Nuts and Bolts of Leadership

Strategic Risk & Succession Planning with Ben Holder

In this episode, Billy Duren sits down with Ben Holder, CEO of Plastic Products Company. [https://www.plasticproductsco.com/] This is a 100% employee-owned business that employs over 900 people across ten plants nationwide. Ben shares the company's remarkable journey, which began in a garage in 1962 and grew into a major contract manufacturer serving industry giants like 3M and GE Appliances. Ben dives deep into how employee ownership through their ESOP empowers team members, boosts engagement, and builds real retirement security for everyone, not just the executives. He also highlights the "Find a Better Way" program, which invites every employee to suggest improvements. This initiative has fostered a strong culture of continuous progress, shared pride, and collective ownership of results. The conversation explores what it takes to celebrate that ownership mindset, thoughtfully manage risk, and successfully integrate new acquisitions while preserving the company's core culture. Billy and Ben also discuss the power of hands-on leadership, clear communication, and intentional mentoring to prepare the next generation of leaders. Ben makes it clear that true leadership isn't about issuing orders from the top. It's about serving others, showing up on the floor, staying present, and committing to lifelong learning. The episode wraps up with practical advice for anyone looking to grow as a leader: stay curious, develop a thick skin, and never underestimate the value of bringing humor and heart to the job. 3 Key Listener Takeaways Here are three key takeaways for leaders in any industry: 1. Empowerment Drives Engagement and Improvement Ben Holder showed how educating employees about ESOP, celebrating ownership, and running programs like "Find a Better Way" creates pride, accountability, and nonstop innovation. When people feel like true owners, they step up with ideas and energy that benefit the entire organization. 2. Intentional Succession Planning Sustains Organizational Health At Plastic Products Company, building the leadership pipeline is a deliberate, multi-layered effort. By identifying talent early, mentoring consistently, and developing future leaders, including Ben's own successor, the company protects its culture and ensures long-term success even as it grows and evolves. 3. Leadership Means Serving Others, Not Commanding Ben challenges the common misconception that leadership is reserved for the CEO or about telling people what to do. Instead, he emphasizes that anyone can lead by serving, supporting, and helping their colleagues, regardless of title. This servant leadership approach builds trust and brings out the best in teams.

Pro-Level Leadership: What Athletes Teach Executives with Lindsay Funkhouser

In this episode of Nuts and Bolts of Leadership, host Billy Duren sits down with Lindsay Funkhouse [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-funkhouser-746a74156/]r, co-founder of Strategic Mixtape [https://www.strategicmixtape.com/], to explore the true value of executive coaching. Lindsay explains that coaching is not just for fixing problems. It is a powerful growth tool for high performers. Drawing on her sports psychology background, she shows how leaders, like elite athletes, must continuously upgrade their power skills: self-awareness, listening, trust-building, and adaptive communication. The conversation highlights a common leadership trap: assuming what got you to this level will keep you there. As responsibilities grow, new skills become essential, especially the ability to truly connect, read your audience, and stay visible across all levels of the organization. Packed with practical insights on transparency, resilience under pressure, and creating high-trust cultures, this episode underscores that great leadership is a lifelong pursuit of learning, honest feedback, and bringing out the best in every team member. 3 Key Listener Takeaways Here are three key takeaways for leaders in any industry: 1. Executive Coaching Is Not Remedial - It's for High Performers Lindsay Funkhouser explains that executive coaching is often misunderstood as something for "fixing" weaknesses. In reality, it is designed to help high-performing leaders gain deeper self-awareness and develop human-oriented skills to reach their next level of effectivenes. 2. Clear Communication Differs from Effective Communication Communicating clearly is not the same as communicating effectively. Lindsay Funkhouser highlights that true leadership effectiveness comes from ensuring your message creates understanding, trust, and actionable alignment in your audience - not just making sense to yourself. 3. Leadership Self-Awareness Drives Organizational Health The emotional maturity and self-awareness of leaders directly shape company culture and can either multiply functional or dysfunctional behaviors. Lindsay Funkhouser emphasizes that leaders must know their own strengths, blind spots, and the gap between their intent and their real impact on people to avoid stagnation and foster healthy, resilient organizations. Show Overview 00:00 Discussing Lindsey's qualifications 06:03 Understanding Executive Coaching Benefits 08:24 Marriage coaching versus counseling myths 13:48 Encouraging open communication for leaders 15:50 Creating a safe work environment 20:37 Leadership lessons from CEO training 22:00 Evolving company culture with growth 26:20 Athletes training for high-pressure situations 31:32 Leadership communication skills 32:24 Challenges in effective communication 37:36 Being thoughtful about your audience 40:26 Impact of leadership self-awareness 44:14 Learning to manage ambitious ideas 46:04 Encouraging creativity in children 50:54 Building self-awareness with feedback 54:00 Lindsay's leadership and sports psychology

Humble, Hungry, Smart: Jared Levin's Playbook for Leading Mainely Tubs

In this episode of Nuts and Bolts of Leadership, Billy Duren interviews Jared Levin, CEO of Mainely Tubs, based in Scarborough, Maine. Jared shares his journey of becoming CEO right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the company faced and adapted to the challenges. He talks about Mainely Tubs' unique employee-owned culture, their focus on hiring team players who are "humble, hungry, and smart," and keeping a "low jerk factor." Jared gives examples of how the company goes above and beyond for customers, emphasizing the mission to "leave you saying wow." He also discusses how leadership means setting an example, like picking up trash in the parking lot, and the importance of steady communication across locations with regular meetings and welcome breakfasts for new team members. The conversation covers lessons learned from leadership challenges, the value of reading management books, and the role of mentors. Jared gives practical advice for emerging leaders: focus on learning, find mentors, and lead for the right reasons, not just for rewards. 3 Key Listener Takeaways Here are three key takeaways for leaders in any industry: 1. Culture of Teamwork and "Low Jerk Factor" Jared emphasized that Mainely Tubs places high value on hiring and retaining humble, hungry, and smart team players, openly communicating their "low jerk factor" policy. This approach fosters a positive, collaborative work environment where teamwork is essential to both employee satisfaction and customer service. 2. Ownership Mindset in an Employee-Owned Company Mainley Tubs is 100% employee-owned, and Jared explained how this drives an ownership mentality, with team members often going the extra mile, whether it's staying late to help a customer or pitching in across departments. This sense of ownership translates into pride, responsibility, and exceptional service. 3. Service as the Core Differentiator In a commodity-driven industry, Jared highlighted that the only true differentiator is customer service, not product. The company's mission, "Leave you saying wow," depends on under-promising, over-delivering, and training all teams, from sales to service, to consistently exceed customer expectations. Show Overview 00:00 Adapting business during the pandemic 08:13 Why Jared loves his hot tub 13:43 Focusing on customer experience 21:18 Thinking like an owner 22:50 Leading by example 29:51 Company growth and customer focus 36:16 Team going above and beyond 40:40 Managing team dynamics 47:40 Leadership lessons and smooth transition 54:26 Advice for aspiring leaders 56:46 Experiencing Whitewater after rapid growth

Harvesting Success: Sarah Billings Shares Leadership Nuggets from Ag Consulting

In this episode of Nuts and Bolts of Leadership, host Billy Duren talks with Sarah Billings, CEO of Centrol Ag Consulting [https://centrolcrop.com/]. Sarah Billings shares her unique journey from small-town Minnesota to leading a company that helps farmers grow better crops using smart science and technology. They talk about how farm consulting is like being a "doctor for crops," giving advice but not selling products, which helps keep their recommendations unbiased. Sarah explains how farming is full of new technology, including GPS-guided tractors and data-driven approaches to make fields more efficient. She shares how her experience working "in the dirt" helps her connect with her team and understand their challenges. The two discuss the importance of building trust with both farmers and younger employees, and the value of sharing knowledge across generations. Leadership advice highlights staying flexible, always learning, and not being afraid to ask questions. Sarah Billings uses simple metaphors, like choosing between a hat, a haircut, or a tattoo, to talk about decision-making risks. Throughout, she stresses helping others succeed, whether it's farmers, co-workers, or the next generation, and encourages emerging leaders to get comfortable being a little uncomfortable to grow. 3 Key Listener Takeaways Here are three key takeaways for leaders in any industry: 1. Build Trust Through Experience: Walking the fields before stepping into the boardroom helped me "speak the language" of my team and clients. Credibility is earned by sharing in the real work. 2. Embrace Change & Technology: The Ag industry isn't just legacy, it's cutting edge. Staying curious and integrating new tools and thinking keeps you and your business ahead of the curve. 3. Culture Unlocks Growth: Even in a geographically spread-out company, fostering open communication and a willingness to ask questions drives collaboration, innovation, and individual development. Show Overview 00:00 Crop health checks for farmers 05:48 Learning about soybean farming 07:41 Discovering a passion for agriculture 10:52 Precision farming technology 13:01 Connecting with employees and farmers 17:09 Building trust and company culture 20:02 Building trust with your team 25:22 Building culture across distances 27:28 Making thoughtful vs. quick decisions 31:53 Framing the mission in agriculture 36:04 Recruiting young farmers today 38:31 Promoting employee ownership benefits 43:10 Reflecting on curiosity and confidence 44:42 Advice for young CEOs

Smothered, Covered & Mentored: Waffle House Leadership Served Bert Thornton's Way

In this episode, Billy Duren chats with Bert Thornton, former president and COO of Waffle House, about his journey from manager trainee to the top of an iconic restaurant chain. Bert Thornton shares how Waffle House became known for "good food fast" and how the company grew from a single diner to over 2,000 locations. The conversation dives into leadership lessons, including the importance of taking care of people "on both sides of the counter, "meaning both customers and employees. Bert Thornton talks about the value of hard work, perseverance, attitude, and mentoring. He explains that leaders aren't born but developed over time through discipline and learning from others. Listeners also hear some fun Waffle House stories, like how "Bert's Chili" became a menu staple and why grits were introduced to Texas customers. Bert's advice for young leaders? Surround yourself with successful people and find a great mentor—plus, never give up when things get tough. Whether you're a fan of Waffle House or want practical leadership wisdom, this episode delivers valuable insights in a down-to-earth style. 3 Key Listener Takeaways 1. Leadership is Developed, Not Innate Bert Thornton emphasizes that leaders aren't simply born—they're made through discipline, hard work, and a willingness to learn from others. He points out that personal growth and leadership come from acting, thinking, and communicating differently, and that much of his own leadership journey involved learning from mentors and real-world experiences. 2. Take Care of People on Both Sides of the Counter One of the foundational philosophies at Waffle House, highlighted by Bert Thornton, is the focus on caring for both employees and customers. By investing in associates (team members), they in turn take great care of the customers, creating a strong and sustainable company culture. 3. Mentorship is a 'Silver Bullet' for Success Bert Thornton shares that seeking out successful people and finding a great mentor is one of the most impactful things you can do for your career growth. He stresses that great mentors have a genuine interest in your success, a track record, expertise in your field, and respect from their peers. Show Overview 00:00 Origins of Waffle House 03:47 Waffle House's Second Generation Success 07:06 Efficient Waffle House Production Strategy 13:24 How Waffle House Chili Began 15:59 Southern Charm of Waffle House 18:17 Waffle House Leadership Principles 22:20 Waffle House Leadership Meetings 25:20 Creating Value by Serving Others 28:10 Leadership: Learned, Not Born 32:41 Parents and Coaches Shape Lives 35:46 8 Social Tells for Impressions 38:09 Perseverance and Leadership Insights 41:45 Leadership Begins with Ingredients 46:11 Advice for 25-Year-Old Self 48:34 4 Traits of Great Mentors 51:58 Mentorship and Leadership Insights 55:02 Leadership and Mentoring Insights 58:32 Success Through People and Leadership