Lew Frankfort - Coach CEO's Untold Story | The Fear and Depression That Fueled My Success

Success Story with Scott D. Clary

Lew Frankfort - Coach CEO's Untold Story | The Fear and Depression That Fueled My Success

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Published on Oct 15, 2025, 8:03:08 PM
Total time: 01:06:23

Episode Description

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Lew Frankfort is an American business executive who grew Coach from $6 million in sales to a $5 billion global brand during his 35-year tenure. Joining Coach in 1979, he became CEO and Chairman, taking the company public in 2000 and pioneering the "accessible luxury" market segment. Named multiple times to Barron's "World's Most Respected CEOs" and Institutional Investor's "Best CEOs in America," he retired in 2014 and co-founded Benvolio Group, investing in early-stage consumer brands. 

 

➡️ Show Links 

https://www.instagram.com/lewfrankfort/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lew-frankfort/ 

 

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➡️ Talking Points

00:00 – Intro

01:22 – Why Lew Started Writing After Retiring

04:37 – Thriving Under Pressure

07:45 – Finding Your Career North Star

10:17 – The Danger of Being “Too Principled”

15:29 – Lew’s Path Into Leadership

20:28 – What Great Leadership Looks Like

21:37 – Sponsor Break

24:37 – Carrying the Coach Legacy Forward

34:00 – The Power of Magic & Logic

44:01 – Sponsor Break

46:53 – Balancing Intuition and Strategy

50:05 – What Drives Lew Today

54:44 – Opening Up About the Dark Side of Leadership

59:36 – The Role of Fear in Success

1:02:42 – Advice to His 20-Year-Old Self

1:04:23 – The Big Idea Behind His New Book

1:05:12 – The Lesson He Wants to Leave His Kids

More about Success Story with Scott D. Clary

Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott D. Clary (@scottdclary). On this podcast, you'll find interviews, Q&A, keynote presentations & conversations on sales, marketing, business, startups and entrepreneurship. Scott will discuss some of the lessons he's learned over his own career, as well as have candid interviews with execs, celebrities, notable figures and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas and insights. He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their story to help pass those lessons onto others through both experiences and tactical strategy for business professionals, entrepreneurs and everyone in between. To get more of the Success Story podcast, go to www.successstorypodcast.com.