Episode Description

Why do so many high achievers reach success—yet still feel unfulfilled?

In this episode of Building the Biz, Shane Bauman sits down with executive leadership expert Kristen Kenton for a deep, honest conversation about achievement, identity, and what it truly means to live and lead well.

Kristen is the President & CEO of Kenton Talent Management and the founder of the Executive Women’s Summit. Through years of working with high-performing executives, she’s seen a consistent pattern: success alone doesn’t create fulfillment.

Together, Shane and Kristen explore the difference between achievement and contentment, the role of emotional intelligence in leadership, and how purpose, values, and faith shape sustainable success—both personally and professionally.

This episode is for leaders who have done “all the right things” but are still asking: Is this it?

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why achievement doesn’t guarantee fulfillment
• The difference between success, contentment, and purpose
• Common patterns among high achievers who feel stuck or restless
• How emotional intelligence impacts leadership effectiveness
• Why identity matters more than outcomes
• The hidden cost of tying self-worth to performance
• How faith and hope shape resilient leadership
• What transformational leadership actually looks like in practice

Notable Moments & Themes

• Achievement vs. fulfillment: why hitting the goal can still feel empty
• Emotional intelligence as a stronger predictor than credentials
• The role of trauma and unresolved identity in leadership pressure
• Purpose as the missing link for sustainable success
• Leading from values instead of external validation

About the Guest

Kristen Kenton is President & CEO of Kenton Talent Management, where she helps organizations identify and develop transformational leaders who align results, culture, and purpose. She is also the founder of the Executive Women’s Summit, a leadership development community dedicated to helping high-performing women grow with authenticity and impact.

Links & Resources

• Kristen Kenton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenkenton/
• Kenton Talent Management: https://kentontalentmanagement.com
• Executive Women’s Summit: https://executivewomenssummit.com
• Building the Biz Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-the-biz/id1711862560

Tags / Keywords

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, High Achievers, Emotional Intelligence, Executive Leadership, Purpose & Fulfillment, Faith in Business, Identity & Success, Personal Growth, Organizational Culture, Women in Leadership

Disclosure

Shane Bauman is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. RISE is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guest speakers and their firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or RISE and opinions stated are their own. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. 8727728.1 Exp. 1/28

Episode Overview

In this episode of Building the Biz, Shane sits down with acquisition entrepreneur Jeremy Hunka, owner of Summit Cabinet Coatings. Jeremy shares an unfiltered look at what happens after the deal closes — from debt pressure and people-pleasing to redefining leadership and learning where faith truly fits in business ownership.

This conversation is a candid exploration of buying versus building, the emotional toll of leadership, and the freedom that comes from stepping into the right seat.

Key Topics Covered

• Why Jeremy chose acquisition over starting from scratch
• The reality of being an operator-owner vs. a true owner
• How debt impacts cash flow, decision-making, and leadership stress
• The hidden cost of people-pleasing in business
• Faith as daily dependence, not just belief
• Transitioning from visionary-integrator to owner
• Ethical vs. redemptive business practices
• Using EOS and knowing when to bring in an implementer
• Designing a role that fits your strengths as a leader

Notable Quotes

• “Every hard day was made harder by a three-hour commute.”
• “Faith went from something I had to something I depended on daily.”
• “I learned I’m more naturally an owner than an operator.”
• “Businesses this size are always hairy — you just have to decide which hair you’re comfortable with.”

Who This Episode Is For

• Entrepreneurs considering buying a business
• Owners feeling stretched in day-to-day operations
• Leaders navigating people-pleasing tendencies
• Faith-driven business owners seeking alignment
• Anyone questioning whether they’re in the right seat

Connect with Jeremy

Jeremy Hunka is an acquisition entrepreneur and owner of Summit Cabinet Coatings, based in Fort Collins, Colorado. His journey spans chemistry, finance, commercial real estate, and now small business ownership — bringing a thoughtful, grounded perspective to leadership and growth.

Tags:

Entrepreneurship, Faith, Acquisition Entrepreneur, People Pleasing, Summit Cabient Coatings, Marketing, Building the Biz Podcast

Shane Bauman is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. RISE is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guest speakers and their firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or RISE and opinions stated are their own. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. 8714290.1 Exp. 1/28

The Opposite of Poverty with Andrew DeVaney

Guest: Andrew DeVaney, Founder & CEO, As One Ministries

Show Notes:

In this episode of Building the Biz, host Shane Bauman sits down with Andrew DeVaney, Founder and CEO of As One Ministries, to explore what it truly means to pursue dignity-centered impact through entrepreneurship, faith, and community development in rural Uganda.

Andrew shares the origin story of As One—born out of college summers spent in East Africa—and how the organization has grown incrementally over the last decade by responding to real problems on the ground. Rather than chasing rapid scale, As One has focused on density: building schools, health clinics, farms, and businesses within specific communities to restore agency, accountability, and long-term sustainability.

The conversation challenges traditional charity models and reframes poverty not as a lack of material goods, but as a breakdown in relationships, dignity, and wholeness. Andrew explains why moving people from beneficiaries to customers creates ownership and accountability—and how earned-revenue models can coexist with philanthropy to catalyze flourishing communities.

Shane and Andrew also discuss leadership formation, healthy friction, culture, EOS, faith, and self-awareness—drawing parallels between lessons learned in Uganda and how American entrepreneurs can build healthier, more purpose-driven businesses.

What’s Inside:

• Why the opposite of poverty is not the American Dream

• Building density instead of chasing scale

• Moving from beneficiaries to customers

• Dignity, agency, and accountability in community development

• Blended models: philanthropy + earned revenue

• Leadership formation and self-awareness

• Healthy conflict and feedback in growing organizations

• Culture-building through mission, vision, and values

• Applying global lessons to American business leadership

Short Description:

Andrew DeVaney, Founder and CEO of As One Ministries, joins Shane Bauman to discuss dignity-centered entrepreneurship, community density, faith-driven leadership, and why redefining the opposite of poverty changes how we build businesses and organizations that last.

Tags:

Social entrepreneurship, leadership, nonprofit leadership, faith and work, entrepreneurship, poverty alleviation, Uganda, organizational culture, EOS, impact-driven business

Shane Bauman is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. RISE is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guest speakers and their firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or RISE and opinions stated are their own. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. 8672679.1 Exp. 12/27