As we continue our 5 Perfect Days; The Telluride Leadership Summit journey, you’ll remember we left off last week as you walked into the kickoff reception.
Sunday, early evening, October 4: Kickoff Reception
Picture it: The Madeline’s Timber Room. The architecture is a seamless, modern blend of rich dark woods and vast mountain views. As you collect your summit branded pack, you notice a familiar sensation—a subtle, electric buzz in your belly. Holding a glass of something exceptional, you drift into a circle of like-minded leadership wisdom seekers. The conversations aren’t the usual superficial networking; they are grounded, curious, and real. Before you know it, the evening has slipped away, leaving you filled with early insights and a deep, restful anticipation.
Then, morning comes.
Monday, October 5: The Leadership Summit begins…
7:30 – Breakfast is early, but that’s ok. The mix of your active yesterday, the elevation and the appreciation for where you are, had you beat the alarm anyway. This is where you really see The Madeline’s kitchen chops for the first time. Ohhh…Yes, this checks out…
9:00 – Keynote: Holding the Balance – Laura Miele, President, EA Entertainment and Central Development
As the room settles, you notice the curation of the space. There is a palpable warmth in the eyes of the people around you. “This isn’t an accident,” you realize. This is a Leadership Landing environment.
Laura Miele takes the stage to explore a critical modern challenge: How do we hold high performance and deep humanity in balance? She shares her internal three-step framework, shifting your mindset from abstract theory to immediate, tactical execution.
10:00 – Keynote: Culture as an Anchor – Nick Heddy, President and Chief Commerce Officer, Pax8
After a short stretch, back to your seat for Nick Heddy. How did they grow from nothing to a global $3B force while leaning first, into culture?? What helped them keep that focus? What tested it? Where do they go from here? Nick’s stories from the field and energy really have you going now….
11:00 – The Learning Labs: A State Change
Now, the workshops; You are invited to roll up your sleeves and choose your laboratory (exact lineup and schedule of learning labs may change):
- Will you join Lauren Casentini, Founder and CEO, Resource Innovations to map out how to fulfill a passion-fueled vision?
- Or will you sit with Brian Ciciora, Founder and Chairman, TRUEWERK to untangle the nuances of Board relationships during a critical CEO succession?
The choice is yours. You can’t possibly go wrong in these more tactical work sessions that are about to come.
12:15 Lunch – Back in the big group, you’ll feed your brain and body with the fresh and seasonal. The best The Madeline has to offer. Fuel up – it’s Transformational Trailheads next!
1:30 – Transformational Trailheads: Being Led Outside Your Comfort Zone
Time to venture out! You’ve chosen your experience months in advance. Was it a gentle hike? A more adventurous one? Was it an historic walk through town? An e-bike ride up the mountain? The famed Via Ferrata? A super fun Jeep ride? Whatever it was, the time has come! You’ll meet your group and guide, and off you go, to experience the absolute best of Telluride…Outside! Importantly, you’ll be led by another person, through an experience that is likely a bit out of your comfort zone. This of course is by design. You’ll be inspired by beauty, humbled by the magnitude of the mountains and will build a bit of confidence along the way. You’ll also watch firsthand, how your guide supports, communicates, and leads your group and you. Oh, what cool conversations you’ll have at dinner!
The Evening Integration
7:00 – Dinner & Dialogue
After a quiet window to decompress in your room, you head down to dinner. The space is alive. You naturally gravitate toward the peers you shared the trail with. Stories of breakthrough, vulnerability, and shared relief fill the room. You realize that tomorrow morning kicks off with a panel featuring the very guides who led you through the mountains today—a chance to dissect their leadership philosophy.
9:00 – The Firepits & The Stars
To close the day, you take a slow, deliberate walk across The Core. The mountain stars are vivid. There is an undeniable magnetism to an Adirondack chair and a roaring firepit. You sit for a few more minutes, breathing in the cold, clean air, letting the day’s insights settle into your bones.
It was a massive day. And you are exactly where you need to be.
Stay tuned. Next we break open Day 4 (Tuesday, 10/6) as we move into a full day of storytelling, networking, and simply amazing content.
Haven’t signed up yet? Spots are filling up! Sign up for the Summit HERE.
Yours on the journey,
Hal and the Leadership Landing Team