Ted Listens: Stories Behind the Businesses of Chicago
Kyle Mercer of Inquiry Method
What does success actually look like when you stop living by someone else’s definition? In this episode of Ted Listens , I sit down with coach Kyle Mercer for a conversation about entrepreneurship, executive coaching, personal growth, leadership, relationships, career fulfillment, and the beliefs that shape the way we live and work. Kyle has spent more than 30 years coaching entrepreneurs, business leaders, and people navigating major transitions. His approach, which he calls the Inquiry Method, starts with curiosity rather than advice: understanding what is really happening beneath the problem before trying to solve it. We talk about why successful entrepreneurs and executives can still feel stuck, burned out, or disconnected from their work; how childhood and family dynamics can influence adult behavior; and why Kyle says “every family is a cult.” We also explore how to rethink career success, business ownership, leadership, and personal fulfillment without assuming you need to blow up your life and start over. Kyle walks through how the Inquiry Method works, including the role of emotional patterns, identity, co-regulation, self-awareness, and human connection. He explains why asking “What does success mean to you?” can completely change the way someone thinks about their career, business, relationships, and future. We also discuss how these ideas apply directly to leadership and sales: listening before prescribing, understanding what someone actually wants, asking for consent before offering advice, and shifting from “What can I get from this?” to “What would success look like for both of us?” Along the way, Kyle turns the questions back on me, and I end up thinking differently about why I became an entrepreneur, what I actually enjoy about my work, and what success means to me today. We also discover an unexpected shared connection to legendary bassist Victor Wooten and his approach to music, collaboration, and helping other people shine. This episode is for entrepreneurs, founders, executives, consultants, business owners, and anyone questioning what comes next in their career or life. Topics include executive coaching, entrepreneur coaching, business leadership, burnout, career change, personal development, mindset, self-awareness, business coaching, relationships, emotional patterns, the Inquiry Method, defining success, and building a life you actually enjoy. More about Kyle: www.kylemercer.com
