Helping Ivy League-educated, overachievers find meaning and clarity in their career | Speaker, Clarity Coach, Entrepreneur

Huw coaches founders and their leadership teams to create clarity, attain alignment, and unleash their potential. He has worked with CEOs of VC and PE backed software and technology companies on both growth trajectories and supported them through turnaround or transition.

Huw is a 3-time founder, investor, and speaker turned executive coach. His corporate career centered around his work at Goldman Sachs, Rackspace, and Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund with $160bn under management. While at Bridgewater Associates he was a Senior Management Associate responsible for Portfolio Analytics. In 2016 he acquired and later sold Jungle Disk, a cybersecurity company previously owned by Rackspace. He co-founded CyberFortress, a VC-backed insurtech startup in 2018 (where he also became a Talentism client!). He also co-founded Porthcawl Holdings, a value-driven technology holding company, investing in startups and businesses in the SaaS and bitcoin space.

Huw holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a Ford Scholar and Baker Scholar, and holds undergraduate and masters degrees in mathematics from Oxford University,

Huw is a proud Welshman who lives with his wife and young son in San Antonio, Texas. He is a board member of the local Entrepreneurs Organization responsible for the Accelerator program, helping budding entrepreneurs scale their businesses to 7-figures. He is also Vice President of Programming for the Harvard Business School Club of San Antonio. His compulsions include identifying gifts in adversity, creating inspiring visions, radical self-discipline, and running 100 mile races in the mountains.

Huw Edwards

You don’t “have to” do anything you once desired to do.

I mean, how is it that you’re so exhausted from doing the things you actually love to do?

It’s because you've forgotten how much of this you once hoped for.

You don’t “have to” pick up the kids from school, lead that meeting, or make that trip. 

You “get to” pick up your kids from school. That’s a freaking joy.... to have kids. 

You get to guide a group of people at work.

You get to solve hard problems.

The reframe is your strength.

We have to stop seeing all these demands as burdens and start seeing them for what they truly are. 

A privilege.

3x Founder, Harvard MBA, ex-Bridgewater Associates, Goldman Sachs | Executive Coach | Helping ambitious founders/CEOs unleash their potential and purpose

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You’ve got to stay with discomfort long enough to see what it’s becoming.

Stay with that uncomfortable feeling instead of avoiding it. 

That’s when you’ll realize discomfort is not a threat.

It’s just stretching you into who you’re becoming.

It can get crazy.

But what do you think?

Growth doesn’t always feel good until it does.

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Read newsletter 

Read the newsletter here: http://newsletter.h3.xyz/

There’s something crazy about emotions. 

Reminds me of Thomas Edison. 

He was behind some of the most transformative inventions in modern history: light bulbs, phonographs, and motion pictures.

A massive explosion once destroyed his factory in New Jersey.

Years of prototypes, notes, and equipment all gone in flames.

He was 67 years old at the time. 

When his son ran to find him, Edison was calmly watching the fire.

He reportedly said, *"Go get your mother and all her friends. They'll never see a fire like this again."*

The next morning, he called his team together and said, *"We're rebuilding. Start tomorrow."*

Within three weeks, the factory was back up and running.

And within a year, Edison released some of his most profitable inventions.

He didn't get consumed by the pain of that moment.

He saw the loss, acknowledged it, and went straight back to work.

My point is that results can trigger an emotional rollercoaster.

We sometimes spend too long celebrating success and too long overthinking losses.

But it’s in our best interest to snap out of our emotions faster for a mentally healthier and more fulfilling life.

Life is a relentless mind game of you vs you

Reminds me of the 1997 NBA Finals.

Michael Jordan woke up sick with a high fever.

He felt weak and could barely stand.

Game 5 was that night, and the Chicago Bulls needed him.

Every logical part of him could have stayed in bed.

He could have sat that game out, and no one would’ve blamed him.

It would’ve totally made sense.

But that night, he suited up anyway.

He played 44 minutes, scored 38 points, and led the Bulls to a crucial win.

I don’t see it as just Utah they were playing against, it was more Jordan against Jordan.

The version that wanted the body to rest vs the self that wanted to lace his shoe and get out the door.

And that night, the better self won.

This mind game doesn’t back down.

But it’s always your choice to choose what part of you is leading.

As James Clear says, *“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”*

For decades, runners believed a mile under four minutes was impossible. Not human, even.

Coaches said the body would break down.

Then on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister ran 3:59.4 on the Iffley Road track in Oxford, with two pacers setting the rhythm.

Once one human proved it was possible, less than six weeks later, John Landy ran 3:58.

And within a year, other runners started doing it too.

Same bodies, same track, same distance.

But a different internal reality.

Because someone chose to overcome the limiting belief.

It just shows that the biggest limits aren't always in our talent.

They're in the stories we've accepted as true for so long.

So we tend to make choices from a restricted version of ourselves, rather than our actual capacity.

Still getting things done, still stacking wins, yet feeling a sense of underperformance.

You can only reach your highest potential when you see yourself beyond past stories, fears, trauma, not-so-pleasant childhood memories, mistakes, hurt, disappointment, and pain, no matter how much sense they make. 

Yes, you still feel the fear and anxiety, but the thrill of becoming more than you already are gets stronger than the fear.

You just know you'll even be more restless if you choose to stay in your comfort zone.

So you’ll choose to trust yourself a little more. 

Again and again.

You have to first explore your interests before you scale it. 

You'll wander, test new styles, try different methods and approaches, and experiment with ideas.

You'll fail, win, fall, and rise over and over again.

There'll be many proud moments and many sad moments. 

People will think you're delusional.

Then, when you find what clicks, you double down on it, build a structure around it, and scale it.

So don’t let the fear of being seen as uncertain, inconsistent, or distracted hold you back from achieving your highest potential.

First explore, then commit, and exploit.

How well do you know yourself?

Scratch that.

How well do you trust yourself?

Are you easily worn down just by the idea of being taken unaware?

That's a harsh discredit to your training, experience, gifts, and how far you've come.

In today's issue, I explored the thrill and practices to find peace in the face of uncertainty.

Read the newsletter here👇

There’s a kind of confidence that comes from being calm in the face of uncertainty. Anyone can feel calm when life behaves. But not everyone has maste

Open article: The thrill of being steady in uncertainty by Huw Edwards • 2 min read

The thrill of being steady in uncertainty

I had trained for it.

And still, I was scared.

I was thinking about this the other day, as I geared up for Leadville again last August.

For context, Leadville is one of those races where everything, and I mean everything, hurts.

A 100-mile race. After 25 miles, you're still a quarter of the way through, and the real pain hasn't even begun.

And honestly, as I prepared, the nerves hit me.

I remember at about 3 a.m. on the day of my 2024 race, I was standing in the dark and cold, feeling unsure all of a sudden.

I thought, "Do I really want to do this? Could I just... not start?"

It was tempting to avoid it, but I pushed through and completed the race in good time.

And last year, that rush of uneasiness came back, but I did not back down.

I reminded myself that I’ve earned it, and I trained for it.

The race didn't quite go as planned, but I walked away with lessons to prepare me for this year.

No regrets.

I realized feeling nervous isn't a sign of weakness.

It's part of the process of doing something big, bold, scary, yet so thrilling and exciting.

And when the nerves show up again as I prepare for this year, I won't fight them.

That's what I want. I need it to hurt earlier.

That's the whole goal in a way.

Because I care.

Not just about the win.

I care about the struggles, the curveballs, and the lessons that come with the experience.

It’s okay to feel nervous.

Your success is yours.

But the work that made that success is not about you.

It's about the impact, the people, the why, and the meaning around it.

The moment it starts being a lot more about you, it gets tricky.

Only a matter of time before you start to feel a sense of inner dissatisfaction.

Like you're stuck even with all the success you've achieved.

Because you've lost touch with the big picture beyond you.

I know this feeling because I've lived it.

In today's issue, I shared some of the things I did to get out of my head, reconnect with my purpose, and find fulfillment again.

Feeling stuck or struggling with a cycle of underperformance?

You definitely want to read this 👇

You ever notice how you can be busy all day, get a lot done, and still feel… off? Not tired or burnt out. Just strangely numb. Most people assume that

The bright side of feeling stuck…

It’s not really the failure that hurts.

It’s what the failure can do to our image.

To the pride of our competence.

It sounds crazy to try something new that might fail when you’ve spent years becoming the best at what you do.

I mean, who would want to ruin a great reputation?

Is it worth it?

Hell yeah.

If you truly want to become the best version of yourself, then dare to fail.

In today’s issue, I explored simple practices to help you bet on yourself without losing your mind.

Read the newsletter here 👇

Most high performers aren't afraid of failure. They're afraid of what failure would say about them. This newsletter will explore the thin line between

Dare to fail vs dare not to fail

Failure sucks.

There’s no sugarcoating it.

But it's also inevitable and necessary.

It’s really not the enemy we think it is.

It helps a great deal in shaping us into what we desire to become

Over the weekend, 1,238 readers learned how daring to fail decides how much potential one ever gets to maximize.

Miss the issue?

Find the link in the comments below ↓

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We all experience this mind game between our better and our lesser selves.

The self that wants you to:

- Stay in comfort because you’re already successful
- Stick to predictable routines so nothing feels risky
- Hold back because you don’t want to fail publicly
- Play it safe

Vs

The self that wants you to:

- Do things that stretch you
- Try new approaches even if they feel unfamiliar
- Show up even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed
- Find out what you’re capable of

But every time you feel pulled between the two voices, one is trying to lead you. 

Lean into the one that holds your priorities, non-negotiables, and big, vivid vision accountable.

Some opportunities are distractions.

They look great and may be relevant to your image.

Until they're not.

They distract you from the main things.

Excellence needs you to fight for your focus.

So you have to be really good at knowing what you need and what you don't.
.
I share a framework to help elite performers protect their energy from shiny distractions.

You can read it here 👇

There’s something about being good at a lot of things. You can handle more, so you keep taking on more. And before you know it, your attention is ever

Open article: Keep the main things…the main things by Huw Edwards • 2 min read

If everything is important, nothing is.

Performing at a high level will need you to look away from a lot of things.

As good as they appear, they can dilute your attention from things that matter.

And fill you with unnecessary mental clutter

Until you’re spread thin and the feeling of underperformance creeps in. 

Over the weekend, I shared ways elite performers manage their attention to sustain ultra-performance 

Miss the issue?

Find it in the comments below ↓

3 resources to help you walk through hard things with ease: 

1. TED Talk: How to Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal

https://lnkd.in/d6U8V7UJ

2. TED Talk: How to Stay Calm When You Know You'll Be Stressed by Daniel Levitin

https://lnkd.in/dNRH25RJ

3. Podcast: “Unlocking Us — Brené Brown with Emily and Amelia Nagoski (Burnout & How to Complete the Stress Cycle)

https://lnkd.in/dmPD3JKj

ted.com

Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

Love yourself.

A lot.

But love the impact you get to create more.

If you want to keep performing at a high level, you need a cause bigger than you to stay focused.

Else, you’ll be easily distracted by the validations, status, and relevance.

And that will mess with your performance and motivation in the long run. 

Over the weekend, elite performers learned to reconnect with the love of their craft for a happier life. 

Miss the issue?

Find it in the comments below ↓

You can be well aware of a messed up situation.

And still not be rattled by it.

You're still aware of the risks, but you're mentally stable enough to not be knocked off by it.

More present in what you can do NOW.

From a place of stable emotions, of course.

But that’s only if your peace is not entirely tied to things going your way.

Otherwise uncertainties will hit harder than they should.

Over the weekend, 1,240 readers learned practices to be steady in the face of curveballs.

Miss the issue?

Find the link in the comments ↓

Archer

GM - International Strategy & BD

CatalyzU

Investor

Stay Unique

Sherpa Ventures

We're startup operators in Africa, backing startup founders in Africa. We'd love to hear about how you're about to transform industries and lives in Africa! We currently exclusively invest at the pre-seed stage in companies with primary markets in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa.

Partner

Uber

GM, Head of California and Western US - Rides/Mobility

Wheels

Managing the shared dockless, long-term rentals and university businesses in Los Angeles, San Diego and Seattle.

General Manager, West Region

Aerobotics

Oversaw GTM Strategy, Geographic Expansion, Sales and Drone Operations.

General Manager, North America

Relocated to HQ in San Francisco to build a new car leasing startup within Uber - Xchange Leasing.

Strategy and Planning at Xchange Leasing, an Uber company

Served as the GM of Uber Kenya. Management of P&L, trip/revenue growth, operations, marketing, policy, communications, driver & rider support, and hired & led a stellar team. Led Product localization initiatives (e.g. cash as payment method), several BD deals, and novel Safety-related initiatives.

General Manager

Built and executed launch operations plans in Nigeria & Kenya, Uber's first markets in sub-Saharan Africa (excl SA).

Pricing Strategy, Driver & Rider Growth Strategy, P&L ownership, Policy & Communications, Team Recruitment & Building, and setting up and scaling Process.

The International Launchers, the warriors, the front line of Uber's operational muscle. I still get a lump in my throat when I think of who we all are and what we did. The Launcher has the responsibility of creating something where there was previously nothing.

International Launcher

Shaya Technologies

Solving the rhino poaching problem in game parks through using drones as surveillance & deterrent tools. Launched and scaled operations in the start-up phase working alongside the CEO. Launches in SA, Kenya, Ghana & Swaziland.

Operations Manager

Ericsson

The core business was to engage in major outsourcing deals/operational mergers/JV's with mobile telecom operators in sub-Saharan Africa. We took control of operations with the aim of reducing costs through restructuring. Deals in cities including Nairobi, Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Conakry, Accra, Dakar, Gaborone, Harare, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Dubai.

Corporate Development Associate

Corporate Development Analyst

Building at Watu | ex Head of California Rides @Uber (Built Uber across sub-Saharan Africa) | Partner @Sherpa Ventures

South African. Experienced startup General Manager, Market Launcher, Operator, and Pre-Seed fund Venture Partner. I’ve seen and done it firsthand in some of the world's toughest ease-of-doing-business markets such as Nigeria and Kenya.

Before Archer, I led Uber's California and Western US rides business. Previous to that I was the GM, West Coast at Wheels (micro-mobility), and GM of the US business for Aerobotics (a series B funded B2B Agriculture-Tech startup).

Before that, I was first on the ground and built two of the largest three markets in sub-Saharan Africa for Uber. I worked with exceptional people and delivered economic opportunity to thousands.

In my spare time, I invest in early-stage startups (Partner at Sherpa Africa Ventures, first angel into CatalyzU & StayUnique), and advise (Smile Identity). I’ve been asked to participate in many panel discussions and speaker slots at conferences such as SDL Miami, MEST Africa Summit, and Amplify Africa.

Specialties: Expansion Strategy, Launch Management, Marketplace Operations, General Management,  P&L Management, Partnership Development, Beating Competitors, People Management, Recruiting, Seed Stage Investing.

Contact: alastair@sherpa.africa

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