Leadership Lounge With Jack Tester

Jack interviews Frank Blau, Jr., Nexstar's founder. The two discuss the early days of working together at Nexstar, and how the inability to delegate authority can destroy your ability to succeed.

Nexstar's former president and CEO talks about leadership hand-offs and the importance of planning your departure.

John Ward's company Applewood Plumbing, Heating & Electric was recently honored as Nexstar's most profitable company. John explains how investing in your people pays top dividends. "We want our employees to live as well as our customers," Ward says.

Nexstar's Board Chairman Phil Smitherman returns to chat with with Jack about how to create a highly engaged workplace. Smitherman shares his top advice for managers, which includes acknowledgement and attention. 

Jack interviews Gordon Schroll, the owner of ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric in Chicago and ABC Plumbing, Air & Heat in Clearwater, FL. Scroll has been a Nexstar member since 1992. The two discuss how identifying and building accountability helps position both people and companies for explosive growth. 

Jack interviews Bill Raymond, a longtime business owner, Nexstar member, master trainer, and now a Nexstar TAP coach. The two discuss employee training and how to make it relevant so that what's learned is applied.

Jack talks to John Milos, an entrepreneur and founder of Stylin' Concepts, a specialty vehicle parts distributor. John explains the benefits of creating a company culture that helps employees understand and embrace that they are owners of the company, too.

Marla Coffin was Nexstar's second employee. She worked for the organization until 2010. She talks with Jack about growing up on a rural Minnesota dairy farm, and how the lessons of responsibility and doing what's necessary helped shape her leadership practices. 

Jack chats with Dr. Jami Rasmussen, a physiology expert, about how a healthy body benefits productivity. "Mental health and physical health are very closely intertwined," explains Dr. Rasmussen. "How you process stress directly impacts your physical health."

Jack  interviews Geno Caccia, owner of Caccia Plumbing, who has spearheaded an initiative to bring people into the trades. He calls it "Ride and Decide." The program pairs a high school student with a professional in the trades. The two discuss how other companies can set up a similar program for themselves, and the support companies can get from Explore the Trades.

Jack interviews Scott Nelson, an owner of Laney's in Fargo, ND. Nelson, who lives in Scottsdale, AZ, discusses the challenges and rewards of remote management. Laney's is a leader in the competitive Fargo market with nearly 100 employees and  about $16 million in sales. 

President and CEO Jack Tester reviews the keynote speech given by Gino Wickman at Nexstar's recent Super Meeting. Wickman, author of the best-selling book "Traction," talks about how it's important for leadership teams to understand the capacity of the people making up their organization. There are three important questions to ask, and the podcast covers them. 

Jack talks with Nexstar Chairman of the Board Phil Smitherman. Phil regularly accompanies his Aux Home Services and Banks Quarles Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical employees when they come to Nexstar for training. He explains how this helps him get to know the people who represent his companies better, while deepening employee engagement and productivity. 

Why do you do what you do? What drives you to be extraordinary? In the first Leadership Lounge Podcast, Jack Tester conducts a self-interview about how identifying and understanding your "why"  drives the mission of your company.