In this episode of Independence by Design™, I sit down with Matt Bodnar to explore what it truly means to be an owner versus an operator. Matt’s journey—from being deeply entrenched in the day-to-day operations of his IT firm to becoming a strategic investor and capital allocator—perfectly illustrates the shift in mindset necessary to move from "doing" to "owning." Starting out by handling every detail, Matt gradually worked his way out of the operator role and learned how to structure his company to run without him. 

Watch on YouTube

We dive into the key steps Matt took to delegate operations, build systems, and free himself from the daily grind, ultimately allowing him to focus on long-term strategy and investing in multiple companies through his holding company, Eidolon Capital. This episode provides a clear path for business owners ready to make the transition from operator to owner, focusing on how to unlock sustainable cash flow, build equity, and design real independence—what I call the Independence by Design™ ownership mindset. 

1. Matthew Bodnar is the Founding Partner at Eidolon Capital. As a “Forbes 30 Under 30” alumni and partner in multiple “Inc Fastest Growing Companies,” Matt is a private equity sponsor who has scaled businesses across multiple industries. He is the major investor and Chairman of Ozark River Manufacturing, ProRack Systems, Fresh Technology, Inc and Highland Industrial Staffing. He is also the Creator and Host of The Science of Success Podcast with more than 5mm downloads. Bodnar previously worked as a consultant in Nanjing, China and spent several years at Goldman Sachs in New York.[Text Wrapping Break]

Chapters:  

• 00:00 Introduction and Background - Matt Bodnar 


• 02:30 The Struggles of Being an Operator: Matt’s Early Days   


• 07:45 The Turning Point: Transitioning from Operator to Owner   


• 13:07 Life Purpose and What Drives Matt, Influential Books 


• 17:30 Everything is Connected, Navigating Reality 


• 25:31 Being ‘Roughly Right’ and Examining Operations 


• 28:49 The Owner’s Mindset: How Matt Changed His Approach  


• 30:53 Delegating and Building a Leadership Team  


• 37:45 Case Studies and Real Life Examples 


• 48:00 Statistics on U.S. Businesses, Employment, and Revenue Levels 


• 51:57 Advice for Owners on Shifting to a Capital Allocator Mindset  


• 54:00 Buying Companies and Investment Criteria, ‘Baking the Perfect Deal’ 


• 1:00:03 Empowering Company Teams, Distributing Equity 


• 1:01:00 Closing Thoughts, Subscribe to Matt’s Newsletter 


• Share with the owner/operators you know! 

Ryan Tansom is a seasoned entrepreneur, speaker, and the founder of Independence by Design™, a transformative ownership framework for growth-oriented business owners. After turning around and selling his family business in an eight-figure exit, Ryan spent over a decade dissecting the lessons learned from his journey. His mission is to help other business owners avoid the pitfalls he encountered by providing them with the tools and knowledge to align their business operations with their personal and financial goals. 

With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by owner-operators, Ryan developed Independence by Design™ to empower owner-operators to create sustainable cash flow, grow their company’s equity value, and achieve true independence. He has shared his insights on hundreds of stages, including Vistage, EO, and industry associations, and has reached over 500,000 listeners through his podcast. 

Ryan is passionate about helping business owners get unstuck from the day-to-day grind and design a business that serves their life, not the other way around. 

Resources:

Website: https://mattbodnar.com/ 

Newsletter https://mattbodnar.com/newsletter/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbodnar 

X https://x.com/mattbodnar?lang=en 

Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel – A guide to acquisition entrepreneurship and scaling through acquisitions. 

The Snowball by Alice Schroeder 

Essays of Warren Buffet 

Built to Sell by John Warrillow – A playbook for building a business that can thrive without you. 

EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) by Gino Wickman – A tool for scaling your company while separating yourself from day-to-day operations. 

The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack – Understanding your numbers and playing the long game of value creation. 

Independence by Design™ Owner’s Workshop https://ryantansom.com/independence-by-design-workshop 

Independence by Design™ Ownership Coaching: Ryan Tansom’s Ownership Accelerator programs and coaching https://ryantansom.com/coaching 

Ryan Tansom Website https://ryantansom.com/ 

Ryan Tansom LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantansom/ 

Ryan Tansom Twitter https://twitter.com/RyanTansom 

Ryan Tansom YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ryantansom 

Ryan Tansom 30-Minute Ownership Strategy Call https://calendar.app.google/tsKk7z6ohugDchWq8 

Sound Bites: 

"At some point, you have to realize that running the business and owning the business are two very different things." – Matt Bodnar