Episode 13: Skill, Timing, and the “Luck” You Create: Lessons from a Global Brand Leader Matt Wemple
Aug 20, 2025💡 Episode Summary:
In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Lori sits down with longtime friend and Coca-Cola Senior Director, Matt Wemple, to unpack a career journey that’s anything but linear. From aspiring rock star to law enforcement hopeful, to discovering his calling in consumer packaged goods, Matt shares how a life-changing experience at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics sparked his pivot into global brand leadership.
Matt opens up about the power of timing, skill, and luck in shaping opportunities, and how he navigated setbacks, detours, and doubts to rise inside one of the world’s most iconic companies. Today, he leads Coca-Cola’s commercial strategy for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America, a once-in-a-lifetime role that combines his love of sport, brand building, and global connection.
This episode isn’t just about career moves—it’s about values. Matt reflects on his father’s influence, his commitment to service and mentorship as a board member of Stoked, and the belief that true leadership means producing more than you consume.
If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re “behind,” or wondered how to keep pursuing joy while chasing big goals, Matt’s story will remind you that your path doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
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Timing, Skill, and Luck: Why success often requires all three—and how to recognize when opportunity knocks.
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Permission to Pivot: Career shifts aren’t derailments; they can be the training ground for your defining role.
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Produce More Than You Consume: Why service and contribution are at the heart of sustainable leadership.
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Create Your Own Playbook: You don’t need an Ivy League résumé to lead at the highest level.
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Leadership Is Service: Mentorship, allyship, and community impact matter as much as titles.
🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:
- Matt’s pivotal experience at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
- Leading Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup 2026 strategy across North America
- Stoked nonprofit: mentoring youth through board sports Learn more >
- The mindset of “produce more than you consume”
✨ Reflection Prompts:
- Where in your career have timing, skill, and luck intersected?
- What “pivot” in your life once felt like a setback but turned out to be a stepping stone?
- How are you producing more than you consume in your leadership and life?
🧠 Who This Episode Is For:
- Professionals navigating career pivots or unexpected detours
- Leaders seeking to align ambition with values and service
- Executives striving for impact beyond the title
- Anyone inspired by stories of resilience, reinvention, and JOY in leadership
📩 Want to Go Deeper?
- Learn more about Stoked: stoked.org
- Connect with Lori on LinkedIn for more leadership insights
- Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com
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