CUT THE ROPES — Captain James Evanow on Faith, Storms, and Leading Under Pressure. (S5E27)
The Shepherd at Work
Thursday, July 2, 2026 - 26 minutes
What would you do if you looked up and saw 80- to 100-foot waves towering above your 80-foot boat—knowing one wrong move could capsize everything?
Captain James Evanow knows exactly what to do.
And the lessons he learned at sea may be exactly what leaders need in the boardroom.
In this powerful episode, Krystal sits down with Captain James Evanow, fourth-generation sea captain, leadership expert, author, and creator of Strategic Navigation™, for a conversation about storms, faith, resilience, and what it means to stay steady when everything around you is shaking.
James' story begins on the water.
His first boat trip was at six years old. By age 27, he had lost his father to the ocean. Over the years, he has watched friends, coworkers, and fellow fishermen lose their lives at sea. He knows what it means to face uncertainty, danger, grief, and circumstances completely beyond your control.
Yet through every storm, one thing remained constant:
Faith.
Drawing inspiration from the Book of James and decades of experience navigating some of the world's most unforgiving waters, James shares how leaders can weather life's storms without losing their direction, purpose, or peace.
One of the most moving moments in this conversation comes as James describes navigating some of the most dangerous waters a captain can face. The boat was shaking. The conditions were uncertain. The risks were real. Yet panic was never the answer. Faith was.
And whether you're facing crashing waves at sea, a struggling business, a difficult season of leadership, or a personal crisis, the principle remains the same:
Stay focused on what is true, not what is terrifying.
We also dive into one of the most powerful themes of James' life:
Cut the Ropes.
What does it mean?
For James, it became much more than a maritime phrase.
After battling a deep depression, he discovered that many of the ropes holding him back weren't physical at all. They were fear, regret, limiting beliefs, past wounds, and attachments that kept him tied to places God never intended him to stay.
To move forward, he had to cut them.
And so do we.
In this episode, you'll discover:
• What 100-foot waves can teach us about leadership
• How to stay calm when everything around you feels unstable
• Why faith becomes most important when circumstances look impossible
• The warning signs that fear is driving your decisions
• Why small course corrections create massive long-term results
Today, James helps executives, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams apply lessons from the sea to the challenges of business and life. Through his Strategic Navigation™ framework, he teaches leaders how to stay focused, build trust, lead with accountability, and navigate pressure with confidence and clarity.
This conversation is packed with wisdom, perspective, and hope.
Because storms are inevitable.
But being defined by them is optional.
And sometimes the difference between surviving the storm and sinking beneath it comes down to one decision:
Cut the ropes.
👉 Learn more and connect with Captain James Evanow:
https://jamesevanow.com/
🎧 Listen. Cut the ropes. Trust the Captain. Navigate the storm.
