Rise, Resilience, and Career Comebacks with Kelvin B Henry

This conversation is a faith-forward career discussion with Kelvin B Henry, whose background spans the military, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, ministry, and coaching. He and Jacqueline Twillie reflect on mentorship, career reinvention, layoffs, AI disruption, and the personal adversity that shaped his book Rise.Kelvin shares the framework behind Rise and how it helped him process setbacks, a cancer diagnosis, and seasons of discouragement. The episode is especially useful for anyone navigating career transition, seeking resilience, or trying to make sense of what comes next.Key topicsKelvin B Henry’s path from the University of Florida to the military, then into Procter & Gamble and PepsiCoA full-circle mentoring story where Kelvin helped Jacqueline prepare for her first major interviewWhat it takes to succeed in Fortune 25 environments: planning, organization, collaboration, integrity, and resultsWhy reputation becomes your brand in corporate America and how others may see strengths before you doThe origin of the RISE framework as a response to adversity rather than theoryThe childhood football story that helped reveal Kelvin’s identity as an encouragerHow RISE applies to cancer, job loss, and other disruptions through recognition, reframing, information, strength, and executionWhy AI should be approached as a tool and accelerator, not a reason for fearGuidance for listeners facing layoffs, especially those experiencing it for the first timeThe importance of taking daily, practical action when rebuilding after a setbackQuotes from Kelvin Henry:“If you’re still breathing, God is still building.”“Faith doesn’t remove the adversity, it helps reframe it.”“Your comeback from any setback is literally just around the corner.”Chapters(00:00) Opening prayer and introduction of Kelvin B Henry(01:58) Jacqueline introduces Kelvin’s background and career achievements(03:23) Greek life, shared connections, and the long friendship between guest and host(04:13) The mentorship story that helped shape Jacqueline’s early career(06:57) Why Kelvin’s career took him from military service to Louisiana(09:01) Forty years of marriage and meeting his wife at the University of Florida(10:00) What it takes to thrive in Fortune 25 companies(12:27) Reputation, personal brand, and the importance of resilience(14:26) The backstory behind the RISE framework(16:14) The childhood football setback that revealed Kelvin’s encourager identity(17:55) How Rise became a book meant to help others recover with purpose(22:15) Cancer diagnosis, fear, and learning to surrender the moment(23:22) Recognize, inform, strengthen, execute: applying RISE to health challenges(26:45) How to think about AI without panic or avoidance(30:06) Why internal work comes before external movement(31:19) Advice for listeners facing layoffs in a difficult job market(34:52) Encouragement to read Rise as a group and apply the framework together(35:41) Kelvin’s closing reminder that God still writes comebacksRISE is available now https://amzn.to/4xpG2lSConnect with Kelvin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelvin-henry/Learn more about Kelvin's coaching services https://www.abundantlyaboveconsulting.com/about