Decision State with Joe Steele

Joe Steele
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Most of the decisions that cost the most didn’t feel wrong when they were made. They felt fine. Sometimes urgent. The cost shows up later. A hire that didn’t hold. A call that has to be revisited. A team that quietly stops telling you the truth. Nothing obvious breaks. But the decisions get narrower. This show names that pattern — in plain language, without hacks or motivational framing. joesteele.com

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    The Fix That Made It Worse

    Angelo D’Amico runs a $25M+ manufacturing company and a second consumer brand with 60 people between them. When the wrong people started accumulating inside the business, he did what a good leader does — he tried to help them. Coached them. Gave them time. Gave them the benefit of the doubt.It didn’t work. And while he was trying to fix the individual, the people around them were quietly absorbing the cost.This episode is about the difference between a performance problem and an alignment problem — and what it costs when you treat one like the other.Angelo on LinkedIn: Angelo D’Amicocanadarubbergroup.com / softstall.comIf you recognized something in this episode — joesteele.com Follow Decision State on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Chapters 00:00 — He Thought He Was Doing the Right Thing00:21 — The Decision He’s Still Thinking About01:17 — What He’s Actually Running05:23 — What a Tough Stretch Looks Like06:56 — When the Blinders Go On09:06 — Problems Sound Smaller Than They Are10:38 — Narrow Thinking and Tolerating the Wrong Things11:20 — When to Act and When to Wait13:48 — The Weight of Being the One Who Has to Change It17:10 — What the Team Was Holding That He Didn’t See19:17 — The Fear of Destabilizing What Was Left21:34 — The Fix That Made It Worse23:35 — Making Calls Inside the Uncertainty26:01 — The Signals He Moves Faster On Now27:49 — What Would Feel Different Today29:35 — Where to Find Angelo

    30 min

  2. 28 APR

    When the Room Knows and Nobody Says It

    The partnership looked strong on paper. High volume. Big dollar figure. A sales leader confident enough to move it forward. But the product team knew the call would pull the company away from its roadmap. They talked about it with each other.They just didn't have enough political capital to make the concern reach the person making the decision. Six months later, the contract was canceled and the roadmap was delayed by at least two years.Petar Kralev has spent his career inside organizations where the signal exists but doesn't always reach the room where the real call gets made. This episode is about what that looks like before anything visibly breaks — and what it costs when people know something is wrong but don't say it loudly enough to matter.Petar Kralev: ⁠mirror360.org⁠ | LinkedIn | SubstackJoe Steele: ⁠joesteele.com⁠If you recognized something in this episode — ⁠joesteele.com⁠. Follow Decision State on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.00:00 — When the dashboard looks right00:18 — The partnership that cost two years02:44 — Building Mirror 360 03:17 — How information gets filtered04:56 — Leaders who may not want visibility06:00 — Clean signals vs people signals07:11 — Screaming into the void 09:53 — Why no company is exempt10:33 — When alignment is only surface-level13:26 — Smart people, incomplete information14:57 — Trying to raise the concern16:12 — When politics shapes the call18:11 — Reading between the lines19:31 — Early mistakes building the company21:03 — How he tries to avoid the same pattern24:01 — Where to find Petar

    25 min

  3. 21 APR

    When the Hire Looks Right

    Most hiring decisions don't fail immediately. The candidate checks out. The process is clean. The client signs off. And then something small goes sideways — sometimes eight months later. Darren Tompkins runs a multi-division recruiting firm with no debt, no office, and no outside capital, placing people into engineering, construction, and data-center projects where a wrong read has consequences on both sides. This conversation is about what it actually costs to make judgment calls about people for a living — and what happens when the placement that looked clean turned out it wasn't. Darren Tompkins — Vader-Rey Companies vaderrey.com  LinkedIn: Darren Tompkins If you recognized something in this episode — joesteele.com. Chapters00:00 — When decisions start to stack00:30 — What the day actually looks like  00:45 — Why you can't turn it off  01:16 — When a placement goes wrong  02:11 — High-stakes hiring decisions  03:20 — Army vs business pressure  05:26 — What looks easier than it is  06:32 — When hiring decisions fail  09:02 — A different kind of hard 10:39 — Building without debt  12:59 — Slow seasons and pressure cycles  14:54 — When the work doesn't stop  16:46 — AI and hiring decisions  21:06 — Losing a client  23:18 — Where to connect

    24 min

  4. 14 APR

    When Fast Starts Feeling Right

    Most leadership mistakes don’t look like mistakes in the moment.They feel necessary.In this conversation, Laurent Cohen reflects on what happens when hiring decisions speed up under pressure — and how intuition gets quietly overridden as momentum builds. Drawing from 30+ years of building companies across Europe, the U.S., and Israel, he describes how judgment narrows, why teams stop pushing back, and how leaders end up fixing decisions that once felt completely right. This episode isn’t about hiring frameworks.It’s about what changes internally — before anything breaks. Learn more about GetOblichttps://getoblic.comIf you’ve had to fix decisions that felt right at the time → https://joesteele.com Chapters00:00 — The decision that didn’t feel wrong (cold open)00:11 — Where expensive decisions actually hide00:40 — When hiring starts to speed up02:01 — Why trust, not technology, becomes the constraint03:00 — The shift toward problem solvers04:11 — Confusing speed with clarity05:18 — When the cost hasn’t shown up yet05:57 — Measuring performance vs reading people06:35 — How AI is changing the workforce07:35 — The mistake of treating employees like family08:48 — Why everything is one-on-one09:34 — Daily signals and control10:08 — Open access and no barriers10:29 — Why intuition still drives hiring12:26 — Reading body language over listening13:23 — Knowing in the first 15 minutes14:06 — When a hire looks right but isn’t15:44 — What’s missing matters more than what’s said16:08 — Getting locked into decisions17:30 — Protecting time for your team18:29 — Expanding across cultures20:01 — Why in-office matters20:33 — When to stop second guessing22:00 — Building something that actually becomes a business24:28 — The decisions that feel finished

    25 min

  5. TRAILER

    Decision State — When Pressure Changes Judgment

    Decision State explores how leadership judgment changes under sustained responsibility — often before results reflect it. Most senior leaders don’t burn out dramatically.Performance continues. Teams deliver. Outcomes hold. But decision quality can quietly shift. This show looks at how pressure influences clarity, timing, interpretation, and risk assessment over time — especially in demanding seasons where responsibility doesn’t reset. Through conversations with founders, operators, and experienced leaders, Decision State examines patterns most people recognize but rarely name. This isn’t a wellness podcast.It’s not productivity advice.And it isn’t performance coaching. It’s a lens on decision-making under pressure — and why recognizing subtle shifts early protects long-term leadership quality. If this resonates, Decision State is also delivered as a private executive briefing: How Pressure Changes Judgment — Before It Shows in Results.

    1 min
  6. From Zero Leads to Google's Top Rated

    12/09/2024

    From Zero Leads to Google's Top Rated

    In this dynamic episode, host Joe Steele chats with Mark Wonderlin, the CEO and Founder of Austin-based Mosaic Media Films, to explore the art of video for brands and businesses. The episode dives into Mark's expertise in video marketing and how he helps businesses convert passive audiences into engaged customers. Mark shares his journey of building Mosaic Media Films, the strategies behind crafting compelling video content, and the key elements that drive viewers to take action. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or content creator, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of video marketing and practical tips for boosting conversions through engaging visual storytelling. 00:00 - Introduction 01:35 - Mark’s Path to Entrepreneurship 03:15 - Video is the Trend 05:50 - Why Austin 08:00 - Tapping the Local Market 09:45 - Gathering the Gear to Start 12:00 - Turning Viewers Into Buyers 14:20 - Growing the Client Base 15:30 - Building a Video Success System 21:00 - Hands on Clients 23:10 - Building Your Own Brand 24:50 - The Right People in the Right Seat 28:30 - A Week in the Life for Mark 30:40 - Avoiding Burnout 34:00 - Clarity & Focus 36:40 - Advice for Longevity in Business 39:05 - Connect with Mark & Mosaic Show Resources: mosaicmediafilms.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/markwonderlin/ Get Joe’s Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Investing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YrkcRDMxHZgJl5WUfJ4HEUZBWHM4twWx/view?usp=drive_link⁠⁠⁠

    41 min
  7. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

    05/09/2024

    Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

    In this episode, host Joe Steele interviews Lindy Nowak, the founder and CEO of UpinaDay.co, to uncover the secret to standing out in a crowded marketplace: exceptional service. This episode explores how Lindy built her business on the foundation of providing unparalleled customer service and delivering rapid, high-quality results. Lindy shares her journey from launching UpinaDay.co, a company that specializes in building websites in just one day, to becoming a leader in her industry. She discusses the importance of understanding client needs, exceeding expectations, and how a service-first approach has driven her company's success. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a service professional, this episode offers valuable lessons on the power of service in creating a lasting business impact. 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - The Inspiration Behind Up in a Day 06:30 - Service is the Distinction 09:35 - Evaluating the Risk 13:15 - Bootstrap Funding 14:25 - Building a Client Base 17:20 - Biggest Challenges 20:15 - Overcoming Seasonality 22:00 - Hiring the Right People 23:45 - What Lindy Would Have Done Differently 25:20 - Time Management 26:45 - Up in a Day’s Corporate Growth 29:15 - Marketing Strategies 32:45 - Building a Community 36:05 - Pivotal Moments 37:00 - Change One Thing? 37:55 - What’s Next for Up In a Day 40:15 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 42:35 - Connecting with Lindy Show Resources: https://upinaday.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindy-nowak/ Get Joe’s Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Investing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YrkcRDMxHZgJl5WUfJ4HEUZBWHM4twWx/view?usp=drive_link⁠⁠⁠

    44 min
  8. Turning YouTube Fame Into A Stress Free Business with Manu Vendetti

    29/08/2024

    Turning YouTube Fame Into A Stress Free Business with Manu Vendetti

    In this engaging episode of Experience Curve, host Joe Steele sits down with Manu Venditti, a seasoned linguist and founder of Italy Made Easy, to explore the fascinating world of language learning. The episode delves into Manu's belief that everyone has the potential to become a skilled linguist. Manu shares his journey of mastering multiple languages, the techniques he uses to help others do the same, and how understanding language can enhance communication and cultural connections. Whether you're a language enthusiast or just curious about the art of communication, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of language and how we can all tap into our innate linguistic abilities. 00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - Growing Up in Italy 03:50 - Choosing Languages 08:00 - Italian Dialects 10:30 - Moving Down Under 11:35 - Building up Italy Made Easy 13:25 - In Front of the Camera 17:00 - Comparative Linguistics 18:30 - Course Presale 21:30 - Building a Team 24:45 - Injecting Personality into the Lessons 25:45 - Manu’s Approach to Language Learning 32:00 - A Safe Place to Try 33:15 - Italy Inspired 35:15 - A Day in Manu’s Life 37:10 - Manu’s Favorite Spot in Italy 39:00 - No Regrets 42:45 - Connect with Manu Show Resources: Italymadeeasy.com/ www.youtube.com/@italymadeeasy Get Joe’s Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Investing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YrkcRDMxHZgJl5WUfJ4HEUZBWHM4twWx/view?usp=drive_link⁠⁠⁠

    45 min
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Most of the decisions that cost the most didn’t feel wrong when they were made. They felt fine. Sometimes urgent. The cost shows up later. A hire that didn’t hold. A call that has to be revisited. A team that quietly stops telling you the truth. Nothing obvious breaks. But the decisions get narrower. This show names that pattern — in plain language, without hacks or motivational framing. joesteele.com

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