The Forged Leader
Tackling the leadership dilemma of figuring out what comes next!
An Aussie Coach, living in the US with a passion to help business owners and leaders all over the world,
who are facing significant transitions, to know who they are and what they need to do next.
Why The Forged Leader? Because Leading Transition is Complicated
Business leaders often feel the pressure to go it alone, but true success comes with te right support. Jono Brake, founder of The Forged Leader, is a skilled mentor and coach dedicated to helping leaders overcome isolation and develop both their personal and business potential, as they lead significant transitions in life and business.
The Forged Leader’s proprietary Trail Marker framework helps leaders can discover their purpose, enhance their leadership capacity, and build effective business strategies. Whether you’re scaling, pivoting, or transitioning leadership, Jono’s guidance ensures you lead with clarity and confidence while driving business success.
Our Values
How We Do It
Intentional Connections
Forge meaningful connections with the essence of reciprocity, where every exchange enriches both giver and receiver.
Passion That Wont Be Silent
We are here for you but wont sit idly by if we see something holding you or your business back.
A Set Apart Experience
The whole package adds up to what we call a “set apart” experience for your family, your team and your customers.
Protecting The Family
More than family first, we protect our families, we fight for them, we wont compromise for our families.
What You Can Expect
Meaningful Insights
Jono is a mentor and trained coach. The Forged Leader understands your business inside and out bringing decades of experience to your game.
Challenging Authenticity
We get real fast! We are famous for it. We bring our authentic selves to the game so you will be comfortable to do likewise.
Great Conversations
Ultimately this is about you and your team. Relationships matter, what’s really going on in your world matters. We are here to listen.
The Trail Markers
Jono and his friend William Walker, inspired by their love for outdoor adventures, developed the Trail Markers framework to guide leaders and businesses. Just like trail markers help hikers stay on course, this proprietary framework helps leaders identify who they are and what steps to take next.
| PURPOSE | Knowing why you’re here and what guides you. |
| STRATEGY | Distilling your purpose into those important next steps. |
| PEOPLE | Knowing and inviting the right people onto the trail with you. |
| COMMUNICATION | The right conversations at the right time so your people can run with purpose with you. |
| REPEATABLE PROCESSES | Building frameworks that make it simple for others to follow and repeat. |
By focusing on both personal growth and business goals, the Trail Markers framework ensures leaders stay aligned, focused, and on the path to achieving their desired destination.
Meet Jonathan (Jono) Brake
Jonathan Brake (Jono)
Entrepreneur | Leadership Mentor | Coach
Jonathan Brake is a seasoned business leader, strategist, and coach with over 25 years of experience across six continents. From startups to multi-billion-dollar companies, Jono brings expertise in strategy, leadership, team communication, marketing and customer experience.
A Certified Predictive Index Practitioner and DISC expert, Jono is skilled in leveraging people-focused tools. He holds a Master’s in Advertising and PR, a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Political Science, and coaching credentials recognized by the International Coaching Federation.
Jono is frequently found traveling the globe meeting with and encouraging business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs.
Based in Western North Carolina in the USA, Jono enjoys hiking, mountain biking, rugby, and global travel with his wife Rebecca and their two children, Charlie and Hannah.
Trail Talk
A Blog About Leaders and Leadership
Join the conversation on the trails with Jono. It’s on the trails where the true conversations about life and strategy come out.
“I Just Lead By Example” — Why That Phrase Might Be Holding You Back
First, Ask Yourself: What Example Are You Actually Setting? That's the real question. Because "leading by example" is noble in theory, but in practice it often just means doing more. More tasks, more involvement in the day-to-day, more time in the weeds. And when that...
Delegation Is Not Dumping: The Leadership Mistake That’s Quietly Holding Your Business Back
Let's be honest — how many times have you handed something off to a team member and called it "delegation"? If you're running a business anywhere between $2 million and $50 million, there's a good chance you've done it more than you'd like to admit. I know because I...
Setting a Plan Is Not Enough — Here’s What Actually Gets You Results
Let me ask you something. How many times have you sat down at the start of the year, written out your goals, felt that buzz of momentum — and then found yourself in December wondering what happened? You're not alone. In fact, I'd argue it's one of the most common...