Confessions of an Implementer

S2E55 | The Difference Between Tired and Burnt and Why It Almost Cost Him Everything with Justin Maust

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Justin Maust brings the kind of energy you feel before he even starts talking and the kind of honesty most people never share out loud. Justin is an expert EOS Implementer, a speaker, a trainer, a coach, and a guy who spent years chasing a 10-year target so hard that he nearly lost himself in the process. He sold two companies, pivoted his entire vision, and came out the other side with more clarity and more to give than ever before.
 
In this conversation, Justin opens up about what burnout actually feels like when you are someone who never stops running, why the things you are best at can become your biggest blind spots, and what happens when you finally stop trying to do it your own way. This one is raw, personal, and packed with the kind of wisdom that only comes from living it.
 
Timestamps
01:12 Justin’s Vision Board and Mentors
07:23 Recognizing Burnout
15:09 Lessons from a Changed 10-Year Target
19:28 Chasing Impact vs. Money
25:51 Surrendering to a Higher Purpose
31:28 The Power of Discipline
44:39 Impact of Deletion on Presence
49:06 Discovering and Honing Unique Abilities
53:59 The Mallard Duck vs. Eagle Philosophy
Guest Links
justin.maust@eosworldwide.com
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/justin-maust/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmaust/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.e.maust/
https://www.entrelegacygroup.com/

S2E54 | 80% of Your Biggest Business Problems Come Down to One Thing with Julie Markee

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Julie Markee brings one of the most distinctive perspectives we have had on this show. With a chemical engineering degree from the University of Washington, Julie sees the session room the way an engineer sees a broken production line. She is watching body language, listening for what is not being said, tracking who is leaning in and who is rotating away, and always working her way down to the true root cause.
 
What she's discovered: 80% of the time, when you get to the real root cause of the biggest issues holding a leadership team back, it is a people problem. Not a process. Not a strategy. A person. And that is exactly why those conversations are so hard to have in the room. In this conversation, she breaks down what a healthy leadership team actually looks like, how to know when you have truly hit the root cause of a problem, and why she once refused to write down a rock for a client that had missed it quarter after quarter until they finally understood what was really in the way.
 
This one is full of practical tactical insights from start to finish.
Timestamps
04:03 Early Entrepreneurial Spirit
06:51 Corporate and Process Engineering
11:10 Transition to Sales and Management
18:13 Engineering Mindset in EOS Sessions
29:21 Navigating People Issues in the Room
39:51 Identifying the True Root Cause
45:39 The Power of Clarity Breaks
Guest Links
https://www.keyprocessinnovations.com/
EOS Worldwide: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/julie-markee/
Blog: Cooped Up Thoughts: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/coop-d-up-thoughts-6994345214492504064/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemarkee/

S2E53 | What Happens When Your Business Dies and Takes Your Identity With It? with Matthew Abrams

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Matthew Abrams joins us for an honest and heartwrenching conversation about what actually happens before, during, and after a business fails. Matthew started a company in his 30s with a co-founder, two visionaries with no integrator and no framework for productive conflict, and watched it fall apart from the inside. What came after changed everything about how he leads, coaches, and shows up in his relationships.
 
In this conversation, Matthew breaks down why conflict avoided is opportunity lost, what the four phases of business death actually look like, why most entrepreneurs skip the most important ones, and why the most powerful thing a leader can do is stop trying to manage their way out of grief and just be with it.
 
This episode goes places most business podcasts never go. And that is exactly why you should listen.
Timestamps
05:15 Navigating Business Conflict and Self-Doubt
08:10 Identity, Failure, and Personal Growth
13:11 The Four Phases of Grieving Business Death
22:56 Conflict as a Vehicle for Growth
37:54 Conflict in Business Settings
41:04 Identifying Emotions and Needs
44:50 Transforming Tension to Traction
56:42 Inviting Genius: The Book
Guest Links
InvitingGenius.com Preorder Now! Publish Date: August 4, 2026
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/matthew-abrams/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-abrams-8389547/
 

S2E52 | Special Episode: How Your Greatest Strength Can Derail You with CAPT Jason Motes

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the successes and challenges of the system in action. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
Dr. Jason Motes is not an EOS Implementer. He is not here to talk about rocks or L10s or accountability charts. He is here because he is one of the most intentional leaders Ryan has ever been around, and he also happened to be Ryan's boss in the Navy.
 
What started as two old colleagues catching up turned into one of the most honest conversations about leadership, service, and what it actually means to pour into the people around you. Jason opens up about his philosophy on authentic leadership, why the strengths that got you to the top are the same ones that will eventually derail you, and why there is no such thing as a healthy culture in an underperforming organization. He also gets into blind spots, dark behaviors, feedback, morning routines, and the legacy he is quietly building one person at a time.
 
Timestamps
04:36 The Hitchhiker's Story
14:46 Creating Cohesion & Trust
25:02 Delivering Difficult Decisions
31:49 Authenticity and Blind Spots
38:00 Physical & Mental Resilience
41:57 Addictive Personality & Decompression
45:07 Nonfiction Reading for Leaders
55:06 Leadership Legacy and FEPPA
01:01:54 Fixing Teams & Accountability
Guest Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjasonmotes/
https://www.validitea.org/
https://academyleadership.com/motes/
 

S2E51 | Your Business Is Not Who You Are. So Who Are You? with Coach Bob Shenefelt

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed, giving you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Coach Bob Shenefelt joins us for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations we have had on this show. Bob grew a distribution company from $200K to $5 million in a couple of years with no systems in place, watched it spiral out of control, and came out the other side with a life philosophy that has helped hundreds of visionaries find purpose beyond the business. He breaks down why most visionaries should not be running sales, why the three-year picture is the visionary's playground, what his 3-3-1 daily routine looks like, and what it actually means to let go of the vine.
 
If you are a visionary, an EOS Implementer, or someone trying to figure out who they are beyond what they do, this episode is for you.
Timestamps
01:29 Visionaries in the Sales Seat
08:36 Life Beyond the Business
19:15 Daily Routine for Visionaries: The 3-3-1
26:48 The Power of the 3-3-1 Framework
34:25 Visionary vs. Integrator Dynamics
45:01 Visionaries in L10s and Integrator Trust
46:39 Forced Visionary Absence
50:10 Owner's Box vs. Visionary Role
 
Guest Links
bob@imatter.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-shenefelt/
https://www.imatter.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYAU2b3ysP1M6PZ9mBorVyQ
https://www.facebook.com/bobshenefelt/
https://www.amazon.com/Unscatter-Chatter-Elevate-Expand-Impact-ebook/dp/B0BHXLV1YH?ref_=ast_author_mpb
https://www.instagram.com/imatterrevolution/

S2E50 | The Hero’s Journey to Authentic Leadership with Justin Cook

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this deeply personal episode, Ryan Hogan and Justin Cook explore the terrain between external achievement and true fulfillment, and why the most important leadership breakthroughs often begin in the most uncomfortable places. Justin opens up about his profound Ayahuasca journey after his conventional “career success”. That insight became a compass for navigating stress, anxiety, and the harder edges of the implementer role.
 
2:51 Ayahuasca Journey
7:55 Breakthrough and Transformation
12:21 Integration and Rewiring
17:20 Overcoming Fear and Vulnerability
20:05 Vulnerability in Leadership
27:17 Purpose Shift
36:30 Career Path
40:16 Culture Building
48:38 Navigating Conflict and Building Trust
55:03 Leveraging the Team’s Power
Guest Links
 
Guest Links
Email: justin.cook@eosworldwide.com
Phone Number: 615-336-7133
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/justin-cook/

S2E49 | Why Small Businesses Are Losing the AI Race and What to Do About It with Brian Sulka

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Brian Sulka breaks down why small and mid-sized businesses are getting squeezed out of the AI conversation, what it means to be a "big ideas coach" inside an EOS session, and how custom software gave his frozen fruit company a competitive advantage that nobody else in the industry could touch. He also gets into Kolbe scores, team alignment, and why the best leadership teams are built on opposites.
 
This is one of the most unique conversations I've had on this show. Don't miss it.
Timestamps
 06:29 AI Similarities to Dot-Com Era
11:42 AI Implementation for SMBs
20:06 Overcoming Fear and Achieving Alignment
32:46 Ideal Integrator Profile
41:54 AI's Impact on Custom Software
Guest Links
brian.sulka@eosworldwide.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsulka/
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/brian-sulka/

S2E48 | The Golf Mindset That Changed the Way I Run My Business with Chris McCarty

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Chris McCarty breaks down why playing your C game consistently beats chasing your A game, how he uses counting routines to manage pressure on the golf course and in business, and why overperforming your revenue target isn't always the win it feels like. He also gets honest about self-implementing EOS at his own marketing agency, what he got wrong, and what changed the moment he saw a real implementation in action.
 
This has a lot of range. Don't miss it!
Timestamps
03:19 Mastering the Mental Game
06:28 Playing Your C-Game in Golf
14:47 The Counting Routine
20:36 Scorecarding in Golf and Business
29:04 Objective Goal Setting
32:27 The End of a Golf Career
41:49 Starting a Marketing Agency
49:03 Self-Implementing EOS vs. Implementer Value
Guest Links
Email: chris.mccary@eosworldwide.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislmccarty/
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/chris-mccarty/
Einstein Marketing Concepts: https://einsteinmarketingconcepts.com/

S2E47 | The Courage to Keep It Simple with Josh Holtzman

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they've transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
Let's dive in!
In this episode, Josh Holtzman breaks down what a fifth-generation LA entrepreneur learns watching $80 million burn, why leaders secretly run two L10s instead of having one hard conversation, and how to think about your scorecard like a ship's bridge versus an engine room. He also gets honest about why leadership isn't that complicated… most of us just lack the courage to do the simple things.This one hit different. Don't miss it.
Timestamps02:00 Dot-Com Era Learnings08:39 The Pursuit of Too Much12:49 Learning on Someone Else’s Dime19:09 Scaling and Selling His First Business29:35 EOS Integration and Team Alignment33:00 Becoming an EOS Implementer41:07 Session Guru: Building and Exiting44:54 Simple Leadership Newsletter47:45 Josh’s 10-Year Target01:01:59 Quarterly State of the Company Meetings01:04:47 Finding Josh: Newsletter and EOS Coaching01:10:41 Concluding Thoughts and Appreciation
Guest LinksVistage Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/josh-holtzman/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-holtzman1

S2E46 | Two Visionaries, No Integrator, and a Brewery That Almost Didn't Open with Lee Handley

Welcome to Confessions of an Implementer, a podcast by Talent Harbor. We share unique stories of implementers and the companies they’ve transformed to give you a rare glimpse into the system's successes and challenges. I'm your host, Ryan Hogan.
 
Let's dive in!
 
In this episode, Lee Handley gets brutally honest about co-founding a brewery with a close friend, realizing they were both visionaries with no integrator, and watching the partnership fall apart before they ever cut the ribbon. Lee and Ryan also tackle the topic of why niching down isn't a strategy problem but a confidence problem, why hourly billing is killing professional services, and what it actually means to build value for a client rather than just managing your own costs.
Timestamps
03:47 The Power of Niching Down
10:39 Niche Challenges and Opportunities
16:27 Value is Subjective
21:12 Brewery Business Plan to Reality
29:59 Navigating Legalities and Risks
39:12 Compromise vs. Community Feedback
45:04 Brewery Business: Lessons Learned
52:23 Learning from Business Failure
Guest Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehandleyeosi/
EOS Website: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/lee-handley/
TrimTab Brewing: https://www.trimtabbrewing.com/
Phone: (205)516-1102