In this episode of Head, Heart, and Boots, Brandon and I wrestle with one of the most difficult leadership disciplines to master: staying emotionally grounded when everything around you feels chaotic. We talk candidly about the emotional whiplash of entrepreneurship, how quickly even the best intentions and plans can get derailed by fires, and why reactivity quietly destroys momentum inside growing companies.

Brandon shares his commitment to becoming a more stoic, stabilizing force for his teams - not by ignoring problems, but by slowing down, asking better questions, and anchoring decisions to a clear plan instead of emotion. We unpack how leaders unintentionally drag their teams through emotional cycles, why delayed gratification makes strategic work so hard to stick with, and how confidence is built by returning to the plan when pressure rises.

This conversation is practical, uncomfortable, and deeply relatable for anyone leading people, managing clients, or trying to grow a business without burning themselves - or their team - to the ground.

Hope you enjoy.

Chris

Why You Should Listen

[00:02:17] Why emotional volatility - not lack of intelligence or effort - derails more leaders than bad strategy

[00:04:53] How even well-thought-out plans collapse when leaders default to reaction instead of discipline

[00:07:20] Why delayed gratification is one of the hardest skills in entrepreneurship - and how to stay committed long enough to see results

[00:15:25] How slowing down, asking better questions, and refusing to emotionally “side up” can defuse client and team chaos

[00:21:13] Why being a calm, steady presence builds trust, confidence, and long-term momentum inside your organization

Only 30% of businesses listed for sale actually find a buyer? Even more striking, just 10% of those sell for the price their owners anticipated or higher, meaning only 3% of all business owners achieve their desired sale price. By focusing on understanding and enhancing your enterprise value, you can significantly boost your chances of joining that successful 3%.

Start Assessment Know Your Enterprise Value. See Your Potential Gaps.

Complete this assessment in less than 15 minutes and receive a free assessment for your business that includes:

This isn’t a paid plug. It’s real talk from the front lines. If you’ve ever thought, “How do I get a VP-level sales leader or even a sales team without hiring full-time?” Floodlight has the answer.

They act as your outsourced VP of Sales, taking full responsibility for training, managing, and growing your sales team. No six-figure hire needed.

Clients often close 20 to 50 percent more deals within six months, thanks to data-driven coaching, CRM setup, scripts, and performance reviews.
More at floodlightgrp.com/sales

A self-paced, video-driven B2B sales course designed specifically for restoration teams. Perfect for building commercial revenue and getting free from TPA handcuffs.

Covers mindset, prospecting, pipeline building, LinkedIn lead generation, and includes a $250 discount with code SALESBOOST.
Details at floodlightgrp.com/courses

Floodlight’s Propel Your Business methodology offers a full-circle roadmap: financials, sales, marketing, leadership, recruiting, productivity. All built for contractors.

These aren’t “life coaches.” They’re former restoration owners who’ve lived the chaos and know how to scale out of it.
Explore more at floodlightgrp.com

Floodlight also delivers live onsite and virtual training, keynote speaking, and leadership tracks covering operations, project management, and strategic growth.

Bonus: They’ve vetted tools like Xcelerate, Liftify, and Sureti. Floodlight clients get access to exclusive discounts on tech that actually moves the needle.
See all partnerships at floodlightgrp.com/partners

You don’t need to figure this stuff out alone.

If you’re serious about sales growth, operational clarity, exit readiness, or leadership development, Floodlight is already helping folks like you scale smarter.

And you get it from industry insiders. People who’ve sat in your chair, survived the fires, and built systems that actually work.