About Leif
Hi, I’m Leif.
Executive Leader · Mentor · Coach · Speaker · Author
Leif Hemstad’s leadership story began far from the boardroom.
Where It Started
Rooted in Purpose
Raised on a wheat farm in North Dakota, Leif grew up surrounded by family, hard work, community, and the rhythms of farm life.
His parents taught him the value of showing up, keeping your word, taking care of people, and contributing to something larger than yourself.
As the son of a North Dakota wheat farmer and a descendant of Norwegian immigrants, Leif learned early that what you cultivate—with patience, discipline, and care—shapes what you eventually harvest.
Those values have stayed with him throughout his life.
Career
From the Farm to the Boardroom
Leif’s career eventually took him from the wheat fields of North Dakota into leadership roles around the world.
Over more than three decades, he has led teams, developed leaders, scaled businesses, and navigated organizational change across Great Plains Software, Microsoft, and the startup world.
Those experiences shaped his belief that leadership is deeply human.
Belief matters. Purpose matters. Relationships matter. The way leaders communicate, make decisions, and show up for people matters.
Today, Leif brings those lessons into his work as a leadership coach and mentor, speaker, advisor, and author.
Life Outside Work
What an abundant life looks like to Leif
01
Relationships
Family, friendships, and the people Leif loves are at the center of the life he has built.
Those relationships continue to shape how he thinks about gratitude, leadership, and what ultimately matters.
02
Giving Back
Leif believes what we receive is meant to be carried forward.
His commitment to community has included work with organizations and initiatives focused on service, hunger relief, and giving back.
- Friends of Friends Fighting Hunger
- Mobile Loaves & Fishes
- NDSU community initiatives / Green and Gold Fund
03
Investing in Others
Leif is deeply committed to helping other people grow.
That commitment includes supporting future leaders through the Hemstad Marchus Leadership Scholarship Endowment, mentoring emerging leaders, and making leadership coaching more accessible through select coaching scholarships.
- Hemstad Marchus Leadership Scholarship Endowment
- Leadership Coaching Scholarships
- Mentoring / student leadership involvement
Impact Beyond the Title
The true measure of leadership isn’t what you harvest—it’s what continues to grow after you’re gone.
Whether mentoring leaders, supporting his community, spending time with the people he loves, or reflecting on the lessons passed down by his father, Leif continues to return to the same idea:
Lead in a way that leaves people—and places—better than you found them.
A Cause Leif Supports
Mobile Loaves & Fishes
Mobile Loaves & Fishes is an Austin-based Christian social outreach ministry founded in 1998. Its mission is to provide food and clothing, cultivate community, and promote dignity for people experiencing homelessness.
Truck Ministry
MLF food trucks go out across Austin 7 nights a week, 365 days a year, providing meals, clothing, hygiene products, and other essential items to people living on the streets. The organization has now served more than 6.9 million meals through its food truck ministry.
Community First! Village
A master-planned neighborhood designed for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. It provides permanent, affordable housing alongside community, supportive services, shared spaces, and opportunities for connection.
Community Works
Creates opportunities for Village neighbors to earn dignified income through micro-enterprise and other work programs. In 2025, Village neighbors earned about $1 million in dignified income.
A big part of MLF’s philosophy is that homelessness is not solved by housing alone. Their model emphasizes relationships and community because they believe profound loss of family and connection is a major contributor to homelessness.
6,915,500+
meals served through the Truck Ministry
39,812
volunteer hours in 2025 at Community First! Village
440
formerly homeless neighbors living at Community First! Village
$1 million
in dignified income earned in 2025 through Community Works
107
people moved from the streets into Community First! Village in 2024
How people can get involved
- Volunteer at Community First! Village, through individual opportunities or organized group serve days.
- Serve with the Truck Ministry, helping distribute meals and supplies throughout Austin.
- Donate once or become a monthly donor through the organization’s Everyday Angels program.
- Fundraise, make in-kind donations, participate in DIY donation projects, or support Community First! Village expansion.
- Groups of five or more can organize dedicated Group Serve Days.
Work With Leif
Ready to talk about what comes next?
Whether you are stepping into a bigger role or planning an event that needs to move people, the next step is a conversation.