In Episode 64, the Unlocked trio—Tony from Assured Security, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security—dive into the tricky middle ground of business leadership: When to NOT Delegate.

After spending previous episodes discussing how to find the "Who" and master the art of letting go, the conversation shifts to the pitfalls of over-delegation. Tony explores the "fine line" between empowering a leadership team and completely checking out. They discuss why a growth-oriented business requires the owner to remain a value-add rather than a bottleneck, and how to stay impactful without derailing the train. Plus, a special introduction from industry veterans and a thank you to the "magicians" behind the show’s new theme song.

In Episode 63, the Unlocked Podcast shifts focus from "low tide" excuses to high-level Sales Management. Lars Johnston from Calgary Lock & Safe leads a candid discussion with Tony (Assured Security) and Chad (Loc-Doc Security) about the hardest sale a leader makes: getting the sales team to buy into a proactive process.

Tony reveals how intentional hiring—specifically finding five key "Whos"—transformed his organization in 2025. The conversation dives deep into the psychology of compensation and accountability, exploring why 100 cold calls might only lead to 5 conversations, and why that "boring" consistency is the only way to scale. If you’ve struggled to move your team from reactive order-takers to proactive "farmers" who hunt within your own database, this episode provides the roadmap for managing that transition.

In this episode, the team dives into the specific habits and systems required to turn 2026 goals into reality. Tony from Assured Security admits that while he used to struggle with organizational details, he has found success by building a "rigid morning routine" and committing to reading physical books for creative spark.

Chad from Loc-Doc Security shares a deep look into how he uses Vistage summaries to document successes, fighting the entrepreneurial urge to always move "onto the next" without reflecting on what was actually accomplished. The hosts also discuss the power of "Leveling Up"—from reducing 41,000 units of key inventory to hiring a specialized "Who" to manage an Electronics team. This episode is a masterclass in why successful business owners don't just set goals; they build the intentional habits to reach them.

In the first official deep dive of 2026, the Unlocked Podcast team explores a game-changing sales strategy: shifting high-ticket security solutions from Capital Expenditures (CapEx) to Operating Expenses (OpEx). Chad from Loc-Doc Security, Tony from Assured Security, and Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe break down why large, six-figure proposals often stall in today’s economic climate.

The hosts explain that while security and key systems are vital, they often fall to the bottom of a client's priority list when competing with HVAC repairs or parking lot maintenance for limited capital budgets. By converting a large project into a digestible operating expense, facility managers can often bypass complex investment committees and use their own autonomous budgets to say "yes" faster. Lars shares a massive real-world example of a $700,000 rekey project that was successfully closed by spreading it over a five-year operational forecast. Tune in to learn how to tailor your sales approach to match how your customers actually want to spend their money.

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! We have officially hit Episode 60, and to celebrate this milestone, the team is pulling back the curtain on the "magic" that keeps the Unlocked Podcast consistent. Chad Lingafelt from Loc-Doc Security, Tony Hawkenson from Assured Security, and Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe discuss the discipline required to stay weeks ahead of their recording schedule to ensure they never miss a release for their listeners.

This episode features a look at real-time listener engagement, highlighting a fan who streamed over 100 minutes of the show, making Unlocked their top podcast. Chad also shares a unique gift—a map of the top 200 US golf courses—which serves as a metaphor for the "room for improvement" they are looking for in their own business operations this year. Whether it's refining fuel consumption ratios or finding the next big vertical, this episode is about starting the year with transparency and a clear map for growth.

As the year comes to a close, the hosts take a moment for reflection—a crucial and often overlooked discipline for busy entrepreneurs. Tony from Assured Security shares his pride in the team's resilience, detailing how they rebounded from a rocky start and layoffs to achieve their highest-ever sales quarter. Chad from Loc-Doc Security opens up about his personal commitment to discipline, linking his 109-day Apple Watch fitness streak to the perseverance required for tough business decisions. He emphasizes that overcoming the easy choice (e.g., quitting a fitness streak, or putting off a hard task) builds the core strength needed for growth.

The conversation pivots to the value of leveling up through continuous learning and intentional hiring. Tony shares how they found the right WHO (referencing Episode 54) to bring a new level of expertise to their Electronics team, setting a strong foundation for larger projects next year. Chad is proud of the teamwork that enabled complex projects and the dramatic 41,000-unit reduction in key inventory—a testament to focusing on cost and efficiency. Finally, Tony shares his commitment to a rigid morning routine and continuous reading to fuel his focus and creativity.

Do you return from every conference or book with a notebook full of ideas only to suffer from "whiplash" and implement nothing? Tony from Assured Security admits this struggle with prioritization, often running after the "latest and greatest thing" instead of focusing on high-impact projects. This episode addresses the two extremes: doing nothing, or trying to do everything at once.

Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe shares his practical process after the recent Brevo/Eagle Eye Summit. He emphasizes the need for a "quiet place"—like an airplane—to disconnect and prioritize his notes based on Impact vs. Effort. His major takeaway was a fundamental mindset shift: stop leading with the "boring" product (access control) and start leading with the "sexy stuff" (cameras and video analytics) to drive sales. The key to successful implementation? Immediately finding the WHO—the right person to delegate the task to—to ensure the project gets past "the end of my nose."

Are you spreading your business too thin by trying to be "all things to all markets"? This episode dives into the critical strategy of defining your ideal vertical market for growth. Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from Assured Security, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security discuss how market focus—whether it’s residential, commercial, or multifamily—requires a completely different skill set, discipline, and product offering. Chad explains his company's intentional decision to eliminate residential and automotive services , which they found challenging to scale , to laser-focus on commercial property management. This was driven by the realization that their business operations were naturally tailored to serve commercial customers better.

The hosts emphasize that the key to expansion is not doing more, but being intentional about your strategy. Lars reinforces this by noting that the manufacturing and distribution channels are heavily focused on commercial products, making it easier to scale in that area. Finally, Chad reveals a powerful new tool in his "Who Not How" arsenal : using a Gemini-powered Business Analyst fed with two years of company data to identify the most profitable product lines and the best new markets to pursue.

After spending a day immersed in the Cloud Security Summit in Austin, Texas, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from Assured Security, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security share their biggest takeaways and action items. The conversation focuses on leveraging technology, shifting business models, and identifying new opportunities within the security space. Tony highlights the power of a unified platform to simplify the purchasing process and make security a proactive operational tool rather than just a reactive cost.

Lars dives into the potential of AI agents (Eva) and business analytics to drive sales, using cameras to track customer behavior (like line waiting times or traffic flow) and employee activity (like attendance). The hosts discuss the need to stop selling "security" and start selling solutions to business and operational challenges like retail theft or customer service. Chad reinforces the crucial strategy of cutting the noise and getting laser-focused on serving an ideal customer instead of saying "yes" to every opportunity, a consistent challenge for growing small businesses.

Do your business processes feel more like a tangled web of handcuffs than a straight path to profit? In this episode, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from Assured Security, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security dive into the pain point of process over-complication. They discuss how businesses naturally add steps and standardization to solve an occasional edge case (a 1-in-100 failure) or to dummy-proof a system, resulting in processes that waste time and impede customer service.

The hosts share real examples of internal processes, like a complex quote-to-install workflow, that became so burdened with preventative measures (like a "not to exceed" field or double-check boxes) that it hindered the entire team. The key to fixing this lies in getting fresh eyes (like moving an employee to a new department) or front-line people involved, who can see the wasted time of waiting for the next dispatch call or the frustration of a convoluted invoicing step. You'll learn how to distinguish between necessary standardization and unnecessary operational nuisance, and how to encourage feedback loops that celebrate simplification through tools like the IDO method and weekly reporting.