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.
67episodes
Episodes
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S2E63 | What If the Best Business Pivot Happens Because You Run Out of Options? with Clay Harris
3d ago01:06:57Summary 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, Ryan sits down with Clay Harris, EOS Implementer and co-founder of WorkSmart, an MSP he helped build from scratch starting in 2001 with no IT background, no capital, and only one guy who actually knew how to fix computers. Over the next two decades, Clay and his partners pivoted away from a WeWork-style concept into a thriving managed services business built on monthly recurring revenue, proactive service delivery, and pricing that actually aligned everyone's interests. Clay shares how the move from hourly billing to flat monthly fees changed everything, why pricing from an actuarial mindset gave WorkSmart a competitive edge that held for years, and what the MSP world can teach any service business about building a model clients want to commit to. He also gets into the danger of death by new tool, why you should stop getting sold to and start shopping against your own requirements, what partnership health actually looks like over the long haul, and how to recognize the moment a leadership team is finally ready to say the hard thing out loud. Timestamps 05:51 Entrepreneurial Journeys and Imposter Syndrome 12:54 Evolving Managed IT Services 21:01 Recruiting as a Service Model 33:45 Managing Client Churn and Expectations 41:55 Navigating Generational and Technological Shifts 47:29 Avoiding the ‘New Tool’ Trap 52:06 Strategic Pivots and Business Risk 56:00 Partnership Dynamics and Healthy Communication Guest Links clay@clayharris.com (919)452-5390 https://clayharris.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayharris/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-10s-podcast/id1810811928 https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/clay-harris/
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S2E62 | Is HR Really Just Compliance and Recruiting or Is There More on the Table? with Joe Rosenbaum
2w ago00:55:30Summary 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, Ryan sits down with Joe Rosenbaum, EOS Implementer and former Chief Human Resources Officer who spent decades inside some of the most demanding organizations in retail, events, and consumer brands, including Authentic Brands Group. Joe brings a rare perspective to this conversation, having lived the tension between advocating for employees and protecting the business at the same time, often from the same chair. Joe shares why he believes in-house HR is harder than most leaders realize and why outsourcing certain functions, particularly employee relations and internal investigations, might actually create more trust, not less. He breaks down how to use Glassdoor reviews the right way, why engagement surveys do more harm than good if you are not prepared to act on them, and what a state of the company meeting actually needs to cover to build real organizational trust. He also introduces a concept called the stay interview, which flips the typical HR script and gives leaders a window into what it would actually take to keep their best people around. Timestamps 01:00 From Rural Roots to New York HR 06:01 Evolving Philosophy of Human Resources 11:47 Strategic HR Outsourcing and Engagement 16:19 Building Trust Through Active Listening 22:11 Navigating Glassdoor and Culture Toxicity 27:41 Strengthening Organizational Trust 33:29 Optimizing Company-Wide Meetings 43:06 The Role of Facilitation Guest Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephrosenbaum/ https://www.instagram.com/joerosenbaum.eos/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/josephrosenbaum_i-worked-with-a-company-that-had-eleven-service-share-7478522026840776704-DqrM/
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S2E61 | Do Your Core Values Create Clarity or Complexity? with Andrea Schlapia
3w ago00:55:26Summary 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 successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan. Let's dive in! In this episode, Ryan sits down with Andrea Schlapia, EOS Implementer and founder of Ironstone Business Coaching. Andrea has spent her career helping wealth management firms and financial advisory businesses stop running like practices and start running like real companies, and EOS gave her the framework to do it at scale. Andrea shares why complexity is the single biggest thing holding businesses back from their potential, what most leadership teams get wrong about core values, how to tell the difference between a real core value and a permission to play, and why she never rolls out EOS to the broader organization until the leadership team can actually teach the tools themselves. She also introduces something completely new to this show, an offer she makes to every client to personally run a 90-minute meeting for the entire company so leadership never has to fumble through that first conversation. Plus, she breaks down how she has cracked the code on fully virtual EOS sessions and why everyone needs their own Zoom box. Timestamps 07:18 Clarity and Organizational Health 10:35 Navigating Mergers with Core Values 14:26 The Art of Rolling Out Core Values 23:01 Simplifying Business Complexity 29:34 Defining Effective Scorecards 40:37 Optimizing Virtual Meeting Experiences 45:01 Maintaining Engagement in Remote Teams Guest Links https://ironstonehq.com/team/andrea-schlapia/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aschlapia/ https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/andrea-schlapia/
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S2E60 | Is your 10 Year Target a Vision or Just a Wish? with Harrison Jenkins
4w ago01:01:51Summary 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, Ryan sits down with Harrison Jenkins, an EOS Implementer who has carved out one of the most specific niches in the entire EOS community. Nearly all of Harrison's clients are independent insurance brokers, and the combination of his family's sales consulting firm, Blueprint Consulting Group, and EOS has become a powerful framework for helping those companies finally grow the way they always said they wanted to. Harrison shares the difference between predicting where you want to go and simply projecting where you will end up if nothing changes; why so many insurance agencies are sitting on underperforming producers for years longer than they should; and what it really looks like to sell your vision to your team instead of just announcing it. If you run an insurance agency, lead a sales team, or just want a fresh perspective on how vision and execution actually connect inside a growing business, this one delivers. Timestamps 03:41 Vision vs. Execution & Goal Setting 07:55 Selling the Vision 16:16 Cultural Impact of Growth & Accountability 24:07 Challenges in Hiring Producers 32:57 Why Non-Producing Salespeople Persist 41:12 Comp Structure for Winners 45:52 Retaining High-Producing Brokers 51:53 Philosophy on EOS Graduation Guest Links https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/harrison-jenkins/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-jenkins-0250139b/ https://www.blueprint.biz/ harrison@blueprint.biz harrison.jenkins@eosworldwide.com
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Why Saying "No" Builds a Better Business with Jonathan B. Smith
Jul 1700:17:30Summary readyMost entrepreneurs believe more clients solve every problem. But the wrong clients can quietly steal your time, energy, and future. In this conversation, Ryan Hogan sits down with EOS Implementer JBS to discuss why building a successful consulting business isn't about saying yes to every opportunity—it's about intentionally designing a business around the life you actually want. They explore why confidence matters more than rigid frameworks, how to recognize ideal clients, why consistency always beats chasing shiny new tactics, and how personal branding becomes your greatest competitive advantage. Topics include: Why saying "no" creates more freedom than saying "yes" Designing your business around your ideal life How to identify the right clients before it's too late Why great work naturally creates more opportunities Building confidence beyond following a framework Creating a personal brand that becomes your competitive moat Because the best businesses aren't built by chasing every opportunity. They're built by intentionally choosing the right ones.
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S2E59 | What Does Alignment Actually Look Like Inside a Growing Organization? with Beth Rusert
Jul 1601:00:09Summary 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, Ryan sits down with Beth Rusert, EOS Implementer, former communications executive, and someone who spent decades watching organizations fail not because of bad strategy, but because of broken internal communication. Beth shares why internal communication is one of the most undervalued functions in any organization, what genuine alignment actually looks like versus what it looks like when a team is just pretending, and why the failure to have tough conversations early always costs more than the conversation itself. She also gets into the difference between a team and a family, how to know when a culture fit issue is coachable versus when it's time to move on, and why EOS gave her the language for things she'd been doing her whole career without realizing it. If you lead a team, own a business, or have ever avoided a hard conversation longer than you should have this one is for you. Timestamps 03:00 The Value of Internal Communications 07:07 Good Internal Communication Defined 12:43 Team vs. Family Culture 16:25 The Art of Tough Conversations 20:00 Navigating Culture Shifts and Expectations 32:15 Effective Leadership and Sales 37:16 Leadership Beyond Subject Matter Expertise 46:08 Tiger Teams for Process Improvement 49:20 Signs of Organizational Misalignment Guest Links https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/beth-rusert/ beth.rusert@eosworldwide.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethrusert/
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S2E58 | What's More Important: Strategy or Execution? with Eliot Wajskol
Jul 901:00:31Summary 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, Ryan reunites with Eliot Wajskol — EOS Implementer, former Global 1000 executive advisor, and one of only two guests to appear on the show twice — for a deep, debate-worthy conversation about the question every business leader eventually has to answer: what's more important, strategy or execution? Eliot breaks down what strategy actually means at the leadership team level, why a room full of people with five different pictures in their minds is essentially five different companies, and how great strategic decisions are fundamentally acts of elimination. He shares how he diagnoses whether a leadership team is truly ready to have strategic conversations, the three signals that tell him someone doesn't belong at the table, and why he thinks EOS is really an execution operating system in disguise. Ryan and Eliot also get into the power of speed, the danger of diluting focus, and Ryan's experiment of giving every team member just one rock per quarter. Whether you're running your first quarterly or rethinking your entire leadership structure, this one will make you think differently. Timestamps 03:43 Foundational Strategy Ingredients 09:52 Team Readiness for Strategy 18:39 The Chief Decider Role 26:59 Internal vs. External Talent 36:03 Translating Strategy to a Plan 40:08 EOS as an Execution System 43:26 Strategy vs. Execution: Which Matters More? 49:30 The Undervalued Role of Speed 51:49 The Power of One Rock Guest Links https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/eliot-wajskol/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliotwajskol/ https://www.eliotwajskol.com/ https://www.instagram.com/eliotwajskol/ https://fiftypages.life/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnWpXZeu9xENVfvtvoIsyfzxV9ueGyFaCqDF_oVb7sL1CCT8K6Cp2Ccmb2Rl0_aem_0k0Szq-_nZXtuiLIxprlZw
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S2E57 | Kind vs. Nice: What Most Leaders Get Wrong About Caring for Their Team with Mike Yoder
Jul 200:46:53Summary 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, Ryan sits down with Mike Yoder, EOS Implementer, lifelong integrator, and self-described number 2 guy. Mike's path took him from corporate giants like Siemens to painting houses at 25 to building a $1M barcode label business, before EOS gave him the language to understand who he actually was. Mike shares a leadership framework rooted in one simple truth: care for the person you're leading. But there's a catch. He draws a sharp line between being kind and being nice, and the difference will make you rethink every tough conversation you've been avoiding. If you're an entrepreneur who's ever felt stuck, wondered if you're the right person in the right seat, or just wants to lead your team better, this one's for you. Timestamps 04:20 The Leap to Entrepreneurship 08:47 The Integrator Revelation and EOS 11:56 Lessons from Big and Small Companies 21:28 Foundational Principles of Leadership 25:32 Kindness vs. Niceness in the Workplace 33:38 Becoming Your Best Self 37:16 Developing Leaders and Attitude Guest Links https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/mike-yoder/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyoder-e4g/ mike.yoder@eosworldwide.com Phone: (816)922-9546
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S2E56 | EOS Worldwide Means Worldwide with Living Proof Wayne Smith
Jun 2500:52:49Summary 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, Wayne Smith joins us from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he is building one of the most unique EOS practices in the world. Wayne spent years as an auditor and strategist spanning 40+ countries, leading teams from 15 different nationalities across Paris, Beijing, London, Africa, the Middle East, and everywhere in between. He then walked away from a PE-backed CEO role in Honolulu in the middle of COVID to become the first EOS Implementer based in Hawaii. Wayne breaks down what it actually takes to build trust across cultures, why 8 out of 10 companies he works with see leadership team changes in the first six months, and what is uniquely challenging about bringing EOS into Southeast Asia. This is one of the most globally minded conversations we have had on this show. Timestamps 05:40 Leading Diverse Teams and Cultural Nuances 09:19 Experiential Learning and Talent Development 19:59 Counteracting the 'Fill-It-Now' Mindset 31:04 Discovering and Implementing EOS 25:34 Expanding EOS Globally and EO Membership 43:51 Cultural Nuances in EOS Implementation Guest Links Email: wayne.smith@eosworldwide.com Website: https://www.waynesmith.coach/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wlsmith76/ EOS Worldwide: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/wayne-smith/
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S2E55 | The Difference Between Tired and Burnt and Why It Almost Cost Him Everything with Justin Maust
Jun 1801:01:47Summary 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, Justin Maust brings the kind of energy you feel before he even starts talking and the kind of honesty most people never share out loud. Justin is an expert EOS Implementer, a speaker, a trainer, a coach, and a guy who spent years chasing a 10-year target so hard that he nearly lost himself in the process. He sold two companies, pivoted his entire vision, and came out the other side with more clarity and more to give than ever before. In this conversation, Justin opens up about what burnout actually feels like when you are someone who never stops running, why the things you are best at can become your biggest blind spots, and what happens when you finally stop trying to do it your own way. This one is raw, personal, and packed with the kind of wisdom that only comes from living it. Timestamps 01:12 Justin’s Vision Board and Mentors 07:23 Recognizing Burnout 15:09 Lessons from a Changed 10-Year Target 19:28 Chasing Impact vs. Money 25:51 Surrendering to a Higher Purpose 31:28 The Power of Discipline 44:39 Impact of Deletion on Presence 49:06 Discovering and Honing Unique Abilities 53:59 The Mallard Duck vs. Eagle Philosophy Guest Links justin.maust@eosworldwide.com EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/justin-maust/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmaust/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.e.maust/ https://www.entrelegacygroup.com/
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