Podcast
Confessions of an Implementer
Hosted by Talent Harbor · EN
Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. Every week, host Ryan Hogan sits down with a different EOS implementer to discuss their unique stories about the companies they have transformed. So make sure to listen to get a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action.
56episodes
Episodes
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S2E53 | What Happens When Your Business Dies and Takes Your Identity With It? with Matthew Abrams
6d ago01:02:50Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Matthew Abrams joins us for an honest and heartwrenching conversation about what actually happens before, during, and after a business fails. Matthew started a company in his 30s with a co-founder, two visionaries with no integrator and no framework for productive conflict, and watched it fall apart from the inside. What came after changed everything about how he leads, coaches, and shows up in his relationships. In this conversation, Matthew breaks down why conflict avoided is opportunity lost, what the four phases of business death actually look like, why most entrepreneurs skip the most important ones, and why the most powerful thing a leader can do is stop trying to manage their way out of grief and just be with it. This episode goes places most business podcasts never go. And that is exactly why you should listen. Timestamps 05:15 Navigating Business Conflict and Self-Doubt 08:10 Identity, Failure, and Personal Growth 13:11 The Four Phases of Grieving Business Death 22:56 Conflict as a Vehicle for Growth 37:54 Conflict in Business Settings 41:04 Identifying Emotions and Needs 44:50 Transforming Tension to Traction 56:42 Inviting Genius: The Book Guest Links InvitingGenius.com Preorder Now! Publish Date: August 4, 2026 EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/matthew-abrams/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-abrams-8389547/
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S2E52 | Special Episode: How Your Greatest Strength Can Derail You with CAPT Jason Motes
2w ago01:10:10Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! Dr. Jason Motes is not an EOS Implementer. He is not here to talk about rocks or L10s or accountability charts. He is here because he is one of the most intentional leaders Ryan has ever been around, and he also happened to be Ryan's boss in the Navy. What started as two old colleagues catching up turned into one of the most honest conversations about leadership, service, and what it actually means to pour into the people around you. Jason opens up about his philosophy on authentic leadership, why the strengths that got you to the top are the same ones that will eventually derail you, and why there is no such thing as a healthy culture in an underperforming organization. He also gets into blind spots, dark behaviors, feedback, morning routines, and the legacy he is quietly building one person at a time. Timestamps 04:36 The Hitchhiker's Story 14:46 Creating Cohesion & Trust 25:02 Delivering Difficult Decisions 31:49 Authenticity and Blind Spots 38:00 Physical & Mental Resilience 41:57 Addictive Personality & Decompression 45:07 Nonfiction Reading for Leaders 55:06 Leadership Legacy and FEPPA 01:01:54 Fixing Teams & Accountability Guest Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjasonmotes/ https://www.validitea.org/ https://academyleadership.com/motes/
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S2E51 | Your Business Is Not Who You Are. So Who Are You? with Coach Bob Shenefelt
2w ago01:01:05Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed, giving you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Coach Bob Shenefelt joins us for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations we have had on this show. Bob grew a distribution company from $200K to $5 million in a couple of years with no systems in place, watched it spiral out of control, and came out the other side with a life philosophy that has helped hundreds of visionaries find purpose beyond the business. He breaks down why most visionaries should not be running sales, why the three-year picture is the visionary's playground, what his 3-3-1 daily routine looks like, and what it actually means to let go of the vine. If you are a visionary, an EOS Implementer, or someone trying to figure out who they are beyond what they do, this episode is for you. Timestamps 01:29 Visionaries in the Sales Seat 08:36 Life Beyond the Business 19:15 Daily Routine for Visionaries: The 3-3-1 26:48 The Power of the 3-3-1 Framework 34:25 Visionary vs. Integrator Dynamics 45:01 Visionaries in L10s and Integrator Trust 46:39 Forced Visionary Absence 50:10 Owner's Box vs. Visionary Role Guest Links bob@imatter.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-shenefelt/ https://www.imatter.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYAU2b3ysP1M6PZ9mBorVyQ https://www.facebook.com/bobshenefelt/ https://www.amazon.com/Unscatter-Chatter-Elevate-Expand-Impact-ebook/dp/B0BHXLV1YH?ref_=ast_author_mpb https://www.instagram.com/imatterrevolution/
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S2E50 | The Hero’s Journey to Authentic Leadership with Justin Cook
3w ago00:58:16Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this deeply personal episode, Ryan Hogan and Justin Cook explore the terrain between external achievement and true fulfillment, and why the most important leadership breakthroughs often begin in the most uncomfortable places. Justin opens up about his profound Ayahuasca journey after his conventional “career success”. That insight became a compass for navigating stress, anxiety, and the harder edges of the implementer role. 2:51 Ayahuasca Journey 7:55 Breakthrough and Transformation 12:21 Integration and Rewiring 17:20 Overcoming Fear and Vulnerability 20:05 Vulnerability in Leadership 27:17 Purpose Shift 36:30 Career Path 40:16 Culture Building 48:38 Navigating Conflict and Building Trust 55:03 Leveraging the Team’s Power Guest Links Guest Links Email: justin.cook@eosworldwide.com Phone Number: 615-336-7133 EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/justin-cook/
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S2E49 | Why Small Businesses Are Losing the AI Race and What to Do About It with Brian Sulka
4w ago00:51:46Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Brian Sulka breaks down why small and mid-sized businesses are getting squeezed out of the AI conversation, what it means to be a "big ideas coach" inside an EOS session, and how custom software gave his frozen fruit company a competitive advantage that nobody else in the industry could touch. He also gets into Kolbe scores, team alignment, and why the best leadership teams are built on opposites. This is one of the most unique conversations I've had on this show. Don't miss it. Timestamps 06:29 AI Similarities to Dot-Com Era 11:42 AI Implementation for SMBs 20:06 Overcoming Fear and Achieving Alignment 32:46 Ideal Integrator Profile 41:54 AI's Impact on Custom Software Guest Links brian.sulka@eosworldwide.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsulka/ EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/brian-sulka/
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S2E48 | The Golf Mindset That Changed the Way I Run My Business with Chris McCarty
May 700:59:26Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Chris McCarty breaks down why playing your C game consistently beats chasing your A game, how he uses counting routines to manage pressure on the golf course and in business, and why overperforming your revenue target isn't always the win it feels like. He also gets honest about self-implementing EOS at his own marketing agency, what he got wrong, and what changed the moment he saw a real implementation in action. This has a lot of range. Don't miss it! Timestamps 03:19 Mastering the Mental Game 06:28 Playing Your C-Game in Golf 14:47 The Counting Routine 20:36 Scorecarding in Golf and Business 29:04 Objective Goal Setting 32:27 The End of a Golf Career 41:49 Starting a Marketing Agency 49:03 Self-Implementing EOS vs. Implementer Value Guest Links Email: chris.mccary@eosworldwide.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislmccarty/ EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/chris-mccarty/ Einstein Marketing Concepts: https://einsteinmarketingconcepts.com/
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S2E47 | The Courage to Keep It Simple with Josh Holtzman
Apr 3001:11:23Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Josh Holtzman breaks down what a fifth-generation LA entrepreneur learns watching $80 million burn, why leaders secretly run two L10s instead of having one hard conversation, and how to think about your scorecard like a ship's bridge versus an engine room. He also gets honest about why leadership isn't that complicated… most of us just lack the courage to do the simple things. This one hit different. Don't miss it. Timestamps 02:00 Dot-Com Era Learnings 08:39 The Pursuit of Too Much 12:49 Learning on Someone Else’s Dime 19:09 Scaling and Selling His First Business 29:35 EOS Integration and Team Alignment 33:00 Becoming an EOS Implementer 41:07 Session Guru: Building and Exiting 44:54 Simple Leadership Newsletter 47:45 Josh’s 10-Year Target 01:01:59 Quarterly State of the Company Meetings 01:04:47 Finding Josh: Newsletter and EOS Coaching 01:10:41 Concluding Thoughts and Appreciation Guest Links Vistage Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/josh-holtzman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-holtzman1
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S2E46 | Two Visionaries, No Integrator, and a Brewery That Almost Didn't Open with Lee Handley
Apr 2300:58:15Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Lee Handley gets brutally honest about co-founding a brewery with a close friend, realizing they were both visionaries with no integrator, and watching the partnership fall apart before they ever cut the ribbon. Lee and Ryan also tackle the topic of why niching down isn't a strategy problem but a confidence problem, why hourly billing is killing professional services, and what it actually means to build value for a client rather than just managing your own costs. Timestamps 03:47 The Power of Niching Down 10:39 Niche Challenges and Opportunities 16:27 Value is Subjective 21:12 Brewery Business Plan to Reality 29:59 Navigating Legalities and Risks 39:12 Compromise vs. Community Feedback 45:04 Brewery Business: Lessons Learned 52:23 Learning from Business Failure Guest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehandleyeosi/ EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/lee-handley/ TrimTab Brewing: https://www.trimtabbrewing.com/ Phone: (205)516-1102
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S2E45 | From Zero Traction to Double the Clients in 4 Months with Justin Mink
Apr 1600:54:50Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In a world drowning in automation, DMs, and cold email sequences, Justin Mink has built his EOS practice on picking up the phone. Justin treats proactive phone outreach as a secret weapon. And the results speak for themselves. In this episode, Justin opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, from co-founding a company connecting regional musicians with major brands, to a health crisis that forced him to step away from everything, to discovering EOS, and finally finding a framework that matched the way his brain works. He also breaks down the "did you know" sales approach, why you should always measure effort over outcome, and how implementing a single outreach methodology doubled his client count in 4 months. If you're an EOS Implementer trying to grow your practice, or a business owner who knows their pipeline could be stronger, this one's for you! Timestamps 07:58 - The Power of Proactive Calls 15:27 - Versatility of Proactive Communication 26:04 - Finding Product-Market Fit 32:39 - Health Crisis and EOS Influence 41:00 - Outgrow's Impact on Practice 43:52 - EOS Implementation Challenges Guest Links EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/justin-mink/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmink/ Outgrow: https://runoutgrow.com/
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S2E44 | My Employees Weren’t the Problem: I Was, with Hurricane Ken Dewitt
Apr 901:19:41Summary readyWelcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed, giving you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode of Confessions of an Implementer, I sit down with Ken DeWitt, also known as “Hurricane Ken.” Early in his career, Ken was an intense, driven business owner whose leadership style was creating fear, turnover, and dysfunction inside his company. It took brutally honest feedback from a workplace psychologist for him to realize something that changed his life: He was the problem. We talk about Ken’s 35-year journey of self-awareness, learning to control his reactions, and becoming the kind of leader who builds trust instead of fear. We dive into powerful leadership lessons, including: the mindset shift of “everything is my fault”, how self-awareness changes leadership forever and why Failure is required for growth If you’re a CEO, founder, EOS leader, or business owner, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the hardest leadership challenge isn’t managing your team, it’s managing yourself. Timestamps 03:10 - Meeting Hurricane Ken 08:06 - The Flag System 20:53 - The Big Pill & Bravery 29:26 - Can People Fundamentally Change? 35:50 - Apologies & Triggers 47:04 - Manage Others, Manage Self 1:00:00 - The "One Thing" Exercise 1:13:13 - Finding the Right Client Chemistry Guest Links Email: kdewitt@eosworldwide.com EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/ken-dewitt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethdewitt/
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