Stop trying to be indispensable—the business grows the moment you aren’t.

You don’t scale by doing more—you scale by replacing yourself in the right seats. In this episode, Onika and I unpack the uncomfortable shift from “I do everything” to “I build the team that does everything,” including the identity and ego traps that keep smart leaders stuck.

We walk through the practical side: how to decide who should take the wheel (sales, ops, GM), how to define the bullseye profile beyond a generic job description, and how to run a fast—but not sloppy—process that candidates actually enjoy. We also get tactical on onboarding cadence, 30/60/90s, and the difference between owning the process vs. trying to be in every interview. If you want to move up a level, your job is to multiply leadership—starting now.

Segments:

00:00 — Why you can’t grow until you replace yourself

02:05 — My early lesson: doing it all vs. building a team

03:45 — Identity & ego: the hidden throttle on scale

05:10 — Trusting others and becoming a “master delegator”

05:55 — Delegating budgets: why section leads beat heroics

06:55 — Succession planning as important as the financial plan

08:15 — Beyond generic JDs: aim for the bullseye avatar

10:55 — Pitch your company to candidates like a product

13:30 — Hiring ≠ delegation; hiring = leadership multiplier

15:20 — Proactive vs. reactive hiring (and the “beer goggles” trap)

19:05 — Speed with respect: candidate communication that wins

25:10 — Onboarding cadence and 30/60/90s that set people up to win

29:10 — The personnel-file wake-up call: feedback must match decisions

34:05 — Hard truth: no one is indispensable—build leaders or plateau

36:05 — The promotion unlock: develop leaders at every level

Looking for your next leader? Contact us: ken@theleaderslab.co or take the Free ScaleUp Leadership Survey at theleaderslab.co

#Leadership #SuccessionPlanning #Hiring #ScalingUp #TalentAcquisition

In this episode of The Playbook, presented by The Leaders Lab, Ken Eslick and co-host Onika Kwatsha go deep into the question every great leader must ask: Who am I, and why do I lead?

They break down how your inner drivers define your company’s culture, growth, and eventual legacy — and why leadership isn’t about control or charisma, but contribution, clarity, and connection.

Topics covered:

• Leadership as a mirror: what your team sees in you reflects what’s inside you.

• Management vs. leadership: the hidden cost of leaning too far into admin.

• Burning your calendar: when structure stops serving you, start over.

• The six human needs framework (certainty, variety, significance, love/connection, growth, contribution).

• Blind spots, DISC, and radical self-awareness.

• Hiring for difference, not comfort — why “cloning yourself” kills innovation.

• Ken’s 3-step leadership lens (inspired by Tony Robbins)

Timestamps

• 00:02 – Why leadership starts with you

• 02:04 – The six human needs explained

• 07:29 – Manager vs. leader

• 13:35 – Time-blocking and burning your calendar

• 26:29 – Turnover, ownership, and tough calls

• 31:04 – Blind spots and self-awareness

• 36:34 – Hiring beyond your mirror

• 43:42 – Vision, why, and cultural ripple effects

• 45:30 – Ken’s leadership philosophy in three lines

“Leadership isn’t a title—it’s a mirror.”

“If you don’t plan your week, your week will plan you.”

“Great leaders see things as they are—then better than they are—and ultimately guide people to the better.” If you are looking for your next great hire or want to connect with us, we would love to hear from you. Please go to the leaderslab.co or email: ken@theleaderslab.co

In this very first episode of The Playbook, presented by The Leaders Lab, host Ken Eslick shares the story behind the show and why it exists. After a five-month break since The Leaders Lab Podcast, Ken opens up about his own journey—from military leadership to entrepreneurship, from corporate executive to diving deep into mergers and acquisitions, and eventually back to entrepreneurship and the world of self-development.

That path ultimately led to the creation of The Leaders Lab, where Ken and his team now help business owners hire better talent, scale with confidence, and maximize value when it’s time to sell. The Playbook is designed to bring those lessons together into one place: a podcast built for leaders who want a clear, actionable path to grow their companies and increase their impact.

#Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Scaling #MergersAndAcquisitions #SellYourBusiness #TheLeadersLab #ThePlaybookPodcast