Five Bold Choices: Rise above Your Circumstances and Redefine Your Life - eBook

JAY COUGHLAN is a confident and inspiring leader who fosters a culture of high-integrity and openness, having served as CEO of such industry leaders as Lawson Software and XRS Corporation. During his tenure as CEO of Lawson Software, the company completed a $200 million initial public offering (IPO), while growing revenue from $200 million to $430 million. Jay’s story is about hope, motivation, personal growth, faith and forgiveness. He shares with you how not to have circumstances define your life, but puts you on a journey to have your choices define your life.
 
Jay has built a national reputation as a keynote speaker, a CEO, and a mentor to aspiring business leaders. And he also is a convicted felon, having spent time in prison. During this dark part of his life, Jay began developing a framework for dealing with the troubles that life inevitably brings. Jay uses lessons from his own missteps to help change the paths of individuals and organizations. Jay is an active regional business advocate and has served on the board of directors for several business and currently Board Chairman of non-profit organization Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Jay has been married to his wife, Jule, since 1987. They have three kids and currently reside in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

LARRY JULIAN is a best-selling author, speaker, and executive coach with over two decades of experience helping CEOs, entrepreneurs, and small business owners successfully lead with their faith and values. As a business coach, he helps leaders transcend challenging situations and succeed in the midst of difficulty. His passion is to help business people overcome the dilemmas that keep them from experiencing the success God intended.
 
Larry is founder of The Leadership Roundtable, a group of senior executives who meet monthly to discuss issues relevant to work, faith, and family. He’s recently created the Emerging Leader Roundtable for aspiring next generation leaders. By transforming God’s timeless wisdom into daily practical application, Roundtable members are growing and impacting their immediate spheres of influence in a wide range of industries. Larry’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall StreetJournal, Inc. Magazine, CNN.com, and FORTUNE. He’s also appeared on The 700 Club and The Tavis Smiley Show. In addition to God Is My CEO, Larry’s business leadership books include God Is My Coach: A Business Leader’s Guide to Finding Clarity in an Uncertain World and God Is My Success: Transforming Adversity into Your Destiny. Larry lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Sherri and their two children.
 

Big decisions often change lives. Five Bold Choices will positively inspire you to consider bold choices that could transform your life—and the lives of many others.
—Tim Pawlenty, former Governor, State of Minnesota
 
Adversity brings opportunity, and how we deal with it determines whether we enjoy the journey. Five Bold Choices is a great guidebook for anyone who feels stuck and wants to get back on the path they were destined to live.
—Jerry Colangelo, Chairman, USA Basketball; former owner, Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks
 

Most leadership books train readers to share their successes and hide their failures. With stories of remarkable transparency, Five Bold Choices helps the reader see failure as not something to fear but an opportunity to grow.
—Cheryl A. Bachelder, CEO, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc.; author, Dare To Serve

Five Bold Choices blends Jay’s riveting personal story with decades of experience as a CEO. The result is a book that gives us the clarity and courage to make the bold choices that make the most out of life’s greatest challenges. This book will embolden you to action.
—Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and three-time New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Zones: Lessons from the World’s Longest-Lived People
 

This little gem is worth a quick read. You will come away with some solid ideas to make your personal and professional life better.
—Tad Piper, retired Chairman and CEO, Piper Jaffray Companies
 
Any leader knows that bold choices either bring growth or disaster. Making bold choices wisely is the key. Based on profound personal experiences, Jay and Larry spell out five fundamentals that we all need as leaders, family members, and friends to make wise choices.
—Brad Hewitt, CEO, Thrivent Financial
 

Drawing upon their own professional and personal experiences, Coughlin and Julian not only offer their insights and wisdom as to how one can navigate life’s storms with clarity and conviction, but do so while leading the reader on an intimate journey emerging from their own spiritual and personal renewal. Be forewarned: reading this book will not only cause one to reexamine and reassess his or her current status in life, professional or personal, but will provide scriptural principles necessary to pursue a life of influence rather than a life of affluence. Coughlin and Julian use various passages of Scripture to drive home the strategic importance of being grounded and balanced, both spiritually and personally. I recommend Five Bold Choices to those individuals who may be re-examining their standing in life or who simply need quiet reassurance that they are on the right path.
—Dr. Alan Cureton, President, University of Northwestern St. Paul, MN
 
Authentic! Transparent! Powerful! A clear framework that I can personally apply to overcome challenges. Jam-packed with relevant life-changing truth! A huge thanks to Coughlan and Julian for sharing Five Bold Choices with the world.
—David Horsager, speaker, strategist, and author of The Trust Edge