EP 12: Chainsaws, Courage & Conscious Leadership: How Shelby Descamps Builds Powerful Humans
In this episode of The Nomad CEO Podcast, Ken sits down with Shelby Descamps — leadership development facilitator for the Idaho National Guard, former wildland firefighter, and life coach — to explore what it really means to lead with courage, integrity, and emotional intelligence.
Shelby shares her unconventional journey from studying animal science at California State University, Chico, to fighting wildfires across the Mountain West and Alaska. A conservation corps project in the North Kaibab National Forest sparked her entry into fire, where running chainsaws and working in high-risk environments taught her powerful lessons about focus, fear, and self-trust.
The conversation delves into the balance between hard and soft leadership skills, the importance of physical vitality as a leadership tool, and the mentors who shaped her philosophy along the way. Shelby also breaks down practical frameworks for giving and receiving feedback, including SBI, the Pendleton Method, and her favorite, the BOOST method — tools that help people navigate difficult conversations with clarity and confidence.
Shelby opens up about her transition into life coaching, her passion for facilitating transformational retreats with accountability built in, and why having an objective third party can be a game-changer for personal growth.
This episode is a powerful exploration of leadership, communication, resilience, and what it takes to build strong humans — in business and in life.
⭐️ Find Shelby on Instagram @mindbodyauthority
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