Lazy Leverage

The secretary problem is one of mathematics' most elegant solutions to a universal challenge: how do you know when to stop looking and commit? Peter suggests interviewing 37% of your candidate pool without hiring anyone, then hire the next person who's better than everyone in that first group. It’s a pretty universal tactic, whether we’re talking house hunting, car buying, getting roofing quotes, or even picking a spouse! There are two critical limitations to this, though. First, you need to know the total number of options, whether that's 100 candidates or 25 houses on the market. When that's unknown, you convert to time-based constraints. The second limitation: the secretary problem only applies when you lack expertise. When Jon or a real estate agent has seen "5,000 of these," they can make absolute judgments, not just comparative ones. Peter draws from a current predicament in which a Nicaraguan candidate has been asking for what seemed high compensation. Should he have paid based on her country's cost of living, or on the value she'd bring? Jon pushes back on the entire concept of salary budgets. He argues everything should be discussed as trade-offs. Peter admits his biggest mistake wasn't the salary negotiation. It was failing to sell the opportunity itself, assuming the candidate knew who he was and what Crane represented. Key Topics: (04:00) Interview 37% Without Hiring, Then Take the Next Best Candidate (06:49) Time-Bound vs. Quantity-Bound: When You Don't Know the Pool Size (11:01) Why Employers Settle Too Quickly (And Peter's High Bar for Hiring) (13:12) You Have to Be Worthy of Great Talent (18:00) The Geographic Salary Dilemma: Nicaragua, Philippines, and Relative Pay (23:18) "What's Your Budget?" Is the Wrong Question (28:11) Life as Optimizing Around Trade-Offs (37:44) Peter's Biggest Hiring Mistake: Not Selling the Opportunity (40:04) Have Team Members Sell Candidates on the Reality of Working There Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

The Theory of Constraints is arguably the most powerful framework for small business operations. Yet it's deeply counterintuitive. Jon opens by calling this "the single most interesting concept" he's wrestled with in years, one that sits at the heart of everything he does at Sagan. On a more practical level, Peter sees the concept as answering two critical questions every business owner has: "Why am I not achieving X?" and "What should I work on?" Eliyahu Goldratt's manufacturing classic The Goal might just have the answer: every system has exactly one constraint at any given time. Like a chain's strength determined by its weakest link, your business throughput is determined by your bottleneck. It’s important to avoid optimizing non-constraint resources. Peter's executive assistant Monica doesn't need to be busy 40 hours per week because if Peter's time is the constraint, Monica's availability is actually a feature, not a bug. Firefighters sit idle 85% of the time so they can respond in five minutes. F1 pit crews have 20 people working seven seconds per race because speed, not cost, is the constraint. Jon and Peter get into the five-step process. These are to identify the constraint, exploit it (no lunch breaks for the bottleneck!), subordinate everything else (redistribute weight from Herbie's backpack), elevate through investment only when necessary, and repeat as the constraint moves. And remember, idle employees facing "idleness aversion" will invent busywork, whether it’s creating SOPs, trackers, and communication cadences that generate noise and clog the constraint's queue. The solution isn't just accepting idle time but directing it toward infinity tasks that support the actual constraint. Key Topics: (02:15) The Central Question for Business Owners (07:04) Three Powerful Analogies for Understanding Constraints (11:03) How to Identify Your Constraint: Five Diagnostic Questions (17:05) Why Utilization Rates Don't Matter for Non-Constraints (22:50) The Firefighter Principle: Availability as a Precondition for Speed (24:00) F1 Pit Crews and the Insidious MBA Optimization Trap (33:05) Organizing Everything Around Your Closer (42:00) The Drum-Buffer-Rope Method: Controlling Work Release Rates (49:10) How Idle Employees Invent Harmful Busywork (56:23) Sales vs. Operations: Which Side Wins Depends on Your Current Constraint (1:06:51) The Supervisor's Most Important Job Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

AI has fundamentally broken the traditional job application process. What’s an employer to do? Jon and Peter dissect an academic paper titled "Making Talk Cheap: Generative AI and Labor Market Signaling," which examines how large language models have disrupted markets that historically relied on writing as a costly signal of quality. Specifically, job applications and college admissions. Cover letters used to signal genuine candidate interest because they required significant time and effort to customize. But now, AI can generate personalized cover letters in seconds. Peter immediately connects this to property management, noting how AI has made it trivially easy to generate fraudulent rental applications with fake pay stubs, identities, and emotional support animal letters promoted openly on TikTok. The parallel extends to legal threats. What used to be a strong signal (a detailed legal letter citing lease terms) now costs nothing to produce but takes 10x more effort to refute. Jon and Peter brainstorm for solutions, discussing costly signaling mechanisms like application fees, point-based systems (Online Jobs PH's approach), and role-specific vetting. Jon advocates for dynamic hiring processes tailored to each role. For example, video editors should submit completed work samples, not sit through interviews about their "passion for roofing." Most provocatively, Peter proposes a new social contract: make applications harder (fees, videos, time investment), but in exchange, employers must provide genuine, specific feedback. The challenge is the legal liability and the emotional cost of having those conversations. As Jon puts it, "I don't want a relationship with you" shouldn't open a seven-email negotiation! The job marketplace needs complete reinvention, with differentiated approaches based on role scarcity and skill requirements. KEY TOPICS: (02:22) How AI Enables Fraudulent Rental Applications at Scale (06:28) Why Employers are Drowning in Indistinguishable Applications (09:12) LinkedIn and Indeed as Failed Marketplaces (16:57) Role-Specific Hiring (31:16) Legal Liability Preventing Employer Feedback to Candidates (36:30) Harder Applications, Guaranteed Feedback (43:54) Costly Signals vs. Predictive Factors for Job Performance Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter explore three frameworks that challenge conventional wisdom about running small businesses. They reveal why all-or-nothing thinking kills momentum, when authentic transparency becomes a liability, and how AI is forcing a reckoning with what real value looks like. They unpack what they call the “floors-and-ceilings” concept, which reframes habit building and business processes. Let’s say you’re onboarding a new team member. Your ceiling might be comprehensive task maps and week-long training, but your floor is simply defining what success looks like in six months. Never skip the floor, always aspire to the ceiling. This framework can do wonders for perfectionist entrepreneurs prone to all-or-nothing thinking. If you can't execute perfectly, you don't execute at all. That’s a recipe for paralysis and missed opportunities! Next, Jon and Peter talk about how a little magic and mystery can do wonders for a leader’s authority. Drawing from Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, they make the case that, while radical transparency feels authentic, people actually crave some mystique. The fitness trainer who measures your ulna and checks your zodiac before recommending weight training creates more buy-in than one who simply says "lift weights and eat fewer carbs." Both deliver the same advice, but presentation matters. Finally, they’re talking AI in workplace communication. Both Jon and Peter caught team members using AI to draft emails and reports, sometimes brilliantly (analyzing 15 candidate profiles against job requirements), sometimes disastrously (generic responses to client questions that should demonstrate personal attention). Jon uses the analogy of recruiter-as-sommelier, where AI can pour the wine, but only humans can make the subjective recommendations that build confidence through the buying process. The future belongs to people who know exactly when to automate data analysis and when authentic human judgment becomes non-negotiable! KEY TOPICS: (02:03) The Anti-Perfectionist Framework (08:19) Magic, Mystery, and Authority in Business Relationships (20:12) When Team Members Use AI Wrong (27:00) Recruiters as Sommeliers (33:14) Radical Candor Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

According to Jacob Kline of Inkline Homes, his remote Filipino team members outperform his local American workers at a fraction of the cost, and they actually ask for more work on slow days. After seven years flipping 300 double wide mobile homes in Florida, Jacob's building something radical at Incline Homes: luxury construction quality at bottom-10% pricing. Think IKEA's disruption of furniture, but for housing. His secret weapon isn't cheaper materials or cutting corners. It's ditching the traditional overhead-heavy construction model for a lean operation powered by global talent and AI. Jacob shares how yesterday's leadership strengths become today's constraints. He learned this the hard way. His obsession with controlling every detail nearly tanked his business when he couldn't find quality project management. The breakthrough came when he realized his need for control was the actual bottleneck, not the lack of talent. Jon's experience mirrors this evolution. He was drowning running a construction business with unreliable local talent (finding mini liquor bottles in desks of people making $30/hour). Global talent didn't just solve his staffing problem. It, in fact, reignited his passion for business. His Filipino team members think about improving the business in their free time, calling old leads for reviews without being asked. As businesses scale, founders must evolve from doing everything to orchestrating systems. Jacob discovered his construction expertise was limiting growth because he couldn't delegate effectively. Once he let go and trusted global talent with core functions, his capacity exploded. This isn't about replacing American workers, but strategic allocation. Jacob’s example demonstrates the value of paying local talent more for high-touch work while global talent handles the systematic, repeatable tasks. The result: better service, happier teams, and margins that allow truly affordable housing without sacrificing quality. Key Topics: (01:14) Introduction to Incline Homes and the IKEA Approach to Construction (04:22) Global Talent Outperforming Local Workers (08:42) “You Need An Apprentice, Not An Assistant” (12:42) Self-Awareness of Your Level of Operational Maturity (21:35) When to Hire Managerial Talent (27:07) Scaling to Your Current Revenue (39:25) Sagan's Talent Pool and Hiring Innovation (41:00) Building Solutions for Your Own Problems Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Anna walk through Sagan's dramatic talent pool transformation. From clunky PDFs to a sophisticated searchable platform, they’re demonstrating what modern internal software development looks like in the AI era. The original concept, simply, is that candidates who didn't get hired were already vetted, interviewed, and qualified. Rather than let this "sawdust" go to waste, Sagan created a talent pool where members could hire these candidates for free. One member has made over 20 hires this way! But the initial execution was rough. PDFs scattered across Google Drive, static posts in Circle, and no way to search or filter. Members were frustrated. They wanted searchability, confirmed availability, and a seamless experience integrated directly into their member portal. The new platform solves these pain points systematically. Real-time availability confirmation prevents candidates from expiring before members can act. Advanced search filters by country, skills, and specific software. A "reserved" function prevents the talent auction problem, which is when multiple members request the same candidate, driving up rates and creating chaos. Anna's key lesson from managing this project resonates beyond Sagan: you need to be specific about what you want, but don't let perfect planning paralyze you. The first draft enables iteration. Once you see a prototype, feedback becomes concrete rather than abstract. Sagan's development philosophy is "make it exist, then make it good." The platform will continue evolving with features like talent drops, personalized notifications, and specialized alerts. Future additions might include: notify me when you add a CSR from South America, or alert me to full-stack developers under a certain rate. This isn't just about hiring. It's about building internal software quickly using AI coding tools, getting feedback fast, and iterating relentlessly. KEY TOPICS: (01:34) The Talent Pool Concept: Turning Interview "Sawdust" Into Value (04:10) Problems Being Solved: Availability, Searchability, Integration (08:22) Full Candidate Profiles: Video, Resume, Interview Q&A (10:01) Lessons from Developing the Talent Pool (11:22) Make It Exist, Then Make It Good Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter dive deep into a problem every growing business faces: team members saying "I'm too busy" and processes accumulating like barnacles on a ship's hull. More than just a matter of workload management, this issue is about the fundamental architecture of how work gets done. So what exactly makes up these "barnacles"? According to Jon, it’s threefold: outdated forms, irrelevant marketing copy, and processes that solved problems from three years ago but nobody remembers why they exist. Peter connects this with the principle of Chesterton's Fence. That is, never remove something until you understand why it was built. To begin solving this problem, establish what you want this person doing at their highest level. That’s their "zone of genius." For a CFO, that's strategic planning rather than transactional bookkeeping. For a business owner at $2-4M revenue, it's growing revenue and developing leadership instead of fulfillment work. It also helps to do a detailed task mapping exercise. List every output, identify inputs needed, describe the transformation process, and define triggers. Jon's framework adds complexity and time assessments to identify "high time, low difficulty" tasks. Those are the lowest hanging fruit for delegation. Peter had the revelation that this exercise is often unintuitive for team members who can't articulate where their hours actually go. Finally, avoid fragmenting roles too much (increasing internal transaction costs), but recognize that labor specialization is actually a sign of operational maturity. Both Jon and Peter hate documentation and SOPs. But they hate being tied to their desks even more. As George Soros said: "I work furiously because I am furious that I have to work." Key Topics: (04:00) The Barnacles Analogy (09:04) Understanding Why Things Exist Before Removing Them (12:06) Define Their Zone of Genius (14:58) Task Mapping: Outputs, Inputs, Transformation, and Triggers (21:12) Difficulty vs. Time: Finding the Low-Hanging Fruit (27:11) How Specialized Should Your Roles Be? (39:32) The Pain of Transformation vs. The Golden Ring of Freedom Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon sits down with Sagan’s Head of Recruitment, Sofía Bravo, to talk about what American team leaders often overlook when working with people from Latin America. Sofía identifies the Latin American default: when something goes wrong, the immediate response is performative work: lengthy reports, detailed timelines, exhaustive documentation. These are all designed to prove effort was made. The fear, especially among junior employees, drives them to muddy the waters with complexity rather than deliver clear, confident analysis. Problems arising from this phenomenon often stem from a fundamental misunderstanding about what managers want. When a boss asks "what happened?", junior team members hear "who's to blame?" So they build defensive fortresses of documentation. But what Jon and Sofía actually need is the thinking: tell me what you know (facts), what you don't know (gaps), and what you think (judgment). That confident assessment is the actual value. The solution centers on radical candor. That’s high care combined with high honesty. Jon's approach is to explicitly acknowledge when he's about to give hard feedback, but frame it with demonstrated care. This creates psychological safety for honesty in both directions. Two years ago, Sofia would've struggled with bluntness. Now she catches herself using "we" instead of direct feedback and immediately corrects. Leadership reinforces this by selectively praising what matters. Not "everything's green" but "you owned the mistake and drove the solution." This cultural challenge isn't unique to Latin America, but recognizing these defaults makes them addressable through deliberate modeling, selective praise, and relentless focus on judgment over justification. KEY TOPICS: (01:00) The Latin American Default: Justification Over Analysis (04:08) Performative Work (10:48) Leadership Modeling (14:22) Radical Candor (17:12) Building Relationship Bank Accounts Before Honesty Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Christian Ruf, special operations veteran turned executive search leader, delivers a masterclass in expectation-setting that exposes why most delegation fails before it begins. Effective leadership, according to Christian, rests on four pillars: feedback, accountability, consistency, and expectations. But expectations come first. Without clear standards, the other three collapse into subjective interpretation and frustration. Christian's three S's framework cuts through management theory bloat: Specific means zero room for interpretation. "End of week" becomes "Friday 3PM PST, PDF format, in my inbox." The rule of thumb is to ask, “Could a four-year-old understand it?” Shared understanding gives people the "why" behind the task, enabling autonomous decision-making when you're not there. Cooking dinner for two versus twenty requires completely different approaches. Without context, people optimize for the wrong outcome. Supported means providing actual resources: training, SOPs, budget, organizational access. Asking someone to do Turkish getups without a kettlebell sounds absurd, yet managers do the equivalent daily. At the same time, you shouldn’t stop giving your team the "why". Your purpose needs repetition until it becomes organizational muscle memory. He introduces the brief-back technique, where you have team members explain their understanding before executing. This allows leaders to catch misalignment before it becomes failure. The framework's power lies in its diagnostic utility. When someone underperforms, leaders ask: Was it specific? Shared? Supported? Three yes answers mean it's a performance issue. Any no means it's a leadership failure. This shifts accountability where it belongs and prevents the toxic cycle of blaming team members for unclear expectations. KEY TOPICS: (02:02) The Four Pillars of Effective Leadership (05:10) Pillar One: Specific Expectations (08:24) Pillar Two: Shared Understanding (12:38) Pillar Three: Supported Execution (15:24) The Three S's Diagnostic for Failed Expectations Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter tackle two challenges facing successful entrepreneurs: being truly present with family despite physical attendance, and navigating career transitions without severing valuable connections. Ever felt "a million miles away at work” when spending time with family? You’re not alone. It’s a common paradox that many an entrepreneur has to deal with. That “paradox” of being present in body when you’re out with family, but absent in mind because all you’re thinking about is work. The entrepreneurial personality that drives business success (obsessive, curious, relentless) becomes the enemy of presence. Entrepreneurs often swap one addiction for another: trading work obsession for ultramarathon training or school board positions, still pressing the gas pedal instead of learning to simply be. Peter introduces the framework of quality versus quantity time. Having household help isn't about avoiding parenting. It enables better engagement during hours spent together. And it’s not an easy transition for entrepreneurs. Imagine building and managing "palaces of business operations" where everything bends to their control, then returning home where nothing does. On career transitions, Jon argues against two extremes. Don't make your next chapter entirely about your previous identity (the Navy SEAL who only does SEAL ventures), but don't abandon it completely either. The answer is to "reinvent yourself 25% at a time" by leveraging your background to open doors while building toward something new. Peter adds Charlie Munger's principle: "The first rule of compounding: Never interrupt it unnecessarily," especially regarding relationships. That fraternity photo from twenty years ago? Those shirtless beer-drinking kids are now senior lawyers, venture-backed founders, and doctors. That makes for an invaluable network that compounds over decades. KEY TOPICS: (01:46) Physical Presence vs. Mental Presence with Kids (08:00) Trading Addictions: Why Entrepreneurs Can't Just Sit (17:26) Psychedelics as Tools for Presence (19:00) Quality Over Quantity Time: The Case for Household Help (23:35) Unlearning Survival Habits (30:47) Reinventing Yourself 25% at a Time (38:11) Never Interrupt Compounding (Especially Relationships) (45:32) Carl Rogers on Appreciating People Like Sunsets Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon sits down with Christian Ruf to discuss why labor-intensive small businesses need both affordable global talent and battle-tested leaders who thrive in chaos. Christian’s specialty is recruiting former military personnel. He’s not just thanking veterans for their service, but also solving a specific problem for lower-middle-market companies stuck between drowning in operations and being unable to  afford a $250K president. Christian personally experienced the ego death necessary to understand what small business operators actually need. After all, he’s flown helicopters in special operations and power-washing patios for country music stars, earning more than $20/hour. All drawn from real and raw on-the-ground experience! Jon and Christian distinguish between two hiring categories. First, the premium tier: former special forces operators with MBAs commanding $180-250K as COOs and presidents. But the real volume, and arguably bigger impact, sits in the second category: former company commanders earning their undergrad at state schools, serving 5-7 years, then spending a few years discovering they hate wealth management. These leaders command roughly $10K/month and provide asymmetric value to small business owners who need someone to "just run the show." Only 1 of 55 placements had industry experience. Operators need to read between the lines of a resume to find these guys and girls. A pilot who flew night missions at 300 feet over Syria while being shot at can probably manage restaurant operations. The military community provides a translated skill set that small business owners struggle to evaluate: leadership under chaos, accountability systems, and the ability to link strategic intent to tactical execution. TIMESTAMPS: (01:23) From Special Operations Helicopter Pilot to Small Business Operator (05:42) The Handyman Ego Death: Power Washing Investor Patios (10:17) Strategic Partnership: 50% Off Executive Recruiting for Sagan Members (13:35) Two Categories of Military Hires: Upper vs Lower End (15:07) Category One: Special Forces + MBA = $180-250K Leadership (20:56) Why Industry Experience Doesn't Matter (22:20) Category Two: The $10K/Month GM Who Just Runs the Show (31:50) Translation Services: Flying at 300 Feet Over Syria vs Restaurant Stress Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter tackle the hardest pivot for operator-minded entrepreneurs: recognizing when systematic optimization becomes a distraction from strategic leverage. Peter's consulting for AppFolio, a publicly-traded property management software company with thousands of customers in Crane's exact target market. He's speaking on stage with their CMO at conferences. Yet, up till recently, he was still grinding through membership drives like a bootstrapped startup. Jon's intervention is part confrontation, part masterclass in "deal guy" thinking. While Peter was perfecting his systems, Jon believed he was overlooking the partnership that could deliver more members in one email blast than six months of webinars. In short, Jon says that engineers optimize existing systems, while deal-makers architect new leverage points that make old systems irrelevant. Next, Jon and Peter discuss vehicle selection within industries. They believe that no operator is ever stuck in a bad business model, but that they’re likely adjacent to better ones. Property managers become software companies. Gym owners become SaaS founders. The question isn't whether your industry has potential, but whether you've chosen the right vehicle and identified your center of gravity. That single relationship or initiative that carries along a dozen minor results. Jon then introduces backwards planning from desired outcomes, the art of having your pitch ready when green lights appear, and why you must be prepared to "go all the way" in the moment. Peter explores the Rule of 40 as a forcing function: if your business isn't either growing fast or printing money, you're playing the wrong game entirely KEY TOPICS: (02:23) Why Jon Isn’t Into Clickbait for Top-of-Funnel (11:03) Stop Running Bake Sales and Just Close the Deal (17:20) Being a "Deal Guy" vs. Systems Thinker (19:00) The Center of Gravity: Marine Corps Strategic Thinking (22:08) Vehicle Selection Within Your Industry (26:00) Momentum in Deal-Making: Being Ready to Close (30:00) The Rule of 40 for Business Health (34:00) Competing With Your Customers or Vendors (41:23) Toyota Way Principles for Small Business (44:00) Crane Conference Insights and the Power of Pins Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon coaches Priscilla, a first-time manager at Sagan, through one of management's fundamental challenges: being accountable for everything while not doing everything yourself. Priscilla manages six recruiters and struggles with the classic new manager trap: when something goes wrong, she pulls control back and starts reviewing every email. Jon introduces the Marine Corps concept of "directed telescopes," where managers selectively sample their team's work rather than monitoring everything. Instead of being CC'd on every email, he advises Priscilla to periodically dive deep into specific projects, checking calendars, reviewing select emails, and asking targeted questions during one-on-ones. This creates "fingertip feel", or knowing what's happening without being in every meeting. The conversation reveals a critical distinction between mistake types. Jon embraces "aggressive mistakes" (errors made while pushing boundaries or exercising judgment) and has zero tolerance for "sloppy mistakes" stemming from laziness or lack of attention. When a team member pushes back too hard on a client, Jon backs them up. When someone leaves AI prompts visible in an email, that's unacceptable. Priscilla can't work her way out of this problem by staying later and reviewing more emails. She must think her way out by developing her team. The goal is getting her voice into their heads, so they anticipate her standards without needing constant oversight. Drawing from his own experience with mentors, Jon describes how effective leaders create space for growth while maintaining clear expectations and documentation through proper feedback frameworks. KEY TOPICS (01:40) Why Leaders Need to Foster Accountability Without Being a Control Freak (04:55) "Directed Telescopes": The Marine Corps Sampling Method (06:51) Creating "Fingertip Feel" Without Micromanaging (09:31) Mistakes of Aggression vs Mistakes of Sloppiness (12:51) The Four Steps of Giving Feedback Framework (20:11) Getting Your Voice Into Your Team's Heads (24:12) Rose-Colored Glasses: Priscilla's Leadership Strength and Weakness Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter crack open the real opportunity in AI for small businesses (hint: it's not what most operators think). Forget personal productivity hacks that save you five minutes on email. Forget launching the next big SaaS product that becomes a customer support nightmare. The gold sits squarely in category two: internal tools for your team. Jon's built $50-100K of monthly value at Sagan using Replit and some API connections. Not by selling software, but by solving their actual constraint: screening 1,000 applicants for a single role. What used to take a week and a half now happens instantly, with AI dynamically ranking candidates so humans can start at the top of the list. Peter's advice for the last 12 years was "conform your business to the tools." Things are a little different now. With AI coding assistants, you can build exactly what you want, how you want it to work. No more spaghetti workflows. No more feature requests. No more conferences. The framework is deceptively simple: identify your constraint, then attack it with AI and automation. For Sagan, it was screening speed. For property managers, it might be lead flow. Jon and Peter then go tactical. If you want to blow past your competitors, have AI monitor their listings, identify the property owner, generate custom direct mail with an impressionistic rendering of their house, and dynamically select messaging based on which competitor they're using. Total cost: $130 in Replit credits. Big companies have thousand-person software teams building internal tools. Now that capability is democratized. Your maintenance guy can get an optimized route with required tools pulled from inventory. Not because you're a 20,000-door operation, but because you spent two hours in Replit. TIMESTAMPS: (01:00) Three Categories: Personal, Internal, and External Tools (02:04) Why Internal Tools Are the Sweet Spot (11:54) Theory of Constraints: Finding Your Attack Vector (18:25) Property Management Lead Flow Constraints (22:04) Building an Owner Portal in Two Hours (25:46) Sagan's AI Screening System: 1,000 Applications Ranked Instantly (39:12) Automated Competitor Targeting with Custom Direct Mail Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter explore how stepping away from your business acts as the ultimate forcing function for operational excellence. Peter's "Crane break" concept (taking a month off annually) isn't about vacation; it's about exposing every bottleneck, dependency, and broken process that keeps you chained to daily operations. By putting the break on the calendar five months out and announcing it to his team, Peter creates urgency around solving constraints. First it's password resets. Then payroll. Then exception handling. Each solved constraint buys more freedom. Jon introduces a crucial framework: businesses exist to serve their owners, not the other way around. This isn't about neglecting customers. It's about recognizing that an exhausted, trapped owner serves no one well. He describes entrepreneurship as climbing Maslow's hierarchy: first you make payroll, then get health insurance, then finally ask bigger questions about mission and meaning. Many entrepreneurs get stuck at lower levels, never graduating to consider whether they even like their industry. The discussion pivots to transaction costs and firm boundaries, exploring how falling costs create new business models. Where once you needed McKinsey and a Manila office to hire globally, now you can direct-hire through platforms like Sagan. Similarly, businesses like Yardzen unbundled design from installation, using Facebook ads and remote designers while letting local contractors handle execution risk. Jon and Peter challenge operators to think differently about constraints. Rather than collecting frameworks and tools hoping something sticks, use time freedom as your north star. Every operational decision should answer one question: does this get me closer to or further from my Crane break? Key Topics: (02:09) The Crane Break Concept: Taking a Month Off Annually (07:00) Property Management's Operational Intensity vs Other Sectors (09:23) Constraint-Based Thinking for Time Freedom (12:34) "A Business Exists to Serve Its Owner" Philosophy (15:14) Hierarchy of Entrepreneurial Needs: From Survival to Purpose (25:59) Negative Goals: Knowing What You Don't Want (32:48) The Yardzen Model: Unbundling Design from Installation (36:03) Global Hiring: From McKinsey to Direct Access Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter debate their contrasting approaches to building teams in small businesses. Jon champions a "build" philosophy - hiring entry-level talent, particularly global workers, and developing them into leaders over time. His approach is deeply influenced by Marine Corps culture, particularly when it comes to indoctrination, loyalty, and creating a distinct organizational ethos. He’s never hired a six-figure employee outside of commission-based salespeople, preferring to cultivate talent from within. Peter takes the opposite stance with a "buy" strategy, bringing in experienced professionals who command higher salaries but deliver immediate results. His engineering background shaped his preference for expertise and the ability to hit the ground running. Peter argues that paying premium rates for proven talent often delivers better ROI, particularly for critical business functions. Peter's property management company provided predictable recurring revenue, allowing for bigger bets on expensive hires. Jon operated with tighter cash flow constraints, making survival the priority. They explore the role of business coaches and consultants, with Jon skeptical of their value while Peter embraces external expertise. Both acknowledge their approaches have merit, suggesting the optimal strategy likely falls between their extremes, depending on business stage, cash flow, and growth objectives. Key Topics: (01:38) Jon’s “Build” Philosophy vs Peter’s “Buy” Strategy (05:39) Jon's Passion for Training and Developing People (12:43) Marine Corps Culture Influence on Organizational Philosophy (16:51) Higher Floor vs Higher Ceiling: Comparing Hiring Strategies (26:54) The Value of Business Coaches and Consultants (36:10) Building a "Presidential Guard" of Loyal Long-Term Team Members Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

In this episode, Peter sits down with Jon Matzner to discuss the integration of artificial intelligence in small business operations. They begin by exploring the host’s day-to-day challenges and how to stay on top of AI implementation within his own company. Jon shares how Sagan uses AI to streamline processes and emphasizes the importance of founders being actively involved in meaningful AI adoption. They also discuss how to differentiate between tactical and strategic uses of AI to create real value. The conversation dives into the need for a strategic vision to guide AI projects and how to build trust and consistency within the team. They offer practical advice on identifying opportunities for AI implementation by looking at company outputs and SLAs. Finally, the episode covers continuous process improvement, experimenting with new technologies, and rebuilding trust with teams. Listeners will gain key insights into leadership, AI strategies, and transforming workflows in small businesses. Key Topics: (00:46) AI at Work: Transforming Small Business (01:35) When AI Gets You Tangled in Ops-I don’t even know who does what in my company (06:31) AI Beyond the Buzz: Assistance vs Strategy (16:07) If you have AI, what is your manager’s job? (21:31) AI: Still an Art, Not a Science (26:25) Lean Lessons: Fix What Matters (31:40) We should get a factory, Jon! (or not?) (35:18) Strategic Choices and Competitive Advantages (42:48) Leading with Trust and Consistency, not with AI (58:20) The baby formula (better with twins) - final thoughts Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon sits down with Aizik Zimerman, who bought J. Blanton Plumbing three years ago at $6 million in revenue and has since grown it to a $25 million run rate—without acquiring a single company. His secret? He doesn't think he runs a plumbing company at all. "We're a consumer sales and marketing business," Aizik says. "We just happen to install plumbing." This mindset shift explains why he has two full-stack developers, a fleet of overseas recruiters, and runs 10 marketing events per week across Chicago. Jon talks to Aizik about his unconventional approach to the skilled labor shortage. While competitors struggle to find plumbers, he's built a 40-person global team handling everything from inbound calls to permit pulling. This allows him to pay his field technicians $4-6 above market rates without raising prices, creating what Jon calls "labor specialization at $10 million instead of $200 million." They dive deep into the power of obsession. Aizik admits he listens to home services podcasts for fun and treats business like a game where you need to master both consumer branding and blue-collar labor management. As Jon notes, channeling Naval: "It's hard to be the best plumber in the world, but straightforward to be the best plumber-marketer combination." They also break down bet sizing, multichannel marketing density, and why organic growth beats acquisitions when you're printing money. Aizik's approach is to find what works, then do 10x more of it. Key Topics: (05:40) From 20 to 130 Employees: The Growth Story (13:51) Solving the Skilled Labor Crisis with Global Talent (18:56) Single-Task Global Employees and ROI (22:37) Labor Specialization: The $10M Company Secret (25:27) Revenue Stair-Steps: $6M to $25M Journey (32:21) Multichannel Marketing and Geographic Domination (35:17) The Naval Principle: Being the Best Combination (44:21) Bet Sizing and Risk Management Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Why do some businesses thrive on cold outreach and educational content while others find these tactics completely ineffective? Peter draws on his own recent experience where, despite running monthly webinars all year with heavy promotion across multiple channels, his property management company barely attracts 20 live attendees (half being employees). Meanwhile, a hastily organized webinar for his other audience of property management business owners pulled 250 attendees with minimal effort. "You can't cold call somebody and say, 'Hey, do you have any leaky pipes?'" Jon quips, making the point that property management marketing differs from other industries. When someone needs a plumber, they need one NOW. When someone needs a property manager, they either desperately need one or they don't. There's no middle ground you can market your way into. Next, Jon and Peter talk marketing economics. With a $45,000 lifetime value but a one-year payback period where they lose money, Peter's property management business faces unique challenges. Jon proposes radical solutions: downselling to free management forever (monetizing through maintenance fees) or creating intro offers that recover customer acquisition costs immediately. They explore the difference between home services (search-driven, time-sensitive, skilled labor constrained) and home improvement (demand creation, higher ticket, schedulable). Property management sits awkwardly between these models, explaining why consolidators prefer acquiring 150-door portfolios over organic growth. Finally, Jon pushes Peter toward more aggressive marketing tactics: exploding offers, upsell sequences, and the Hormozi principle that "sales create sales." While Peter worries about cheapening his brand, Jon argues he's nowhere near that danger zone. Understanding your industry's fundamental dynamics matters more than copying tactics from other sectors. The real work of leadership is setting and showing the standard, whether that's in marketing strategy or morning standups. Key Topics: (04:34) Why Companies Acquire vs Grow Organically (17:23) The 3% Buyer's Pyramid Problem (25:05) Free Management Forever Downselling Strategy (32:05) The Power of Enriched Data Collection (36:50) Hormozi's "Sales Create Sales" Philosophy (42:55) Setting Standards as Leadership Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

Jon and Peter crack open one of the most perplexing puzzles in modern B2B marketing: why Peter's tiny 15,000-subscriber newsletter drives a significant fraction of what Daring Fireball makes with 2.5 million monthly visitors. And why Shaan Puri, with his top-10 business podcast, converted exactly 6 customers from 550 referrals to Somewhere. The conversation starts with their origin stories - Jon's 2009 CrossFit philosophy blog that got him flown places at 24, Peter's Twitter journey that Moses Kagan pushed him into -but quickly evolves into something more profound. They're seeing a fundamental shift in how skeptical business owners make purchasing decisions. The old playbook of interrupt marketing, Facebook ads, and growth hacking for maximum eyeballs is dying. Replacing it are high-trust vertical communities where people actually pay to participate. In fact, Jon says that he’d rather own a vertical community than a vertical SaaS right now. In an era of AI-generated content slop, business owners will increasingly retreat to closed communities for their most important decisions. Jon and Peter dissect why generic business influencers fail while niche operators thrive. The secret sauce isn't just authenticity - it's having skin in the game and being willing to piss people off. As Jon puts it, channeling Chappelle: "You don't always have to be funny, but you always have to be interesting." Key Topics: (08:15) The B2B Marketing Crisis: Why Vendors Can't Reach Customers (11:00) Shaan Puri's 1% Conversion Rate Problem (19:29) Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook (22:58) Why Vertical Communities Beat Vertical SaaS (27:57) The Peter Playbook vs. The Media Playbook (32:21) Authenticity and Showing Up Online (35:47) The Michelin Guide Strategy for Customer Acquisition (41:00) Having Skin in the Game: Why Business Influencers Fail (45:46) Final Thoughts: Automatic Blinds and AI Customer Databases Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com