Podcast
Leadership Blueprints
Hosted by BJ Kraemer, MCFA · EN
Leadership Blueprints is a podcast dedicated to helping leaders align teams, navigate chaos, and accomplish the mission. Hosted by BJ Kraemer—West Point graduate, combat veteran, and President & CEO of MCFA—this show dives into the principles, stories, and strategies behind effective leadership.
With a background in military service and experience leading teams in business, infrastructure, and complex projects, BJ understands that success comes down to execution, adaptability, and leading people well. Through in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders across business, sports, the military, and beyond, Leadership Blueprints will help you bring your vision to reality on projects that shape communities and industries.
Whether you’re leading in the boardroom, on the field, in the military, or within your own organization, this podcast is designed to provide the tools and mindset needed to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Subscribe now and start building your Leadership Blueprint.
39episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Build a Career, Not a Job: 36 Years of Leadership Lessons
6d ago00:49:07Tap to summarizeAfter spending 36 years at EwingCole, John Capelli has officially stepped into the role of CEO. But his story isn't just about reaching the top. It's about a company that has spent decades intentionally developing leaders, planning for succession, and building an ownership model designed to outlast any one individual.In this episode of Leadership Blueprints, BJ Kraemer sits down with John to discuss EwingCole's unique approach to leadership, the lessons John learned throughout his career, and why earning respect comes from contribution rather than title. They explore succession planning, mentorship, company culture, and how organizations can create opportunities for future generations while continuing to grow.Whether you're an executive, a manager, or an emerging leader, this conversation offers practical insights on building a career, developing others, and creating organizations that stand the test of time.Key Topics: The history behind EwingCole's unique ownership and succession model John's 36-year journey from architect to CEO Why leadership transitions should be intentional, not reactive The importance of mentorship and earning influence through contribution Preparing the next generation of leaders while continuing to grow How innovation, AI, and technology are shaping the future of design firms Memorable Quotes:John Capelli: "You built something, and you want to see it go on."John Capelli: "You have to figure out who you want to work with—and make sure it's the right person."John Capelli: "If I did that successfully, I would actually get more respect than I ever had when I was wearing the director of operations position."John Capelli: "People can't advance in their careers if you're not growing."John Capelli: "Our door is always open."Connect with John Capelli & EwingCole:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ewingcole/ Website: https://www.ewingcole.com/Connect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/ Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742ee Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224
Transcribe →Why Cybersecurity Is a Leadership Responsibility—not an IT Problem
2w ago00:41:58Tap to summarizeA lot of people are talking about how AI is changing the landscape of professional services, but there’s one really important consideration that often gets overlooked — cyber threats. As CEO of Ridgeback Network Defense Inc., today’s guest, Scott Fogarty, helps organisations defend against cyber attacks. We begin by unpacking the importance of being prepared for battle as a business leader with the understanding that cybersecurity is a real fight against other human beings who pose a threat to the safety of our resources. Next, Scott reveals more about his leadership and founder journey, with insights on how to manage and nurture successful teams. We also explore Scott’s mission to get business leaders to take ownership of cyber safety rather than deferring only to their IT professionals. Our conversation dissects two major strategies for online safety, and how Ridgeback’s system uses game theory to prevent attacks before they even begin. Join us for an important discussion about an issue that impacts us all.Key Points From This Episode:Why the topic of cyber defense is so important for business leaders. How to build a culture of industriousness among teams. Founding Ridgeback Network Defense Inc. Scott’s mission to enlist the time and attention of business leaders to focus on cyber safety.What keeps users from understanding cybersecurity needs.Quotes:“[Cybersecurity] is a fight against other human beings who wish to harm us or steal our resources, not a bad weather system.” — Scott Fogarty “The reward is not from sitting in your desk and writing emails that command people to do this or that — it’s by drawing on diverse talents and diverse experience and enlisting everybody in a bigger objective.” — Scott Fogarty“Composing a mix of folks who get pleasure out of working with one another is a key part of inspiring industriousness.” — Scott Fogarty “Cyber is the pervasive undercurrent to geopolitical instability because it’s everywhere and it’s out of public view, but it’s a key method by which criminals, nation states who aren’t freedom-loving, are exercising influence.” — Scott FogartyLinks Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Scott Fogarty on LinkedInScott Fogarty EmailRidgeback Network DefenseThe Sword of Damocles: A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift for the DefenseEpisode 254The Sun Also RisesThe AeneidThe Infinite GameLeadership Blueprints Links:Leadership Blueprints PodcastLeadership Blueprints Podcast on YouTubeMCFAMCFA CareersBJ Kraemer on LinkedInSign up for our Leadership Blueprint Newsletter
Transcribe →What a National Champion Learned About the Victories That Mattered Most
3w ago00:53:32Tap to summarizeMost people think winning builds confidence. But this former Princeton National Champion says it's the other way around.For Lauren, the championship isn't the first thing she remembers when she reflects on how sports shaped her. It's the moments that taught her to believe in herself. Now, as a high school lacrosse coach and parent of three athletes, she's helping young people discover a different kind of victory—one that has nothing to do with the scoreboard and everything to do with who they're becoming.In this episode, Lauren and BJ explore why the mental side of sports deserves as much attention as physical talent, how great coaches learn to see every player differently, why confidence can't be given but can be cultivated, and how redefining victory changes the way we lead, coach, parent, and live. The line that stuck: it’s about climbing the mountain and finding our own victories.TOPICS DISCUSSED:The Pivotal Moment That Shaped Her Athletic Career Why the Mental Game Deserves Equal AttentionWhy Failure MattersWhy Hard Things Help KidsThe Invisible Connection Between Coaches, Parents, and Players
Transcribe →The Leadership Lesson Hidden in America's Story
4w ago00:37:24Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter The story of America is the story of getting punched in the face and choosing to come back stronger. That is not just history. That is leadership. As the country turns 250, BJ sits down with Army Colonel Steve Messenger to unpack what that actually demands of you. Steve teaches a class called Failing with the Stoics and has spent his career building leaders inside the military's deliberate, hierarchical, brutal development system.In this episode, Steve and BJ get into the BRAG framework for servant leadership, why solid citizens and learners need totally different things from you, the three ropes every leader has to bounce off of, the moment a major stepped into a combatives ring and got slammed in the face, and the identity lie most leaders quietly believe. The line that stuck with BJ: chase people, not badges.Topics discussed:00:00 - Reagan, freedom, and the 250th birthday setup01:13 - Why America's story is the story of getting back up07:25 - Doing your best when life has split priorities10:07 - The Failing with the Stoics class11:04 - Solid citizens vs learners and what each one needs14:01 - The BRAG framework for servant leadership19:00 - The major who stepped into the combatives ring24:29 - Jack Hughes and the gold medal goal that says it all27:11 - The three ropes every leader needs to bounce off of35:02 - The identity lie most leaders quietly believeConnect with Stephen Messenger:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-messenger-866136a5/Website: https://themaximumstandard.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenmessenger19/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069227347214&locale=es_LAConnect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224Books mentioned:Why Not the Best by Jimmy CarterMeditations by Marcus AureliusNo Rules Rules by Reed HastingsAntifragile by Nassim TalebThis episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
Transcribe →Your Project Managers Are CEOs in Training. Are You Developing Them Like It?
Jun 2400:26:44Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Most firms send their project managers to a bootcamp once a year, hand them a certificate, and call it development. Anthony Fasano says that's not even close. PMs are running your client relationships, your budgets, your teams. They are CEOs of their projects. If you are not building them like CEOs, you are capping your own growth. Anthony just released Beyond PM Training, and his ecosystem approach is a wake up call for any firm that thinks a seminar is a strategy.In this episode, Anthony and BJ break down the four phases of real PM development, why 90 percent of firms cannot even tell you how many PMs they have, the abundance mindset most of the industry is missing, and the line BJ keeps coming back to. Systems beat seminars. If you run a firm or you are a PM trying to develop yourself, this one is the blueprint.Topics discussed:00:00 - Why PM development is the real growth lever02:33 - PM development is an ecosystem, not a class04:01 - The four phases of the development ecosystem05:07 - Why 90 percent of firms cannot even count their PMs06:18 - Why you have to assess PMs before you train them10:14 - Getting senior PMs speaking the same language17:14 - PMs have to advocate for themselves too19:10 - The abundance mindset that lifts the whole industry21:19 - Why systems beat seminars23:11 - How to micro dose PM developmentConnect with Anthony Fasano:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjfasano/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EngineeringManagementInstitute/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/engineeringmanagementinstitute/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@engmgtinstituteX: https://x.com/EngMgtInstituteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringManagementWebsite:https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/Connect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
Transcribe →How to Be the Parent Your Young Athlete Actually Needs
Jun 1700:37:00Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Most parents think they're doing right by their kid in youth sports. They show up. They invest. They mean well. But Jonathan Carone says two hidden emotions are quietly driving most of the bad sideline calls. Self love and self glory. Once you can name them, the whole thing changes. Jonathan runs Healthy Sports Parents and helps moms, dads, and coaches build the kind of relationship with their kid that makes the sport actually mean something.In this episode, Jonathan and BJ get into the youth sports arms race, why kids are quitting before high school, the fun map study that puts winning at 40th on the list of things kids actually find fun, and the 5 to 10 ratio every parent and coach should know. The line that stuck: methods are many, principles are few.Topics discussed:00:00 - Welcome and why this topic matters01:17 - What kids actually need from the adults around them03:33 - The two hidden emotions driving every sports parent06:15 - BJ's real time dilemma with his nine year old11:20 - If you're meant to get there, you're going to get there22:20 - The fun map study and where winning actually ranks23:01 - The 5 to 10 ratio every parent and coach should know26:34 - Why you need love deposits before criticism28:52 - The Kobe Bryant moment that reframes coaching kids31:09 - I'm dad. Then I'm coach.Connect with Jonathan Carone:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-carone-52145778/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HealthySportsParents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents\TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparentsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthySportsParentsWebsite: https://healthysportsparents.com/Connect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
Transcribe →The Question Every Business Owner Should Be Asking Themselves
Jun 1000:33:46Tap to summarizeMost business owners can rattle off their revenue, their pipeline, and their biggest headaches. Almost none can answer this one. What is the business actually doing to serve you in your life? Krystn Macomber asks her clients that before anything else. She's a fractional Chief Growth Officer who helps small government contractors stop chasing every shiny opportunity and actually build a strategy.In this episode, Krystn and BJ get into the BD curse of always saying "maybe we can win this," why the first year of her own business was the easy one, where AI actually helps in marketing and where it falls flat, and the rule she made about saying yes to the scary stuff. If you run a business or you're sitting in corporate thinking about leaving, this one has something you can use this week.Topics discussed:00:00 - What fractional growth support actually is01:46 - Who Krystn says no to as a client05:15 - The business development curse08:01 - How chasing everything burns out your best people10:12 - Where AI helps in BD and where it falls flat14:16 - Why the first year of business was the easy one15:27 - The LinkedIn highlight reel needs to go20:10 - Promoted to manage 25 people overnight24:01 - The rule she made about saying yes to scary things31:08 - The question every business owner should ask themselvesConnect with Krystn Macomber:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystnmacomber/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summitstrategywins/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summitstrategywins/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6BGAiN7JAN_RvI6K9mzAzAWebsite: https://www.summitstrategywins.com/Connect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
Transcribe →The 2 Words Every Leader Should Say More Often
Jun 300:40:58Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Most leaders shut down ideas without realizing it. A "yeah but" in a meeting. A quick correction before someone finishes. The team quietly learns to stop bringing anything new. Will Dennis runs Unscripted Productions, an applied improv studio that trains Fortune 500s, hospitals, and schools on the fix. It comes back to two words. Yes, and.In this episode, Will and BJ unpack why "yes, and" is the most underrated leadership tool out there. What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all Super Bowl run. Why one company tests emerging leaders on whether they hold the spotlight or stand in it. And the hardest line to sit with: a leader's real job is to work themselves out of one.Topics discussed:00:00 - Why we're talking about improv, not AI02:00 - Improv as the safest place to fail05:00 - How "yes, and" turns down the heat in any room14:18 - What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all season19:03 - The hidden test for who actually gets into the leadership program24:23 - The most powerful sentence you can hear in a locker room24:47 - A leader's real job is to work themselves out of one29:24 - A boardroom hack any leader can steal tomorrow34:27 - Rapid fire: books, the word sonder, and dinner with Adam Grant38:55 - Why improv is not the thing you think it isConnect with Will Dennis:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjdennis/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unscriptedproductionsWebsite: https://www.unscriptedproductions.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unscriptedprodConnect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
Transcribe →Championship Coach: Your Team Is Only as Good as Your Least Committed Person
May 2700:45:18Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Every leader has that one person on the team. The one showing up halfway. The one quietly setting the ceiling for everyone else. And most leaders tolerate it longer than they should.Matt Crispino refused to. After taking over the Princeton men's swim team, he inherited what his assistant called an opt-in culture, where the committed thrived and the disengaged got to coast. Matt blew it up. He made the team write their own core values, told the roster it was all in or out, and just won his second straight Ivy League championship doing it.In this conversation, Matt and BJ get into what it actually takes to raise the standard without losing your people. Why he had to coach against his own instincts to let the team have fun. How relationship building, not X's and O's, is the real work. And why the best coaches are the last line of defense for what sports are supposed to teach. If you lead anything, a team, a company, a family, this one is going to hit.Topics discussed:00:00 - Why your least committed person sets the ceiling01:00 - Launching the Friendly Strife Foundation segment07:00 - Coaching at West Point in the shadow of war10:00 - Realizing the job is bigger than coaching swimming13:00 - Why sports is the most powerful leadership classroom17:00 - Recruiting for culture not just talent18:00 - Shifting Princeton from opt-in to all-in20:00 - The five core values the team built together24:00 - Why fun became their unlock for winning26:00 - Coaching against your own instincts27:00 - Trust and inspire over command and control30:00 - How NIL and the transfer portal are reshaping coaching32:00 - Why failure has to be a safe place to land37:00 - Why they will not come to you if you have not built the relationship43:00 - The legacy of a coach who caredConnect with Matt Crispino:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mattcrispino/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-crispino-a26b5239/
Transcribe →The Leader Whose Impact Is Still Growing 20 Years After His Death
May 2000:59:46Tap to summarizeGet Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Every Memorial Day, BJ replays this episode to reset how he thinks about what it means to lead. Dennis Zilinski was his West Point classmate, swim teammate, and one of his best friends. Dennis was killed in action on November 19, 2005, at 23 years old.In this conversation, BJ sits down with Dennis's mother, Marion Zilinski (Mama Z), to talk about who Dennis was, how he led, and how his leadership continues to make an impact 20 years after his death. From his early instinct to serve and protect, to his decision to stay at West Point after 9/11, to the legacy his family built in his name, this episode is a reminder that real leadership shows up long before the title does. And its impact outlives the leader.Topics discussed:00:00 - What leadership costs when stakes are life and death01:00 - Reading the foreword from The Strong Gray Line03:00 - Why this conversation matters for Memorial Day07:00 - Dennis the protector and the young volunteer09:00 - Handling failure with maturity beyond his years12:00 - The decision to go to West Point14:00 - Why Dennis refused to leave after 9/1117:00 - Leading among 4,000 future leaders at West Point20:00 - Choosing church over the party on post night23:00 - The generosity Dennis built into his will28:00 - The night of the knock at the door39:00 - Building the Dennis Zilinski Fun40:00 - Dennis's promise to go meet the parents48:00 - How service dogs are saving veteran lives 55:00 - What Memorial Day is really aboutConnect with Marion Zilinski:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-zilinski
Transcribe →