Speaking That Builds Stronger Communities

Cody Lakevold isn't just a public speaker and author, he's a guy who's walked straight through the fire and somehow come out carrying a flashlight for the rest of us. Through his speaking and his book Longship, Cody shares an unflinching, deeply human journey through grief, loss, and the kind of resilience you don't learn from a podcast - you earn it. After losing his father, brother, and mother within just a few years, Cody could've shut the world out. Instead, he built something meaningful: a message, a movement, and his men's mental health initiative, Longship. At the heart of Cody's work is a simple but powerful idea: you need a crew. Not a crowd, not acquaintances, but real people who will show up when life goes sideways. Because when the storm hits (and it will), it's that crew who keeps your boat afloat. Cody's talks don't just inspire - they connect, they challenge, and they remind people that even in the hardest moments, there's still something to hold onto… especially if you've got the right crew beside you.

Cody's talk is raw, unflinching, and ultimately life-affirming. In the span of just a few years, he lost his entire immediate family—to suicide, addiction, and tragedy—and was left to navigate the weight of severe PTSD. What follows isn't just a story of survival, but of rebuilding: through brotherhood, accountability, and the courage to seek unconventional healing. Cody shares how a tight-knit circle of men—and a breakthrough experience with MDMA therapy—helped him reclaim his life and purpose. From that journey, he founded Longship, a modern brotherhood inspired by the resilience and loyalty of Viking crews facing the unknown together. This is a talk that doesn't just move you—it challenges you to rethink connection, strength, and what it really means to not go it alone.

The power of Cody Lakevold's message comes from its authenticity. Having spent significant time with Cody over the last more than one decade, I have observed the way in which he has lived out the principles that he shares when speaking publicly. Cody does not share his story with the need for it to be a defining narrative or a cause for sympathy. Rather, the events of his life are shared as an integrated story that shows we can not only endure in difficult times but grow through those same circumstances. To become more aware, to become more open, to become more intentional in what we do. Faced with such loss, it would be easy for a person to retreat. Instead, Cody has purposefully lived out resilience, love, and the willingness to embrace new beginnings.

Not only has Cody survived devastating loss and tragedy, but he has had the awareness, along with great resilience and strength to recognize the only path forward that wouldn't lead to destruction. Accepting support from loved ones along the way with the understanding he could not do it alone has now put him in a unique position to share his story that is incredibly inspiring for those that are fighting their own unique battles and may feel like there is no hope. His adherence to his strong beliefs in how we must move forward as men and as a society to combat the inevitable battle that awaits us inspires me everyday to join him in the fight.