The Third Layer

Built To Endure: Cameron Young On Resilience In Life And Leadership

Cameron Young, a fourth-generation leader at Behler Young, shares lessons on resilience, leadership, and culture behind his family's nearly 100-year-old HVAC distribution business. He reflects on how strong family dynamics, adaptability, and a commitment to integrity have sustained long-term success. Cameron also opens up about overcoming a life-changing spinal cord injury in college, drawing parallels to his father's leadership during the 2008 financial crisis. His story highlights the importance of vulnerability, intentional succession planning, and shifting from individual dependency to building empowered teams. He emphasizes keeping founding stories relevant for today's workforce and investing in internal culture through leadership development, community involvement, and shared values, creating an environment where people perform at their best and drive lasting business growth. Key Themes Generational Resilience and Adaptability Vulnerable Leadership Modernizing the Legacy Intentional Succession Development Culture as a Performance Driver Timestamps: 02:32 - Company growth and branch network expansion across Michigan 05:00 - Third generation, Doug Young, joins and leads the business 08:10 - Culture, honesty, and integrity as keys to 100-year longevity 12:27 - Spinal cord injury while studying abroad in Spain 15:21 - Mindset and recovery after the injury 21:50 - Great Recession impact on the business and parallel family hardships 25:32 - Resilience lessons from navigating both crises simultaneously 29:51 - Career at Steelcase and transition into the workforce post-injury 33:21 - Management training program and roles within Behler Young 36:04 - Behler Young MBA leadership development program for the fourth generation 42:33 - Community giving through the BY Cares program 52:52 - Cameron's personal legacy and what he hopes to model for others Additional Resources: Connect with Cameron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-young-94ba6612/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-young-94ba6612/] Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/] Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all [https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all] Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/ [https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/]

Replay: The Ripple Effect: How Jeff Oddo's search for significance led to business transformation and growth

In this episode, Jeff Oddo shares the journey of transforming his family's janitorial business into a nationwide franchise powerhouse. From early leadership failures and emotional burnout to rediscovering purpose through significance and servant leadership, Jeff reveals how vision, values, and vulnerability fueled massive growth. Learn how City Wide grew from one company to over 100 franchises, all rooted in culture, clarity, and the ripple effect. Additional Resources: Jeff Oddo, President/CEO at City Wide Facility Solutions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffoddo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffoddo/] Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/] Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all] Learn more about PeopleForward Network [https://www.notion.so/4a0a5ee6e82b4d38bfb1451d90b603c3?pvs=21] Key Takeaways: * True fulfillment in leadership comes from making a meaningful impact, not just financial gain. * Jeff's early management mistakes taught him the value of humility, mentorship, and people-first leadership. * Shifting from doing to teaching allowed Jeff to scale his business and serve more people through a replicable model. * Clear processes and training manuals not only enabled growth, but also freed Jeff from micromanagement. * Every franchisee is vetted on mission, vision, and values, because shared beliefs are the foundation of sustainable success.

Building Life Into Others: Ben Hutton on Teams, Clients, and Community

In this insightful episode, Ben Hutton, President of Hutton, shares his transformative journey from a twelve-year-old shop sweeper to the leader of a thriving 400-person construction and facility services company. The conversation explores the unique challenges of second-generation leadership, specifically the pressure to emulate a founder's style. Ben candidly discusses his "3 a.m. moment"—a point of burnout caused by trying to lead with his father's forceful, operational approach rather than leaning into his own strengths. For family business leaders, this episode serves as a case study in self-awareness and organizational evolution. Ben details how he shifted from being a bottleneck to a visionary leader by identifying his "unique ability" and empowering a separate President to handle operations. The discussion dives deep into the rigorous work of discovering authentic core values, the power of storytelling to connect a dispersed workforce, and the necessity of defining success through the lens of purpose rather than just profit margins. Key Themes * Transitioning Leadership Styles * The Power of Unique Ability * Authentic Value Discovery * Storytelling as Strategy * Community as a Stakeholder * Redefining Success Timestamps * 03:26 - Early memories of the company and longtime employees who are still with Hutton today * 08:05 - Returning to Wichita and building credibility through roles in operations, project management, and business development * 12:22 - Growth from 80 to 400 employees and the realization that empowering others was the key to scaling * 15:08 - Ben's burnout moment at 3 a.m. and the start of a leadership transformation * 23:05 - Why leading through culture takes constant communication, story-sharing, and clarity of purpose * 30:08 - Distilling the company's values into four words: Lead, Inspire, Respect, Construct * 34:52 - Creating the company purpose statement and defining success around team members' dreams, clients' vision, and communities' future * 44:05 - Tornado response story that showed both client care and deep care for a superintendent who lost his home * 54:34 - Why community is a core stakeholder and how Hutton gives back through volunteer time and donated expertise * 58:51 - Ben's professional and personal legacy: building an enduring company and loving his family well Additional Resources Connect with Ben on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhuttonict/] Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/] Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all] Learn more about PeopleForward Network [https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/]

Better Today, Better Together, Better Tomorrow: CoorsTek and the Power of Shared Leadership

Jonathan Coors, Co-CEO of CoorsTek, details the evolution of a fifth-generation family enterprise that expanded from the iconic Coors brewery into a global industrial ceramics leader. Jonathan shares his personal journey from working in politics to navigating the family business, emphasizing the necessity of earning credibility through mentorship and humility. A central focus of the conversation is the family's innovative approach to succession: rather than selecting a single successor, they established an "Office of the CEO" comprising Jonathan, his brother, and his cousin. This structure leverages their complementary strengths, fosters robust strategic debate, and mitigates potential family conflict. Jonathan also discusses the critical role of values-based leadership. Viewing the company as a "marble masterpiece" to be shaped, and the importance of authenticity when leading a global workforce of 5,000. It provides actionable insights on stewardship, the strategic advantages of taking a company private, and the discipline required to ensure family assets grow for future generations. Key Themes: Collaborative Governance (Office of the CEO) Strategic Patience & Privatization Stewardship vs. Ownership Feedback Loops in Family Firms Universal Values with Local Application Timestamps: 07:46 - Why ceramics matter & how they enable modern technology 09:05 - Story of Adolf Coors & the founding of the brewery 12:33 - How Coors survived Prohibition & the role of entrepreneurship 13:03 - What drove the longevity of the Coors brand & family business 15:51 - Major growth milestones at CoorsTek, including acquisitions & global expansion 19:08 - Why CoorsTek went public briefly & then returned to private family ownership 36:09 - Creation of the three-person Office of the CEO & how the model works 48:25 - Leadership through culture, authenticity, & values in a 5,000-person global company Additional Resources: Connect with Jonathan Coors on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-coors/] Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/] Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all] Learn more about PeopleForward Network [https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/]

If You Dislike Change, You'll Dislike Irrelevance More: How Progress Luv2Pak Stayed Relevant for Over a Century

Ben Hertzman, President of Progress Luv2Pak, shares the century-long evolution of the packaging company, from a family-run factory to a modern, diversified enterprise. After his father, David, acquired the business, it evolved from domestic manufacturing into a global sourcing operation, adapting to customer needs and changing markets. Hertzman emphasizes that lasting culture is built on trust and empowerment. After gaining experience at Procter & Gamble, Ben rejoined the company as a trainee and worked his way up, reinforcing a commitment to meritocracy and continuous learning. The company builds loyalty by investing in its people and creating growth opportunities. With the launch of Gather Packaging, Progress Luv2Pak has re-entered domestic manufacturing, strengthening supply chain resilience and positioning the business for its next chapter of growth. Key Themes: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Strategic Transformation and Adaptability Leading Through Empowerment and Trust Internal Talent Development Full-Circle Strategy Intergenerational Transition Timestamps: 03:20 - David acquires the box factory, beginning the family's ETA journey 04:30 - Growth through retail clients and the Trivial Pursuit boom 06:42 - Move from domestic manufacturing to global sourcing 09:04 - Innovation and adapting to industry change 12:32 - Early exposure to the business through factory visits and travel 17:08 - Leadership lessons from P&G on culture and accountability 19:02 - Returning as a trainee and rising to president 27:13 - Turning around a struggling division and earning trust 40:13 - Launching Gather Packaging and returning to U.S. manufacturing 45:29 - Defining legacy through caring for people and partners Additional Resources: Connect with Ben on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhertzman/] Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-lockton-26369a1/] Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all] Learn more about PeopleForward Network [https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/]