Cleared Hot Episode 404 - Matt Graham - Air Marshals, the CIA, and the Worlds best mission timers
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Aug 25, 2025 Matt Graham, a former police officer, U.S. Air Marshal, and CIA operative, now runs Ares Watch Company. He shares gripping insights from his days as an air marshal, touching on the post-9/11 security landscape and the intense training involved. With humor and seriousness, he discusses the roles of intelligence contractors, the importance of adaptability in high-pressure situations, and his journey into watchmaking, reflecting on authenticity and the revival of American craftsmanship.
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Foundership Determines Company Soul
- Foundership is the discipline of stewarding a founder's core belief across growth and time.
- If a company loses that founding belief it becomes a place where employees say "I just work here."
Start With Belief Before Fixing Systems
- Ask "What do we believe?" before fixing operational problems to align actions with mission.
- Either change your belief or fix the systems that fail that belief, don't pretend both are true.
Learn The Language To Keep Power
- Learning domain-specific language gives real power in inter-disciplinary business meetings.
- Matt returned to school to understand finance and law so he could authenticate what others were telling him.
