Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

About Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

Are you an ambitious young entrepreneur? Do you consider yourself a role model and leader of tomorrow? If so, this is going to be the show for you. Leaders Of Tomorrow is a show dedicated young and ambitious entrepreneurs looking to forge their own path in this world. Each week, we will bring you an inspiring interview and share with you behind the scenes some of the values and beliefs of our 8-figure business; Student Works Management Program. From interviews with young millionaires and personal anecdotes from our head coach; Chris Thomson, this show will give you everything you need to know to become a Leader Of Tomorrow.

Publisher

Chris Thomson

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Jan 2019

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

481 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   481 | Jeff Gunhus – Why Great Leaders Never Just Report the News

   What separates a leader who builds a winning team from one who just reports bad news? In this episode, Chris Thomson hands the mic to College Works alumnus Jeff Gunhus, Co-Founder and CEO of Home Genius Exteriors, who scaled the company from $2.7 million in year one toward a $500 million target, all while chasing a billion-dollar goal. Jeff lays out the framework his leaders live by, Teach, Track, and Inspire, and why fastest growing means nothing without most respected. He gets into leading from the front, the difference between leading and lagging indicators, and why world-class customer service is a desire, not a training issue. If you want the mindset and the system behind teams that grow people and profit at the same time, this one is for you. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 03:51 – The secret behind the company name, and why everyone secretly works for his wife 04:44 – The Jim Collins principle that turned a departing leader into a business partner 07:42 – Fastest growing or most respected? Why he refuses to pick one 09:10 – The billion-dollar goal that started as a someday dream 11:59 – Why you should chase adversity instead of running from it 14:17 – Teach, track, and inspire: the entire framework on one pie chart 14:48 – The three leadership traps: the professor, the tracker, and the cheerleader 19:20 – The Jocko Willink rule that Home Genius leans on hard 24:26 – Why “what gets measured gets measured” is a trap for new leaders 34:04 – The truth about customer service that no training can fix 38:19 – The Jim Rohn line he closes meetings with About the Guest Jeff Gunhus is the Co-Founder and CEO of Home Genius Exteriors, one of the fastest growing home improvement companies in America, and Co-Founder of its parent company, National Services Group. A College Works Painting alumnus who started as a first-year operator before becoming a coach and then a partner, Jeff has grown Home Genius from $2.7 million in its first year toward a $500 million target, while holding the company to being both the fastest growing and most respected in its industry. He is known for his Teach, Track, and Inspire leadership framework, his focus on culture, and giving back through the Home Genius Cares program, all under a standard he calls happy but not satisfied. 🔗 LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-gunhus-899aa5197/) | Website (https://homegeniusexteriors.com/) Resources & Links Mentioned Extreme Ownership (https://jocko.com/books/) by Jocko Willink (book) The Dichotomy of Leadership (https://jocko.com/books/) by Jocko Willink (book) Jim Collins (https://www.jimcollins.com/) (author) College Works (https://collegeworks.com/) Owens Corning (https://www.owenscorning.com/) (roofing provider) Ronald McDonald House (https://www.rmhc.org/) Fortune (https://fortune.com/) Tony Robbins (https://www.tonyrobbins.com/) Important Links Connect with Chris: Website (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-56fd3b) | LinkedIn (https://rebrand.ly/6686a9) Learn more about the Student Works Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-d738ec) Apply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-b968ea) Looking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job Opportunities (https://rebrand.ly/recrutement-student-fd7d23) Hear more Alumni Success Stories (https://rebrand.ly/testimonials-e6dcfa) The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand (https://rebrand.ly/pybct2026).

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   480 | Phil Lombardo – How to Stop Negotiating With Yourself and Win

   What if the trait you thought made you strong is the very thing holding your growth back? Chris Thomson welcomes back Phil Lombardo, a Student Works veteran who went from a $125,000 rookie business to coaching a $4.4 million team, and who is now stepping into a role helping run a $50 million company. Phil opens up about the ego that once held him back, why your minimum acceptable standard matters more than your goals, and the daily discipline of negotiating with yourself less. If you have ever wondered what actually separates the people who keep leveling up from the ones who stall, this conversation is your blueprint. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 02:52 – Who Phil was before the program: YMCA shifts and a gap year of 60-hour minimum-wage weeks 04:27 – The referral that got him in, and the info-session moment that lit up the phone 05:59 – The biggest surprise of a first-year run during COVID 06:41 – The ego realization that changed how he ran his business 11:05 – Why your minimum acceptable standard matters more than the goals you set 13:53 – The one thing top performers negotiate away far less than everyone else 16:09 – The call where Luke first saw Phil as a future coach 19:28 – Going from a $125K business to a $4.4 million coaching team 20:33 – "Everyone can always see you": the accountability truth most people miss 30:11 – Inside the new role and the push to double a $50 million company 35:29 – The light-side, dark-side exercise behind Most Accountable Coach 44:53 – What a real leader of tomorrow actually is, in Phil’s words About the Guest Phil Lombardo is a Student Works Management Program veteran stepping into his eighth year, a four-time Mexico-level operator who built roughly $800,000 in the field before moving into coaching. As a coach, he was named top mini coach, top rookie coach, and Most Accountable Coach, leading a team to $4.4 million this year and reaching about $9 million in all-time coaching revenue. He is now stepping into a company-wide role focused on operations, training, and curriculum, AI initiatives, safety, and field support as Student Works pushes to double its business. 🔗 LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/philip-lombardo-8bba09195?originalSubdomain=ca) Resources and Links Mentioned The Founders Club (https://www.foundersclubofficial.com/) (Luke Fenn and Joe Kim) Luke Fenn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/luke-fenn-0815b3119) on LinkedIn Important Links Connect with Chris: Website (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-56fd3b) | LinkedIn (https://rebrand.ly/6686a9) Learn more about the Student Works Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-d738ec) Apply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-b968ea) Looking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job Opportunities (https://rebrand.ly/recrutement-student-fd7d23) Hear more Alumni Success Stories (https://rebrand.ly/testimonials-e6dcfa) The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand (https://rebrand.ly/pybct2026).

3. 

   22 Sept 2026

   479 | Nick Eaves – Why Leading With Humility Beats Chasing the Spotlight

   What if the leaders who rise fastest are the ones who insist they are not that important? Chris Thomson sits down with Nick Eaves, Chief Operating Officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and former President and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, in the conversation that started it all: the very first Leaders of Tomorrow interview. A Student Works alum, Nick built his career on a counterintuitive idea: none of us are that important. They get into humility as a competitive edge, the patience of the long game, why there is no job too small, and how Nick kept saying yes to the next opportunity until he reached the C-suite. He also opens up about the setbacks that shook his confidence and what pulled him through. If you are waiting for permission or a perfect plan, this conversation will change how you think about getting started. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights ● 05:40 – The one thing Nick still leans on from his summer business years ● 07:06 – Why “there is no job too small” became the rule that built a 21-year run ● 10:29 – “None of us are that important”: the humility test behind every team he leads ● 12:33 – The risky call to put racing on TV, and why shrinking your own crowd can grow the business ● 15:59 – What a government-run business taught Nick about irrational stakeholders ● 18:17 – Why the best fans behave like owners, and how great venues earn that trust ● 24:35 – The setbacks Nick regrets most, and the confidence gap behind them ● 28:44 – How to tell when your natural style stops working, and switch gears ● 29:36 – The long game: patience, network, and never doing it alone ● 38:17 – The real path into a world-class organization like MLSE, and why rushing backfires About the Guest Nick Eaves is the Chief Operating Officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, where he oversees operations, revenue, and the LIVE events division across MLSE’s venues. He previously spent 21 years at Woodbine Entertainment, including five as President and CEO, where he led the transformation of the company’s business model. A Student Works Management Program alumnus and Western University graduate, Nick is known for a leadership style rooted in humility, patience, and the long game. 🔗 LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-eaves-54aa7693/) Resources and Links Mentioned Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) (https://www.mlse.com) Scotiabank Arena (https://www.scotiabankarena.com) Woodbine Entertainment (https://woodbine.com) (formerly the Ontario Jockey Club) Western University (https://www.uwo.ca) Important Links Connect with Chris: Website (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-56fd3b) | LinkedIn (https://rebrand.ly/6686a9) Learn more about the Student Works Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-d738ec) Apply to be an Owner / Operator in the Management Program (https://rebrand.ly/student-works-b968ea) Looking for a fun job this summer? Summer Job Opportunities (https://rebrand.ly/recrutement-student-fd7d23) Hear more Alumni Success Stories (https://rebrand.ly/testimonials-e6dcfa) The Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is an original production by Chris Thomson. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand (https://rebrand.ly/pybct2026).

Who has been a guest on Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Adriana Benoit
• Cole Benoit
• Peter Bendevis
• Justin Hulschilt
• Ben Marysiuk

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

29 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 64 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

92

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

90

Contact Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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