114: Build Leaders Before You Need Them: Why Mentorship Can’t Wait with Randy Hain

Business Origin Stories for Entrepreneurs, Coaches, and Leaders

Business Origin Stories for Entrepreneurs, Coaches, and Leaders
114: Build Leaders Before You Need Them: Why Mentorship Can’t Wait with Randy Hain
May 05, 2026
Amy Schutte

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Most companies wait too long to develop their next generation of leaders.

In this episode, Amy sits down with Randy Hain, executive coach, author, and founder of Serving Partners, to talk about the gap most organizations ignore: investing in early-career professionals before they become senior leaders.

Randy brings over 30 years of experience as a senior executive and now coaches leaders across Fortune 10,000 companies. Through that work, he has seen a consistent pattern. Organizations pour time, money, and energy into senior leaders, but often leave younger professionals to develop “by accident.” 

His latest book, Practical Virtue, challenges that approach. It combines leadership skills with the disciplined practice of values like kindness, patience, vulnerability, clarity, and candor. Randy draws a clear distinction between values and virtue. Values are what you believe. Virtue is what you practice consistently enough that it becomes who you are. 

The conversation also explores what Randy is seeing in Gen Z professionals today. Contrary to common assumptions, he describes a group that is eager to learn and wants to be developed, but often struggles with confidence, curiosity, and relationship-building in professional environments. 

Amy and Randy discuss what leaders can do about it, including a simple but structured approach to mentorship through Randy’s “One Plus Three Project.”

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Why leadership development often happens too late
  • The difference between values and virtue in leadership
  • What younger professionals are actually asking for
  • Why confidence and curiosity are showing up differently in Gen Z
  • How to implement simple, structured mentorship inside your company

This episode is especially relevant for founders, CEOs, and senior leaders who want to build stronger teams and avoid future leadership gaps.

Connect
Guest: Randy Hain
Company: https://www.serviampartners.com/
Book: Practical Virtue

Instagram: 

@amyschutte_

Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co



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