually Maintained. 

Successful relationships require continual iteration.

Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.
Logo of The Nexus Initiative, a one-of-a-kind boutique Executive Coaching practice.

Taking a Multidisciplinary Approach Enhances Success

Integrating knowledge from diverse sources and disciplines improves outcomes.

04

05

Getting the Life You Want Requires Being Purposeful

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There is no substitute for thoughtful planning about achieving your goals.

It's Important to Stay Current and Competent

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In the age of AI, staying up-to-date and competent are essential to success.

06

07

Continuous Improvement is Foundational

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The more we learn, the more we need to stay curious to learn more.

You Have Permission To Be You.  Embrace It.

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There's one person who decides who you are.  That person is you.  Now, go for it.

08

09

Nobody is Coming to Rescue You.

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You are responsible for your habits, disciplines, choices, and behaviors. Your choices determine your outcomes.

Theory and Practice Are Always in Constructive Tension

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Balancing theory and practice is essential to success.

10

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”

-Rumi

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