The CEO's Heart for Service | Scaling Business Without Compromise

Matt Wolfe
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

There's a tension every B2B service leader navigates: How do you scale without compromising your client experience and the core values behind it? When your clients depend on you for high-stakes services like finance, technology, or strategy, that question carries real weight. The CEO's Heart for Service is where accomplished B2B CEOs and consultants share hard-won insights on walking that tightrope. Join hosts from Brand3 B2B Growth Marketing for conversations that deliver peer insights, field-tested strategies, and a holistic view of scaling premium services with integrity.

  1. 6d ago

    Having a Learn-it-all Mentality with Learnit CEO Damon Lembi

    Do you practice what you preach? As a B2B service provider, are you actively engaging in the strategies you impart to your clients — or is there a gap between what you teach and how you operate?  Damon Lembi, CEO of Learnit, has spent over 30 years building a company that walks the talk. Learnit has served more than two million people with live leadership training, AI adoption guidance, and culture-building programs — and they're applying every bit of that wisdom internally. Damon's path wasn't a straight line: he grew up convinced he was Batman, chased a Major League Baseball dream through Pepperdine and Arizona State, and only found his calling in business after his playing days ended. What emerged is a company built on curiosity, a "learn-it-all" mentality, and an unshakable belief that if you take care of your people, they'll take care of your customers — and the numbers will follow. From navigating the "trust recession" around AI to niching down after learning the hard way that you can't be everything to everybody, Damon shares hard-won lessons on leadership, hiring, storytelling, and why the future belongs to those who stay human in an increasingly AI-driven world. Highlights Damon's childhood ambition to be Batman — and how his parents let him stay in character all the way through nursery schoolA baseball career that included being drafted by the Atlanta Braves, playing in the College World Series, and hitting a home run before his identity as an athlete came to an end at 22How Learnit helps companies transition individual contributors into first-time leaders — a skill set that's completely different from being great at the job itselfWhy AI adoption isn't about doing more work, but doing better work — and why human skills like empathy, judgment, and trust are the real differentiatorsThe "trust recession": employees fear AI will eliminate their jobs, so they hide their AI wins or resist adoption entirelyWhy you can't outsource your thinking to AI — and why "AI slop" is the fastest way to lose trust with customers and teamLearnit's ideal client profile: 300–3,000 employees, no internal L&D team (or a small one), and a culture that genuinely values investing in peopleThe crypto company COO who couldn't get leadership buy-in for training because "they're all MBAs — shouldn't they already know this?"What makes Learnit different: 30+ years of transformation experience, short and action-oriented training, and 30-day follow-up check-ins to ensure real behavior changeThe "learn-it-all" mentality — keeping beginner's mind and curiosity alive in a 31-year-old companyWhy 85% of Learnit's business is return business, and how being honest about fit (even turning clients away) drives that numberThe costly lesson of trying to be everything to everybody — and how niching down accelerated growthWhy referrals are the best source of hires, and how Damon screens for accountability over victimhood in interviewsLeading by example: you can't ask your team to share mistakes, adopt AI, or read books if you're not willing to do it yourselfWhy storytelling is one of the most important future skills — and why the hero of your story should always be your customer, not youThe Behind the Brand questionnaire: Summer Lovin' karaoke, the Apple TV show Brothers, going to movies alone, the smell of Bob's Steakhouse, and the one day Damon would relive Chapters 00:00 — Introduction 01:25 — Meet Damon Lembi 03:55 — Growing Up Batman 05:52 — Baseball Dream Ends 07:21 — What Learnit Does 08:02 — AI Adoption and Trust 14:28 — Who Learnit Fits Best 15:54 — Why Companies Resist Training 17:33 — What Makes Learnit Different 19:23 — Curiosity and the Learn-It-All Mentality 21:59 — Great Service and Fit 24:52 — Niche Down to Serve 29:49 — People First to Scale 33:53 — Hiring the Right Team 35:34 — Culture of Accountability 36:54 — Lead by Example 38:34 — Goals That Create Buy-In 39:54 — Story as Strategy 41:41 — Make Them the Hero 44:48 — Scaling Beyond Sales Calls 49:55 — Trust and Risk in B2B 52:51 — Behind the Brand Questions 59:09 — Defining Success Resources Mentioned Learnit The Learn It All PodcastDamon Lembi on LinkedInScale Beyond Referrals The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  2. Oct 19

    Is AI Recommending You? | Go Beyond SEO with Cassie Egli

    Ever wonder what happens when a prospective client takes your referral, pastes it into ChatGPT, and asks the AI who they should actually hire? If you're not showing up in that conversation, you're already losing business you don't even know about.  Cassie Egli — AI visibility strategist and founder of Straight4Ward Consulting & Marketing — joins to unpack the new layer of search that every B2B service provider needs to understand: answer engine optimization (AEO). We explore why AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are now functioning as an unofficial "BFF" in the referral process, how to make sure machines and humans alike can immediately tell your business is the right fit, and what to do when your own business needs a pivot. Cassie shares the cautionary tale of running two brands at once and how consolidating her message turned things around in just six weeks. From the three levels of online visibility to the website elements you can't afford to skip, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for anyone who wants to be the recommendation — not the afterthought. Highlights Why AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude have become a "new layer in the referral process" — and what that means for B2B service providersHow Cassie confused her audience (and the machines) by running two separate brands, and how unifying her message turned things around in six weeksThe three website elements Cassie recommends for visibility: a clear "who this is for" statement, transparent pricing, and FAQs on every page (not just one section)The difference between being found, being chosen, and being the recommendation — Cassie's three levels of visibilityWhat "position zero" means and why it sits above the traditional ten blue links on GoogleWhy you can't be known for all things online — and how planting a "big damn flag" on what you do and who it's for helps both humans and AI understand youThe Bob Mackie lesson: how individuality and authenticity in branding draws the right audience (with a Cher and Carol Burnett detour)How to navigate a business pivot thoughtfully — passion, client benefit, team alignment, and online visibility all matterWhy Cassie thinks you could have gotten away without SEO, but you won't get away without AEO — even if you're a referral-only businessWhether websites will still matter three years from now, and the real-world use case that might surprise you Chapters 0:00 — Introducing Cassie Egli 3:32 — Human First Marketing 4:15 — Childhood Dreams and Cher 7:06 — Bob Mackie and Branding 11:28 — AI Visibility Explained 13:32 — Two Brands Confusion 17:21 — Ideal Client Deep Dive 19:51 — Website Visibility Framework 22:09 — Messaging Flags and Fit 22:47 — Plant Your Flag Messaging 23:49 — AI and Human Attention 24:33 — Stop Being Generic 25:30 — AEO Acronyms Anxiety 26:32 — Position Zero Roadmap 29:32 — Do Websites Still Matter 31:28 — Pivoting With Service 36:57 — Three Levels of Visibility 39:41 — Behind the Brand Lightning Round 45:10 — How to Reach Cassie 45:59 — Final Wrap and CTA Resources Mentioned Straight4Ward Consulting & MarketingPosition Zero ChallengeWhat to Make of a Life Scale Beyond Referrals The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  3. Oct 12

    AI Forward, People First: Embracing Technology with Dr. Steven and Suzy Kirch

    What if the most powerful thing about AI isn't how fast it works, but how much time it gives you back to be more human? That question sits at the heart of this conversation with Dr. Steven Kirch and Suzy Coconato-Kirch, the father-daughter team behind Profit Minds, an AI consultancy helping small to mid-size businesses and nonprofits implement AI practically, safely, and ethically. Their mantra — "AI forward, people first" — runs through every part of the discussion, from how they guide reluctant adopters past fear and overwhelm, to the decision framework they use to help organizations figure out where AI belongs (and where it doesn't), to the deeply human reason they do this work in the first place. Steve brings decades of experience as a physicist and business coach, while Suzy entered AI through a circuitous path from mathematics to natural language processing. Together they help clients compress five days of drudgery into three and spend the reclaimed time on the things that actually matter — building relationships, coaching teams, and showing up as humans in a world increasingly saturated with automated content. Whether you've been using AI for years, are just beginning to explore it, or have been holding off because the whole thing feels intimidating, this conversation offers something valuable: a practical, grounded, and refreshingly human-centered approach to making AI work for you — not the other way around. Highlights The "AI forward, people first" philosophy: why putting AI first means people can't be, and how Profit Minds keeps the human at the center of every implementationSteve's early chemistry experiments with repurposed Procter & Gamble lab glassware — and how a frustrating chemistry class pushed him toward physicsSuzy's unexpected path from physics to math to natural language processing, sparked by her dad asking one simple questionWhy Profit Minds recommends starting with the task you hate doing most, not the most interesting AI use caseThe "turtle sandbox" approach to AI: play, experiment, and don't worry about picking the perfect platform before you beginHow AI can serve as a sparring partner that constructively argues with you, not just a yes-machineSteve's key insight: the real lever in AI isn't doing more faster — it's doing different things and doing them better, including spending more time being humanThe Tom's Shoes model for nonprofits: when a corporation buys a seat, Profit Minds gifts an equivalent seat to a nonprofitThe Gratitude Network story: how four staff members went through the program and came out feeling like they'd added two more people to the teamThe AI Decision Framework: a tiered evaluation covering data security, brand risk, employee impact, ROI, and feasibility — resulting in AI-driven, human-driven, or hybrid recommendationsSuzy's "campfire save" workflow and "idea log" system for managing AI conversations and staying focusedSteve's detailed ChatGPT consultation about buying a home in a flood zone — a real-world example of AI as a research and decision-making partnerSuzy's candid discussion of imposter syndrome and the ongoing journey to feel like she belongsThe Profit Minds BHAG: enabling access to AI for everyone, regardless of economic status Chapters 0:00 — Today's Guests 4:13 — Human First 5:23 — Steve the Early Scientist 8:10 — Suzy's Path Into AI 12:35 — What Profit Minds Does 16:11 — Where to Start With AI 20:41 — Playful Approach and Policies 24:26 — Time Savings: Be More Human 29:05 — Ethics, Sparring Partner, and Nonprofits 33:25 — Growth Challenges and Buyer Journey 41:28 — AI Decision Framework 43:58 — Human, AI, and Hybrid Outcomes 45:22 — Selling AI Through Story 47:30 — Listening First, Consulting 49:32 — Behind the Brand Quiz 50:48 — Personal AI Workflows 54:59 — Karaoke and Laughs 59:06 — Getaways and Memories 1:07:19 — Success and Imposter Syndrome 1:10:08 — Where to Connect Resources Mentioned Profit Minds AI Decision FrameworkProfit Minds PodcastScale Beyond Referrals The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  4. Oct 5

    FiduciWho?: Understanding True Client Relationships with Leonard Raskin

    Would you rather transfer your values or your money to your children? That question — and the decades of real-life experience behind it — sits at the heart of our conversation with Leonard Raskin, President and CEO of Raskin Global and author of "Fiduci Who?" Leonard has spent 40 years building a fee-based financial consulting firm that refuses to choose between scale and soul. From his childhood dream of owning an NHL hockey team to becoming a trusted advisor who sits with families in hospice, at weddings, and around their kitchen tables, Leonard shares why the best marketing strategy he ever had was simply showing up as a human — at crab feasts, on the radio, through a podcast, and even as a cartoon version of himself on LinkedIn. If you've ever felt pressure to niche down, 10X your business, or run Google ads when what you actually want is to build deep, lasting relationships with people you'd invite to dinner, Leonard's story will make you feel a whole lot better about trusting your gut. Highlights Leonard's childhood dream of playing in the NHL — and how he ended up owning a (very small) piece of the New York Rangers anyway through publicly traded stock in Madison Square Garden NetworkWhat it means to be a true fiduciary: looking at a client's entire financial world from first dollar of cash flow to wealth transfer, rather than calling yourself a fiduciary for only the slice you touchWhy Leonard rejected the advice to niche down, and how he built a referral-driven practice by focusing on the kind of humans he serves best instead of an industry specialtyThe "dinner test": Are the people you're targeting in your marketing people you would want to invite over to your home for dinner? And have you given yourself permission to make that a true qualifier for who you take on as a client?How an annual crab feast for 500+ households became one of the most effective (and organic) client acquisition events in the firm — without ever talking businessThe early-career rejection of traditional financial sales tactics, and why Leonard refused to join charities as a thinly veiled prospecting strategyBuilding a book and podcast flywheel: how a guest on someone else's podcast introduced Leonard to Paperback Expert, which ghostwrote and published "Fiduci Who?" and launched the Fiduci Who podcastCartoon Leonard: turning podcast clips into animated social media content with a Hawaiian-shirt-wearing avatar — and why it works better than any blog post ever couldThe question Leonard asks every new client: "What's enough?" — and how defining success on your own terms changes everything about how you run your businessBehind the Brand rapid-fire answers: favorite karaoke song, the smell of his mother's chicken soup, reliving a 14-hour heart surgery, and three words his loved ones would use to describe him Chapters 0:00 — Today's Guest 5:13 — Hockey Dreams to CEO 8:08 — What Raskin Global Does 12:41 — Service Model and Values 14:53 — Clients Become Family 19:07 — Scaling Without 10X 23:50 — Defining Success 27:24 — Ideal Clients and Dinner Test 32:21 — Crab Feast as Marketing 36:47 — Early Career Lessons 42:24 — Referral-Driven Niche 43:08 — Marketing That Works 43:34 — Book and Podcast Flywheel 45:10 — Service Audit and Outreach 47:22 — Why Keep Showing Up 49:10 — Human Marketing Wins 50:35 — Cartoon Clips on Social 52:59 — Trust and Fit Matters 56:47 — Scaling Human Connection 58:29 — Behind the Brand Qs 1:07:05 — Defining Real Success 1:10:47 — How to Reach Leonard 1:12:14 — Scale Beyond Referrals Resources Mentioned "Fiduci Who?"raskinglobal.comFiduci Who Podcast Paperback ExpertScale Beyond ReferralsStoryBrand  The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  5. Sep 28

    The Future of Protection: Holistic Security with Jessica Robinson

    What if everything you thought you knew about keeping your team safe was only scratching the surface? We tend to think of security as firewalls, access badges, and maybe an active shooter protocol — but what about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual safety of the people who give so much of their lives to your organization?  Jessica Robinson, Executive Officer of PurePoint International, joins us to reshape your entire paradigm of what it means to protect a team. Her approach — holistic security — goes far beyond cybersecurity as usual, encompassing digital, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and environmental dimensions of safety. We explore her remarkable origin story (the call to protect showed up at age five), the vision that came to her during a pilgrimage in Nepal, why the balance of feminine and masculine energy is central to real security, and why leading from a higher level of consciousness isn't optional for the next 25 years. Whether you lead a nonprofit, a social justice organization, a political office, or any team of people you care about — this conversation will change how you think about your duty of care. Highlights Jessica knew security was her calling as early as age five — from Carmen Sandiego to the safety patrol to reading every Nancy Drew book in the school libraryA near-death experience during a pilgrimage in Nepal led to the founding of PurePoint International in 2012Holistic security is like holistic medicine — it blends digital, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and environmental security into one frameworkThe work is especially vital for communities carrying the greatest risk: social justice organizations, religious minorities, first-time public office candidates, reproductive health organizations, and immigration organizationsPurePoint's approach is co-creative and collaborative rather than top-down — clients help shape the processCOVID in 2020 and global events in 2024 both sparked waves of increased consciousness around holistic safety — and the next wave may come around 2028Jessica is pursuing a PhD to build the academic foundation for holistic security as a new field — there is currently no scholarship on this topicThe vision: an entire generation of leaders 25 years from now who practice holistic security at every level, from community organizations to the United Nations Chapters 0:00 — Introduction 2:00 — Meet Jessica Robinson 3:21 — Childhood Call to Protect 5:21 — Life Shaping Security Lens 10:07 — PurePoint Origin Story 13:57 — Defining Holistic Security 16:04 — Feminine and Masculine Balance 19:48 — Who Needs This Most 22:57 — How Engagements Work 25:15 — Measuring Service Success 27:14 — Scaling Without Losing Values 30:22 — PhD Vision and Scale 31:42 — Holistic Security Clicks 34:06 — Evolving the Story 37:00 — Client Experience Shift 40:53 — Co-Creative Security 42:23 — Why This Matters Now 46:44 — Behind the Brand Quiz 53:16 — Defining Real Success 55:27 — How to Connect Resources Mentioned PurePoint International Scale Beyond ReferralsStoryBrand  The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  6. Sep 21

    Legendary Service: Building Human Connection with Tom Schwab

    What if the fastest way to grow your business isn't by making more noise but by having fewer, better conversations with the right people?  That's the question at the heart of our conversation with Tom Schwab, CEO and founder of Interview Valet. Tom's path is anything but linear — from wanting to be an architect as a kid, to the U.S. Naval Academy, to running nuclear power plants, to selling artificial knees and hips at Stryker Corporation, to building and selling a durable medical equipment company that became HubSpot's first e-commerce case study. From all of that, he created Interview Valet, a service that books business leaders on targeted podcast interviews to build what Tom calls "authentic human authority." We talk about why marketing should be magnetic, not a megaphone; how AI is creating a "trust recession" that makes human connection more valuable than ever; and why bigger is not better — better is better. Tom shares his "heck yes or no" client filter, his philosophy of leading with the problem (not the founder story), and what it means to be legendary, not perfect. This one is full of warmth, wisdom, and practical takeaways for any service-based business leader who wants to grow without losing their heart. Highlights "Bigger is not better. Bigger is bigger. Better is better." — Tom shares how client Steve Acho reframed his thinking on growth, and why he scaled his team down from 28 to ~14 FTEs to improve quality of life and service.Three types of companies: Those that suck, those that don't suck, and those that are legendary. There is no fourth category called "perfect." The goal is to be legendary, not perfect.Marketing should be magnetic, not a megaphone. Tom argues for clarity over noise — attracting the right people and repelling the wrong ones through authentic, long-form conversations.The "trust recession." Orsi names the phenomenon where AI-generated content at scale erodes the very trust needed to form connections, making human-to-human marketing more important than ever.Podcasting transforms sales calls. When prospects have already heard you on multiple podcast interviews, the first call becomes a qualification call, not a cold pitch — they already know, like, and trust you.The "heck yes or no" filter. Tom walks through his three-question client intake process: Do we know the audience? Have we gotten great results for similar clients? Is this a message we're proud to amplify? All three must be a "heck yes."Lead with the problem, not your story. Tom's Preparation H analogy makes the point memorable: nobody cares about your story or your product — they care about their problem. Start there."What's ordinary to you is amazing to others." Tom's reminder that we underestimate what we know and overestimate what others know."Who's buying the next round?" Tom's refreshing reframe of the half-full-or-half-empty question, shifting from passive observation to active opportunity.Growth for growth's sake is cancer. Tom's blunt metaphor for why unbridled growth without purpose is not something to brag about.The chainsaw analogy for AI. A tool can amplify your brilliance or magnify your stupidity — it's not the technology, it's the user.Tom's perfect day: Walking the Camino de Santiago with his wife, dancing with locals in Pamplona on September 4, 2024.His spirit animal: Dug the dog from the movie Up — easily distracted, but hyper-focused when locked onto something. Chapters 1:36 — Legendary Not Perfect 2:43 — Tom Joins the Show 3:57 — Childhood Architect Dream 6:21 — Engineer to Entrepreneur Path 8:34 — Founding Interview Valet 11:32 — Magnetic Human Marketing 16:09 — Trust Recession and AI 20:52 — Podcasting Changes Sales Calls 23:33 — Heart for Service Mission 25:22 — Bigger vs Better Growth 28:20 — Heck Yes or No Filter 29:02 — Heck Yes Client Filter 30:04 — Hidden Opportunity Clients 31:10 — Growth Versus Joy 33:48 — What Are You Optimizing For 35:33 — Brand Story Lens 36:49 — Lead With The Problem 39:33 — Stop Pick Me Marketing 44:30 — Legendary Client Experience 46:24 — Behind The Brand Qs 52:02 — Success And Next Steps Resources Mentioned Interview ValetScale Beyond ReferralsStoryBrand  The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  7. Sep 14

    Generous Leadership: Dan Hernandez and the Mission Behind PCS Technology

    What happens when a technology leader treats generosity as a growth strategy — not just a nice idea? Dan Hernandez has spent nearly four decades building PCS Technology into one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most trusted IT and cybersecurity firms — with a particular passion for serving nonprofits. From his early days hustling paper routes and mowing lawns as a kid raised by a single mom, to building the first local area network for Bain & Company at the dawn of the personal computing era, Dan has always done things a little differently. He shares information instead of hoarding it. He role-plays with his team before every client meeting. He occasionally eats the cost of a ransomware cleanup because the client is a ten-year partner who had a rough year. And he once engineered a nearly one-million-dollar free Wi-Fi network for six thousand low-income housing residents using rooftop radio line-of-sight technology instead of expensive street-level fiber. Dan talks about his journey from aspiring tennis pro to IT pioneer, the culture he's built around core values and raving fans, the real cybersecurity threats facing nonprofits today, and why he believes generosity isn't just good character — it's good business. He also opens up about the mentors who shaped him, the EOS operating system that transformed his company, and his audacious goal of serving over 100 nonprofits. HIGHLIGHTS Dan's early entrepreneurial roots: paper routes, lawn mowing, and collecting cash door-to-door as a 12-year-oldHow a junior-year computer class sparked a 40-year career — because he was better at computers than his genius best friendFounding PCS Technology in 1989 after realizing "there's a computer in every building on every floor" of San FranciscoWhy Dan chose nonprofits over the San Francisco Stock Exchange — "it was more fun and it felt better"Serving on nonprofit boards, including as board president of the Arc of the East Bay and on the San Francisco Giants Community FundThe thorough 30-day onboarding process that builds IT roadmaps within a nonprofit's real budgetCo-authoring the book "Cyber Liability Guard" with Tim Keefe, and the upcoming "From the Server Room to the Boardroom"A heartbreaking story of a hacker redirecting a large donor payment from a small nonprofit — and why Dan took them on pro bonoHow PCS role-plays every client interaction, from service calls to quarterly business reviews, drawing on Dan's sports backgroundThe time a $10,000 missed step in a file server migration became a free fix — no questions askedA $15,000 ransomware cleanup eaten at no cost for a struggling ten-year client, with zero data loss and no ransom paidWhy executive directors, not their IT staff, are the ones who will be sued after a breachHow AI is supercharging cyberattacks and what that means for nonprofits in 2025A midnight firewall crisis: shutting down remote access for 15 clients before hackers could strikeFour decades of IT evolution — from floppy-disk viruses at Bain to AI, SOC 2, and CMMC complianceImplementing EOS (Entrepreneur's Operating System) and living life in 90-day incrementsThe $900,000 California Public Utility Commission grant that brought free Wi-Fi to 6,000 low-income housing residentsDan's marketing journey: from cold calling and bulky mailers to finding the right brand story with Brand3Behind the Brand Q&A: Tom Petty karaoke, working from Hawaii, and the day he met SamanthaDan's big hairy audacious goal: support over 100 nonprofits and be known as "that guy" CHAPTERS 0:00 — Introduction 1:45 — Generosity and Nonprofit Joy 3:47 — Dan Joins the Show 4:48 — Early Hustles and Work Ethic 6:45 — Tennis to Computers 7:31 — Service Mindset in IT 8:55 — Founding PCS Technology 11:29 — What Makes PCS Unique 12:25 — Nonprofit Focus and Boardroom Insight 13:41 — Onboarding Roadmaps and Full Stack Services 16:02 — Books and Cyber Risk for Nonprofits 16:56 — Pro Bono Rescue and Real Incidents 17:59 — Hiring for Values and Culture Fit 19:42 — Creating Raving Fans 20:49 — Role Play and Service Standards 22:50 — Raving Fan Stories in Action 26:45 — Executive Liability Risks 27:59 — AI Driven Threat Surge 28:35 — Firewall Crisis Response 30:35 — Four Decades of IT Change 33:01 — Building a Scaling Team 33:39 — EOS and 90 Day Goals 34:46 — Core Values and Partnerships 37:02 — Mentors and Work Boundaries 39:34 — Giving Back and Mentoring 41:18 — Free WiFi for Housing 43:47 — Marketing Storytelling Shift 46:25 — Brand3 Messaging Results 48:41 — Behind the Brand Q&A 51:27 — Legacy and Contact Info 53:31 — Resources RESOURCES MENTIONED PCS Technology https://pcstechnology.comEmail: dan@pcstechnology.com Stop Doing Stupid Stuff: Cyber Liability Guard by Dan Hernandez and Tim KeefeBook EOS (Entrepreneur's Operating System)Scale Beyond Referrals Workshop The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

  8. Aug 31

    Strategic Authenticity in B2B: Lessons from Tom Freedman

    What if the way you've been told to grow your business is actually the thing burning you out?  Tom Freedman, CEO of Defiant Enterprises, has spent 28 years owning businesses across every category you can imagine—from health clubs to commercial cleaning companies—and he's come to a conclusion that challenges the conventional playbook: the traditional approach to small business growth is set up for exhaustion and failure. Instead, Tom builds what he calls pipeline development systems for B2B service providers, helping solo, micro, and small business owners create an ecosystem that chooses them rather than forcing them to hunt. We sat down with Tom to unpack his five-step pipeline system, the five relationship channels every business owner needs to manage, and why being "owner-dependent" might actually be the smartest strategy for 90% of small businesses. Along the way, he makes a compelling case that authenticity alone isn't enough—you need what he calls "strategic authenticity" to actually grow a real business. He also shares one of the best pieces of advice we've heard in a long time: the rocking chair tactic. If you don't have a rocking chair, you're probably going to want to go buy one. Highlights Tom's entrepreneurial roots: growing up in a family where owning a business was the norm, not the exceptionWhy Defiant Enterprises chose to hyperfocus on B2B solo, micro, and small business owners ($50M ARR and below)The five-step pipeline development system: modeling, positioning, infrastructure, client experience, and pipeline developmentThe five relationship channels every business needs to manage: clients, opportunities, new people entering your ecosystem, partners, and prospectsWhy "Defiant" means rejecting the traditional volume-play approach to growth in favor of building an ecosystem that knows and loves youThe concept of "business authenticity"—understanding where you are in the lifecycle of your business and applying the right strategies for that stageWhy 90% or more of small businesses should revolve their brand around one or a few leaders, and why being "owner-dependent" is not a weaknessYou don't need a vivacious personality to be the face of your brand—you just need to be you"Authenticity opens the doors, but it doesn't pay the bills"—why strategic, intentional authenticity is what grows a real businessThe mountain restaurant story: a powerful reminder that people remember how you made them feel, not just what you saidWhy micro changes beat massive overhauls—your customers prefer steady, incremental improvementThe rocking chair tactic: sit with a decision before you react, and practice empathy by putting yourself in someone else's shoesWhy standard operating procedures for both culture and performance are essential to scaling without losing your service qualityGiving yourself grace: mistakes made with others at the center of your heart are just part of the processTom's redefinition of success: let go of the concept entirely and just commit to being better every single day Chapters 4:03 — Meet Tom Freedman 5:21 — Entrepreneur Roots 7:13 — Defiant Enterprises 8:49 — Favorite Businesses Lessons 10:30 — Five Step Pipeline System 13:59 — Five Relationship Channels 15:41 — Why Defiant Matters 17:49 — Marketing And Referrals Intersection 19:22 — Authenticity And Business Stage 21:38 — Owner Dependent Brands 26:08 — Showing Up As Yourself 30:31 — Heart For Service 32:35 — Strategic Authenticity 33:36 — People Remember Feelings 34:48 — Mountain Restaurant Lesson 36:24 — Micro Changes Win 38:59 — Values Driven Growth 41:38 — Learned Skills Empathy 43:35 — Rocking Chair Tactics 45:03 — Scaling With SOPs 47:47 — Grace Through Mistakes 49:44 — Behind The Brand Quiz 55:02 — Intentional Go Giving 62:04 — Redefining Success 63:41 — How to Connect with Tom Resources Mentioned Defiant EnterprisesScale Beyond Referrals Workshop The CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead.  The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co

See All (23)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

There's a tension every B2B service leader navigates: How do you scale without compromising your client experience and the core values behind it? When your clients depend on you for high-stakes services like finance, technology, or strategy, that question carries real weight. The CEO's Heart for Service is where accomplished B2B CEOs and consultants share hard-won insights on walking that tightrope. Join hosts from Brand3 B2B Growth Marketing for conversations that deliver peer insights, field-tested strategies, and a holistic view of scaling premium services with integrity.

Information