Calm seas don't define leaders.
Storms do.

True leadership is revealed when the waters turn rough. My journey — from the decks of Coast Guard cutters to the halls of the Pentagon and into the crucible of building a business — has been shaped by storms that tested my resolve, my faith, and my leadership. This book is not just my story; it’s a reflection on resilience, purpose, and the enduring lessons that emerge when the seas are at their worst.

-Kevin Harkins

Kevin D. Harkins is the author of The Hard Part Was the Point, a memoir of leadership, legacy, and intentional living. His writing and speaking focus on leadership, performance, and purpose, delivered to audiences including veterans, executives, and business professionals.

After graduating from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Kevin served twenty years as a USCG officer, including multiple sea tours, the Pentagon, and senior policy roles in Washington, D.C. Following retirement, he co-founded and continues to lead Harkcon Inc. as the CEO, a nationally recognized firm that builds high-performing teams by aligning people, strategy, and mission. He also co-launched two successful Virginia-based craft breweries and continues to advise leaders across business, government, and the military.

He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Management and Decision Sciences and degrees from the Coast Guard Academy, Central Michigan, and Walden Universities. He lives in Virginia with his wife.

This is a memoir for anyone who's ever been tested and wondered if they had what it takes. Blending grit, faith, and leadership forged at sea and in business, The Hard Part Was the Point shows how real growth happens on the other side of hardship. It’s a field guide for men and women who believe the tough moments shape who we become.

“Leadership isn’t clean or easy. Most of the time, it’s messy, uncomfortable, and painfully human. But it was the hard part that shaped me, and I wouldn’t trade it.” From the decks of Coast Guard cutters to the boardrooms of business, Kevin D. Harkins has lived through storms, literal and metaphorical, that tested everything he believed about leadership, purpose, and personal growth.

The Hard Part Was the Point traces his journey across two decades of military service, entrepreneurial ventures, legal battles, and personal reinvention. Each chapter reveals how grit, faith, and responsibility shaped a career forged in conflict and refined by reflection. Harkins doesn’t just tell war stories, he shares the hard truths behind public success and private struggle, reminding us that leadership isn’t about getting it right every time. It’s about showing up, standing firm, and owning your choices when it counts.

Candid, thoughtful, and deeply human, The Hard Part Was the Point offers a rare glimpse into a life of service, sacrifice, and deliberate growth. It challenges a culture obsessed with ease by making a bold case for the value of doing what’s difficult and why that’s where transformation lives. Hard is not the obstacle. It’s the invitation. And this story proves it.