Breaking the Mold, One Reinvention at a Time

Hank shares his unconventional path into IT leadership — beginning with time on Capitol Hill, renewable energy work at the Department of Energy, military service as an infantry officer, oil & gas, and private equity acquisition through a search fund. He eventually returned to Kentucky and found the role at NetGain through LinkedIn.

The conversation focuses heavily on hiring in a highly competitive industry, why culture fit beats technical skill, and NetGain’s emphasis on developing people from within. Hank explains that nearly everyone at NetGain is client-facing, which means they must hire engineers who not only know technology but can “talk like humans to humans.”

Hank discusses their improved onboarding process, his personal 60‑day check-ins with new employees, and how EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) helps keep six offices across five states aligned. He shares how creative HR initiatives — like themed scavenger hunts and employee appreciation events — build unity between “the nerds” (engineers) and “the jocks” (sales).

The episode closes with Hank’s perspective on modern leadership: stay humble, surround yourself with the right team, build systems, and ask “dumb questions” to get to better answers faster.

📝 KEY SHOW NOTES (Producer-Style)

1. Hank’s Background & Journey

• Started career in politics and renewable energy.
• Joined the Army; transitioned to oil & gas afterward.
• Moved into private equity via a search fund (buy → grow → sell).
• Relocated to Kentucky for family.
• Found the NetGain CEO role on LinkedIn, which becomes a running joke throughout the episode.

2. HR & Hiring in Tech

• Hiring in cybersecurity is very difficult and highly competitive.
• Strategy:
• Grow from within whenever possible.
• Prioritize culture fit over skills (“You can learn any skill”).
• Hire people who can “talk like humans” since everyone is client-facing.
• Avoid rushing to fill seats — get “the right people in the right seat.”

3. Culture & Retention

• NetGain maps traits of their top 5 employees to guide hiring.
• Strong mentoring mentality at all levels.
• Exit interviews help refine their retention strategy.
• Leadership’s philosophy: treat people like family, build trust, coach them.

4. Onboarding & Employee Development

• Developed a structured onboarding journey with HR and managers.
• After 60 days, Hank personally meets with every new hire to get feedback.
• Uses fresh eyes to identify broken or outdated processes.
• Employees appreciate clarity, KPIs, and knowing what their day looks like.
• EOS provides organizational structure across multiple regions.

5. Culture Building Across 6 Cities

• Host appreciation events, team building activities, and themed experiences.
• HR runs creative morale initiatives (e.g., Harry Potter scavenger hunts with butterbeer, casino days).
• Hank travels frequently to maintain culture and visibility.

6. Leadership Philosophy

• Adapt leadership style to individual personalities and motivations.
• Lessons from the military: different people require different forms of instruction and motivation.
• Humility is foundational: “You don’t have all the answers.”
• Ask questions — even dumb ones — to get clarity faster.

7. What It Takes to Be a Business Owner

• Be humble.
• Build systems and processes.
• Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
• Ask a lot of questions — especially the obvious ones.
• Create an organization where constant improvement is normal.

💬 MEMORABLE QUOTES

Pull-ready for social media, promos, or newsletter highlights:

On Hiring & Culture

• “You can learn any skill, but hiring for the culture of the company is way more important.”
• “Everyone in the company is client-facing, so we need engineers who can talk like humans to humans.”
• “We modeled our 5 best employees and asked, ‘How do we find this in our applicants?’”

On Onboarding & Feedback

• “You have fresh eyes — tell me if something’s dumb. When you’ve been here 3 or 15 years, you forget what dumb looks like.”
• “There’s nothing worse than showing up day one not knowing where the bathroom is or not having a computer.”

On Leadership

• “My job is to make the nerds and the jocks work together.”
• “Everyone’s motivated differently — you have to adapt your leadership style.”
• “Treat people like they’re part of the family.”

On Culture & Team Unity

• “The common ground is the most important thing — getting people together who impact each other’s work.”
• “We spend more money than we’d like getting everyone in the same place, but it’s worth it.”

On What It Takes to Be a Business Owner

• “Be humble — you don’t have all the right answers and no one should expect you to.”
• “Surround yourself with the right team — with people who do have the answers.”
• “Ask a bunch of really dumb questions. They get you to yes or no a lot faster.”