In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Kelly Wendorf about horses, belonging, corporate shamanism, and what leadership can become when we start recognising organisations as living systems.
Kelly is the founder and CEO of EQUUS, an ICF Master Certified Coach, author, international speaker, spiritual mentor, systems-change leader and socially responsible entrepreneur. She works with senior leaders, Fortune 500 executives, boards, teams, and underserved communities, bringing together equine-facilitated leadership, neuroscience, somatic awareness, Indigenous wisdom, and deep human perception.
Known as a “corporate shaman” and “CEO whisperer”, Kelly helps leaders access a more courageous, humane and truthful way of leading. Her work lives in the rare territory where executive development, nature’s intelligence, embodied learning, and ancient wisdom meet.
Thank you to (Aunty) Barbara Schacht Randall for introducing us.
Content note:
Kelly shares a story of late miscarriage early in the episode, which may be upsetting for some listeners. Please take care while listening.
This episode explores:
• Kelly’s friendship with Uncle Bob Randall and how grief opened the path to meeting him
• belonging, loss, spirituality and the creation of Stories of Belonging
• horses as teachers, elders and portals to another kind of intelligence
• the shift from power-over to power-with in life, leadership and organisations
• corporate shamanism, code-switching and bringing truth into powerful rooms
• why organisations are living systems, not machines
• Buffalo Spirit Ranch, The EQUUS Experience®, and the work that cracks open hardened corporate facades
• the beauty, tragedy and privilege of being human
Guest links:
• Kelly Wendorf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-wendorf/ and https://substack.com/@kellywendorf
• EQUUS: https://www.equusinspired.com/
• Buffalo Spirit Ranch: https://www.equusinspired.com/our-venue
Conversation mentions:
• Uncle Bob Randall and Kanyini: https://kanyini.org/
• Barbara Schacht Randall's Natural Genius: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww08BIyQEGg
• Zarna Carter: https://www.equinepositionalrelease.com/our-story
• Louise Kropach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-kropach-34ab353b/
• The Living Company by Arie de Geus: https://www.ariedegeus.com/
• YPO: https://www.ypo.org/
Chapters:
00:13 Kelly Wendorf, Uncle Bob Randall and the thread of belonging
02:53 Loss, a powerful dream and the beginning of Stories of Belonging
08:13 “I’ve been waiting for you to call me”
14:07 Wild horses, lostness and returning to where it started
18:01 Love as a verb, horses as elders, and power-with
26:05 Corporate shamanism and organisations as living systems
29:02 Buffalo Spirit Ranch, executive transformation and cracking the facade
48:41 Beauty, tragedy and the full mosaic of being human
Explore further:
Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.
Credits:
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Buffalo Spirit Ranch, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, 18 June, 2026
Produced at the Kiama office, 18 - 23 June, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au
