Bad Boss Confessional

This week on Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey welcomes Dominic Sergi, CEO of Clear Height Properties, for a conversation about how unchecked empathy almost held his company back. Dominic shares the hard lesson he learned from keeping the wrong people in the wrong seats for too long, all because he cared too much. What began as a culture built on patience and compassion evolved into one grounded in clarity, accountability, and authentic care. Dominic reveals how a mindset shift from fear to candor transformed his leadership, accelerated growth, and created a workplace where radical honesty builds trust, not resentment. It's a story about letting go, leaning in, and learning to say “yes, and…” instead of “yes, but.” Chapters 00:00 Empathy: Superpower or Kryptonite? 05:09 Learning from a Mentor 09:00 Empathy’s Double-Edged Sword 12:35 Right People, Right Seats 17:29 Mastering the EOS Journey 20:49 Building an Authentic Culture 26:52 The ‘Yes And’ Mindset About:  Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional  Beth's Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos  Guest Links Dominic Sergi is an entrepreneur and investor with a passion for building enduring companies. As CEO of Clear Height Properties, he’s led over $1 billion in industrial real estate transactions, co-founded Cresco Labs, one of the nation’s leading cannabis companies, and launched Westshore Capital Group, his family office built on the belief that patient capital can outperform the market while leaving a lasting legacy. Clear Height Properties: https://www.clearheight.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-sergi-8b5ba24 Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

This week on Bad Boss Confessional, host and EOS Implementor Beth Fahey sits down with Mike Shannon, CEO of Impruve and author of Sweaty Equity. From surviving Shark Tank to opening his first businesses, Mike opens up about his cringiest leadership missteps, the chaos of scaling to 120 employees, and how embracing systems thinking (and a few bad boss moments) helped him grow as a leader. Expect startup war stories, EOS insights, and a fresh look at how AI is transforming financial advising.   00:00 From Ball Boy to Shark Tank 04:11 Early Entrepreneurial Challenges 10:47 Optimizing Executive Team Meetings 17:48 Impact of Structured Meetings 24:25 Improve: AI for Financial Advisors 36:04 Fear, Failure, Pain, and Systems   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links CEO at Impruve | Author of ‘Sweaty Equity: A Ball Boy, A Billionaire, and the Bonkers Startup Tale You’ve Never Heard’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeshannon101/ Email: mike@impruve.com   Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey welcomes Kathy Bresler, founder of Altar Community, a Chicago-based hub for connection, wellness, and growth. Kathy shares her journey from corporate strategist to reluctant boss and accidental entrepreneur. After years of envisioning a gathering space, she opened Altar in early 2020, just as the pandemic shut everything down. Forced to pivot, she and her community shifted online, building resilience through shared purpose. Kathy reflects on her struggles with leadership, from toggling between being too directive and too accommodating, to learning how to balance vision with execution. She candidly explores perfectionism, self-doubt, and the weight of wanting to be liked while leading. Through it all, Kathy found strength in purpose, community, and a commitment to growth, offering lessons in perseverance and authenticity for every leader who has wrestled with their own bad boss moments. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Accidental Entrepreneurship 01:36 The Vision of Altar Community 03:28 Launching Altar Amidst COVID 06:17 Pivoting to Online Community 11:13 Kathy’s Corporate Background 14:42 Turning Point: Breast Cancer Diagnosis 17:23 Reluctant Boss: Challenges of Leadership 23:05 The Conundrum of Coaching vs. Leading 25:29 Influential Books and Self-Discovery 30:59 Embracing the Entrepreneurial Journey 34:01 Purpose Over Profitability About:  Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional  Beth's Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos  Guest Links Kathy Bresler is the founder of ALTAR Community, a hidden gem in Chicago that’s both a vibrant community and an inspiring event space. ALTAR hosts everything from curated corporate offsites for teams and leaders to speaker series and wellness programs — all designed to help people connect, recharge, and grow. A visionary entrepreneur, Kathy speaks candidly about the messy, humbling, and ultimately transformational journey of turning vision into leadership. Altar Community: https://www.altarcommunity.com/kathy-bresler Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

This week on Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Matt Haney, a seasoned fractional integrator who helps visionary-led teams cut through chaos and get traction. Matt shares the story of a firing he regrets to this day: an ungraceful exit of a 20-year employee during a pandemic downturn. Despite having let go of 15 others with care, this one moment turned combative, cold, and ultimately changed the way he leads forever. Matt unpacks the emotional aftermath, the gut-punch feedback he received, and how it led to a complete shift in his leadership mindset. From learning the power of intentional feedback to never letting someone be “surprised” by a termination, this is a raw, real story about what it means to mess up… and grow. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome & Introducing Matt Haney 01:52 Journey to Fractional Integrator 05:46 A Bungled Termination Story 10:14 Reflecting on a Bad Decision 13:46 Improving Termination Practices 17:46 The Power of Intentional Feedback 21:44 Integrators & Visionary Challenges 27:42 Visionary Transition and Guilt 30:36 Strength as a Weakness: Multitasking 33:15 Be Present, Stay in the Question 39:53 Closing Thoughts About:  Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional  Beth's Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos  Guest Links Matt is a hands-on business operator, serving as a Fractional Integrator, with over 15 years of experience working with visionary founded businesses who have reached a ceiling. What does this mean? Matt helps teams get out of the shit show !  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlhaney/ Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer®, sits down with Rhonda Meyers for a raw and inspiring conversation about the realities of leadership. From navigating adversity and stepping into entrepreneurship, to the courage it takes to stand in your truth, Rhonda shares her journey of growth and resilience.   Together, they unpack the challenges of wearing “six seats” in business, the hidden curse of being highly capable, and the bravery required to lead with both strength and vulnerability. Rhonda opens up about love as both a superpower and kryptonite, the power of authenticity, and the responsibility leaders have to empower others. She leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: “I am enough.”   This episode is a must-listen for leaders seeking honesty, inspiration, and permission to lead with heart.   02:00 From Adversity to Entrepreneurship 05:24 Standing in Your Truth 08:16 Leadership Journey and Growth 11:22 The Burden of Six Seats 16:21 The Curse of Highly Capable People 22:07 Bravery in Leadership and Vulnerability 27:49 Love as a Superpower and Kryptonite 35:32 Authenticity and Empowering Leaders 39:01 I Am Enough: A Leader’s Reflection   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links Rhonda Meyers, is a visionary early childhood education leader. Rhonda has an extraordinary capacity for building collaborative relationships that span from toddlers to school administrators, and her expertise includes program development, strategic business growth, and creating educational environments where every child can thrive.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondajmeyers/   Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

On this week’s episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey chats with EOS implementer John McMahon, who opens up about his toughest management, including the dreaded task of firing an employee. From learning that silence can speak louder than words to discovering the power of open-ended questions, John shares how missteps turned into lessons in empathy, communication, and leadership growth.   01:37 Trial by Fire Leadership 05:22 First Lesson: What Took You So Long? 08:21 The Fear of Firing 11:06 Empathy and Curiosity Muscle 14:32 Reframing Questions and Vulnerability 17:33 Curiosity and Active Listening 20:39 The Power of Silence 25:44 Checking Assumptions and Deepening Relationships 28:50 Empathy Breakthroughs with Clients   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links EOS Implementer John McMahon Website: https://www.trellis-works.com/ Email: john.mcmahon@eosworldwide.com   If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Dino Signore that was mentioned in the podcast follow this link. https://drsignore.com/   Dr. Dino Signore, founder of The Signore Group, is a business psychologist and “second stage sensei” who helps entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and advisors navigate growth challenges. With a focus on both the economic system of a business and the social system of its people, he facilitates leadership development, team dynamics, and organizational performance. Known for asking the right questions rather than prescribing quick fixes, Dr. Signore empowers leaders and their teams to think differently, adapt, and elevate their organizations to the next level.     Sponsor Links Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

Do you think of “process” as boring, rigid, or suffocating? In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, host Beth Fahey sits down with Lisa Gonzalez, EOS Implementer, lawyer-turned-entrepreneur, and co-author of Process: How Discipline and Consistency Will Set You and Your Business Free. Lisa shares her most cringeworthy leadership moment of secretly creating a six-inch binder of hyper-detailed processes that her team ignored, a project fueled by fear and perfectionism. She reveals the painful lessons behind costly missteps, why buy-in matters more than binders, and how compassion and progress over perfection can transform leadership.   Chapters 00:00 Introducing Lisa Gonzalez 04:09 The Cost of Lacking Process 09:46 Compassion, Perfection, and Process 14:32 Getting Processes Followed by All 22:58 Personal Process Challenges & Wisdom   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links: Website: Website: https://www.lisagonzalez.com.  Email: lisa.gonzalez@eosworldwide.com (paola.machuca1@eosworldwide.com for coordination please)  If you want to dive deeper into turning from Doer to Leader, check out Lisa's OPS leadership peer group at lisagonzalez.com/process-success-cohort   Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible:   Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies.   Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

We’ve all been there: fired up in a meeting, convinced our point is the only one that matters… until we realize the room has gone silent. In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, host Beth Fahey sits down with Reid Hutchison, COO and integrator of HOH Technology, to unpack a moment he’s not proud of. Reid shares the time he let his emotions hijack a leadership meeting, turning collaboration into tension. The real lesson? How he owned the mistake, apologized in the moment, and rebuilt trust with his team. Reid’s story reminds us that passion can be a strength, but only when it is balanced with self-awareness and respect for others. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction 01:37 HOH Technology’s Legacy 04:39 A Bad Meeting Moment 08:47 The Importance of Apology 13:17 Building Self-Awareness and Health 16:17 Rebuilding Trust and Consistency 20:19 Team Accountability and Growth 24:37 Facilitation Challenges and Ads 28:47 The ‘WAIT’ Acronym and Conclusion About:  Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association. Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional  Beth's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos  Guest Links HOH Technology: https://hohwatertechnology.com/ Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

This week, Beth Fahey sits down with Kelly Knight of EOS Worldwide to talk about the messy (and meaningful) side of leadership. From a vacation epiphany that reshaped her company’s mission to the tough call of laying off 38 employees, Kelly opens up about mistakes, lessons, and the power of vulnerability in business. Tune in for real talk on staying true to your core focus, building trust, and leading with courage.   00:00 The Core Focus Dilemma 04:08 The Pitfalls of Software Expansion 08:49 Overcoming Embarrassment with Vulnerability 12:57 Lessons from Leadership Mistakes 18:41 Preventing Future Missteps 23:22 Restructuring for Alignment 28:24 Advice on Organizational Structure   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellypknight/   Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, host and EOS Implementer Beth Fahey sits down with Brian Dosal, CEO and co-founder of Strety, to talk about the messy side of leadership, ignoring red flags, hiring missteps, and the tough calls that come with rapid growth. Brian shares his entrepreneurial lessons on humility, adaptability, and why holding onto under performers can cost you your best people.   03:11 The Difficult Decision to Let Go 07:34 Ignoring Red Flags and Outgrowing Roles 11:04 The Impact of Loyalty on Tough Decisions 15:02 Hiring Heavy Hitters and First-Time Managers 19:34 Strety: The EOS Software Platform 24:02 Honesty, Not Kindness in Leadership   About: Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.   Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.   Show Links For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below. Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/ Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional Beth's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos   Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdosal/   Thanks to our Sponsors A big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible:   Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies.   Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.