A live event series · based in Des Moines

The stories behind
the success stories.

We bring leaders on stage to share the fears, failures, and missteps that actually shaped them. The parts left out of the LinkedIn bio.

Next event · date TBA

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Our Belief

The hero's journey is rarely smooth sailing. It's in the struggle that real heroism is found.

The Fail Forward Project exists to surface the parts of the story that usually stay hidden. The hardships. The missteps. The hard-won lessons. We build rooms where vulnerability is the currency and growth is the return, because mental resilience is the skill that separates teams who keep moving from teams who don't. It's where real output, innovation, and durable performance come from.

Today we do this through live events. Tomorrow, we'll do it in workplaces, classrooms, and any room where someone needs to learn how to turn setbacks into strength.

Most recent · Spring 2026

A full room at The Shop DSM.

Marianne Coppock and Bruce Sherman shared what their careers actually taught them. The messy parts and the wisdom on the other side. Here's a glimpse.

Custom-printed Fail Forward Project posters from the Spring 2026 event

The posters

A full room of attendees networking at The Shop DSM

The room

Marianne Coppock and Bruce Sherman on stage at the Spring 2026 event

The stage

A speaker addressing the audience at The Shop DSM

The format

Attendees applauding at the Spring 2026 event

The response

I keep coming to Fail Forward events because there is always an opportunity to grow. A story can just "hit different" and resonate, or shared passions can be explored during the networking. These events are amazing incubators of possibility.

Katie Stull Director, HRBP · F&G

Fail Forward offers a safe space to be vulnerable alongside my peers. These experiences have encouraged me to share more openly with both team members and clients, helping me build stronger relationships and fostering my personal and professional growth.

Karter Smith Senior Consultant · Baton Global

The Format

Two speakers. No slides. Just their stories.

Every event follows the same simple shape: real stories, real reflection, real conversation. Roughly an hour of meaningful, then as long as you'd like for the after.

~ 20 Minutes

Listen.

Hear leaders walk through the obstacles they actually faced, and what failure taught them about who they wanted to become.

~ 20 Minutes

Reflect.

Round-table discussion with the people at your table. The work of putting it into practice starts here, in conversation.

~ 20 Minutes

Engage.

Open Q&A with the speakers. Ask the question you came to ask. Share what's been sitting on your chest.

Past Speakers

The people who've shared
their hard-won lessons.

Leaders who've stood on our stage and told the story they don't usually tell.

See all past speakers →

Spring 2026

Marianne Coppock

CEO · The Stelter Company

Spring 2026

Bruce Sherman

Former President · Packaging Distribution Services

Go beyond fancy filters and polished profiles.

The Committee

The people behind the project.

A volunteer crew of operators, builders, and people leaders from across business, talent, and the broader future of work who believed this conversation needed a room of its own.