Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

Chris Thomson
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Are you an ambitious young entrepreneur? Do you consider yourself a role model and leader of tomorrow? If so, this is going to be the show for you. Leaders Of Tomorrow is a show dedicated young and ambitious entrepreneurs looking to forge their own path in this world. Each week, we will bring you an inspiring interview and share with you behind the scenes some of the values and beliefs of our 8-figure business; Student Works Management Program. From interviews with young millionaires and personal anecdotes from our head coach; Chris Thomson, this show will give you everything you need to know to become a Leader Of Tomorrow.

  1. 45m ago

    481 | Jeff Gunhus – Why Great Leaders Never Just Report the News

    What separates a leader who builds a winning team from one who just reports bad news? In this episode, Chris Thomson hands the mic to College Works alumnus Jeff Gunhus, Co-Founder and CEO of Home Genius Exteriors, who scaled the company from $2.7 million in year one toward a $500 million target, all while chasing a billion-dollar goal. Jeff lays out the framework his leaders live by, Teach, Track, and Inspire, and why fastest growing means nothing without most respected. He gets into leading from the front, the difference between leading and lagging indicators, and why world-class customer service is a desire, not a training issue. If you want the mindset and the system behind teams that grow people and profit at the same time, this one is for you. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights03:51 – The secret behind the company name, and why everyone secretly works for his wife04:44 – The Jim Collins principle that turned a departing leader into a business partner07:42 – Fastest growing or most respected? Why he refuses to pick one09:10 – The billion-dollar goal that started as a someday dream11:59 – Why you should chase adversity instead of running from it14:17 – Teach, track, and inspire: the entire framework on one pie chart14:48 – The three leadership traps: the professor, the tracker, and the cheerleader19:20 – The Jocko Willink rule that Home Genius leans on hard24:26 – Why “what gets measured gets measured” is a trap for new leaders34:04 – The truth about customer service that no training can fix38:19 – The Jim Rohn line he closes meetings with About the GuestJeff Gunhus is the Co-Founder and CEO of Home Genius Exteriors, one of the fastest growing home improvement companies in America, and Co-Founder of its parent company, National Services Group. A College Works Painting alumnus who started as a first-year operator before becoming a coach and then a partner, Jeff has grown Home Genius from $2.7 million in its first year toward a $500 million target, while holding the company to being both the fastest growing and most respected in its industry. He is known for his Teach, Track, and Inspire leadership framework, his focus on culture, and giving back through the Home Genius Cares program, all under a standard he calls happy but not satisfied. 🔗 LinkedIn | Website Resources & Links MentionedExtreme Ownership by Jocko Willink (book)The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink (book)Jim Collins (author)College WorksOwens Corning (roofing provider)Ronald McDonald HouseFortuneTony Robbins Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  2. Sep 29

    480 | Phil Lombardo – How to Stop Negotiating With Yourself and Win

    What if the trait you thought made you strong is the very thing holding your growth back? Chris Thomson welcomes back Phil Lombardo, a Student Works veteran who went from a $125,000 rookie business to coaching a $4.4 million team, and who is now stepping into a role helping run a $50 million company. Phil opens up about the ego that once held him back, why your minimum acceptable standard matters more than your goals, and the daily discipline of negotiating with yourself less. If you have ever wondered what actually separates the people who keep leveling up from the ones who stall, this conversation is your blueprint. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights02:52 – Who Phil was before the program: YMCA shifts and a gap year of 60-hour minimum-wage weeks04:27 – The referral that got him in, and the info-session moment that lit up the phone05:59 – The biggest surprise of a first-year run during COVID06:41 – The ego realization that changed how he ran his business11:05 – Why your minimum acceptable standard matters more than the goals you set13:53 – The one thing top performers negotiate away far less than everyone else16:09 – The call where Luke first saw Phil as a future coach19:28 – Going from a $125K business to a $4.4 million coaching team20:33 – "Everyone can always see you": the accountability truth most people miss30:11 – Inside the new role and the push to double a $50 million company35:29 – The light-side, dark-side exercise behind Most Accountable Coach44:53 – What a real leader of tomorrow actually is, in Phil’s words About the GuestPhil Lombardo is a Student Works Management Program veteran stepping into his eighth year, a four-time Mexico-level operator who built roughly $800,000 in the field before moving into coaching. As a coach, he was named top mini coach, top rookie coach, and Most Accountable Coach, leading a team to $4.4 million this year and reaching about $9 million in all-time coaching revenue. He is now stepping into a company-wide role focused on operations, training, and curriculum, AI initiatives, safety, and field support as Student Works pushes to double its business. 🔗 LinkedIn Resources and Links MentionedThe Founders Club (Luke Fenn and Joe Kim)Luke Fenn on LinkedIn Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  3. Sep 22

    479 | Nick Eaves – Why Leading With Humility Beats Chasing the Spotlight

    What if the leaders who rise fastest are the ones who insist they are not that important? Chris Thomson sits down with Nick Eaves, Chief Operating Officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and former President and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, in the conversation that started it all: the very first Leaders of Tomorrow interview. A Student Works alum, Nick built his career on a counterintuitive idea: none of us are that important. They get into humility as a competitive edge, the patience of the long game, why there is no job too small, and how Nick kept saying yes to the next opportunity until he reached the C-suite. He also opens up about the setbacks that shook his confidence and what pulled him through. If you are waiting for permission or a perfect plan, this conversation will change how you think about getting started. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights● 05:40 – The one thing Nick still leans on from his summer business years ● 07:06 – Why “there is no job too small” became the rule that built a 21-year run ● 10:29 – “None of us are that important”: the humility test behind every team he leads ● 12:33 – The risky call to put racing on TV, and why shrinking your own crowd can grow the business ● 15:59 – What a government-run business taught Nick about irrational stakeholders ● 18:17 – Why the best fans behave like owners, and how great venues earn that trust ● 24:35 – The setbacks Nick regrets most, and the confidence gap behind them ● 28:44 – How to tell when your natural style stops working, and switch gears ● 29:36 – The long game: patience, network, and never doing it alone ● 38:17 – The real path into a world-class organization like MLSE, and why rushing backfires About the GuestNick Eaves is the Chief Operating Officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, where he oversees operations, revenue, and the LIVE events division across MLSE’s venues. He previously spent 21 years at Woodbine Entertainment, including five as President and CEO, where he led the transformation of the company’s business model. A Student Works Management Program alumnus and Western University graduate, Nick is known for a leadership style rooted in humility, patience, and the long game. 🔗 LinkedIn Resources and Links MentionedMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE)Scotiabank ArenaWoodbine Entertainment (formerly the Ontario Jockey Club)Western University Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  4. Sep 15

    478 | Best of: Scaling Your Business

    Most young entrepreneurs hit the same ceiling. The business can only grow as far as they can personally reach. The ones who break through stop trying to do it all and start building something bigger than themselves. In this collage episode, host Chris Thomson pulls together the operators who did exactly that. You will hear how they planned the number before chasing it, recruited the right people instead of the available ones, learned to delegate and actually train, and made the shift from doing the work to leading it. Five operators, five different paths, one through-line: you cannot scale alone. If you are ready to run a bigger business, start here, then come build one with us. Timestamped Highlights 00:00 – Chris O'Rourke sets the frame: real leadership is accomplishing great things through people, not as an individual01:12 – Alex Irvine on the shift that let him grow, letting go and bringing in people who do what he should not02:45 – What hands-off actually looks like once the systems hold and the business runs itself03:02 – Colby Wilson on making a $250K target real by breaking it into what you sell every week04:00 – Why Colby stopped trying to hit the number alone and built a team that owned it with him04:43 – Kaleb O'Very on always be recruiting, and the two hires that drove almost 300% growth06:44 – Jamie Lee Bongard on moving from knocking doors to leading, adding 61 agents without working full tilt08:15 – Chris O'Rourke on the tools and role clarity that let you lead through people at scale About the GuestsAlex Irvine is a Student Works operator and President's Club performer who ran a $275,000 painting business. | Episode 388 | Unlocking Growth: The Power of Delegation, Systems, and Coaching Colby Wilson is a fourth-year Student Works operator and an incoming mini coach. | Episode 438 | How To Turn Failure into a $275K Comeback Kaleb O'Very is a Student Works operator who grew his business 300% and stepped into a coaching role. | Episode 444 | How to Grow 300% and Love Every Challenge Jamie Lee Bongard is a five-year Student Works alum and a Keller Williams operating principal in real estate. | Episode 350 | Path to Personal Growth and Business Success Chris O'Rourke is a Student Works alum and the Chief Revenue Officer at Zeus Fire and Security. | Episode 397 | From Student Works to Building a Legacy of Success Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  5. Sep 8

    477 | Matt Celeste – How One Outsider Built a Six-Figure Machine

    What happens when a self-described average kid walks into a room full of high performers and refuses to get left behind? Chris Thomson sits down with Matt Celeste, a fourth-year University of New Brunswick student who joined Student Works knowing no one and got two leads in his first three hours of marketing. They dig into the mindset shift Matt calls an ego death, the leverage move that let him focus almost entirely on sales, and the Facebook ad system that booked nearly $300,000. In two seasons he went from roughly $196,000 to $433,000, all while in full-time school. If you have ever wondered whether you can figure entrepreneurship out with no head start, this one is your proof. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights02:38 – The “normal average kid” from a town of 8,000 who was sure he had life figured out03:54 – The med-school path Matt was headed down before Student Works04:39 – Two leads in three hours: the shaky first session that nearly shook his confidence05:12 – The moment watching Caleb close deals made the business feel real11:11 – The “ego death” that reset how Matt saw his own ceiling12:07 – How Matt doubled his business to $433K by changing where he spent his time13:19 – The ad-spend jump from $3K to $30K that booked nearly $300K22:48 – Why Matt's eyeing a house down payment while most peers sit in $50K of debt24:29 – The one piece of advice Matt gives anyone thinking about entrepreneurship About the GuestMatt Celeste is a fourth-year student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton and a two-year operator with the Student Works Management Program, running window cleaning and interlock restoration. Discovered on campus with no prior ties to the business, he was named the program’s top rookie and went on to double his business from roughly $196,000 to $433,000 in his second season, finishing as the fifth-highest returning operator in the program. Known for his level head, dependability, and competitive edge, Matt is now focused on developing leaders on his team as he targets $600,000 next year. 🔗 LinkedIn | Website Resources and Links MentionedContractor Marketing Mastermind (John Cameron)University of New BrunswickFacebook Ads (Meta) Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  6. Sep 1

    476 | Amer Abu Shakra – How to Break the Dopamine Trap and Perform

    What if the fastest way to level up isn’t adding more, but removing what’s quietly holding you back? Chris Thomson hands the room to Amer Abu Shakra, StudentWorks record-breaker and co-founder of Contracting.com, for a rare orientation-style talk built entirely from his own story. From a childhood in Jordan to a $500,000 sales year, Amer traces how three lessons rebuilt him. He gets honest about the year he wasted almost 40% of his time on his phone, the mentor who told him he wasn’t reliable, and the dopamine trap that quietly steals ambition. Then he shows the loop that turns it around: remove, keep your word, put others first. If your team feels unreliable or your goals keep slipping, the problem might be what you refuse to remove. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights05:02 – The gap Amer spotted that turned a summer job into Contracting.com05:27 – The “300 lifetimes” math that explains why a franchise is worth it08:05 – A highway stop in Jordan that rewired how Amer sees fairness09:26 – Lesson one: why improving your life is about what you remove11:43 – From busboy to bank vault, and the income ceiling that made him leave14:20 – “Successful people are reliable, and you are not”: the heart-to-heart that changed everything19:04 – The rooftop meeting with Grant Cardone he got on 30 minutes’ notice21:04 – The 40% of his time that was quietly killing his business22:02 – The rat, the button, and what dopamine is really doing to you29:33 – The accountability call that made keeping his word automatic33:48 – The loop: remove, stay reliable, attract better people43:39 – Eat last: the closing challenge on who you’re becoming About the GuestAmer Abu Shakra is the co-founder and CEO of Contracting.com, where he and co-founder Patrick help remodeling and home-service contractors build self-managing businesses, now serving around 700 members. A StudentWorks alumnus based in Toronto, Amer broke the program’s all-time sales record and profited over $200,000 in a single summer before finishing university at the University of Toronto. He now speaks, hosts a podcast, and coaches contractors on the systems and mindset behind durable growth. 🔗 LinkedIn | Website Resources and Links MentionedContracting.com (Amer’s company, formerly Tradark Consulting)Grant CardoneAlex HormoziDavid GogginsGoogle CalendarTD Bank Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  7. Aug 25

    475 | Best of: Sales Tenacity

    What if the difference between quitting and a record-breaking season is just one more no? Most people think sales is about confidence and the perfect pitch. The operators who last know it is really about stamina, consistency, and staying in the game long after everyone else walks away. In this collage episode, Chris Thomson gathers the sharpest sales lessons from Amer Abu Shakra, Chris Caruso, Mark Cox, Esfar Sarker, Nikos Violetis, and Dave Hanley. You will hear how a $500,000 season comes down to counting nos, why hard work beats natural talent, and why no product sells itself. Skip this one and you keep treating rejection as a stop sign instead of the input that compounds into results. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights00:00 – Mark Cox on why recruiters chase anyone with Student Works on their resume02:14 – Amer Abu Shakra reveals the rule he enjoyed most: trust the power of input and breaks down the door-knocking math behind every booking04:52 – The staggering number of nos Amer needed to build a $500K business05:21 – Chris Caruso on the blunt reason he outsold everyone around him and why he threw away his balance and burned out chasing the record06:22 – Mark Cox on the sales process IBM used that most companies still lack and on the one thing every company wants, because revenue fixes everything08:52 – Esfar Sarker on the only real way to triple your business in a year10:04 – Nikos Violetis on the hard truth that everyone lies, clients and workers alike11:02 – Dave Hanley on the missing link that nearly sank a growing business and on why you can never learn sales from a book About the GuestsAmer Abu Shakra – Co-founder and CEO of Contracting.com and the Student Works operator who broke the all-time sales record with a $500,000 season. | Episode 309: The Six Rules of Success that Helped me Break the All-Time Sales Record at Student Works Chris Caruso – Owner, operations lead, and business coach at Student Works who broke the all-time window cleaning sales record with over $210,000 in a single season. | Episode 390: How to Break Records and Push Your Limits Mark Cox – Founder of In the Funnel Sales Coaching and a Student Works alumnus who turned early door-to-door training into a career mastering professional sales. | Episode 394: How to Master Sales for Career Advancement Esfar Sarker – Student Works operator who was rejected from the program, came back, and booked over $100,000 by March while learning to beat rejection. | Episode 412: How to Overcome Rejection and Succeed in Business Nikos Violetis – Western University student, Student Works operator, and owner of NVWC Home Maintenance, known for building high-trust client relationships and handling rejection like a pro. | Episode 414: How To Overcome Self-Doubt As A Student Leader Dave Hanley – Serial entrepreneur and Student Works alumnus who co-founded Risk Control Technologies and AdvertiseCast (acquired by Libsyn for $30 million), was founding VP of business development at Insurance Systems, and wrote The Delusional Founder. | Episode 433: How to Leverage Sales Skills for Entrepreneurial Success Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

  8. Aug 18

    474 | Laura Tamburro – How To Turn 100% Turnover Into President's Club

    Laura Tamburro – How To Turn 100% Turnover Into President's ClubWhat if the business problem you keep hitting is really a personal one? Chris Thomson sits down with Laura Tamburro, a Western University student and top Student Works operator stepping into a coaching role, for one of the most honest conversations on the show. Laura opens up about the year she nearly walked away, the 100 percent team turnover that forced a mid-summer reset, and how facing her anxiety and depression changed everything. They get into why authenticity outsells any script, how she rebuilt and still finished in President's Club, and the daily practices that keep her steady. If you have ever stayed busy to avoid the hard stuff or waited to feel ready, this one will hit home. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights00:17 – Every student job, varsity figure skating, and still not feeling fulfilled02:25 – The hardest year ever: 10-hour weekend commutes, 5 AM practices, six classes05:03 – The unexpected lesson that finally grew her business, and it wasn't selling07:31 – “There's no such thing as business problems, just personal problems that show up in your business”10:20 – Naming the anxiety and depression she had been outrunning11:18 – 100% turnover and the call with her coach that forced real accountability11:54 – Sold $200K, half the season left, and unsure she wanted to keep going15:31 – “Never talk to yourself the way you would never talk to anybody else”16:59 – The daily practices keeping her grounded: runs, sleep, journaling, and a Brick20:15 – Muskoka to London: opposite market, opposite challenges30:19 – Her one piece of advice: start before you feel ready36:03 – What a real leader of tomorrow actually looks like, in her words About the GuestLaura Tamburro is a Western University student entering her fourth year and a top operator in the Student Works Management Program who is stepping into a coaching role. A varsity figure skater and self-described non-business student, she ran her first business in the Muskoka area, finished in President's Club, and grew her second-year business in London by more than 50 percent. Known for authentic leadership and for developing the people around her, Laura is now focused on creating more leaders as a coach in the program. 🔗 LinkedIn Resources and Links MentionedWestern UniversityBrick (phone-locking focus device) Important LinksConnect with Chris: Website | LinkedInLearn more about the Student Works Management ProgramApply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management ProgramLooking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job OpportunitiesHear more Alumni Success Stories The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

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About

Are you an ambitious young entrepreneur? Do you consider yourself a role model and leader of tomorrow? If so, this is going to be the show for you. Leaders Of Tomorrow is a show dedicated young and ambitious entrepreneurs looking to forge their own path in this world. Each week, we will bring you an inspiring interview and share with you behind the scenes some of the values and beliefs of our 8-figure business; Student Works Management Program. From interviews with young millionaires and personal anecdotes from our head coach; Chris Thomson, this show will give you everything you need to know to become a Leader Of Tomorrow.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Thomson
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    481
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Student Works Management Program™
  • Show Website
    Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast