Malcolm Scovil, Founder and CEO of TLDR, Inc. and Imagine Golf, believes that real leadership demands continual reinvention.

“Every year, I try to stretch myself with something that feels just beyond reach,” he says. “That’s where the growth happens—both personally and professionally.” That philosophy is behind his enthusiastic support for Leadership Council SMC.

As what he calls a “lifelong student of leadership and performance,” Malcolm was drawn to Leadership Council SMC’s Immersion Programs because they combine academic rigor with real-world relevance, uniquely set in the local San Mateo community.

“Leadership CORPS was one of the most energizing educational experiences I’ve ever had,” he says. “It felt like a graduate-level program delivered by local experts, deeply connected to the issues and opportunities of our own community.”

As the CEO of a learning company, Malcolm found professional value in observing how a high-quality, in-person program operates. But it also delivered something rarer: perspective.

“Each Learning Day was designed like an experiential masterclass—a blend of new topics, new places, and new people,” he says. “That variety is what great adult learning looks like. It keeps your mind open and your curiosity alive.”

For Malcolm, the true impact came from the people.

“You can read a book or take an online course, but there’s a kind of magic when you learn alongside others who are wrestling with real challenges in your own backyard,” he says. “It reconnected me to the broader ecosystem—business, government, nonprofit—and reminded me that leadership is a community act, not a solo pursuit.”

He left the program with renewed energy, sharper focus, and a wider lens on what it means to build organizations that learn as fast as they grow.

“Leadership Council SMC reminded me that the best leaders are still students—they just keep showing up to class."