Seeing the Unseen: Kevin McCarthy's Journey Through Business, Blind Spots, and Redemption

Seeing the Unseen: Kevin’s Journey Through Business, Blind Spots, and Redemption

In this deeply introspective episode of the Breakfast Leadership Show, I sat down with Kevin, a business owner and consultant whose journey is as cautionary as it is inspiring.

Kevin pulls back the curtain on his early days—driven, ambitious, but unaware of the blind spots that would later cost him everything. From selling a business during the height of the .com boom to entering a consulting deal that spiraled into a federal fraud case, Kevin's story is a sobering reminder of how even well-intentioned professionals can find themselves in unthinkable circumstances. His experience led to 33 months in federal prison for a crime he didn’t knowingly commit.

But Kevin's story doesn’t end in incarceration—it begins there. What followed was a profound period of personal growth. Kevin speaks candidly about the thinking errors and unconscious biases that clouded his judgment and how this hard-earned clarity sparked a lifelong commitment to self-awareness and helping others see what they might be missing.

Together, we explored the dangers of overlooked blind spots in leadership—how they lead to disengagement, poor communication, and costly turnover. We talked about the Gallup report highlighting the steep drop in employee engagement and what organizations must do to reverse that trend. Hint: it starts with middle management and a real investment in people—not just performance.

Kevin also introduced his Blind Spot Assessment, a powerful tool used by organizations including the American Board of Radiology to identify and address cognitive gaps in leaders. Whether for candidate screening or leadership development, it’s becoming a game-changer in building healthier workplace cultures.

This episode is a masterclass in leadership accountability, personal transformation, and the human capacity to rise from failure. Kevin’s bestselling book, Blind Spots: Why Good People Make Bad Choices, dives even deeper into his story—and it’s well worth the read.

If you’ve ever wondered how a leader can go from success to setback and back again—this one’s for you.

Website:  https://BlindSpots.com

Book:  https://amzn.to/3YMsJfQ