My River Beneath
There is a current that runs beneath every life.
My River Beneath is the story of a life shaped by that current— from a childhood in Africa to a lifetime of pursuing meaningful passions.
You already feel it. This book will help you understand it.
The book launches in June.
Be first to know when the book launches.
I’ll send you the link to Amazon and ask for a short review if you decide to read it.
Your details will only be used to respond to your enquiry,
About The Book
Foreword by Neville Isdell, Chair Emeritus, WWF-US, Former Chairman & CEO, Coca-Cola
This is a book about what shapes a life. Africa is part of the story.
Sometimes the river is steady.
Sometimes it pulls harder than we expect.
My River Beneath traces a life shaped by that river - from a boy discovering wonder in the African bush to a man pursuing meaning through leadership, adventure, and the pursuit of something more.
From Africa to business to life experiences, the same pattern keeps showing up.
It’s a story of curiosity that is never satisfied. Of lessons found at the edge of comfort. Of a growing awareness that the most important forces in our lives are often the ones we feel, not see.
At its heart, this book is an invitation to notice the river that shapes your own path. To trust its quiet pull, and to discover what will be when you choose to follow it.
Because once you notice it… it’s impossible to ignore.
Step Into The Story
A Brush with the Wild
Daybreak. Five of us and our guide, Ben, crossed the channel from our safari camp in a small aluminum boat. It was 2004. I had invited two colleagues on their first safari, a stopover on our way to South Africa. We were staying at one of my favorite safari camps, Chikwenya on the Lower Zambezi River
The morning was still. Mist lifted off the river in slow curls, the air cool and damp with the scent of reeds and mud. The island ahead felt like another world. Uninhabited, except for elephants that sometimes swam across to feed. Their presence lingered. Fresh dung, still steaming faintly in the chill.
We had been walking for a couple of hours, moving at the unhurried pace the bush demands. Watching. Listening. Letting nature reveal itself.
That’s how you walk in the bush.
You don’t seek the wild. You let the wild come to you.
As we turned back toward the boat, Ben stopped in a clearing dominated by a towering termite mound. It rose from the earth like something ancient. Weathered. Monumental. Alive with unseen activity.
He leaned his rifle against it and began to talk. To him, the bush was not wilderness. It was a classroom.
The termite mounds were blueprints of cooperation. The tracks beneath our feet were headlines, written fresh in the dust.
We stood there, absorbed.
Then he froze.
“Oh, shit, guys. Run. NOW.”
Continue reading below—or be first to get the full book:
I turned.
Out of the tree line came a breeding herd of elephants. Ten of them. Massive, agitated, moving fast. Trunks flailing, ears wide, dust rising behind them. Something had spooked them.
They were heading straight for us.
There’s an old rule in the bush.
Whatever you do, don’t run.
When ten distressed elephants are closing the distance - you run.
My companions bolted. I ran too. But I was the slow one. Old rugby and skiing injuries had taken a heavy toll on my knees.
Ben stayed back with me.
“Keep going,” he urged.
Then the matriarch broke away from the family.
She turned toward us, ears flared, trunk raised and charged.
Her trumpeting tore through the air. Raw. Primal.
She came straight at us.
Ben acted.
One step forward. Rifle up. A single shot cracked. Not at her, but at the termite mound in front of her. It exploded in dust.
She stopped.
In that moment of hesitation, everything changed.
Ben lowered the rifle. Raised it above his head, with his hat in the other hand. He walked slowly toward her.
This small man, barely five foot six, made himself look as big as he could.
One sharp “Hey!” Then his voice was calm. Steady. Soothing.
“It’s OK, girl. You’re fine. It’s all cool. Go with your family.”
Not loud. Not frantic. Controlled.
For a moment she held her ground.
Then with a shake of her huge head, she swung away.
Just like that, the danger was gone.
We regrouped in shock. Then relief. Then laughter.
Ben gathered us into a circle. Shoulder to shoulder, facing outward. We stood quietly until the rhythm of the bush returned.
It was a humbling moment.
A reminder that in the wild, you are never in charge.
This excerpt has been adapted for web reading.
Be sure you’ll be one of the first to read the book:
What People Say
“Kudos on this wonderful opus. It’s a ‘page turner’.” – Global leadership expert, Oregon.
“The power of this book is allowing readers to connect to their own story. The book is driven by generosity, not narcissism.” – Former CEO, New York.
“What a fantastic ride of twists and turns, adventure and lessons!” – Business leader, Canada.
“I read your book over the weekend and loved it. I couldn’t put it down!” – CEO, Canada
“Wow! What a life you have lived.” – World-renowned speaker, Las Vegas
Meet Hugh
Some lives follow a plan. Mine never did.
There was a path I was expected to follow—predictable, defined, respectable.
I didn’t follow it.
Years later, my father wrote to my sister, “Hugh is a maverick.”
He was right.
I grew up in Africa, where the land teaches you quickly: pay attention, respect what surrounds you, and never assume you’re in control. It sparked a lifelong curiosity - and something more.
A constant drive to be my best.
What followed was never a straight line. Flying. Building businesses. Taking risks when the outcome wasn’t certain – always discovering, always learning.
The pattern of my life has been moments driven by passion and demanding focus, discipline, and the courage to act on them.
My River Beneath is the story of that pattern.
I’ve spent a lifetime following it.
And I’m not done yet.
Talks That Stay With You
Hugh Coppen’s talks are drawn from a lifetime of passion and purpose. They will help you recognize what’s been driving your life all along.
These four talks challenge how you think—and how you act. Or ask about personalized talks for your group.
The River Beneath
What truly drives you and how it enables you to be at your best
A Life Of Passion
What it really means to live driven by an undercurrent that shapes you
What’s Driving You?
How purpose shapes your decisions - and defines the legacy you will leave behind
The Elephant In The Room
What elephants reveal about keystone leadership and impact
There is something that runs beneath every life.
You feel it in the moments that matter.
In the choices you make.
The question is what you do with it.
Contact Me
If you're interested in any of Hugh’s talks, or in having Hugh work with your group in a customized workshop, please use this form.
We’ll get back to you very shortly.
Your details will only be used to respond to your enquiry.