https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ratchet-up-with-allan-breidenbach--7310270RATCHET-UP with Allan Breidenbach is a leadership podcast for executives, managers, and business owners who need to drive change without losing their people.

Most companies focus on process, and that’s where things break.

In this show, Allan Breidenbach, president and general manager of Wick Buildings and creator of the RATCHET-UP system, shares a practical, people-first approach to change management. Through conversations with leaders and executives across industries, each episode breaks down real-world leadership challenges and shows how to build readiness, create alignment, earn trust, communicate with clarity, and keep teams engaged through change.

You will learn how to lead organizational change with less resistance, strengthen team alignment, improve productivity and operational efficiency, avoid common leadership mistakes that slow progress, and turn change into measurable profit and performance.

If you lead a team, run a business, or manage operations, this podcast shows you how to stop forcing change and start leading it in a way people will follow.











]]>enBusinessForbes Bookshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/9e977aba79cbe252e396c034d702c8e9.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ratchet-up-with-allan-breidenbach--7310270Tue, 10 Nov 2026 13:00:16 +0000Allan BreidenbachAllan Breidenbachjpardavila@theauthoritycompany.comRATCHET-UP with Allan Breidenbach is a leadership podcast for executives, managers, and business owners who need to drive change without losing their people. Most companies focus on process, and that’s where things break. In this show, Allan...RATCHET-UP with Allan Breidenbach is a leadership podcast for executives, managers, and business owners who need to drive change without losing their people.

Most companies focus on process, and that’s where things break.

In this show, Allan Breidenbach, president and general manager of Wick Buildings and creator of the RATCHET-UP system, shares a practical, people-first approach to change management. Through conversations with leaders and executives across industries, each episode breaks down real-world leadership challenges and shows how to build readiness, create alignment, earn trust, communicate with clarity, and keep teams engaged through change.

You will learn how to lead organizational change with less resistance, strengthen team alignment, improve productivity and operational efficiency, avoid common leadership mistakes that slow progress, and turn change into measurable profit and performance.

If you lead a team, run a business, or manage operations, this podcast shows you how to stop forcing change and start leading it in a way people will follow.











]]>false47798ff4-e8d6-5e27-b00c-23c8e117bb04episodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/sean-cain-ceo-morton-buildings-on-leading-2-000-employees-across-100-locations--75433196
Sean opens up about his path from a Navy damage controlman aboard the USS Essex to leading a company with over 2,000 employees spread across 100+ locations and 10 acquired companies. He shares how the military shaped his discipline and preparedness mindset, why he went back to school for an MBA mid-career, how Morton transitioned to an ESOP, and why he made safety the cornerstone of the company's culture at scale.

Allan and Sean also dig into leadership under uncertainty, building (and refreshing) a five-year strategic plan, teaching teams to make aligned decisions without micromanagement, and the mentor who taught him how to lead people he used to work alongside. The conversation wraps with a rapid-fire round covering the worst advice he's ever received, his go-to book recommendation, and the habits that run his day.

If you lead people across distance, scale, or constant change, this conversation is packed with practical, hard-earned lessons.

🔗 Connect with Sean Cain & Morton Buildings: mortonbuildings.com

📌 About Ratchet Up: A podcast about solving the human problems behind business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach.

What You'll Learn

• How a Navy background in damage control and firefighting translates into business leadership and crisis readiness
• Why going back for an MBA later in his career made the material more useful, not less
• How to lead change in a fast-moving industry without over-promising specifics
• Why Sean tells his team "I don't know what the answer is" — and why that builds trust
• What actually changed (and didn't) when Morton Buildings became 100% employee-owned
• How to scale culture, communication, and safety across 100+ locations and thousands of employees
• Why safety became the company's central leadership lever — and how it signals trust to employees
• How a written 5-year strategic plan cascades down to every department and role
• How to teach teams to filter decisions through shared values instead of running everything through the top
• Lessons from a mentor on how to lead people you used to work alongside as a peer
• Sean's rapid-fire takes on bad advice, favorite books, morning habits, and one word for the future

Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction & welcome
00:01 – Why two "competitors" are doing this podcast together
00:02 – Sean's first job and joining the U.S. Navy
00:04 – Life aboard the USS Essex & "all hands on deck"
00:08 – Lessons from the military that still guide him today
00:09 – Going back to school for an MBA later in his career
00:12 – Leading a team through rapid, constant change
00:14 – Why leaders don't need to have all the answers
00:17 – Becoming a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP)
00:19 – What to keep — and what to leave — from the old culture
00:20 – The real challenge of scaling across 100+ locations
00:23 – Making safety the center of company culture
00:27 – The mentor who shaped his leadership style
00:29 – From construction crew to sales to CEO
00:31 – Building (and refreshing) a 5-year strategic plan
00:35 – Teaching teams to filter decisions through shared values
00:37 – Rapid fire: worst advice, favorite book, daily habits
00:43 – One word for the future & closing thoughts]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75433196Tue, 10 Nov 2026 13:00:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachOn this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Sean Cain, President and CEO of Morton Buildings — a 100% employee-owned company where Sean has spent the last 30 years, starting as a crew member and working his way to the top. Sean...
Sean opens up about his path from a Navy damage controlman aboard the USS Essex to leading a company with over 2,000 employees spread across 100+ locations and 10 acquired companies. He shares how the military shaped his discipline and preparedness mindset, why he went back to school for an MBA mid-career, how Morton transitioned to an ESOP, and why he made safety the cornerstone of the company's culture at scale.

Allan and Sean also dig into leadership under uncertainty, building (and refreshing) a five-year strategic plan, teaching teams to make aligned decisions without micromanagement, and the mentor who taught him how to lead people he used to work alongside. The conversation wraps with a rapid-fire round covering the worst advice he's ever received, his go-to book recommendation, and the habits that run his day.

If you lead people across distance, scale, or constant change, this conversation is packed with practical, hard-earned lessons.

🔗 Connect with Sean Cain & Morton Buildings: mortonbuildings.com

📌 About Ratchet Up: A podcast about solving the human problems behind business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach.

What You'll Learn

• How a Navy background in damage control and firefighting translates into business leadership and crisis readiness
• Why going back for an MBA later in his career made the material more useful, not less
• How to lead change in a fast-moving industry without over-promising specifics
• Why Sean tells his team "I don't know what the answer is" — and why that builds trust
• What actually changed (and didn't) when Morton Buildings became 100% employee-owned
• How to scale culture, communication, and safety across 100+ locations and thousands of employees
• Why safety became the company's central leadership lever — and how it signals trust to employees
• How a written 5-year strategic plan cascades down to every department and role
• How to teach teams to filter decisions through shared values instead of running everything through the top
• Lessons from a mentor on how to lead people you used to work alongside as a peer
• Sean's rapid-fire takes on bad advice, favorite books, morning habits, and one word for the future

Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction & welcome
00:01 – Why two "competitors" are doing this podcast together
00:02 – Sean's first job and joining the U.S. Navy
00:04 – Life aboard the USS Essex & "all hands on deck"
00:08 – Lessons from the military that still guide him today
00:09 – Going back to school for an MBA later in his career
00:12 – Leading a team through rapid, constant change
00:14 – Why leaders don't need to have all the answers
00:17 – Becoming a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP)
00:19 – What to keep — and what to leave — from the old culture
00:20 – The real challenge of scaling across 100+ locations
00:23 – Making safety the center of company culture
00:27 – The mentor who shaped his leadership style
00:29 – From construction crew to sales to CEO
00:31 – Building (and refreshing) a 5-year strategic plan
00:35 – Teaching teams to filter decisions through shared values
00:37 – Rapid fire: worst advice, favorite book, daily habits
00:43 – One word for the future & closing thoughts]]>2669falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/peter-holt-ceo-qc-kinetix-on-trust-culture-leading-people--75438735
In this episode of Ratchet Up, host Allan Breidenbach sits down with Peter to unpack what makes managing franchisees fundamentally different from managing employees, why franchising is really "the business of selling mistakes," and how a devastating trust breakdown with a master franchisee in Sweden shaped his entire leadership philosophy.

Peter shares the mission-vision-values framework he uses to build culture, the "sink the boat" rule he learned from mentor Jim Amos for empowering teams without losing control, and why listening — not authority — is the most powerful tool for managing up to a board. The conversation closes with a rapid-fire lightning round covering his best and worst advice ever received, his go-to book recommendations, and the one habit he refuses to give up.

Connect with Peter Holt: 📧 peter.holt@qckinetics.com

About Ratchet Up: Ratchet Up explores the human side of business performance — leadership, culture, trust, and the decisions that shape organizations — one conversation at a time.

What You'll Learn

• Why franchising is one of the most unique relationships in business — and how it differs from managing employees
• The mission-vision-values framework for building a strong organizational culture
• Why Peter Holt calls franchising "the business of selling mistakes"
• How to empower your team using the "sink the boat" decision-making rule
• Why trust — not authority — is what makes people listen to a leader, including a board
• How to foster healthy conflict instead of watered-down consensus
• What traits Peter looks for when investing in young leaders (hint: common sense and curiosity)
• How a brutal international trust breakdown became one of his most formative leadership lessons
• Peter's personal habits for staying resilient: exercise, reading, and calibrated balance

Timestamps00:00 – Intro & what QC Kinetix does
01:00 – Peter's 40-year background in franchising
02:00 – Managing employees vs. managing franchisees
03:00 – Vested interest and the 80% disengagement statistic
05:00 – Peter's first job: a paper route in Idaho Falls
06:00 – Lessons in perseverance and immediate feedback loops
08:00 – Why culture is the core of organizational success
09:00 – Mission, vision, and values as the foundation of culture
11:00 – Key mentors: a high school teacher and Jim Amos
14:00 – What Peter looks for in developing young leaders
17:00 – The power of reading and lifelong curiosity
18:00 – "Franchising is the business of selling mistakes"
21:00 – Setting the stage: a trust breakdown in Sweden
24:00 – The brutal phone call and calling his father for advice
27:00 – Recovering from mistakes and empowering your team
30:00 – The "sink the boat" rule for decision-making authority
32:00 – Fostering healthy conflict through listening and respect
36:00 – Managing up: earning trust with a board of directors
41:00 – Praying for guidance, not outcome
42:00 – Emotional resilience: exercise, running, and balance
44:00 – Franchisee relationships and the limits of franchising
46:00 – Leadership through people, not job titles
48:00 – Lightning round: best and worst advice received
49:00 – Book recommendations and a habit he won't give up
51:00 – Coffee, calendars, and 35 years of paper planners
52:00 – A lesson learned the hard way
54:00 – One word for the future & how to reach Peter]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75438735Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachPeter Holt has spent 40 years building and running franchise systems — from The Joint Chiropractic to his current role as CEO of QC Kinetix, a regenerative medicine franchise with about 100 units across the U.S. In this episode of Ratchet Up, host...
In this episode of Ratchet Up, host Allan Breidenbach sits down with Peter to unpack what makes managing franchisees fundamentally different from managing employees, why franchising is really "the business of selling mistakes," and how a devastating trust breakdown with a master franchisee in Sweden shaped his entire leadership philosophy.

Peter shares the mission-vision-values framework he uses to build culture, the "sink the boat" rule he learned from mentor Jim Amos for empowering teams without losing control, and why listening — not authority — is the most powerful tool for managing up to a board. The conversation closes with a rapid-fire lightning round covering his best and worst advice ever received, his go-to book recommendations, and the one habit he refuses to give up.

Connect with Peter Holt: 📧 peter.holt@qckinetics.com

About Ratchet Up: Ratchet Up explores the human side of business performance — leadership, culture, trust, and the decisions that shape organizations — one conversation at a time.

What You'll Learn

• Why franchising is one of the most unique relationships in business — and how it differs from managing employees
• The mission-vision-values framework for building a strong organizational culture
• Why Peter Holt calls franchising "the business of selling mistakes"
• How to empower your team using the "sink the boat" decision-making rule
• Why trust — not authority — is what makes people listen to a leader, including a board
• How to foster healthy conflict instead of watered-down consensus
• What traits Peter looks for when investing in young leaders (hint: common sense and curiosity)
• How a brutal international trust breakdown became one of his most formative leadership lessons
• Peter's personal habits for staying resilient: exercise, reading, and calibrated balance

Timestamps00:00 – Intro & what QC Kinetix does
01:00 – Peter's 40-year background in franchising
02:00 – Managing employees vs. managing franchisees
03:00 – Vested interest and the 80% disengagement statistic
05:00 – Peter's first job: a paper route in Idaho Falls
06:00 – Lessons in perseverance and immediate feedback loops
08:00 – Why culture is the core of organizational success
09:00 – Mission, vision, and values as the foundation of culture
11:00 – Key mentors: a high school teacher and Jim Amos
14:00 – What Peter looks for in developing young leaders
17:00 – The power of reading and lifelong curiosity
18:00 – "Franchising is the business of selling mistakes"
21:00 – Setting the stage: a trust breakdown in Sweden
24:00 – The brutal phone call and calling his father for advice
27:00 – Recovering from mistakes and empowering your team
30:00 – The "sink the boat" rule for decision-making authority
32:00 – Fostering healthy conflict through listening and respect
36:00 – Managing up: earning trust with a board of directors
41:00 – Praying for guidance, not outcome
42:00 – Emotional resilience: exercise, running, and balance
44:00 – Franchisee relationships and the limits of franchising
46:00 – Leadership through people, not job titles
48:00 – Lightning round: best and worst advice received
49:00 – Book recommendations and a habit he won't give up
51:00 – Coffee, calendars, and 35 years of paper planners
52:00 – A lesson learned the hard way
54:00 – One word for the future & how to reach Peter]]>3266falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/matt-cranney-on-leadership-passion-doesn-t-come-first-effort-does--75171112
In this conversation with host Allan Breidenbach, Matt breaks down how M3 built a culture that refuses to rank customers above employees (or vice versa), why the agency deliberately talks about "effectiveness" instead of "efficiency," and how they're rolling out AI as something "redemptive, not replacing." Along the way: lessons on radical candor, leading through uncertainty, why passion follows effort instead of the other way around, and his picks for the best (and worst) leadership advice he's ever gotten.

What You'll Learn:
- Why M3 Insurance has 68 shareholders and no majority owner — and what "shareholder" means to them versus "owner"
- How to align growth strategy with company identity instead of copying someone else's playbook
- Why M3 refuses to choose between prioritizing customers or employees
- The real difference between "efficiency" and "effectiveness" — and why word choice matters to culture
- How M3 is using AI to remove repetitive work without replacing people
- Why "certainty" is a currency leaders have to spend carefully
- The 90/10 rule for hard conversations: most of the value is in the part leaders are tempted to soften
- Why "clear is kind" beats both toxic positivity and brutal honesty
- Why passion is usually a result of effort, not a prerequisite for it
- What to do when someone isn't thriving in your culture (the "soil" metaphor)
- Matt's book recommendations for leaders at every career stage


Timestamps
00:00 Intro & welcome
00:01 Matt's first job: youth sports coach in the UK
00:02 Matt's role at M3 — Elevate division, strategy, The Employer Group
00:03 M3's growth: ~550 employees, founded 1968
00:04 "One client, one new employee" growth philosophy
00:05 Ownership structure: private, independent, 68 shareholders
00:07 Why "shareholder" beats "owner" — playing a long, temporary role
00:08 "Multiple paths up the mountain" — aligning strategy with identity
00:09 Beyond the "worst day": insurance as a growth partner, not just a claims process
00:14 Clients vs. employees — M3's "Yes, and" philosophy
00:16 Alignment over price: finding the right-fit clients
00:19 AI & change management: "redemptive, not replacing"
00:22 Freeing people from data entry for higher-value client relationships
00:24 Pushback on AI-driven headcount reduction; enterprise vs. desktop AI
00:26 Redeployment and skill development in an AI-shifting workforce
00:27 Why M3 says "effectiveness," not "efficiency"
00:31 Leading through uncertainty — Brené Brown, vulnerability as strength
00:33 Radical transparency: sharing performance, good years and bad
00:34 Certainty as "a currency you have to handle carefully"
00:36 Planning in fast-moving times: 3-year cycles + quarterly business plans
00:39 "Date the outcome, marry the purpose"
00:40 "Save the last 10%" — the real message in hard conversations
00:44 "Clear is kind" — Radical Candor, high love + high challenge
00:47 Youth-coaching lesson: passion is a consequence of effort, not the cause
00:52 The soil/flower metaphor — fit, culture, and knowing when to move on
00:55 Lightning round begins
00:55 Best advice ever received: "You're never done growing"
00:58 Worst advice ever received: "Great leaders put themselves last"
00:59 The leadership "tank" metaphor — pour out, but refill
01:01 Book recommendations (Andy Stanley, Arthur Brooks, Brené Brown, Bob Goff)
01:04 Habit he won't give up: asking for advice, not feedback
01:06 Productivity: to-do lists, sticky notes, the Remarkable tablet
01:07 Hardest lesson: unbridled enthusiasm can read as toxic positivity
01:12 One word for the future: Optimistic
01:14 How to reach Matt / M3, closing thanks

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75171112Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:03 +0000Allan BreidenbachMatt Cranney has spent 22 years at M3 Insurance — a private, independent agency with 68 shareholders and no majority owner — and he's now Executive Vice President helping lead its strategy, small-business division, and HR consulting arm. In this...
In this conversation with host Allan Breidenbach, Matt breaks down how M3 built a culture that refuses to rank customers above employees (or vice versa), why the agency deliberately talks about "effectiveness" instead of "efficiency," and how they're rolling out AI as something "redemptive, not replacing." Along the way: lessons on radical candor, leading through uncertainty, why passion follows effort instead of the other way around, and his picks for the best (and worst) leadership advice he's ever gotten.

What You'll Learn:
- Why M3 Insurance has 68 shareholders and no majority owner — and what "shareholder" means to them versus "owner"
- How to align growth strategy with company identity instead of copying someone else's playbook
- Why M3 refuses to choose between prioritizing customers or employees
- The real difference between "efficiency" and "effectiveness" — and why word choice matters to culture
- How M3 is using AI to remove repetitive work without replacing people
- Why "certainty" is a currency leaders have to spend carefully
- The 90/10 rule for hard conversations: most of the value is in the part leaders are tempted to soften
- Why "clear is kind" beats both toxic positivity and brutal honesty
- Why passion is usually a result of effort, not a prerequisite for it
- What to do when someone isn't thriving in your culture (the "soil" metaphor)
- Matt's book recommendations for leaders at every career stage


Timestamps
00:00 Intro & welcome
00:01 Matt's first job: youth sports coach in the UK
00:02 Matt's role at M3 — Elevate division, strategy, The Employer Group
00:03 M3's growth: ~550 employees, founded 1968
00:04 "One client, one new employee" growth philosophy
00:05 Ownership structure: private, independent, 68 shareholders
00:07 Why "shareholder" beats "owner" — playing a long, temporary role
00:08 "Multiple paths up the mountain" — aligning strategy with identity
00:09 Beyond the "worst day": insurance as a growth partner, not just a claims process
00:14 Clients vs. employees — M3's "Yes, and" philosophy
00:16 Alignment over price: finding the right-fit clients
00:19 AI & change management: "redemptive, not replacing"
00:22 Freeing people from data entry for higher-value client relationships
00:24 Pushback on AI-driven headcount reduction; enterprise vs. desktop AI
00:26 Redeployment and skill development in an AI-shifting workforce
00:27 Why M3 says "effectiveness," not "efficiency"
00:31 Leading through uncertainty — Brené Brown, vulnerability as strength
00:33 Radical transparency: sharing performance, good years and bad
00:34 Certainty as "a currency you have to handle carefully"
00:36 Planning in fast-moving times: 3-year cycles + quarterly business plans
00:39 "Date the outcome, marry the purpose"
00:40 "Save the last 10%" — the real message in hard conversations
00:44 "Clear is kind" — Radical Candor, high love + high challenge
00:47 Youth-coaching lesson: passion is a consequence of effort, not the cause
00:52 The soil/flower metaphor — fit, culture, and knowing when to move on
00:55 Lightning round begins
00:55 Best advice ever received: "You're never done growing"
00:58 Worst advice ever received: "Great leaders put themselves last"
00:59 The leadership "tank" metaphor — pour out, but refill
01:01 Book recommendations (Andy Stanley, Arthur Brooks, Brené Brown, Bob Goff)
01:04 Habit he won't give up: asking for advice, not feedback
01:06 Productivity: to-do lists, sticky notes, the Remarkable tablet4539false17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/jerad-hutchens-on-building-summit-contracting-culture-is-how-you-feel-on-sunday-night--75172756
What You'll Learn:
- How Summit Contracting scaled from 12 to ~200 employees by self-performing nearly every phase of a project (concrete, electrical, excavation, etc.)
- Why communication — not materials or equipment — is what customers actually remember
- Jerad's definition of culture: "how an employee feels in their gut on Sunday night about coming to work on Monday morning"
- Why core values and fundamentals have to outweigh performance, not compete with it
- How Summit's profit-sharing model works (and why sales was carved out of it)
- Why "leave your ego at the door" and being okay with criticism are core leadership fundamentals
- How Jerad learned to stop making every day-to-day decision and push authority to the lowest level possible
- The "stool" and "orchestra" metaphors for cross-functional alignment (sales, ops, finance, HR)
- A painful personal lesson on acting before thinking — and why it still shapes his decisions today
- His morning routine for protecting mental, spiritual, and physical health

Connect with Jerad Hutchens / Summit Contracting: 🌐 www.buildsummit.com 📧 jared@buildsummit.com

Timestamps
00:00 Intro & welcome
00:00 What Summit Contracting does — post-frame buildings, grain systems, ag infrastructure
00:01 Nearly 200 employees across 5 locations
00:01 Why Summit self-performs almost everything (concrete, electrical, excavation) — "one-stop shop"
00:02 The Q × A = E formula: quality times acceptance equals effectiveness (it's a multiplier, not addition)
00:03 Communication as the #1 factor customers remember
00:04 Jerad's first job: mowing lawns, and the referral lesson that stuck
00:07 What he no longer believes: from people-pleaser to "best for the most, not convenient for the few"
00:09 His true north: leaving communities, employees, and customers better off
00:11 Summit's growth story: founded 2009, ~12 employees in 2014, ~200 now, 20–30% annual growth
00:12 The two sides of growth — excitement vs. difficulty of funding it
00:13 Hiring and screening for culture fit at scale
00:14 Jerad's definition of culture: "how you feel in your gut on Sunday night"
00:16 Employee engagement and the bottom line — the 20%-engagement statistic
00:17 A career setback (a company that didn't survive an economic downturn) that led him to Summit
00:19 Resiliency, ego, and being okay with criticism
00:22 Competitiveness and healthy internal competition
00:23 Athletes vs. entrepreneurs — does a competitive background predict business success?
00:25 The "orchestra" analogy — every role matters, nobody wins by drowning out the others
00:27 The "stool" analogy — sales, ops, finance, HR: without one leg, the others fail
00:29 How Summit's profit-sharing model works (and why sales was moved to commission)
00:31 Letting go: from people-pleasing founder-successor to a leader who doesn't make daily decisions
00:35 Pushing decisions to the lowest possible level
00:37 Learning to trust a leadership team and let things be done differently, not "wrong"
00:38 How Tyler (Summit's founder) transitioned leadership to Jerad
00:42 Lightning round begins
00:42 Best advice ever received: "Don't give up. Rub some dirt on it and keep going."
00:43 Worst advice/experience: yelling and losing your temper when correcting people
00:44 Book recommendation: Extreme Ownership
00:45 Morning routine: the first hour for mental, spiritual, and physical health ("mental healthness")
00:33 Biggest challenge: distractions, and why mornings matter
00:42 Habit he won't give up: getting up early and protecting that first hour
00:46 Calendar vs. to-do list — which runs his day
00:46 Hardest lesson learned: the Hawaii cliff-jumping accident and "think before you act"
00:48 One word for the future: Optimistic
00:49 Allan's closing take: "decency" as Jerad's defining leadership trait
00:50 How to reach Jerad / Summit, closing thanks]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75172756Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:03 +0000Allan BreidenbachJerad Hutchens is President of Summit Contracting, an agriculture-focused post-frame and grain systems contractor based in Platte, South Dakota, with locations across South Dakota, Nebraska, and beyond. Since joining as a partner in 2014 — when the...
What You'll Learn:
- How Summit Contracting scaled from 12 to ~200 employees by self-performing nearly every phase of a project (concrete, electrical, excavation, etc.)
- Why communication — not materials or equipment — is what customers actually remember
- Jerad's definition of culture: "how an employee feels in their gut on Sunday night about coming to work on Monday morning"
- Why core values and fundamentals have to outweigh performance, not compete with it
- How Summit's profit-sharing model works (and why sales was carved out of it)
- Why "leave your ego at the door" and being okay with criticism are core leadership fundamentals
- How Jerad learned to stop making every day-to-day decision and push authority to the lowest level possible
- The "stool" and "orchestra" metaphors for cross-functional alignment (sales, ops, finance, HR)
- A painful personal lesson on acting before thinking — and why it still shapes his decisions today
- His morning routine for protecting mental, spiritual, and physical health

Connect with Jerad Hutchens / Summit Contracting: 🌐 www.buildsummit.com 📧 jared@buildsummit.com

Timestamps
00:00 Intro & welcome
00:00 What Summit Contracting does — post-frame buildings, grain systems, ag infrastructure
00:01 Nearly 200 employees across 5 locations
00:01 Why Summit self-performs almost everything (concrete, electrical, excavation) — "one-stop shop"
00:02 The Q × A = E formula: quality times acceptance equals effectiveness (it's a multiplier, not addition)
00:03 Communication as the #1 factor customers remember
00:04 Jerad's first job: mowing lawns, and the referral lesson that stuck
00:07 What he no longer believes: from people-pleaser to "best for the most, not convenient for the few"
00:09 His true north: leaving communities, employees, and customers better off
00:11 Summit's growth story: founded 2009, ~12 employees in 2014, ~200 now, 20–30% annual growth
00:12 The two sides of growth — excitement vs. difficulty of funding it
00:13 Hiring and screening for culture fit at scale
00:14 Jerad's definition of culture: "how you feel in your gut on Sunday night"
00:16 Employee engagement and the bottom line — the 20%-engagement statistic
00:17 A career setback (a company that didn't survive an economic downturn) that led him to Summit
00:19 Resiliency, ego, and being okay with criticism
00:22 Competitiveness and healthy internal competition
00:23 Athletes vs. entrepreneurs — does a competitive background predict business success?
00:25 The "orchestra" analogy — every role matters, nobody wins by drowning out the others
00:27 The "stool" analogy — sales, ops, finance, HR: without one leg, the others fail
00:29 How Summit's profit-sharing model works (and why sales was moved to commission)
00:31 Letting go: from people-pleasing founder-successor to a leader who doesn't make daily decisions
00:35 Pushing decisions to the lowest possible level
00:37 Learning to trust a leadership team and let things be done differently, not...]]>3084false16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chris-baichoo-why-most-companies-chase-ai-before-fixing-the-real-problem--75146733
What you'll learn:
- Why "structure and standards" — not more effort — is what unlocks growth in family-owned businesses
- The AMP framework (Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose) for empowering employees to make decisions
- How to take "managed risk" and coach a team through mistakes instead of punishing them
- Why chasing an "AI roadmap" before finding your root cause wastes money
- How WMEP responded when its own federal funding was put at risk
- The 5–7 year reality of changing company culture (and how it helped one company grow from $350M to $900M in sales)
- A simple, low-cost alternative to hiring a lean consultant (the SQDC board)
- Chris's take on hybrid work, trust, and staying close to customers and employees

Timestamps:
00:00 – What is WMEP?
02:12 – Chris's first job in manufacturing
04:41 – Lessons from early mistakes on the shop floor
06:16 – Taking "managed risk"
08:26 – The AMP framework: Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose
10:00 – Why growth stalls in family-owned businesses
14:17 – Biggest challenges facing businesses today
16:03 – Diagnose the root cause before chasing AI
17:54 – Theory of constraints: a business is a system
19:00 – Earning trust and credibility as an outside consultant
22:31 – Crisis story: WMEP's own funding scare
29:14 – Remote vs. hybrid work
34:22 – Building "The Watlow Way": culture as a growth engine
37:52 – Framing hard decisions (like layoffs) around values
41:15 – Radical transparency during a real factory turnaround
42:10 – What excites Chris about the future of manufacturing
45:22 – Lightning round: best/worst advice, favorite book, habits
52:03 – How to connect with Chris📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75146733Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:05:25 +0000Allan BreidenbachChris Baichoo, President of WMEP (Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership), joins Ratchet Up for a conversation on 40+ years in manufacturing leadership — from his first job as a sheet metal operator to running a nonprofit that helps hundreds of...
What you'll learn:
- Why "structure and standards" — not more effort — is what unlocks growth in family-owned businesses
- The AMP framework (Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose) for empowering employees to make decisions
- How to take "managed risk" and coach a team through mistakes instead of punishing them
- Why chasing an "AI roadmap" before finding your root cause wastes money
- How WMEP responded when its own federal funding was put at risk
- The 5–7 year reality of changing company culture (and how it helped one company grow from $350M to $900M in sales)
- A simple, low-cost alternative to hiring a lean consultant (the SQDC board)
- Chris's take on hybrid work, trust, and staying close to customers and employees

Timestamps:
00:00 – What is WMEP?
02:12 – Chris's first job in manufacturing
04:41 – Lessons from early mistakes on the shop floor
06:16 – Taking "managed risk"
08:26 – The AMP framework: Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose
10:00 – Why growth stalls in family-owned businesses
14:17 – Biggest challenges facing businesses today
16:03 – Diagnose the root cause before chasing AI
17:54 – Theory of constraints: a business is a system
19:00 – Earning trust and credibility as an outside consultant
22:31 – Crisis story: WMEP's own funding scare
29:14 – Remote vs. hybrid work
34:22 – Building "The Watlow Way": culture as a growth engine
37:52 – Framing hard decisions (like layoffs) around values
41:15 – Radical transparency during a real factory turnaround
42:10 – What excites Chris about the future of manufacturing
45:22 – Lightning round: best/worst advice, favorite book, habits
52:03 – How to connect with Chris📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>3153false15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-iowa-football-to-bank-ceo-jim-hartlieb-on-trust-resilience-leadership--74794482
In this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Jim Hartlieb, President & CEO of First Business Bank, to talk about what he screens for when hiring salespeople and leaders, why "it's okay to be #2" in a long sales cycle, and how his years playing football at Iowa shaped the way he thinks about preparation, resilience, and failure.

Jim also opens up about:
- How First Business Bank's "six-cell" system maps every employee's potential and builds individualized development plans
- Why he asks candidates to describe a failure, not just a win, in interviews
- How he introduces AI and automation to a team without triggering fear
- The book that changed how his company hires: The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
- His honest take on celebrating wins vs. staying focused on the next thing

Whether you lead a sales team, manage people through a technology transition, or just want a masterclass in asking better questions — this conversation delivers.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Intro: What First Business Bank does
1:14 – Screening for a 3-year sales cycle: patience over personality
3:39 – Athletics, discipline, and the "feedback loop" of preparation
5:44 – Role-playing sales conversations before they happen
7:29 – Screening for resilience: "tell me about a time you failed"
10:02 – Do you like winning or hate losing more?
11:16 – Building trust through vulnerability
13:47 – How workplace culture has changed since 1993
15:06 – The "ones, twos, and threes" talent framework
16:48 – First Business Bank's six-cell talent grid & development plans
19:44 – (Lightning aside) The Hawkeyes jersey number mix-up
21:00 – Iowa football, brothers, sons, and legacy programs
22:31 – Casting a wide net for mentors
23:49 – Reading personalities and adapting your leadership style
25:38 – Laughter, levity, and why celebration doesn't come naturally to Jim
28:19 – How Jim's leadership style has evolved
29:37 – Leading former peers (and people 30 years older than you)
32:29 – Where sales/marketing misalignment really comes from
35:03 – Talking to employees about AI and automation without fear
38:00 – "The person who knows AI might take your job"
40:23 – Lightning round: best/worst advice, books, habits
46:20 – How to reach Jim & First Business Bank

🔗 CONNECT WITH JIM HARTLIEB
Email: jhartlieb@firstbusiness.bank
Phone: 608-232-5913

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach
The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74794482Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:20:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachWhat does it actually take to sell to business owners on a 3-year sales cycle — and how do you build a team that can stomach that kind of patience? In this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Jim Hartlieb, President & CEO of...
In this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Jim Hartlieb, President & CEO of First Business Bank, to talk about what he screens for when hiring salespeople and leaders, why "it's okay to be #2" in a long sales cycle, and how his years playing football at Iowa shaped the way he thinks about preparation, resilience, and failure.

Jim also opens up about:
- How First Business Bank's "six-cell" system maps every employee's potential and builds individualized development plans
- Why he asks candidates to describe a failure, not just a win, in interviews
- How he introduces AI and automation to a team without triggering fear
- The book that changed how his company hires: The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
- His honest take on celebrating wins vs. staying focused on the next thing

Whether you lead a sales team, manage people through a technology transition, or just want a masterclass in asking better questions — this conversation delivers.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Intro: What First Business Bank does
1:14 – Screening for a 3-year sales cycle: patience over personality
3:39 – Athletics, discipline, and the "feedback loop" of preparation
5:44 – Role-playing sales conversations before they happen
7:29 – Screening for resilience: "tell me about a time you failed"
10:02 – Do you like winning or hate losing more?
11:16 – Building trust through vulnerability
13:47 – How workplace culture has changed since 1993
15:06 – The "ones, twos, and threes" talent framework
16:48 – First Business Bank's six-cell talent grid & development plans
19:44 – (Lightning aside) The Hawkeyes jersey number mix-up
21:00 – Iowa football, brothers, sons, and legacy programs
22:31 – Casting a wide net for mentors
23:49 – Reading personalities and adapting your leadership style
25:38 – Laughter, levity, and why celebration doesn't come naturally to Jim
28:19 – How Jim's leadership style has evolved
29:37 – Leading former peers (and people 30 years older than you)
32:29 – Where sales/marketing misalignment really comes from
35:03 – Talking to employees about AI and automation without fear
38:00 – "The person who knows AI might take your job"
40:23 – Lightning round: best/worst advice, books, habits
46:20 – How to reach Jim & First Business Bank

🔗 CONNECT WITH JIM HARTLIEB
Email: jhartlieb@firstbusiness.bank
Phone: 608-232-5913

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach
The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>2819false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/agentic-ai-is-changing-leadership-naviant-ceo-michael-carr-on-radical-candor-trust--74794479
They dig into why change management has to come top-down in the AI era, how "human in the loop” keeps AI accountable, why younger, AI-native employees may have a hidden advantage, and how the Radical Candor framework (care personally + challenge directly) helps leaders have the hard conversations that build trust instead of eroding it.

What You'll Learn: 
- What "agentic AI" actually means and how it differs from the AI most people already use
- Why AI-driven change management needs to come top-down from a confident C-suite
- How Naviant is reinventing a 40-year-old business model from the inside out
- Why younger, AI-native employees may have a hidden advantage — and what they still need from experienced mentors
- What "human in the loop" means in practice, including using AI to check AI
- How the Radical Candor framework (care personally + challenge directly) helps leaders have hard conversations
- How to spot and confront passive-aggressive resistance to change
- What makes a company culture "sticky" enough that people don't want to leave
- Why frequent, small recognition beats an annual banquet
- How the 80/20 principle applies to focus, resourcing, and client relationships

The conversation closes with a lightning round covering Mike's best and worst career advice, the habit he refuses to give up, his coffee order, and why he's "bullish on the future."

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction to Michael Carr & Naviant
00:32 What Naviant does & what "agentic AI" really means
02:05 Why AI change management has to start at the top
07:09 Reinventing a 40-year business model from within
10:25 Do younger, AI-native employees have an edge?
12:26 "Human in the loop" — building guardrails into AI systems
14:03 Why the best leaders ask better questions
17:00 How Mike's leadership style has evolved
18:20 Radical Candor: caring personally + challenging directly
20:48 Confronting passive-aggressive resistance to change
25:26 Using the Radical Candor framework in a real conversation
28:22 Building a "sticky" culture people don't want to leave
32:00 Recognition, celebration, and Naviant Week
36:09 Lightning round: best & worst advice, books, habits
51:31 Where to find Mike Carr

Connect with Mike Carr at mcarr@naviant.com.

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74794479Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:10:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachOn this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Michael Carr, President & CEO of Naviant, to talk about leading people through the fastest wave of technological change most leaders have ever faced: agentic AI. Mike shares how...
They dig into why change management has to come top-down in the AI era, how "human in the loop” keeps AI accountable, why younger, AI-native employees may have a hidden advantage, and how the Radical Candor framework (care personally + challenge directly) helps leaders have the hard conversations that build trust instead of eroding it.

What You'll Learn: 
- What "agentic AI" actually means and how it differs from the AI most people already use
- Why AI-driven change management needs to come top-down from a confident C-suite
- How Naviant is reinventing a 40-year-old business model from the inside out
- Why younger, AI-native employees may have a hidden advantage — and what they still need from experienced mentors
- What "human in the loop" means in practice, including using AI to check AI
- How the Radical Candor framework (care personally + challenge directly) helps leaders have hard conversations
- How to spot and confront passive-aggressive resistance to change
- What makes a company culture "sticky" enough that people don't want to leave
- Why frequent, small recognition beats an annual banquet
- How the 80/20 principle applies to focus, resourcing, and client relationships

The conversation closes with a lightning round covering Mike's best and worst career advice, the habit he refuses to give up, his coffee order, and why he's "bullish on the future."

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction to Michael Carr & Naviant
00:32 What Naviant does & what "agentic AI" really means
02:05 Why AI change management has to start at the top
07:09 Reinventing a 40-year business model from within
10:25 Do younger, AI-native employees have an edge?
12:26 "Human in the loop" — building guardrails into AI systems
14:03 Why the best leaders ask better questions
17:00 How Mike's leadership style has evolved
18:20 Radical Candor: caring personally + challenging directly
20:48 Confronting passive-aggressive resistance to change
25:26 Using the Radical Candor framework in a real conversation
28:22 Building a "sticky" culture people don't want to leave
32:00 Recognition, celebration, and Naviant Week
36:09 Lightning round: best & worst advice, books, habits
51:31 Where to find Mike Carr

Connect with Mike Carr at mcarr@naviant.com.

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>3125false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-growth-at-all-costs-is-killing-startups-corazon-capital-co-founder-steve-farsht--74794477
They dig into the real difference between advice and influence, how stakeholder management (not the pitch deck) determines whether deals succeed, why boardrooms are the wrong place to resolve conflict, and Steve's candid take on where AI is headed for the investment industry and the broader knowledge economy.

Topics covered:
• The "five whys" habit Steve learned as an auditor
• Why founder-fit matters more than the idea itself
• Private equity vs. venture capital risk profiles
• Managing 40 portfolio companies knowing most won't return capital
• The emotional cost of founder relationships that don't work out
• Preparing a business for a sale or exit
• How AI is reshaping legal, accounting, and investing careers
• Imposter syndrome and the advice Steve wishes he'd gotten at 25

Connect with Steve Farsht on LinkedIn.

Chapters
0:00 Intro & welcome
0:44 Steve's first business lesson: the power of "five whys"
1:51 What is Corazon Capital?
2:19 How Steve evaluates founders with little data to go on
3:19 Ratchet Round: the belief Steve changed his mind about
4:45 Growth at all costs vs. prudent capital raising
6:30 Managing individual LPs and long time horizons
7:20 How Steve helps founders grow — advice vs. influence
9:43 The two-way mentor relationship with founders
10:17 Aligning stakeholders around an exit
12:28 Traits Steve looks for before backing a founder
13:42 Steve's hit rate across 250-300 investments
14:03 The hardest part of the job: losing founder relationships
15:21 Why emotional intelligence beats analytical skill
17:00 The "25-year-old with an MBA" problem
18:23 Red flags before raising capital
20:55 The mistake Steve won't make again
22:28 Why people defend the status quo
23:35 Poor communication as the #1 business killer
25:16 Why boardroom fights mean you already lost
26:57 Vetting new investors before they join the cap table
28:18 What Steve wishes he'd known at 25 (imposter syndrome)
29:29 When it's okay for a leader to say "I don't know"
30:00 AI's impact on legal, accounting, and knowledge work
34:02 Does AI create a lack of discipline?
35:16 How younger investors need to reinvent themselves
36:38 What Steve is excited about next
38:00 Lightning round: best advice, book recs, habits
41:43 Final thoughts: one word for the future
42:38 How to connect with Steve

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74794477Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:05:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachOn this episode of Ratchet Up, Allan Breidenbach sits down with Steve Farsht, co-founder of Corazon Capital, an early-stage venture fund based in Chicago. Steve shares hard-won lessons from 15+ years and 250-300 portfolio companies — from the danger...
They dig into the real difference between advice and influence, how stakeholder management (not the pitch deck) determines whether deals succeed, why boardrooms are the wrong place to resolve conflict, and Steve's candid take on where AI is headed for the investment industry and the broader knowledge economy.

Topics covered:
• The "five whys" habit Steve learned as an auditor
• Why founder-fit matters more than the idea itself
• Private equity vs. venture capital risk profiles
• Managing 40 portfolio companies knowing most won't return capital
• The emotional cost of founder relationships that don't work out
• Preparing a business for a sale or exit
• How AI is reshaping legal, accounting, and investing careers
• Imposter syndrome and the advice Steve wishes he'd gotten at 25

Connect with Steve Farsht on LinkedIn.

Chapters
0:00 Intro & welcome
0:44 Steve's first business lesson: the power of "five whys"
1:51 What is Corazon Capital?
2:19 How Steve evaluates founders with little data to go on
3:19 Ratchet Round: the belief Steve changed his mind about
4:45 Growth at all costs vs. prudent capital raising
6:30 Managing individual LPs and long time horizons
7:20 How Steve helps founders grow — advice vs. influence
9:43 The two-way mentor relationship with founders
10:17 Aligning stakeholders around an exit
12:28 Traits Steve looks for before backing a founder
13:42 Steve's hit rate across 250-300 investments
14:03 The hardest part of the job: losing founder relationships
15:21 Why emotional intelligence beats analytical skill
17:00 The "25-year-old with an MBA" problem
18:23 Red flags before raising capital
20:55 The mistake Steve won't make again
22:28 Why people defend the status quo
23:35 Poor communication as the #1 business killer
25:16 Why boardroom fights mean you already lost
26:57 Vetting new investors before they join the cap table
28:18 What Steve wishes he'd known at 25 (imposter syndrome)
29:29 When it's okay for a leader to say "I don't know"
30:00 AI's impact on legal, accounting, and knowledge work
34:02 Does AI create a lack of discipline?
35:16 How younger investors need to reinvent themselves
36:38 What Steve is excited about next
38:00 Lightning round: best advice, book recs, habits
41:43 Final thoughts: one word for the future
42:38 How to connect with Steve

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>2598false12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-your-employees-quit-the-leader-not-the-job-tony-misura-founder-ceo-of-the-misura-group--74794474
In this episode of Ratchet Up, Tony and host Allan Breidenbach dig into the real mechanics of leadership: why accountability without authority breaks even the strongest performers, how private-equity leverage reshapes company culture, why bad leaders are secretly a recruiter's best lead source, and how Tony turned dyslexia and a non-traditional education into an edge — including his take on AI as "the most democratic opportunity we've ever had."

In this episode:
- Tony's first job sorting mail for Menards founder John Menard
- The equation every leader needs: accountability = responsibility = authority
- Why "people before profits" is a sequence, not a sacrifice
- How private equity leverage changes what a job actually demands
- What Tony looks for in a candidate: humility, ego, and growth rate
- Reading with dyslexia — and the book Tony recommends over Kahneman
- Why AI is the great equalizer for self-taught professionals
- Lightning round: best/worst advice, go-to book, and one word for the future

Learn more about The Misura Group: MisuraGroup.com

Chapters
00:00 Cold open & welcome
00:37 What is The Misura Group?
01:20 Origin story: throwing out his pitching arm, landing at Menards
02:00 First job — sorting mail for John Menard himself
03:02 The one lesson that stuck: transparency & accountability
04:38 A belief Tony held 10 years ago that he's changed his mind on
07:13 "Impact over ego" — picking your game and keeping score
08:52 People before profits vs. Milton Friedman & shareholder value
10:11 What happens when PE firms over-leverage a business
13:31 Why "people before profits" is a sequence, not a trade-off
17:21 Source companies vs. companies you "feed" for talent
19:45 Why bad leaders (in good companies) are recruiting gold
21:46 Does compensation actually create alignment?
23:06 The equation: accountability = responsibility = authority
24:18 The truck-titles story — founder ego and control
26:31 Pricing a role by its real economic impact
29:34 Supply and demand of talent: McDonald's vs. a custom restaurant
31:00 Why CFOs get over-elevated in building products
31:44 Turning a career setback into a long-term win
33:02 Entrepreneurs, control, and "dysfunctional control freaks"
35:17 Learning with dyslexia — audio books as the hack
37:32 What Tony screens for in interviews: humility & growth rate
38:03 The Freight House story — staying relevant with age
39:14 Nobody is ever a 100% fit for a role
41:01 Why humans resist change (and how routines protect the brain)
44:00 Reframing change as competition vs. collaboration
47:20 Nature, mental health, and competing against yesterday's self
49:02 What excites Tony about the future — AI as the great equalizer
54:10 Lightning round: best/worst advice, favorite book, daily habits
58:16 One word (or two) for the future: Potential. Opportunity.
58:21 Where to find Tony / The Misura Group
59:00 Allan on writing his book — imposter syndrome & the surprise payoff
1:02:22 Closing & sign-off

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74794474Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:00:02 +0000Allan BreidenbachTony Misura, founder and CEO of The Misura Group, has spent decades recruiting executives in the building-products supply chain — which means he's seen exactly why good people leave good companies, why compensation plans fail, and why "people before...
In this episode of Ratchet Up, Tony and host Allan Breidenbach dig into the real mechanics of leadership: why accountability without authority breaks even the strongest performers, how private-equity leverage reshapes company culture, why bad leaders are secretly a recruiter's best lead source, and how Tony turned dyslexia and a non-traditional education into an edge — including his take on AI as "the most democratic opportunity we've ever had."

In this episode:
- Tony's first job sorting mail for Menards founder John Menard
- The equation every leader needs: accountability = responsibility = authority
- Why "people before profits" is a sequence, not a sacrifice
- How private equity leverage changes what a job actually demands
- What Tony looks for in a candidate: humility, ego, and growth rate
- Reading with dyslexia — and the book Tony recommends over Kahneman
- Why AI is the great equalizer for self-taught professionals
- Lightning round: best/worst advice, go-to book, and one word for the future

Learn more about The Misura Group: MisuraGroup.com

Chapters
00:00 Cold open & welcome
00:37 What is The Misura Group?
01:20 Origin story: throwing out his pitching arm, landing at Menards
02:00 First job — sorting mail for John Menard himself
03:02 The one lesson that stuck: transparency & accountability
04:38 A belief Tony held 10 years ago that he's changed his mind on
07:13 "Impact over ego" — picking your game and keeping score
08:52 People before profits vs. Milton Friedman & shareholder value
10:11 What happens when PE firms over-leverage a business
13:31 Why "people before profits" is a sequence, not a trade-off
17:21 Source companies vs. companies you "feed" for talent
19:45 Why bad leaders (in good companies) are recruiting gold
21:46 Does compensation actually create alignment?
23:06 The equation: accountability = responsibility = authority
24:18 The truck-titles story — founder ego and control
26:31 Pricing a role by its real economic impact
29:34 Supply and demand of talent: McDonald's vs. a custom restaurant
31:00 Why CFOs get over-elevated in building products
31:44 Turning a career setback into a long-term win
33:02 Entrepreneurs, control, and "dysfunctional control freaks"
35:17 Learning with dyslexia — audio books as the hack
37:32 What Tony screens for in interviews: humility & growth rate
38:03 The Freight House story — staying relevant with age
39:14 Nobody is ever a 100% fit for a role
41:01 Why humans resist change (and how routines protect the brain)
44:00 Reframing change as competition vs. collaboration
47:20 Nature, mental health, and competing against yesterday's self
49:02 What excites Tony about the future — AI as the great equalizer
54:10 Lightning round: best/worst advice, favorite book, daily habits
58:16 One word (or two) for the future: Potential. Opportunity.
58:21 Where to find Tony / The Misura Group
59:00 Allan on writing his book — imposter syndrome & the surprise payoff
1:02:22 Closing & sign-off

📘 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Ratchet Up by Allan Breidenbach

🎙️ ABOUT RATCHET UP
Ratchet Up is a podcast about solving human problems to drive business performance, hosted by Allan Breidenbach. New episodes feature leaders across industries talking candidly about trust, engagement, and what actually moves a team forward.]]>3766false11full