We were lucky to catch up with Bryan Yates recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bryan , thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
I’ve taken a few big calculated risks in my career. Some have worked; some haven’t. None of them, though, has ever come out as I expected or imagined they might. That’s a good thing.
My primary job is in coaching, but I’ve also worked as a producer of media, experiences, and events since the 90s. Amateur competitive cycling has been a part of my story for a long time. That’s how I got into coaching in the first place.
A few years ago, my wife and I moved from LA to the California’s central coast. I quickly discovered the Paso Robles wine region was a world-class gravel and road cycling destination that almost nobody was talking about. I passingly mentioned this to our local chamber of commerce president. (Be careful of what you spark.)
He promptly asked, “Do you want to produce a cycling event here?” “Absolutely not!,” I replied.
A few years prior, I’d done some journalism and brand consulting for what was then cycling industry’s most iconic journal, Peloton Magazine. I reached out to my colleagues there, and we proposed a year-long media campaign to tell the story of Paso as an untapped cycling destination.
Nobody wanted to fund that, however. Local tourism boards were only keen on projects that put “heads in beds.” That began the development of The Bovine Classic Gravel Ride, “America’s 4th-hardest, cow-themed gravel ride in a California wine region … that’s not called Sonoma or Napa.”
I converted the initial creative media pitch into a deck that told the story of The Bovine Classic. 20 iterations later, I started taking the idea around to potential sponsors and production partners. The deck had a mission, vision, values, goals, media strategy, and core purpose. Even though this was only an idea, we wanted it to feel tangible and emotionally resonant. This got people passionate about the idea before the event had even come to life.
Our goal was to build a bike race that didn’t feel like a bike race, which also had Disney-quality guest experience, and brought most of our riders in from other parts of the state and country.
This was a complete risk. The gravel cycling event market is flooded. It’s also quite a financial investment to pull off this kind of experience. We’ve definitely had some bumps and scares along the way. But, we’ve also assembled a great team that knows how to put on a memorable cycling experience.
I’ve never been a believer in “If you build it, they will come.” 10 years at Disney and another 10 years of owning indoor cycling studios in LA have proven otherwise. Building something is hard. Marketing and growing it are even harder. Those take time, patience, and resilience.
We’re now going into our 3rd year, and it’s on track to experience 22% year-over-year-over year growth. People tell us it’s their absolute favorite event of the year, because it has a big heart. I’ve had a friend describe it as “The Gucci of gravel events.”
On a personal level, it also had to align with the core mission of my coaching business: Create opportunities for people to connect to the best in themselves. Then, get out of the way so they can experience the best in others around them. So far, The Bovine has been able to succeed at that.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a Strategist for middlescent creative leaders who feel stuck in a rut. My work is a form of performance coaching for seasoned business owners who’ve been sacrificing their well-being, relationships, and joy for an idea of success that feels unsustainable and hollow.
Many of my clients feel like they’re at mile 17 of an uphill marathon: too far along to turn back, but still quite a ways from their summit. The energy and excitement they had at the start has faded, and they’re eager to recapture it. While they often love what they do and who they do it for, they’ve realized they may not love how they’ve been doing it.
My clients typically include band managers, film/TV production CEOs and executive producers, talent agents, PR and creative marketing firm leaders, and architecture firm owners. Interestingly, I also work with several nurse directors. The common thread is that these roles revolve around serving and producing for others, requiring leadership and communication skills that can need a reboot after years of hustling and grinding.
My coaching program, GEARS, focuses on helping clients:
– Work smarter and more sustainably
– Rediscover excitement in their work & life
– Rebalance their personal life
Ultimately, it helps clients reenergize their momentum.
What sets me apart is the depth of my personal Venn diagram:
– Trained biographical historian who worked with Holocaust survivors
– 10-year veteran in entertainment-technology as a producer at Disney
– Fitness business professional
– Competitive amateur cyclist and longtime cycling coach
– Personal sobriety work
This unique background allows me to work with clients holistically, addressing both their professional challenges and personal growth. My approach combines strategic thinking with empathetic understanding, helping leaders transform stagnation into renewed purpose and impact across all areas of life.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I keep having to unlearn my “I’m not good at sales” BS–belief system. While there are aspects of sales I’m not completely comfortable with, I’ve realized I can be quite effective at convincing others to bet on themselves.
A pivotal moment came when someone advised me to view every sales interaction as a form of “being of service.” Embodying this idea transformed my entire relationship with selling, making it much easier to confidently share my passion for helping people.
Reflecting on my career, I’ve recognized that convincing has always been a part of what I do: building consensus on big corporate projects, motivating fitness clients to push their limits, encouraging cyclists to pedal through physically and emotionally challenging hours, and inspiring coaching clients to reach for that different version of themselves. These are all variations on selling.
Now, when I approach a new client call, I focus entirely on providing maximal value and service. This mindset shift dissolves any blockage around selling. By concentrating on their needs and goals, I can truly serve the moment without dwelling on my credentials or achievements. It becomes all about them.
This reframing has not only made me more effective but has also aligned my approach with my core values of service and authenticity. It’s a continuous journey of unlearning and relearning, but one that has profoundly improved both my work and my relationship with it.
Truth be told, it’s the marketing and copywriting side of my business that could use more refinement. But that’s a whole other unlearning journey!
Any advice for managing a team?
Build a culture based on integrity, open communication, dignity, genuine curiosity, and compassion. Establish a clear mission and values that everyone understands. Celebrate talents and wins, and learn from setbacks in healthy ways. Set clear expectations and goals—people want to know what success looks like.
Cultivate a coach mindset rather than a manager or boss mindset. Help people understand their strengths and give them space to use those strengths. Identify their obstacles, remove them, and provide opportunities for team members to shine. (And make sure you’re not one of those obstacles.)
Develop rigorous self-awareness. Know your own hijackers and limitations. Learn to recognize when these are hindering genuine connection. We can’t bring out the best in others if we aren’t able to experience the best in ourselves.
When I started my sobriety work, a mentor advised me to always show up with a motive of purity and love. This doesn’t mean being a Pollyanna-ish, ever-happy cheerleader. Rather, it means approaching management with a selfless dedication to what I’m doing, for whom I’m doing it, and how I do it. In other words, avoid transactional behavior. False praise is a prime example of this.
Lastly, the best thing leaders can do for their teams is to be fully present, intentional, interested, available, and in the moment. Don’t treat interactions like items on a to-do list.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.locomotivcoaching.com
- Instagram: @locomotiv_coaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanyates/
Image Credits
Taylor Chase
Alex Roa