Audience members at the NextGen Naples speaker series aren’t the only ones who come away inspired from the events each season.

Michael Benson, CEO of Naples-based financial services firm Benson Blackburn and founder of the NextGen series, said several previous speakers have returned to hear other entrepreneurial leaders share their experiences in life and business, and have told him how much they learn from the audiences, as well.

“I think people just learn from people,” Benson says. “They learn valuable lessons, and not only about business. I encourage the audience in my opening introductions to pick up something that the speaker says that is going to help you in your life — not only in your business, but in your life, and how to make it better.”

David MacLennan

David MacLennan, the final speaker in the 2025 NextGen series April 15, agreed. MacLennan, former executive chair and CEO of multinational food corporation Cargill, the largest privately held company in the U.S., said he always learns something new when speaking to the next generation of business leaders.

“I learn what people are thinking about; how they are making their decisions about their life or their career,” MacLennan says. “I learn what their anxieties are, what are their worries. What do they see as the biggest opportunities?”

He said, as a frequent speaker, he also learns by the questions people ask during the Q&A sessions.

“You can tell what someone thinks or believes or values by the questions they ask,” he says. “And I also believe it’s very important to keep your finger on the pulse of multiple generations; I think it’s important to not just self-perpetuate your own worldviews or your own values by spending time only with people that you have been [around] your whole life, or that look and talk and act like you do or that are the same age.”

McLennan, who spends part of his time as an executive coaching consultant in what he calls his “post-official-career life,” said he sees mentoring and speaking to audiences of other business leaders as part of giving back.

“I’ve had a philosophy of thinking of your career as ‘learn, earn, return’: Learn what you’re good at, learn your skills, learn what you’re passionate about,” he says, “then earn your responsibilities, your network, your position, your respect. Return is giving back, and I’m clearly in the return phase of my life and my career.”

He said speaking to audiences of developing professionals can also instill a sense of hope for what’s ahead because of the different “energy level.”

“It’s a way to fill up your own ‘energy bucket,’” MacLennan says, “and to see: What are they thinking about? They have got their whole futures and their whole lives in front of them, and I often leave those opportunities feeling hopeful. I mean, [there are] tough things going on in the world today. And you meet a younger generation, and you think, OK, they can do different things. They’re optimistic, they’re smart, they’re interested in succeeding and doing good things — and I think that gives you hope for the future.”

Details and ticket applications for the final 2025 installment of NextGen can be found at nextgennaples.com.