Unlocking Momentum

Project Brilliant
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Transformation doesn’t come from theory. It comes from motion. From momentum. And from leaders willing to do things differently. Unlocking Momentum is for the evolving CIOs, strategic leaders who aren’t satisfied just managing systems, but driving growth, enabling innovation, and building the future of their organizations. Hosted by Aaron Kopel, founder of Project Brilliant and creator of the Momentum Locksmith framework, this show is where forward-thinking leaders come to grow.

Episodes

  1. FEB 4

    Turning the “Helpless Desk” Into a High-Performing IT Team

    The best leaders don’t just solve problems; they fix the system. In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Earl Shaw, CIO at Renaissance Benefits & Health Insurance, to talk about what it really takes to rebuild trust and performance within an organization under pressure. Earl discusses how his love for strategy and puzzles shaped his leadership style, and how embracing unfamiliar opportunities made him a more well-rounded enterprise leader. Earl also shares his take on what stays the same and what changes in an AI-driven world. He highlights why communication and change management are key, as tools like Microsoft Copilot reshape work, and why top technologists need more than just technical skills. In this conversation, Earl shows that momentum ultimately comes from clarity, curiosity, and the discipline to fix the system. Key takeaways: Great leaders solve challenges like puzzles with critical thinking and strategyCommunication builds trust faster than speed aloneLiberal arts, like critical thinking, storytelling, and communication, are just as essential for shaping well-rounded IT leaders Episode highlights (00:00) Intro (01:04) Key moments that shape leadership (05:25) How listening and innovation turned IT services around (13:11) Why liberal arts matter for technologists in the AI age (17:47) The power of storytelling in technology (20:04) How AI is accelerating business growth and innovation (23:51) Why knowing every aspect of the organization powers technology success (25:52) Rapid-fire questions (32:31) Why curiosity and adaptability matter in tech leadership Earl Shaw on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-shaw/  Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel Explore Renaissance Benefits & Health Insurance: https://renaissancebenefits.com/  Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com The Science of Scaling by Benjamin Hardy: https://a.co/d/76xHeGD  Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS

    37 min

  2. JAN 21

    Lessons You Only Learn in Public Service

    What happens when a technologist chooses public service and discovers leadership is less about systems and more about people? In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Collin Hill, CIO of Indianapolis and Marion County, to explore how service industry experience, local government work, and calm leadership under pressure shape stronger technology leaders. Collin shares his unexpected path into public service and why running technology for his hometown has become the most challenging and rewarding role of his career. The conversation explores a pivotal moment early in Collin’s CIO journey, when a cybersecurity initiative triggered backlash across the organization and forced a defining leadership choice. Rather than retreating, he leaned in, making a decision that reshaped how security and shared responsibility showed up across the city. He also shares why service industry experience builds the empathy and steadiness needed to lead tech teams under pressure. Key takeaways Service industry experience builds empathy and stronger leadership skillsLocal government offers unmatched responsibility and community impactEffective CIOs lead with calm communication and a people first mindset Episode highlights (00:00) Intro (01:50) When playing it safe stops working (04:39) Why everyone should spend time in local government (10:45) How working in the service industry makes the best talents (15:42) Culture is set in the most uncomfortable moments (19:48) When you have to stand on what you believe (21:03) Running technology for your own hometown (23:07) Rapid fire questions (27:45) Leaving the world better than when you found it Resources Collin Hill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-hill-b178483/Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel Explore the Information Services Agency of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County: https://www.indy.gov/agency/information-services-agency Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/ Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS

    31 min

  3. JAN 7

    This CIO Brings Leaders to a Nature Expedition to Rethink Leadership

    Why should CIOs step away from being the "technical fixer" to lead effectively? In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Jeff Ton, former CIO of Ton Enterprises, LLC, and a seasoned leader in IT and leadership development. Jeff shares his journey from COBOL punch cards to guiding leaders on transformative expeditions inspired by the Lewis and Clark trail. He explains why leadership is about more than just technical skills and how understanding core values can shape a team’s vision. Leadership comes with both challenges and rewards, and Jeff explores what it really takes to guide a team. He shares how experiences, even a nature expedition, can offer fresh perspectives and reshape the way leaders see their role. Key takeaways Leadership is about enabling others, not just controlling outcomesStrong communication builds trust and drives alignment within teamsCIOs who focus on people and vision, not just the tech, make the biggest impact Episode highlights (00:00) Intro (01:10) How prioritizing the right projects transforms IT momentum (06:45) AI as a tool for transformation, not a one-size-fits-all solution (13:44) On leadership, writing, and walking the Lewis and Clark Trail (19:11) How to navigate leadership with a balanced perspective (24:09) Lessons on tech and music (27:56) Rapid-fire questions Resources Jeff Ton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtonindy/Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel Explore Ton Enterprises, LLC: https://jeffreyston.com/ Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/ Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS

    31 min

  4. 12/23/2025

    Why Communication is the Secret Skill Most CIOs Get Wrong

    Momentum is built in the uncertain moments, when leaders are stretched, cultures shift, and teams look for someone steady to move them forward. In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Warren Lenard, CIO of the Indiana Office of Technology, whose path has taken him through some of the toughest environments a CIO can face. From guiding a retail organization through COVID to stepping into statewide leadership with no public-sector background, Warren has led in seasons that reveal what leadership truly means. Key takeaways Leadership evolves when leaders shift from controlling outcomes to enabling peopleCulture is strengthened or weakened by how leaders communicateCIOs earn their influence by partnering across the business, not protecting the techEpisode highlights (00:00) Intro (01:33) How COVID challenges were tackled at Byrider (13:25) Warren’s career journey and experiences (21:55) Finding leadership growth and communication in IT (27:56) Why in-person interaction shapes culture, teamwork, and silos (38:32) How the CIO role continues to evolve (43:18) The importance of AI literacy in the future of work (46:07) What fitness and creativity teach (48:08) Advice he’d give his younger self (49:16) Connecting and networking with purpose Resources Warren Lenard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenlenardAaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel Explore the Indiana Office of Technology: https://www.in.gov/iot/  Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.comExplore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network Reset by Dan Heath: https://www.danheath.com Books by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.gladwellbooks.com Books by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.tablegroup.com/books/?srsltid=AfmBOoo9gyp35SwrlEnRT9TEWq4bGBO5_SJ4oosSe7F3TR0lKMqyTFv7  Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS

    48 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    This is How To Lead Your Team Through a Massive Change

    Transformation takes shape in the chaos of everyday work. It's in tough choices and moments when nothing feels certain, and leaders stand at the center of it all, steadying their teams and helping them move with purpose. In this episode, Aaron Kopel chats with Republic Airways CIO Matt Belanger, who’s right in the middle of one of the most intense seasons a CIO can walk into. New headquarters are coming online, flight operations systems are being rebuilt, a major acquisition is closing, and two cultures are preparing to come together. It’s the kind of environment where leadership either shows up or doesn’t. Matt talks openly about what it takes to prioritize when everything is important, how he stays present for his people when the pace spikes, and why CIOs have to step beyond being the “details person” and start leading like enterprise partners. His path towards aviation gives him a perspective you rarely hear, and it’s one every evolving CIO will recognize. Key takeaways: Momentum requires leaders to let go of old habitsCulture is the real engine of transformationOperational excellence earns you permission to transform Episode highlights: (00:00) Intro (01:40) How Matt  unlearned being “just the engineer” (03:55) Why Republic’s transformation demanded a new leadership lens (05:22) Managing extreme organizational load without losing culture (06:48) The power of self-organized culture teams during heavy change (07:55) How CIOs decide what deserves their time when everything is urgent (09:10) What needs to stop in order to grow (11:58) Why apprenticeships are a strategic advantage in tech (13:40) The journey to modernizing aviation’s next frontier (15:05) Why CIO credibility starts with operational reliability (16:22) Building trust across the business through curiosity, not control (20:40) Inside the Indiana CIO Network and why CIOs shouldn’t lead alone Resources: Matt Belanger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbelanger/  Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel  Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com/  Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/  Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS

    39 min
  6. This is Unlocking Momentum with Aaron Kopel

    EPISODE 1

    This is Unlocking Momentum with Aaron Kopel

    Transformation doesn’t come from theory. It comes from motion. From momentum. And from leaders willing to do things differently. Unlocking Momentum is for the evolving CIOs, strategic leaders who aren’t satisfied just managing systems, but driving growth, enabling innovation, and building the future of their organizations. Hosted by Aaron Kopel, founder of Project Brilliant and creator of the Momentum Locksmith framework, this show is where forward-thinking leaders come to grow.

    1 min

Trailer

About

Transformation doesn’t come from theory. It comes from motion. From momentum. And from leaders willing to do things differently. Unlocking Momentum is for the evolving CIOs, strategic leaders who aren’t satisfied just managing systems, but driving growth, enabling innovation, and building the future of their organizations. Hosted by Aaron Kopel, founder of Project Brilliant and creator of the Momentum Locksmith framework, this show is where forward-thinking leaders come to grow.

Information

  • Creator
    Project Brilliant
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Project Brilliant
  • Show Website
    Unlocking Momentum