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Keeping the Key Employee: On Trust, Surprises, and Transforming Top Dog Into Raynmaker
10/25/2025
Keeping the Key Employee: On Trust, Surprises, and Transforming Top Dog Into Raynmaker
Episode 7 | Garth Fasano & Christi Loucks with guest, Jason Trinka Garth and Christi sit down with Jason Trinka, the longtime operator and GM of Top Dog, before and after the acquisition. They unpack the messy middle of a surprise transition where Jason learned about the sale after close and chose to lean in rather than walk away. The conversation traces how trust was built through autonomy, authenticity, and shared vision work, from hiking with a 3-5-10 year planning worksheet to small family-first gestures that mattered more than emails and meetings. They revisit early org changes, the move from hidden SOPs to transparent systems, and the deliberate shift that pulled Jason out of the front lines so new leaders could grow. They get candid about comp complexity when profit sharing meets SBA debt, why culture change takes years, and the moments that almost broke things, including tough client calls and access changes that ultimately unlocked growth. The big lesson for ETA operators: meet key employees pre-close, go slower than you think, keep people whole when models change, and invest in real relationships so you do not lose your number two when it counts most. Listen now!
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