Skip to content
Optimistic Persistence: Leadership, Life Lessons and Becoming Your Best Self with Edward Doherty episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 12, 2026 · 24 MIN

Optimistic Persistence: Leadership, Life Lessons and Becoming Your Best Self with Edward Doherty

from Abstract Essay

Edward Doherty Optimistically Persistent Ed Doherty, a Massachusetts native who has lived and worked all over the United States in his roles as a restaurant executive, leadership development expert, and volunteer, has completed his new book "Observations at the Speed of Life": a compelling memoir comprised of short stories from throughout the author's life, documenting his struggles, triumphs, and various life lessons learned along the way as he managed to find his place in the world with friends and family by his side. Best known for developing talented individuals into top performers, author Ed Doherty's varied experience includes roles as vice president for a national company's $58-million region based in Los Angeles and San Francisco, years as the chief human resource officer of an eleven-thousand-employee company based in Memphis, and serving as president of a $22-million franchised restaurant group in Cincinnati. His volunteer experience spans decades with the March of Dimes, Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity, his community, and his church. Today, Ed heads up Ambrose Landen LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in strategic planning, leadership development, and employee engagement in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. "Observations at the Speed of Life" is a collection of stories that have been shared with others throughout a career of mentoring and motivating friends, family, and coworkers. Sometimes humorous, sometimes inspirational, and occasionally packed with wisdom. They are all about aspiring to be the best version of yourself. Some of the essays are very personal, and some are philosophical, but regardless, each one packs a message about hope and the value of persistence. This book is a result of more than forty years of preparing and writing weekly messages to the teams Ed managed. Those messages consisted of his workplace observations about performance, motivation, management, leadership, and integrity. They were timely lessons that could be applied immediately. When Ed transitioned to full-time consulting, those messages continued but in the form of a Wednesday Weblog to an international audience. Ed Doherty's riveting tale contains stories ranging from working as a pipefitter, third-class unskilled, during the Vietnam War to an all-night production session with Larry Bird making a television commercial, to befriending an eighty-year-old usher at Fenway Park, to running the Boston Marathon for the first time at the age of seventy, and everything in between. Thought-provoking and deeply personal, Ed weaves an intimate self-portrait that will leave readers spellbound, presenting them with an unbelieve life story that is sure to remain with them long after its heartfelt conclusion.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Oct 12, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Optimistic Persistence: Leadership, Life Lessons and Becoming Your Best Self with Edward Doherty

0:00 24:05

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

ALONE The Alone Experience ALONE is an ongoing, site-specific and fully-immersive experience that explores the range of human emotions and examines the complex folds of the human psyche. Occupying the spaces between the artistic and the theatrical and the abstract, ALONE is difficult to comprehend without being a part of it. No written designation nor documentation can even glimpse what is on offer as the intention is a pure and intimate experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Explicit The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life John King Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate world, but also the scrawled notes and tortured drafts that lead writers there. In long-form interviews, writers discuss their process and the way that writing has influenced their lives. Besides this interview, each episode also features a short memoir essay from a writer about a beloved book, plus John King responds to listener's questions and observations about the writing (and the drinking) life.For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com. Explicit The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara Brendan O'Meara The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories. Follow the show @creativenonfictionpodcast on Instagram and visit patreon.com/cnfpod to support! Explicit Sage Country Fragments Tacet Matthew Bunk, Calvin Pineda Stories scattered in the dust and wind, things picked up once and then forgotten, scraps and memories ... Sage Country Fragments is a short essay and variety podcast built from scratch somewhere in the southern plains of Idaho. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Abstract Essay?

This episode is 24 minutes long.

When was this Abstract Essay episode published?

This episode was published on October 12, 2026.

Can I download this Abstract Essay episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!