leader spotlight

JORDIE KERN

Founder of 7 Eagle Group

Jordie shares why he moved away from a traditional recruiting model and built an online academy and marketplace that connects transitioning service members with hiring managers across industries. The conversation highlights how veterans bring grit, professionalism, leadership, and mission-focused execution into the workforce, and why companies should rethink how they evaluate veteran talent.

About Leaders List

Leaders List isn’t just a show. It’s a leadership playbook.

Each episode cuts through noise and gives you what high-performers are using now to lead with clarity and control.

Learn:

  • What’s topping their leadership list

  • How they balance growth, team direction, and tough calls

  • Real frameworks, smart tools, sharp lessons

This is your operating system for leading, not for surviving.

Our Latest Episodes:

How Eric Fernandez & Brazos Innovation Partners Turn Academic Innovation Into Market-Ready Companies

Eric shares the journey behind Brazos Innovation Partners, a company that spun out of Baylor University and now helps innovators, professors, founders, and private companies commercialize early-stage technology. Together, Bryon and Eric explore the execution gap that often keeps great ideas from reaching the market, the “Founders as a Service” model, the realities of scaling a startup that serves other startups, and what leaders should think about before trying to build a new product or company.

How Seven Eagle Academy Helps Veterans Land Meaningful Civilian Careers

Jordie shares why he moved away from a traditional recruiting model and built an online academy and marketplace that connects transitioning service members with hiring managers across industries. The conversation highlights how veterans bring grit, professionalism, leadership, and mission-focused execution into the workforce, and why companies should rethink how they evaluate veteran talent.

Scaling GovTech: Leadership, AI, and Building for Government with Karthik Agarwal

Karthik shares his journey from identifying a public-sector problem to building a company that helps governments simplify licensing, permitting, compliance, and citizen interactions. Together, Bryon and Karthik explore the realities of selling into government, scaling with intention, creating repeatable processes, and using AI to support both agencies and citizens.

Stay Humble, Hustle Hard: Scaling a Service Business Through Franchise Growth with Tom Mirabella

Tom shares his journey from corporate America to building Wingman Planning, a marketing agency serving small and medium-sized businesses. What started as a contractor-homeowner matching platform eventually became a full-service marketing partner for local businesses. Along the way, Tom expanded into real estate, transportation companies, and now franchising.

Building Tech That Serves, Not Sells with Dan Fantasia

Dan shares his journey from struggling early in recruiting to becoming a top producer and building Treeline into a nationally recognized sales recruiting firm. What started with a leap into a commission-based recruiting role eventually became a company known for helping businesses find top-performing sales talent. Along the way, Dan navigated major market shifts, built custom recruiting technology, expanded nationally, and learned how to keep pivoting as the sales talent market changed.

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What Makes Leaders List Different

Real Leaders, No Fluff

Every guest is a founder or exec scaling in real time. No theory. Just hard-won insight.

Prep Built for Precision

Guests fill a pre-interview brief so we hit the real pain points fast. Every episode is tailored.

Tight Format That Delivers

One-on-one. 30–45 minutes. Structured into leadership focus, expert tools, and hard-earned lessons.

wider audience base

We publish intriguing clips from the interview, distributed across LinkedIn, YouTube, major podcast platform.

expand your influence

Show up where SMB leaders are. Walk away with professional content and authority you can repurpose.

What Makes Leaders List Different

Real Leaders, No Fluff

Every guest is a founder or exec scaling in real time. No theory. Just hard-won insight.

Prep Built for Precision

Guests fill a pre-interview brief so we hit the real pain points fast. Every episode is tailored.

Tight Format That Delivers

One-on-one. 30–45 minutes. Structured into leadership focus, expert tools, and hard-earned lessons.

wider audience base

We publish intriguing clips from the interview, distributed across LinkedIn, YouTube, major podcast platform.

expand your influence

Show up where SMB leaders are. Walk away with professional content and authority you can repurpose.

"Honestly? I felt a little called out. Then I felt seen. Then I forwarded it to my whole leadership team."

– Founder, Retail Group

"Halfway through I texted my COO: 'You need to listen to this now. They’re describing us.' It was kinda eerie."

– CEO, Marketing Agency

"No wasted airtime. Just real strategy from people who’ve scaled something.

– VP Operations, Logistics Firm

"I was listening on the drive home and literally had to pull over to jot down a process tweak. Not kidding. Haven’t done that in years."

– CEO, IT Consulting Company

"Most podcasts feel like background noise. This one made me realize I’ve been the bottleneck in my own org."

– CEO, B2B Firm

"I didn’t need inspiration. I needed clarity. One episode in and I knew exactly what I had to change in our ops meetings."

– CEO, HR Platform

Be Our Next Guest

Let’s talk about your list.

Your Leadership Journey.

Your background, challenges, and leadership lessons.

Expert Insights on the Latest Trends.

Your take on the key business trends and challenges for SMB leaders.

Future Vision & Advice.

Your business priorities and advice from fellow leaders and industry professionals.

Be Our Next Guest

Let’s talk about your list.

Your Leadership Journey.

Your background, challenges, and leadership lessons.

Expert Insights on the Latest Trends.

Your take on the key business trends and challenges for SMB leaders.

Future Vision & Advice.

Your business priorities and advice from fellow leaders and industry professionals.

Our Sponsors

Powered by companies that back SMB leaders who execute. Want your brand next to our content? Reach out.

Our Sponsors

Powered by companies that back SMB leaders who execute. Want your brand next to our content? Reach out.