What made you want to do the work you do? Please share the full story.
I’ve been an entrepreneur most of my life, and I’ve built and sold companies that each hit over $50 million in revenue. But in all that success, I started to notice a recurring theme—every major breakthrough, or breakdown, came down to who was in the room. Leadership changes everything. The wrong hire can tank momentum. The right hire can unlock a whole new level of growth, alignment, and impact.
Y Scouts was born from a simple but powerful frustration: traditional recruiting was broken. Resumes were embellished. Interview processes were shallow. And nobody was talking about purpose. I wanted to change that.
I wanted to build a firm that didn’t just check boxes on a job description, but actually helped companies uncover what success really looked like—and then find the leader who could deliver on that, in a way that was aligned with their mission and values. That’s what gets me fired up. Not just placing a role—but transforming how companies and people connect to work that actually matters.
That’s why I’m still here, a decade in, doing this work with more energy than ever. Because when you put the right person in the right role at the right time—everything changes.
Tell us 3 surprisingly easy and 3 surprisingly difficult things about your business.
3 Easy Things:
1. Saying no to misaligned clients: Once you’re clear on your values and your process, it becomes really easy to spot when a partnership won’t work—and even easier to pass. No drama, no regret.
2. Talking about purpose: For some people it’s fluff. For us, it’s the whole point. When a client is purpose-driven, those conversations feel natural—and they open the door to so much clarity and connection.
3. Trusting my gut: It took a while to learn this one, but now I know—when my instincts are telling me something’s off, they’re usually right. Listening to that inner voice saves a lot of time.
3 Difficult Things:
1. Watching companies resist change—then blame the hire: Sometimes leaders say they want transformation, but what they actually want is someone to fit into a broken system. That disconnect leads to misalignment and, often, failure. It’s frustrating—especially when we saw it coming.
2. Letting great candidates go: There are moments when we meet someone incredible, but they’re just not the right fit for the specific role. Saying no is hard—especially when you know how rare true leaders are.
3. Scaling without sacrificing soul: As we grow, I’m always thinking, “How do we keep our integrity, our edge, our culture intact?” It’s a constant tension—building systems while
keeping the heartbeat of who we are.
What are the 3 things you like best about your work and why?
1. Helping companies and people find their “right fit.” There’s nothing more satisfying than watching a purpose-aligned leader step into a role and absolutely transform the trajectory of a company. When it clicks, it’s magic.
2. Building things that didn’t exist before. From the Y Scouts Leadership Model to ScoutPath and our Role Visioning process—it’s been incredibly fulfilling to take problems that frustrated me and turn them into tools that actually solve those problems.
3. Working with a team that actually gives a damn. We’ve built a culture where people care deeply—about our clients, about each other, and about doing work that matters. That’s rare, and I never take it for granted.
What are your greatest 3 skills and how have they helped you succeed?
1. Connecting with people at a deep level.
Whether I’m talking to a CEO, a candidate, or a new team member, I’ve always had a natural instinct to get past the surface and really understand what drives someone. That’s helped me build authentic relationships that aren’t just transactional—they’re built on trust. It’s also the foundation of how Y Scouts approaches search. You can’t hire transformational leaders if you’re only looking at resumes. You have to understand who someone is at their core.
2. Seeing patterns before others do.
I’ve always had a gut for spotting the signal in the noise. Whether it’s seeing a new business model emerging, identifying the real reason a company isn’t scaling, or noticing a candidate’s hidden potential, I tend to notice patterns that others overlook. That’s been huge in helping me build businesses, make hires that others would have passed on, and now develop tools like ScoutPath that solve problems before they become pain points.
3. Pursuing purpose with relentless persistence.
If there’s one through-line in my life, it’s the refusal to settle. When I saw that traditional recruiting was broken, I didn’t just complain about it—I built something better. I wrote the book. I hired the team. I built the platform. And I’m still learning, still evolving. That drive to pursue purpose, and to stay in the game long enough to see it through, is what’s helped Y Scouts grow into something truly different—and better.
Tell us about a time you were dead wrong about something.
Oh, I’ve been wrong plenty of times. But one that sticks out? Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I hired someone purely based on their resume. Ivy League degree, impressive job titles, glowing references—the whole polished LinkedIn package. I thought, “This is it. Total game-changer.” Spoiler alert: it was not.
Within 60 days, I realized I hadn’t hired a leader—I’d hired a professional interviewee. They said all the right things, but none of it translated into impact. There was a complete mismatch in values, energy, and leadership style. And that was my fault. I skipped the deeper discovery and bought into the hype.
It cost us time, money, and momentum. But it also lit a fire. That experience is part of what led to the creation of Y Scouts. I became obsessed with figuring out how to see past the mask—how to uncover who someone really is and whether they’re aligned with a company’s purpose, culture, and mission.
Now, we don’t just scan resumes—we define success, get multiple stakeholders aligned, and use tools like Role Visioning and ScoutPath to get it right from the start. That failure turned into one of the most powerful lessons of my career: shiny credentials are great, but they don’t lead people. Character does.
Also—pro tip—never hire someone just because they’re great at talking about themselves. Unless, of course, you’re looking for a podcast host.
How do you get yourself out of a funk? Please share the details.
I move my body and simplify my mind.
First thing I do is get out of my head—literally. I’ll go for a workout, take a walk, get outside. Physical movement is the fastest way for me to reset. It shifts my energy, clears the mental fog, and helps me reconnect with what actually matters. I’ve found over the years that if I neglect my health, everything else suffers—my clarity, my leadership, my creativity.
The second thing I do is zoom out. I’ll ask myself: What’s the one thing I can do today that moves the needle? When you’re in a funk, it’s usually because you’re buried in the weeds or trying to do everything at once. I go back to purpose. Back to priorities. And then I take one focused, intentional action.
I’ve learned that it’s not about doing more—it’s about doing the right thing, from the right state of mind. And for me, that starts with getting grounded in my body and re-centered on the “why.”
What is a habit you try to stick to and how has it helped you?
Hands down—prioritizing my health and wellness.
Before I lead anyone else, I’ve got to lead myself. I start almost every morning with movement—whether it’s strength training, a run, or even just getting outside for a walk. It clears my head, resets my energy, and sharpens my focus. That one habit sets the tone for the entire day.
It’s not just about physical fitness—it’s about showing up with the stamina, clarity, and emotional resilience it takes to lead a business, serve our clients, and be fully present with my family. I’ve found that when I’m neglecting my health, everything else suffers. But when I put it first, I show up better everywhere else.
It’s not optional. It’s foundational.
How do you celebrate your victories?
As for celebrating victories, I like to keep it simple but meaningful. Sometimes it’s a dinner out with my wife or a workout that doesn’t involve checking my phone mid-set. Other times, it’s just taking a beat to acknowledge the win with the team—calling it out, sharing the story behind it, and giving credit where it’s due.
I’ve learned over time that pausing to celebrate—especially the small stuff—isn’t optional. It’s fuel. It keeps you connected to the purpose behind the grind.
And yes, sometimes that celebration includes tacos.
What is your favorite book and why?
Absolutely. One book that’s had a lasting impact on me is “Everybody Matters” by Bob Chapman. It’s the story of how he built a wildly successful business by treating every team member like someone’s precious family member. Sounds simple. It’s not. But it deeply shaped how I think about leadership—not as a power play, but as a responsibility to help people thrive.
It also confirmed something I already believed: when you lead with purpose and values, the results follow. And if they don’t? You’re probably chasing the wrong results.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
Slow down—clarity is more valuable than speed.
In my early years, I thought the faster I moved, the more successful I’d be. And sure, hustle has its place. But I’ve learned that moving fast in the wrong direction is just expensive. Whether it’s hiring, strategy, or personal growth—taking the time to ask the right questions and align with purpose always leads to better outcomes.
I’d also tell my younger self: don’t underestimate how much who you surround yourself with matters. The right people change everything—team, mentors, clients, even friends. Hire slow. Partner slower. And when you find people who align with your values and challenge you to be better—hold onto them.
And finally? Trust your gut. It’s wiser than you think.
Who has been your biggest mentor in life (personal or professional) and how have they helped you?
I’ve been fortunate to have many mentors—and honestly, I don’t think I’d be where I am today if I’d tried to learn it all from just one person.
There’s the mentor who taught me how to lead with heart, even when it would’ve been easier to lead with control. The one who showed me that health isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation of everything else. And the one who challenged me to stop chasing the next opportunity and start building something that actually mattered.
Some were formal mentors. Others didn’t even know they were mentoring me—just people I studied closely, observed in action, and quietly learned from. And over time, I’ve realized that the best mentors aren’t just the ones who give you advice—they’re the ones who model integrity, consistency, and clarity in the way they live.
I’ve borrowed pieces from each of them to build the kind of leader I want to be. And I still do. I believe mentorship isn’t something you grow out of—it’s something you grow through.
Just for fun, what is your favorite food?
Favorite food? Tacos. Hands down. Street tacos, fish tacos, breakfast tacos—doesn’t matter. If it’s in a tortilla, I’m in. Bonus points if there’s guac involved.