Lust for Life: What Rockstars Teach Us About Leadership
Part of Twin Cities Startup Week 2026, September 14–18.
The Twin Cities have long been home to one of the country’s most robust music scenes. And some of the world's most enduring music artists have spent decades thriving at many of the same things founders and leaders are challenged to do: create and perform under extraordinary pressure; build fiercely loyal teams; cultivate raving fans; reinvent themselves across decades to stay relevant, and survive failure in public.
In what promises to be anything but another stuffy leadership talk, Bethany Wrede Peterson looks outside the traditional business leadership playbook to explore what rockstars can teach us about sustainable leadership and high performance.
Drawing from her work as a High Performance Coach™, interviews and research with artists from her forthcoming book, and the High Performance Habits™ you’ll discover:
Why behind every great leader lies a true lust for life
The 3 stages of leadership and the 6 pillars of high performance that the world’s greatest music artists finetune their lives around (and which stage founders often miss!)
The No.1 mindset to lead yourself through uncertainty, change, and high-pressure environments (from the negotiating table to the dinner table)
How to front your own "band" (your team, your family, your mission, and your own life) without losing your voice in the process
Whether you're a C-suite exec, a startup founder, a student, or a stay-at-home parent, you'll leave with practical tools, unexpected insight, and a fresh rhythm to live and lead at full volume. No guitar required.
Bethany Wrede Peterson is an equal parts personal growth + music junkie with waaaay too many band T's. Her purpose in life is to help others feel alive and connected: to themselves, to their possibilities, to their relationships, to the music, and to the moment. She is a Certified High Performance Coach™, a Certified Positive Psychology Coach, speaker, podcaster and author based near Minneapolis. She partners with clients globally. As Founder of the Schoolhouse Sessions, she brings people together for courageous conversations that move them – through the power of three perfectly chosen songs. Connect with her at bethanywredepeterson.com
Speakers:
Bethany Wrede Peterson****, Certified High Performance Coach™ & Certified Positive Psychology Coach
LOCATION: Classroom 201, 2nd Floor at the top of the stairs next to the Gallery, in the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2501 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Getting here on Wednesday. Parking, Basecamp, lunch, and the rest of the day: tcstartupweek.com/wednesday