In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest sit down with Nathan Young — fractional COO, operator, and author of How to Be Second — to explore what it really means to lead from the right-hand seat.

Nathan breaks down the identity of a “Second” — not just as a role, but as a way of operating — and why the people behind the scenes are often the ones who turn vision into reality.

From navigating crisis moments where 95% of revenue disappears overnight…
to simplifying operations down to the fundamentals of get work, do work, get paid…
to redefining process as agreement, not documentation…

This conversation is a masterclass in clarity, execution, and the work behind the work.

If you’re building something that’s growing fast — but needs structure to scale — this one’s for you.

Connect with Nathan Young

Website: https://howtobesecond.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-s-young

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠⁠⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠/⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

Most founders don’t lose momentum because of bad strategy —they lose it because finance can’t keep up.

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest sit down with Nelson Tepfer, co-founder of ProCFO Partners, to unpack what strategic finance really means for scaling businesses.

From companies waiting weeks to send invoices…to founders running multimillion-dollar operations on gut instinct…Nelson shares how financial clarity becomes a growth lever — not just a reporting function.

They dive into when to upgrade systems, why titles like “fractional CFO” can be misleading, and how aligning finance with strategy changes everything.

If you’re scaling and the numbers are getting noisy — this conversation will help you move with confidence.

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠⁠⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠/⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ?si=H_3OTdXYStClILHdYiydmw⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin/⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin/

🎧 Shane Sloan on Operational Maturity, EOS, and Founder Therapy

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, U.S. Army veteran and EOS integrator Shane Sloan joins us to break down what actually causes businesses to stall—and how to fix it.

From serving as a Black Hawk crew chief to building operational engines inside 30–100 person companies, Shane shares the framework he uses to diagnose chaos, restore calm, and help founders finally let go.

We cover his operational maturity model, why every business must master “Get Work, Do Work, Support Work,” and how to modernize systems without over-engineering them.

If your company feels stuck in firefighting mode—or your founder still manages everything—this one’s for you.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Intro to Shane Sloan

02:20 From Military to Fractional Integrator

06:37 Signs a Business Is Running on Fumes

10:04 Get Work. Do Work. Support Work.

12:15 KISS Methodology in Tech & Ops

15:00 Breaking Out of the Stall

18:48 When to Take Work Off the Founder’s Plate

20:52 Career Myth: Working Your Way Up

22:31 Military Training & Business Leadership

23:49 Outro

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠/⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ?si=H_3OTdXYStClILHdYiydmw⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin/⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin/

🎧 Grant Covault & Tyler Davis on scaling smarter—from marketing myths to financial clarity

This week on Fixers and Founders, we’re joined by fractional duo Grant Covault and Tyler Davis—co-hosts of the Next Gen Strategies podcast, and fixers of messy books, broken funnels, and bad business advice.

Grant’s a fractional CMO helping service businesses punch above their weight. Tyler’s a fractional CFO helping founders ditch the guesswork and finally understand their numbers. Together, they’re rethinking how small businesses scale—and why clarity, not complexity, is the real secret to growth.

We cover:

• What most founders get wrong about marketing & money
• The hidden red flags in your P&L
• Why growth without systems is just expensive guessing
• The rise of fractional leadership—and how it’s changing the game

If you’re tired of duct taping your business together, hit play.

🔗 Connect with Grant & Tyler

LinkedIn (Grant): https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-covault/

LinkedIn (Tyler): https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-davis-b761b6b2/

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠/

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ?si=H_3OTdXYStClILHdYiydmw

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin/

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin/

🎧 John Wallet on Scaling Without the Chaos

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, executive leader and integrator John Wallet breaks down what it really takes to scale—without spiraling.

From sweeping floors at startups to doubling revenue at STC, John shares how to build systems that actually work, align teams around metrics that matter, and keep visionaries out of the weeds. Whether you’re wrestling wild west ops or just trying to keep up with growth, this one’s for you.

He covers:

• The difference between ops and true integration

• How to scale EOS in real life

• What early-stage teams get wrong about systems

• The scorecard strategy that actually drives action

• And the one meeting rhythm that keeps founders focused

Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwallet/

If you’ve ever felt like growth is outpacing your grip, don’t miss this one.

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

🎧 Ben G Kaiser on building creative momentum without burning out

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, content strategist and creative founder Ben G Kaiser opens up about the unseen tension behind creative work—imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the pressure to scale without losing yourself.

Ben shares what it really takes to grow a creative service company in an AI-saturated world, why simplifying systems beats stacking tools, and how embracing imperfection can actually accelerate momentum. From pruning tech stacks to reframing creativity as a repeatable craft, this conversation is a grounded look at how creators can build sustainably—without crashing.

If you’re trying to create consistently, serve clients well, and still protect your creative energy, this one hits home.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fixers & Founders

02:05 The Reality of Imposter Syndrome

05:12 Creating for Yourself vs. Creating for Clients

08:44 Simplifying Systems to Protect Creativity

11:30 Why Less Tech Creates More Focus

14:02 Creativity in an AI World

17:40 Perfection, Imperfection, and Shipping

20:18 Turning Skill into a Scalable Brand

23:45 What Creators Need to Let Go Of

26:10 Final Reflections & Outro

🔗 Connect with Ben G Kaiser

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengkaiser

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenGKaiser

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

🎧 Russell Justice on the science of leadership that actually works

In this episode of Fixers and Founders, engineer and performance coach Russell Justice breaks down five decades of leadership insight into unforgettable principles—and even better stories. From supervising engineers to advising Fortune 500 CEOs, Russell shares why most leaders fail (hint: it’s not for lack of goals), how to spark change without force, and why calm is contagious.

He unpacks the science of behavior, the magic of momentum, and the one principle that transformed his life, work, marriage—and might just change yours too.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fixers & Founders

02:14 What Russell Actually Fixes

03:50 Behavior, Not Just Strategy

06:06 Why Goals Alone Don't Work

08:33 What Real Feedback Looks Like

12:00 From Compliance to Commitment

14:39 Accountability Without Micromanaging

16:06 Feedback That Drives Performance

18:55 From Chaos to Calm

21:21 Linking the Org to One Goal

23:10 Who Shaped Russell as a Leader

25:14 Why He Still Loves This Work26:54 Where to Find Russell & His Book

27:34 Outro

🔗 Connect with Russell Justice

📖 Book: This Is What Leaders Do → https://www.amazon.com/This-What-Leaders-Do-Essentials/dp/B0F6WBW7YR

📧 Email: russelljustice@earthlink.net

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

Back Third Founders on Scaling Creativity Without Killing the Spark

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, we sit down with Benjie Hughes and Anna Hammond — the visionary/fixer duo behind Back Third Entertainment, a creative company that blended live music, wedding events, and recording into one unforgettable ride.

Benjie shares how he knew it was time to pivot from passion to process, transforming a traditional studio into a 24/7 coworking space. Anna reflects on finding her voice and value not as a sidekick, but as a builder — shaping the systems that allowed the chaos of creativity to scale.

Together, they unpack what it takes to run a business rooted in art and anchored in execution — and why autonomy, trust, and good spreadsheets are everything. This is one for the founders building in real time.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Fixers and Founders

01:30 – Meet Benjie & Anna of Back Third

03:05 – Defining Roles Through Personality Gears

06:27 – What It Takes to Run a Music & Events Company

10:18 – When Derek's Baby Came Early

11:17 – Systems vs Spark: Finding the Balance

13:12 – Big Pivots: From Studio to Coworking Space

15:58 – What They Took Into Their Current Work

21:23 – Soundtrack of the Era

22:36 – Small Moments, Big Impact

28:59 – Outro

Connect with Benjie & Anna

🔗 Benjie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjiehughes/

🔗 Anna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annahammond/

Mentioned in this episode:

📘 Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky

📘 The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin