FORGED IN TEN

Jake Lair
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Cut through operational chaos in under 10 minutes. Host Jake Lair draws from his experience in Air Force weapons systems, manufacturing, and restaurant leadership to help small business owners transform from reactive fire-fighting to calm, strategic leadership. Each episode tackles one challenge keeping you stuck in the weeds instead of leading with clarity. No fluff, no buzzwords—just practical insights forged in the foundry of real experience. For growth-stage founders ready to build businesses that run without running them into the ground.

Episodes

  1. 05/21/2025

    The Power of Pausing to Zoom Out

    Remember the last time you had a brilliant insight about your business? It probably didn't happen while answering emails. In this episode, Jake reveals how getting caught in the daily operational grind leads to burnout and stagnation - and shares his simple 5-minute "Zoom Out" exercise that can transform your leadership perspective. You'll learn: Why being stuck in "ground-level leadership" keeps your business frozen in placeThe three powerful questions that reveal your true prioritiesHow physically changing your environment changes your mental stateA practical weekly ritual to reclaim your role as a strategic leaderPlus, Jake shares candid stories about his own leadership mistakes - from implementing unnecessary systems to missing the forest for the trees in restaurant operations. Try the Friction Finder Quiz: foundrysolutions.com/frictionfinder MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter's research on "zooming in and zooming out".The 5-minute "Zoom Out" exercise (paper, three questions, new location)Jake's Monday morning garage workbench ritualCITATION: Kanter, R. M. (2011). "Zoom In, Zoom Out." Harvard Business Review, 89(3), 112-116. Link to article: https://hbr.org/2011/03/managing-yourself-zoom-in-zoom-out In this article, Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter introduces the concept of "zooming in and zooming out" as a critical leadership ability. She explains how effective leaders must be able to shift between detailed focus (zoom in) and big-picture thinking (zoom out), rather than remaining fixed in one perspective. This approach helps leaders make better strategic decisions by seeing both the forest and the trees.

    12 min
  2. If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is

    05/19/2025

    If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is

    You know that feeling when you're drowning in your own to-do list? When every email feels urgent and you're bouncing from crisis to crisis? This week, I'm sharing the wake-up call that changed how I think about priorities - including the day I discovered I had 87 "urgent" things on my list that turned out to be just 4 real priorities. In this episode, you'll learn: Why small business owners get stuck in reactive fire drill modeHow to spot false urgency vs. real deadlinesThe simple 3-question framework that cuts through the chaosWhy giving yourself permission to let things go is actually a leadership skillIf you're tired of treating every task like an emergency, this one's for you. Download the "5 Signs You've Outgrown Your Ops" checklist on my website, www.foundryis.com.

    10 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Cut through operational chaos in under 10 minutes. Host Jake Lair draws from his experience in Air Force weapons systems, manufacturing, and restaurant leadership to help small business owners transform from reactive fire-fighting to calm, strategic leadership. Each episode tackles one challenge keeping you stuck in the weeds instead of leading with clarity. No fluff, no buzzwords—just practical insights forged in the foundry of real experience. For growth-stage founders ready to build businesses that run without running them into the ground.

Information

  • Creator
    Jake Lair
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jake Lair
  • Show Website
    FORGED IN TEN