Chip Conley on Soulful Leadership, Midlife Reinvention, his NDE & Cancer.

**From founding Joie de Vivre Hotels to helping transform Airbnb and creating the Modern Elder Academy, Chip Conley shows us we can all have many chapters in a life, some wild, some hard, some surprising. Chip redefines success, leadership and what it means to grow older.** In this deeply personal conversation with my longtime friend, we explore how near-death experiences, career reinvention and his ongoing journey with cancer have transformed his relationship with wisdom, spirituality and what truly matters. Chip shares the extraordinary message he received during his near-death experience, what mentoring Airbnb's young founders taught him about multigenerational leadership, and why he believes midlife is a chrysalis, not a crisis. **What We Cover:** 00:00 Cold Open: Wisdom, Leadership and the Soul 01:04 Introduction: Chip Conley's Extraordinary Life 02:53 Finding Spirituality Outside Religion 06:41 What Faith Leaders Have in Common 09:03 Soulful vs. Spiritual: What's the Difference? 11:25 When the Soul Takes the Lead 13:55 How to Build a Relationship With Your Soul 16:18 Dying Nine Times—and the Message He Received 20:45 Reinventing Himself as Airbnb's Modern Elder 24:00 Why Younger Founders Need Experienced Mentors 25:52 Can Business Leaders Stay Connected to Their Soul? 29:35 Why Wisdom Matters More in the Age of AI 31:35 From Transactional to Transformational Leadership 34:00 Fatherhood, Identity and Leading by Example 39:23 Why Midlife Is a Chrysalis, Not a Crisis 42:14 How to Navigate Midlife's Spiritual Questions 44:50 What Cancer Has Taught Chip About Living 48:25 Faith, Acceptance and Letting Go of Efficiency 49:20 Slowing Down and the Meaning of Holy Urgency 50:05 Closing Reflections and Where to Find Chip 50:53 Subscribe, Review and Share **About Chip Conley:** Chip Conley is on a midlife mission. After disrupting the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second-largest operator of boutique hotels in the U.S., and then as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy, leading a worldwide revolution in travel, Conley co-founded MEA (Modern Elder Academy) in January 2018 in Baja California, Mexico. Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a ‘modern elder’ at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary transformation from fast-growing start-up to the world’s most valuable hospitality brand, MEA is the world's first ‘midlife wisdom school’ and opened a campus in 2024 on a 2,600-acre regenerative horse ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dedicated to reframing the concept of aging, MEA supports students to navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. TIME magazine honored MEA as one of the 100 Greatest Places to Visit in 2024. A New York Times bestselling author, Conley has authored eight books, given three TED talks, has a daily Wisdom Well blog, and a weekly podcast The Midlife Chrysalis which has included a wide variety of guests from Maria Shriver to Arthur Brooks to Elizabeth Gilbert to Rich Roll. **Connect With Chip Conley:** https://chipconley.com/ linkedin.com/in/chipconleysf/ https://www.facebook.com/chipconleyauthor https://www.instagram.com/chipconley/ Books: Learning to Love Midlife https://link.amazon/B0ejy9XXW The Midlife Manifesto https://link.amazon/B0fKfmxRu Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder https://link.amazon/B08slEBCq Workshops: www.meawisdom.com **About Ariane de Bonvoisin:** Ariane de Bonvoisin is the founder of The Spirit Collective, a podcast at the intersection of success and spirituality. A former media and venture capital executive, she left the corporate world to integrate her own external success and inner path — and now interviews remarkable people from business, finance, sport, music, and beyond about a side of their lives they rarely discuss: their spiritual path. Honest conversations about spirituality, purpose, and personal growth, with people you wouldn't expect. New episodes weekly. **If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe for weekly conversations at the intersection of success and spirit.** **FAQs** **1. What happened when Chip Conley died nine times?** Chip describes experiencing repeated episodes of clinical flatlining after an allergic reaction to an antibiotic while he was on a book tour. He recalls a vivid experience of flying through a room with 40 birds that told him to slow down. He says the experience contributed to his decision to sell his hotel company and take a two-year sabbatical. **2. What did Chip Conley do at Airbnb?** Chip joined Airbnb at 52 after running Joie de Vivre Hotels for 24 years. He helped the company's young founders understand hospitality, leadership, company culture and long-term planning. He also describes learning digital intelligence from his younger colleagues. **3. What is a modern elder, according to Chip Conley?** Chip describes a modern elder as someone who is as curious as they are wise. At Airbnb, he saw himself as both mentor and intern, combining his experience with a willingness to learn unfamiliar technology and working methods. His story challenges the assumption that expertise means having nothing left to learn. **4. Why is multigenerational leadership important?** Chip argues that younger and older leaders can contribute different forms of intelligence and experience. He describes younger leaders as often fast and focused, while older leaders may be better at connecting patterns and anticipating long-term consequences. Combining these perspectives can help leadership teams make more considered decisions. **5. Why does Chip Conley believe wisdom matters in the age of AI?** Chip argues that knowledge is becoming more widely available, particularly through AI, and is therefore less of a competitive advantage. He distinguishes knowledge from wisdom, which he associates with experience, reflection and lessons learned. He encourages business leaders to think about how they develop and share wisdom, rather than focusing only on information. **6. What is the difference between soulful and spiritual?** Chip describes being soulful as developing a relationship with the soul within oneself. He associates spirituality with recognizing one's connection to something larger, including the mystery of existence. He sees the two ideas as related but not identical. **7. How can someone develop a relationship with their soul?** Chip recommends practices that help people observe their thoughts rather than identify completely with them. He mentions meditation, mindfulness, silence, time in nature, journaling and writing. For him, these practices create space for greater self-awareness and a deeper connection with what he calls the soul. **8. Why does Chip Conley call midlife a chrysalis instead of a crisis?** Chip believes midlife can be a transformative life stage rather than simply a period of decline. He created the Modern Elder Academy to help people understand their experiences, develop wisdom and navigate life transitions. He also discusses research suggesting that well-being can improve after the challenges of midlife. **9. What is transformational leadership?** Chip contrasts transformational leadership with a transactional approach focused on immediate exchanges and results. He argues that effective leadership can help people recognize and develop capabilities they did not previously believe they possessed. His discussion connects leadership with personal growth, culture and human potential. **10. What has cancer taught Chip Conley about life?** Chip says his experience with prostate cancer has made him more aware of the preciousness of time and the importance of the present moment. He discusses taking his body for granted, reconsidering his priorities and becoming less attached to efficiency. He is candid that the experience remains physically and emotionally challenging. **11. What does Chip Conley mean by “holy urgency”?** Chip uses “holy urgency” to describe his sense that there is meaningful work to do in the world and that he should not delay. He connects this with the lesson to slow down that he took from his near-death experience. The concept reflects the tension between living attentively and acting on what matters.   Connect with Ariane: - Visit spiritcollective.com - Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@ariane-de-bonvoisin - Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4nRJrFU - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033oE4kP6X0ekQoU4Tkcpk - Follow Ariane on Instagram: instagram.com/arianedebonvoisin - Learn more about Ariane: https://arianedebonvoisin.com