Into The Storm Leaders

S1E14: Leveraging Private Equity for SMB Growth w/ Jeff Kadlic

In Episode 14 of Into The Storm Leaders, we're joined by Miami University's Chairman of the Entrepreneurship School Advisory Board and Founding Partner of Evolution Capital Partners, Jeff Kadlic.

This episode offers a different perspective than we've seen in others, informing some of the advantages of exploring private equity to scale a business, while directly addressing those of which it may not be best for. Kadlic explains that when he started Evolution almost 20 years ago, he noticed that smaller companies were often overlooked by the professional investment community. Larger private equity funds focused on companies with revenue over $35 million, leaving a gap in the market for smaller businesses. This realization led Kadlec to establish Evolution with a mission to invest in what he referred to as the "capital gap."

Links & Resources:

• https://evolutioncapitalpartners.com/about-us/our-team/jeffrey-kadlic/
• https://evolutioncapitalpartners.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-kadlic/
• www.cultureshoc.com
• www.eosworldwide.com

Quoteworthy Moments:

• 00:17:19 - "Taking away somebody's vision of themselves, not taking away, but trying to really help them self-reflect on who they are and really what their potential is, is tough business."
• 00:22:09 - "But even when I started my career, some of my early successes were, let's look at this in a different way."
• 00:27:10 - "Maybe sales isn't your thing."
• 00:31:59 - "My investors expect me to act."
• 00:34:23 - "But it's a responsibility of every leader."
• 00:37:50 - "Tension is good."
• 00:42:02 - "Just go."
• 00:42:39 - "Those are the two things that when the world is going nuts, if I do those two things, I'll be able to find my point north, so to speak, using a compass analogy." 00:47:54 - "The most frustrating thing for me is when we know something and we still fail to act on it."
• 00:53:31 - "And, and so what I see so much in life today and in business in particular is one is complete lack of accountability."
• 00:55:02 - "It's cube the data. Look at it, not just from the six sides, but see if you can crack that sucker open and look at it from this angle and this angle and this angle." 00:57:07 - "So maybe office supplies is one-to-one, but if I hire a salesperson, I want them to generate, for every dollar of expense, I want them to generate $3 of gross profit."
• 01:01:22 - "And so as I'm processing response to your question, it was really as a leader, allowing people to explore and grow, understanding that they're going to make a mistake and that you may have to go in and save their ass."
• 01:05:35 - "That cycle of making sure that people aren't afraid to fail, that's very hard to do."
• 01:07:09 - "Often, if people appreciate why you're doing it, the right people will come back with a better answer."
• 01:09:35 - "If you've never had to do the work, how are you supposed to know you're supposed to do it?"
• 01:23:16 - "If you are certain and have clarity around core values, be unapologetic."
• 01:25:57 - "The only way to succeed is to persuade people that your ideas are the best ideas."
• 01:26:49 - "Because once you enter into the private equity arena, you never go back."
• 01:29:23 - "Father time is undefeated, right?"
• 01:32:32 - "I mean, I got into this industry because the professional investment community overlooks this market."

S1E13: Growing a Successful Tree Care Business with Harrison O’Connor

In this episode of Into The Storm Leaders we connect with Harrison O'Connor, an incredibly interesting human being who happens to also be the successful business owner and the leader of Legacy Tree Company in Albuquerque, NM. After spending time at a 350-year-old Rinzai Zen Buddhist Monastery in Japan, Harrison followed a passion for botany by starting a tree care business. He shares his perspective on leadership, importance of a healthy network, and how disciplines around mindfulness have enabled him to ditch the 9-5 job that so many of us feel stuck in . Despite the unique origins, Harrison's wisdom and focus on people-first leadership are applicable to all. Tune in to gain valuable insights and strengthen your own leadership skills. Who knows, you might even pick up some helpful meditation practices or insights on men's spirituality and rites of passage.

Links & Resources

• https://legacytreecompany.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-...
• https://www.bni.com/

Quoteworthy Moments:

• 00:08:19 - "I realized that I love to learn, and I think that's something that all entrepreneurs they have a craving or an addiction or they just want stimulation and learning and discovery."
• 00:11:10 - "You don't know shit about tree pruning."
• 00:21:23 - "Seeking out opportunities to increase our self awareness to better understand ourselves and our emotions to better communicate with others and as leaders." 00:24:08 - "That's literally what I do on a daily basis is I get a conflict with my employee and then I just seek to understand and hear them, learn more"
• 00:26:33 - "Somebody once said that to me about business, like business is less strategy and more street fight." 00:29:19 - "Everyone's got a good plan until they get punched in the mouth."
• 00:31:53 - "I've noticed that the more happy I am with myself, that tends to be the better I show up in conflicts because I don't show up insecure and I don't show up with a lot of ego."
• 00:35:33 - "And it's probably the only reason that my business is still in operation, because it's my go to every time, just like you're saying, Joe, you know, it's like a SWAT team or SEALs team, like they just go back to their training."
• 00:36:35 - "And at the heart of it for us, I think it's human to human connection, right?"
• 00:43:52 - "My business changed when I hired or fired and rewarded based on core values."
• 00:45:48 - "because we believe courageous leadership is at the center of healthy culture and that leaders who do the uncomfortable things, the things that are seemingly more painful but resulting in a better outcome faster instead of kicking the can down the road, is vital to success."
• 00:49:41 - "A lot of people would be inclined to take the path of least resistance there and be like, I don't want to lose somebody over this."
• 00:50:23 - "You know, attacking the problem, not the person."
• 01:01:43 - "And so by putting them in touch with that opportunity, kind of go through this natural cycle of spiritual Rubicon where they come into touch with the wounds of their early life as a young man and turn them into a blessing and really have a healthy relationship."
• 01:06:01 - "If I want that, I'm going to have to compromise on some of my values and I'm not willing to do that."

S1E12: Taking a One Month Sabbatical

Have you established strong enough process and empowered your team well enough to step away for a 1-month sabbatical? If so, how would you spend that time wisely and what would you re-entry plan look like? I'm sure for many the thought of it seems completely unrealistic! 

Our guest in this episode is fresh off his return and shares some insights that you won't want to miss. 

In this episode we dive into a conversation with Michael Cantor, the President, Chairman, and Founding Principal of Allegro Realty. We discuss the importance of vulnerability in leadership, his experience with adopting EOS, preparing for your first sabbatical, benefits of belonging to a forum like Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), and how Dan Sullivan's Strategic Coach system helped him better align his role with work that brings him energy.

🔗 Links & Resources:

https://allegrorealty.com/

https://allegrorealty.com/careers 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcantor/

www.cultureshoc.com/contact-us/

www.eosworldwide.com 

www.strategiccoach.com/ 

S1E11: Solving Inventory Problems | Mike Ryan

Our guest in this episode solved problems for a living. The type of problems that cost manufacturing companies millions of dollars annually and prevent them from investing in their businesses the way they want to. In this episode we meet with Mike Ryan from the M. Ryan Group. When you connect with him on LinkedIn, you'll see that his handle is quite literally 'isolveproblems', and for good reason.

During the interview, he shares his experience working with companies like GE and Goodyear, and lays out some wisdom in solving supply chain and inventory problems for manufacturers and distributors. His journey to becoming an entrepreneur is fascinating and relatable. After leading teams in Supply Chain and Operations functions at large organizations for many years, he recognized that the problems he'd been solving for a single company were relevant to many and placed a bet on himself.

If your company carries inventory and you would like to see it tying up less capital, you may want to listen to this episode on repeat. If it doesn't, don't worry, you'll quickly see how Mike's pro tips on effective inventory management have meaning for leaders in any industry.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• https://mryangroup.com/
• www.linkedin.com/in/isolveproblems/
• www.cultureshoc.com/contact-us/

Quoteworthy Moments:

• 00:04:55 - "And what I learned about myself at that point was, number one, if somebody put it together, I could take it apart."
• 00:11:18 - "Really, the core is it's communication."
• 00:18:30 - "having that framework of EOS on top of the GE experience really helped kind of coalesce some of the fundamentals of how I run my business"
• 00:19:24 - "But I think the elegance is in the collection of and simplification of these different systems, processes, and tools to give common language, to get everyone rowing together."
• 00:24:49 - "And I mean, what I've learned is that I have the most fun when I'm working with people who want to be helped."
• 00:27:52 - "We talk all the time about charging into the uncomfortable, doing the things that you know are going to lead to a better outcome, even if they're painful." 00:28:34 - "There's implied security, but there's no real security."
• 00:34:47 - "if I want to be successful, if I want to keep my wife and our kids warm, safe, dry, and fed, this is a storm I need to lean into and I need to push through." 00:40:35 - "Being direct should be seen as kind."
• 00:44:45 - "People need to understand the why."
• 00:48:12 - "And I think it's because we're afraid to look dumb."
• 00:55:38 - "He's selling 22% more, you're only buying 6% more."
• 01:04:16 - "When there is a people storm and you line up and you face the storm together and you come through it, you always come through it stronger."
• 01:08:05 - "It's always exciting to bring a new product to market, right? It's new. It's exciting. People are jazzed to sell it. It's kind of unexciting and boring to take care of the older stuff and being mindful of, hey, for every product I bring in, maybe I take an older product out."

S1E10: Recruit, Hire, and Retain Better Talent | Nate Stansberry, President of Rust Belt Recruiting

Are you 100% confident in your company's ability to recruit & retain employees that out-perform the expectations for their role? Or do you, like many, struggle to find the right applicants and resort to overpaying or hiring people that you know aren't what you really need to move the business forward?

Join us for a deep dive into an issue that every small and mid-sized business seems to be facing, attracting and hiring top talent. Our hosts are joined by a former EOS client of CultureShoc's and current President of Rust Belt Recruiting, Nate Stansberry, in this highly entertaining and informative episode. 

While our guest primarily serves those in the industrial sector and within approximately 150 miles from Cleveland, the strategies and sentiments he shares are relevant globally, for companies of any size and in any industry. 

 

Links & Resources:

https://rustbeltrecruiting.com/

https://tinyurl.com/Rust-Belt-Recruiting-Playbook

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-stansberry-00aa264/

https://tinyurl.com/Five-HR-Strategies

https://tinyurl.com/NateStansberryFlyFishingBlog

https://www.instagram.com/captnatestansberry/?hl=en

 

Quoteworthy Moments:

• 00:04:08 - "But how transformative EOS is, and even if you aren't an EOS company, there's so many nuggets that you can take away and really learn to be a better leader, to run a better business and frankly to be a better human."
• 00:12:51 - "People do want to work. They don't know how."
• 00:17:28 - "be unapologetic about who you are as a company when hiring"
• 00:21:21 - "you are missing the boat if you don't tell people why you love them."
• 00:30:12 - "I guarantee you, you're going to get people in the door."
• 00:34:50 - "When your HR seat is only compliance driven, you're going to grind your best talent to the bottom."
• 00:35:22 - "Autonomy, flexibility, true greatness isn't going to survive in a culture like that."
• 00:42:36 - "But if we become so jaded and cynical by our own experiences or lack of awareness of where we owned it and instead put it on somebody else,  then you start to look at it like well, these people are idiots or nobody wants to work."
• 00:44:13 - "Like, you know, so many people don't realize that you don't have to live in a world where bad behavior is tolerated."
• 00:46:43 - "The ping pong table becomes this symbol of all that is wrong."
• 00:49:32 - "No, they do want to work, they don't want to work for you."
• 01:29:52 - "If you've got the ability to be in a 'hell yes' scenario every single day, you owe it to yourself. It is a sin not to be."
• 01:37:48 - "because she saw something in me that I didn't see in myself."
• 01:39:02 - "You've got to have five revenue streams within that passion."
• 01:43:03 - "You just got to give someone a shot."
• 01:45:32 - "Because I'm the wolf at the door telling you how to keep me away because I'm coming for your people if you don't take care of them."

S1E9: Lessons from a Life of Entrepreneurship | Rob Smith

What do Aerospace, Coffee, Whiskey, Yoga, Fine Art, and Concert Venues have in common? Our guest in Episode 9, Rob Smith!

In this episode Rob shares his story and the lessons he's learned throughout a highly decorated and diverse career as an entrepreneur and business leader. He's the Executive Chairman of Acutec Precision Aerospace, a member of the board for Women's Services Inc, Allegheny College, Crawford County Chamber of Commerce, and the Aerospace Industries Association.  He's also been investing back into the community of Meadville, PA in a big way, renovating commercial properties and opening a myriad of other businesses.

Rob's story is inspiring, and the wisdom he shares is meaningful. From a 20yr succession plan at his family business to the importance of an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), this episode hits on A LOT of really important topics that both business owners and emerging leaders will benefit from. A BIG thanks to Rob for sitting down with us! If you're reading this...just hit play now!

 

Links & Resources:

• https://acutecprecision.com/
• https://www.yogaspotmeadville.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/CussewagoCreekDistillery
• https://www.facebook.com/frenchcreekcoffeetea/
• https://www.frenchcreekframing.com/
• Coming Soon - Cussewago Square in Meadville, PA
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-smith-76475913/

Quoteworthy Moments:

• 00:12:26 - "We screwed up and, and this is what we're going to do to get it better."
• 00:18:23 - "Let them go out in the world, let them cut their teeth, let them make their own way, let them do their own thing, let them get their head kicked in a few times, let them find out that they're not perfect."
• 00:35:12 - "Rob, you are one lucky son of a bitch. Everything you do turns out to work."
• 00:42:52 - "It means every day you have to get better at what you're doing. Every day. Somebody else is trying to figure out how to take your business from you."
• 00:48:18 - "Life is unfair. Learn while you're young."
• 00:49:32 - "You're going to get a lot of crap thrown at you. It's what you do with it, is what makes you successful."
• 00:55:09 - "Whereas an ESOP is as the company does well, we all do well."
• 01:12:39 - "Work your ass off. Okay. Don't be afraid to work past five. Don't be afraid that when someone needs you on a weekend, figure out how to do it, you can bitch and moan about it, but do it. Do that. Take that extra step. And the other one is don't wait for somebody to tell you to do something. You see it needs to be done. Do it. All of a sudden people around you go, hey, this person's taking initiative. They're doing what needed to be done."
• 01:14:02 - "You've got to promote yourself. Don't hesitate."

 

S1E8: From EOS Client to EOS Implementer | Jim Tennant

In this episode of Into the Storm Leaders, Joe Jurec sits down with Jim Tennant, a professional EOS implementer®, Six Sigma Black Belt, former Manufacturing & Engineering Executive, and member of the team at CultureShoc. Jim talks about his journey from being an EOS client to becoming an implementer and joining CultureShoc.

*Contact our guest, Jim Tennant, directly for a free V/TO (Vision Traction Organizer) review or copy of the book, Traction. 📧 jim@cultureshoc.com

He shares what characteristics define peak leadership for him and his learnings from growing, scaling, and selling multiple Automation & Engineering related businesses. We also dig into the Entrepreneurial Operating System's proven process and the satisfaction he gets from helping business leaders get more of what they want from their businesses by achieving clarity on their vision & values. Listeners can expect a down-to-earth and wisdom-rich episode from this proven leader and former president of RBB Systems.

*If you could use some practice giving criticism, give us some! It'll help us make this podcast better.

For more on the The Five Leadership Abilities™, check out this article. https://www.cultureshoc.com/5-key-leadership-abilities-every-manager-should-have/ 

Links & Resources:

🌐 www.cultureshoc.com/

🌐 www.eosworldwide.com/jim-tennant

🌐 www.cultureshoc.com/keynote-speaker-jim-tennant/

🌐 www.linkedin.com/in/james-tennant-b7006412/

📧 joe@cultureshoc.com

Quoteworthy Moments:

"We lead through influence without authority or without traditional title of leadership all throughout our life and even at work. People do what you do, right? You model whether you want to be or not."

"Make space for mistakes by advertising your own."

"I tell them engineering is not making something work. It's making it work every time."

"I'm here to help people build stronger castles."

"Jack of all trades, master of none is oftentimes better than a master of one."

"So for me, EOS, when I'm telling somebody you need EOS, the two words that I use are clarity and accountability or clarity and trust."

"If there's a problem with how things are going, let's start with the accountability chart."

S1E8: From EOS Client to EOS Implementer | Jim Tennant (Video)

In this episode of Into the Storm Leaders, Joe Jurec sits down with Jim Tennant, a professional EOS implementer®, Six Sigma Black Belt, former Manufacturing & Engineering Executive, and member of the team at CultureShoc. Jim talks about his journey from being an EOS client to becoming an implementer and joining CultureShoc.

*Contact our guest, Jim Tennant, directly for a free V/TO (Vision Traction Organizer) review or copy of the book, Traction. 📧 jim@cultureshoc.com

He shares what characteristics define peak leadership for him and his learnings from growing, scaling, and selling multiple Automation & Engineering related businesses. We also dig into the Entrepreneurial Operating System's proven process and the satisfaction he gets from helping business leaders get more of what they want from their businesses by achieving clarity on their vision & values. Listeners can expect a down-to-earth and wisdom-rich episode from this proven leader and former president of RBB Systems.

*If you could use some practice giving criticism, give us some! It'll help us make this podcast better.

Links & Resources:

🌐 www.cultureshoc.com/

🌐 www.eosworldwide.com/jim-tennant

🌐 www.cultureshoc.com/keynote-speaker-jim-tennant/

🌐 www.linkedin.com/in/james-tennant-b7006412/

📧 joe@cultureshoc.com

Quoteworthy Moments:

00:18:36 - "We lead through influence without authority or without traditional title of leadership all throughout our life and even at work. People do what you do, right? You model whether you want to be or not."

00:26:43 - "Make space for mistakes by advertising your own."

00:31:15 - "I tell them engineering is not making something work. It's making it work every time."

00:35:16 - "I'm here to help people build stronger castles."

00:36:03 - "Jack of all trades, master of none is oftentimes better than a master of one."

00:53:09 - "So for me, EOS, when I'm telling somebody you need EOS, the two words that I use are clarity and accountability or clarity and trust."

01:04:24 - "If there's a problem with how things are going, let's start with the accountability chart."

01:22:48 - "I hope that you're finding something of value in each of these episodes that you listen to, and it helps you level up as a leader."