Trust Over Ego: Brad Wallace on Leadership

What if the feedback that stung the most… was exactly what made you a leader?

In this episode of Inner Work, Brad Wallace, Partner at LKCM Headwater Investments, opens up about the emotional turning point that reshaped his life and leadership philosophy.

From college baseball to building a people-first private equity firm, Brad shares how self-regulation, real-time feedback, and long-game thinking shaped his approach to growing high-performing executive teams.

If you’ve ever battled imposter syndrome, emotional exhaustion, or the tension between competition and collaboration, this conversation is your mirror.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• 00:26 Welcome and Guest Introduction

• 01:07 Brad’s leadership roots

• 02:02 Sports, teams, and leadership DNA

• 04:38 Why team sports create different kinds of leaders

• 07:16 The moment everything changed

• 17:40 Bringing heart to private equity

• 28:33 Redefining success on your own terms

About the guest

Brad Wallace, CFA, is a Partner at LKCM Headwater Investments. With roots in competitive sports and finance, he’s known for building values-driven companies and leadership cultures that scale.

👉 Craving more depth in your leadership? Book a 1:1 coaching call with MaryAnn: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

#leadershipdevelopment #innerwork #executiveteams #consciousleadership #feedbackisagift