In this episode of The Leader Formula, Chris and Steve sit down with Mike and Lindsay McCarthy, founders of FAMBundance — a first-of-its-kind family mastermind for entrepreneurial families who want to grow closer, align their values, and carry their legacy forward.

Together, they unpack what it means to lead your family with the same clarity and purpose you bring to your business. You’ll hear how the McCarthys help families create vision statements, define shared values, and build rhythms that strengthen connection at home — even in the middle of busy entrepreneurial life.

If you’ve ever felt like your leadership at work is thriving but your leadership at home could use more intention, this conversation will show you where to start.

In This Episode:

• Why family leadership mirrors business leadership more than you think
• How to create a family vision and shared values that actually stick
• Simple ways to hold weekly family meetings that work (even with kids)
• The 90/10 rule for connection and correction
• What it takes to build a legacy that’s more than money

Quote to Remember:

“If you can lead your family, you can lead any business.” — Mike McCarthy

Listen if you’re:

• A business owner or leader who wants more intentional connection at home
• Tired of feeling like your family gets your leftovers after work
• Ready to build rhythms, values, and traditions that last generations

Most leaders think they can’t afford to step away. But what if the space you don’t take is costing your team its clarity, connection, and energy?

In this episode, Chris and Steve unpack what makes a great team or leadership retreat actually work—beyond pretty views and personality tests. They dig into how intentional design, honest reflection, and shared experience can realign your team around vision, purpose, and culture.

You’ll learn:

• Why retreats are a strategic move, not a luxury
• How to design a retreat that leads to real change (not just inspiration)
• The hidden cost of not pausing to realign your team
• Simple ways to build rituals and rhythm back into the everyday work culture
• What leaders discover when they step out of “doing” and into “being”

Whether you lead a small team or a growing organization, this episode will help you plan a retreat that brings your people back to center—and reminds them why they chose to follow you in the first place.

As artificial intelligence races ahead, the real question isn’t what it can do—it’s what kind of leaders we’ll become because of it. In this episode, Chris and Steve explore how AI can amplify—not replace—the human side of leadership. They tackle the tension between efficiency and empathy, data and discernment, and share stories of using AI as a mirror, not a master.

Whether you’re experimenting with automation or just trying to stay relevant, this conversation reframes AI as a tool that can sharpen wisdom, free up creativity, and help you lead more intentionally in a distracted world.

Key Themes:

• How leaders can use AI to strengthen—not substitute—their decision-making.
• Why self-awareness and emotional intelligence matter even more in a digital age.
• The danger of outsourcing empathy and intuition to algorithms.
• Practical ways to integrate AI into your leadership rhythm with integrity and clarity.
• What it means to stay human in a machine-driven culture.

Why Listen:

You’ll walk away with a renewed sense of agency and a deeper understanding of how to lead with both power and presence—using AI as leverage, not a crutch.

Every leader knows the feeling — a small frustration builds, an expectation goes unmet, and before long the tension has spread across the team. In this episode, Chris and Steve unpack the Pinch–Crunch Model — a framework for understanding how those small irritations can quietly erode trust, culture, and performance if left unspoken.

They break down how to recognize the signs of an early “pinch,” what emotions are actually signaling underneath the surface, and how to have healthy, direct conversations before things reach a breaking point. You’ll learn how emotionally aware leaders turn tension into growth, not conflict.

Key Takeaways:

• What the Pinch–Crunch Model is — and why every leader experiences it.
• How unmet expectations quietly sabotage culture and relationships.
• Why anger, frustration, or fear are useful messengers (if you listen early).
• Practical language to address pinches before they become crunches.
• How emotionally intelligent leaders use self-awareness to disarm conflict.

Challenge for Leaders:

Reflect on the last three “crunch moments” you’ve experienced — at work or at home.

• What were the pinches that led up to them?
• Were expectations ever clearly expressed?
• What conversation could have changed the outcome?

Quote to Remember:

“Great leaders don’t avoid emotions — they steward them.”

Listen if You’re:

• A leader navigating team conflict or hidden tension.
• A business owner feeling the weight of unspoken frustration.
• Someone who wants to build healthier, more honest conversations in their culture.

Technology promises connection, but often it leaves us lonelier, distracted, and less present. In a world where AI is everywhere and our phones rarely leave our hands, leaders face a deeper question: how do we protect what makes us truly human?

In this episode, Chris and Steve explore:

• Why technology often steals our presence instead of strengthening it
• The difference between tech as an element (replacement) vs. an alloy (augmentation)
• What makes real human connection impossible to fake
• How hurry, distraction, and multitasking slowly make us “subhuman”
• Practical ways leaders can reset and reclaim their humanity

This isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about putting it in its right place so we can show up fully — with presence, love, and courage — in our leadership, our teams, and our relationships.

In this final episode of first series of The Leader Formula podcast, Chris and Steve walk through the five key stages of an effective hiring process—and why skipping even one can cost you more than just a bad hire. From sourcing and screening to interviews, assessments, and reference checks, they’ll guide you through each step with practical tips, honest stories, and a few insights you may not have considered before. Whether you're hiring your first admin or scaling a leadership team, this framework will help you make smarter, more confident decisions.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why "just posting the job" is the worst way to start sourcing
• How to use screening steps to save time and energy
• The key interview question that reveals true candidate alignment
• Why assessments should inform—not dictate—your decisions
• How to use references to confirm or challenge your gut
• The one mindset shift that turns hiring into a long-term investment

Episode Breakdown (with loose time codes):

• [00:00] – The five-stage framework: sourcing, screening, interviewing, assessments, reference checks
• [05:00] – Why sourcing is more than job boards—and how to use your network
• [10:00] – What effective screening looks like and why it’s more than just reviewing resumes
• [14:30] – The role of assessments and how to interpret them wisely
• [25:00] – Common interview pitfalls and how to avoid being blinded by charm
• [34:00] – The power (and purpose) of reference checks
• [40:45] – Why every hire is a million-dollar decision—and how to act like it

Resources Mentioned:

• Assessment tools (DISC, Enneagram, etc.)
• Hiring avatar and role clarity frameworks
• Example reference check questions (available by request)

Let’s Connect:

Have questions or want help creating a hiring process tailored to your team? Reach out to us at [insert email or website].

And if this episode helped you rethink your hiring strategy, share it with another leader who could use it.

Before you post that job or schedule an interview, there's a critical step that most leaders skip—and it’s costing them time, money, and peace of mind. In this episode, Chris and Steve unpack the concept of the candidate avatar—a clear, written profile of your ideal hire—and explain why defining who you’re looking for is the foundation of every great hire.

From missing persons reports to dating analogies, this episode brings humor, wisdom, and practical tools to help you sharpen your hiring clarity and avoid common traps.

If you're tired of vague hiring processes and mismatched team members, this conversation will help you lead with purpose and precision.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

• Why starting “on paper” is the most important step in hiring
• How to create a clear, detailed candidate avatar
• What complement really means when building a team
• The difference between what can be taught—and what must already be there
• Why hiring is more like dating than you think

🕒 Rough Timecodes:

• 00:00 – Intro and context: what is a candidate avatar?
• 01:20 – The “missing person” analogy: why vague doesn’t work
• 03:00 – Clarity is power: the foggy image vs. a crisp profile
• 05:15 – How to define complementary skills, chemistry, and values
• 08:50 – What you can coach vs. what must be innate
• 11:10 – Growth mindset, red flags, and spotting the real candidate
• 13:15 – Hiring as a relationship: mindset for leaders
• 20:00 – The dating analogy: evaluating fit through the whole process

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• DISC Personality Profile
• Motivational Interviewing
• ChatGPT for hiring prompts

📌 Next Episode Teaser:

Coming up next—The Hiring Equation continues with a deep dive into crafting an intentional, step-by-step hiring process that actually reveals who someone is… not just what they want you to hear.

Let me know if you’d like a shorter version for social sharing, or if you’d like a matching email or blog teaser for your audience!

Ask ChatGPT

Whether you’re hiring your first team member or your next key leader, one thing remains true: clarity is kindness—and essential for growth. In this episode, Chris and Steve unpack the mindset and tools every leader needs to hire well and build a team that lasts.

They explore the concept of the “Missing Persons Report”—a strategic way to define the gaps in your organization—and how to use org charts and expectations to align roles with your vision. You’ll also learn about the different levels of talent (potential, emerging, proven) and when each one fits your business best.

If you've ever had a hire go sideways—or you're feeling unclear about what to hire next—this conversation is a must.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What a “Missing Persons Report” is—and how to create one
• Why starting with you is still the most important part of hiring
• The difference between job descriptions and real KPIs
• How to match the right kind of talent to your stage of business
• Why hiring without clear expectations sets both sides up for failure
• The two kinds of expectations every leader needs to clarify: role-based and relational

Resources Mentioned:

• The E-Myth by Michael Gerber (implied reference to working on vs. in your business)
• DISC Personality Assessment
• “Why Emotions Matter” by Tristan and Jonathan Collins
• Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence framework

Join the Conversation: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made—or avoided—when hiring? We’d love to hear your insights and experiences. Email us at [your email] or connect on [Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn].