38 - Are You Struggling to Balance Work, Sleep, and Personal Life?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
Release Date: 06/23/2025
58 - From Origin Story to Core Focus: Crafting Your Business Identity
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this Lucky 13 Podcast episode, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser discuss the importance of “core focus” in business and personal development. They explore how a company’s origin story shapes its purpose, passion, and niche, emphasizing the need to revisit and clarify these elements regularly. Through personal anecdotes and practical examples, they highlight how a clear core focus guides decision-making, prevents distractions, and energizes teams. The conversation also touches on the value of discipline in saying no to misaligned opportunities and the role of both founders and employees in...
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57 - Are You Expanding Your Business or Just Filling Space?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Josh Hauser and Mike Lantz share personal holiday traditions before diving into business insights. They discuss Parkinson’s Law, emphasizing how work expands to fill available time, and warn against unnecessary hiring and bureaucratic growth. The conversation highlights the pitfalls of focusing on trivial issues, accumulating organizational “junk,” and prioritizing appearances over substance. The hosts encourage leaders to set tighter deadlines, regularly eliminate inefficiencies, and foster honest self-reflection to build resilient,...
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56 - Mastering the Art of Employee Evaluation: Balancing Will Sets and Skill Sets for Team Success
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser dive into people management, work-life alignment, and employee evaluation, using the holiday season as a backdrop. They discuss how aligning personal and professional lives brings clarity, then explore evaluating employees through “will sets” (motivation) and “skill sets” (ability). The conversation covers managing low performers, re-engaging disengaged experts, developing high potentials, and coaching top talent. Sports analogies and real-life examples illustrate strategies for feedback, ownership, and recognition....
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55 - The Challenge of Balancing Leadership and Friendship in Business
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser reconnect, sharing lighthearted banter about local food favorites before diving into a reflective business discussion. They emphasize the importance of honest year-end reviews, hiring the right people, and upholding core company values. The conversation explores balancing accountability and friendship, demanding excellence with compassion, and avoiding fear-based retention. Using personal stories and practical tools, Mike and Josh encourage leaders to foster team alignment, address issues early, and make data-driven...
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54 - Practical Best Strategies for Rapid Organizational Culture Transformation
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Josh Hauser and Mike Lantz explore the foundations of effective business leadership, using sports analogies from Indiana University athletics. They discuss building success through consistent effort, the importance of decisive commitment, and rapidly transforming organizational culture. The conversation highlights the need for clear vision, aligning the right people in the right roles, and mastering both leadership and management. Practical strategies like measurable KPIs and 90-day priorities are shared, emphasizing intentional teamwork and...
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53 - Unlocking AI: Practical Steps for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses to Embrace Technology and Thrive
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this Lucky 13 Podcast episode, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser interview Jason Beutler, CEO of Robosource. Jason shares his journey from studying computer science and AI to founding Robosource, which helps small and mid-sized businesses integrate AI into daily operations. They discuss Robosource’s Process Coach, a virtual AI assistant that streamlines tasks like sales proposals and sourcing, and emphasize AI as a supportive tool, not a job replacer. The conversation also covers challenges businesses face in adopting AI, the importance of business-driven strategies, and Robosource's...
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52 - What Can Math Teach Us About Leadership and Organizational Clarity?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser explore how leadership and organizational clarity can be improved using the math concept of order of operations (PEMDAS). Through relatable analogies and real-world examples, they discuss the importance of clear rules, tools, and disciplines in business, effective communication, and hiring practices. The hosts share personal stories and practical frameworks, emphasizing that consistent standards and cultural fit are key to building strong, aligned teams and achieving business success. Podcast Introduction...
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51 - The Greatest Leadership Principles for Inspiring Success and Growth
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode, Mike and Josh discuss Indiana University football’s strong season and the excitement around the return of the bison mascot. The conversation then shifts to leadership, drawing on John Maxwell’s “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.” They explore principles like servant leadership, the importance of connection, and the Law of Buy-In, sharing personal stories and practical advice. The episode emphasizes that effective leadership is built on daily growth, genuine relationships, and helping others achieve their dreams, offering actionable insights for both sports fans...
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50 - Why "But" is the Enemy of Effective Communication in Leadership
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode, recorded on September 11th, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser (“Chef Hauser”) engage in an unscripted conversation about business leadership, personal growth, and mindset. Josh shares memorable analogies—like “left cheek, right cheek” and “what wood won’t light”—to illustrate the importance of referrals, clarity, and focusing on high performers. The hosts discuss raising organizational standards, the value of self-awareness, and fostering team alignment. Blending humor and practical advice, they encourage leaders to obsess over excellence, nurture talent, and...
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49 - Building a Resilient Workforce: Strategies for Managing Employee Turnover Effectively
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser dive into the challenges of employee turnover in today’s tight job market. They distinguish between natural and preventable turnover, discuss the impact of hiring practices and leadership, and offer practical strategies for reducing regrettable attrition. The conversation also highlights the value of peer coaching “trios” for business owners. With candid anecdotes and actionable advice, Mike and Josh emphasize the importance of aligning the right people with the right roles to drive business success and employee...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Lucky 13 podcast, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser discuss the importance of intentional time management and work-life balance. They reflect on a recent Pacers vs. Knicks game before introducing the "eight by eight by eight" framework for dividing time between work, sleep, and personal life. Sharing personal stories and practical tips, they encourage listeners to audit their schedules, prioritize commitments, and use tools to track time. Emphasizing flexibility and purpose, they inspire the audience to make conscious choices that align with their values and lead to a more fulfilling life.
Podcast Introduction and Basketball Game Reflection (00:00:08) Mike and Josh introduce the episode, joke about ending the show, and discuss the Pacers vs. Knicks Game 6.
Life Choices and Work-Life Balance (00:00:40) Josh explains missing the game due to family, leading to a discussion on making intentional life choices.
The "Eight by Eight by Eight" Framework (00:01:53) Introduction and explanation of the 8x8x8 rule: 8 hours work, 8 hours sleep, 8 hours for personal priorities.
Imbalance and Communication During Busy Seasons (00:02:46) Discusses the consequences of overworking and the importance of communicating with family during busy periods.
Personal Story: Time Tracking and Coaching (00:03:56) Mike shares his experience with a coach, tracking time in 15-minute increments, and learning about productive activities.
Bucketing and Auditing Time (00:04:43) Describes categorizing tracked time into buckets and identifying "dollar productive" activities.
The Ideal Week Exercise (00:06:35) Explains building an ideal week by listing commitments and scheduling them intentionally.
Prioritizing Commitments and Big Rocks (00:07:38) Discusses identifying non-negotiable commitments and scheduling them as "big rocks" in the calendar.
Leaving White Space and Flexibility (00:08:43) Emphasizes the importance of leaving white space in the calendar for flexibility and availability.
Seasonal and Life Changes in Scheduling (00:10:23) Notes how schedules and priorities shift with seasons of life and business, and the need to plan ahead.
Step-by-Step: Implementing the Framework (00:11:03) Josh recaps the process: list commitments, track time, and plan using a quarterly view for better rhythm.
Tracking and Bucketing Time (00:12:42) Reiterates the importance of tracking time, creating custom buckets, and using the 8x8x8 framework.
Work Buckets and Delegation (00:13:25) Breaks down work time into core responsibilities, avoiding time spent on tasks below one’s pay grade.
Team Alignment and Accountability (00:14:45) Encourages leaders to focus on unique abilities and ensure team members do the same for efficiency.
Action Steps: Time Tracking for Listeners (00:16:09) Listeners are encouraged to track their time in 15-minute increments for two weeks and bucket activities.
Intentional Calendar Planning (00:16:54) Advocates for intentionally scheduling priorities and commitments, similar to how we schedule appointments.
Discipline and Flexibility in Execution (00:19:02) Stresses the need for discipline in following the planned calendar, while leaving room for emergencies.
Organizational Impact and Teaching the Method (00:20:41) Discusses how leaders modeling this approach can influence the entire organization’s effectiveness.
Auditing and Time Tracking Tools (00:21:28) Mentions tools like Harvest for ongoing time tracking and auditing, and the value of periodic self-audits.
The Value of Time and Purpose (00:22:10) Reflects on the irreplaceable nature of time, the importance of spending it wisely, and finding purpose in work.