The Leaders Lab presents The Playbook with Ken Eslick

In this essential episode, Ken sits down with author and talent development expert Andy Storch to tackle the cycle of diminishing returns that traps business owners in the day-to-day operations. Andy, who recently relocated his family and business to Barcelona, Spain, discusses how intentional leadership is the only way to build a company that can truly scale without being dependent on you.
 
You'll discover:
The Micromanagement Trap: Why the number one complaint about bad leaders is also the primary reason founders can't find a great second-in-command.
The Ownership Mindset: How to encourage employees to stop drifting by asking them the one scary question that great leaders must ask: "Where do you want to be in five or ten years?".
Guidance vs. Smothering: Learn the clear line between providing supportive direction and trust-killing micromanagement, and why giving freedom is critical for innovation.
The Accountability Reset: How to handle a dysfunctional team by having the leader go first—taking self-accountability, admitting mistakes, and committing to better communication and follow-through.
 
Segments:
04:20 - Why Founders Can't Find a Good Number Two
05:40 - The Micromanagement Trap: The #1 Complaint
07:00 - The Power of Timely Feedback
11:45 - From Drifting to Ownership: Leading with Curiosity
13:30 - The Scary Question Great Leaders Must Ask
17:10 - Guidance vs. Smothering
17:50 - Freedom Enables Innovation
23:55 - Coaching Different Personalities
32:55 - Teaching the Ownership Mindset
37:45 - Self-Reflection to Build Self-Awareness
40:05 - Why the Leader Must Go First
 
🔗 Connect & Next Steps
If you're ready to stop putting out fires and start working on your business, connect with us!
 
Ready to find your Number Two? Visit theleaderslab.co to learn how we help you hire the right leaders who fit your culture and drive growth from day one.
 
Join Ken live! Register for the upcoming webinar, "Understanding the Power of DISC," to learn how to lead and coach every personality type on your team: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7388918729037807616/?originTrackingId=D9NFDWkqTFS2zdiN8UGUxw%3D%3D
 
#Leadership #FounderLife #ScaleUp #TalentDevelopment #SuccessionPlanning #ThePlaybookPodcast
 

In the fiercely competitive "war for top talent," many founders are losing before the battle even begins because their interview process exposes a fatal flaw in their business. The truth is, the hiring system acts as a mirror. What it reflects back to a top candidate is a precise preview of what working for your company—and working for you—will truly be like. If your process is plagued by time delays, poor communication, or a lack of clear vision, you're not just annoying candidates; you're showing them a business destined for internal chaos and slow growth.
 
This isn't about finding the perfect script; it's about operational discipline and leadership involvement. We dive into why the repeated lack of respect for a candidate's time is a non-negotiable red flag. We discuss the critical importance of a company's vision being clearly articulated to candidates and authentically lived out internally. Crucially, you'll learn why consistent communication , even if it's just a 30-second update , is the single most important factor for fostering hope and optimism—and preventing a potentially great candidate from becoming angry and resentful before their first interview.
 
We challenge leaders to audit their process by tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like the time it takes to contact an applicant —a process that should happen within three days. Furthermore, we stress that ownership of the candidate experience must start at the highest levels; the hiring manager or VP should be creating, monitoring, and actively involved in the system. Listen now to learn how to transform your hiring system from a liability into your most powerful tool for attracting and closing elite talent.
 
Segments/Timestamps:
[00:00] Intro: The War for Top Talent & The Interview Mirror 
[00:52] The Mirror Effect: What Your Hiring Process Truly Reveals 
[02:18] Hiring Manager Ownership & The Reflection of Leadership 
[02:58] Beyond the Mission: Articulating the Employee Vision 
[03:55] The 'Elevator Pitch' for Candidates (aka Social Pitch) 
[04:58] Internal Alignment: Why You Must Live the Vision You Sell 
[07:00] Red Flags: The Non-Negotiables for Candidates (Repeated Disrespect for Time) 
[09:20] Communication is King: Why an Update is Better Than Silence 
[10:50] The Candidate Emotional Cycle: From Hope to Anger 
[13:00] The Danger of Bad Experiences & Glassdoor Reviews 
[14:30] Auditing Your Process: Using KPIs in Hiring (The 3-Day Rule) 
[18:25] Creating Your Own Competition: Losing Passive Candidates 
 
👉 Register for the FREE DISC Webinar here : 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/events/understandingthepowerofdisc7388918729037807616/
 
🎧 Want a sneak peek before the session? Listen to this episode of The Playbook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-disc-how-to-hire-lead-and/id1843108230?i=1000733699392
 
#TalentAcquisition #HiringProcess #LeadershipDevelopment #RecruitingStrategy #OperationalDiscipline
 

Most leaders use DISC as a personality test. But what if you’re missing its real power?In this episode, Ken Eslick and Onika Kwatsha reveal how the DISC assessment can become your secret weapon for building stronger teams, improving communication, and leading with precision.
Forget surface-level labels—this conversation dives deep into what each style (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) actually looks like in the real world. You’ll learn how to spot DISC traits in interviews, how to structure teams for harmony and results, and how to coach people in ways that unlock their true potential.
Ken shares how decades of using DISC across leadership, recruiting, and personal growth have shaped his approach to hiring and team performance—and Onika brings her own insights as both a leader and practitioner who’s lived the DISC experience firsthand.
Whether you’re leading a startup, managing a growing team, or simply trying to understand what makes people tick, this episode will help you see beyond personality and start leading with clarity, empathy, and intentionality.
⏱️ Episode Breakdown
00:00 – 02:00 | Why DISC still matters in modern leadership02:00 – 10:00 | The four core styles (D, I, S, C) and what drives each10:00 – 25:00 | How to read DISC profiles during hiring and interviews25:00 – 40:00 | Leadership blind spots and adapting your communication style40:00 – 54:00 | Using DISC to coach, retain, and develop top talent
 
✅ Take your free DISC assessment here:https://psycho-tests.com/test/disc-assessment
📅 Join our free live webinar on November 12 at 2 PM EST
 
#LeadershipDevelopment #DISCProfile #HiringStrategy #TeamDynamics #TheLeadersLab #ExecutiveCoaching #PeoplePerformance #SelfAwareness #CommunicationSkills #WorkplaceCulture

In this episode, strategist and author Jonathan Bennett—advisor to CEOs, boards, and founders—breaks down exactly how and when to stand up an advisory board, why founders should hire a chair first, and how structure and accountability pull leaders out of isolation. The conversation covers paid vs. unpaid advisors, what to do when disagreements arise, and how quarterly decks become an early-warning system for both risk and opportunity.
You will hear a live case study on a $5M trades business planning a future exit, learn the baseline systems and KPIs required before a board can help, and understand how a skilled chair’s network can fill functional gaps, recruit leaders, and prep a company for sale. Jonathan also opens the curtain on his “portfolio life,” the realities of CEO coaching, and a behind-the-scenes advisory series where listeners can eavesdrop on real-world boardroom conversations.
Don’t miss this conversation between Ken Eslick and Jonathan Bennett!
Looking for your next leader? Contact us: ken@theleaderslab.co or take the Free ScaleUp Leadership Survey at theleaderslab.co
⏱️ Segments 
00:00 – Welcome & Why Boards Belong in Your Playbook (guest intro + pillars: Hire, Scale, Sell) 01:02 – Jonathan’s First Board Seat: governance by immersion and what stuck 03:12 – Feeling Alone as a Founder? Build “Scaffolding”: mentors vs. coaches vs. advisory boards 05:04 – Making It Real: 4 handpicked advisors, quarterly packs, brutal questions, accountability 07:28 – How to Get on (and Build) Boards: why young leaders should join one 10:01 – When to Form an Advisory Board—and What to Pay: from bootstrap to $20M+ examples 12:10 – The Better Model: Hire the Chair First and let the chair recruit for blind spots 14:15 – Recruiting Your Board Like a Pro: use a formal search (yes, a recruiter) and interviews 16:22 – Cadence & Consequences: quarterly rhythm, ad-hoc in crises, and what if you ignore advice? 18:45 – Virtual vs. In-Person: Zoom practicality vs. the magic of dinner + a full-day board 21:02 – Case Study: $5M HVAC/Plumbing Owner Eyeing an Exit—the chair’s profile and board mix 24:55 – Before the Board Helps, Fix the Foundation: KPIs, finance hygiene, and leveraging the board’s network 28:42 – Inside Jonathan’s Portfolio Week: four boards, executive advising, and selective consulting 30:58 – Coaching vs. Advising: decision-making, tough HR calls, and “sometimes just give the answer” 33:10 – Deep Listening & ‘Clearly Then’: why presence matters and where to hear real sessions
 
#ThePlaybookPodcast #AdvisoryBoard #FounderToCEO #ScaleToSell #LeadershipPlaybook

Stop trying to be indispensable—the business grows the moment you aren’t.
You don’t scale by doing more—you scale by replacing yourself in the right seats. In this episode, Onika and I unpack the uncomfortable shift from “I do everything” to “I build the team that does everything,” including the identity and ego traps that keep smart leaders stuck.
We walk through the practical side: how to decide who should take the wheel (sales, ops, GM), how to define the bullseye profile beyond a generic job description, and how to run a fast—but not sloppy—process that candidates actually enjoy. We also get tactical on onboarding cadence, 30/60/90s, and the difference between owning the process vs. trying to be in every interview. If you want to move up a level, your job is to multiply leadership—starting now. 
Segments:
00:00 — Why you can’t grow until you replace yourself
02:05 — My early lesson: doing it all vs. building a team
03:45 — Identity & ego: the hidden throttle on scale
05:10 — Trusting others and becoming a “master delegator”
05:55 — Delegating budgets: why section leads beat heroics
06:55 — Succession planning as important as the financial plan
08:15 — Beyond generic JDs: aim for the bullseye avatar
10:55 — Pitch your company to candidates like a product
13:30 — Hiring ≠ delegation; hiring = leadership multiplier
15:20 — Proactive vs. reactive hiring (and the “beer goggles” trap)
19:05 — Speed with respect: candidate communication that wins
25:10 — Onboarding cadence and 30/60/90s that set people up to win
29:10 — The personnel-file wake-up call: feedback must match decisions
34:05 — Hard truth: no one is indispensable—build leaders or plateau
36:05 — The promotion unlock: develop leaders at every level
Looking for your next leader? Contact us: ken@theleaderslab.co or take the Free ScaleUp Leadership Survey at theleaderslab.co
#Leadership #SuccessionPlanning #Hiring #ScalingUp #TalentAcquisition

In this episode of The Playbook, presented by The Leaders Lab, Ken Eslick and co-host Onika Kwatsha go deep into the question every great leader must ask: Who am I, and why do I lead?
They break down how your inner drivers define your company’s culture, growth, and eventual legacy — and why leadership isn’t about control or charisma, but contribution, clarity, and connection.
Topics covered:
Leadership as a mirror: what your team sees in you reflects what’s inside you.
Management vs. leadership: the hidden cost of leaning too far into admin.
Burning your calendar: when structure stops serving you, start over.
The six human needs framework (certainty, variety, significance, love/connection, growth, contribution).
Blind spots, DISC, and radical self-awareness.
Hiring for difference, not comfort — why “cloning yourself” kills innovation.
Ken’s 3-step leadership lens (inspired by Tony Robbins)
Timestamps
00:02 – Why leadership starts with you
02:04 – The six human needs explained
07:29 – Manager vs. leader
13:35 – Time-blocking and burning your calendar
26:29 – Turnover, ownership, and tough calls
31:04 – Blind spots and self-awareness
36:34 – Hiring beyond your mirror
43:42 – Vision, why, and cultural ripple effects
45:30 – Ken’s leadership philosophy in three lines
“Leadership isn’t a title—it’s a mirror.”
“If you don’t plan your week, your week will plan you.”
“Great leaders see things as they are—then better than they are—and ultimately guide people to the better.”If you are looking for your next great hire or want to connect with us, we would love to hear from you. Please go to the leaderslab.co or email: ken@theleaderslab.co

In this very first episode of The Playbook, presented by The Leaders Lab, host Ken Eslick shares the story behind the show and why it exists. After a five-month break since The Leaders Lab Podcast, Ken opens up about his own journey—from military leadership to entrepreneurship, from corporate executive to diving deep into mergers and acquisitions, and eventually back to entrepreneurship and the world of self-development.
That path ultimately led to the creation of The Leaders Lab, where Ken and his team now help business owners hire better talent, scale with confidence, and maximize value when it’s time to sell. The Playbook is designed to bring those lessons together into one place: a podcast built for leaders who want a clear, actionable path to grow their companies and increase their impact.
#Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Scaling #MergersAndAcquisitions #SellYourBusiness #TheLeadersLab #ThePlaybookPodcast