Ivan Katz has been in the service business since he was 10 years old.

Paper routes. Food service. And then at 23, a landscaping company he would grow for the next 37 years.

But somewhere between nearly tripling his revenue and building a team that could finally run without him, Ivan hit a wall. He'd spent two decades being the top sales guy and visionary, but when he finally started stepping back, he didn't feel free.

He felt lost.

In our episode, we covered:

→ Why visionaries make dangerous integrators, and what happens when they finally admit it

→ How Great Lakes grew 3x and what broke in the process

→ The "CFI" (Crazy F*cking Idea) incubator model Ivan uses to vet new ventures

→ What it means to lead a culture where field workers and MBAs learn from each other

→ How to step back from sales without losing your sense of purpose

Ivan, thank you for being so open with your story! I’ve seen how you've really taken to heart that the hardest part of building something great is letting other people take it forward.

*Chapters*

0:00 - Introduction & Teaser Highlights

0:37 - Meet Ivan Katz and Great Lakes Landscape Design

1:03 - When Did You Realize You Were a Visionary?

2:30 - The Role of the Visionary: Spirit of the Company

4:06 - Managing Your Energy and Finding Outlets

7:14 - What Makes Great Lakes Different from the Competition

10:31 - Why You Should Call the Landscaper First

14:16 - Growing 3x and What Broke Along the Way

18:20 - The Flaming Visionary Problem: Moving Too Fast

19:17 - The CFI Incubator and New Revenue Streams

29:39 - Who Is the Ideal Great Lakes Client?

32:15 - Lessons Learned as a Visionary

38:29 - Personal Turning Point: Embezzlement and 300 lbs

39:14 - Bob's "I Matter" Work and Coaching Visionaries

40:29 - Identity Crisis: What Happens When They Don't Need You

45:52 - What Does Viva the Visionary Mean to You?

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Dave Feidner grew a family business into a global operation doing hundreds of millions in revenue. He launched a dozen companies and built something most people only dream about...

Then investors called and he had to hand it all over. But that didn't break him.

He moved back to the US, started consulting with EOS, and built a new chapter helping visionaries do what he had to learn the hard way: get out of their own way.

In this conversation, we cover:

→ The change equation and what it actually takes to stop resisting

→ Why visionaries get stuck in their identity instead of living their vision

→ The four eyes of transformational leadership

→ What the hero's journey looks like for founders and entrepreneurs

→ How "grow or die" became more than a core value

Thank you Dave, for bringing your whole self to this episode and sharing your story!

*Chapters*

0:00 - Welcome to Season 2!

0:39 - Meet Dave Feidner: Philosopher and EOS Implementer

3:08 - Dave's Origin Story: Building a Global Business

9:14 - The Board Meeting That Changed His Life

11:07 - How Dave Discovered EOS

14:20 - The Four Eyes of Transformational Leadership

21:01 - The Hero's Journey and Why Visionaries Avoid It

22:03 - All Growth Comes From Pain

25:10 - Entrepreneurship in Detroit

27:35 - The EO Community and the Power of Connection

31:25 - Impostor Syndrome and the "I Am" Statement

36:00 - Aristotle, Friendship, and the Friends of the Good

37:18 - Should Dave Write a Book?

41:30 - The Origin of Viva the Visionary

44:16 - What It Means to Be "Normal" (Maslow Weighs In)

46:12 - Dave's One Experience Share for Visionaries

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In this episode, Dan Corrigan, a visionary health expert, shares his journey from health struggles to founding a supplement company focused on natural, high-quality products. The conversation dives into the importance of natural foods, sustainable community practices, and redefining what it means to be a visionary with purpose beyond profit. Dan’s insights emphasize natural health, community building, and the role of authenticity in personal and professional growth.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify or watch on YouTube

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