Welcome to Moving the Needle with Jay Holstine—a podcast that empowers growth-minded CEOs and business leaders with real-world strategies that drive results. Hosted by executive coach and Vistage Chair Jay Holstine (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayholstine/), this show features candid, high-impact conversations with top-performing entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and subject-matter experts.
From building a winning sales culture to deploying EOS with purpose, each discussion dives into practical tools, proven systems, and breakthrough thinking designed to elevate leadership, sharpen strategy, and accelerate sustainable growth.
You’ll hear from leaders like:
Marc Emmer, on leveraging AI and specialization to protect margins and scale smarter
Eric Kuefler, on expanding EOS with Pinnacle tools for deeper alignment
Morne' Smit, on transforming sales behavior through structured coaching and metrics
Brodie Allen and Tom Currier, on how peer groups and 1:1 coaching shape high-performing organizations
Clint O’Rear and Eric Harris, on using communication and Vistage insights to unlock momentum and unite teams
Whether you're building your leadership bench, refining your vision, or scaling your operations, this podcast delivers strategic clarity and tactical value—one conversation at a time.
Start listening and move the needle in your business.
#Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Scaling #EOS #CEOInsights #Vistage #JayHolstine
The AI-Powered Organization: How Real Businesses Are Using Artificial Intelligence Today
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future trend—it is a present-day business reality.
In this discussion, Jay Holstine cuts through the noise surrounding AI and focuses on what matters most to business leaders: practical implementation and measurable results. While AI adoption continues to accelerate across industries, many organizations still struggle to turn investment into meaningful return on investment.
Drawing on real-world examples and current market data, Jay explores how companies are leveraging AI to improve customer service, enhance marketing effectiveness, streamline operations, and increase organizational efficiency. More importantly, he outlines a practical roadmap for CEOs who want to begin their AI journey without taking on unnecessary risk or complexity.
The goal is not to replace people—it is to empower them with tools that allow them to focus on higher-value work, strategic thinking, and innovation.
Key Takeaways:
Why most organizations struggle to scale AI successfully
The difference between AI tools and AI agents
Real-world examples of AI creating measurable business value
How to identify low-risk, high-impact AI opportunities
Why data quality is the foundation of successful AI implementation
For CEOs and leadership teams looking to transform AI from a buzzword into a business advantage.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
5 Jun 2026
The Likeability Factor: Three Strategies to Elevate Your Executive Presence
Executive presence isn’t about authority—it’s about trust.
In this discussion, Jay Holstine challenges the traditional belief that leadership is primarily about competence and results. While expertise matters, research increasingly shows that influence, trust, and connection are often the factors that determine whether leaders can successfully inspire action, align teams, and scale their organizations.
Drawing on leadership research and practical executive coaching insights, Jay shares three strategies for strengthening executive presence: listening with intention, aligning behaviors with values, and leading with authentic humanity. These simple yet powerful habits help leaders build stronger relationships, create greater trust, and remove the barriers that often prevent teams from performing at their highest level.
For CEOs, executive teams, and business leaders, likeability isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage.
Key Takeaways:
Why trust is the foundation of effective leadership
How executive presence influences team performance and engagement
The power of active listening and intentional communication
Why authenticity strengthens credibility and influence
Practical ways to build connection and trust across your organization
For leaders who want to inspire confidence, strengthen relationships, and improve organizational performance.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
13 May 2026
Stop Managing—Start Growing: Why Talent Density Wins
Most CEOs assume growth requires adding more people. But what if increasing headcount is actually slowing your company down?
Jay Holstine explores the concept of Talent Density—the idea that a smaller team of exceptional performers will consistently outperform a larger team filled with average contributors. Drawing on insights from Netflix, McKinsey research, and organizational performance studies, Jay explains why high-performing employees thrive when surrounded by other top performers and how “adequate” performance quietly erodes execution, culture, and scalability.
This conversation challenges leaders to rethink hiring, performance management, and organizational design. Instead of building larger teams, CEOs should focus on building denser teams: fewer people, higher standards, and greater collective impact.
Key Takeaways:
What Talent Density is and why it drives scalable growth
Why average performers create hidden management overhead
The “Keeper Test” and how it transforms hiring and retention decisions
Why top performers dramatically outperform average contributors
How high-density teams reduce bureaucracy and increase execution speed
For CEOs building leaner, faster, and higher-performing organizations.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
13 May 2026
The Hidden Cash Flow Most CEOs Miss: R&D Tax Credits Explained
Many CEOs assume R&D tax credits only apply to companies with laboratories and scientists. In reality, thousands of businesses developing software, improving manufacturing processes, or solving technical challenges qualify for significant tax incentives—and never claim them.
Jay Holstine explains how the R&D Tax Credit works, why so many middle-market companies overlook it, and how leaders can unlock non-dilutive cash flow to fund growth without giving up equity or taking on debt.
This discussion breaks down the IRS four-part test for qualifying activities, recent legislative changes impacting R&D expensing, and the growing importance of documentation and compliance heading into 2026. For CEOs investing in innovation, process improvement, or technology development, understanding these credits can create a meaningful competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways:
Why many companies mistakenly assume they don’t qualify for R&D tax credits
The IRS four-part test for qualifying R&D activities
How software development, manufacturing improvements, and experimentation may qualify
Recent legislative changes affecting R&D expensing and tax strategy
Why better documentation and tracking will become critical in 2026
For CEOs focused on innovation, operational improvement, and scalable growth.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
10 Apr 2026
The Silent Profit Killer: How to Reduce Burnout in Your Organization
Burnout isn’t just a people issue—it’s a business risk.
Jay Holstine breaks down why employee burnout has become one of the most overlooked threats to organizational performance. With studies showing that up to 66% of employees and 62% of managers are experiencing burnout, the impact goes far beyond morale—it directly affects productivity, retention, and profitability.
In this conversation, Jay reframes burnout as a leadership and structural issue, not an individual one. He outlines the root causes identified by Gallup and provides practical guidance for CEOs to address them—through better management practices, clearer communication, and more intentional organizational design.
Reducing burnout isn’t about perks or quick fixes. It’s about building a culture and system that allows people to perform at a high level without burning out.
Key Takeaways:
Why burnout is a systemic leadership issue—not an individual weakness
The five root causes of burnout identified by Gallup
The hidden financial cost of burnout on productivity and turnover
How managers directly influence engagement and employee experience
Practical steps to build a more resilient and sustainable organization
For CEOs focused on building high-performing, sustainable teams.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
10 Apr 2026
Why Every CEO Needs a Personal Board of Directors: The Power of an Advisory Board
Leadership can be isolating—and isolation often leads to slower, less effective decision-making.
Jay Holstine explores why many CEOs operate without meaningful external input and how that creates an “echo chamber” that limits growth. With nearly 75% of CEOs not receiving outside leadership advice, the absence of objective perspective can quietly impact strategy, culture, and performance.
This conversation breaks down the concept of a personal board of directors—an advisory group of trusted peers and mentors who provide unbiased feedback, challenge assumptions, and create accountability. By stepping outside internal dynamics, CEOs gain clarity, make better decisions, and accelerate business growth.
Key Takeaways:
Why CEO isolation leads to poor decision-making
The difference between a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board
How peer advisory groups challenge bias and improve perspective
The role of accountability in achieving strategic goals
Why CEOs with advisory support outperform their competitors
For CEOs seeking clarity, accountability, and stronger strategic execution.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
13 Mar 2026
The Right People in the Right Seats: A Deep Dive into the People Analyzer
Even with strong culture and clear structure, a business cannot scale without the right people in the right roles.
Jay Holstine explores one of the most powerful tools for making better leadership and hiring decisions: the People Analyzer, a core component of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). This framework helps CEOs remove emotion from difficult people decisions by providing an objective way to evaluate cultural alignment and role fit across the organization.
By assessing employees against your company’s core values and evaluating whether they Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do it (GWC), leaders can clearly identify who is thriving in their role, who may need support or reassignment, and where cultural misalignment may be holding the organization back.
The result is greater clarity, stronger teams, and the ability to build a leadership structure that supports long-term growth.
Key Takeaways:
Why people decisions are often the most difficult challenges CEOs face
How the People Analyzer creates objective clarity around cultural alignment
The GWC framework: Get it, Want it, Capacity to do it
How to identify cultural mismatches and role misalignment early
How to build a leadership team capable of scaling the business
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
13 Mar 2026
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Avoiding Financial Peril with a Balanced Scorecard
Financial statements tell you where your business has been—but they rarely tell you where it’s going.
In this discussion, Jay Holstine explains why relying solely on traditional financial metrics can leave CEOs managing their organizations through the rearview mirror. While revenue, profit, and cash flow are essential indicators, they are lagging measures that reflect past decisions rather than future performance.
Jay introduces the Balanced Scorecard, the strategic framework developed by Harvard Business School professors Robert Kaplan and David Norton. This approach expands the way leaders measure success by focusing on four interconnected perspectives: Financial performance, Customer outcomes, Internal processes, and Organizational capacity.
By linking these perspectives together, CEOs can translate strategy into measurable actions that align teams, improve decision-making, and drive sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways:
Why financial metrics alone are insufficient for guiding future performance
The four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard framework
How customer, operational, and people metrics influence financial outcomes
How to build a simple strategic dashboard that connects strategy to execution
For CEOs and leadership teams seeking a more complete view of organizational performance and long-term growth.
Executive leadership insights and CEO coaching resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
16 Feb 2026
Accountability from the Top Down: Building Your Accountability Chart
Clarity of ownership is the difference between motion and execution.
Jay Holstine breaks down the Accountability Chart—a foundational tool for leaders who want to eliminate confusion, end the “I thought you owned that” conversations, and create a structure that scales. Unlike a traditional org chart that reflects hierarchy, the Accountability Chart defines functional ownership and the seats required to execute your strategy.
Drawing from EOS principles, Jay walks through how to design your structure around business functions first, define 3–5 core responsibilities per seat, and then align people to roles based on GWC: Get it, Want it, Capacity to do it. The result is a leadership team that operates with clarity, accountability, and measurable execution.
Key Takeaways:
The critical difference between an org chart and an Accountability Chart
Why structure must be designed around functions—not titles
The “one seat, one owner” rule that eliminates finger-pointing
How to identify gaps, overlaps, and capacity constraints
Why quarterly review keeps your structure aligned with growth
For CEOs building scalable leadership infrastructure.
Executive coaching frameworks and CEO leadership resources:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
16 Feb 2026
The Bedrock of Culture: Unpacking Your Company's Core Values
Why 47% of Employees Don’t Know What Their Company Stands For — And How CEOs Can Fix It to Scale
Core values are not décor—they are the decision-making infrastructure of a scalable organization.
Jay Holstine explores why disengagement is rising and how the absence of clearly defined, operational core values undermines execution, alignment, and growth. Drawing on leadership data and real-world CEO coaching experience, he outlines a practical approach to identifying authentic values from your highest-performing people and embedding them into hiring, performance management, and daily leadership behavior.
When core values are lived—not laminated—they create cultural gravity: attracting aligned talent, simplifying difficult decisions, and strengthening organizational performance.
Key Takeaways:
The difference between stated values and operational values
How to discover authentic values from your top performers
A practical system to hire, promote, and exit based on culture
Why CEO behavior determines whether values scale or stall
For CEOs, building culture as a strategic advantage.
For executive coaching, CEO peer group insights, and leadership frameworks:https://jayholstine.net/https://jayholstine.us/
13 Nov 2025
Building Your 2026 Strategic Plan: Choices That Create Your Future
Most strategic plans look like extended budgets—but they lack one key ingredient: real choice.
In this insightful segment, Jay Holstine challenges CEOs to stop thinking like accountants and start leading like strategists. Drawing from Roger Martin’s Strategy Choice Cascade, Jay walks through five critical questions every CEO must answer to build a meaningful 2026 strategic plan—one that defines how you’ll win, not just what you’ll spend.
You’ll learn how to turn planning meetings into decision-making forums, identify your unique edge, and commit to bold choices that shape the future of your organization.
Key Takeaways:
The real difference between a plan and a strategy
How to apply the 5 questions from the Strategy Choice Cascade
Why great strategy is about saying no
Practical steps to align your leadership team before year-end
📌 For CEOs and executive teams ready to lead decisively in 2026.
📌 About Jay HolstineJay is a Vistage Chair and CEO coach based in Dallas–Fort Worth. Through his peer groups and executive coaching, he helps business leaders sharpen strategy, scale with purpose, and build resilient organizations.
📧 Learn more: jayholstine.com
5 Nov 2025
When Every Resume Looks Perfect: How CEOs Can See Through AI in Hiring
In today’s hiring landscape, artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules. Jay Holstine unpacks a pressing challenge CEOs face: separating authentic talent from AI-enhanced resumes. With job postings now attracting hundreds of nearly flawless applications, leaders must look beyond polished paperwork to uncover real potential. Jay outlines five strategic adjustments that help CEOs refocus hiring around outcomes, real-time thinking, and human connection—including rewriting job descriptions, introducing early challenges, and re-training teams to detect depth over polish. If you're tired of surface-level resumes that don’t reflect true capability, this episode will help you build a hiring process designed for the AI era.
4 Aug 2025
Undeniable Momentum via Effective Communications
Jay Holstine hosts Eric Harris, CEO of GatherRound, for a high-impact discussion on how transformational communication drives leadership success. Drawing from a deep background in strategic messaging and organizational alignment, Eric outlines proven methodologies for building belief during periods of change, uniting fractured teams, and leading through crises. This conversation is a masterclass in communication with clarity, purpose, and influence—an essential listen for any leader looking to scale both trust and momentum across their organization.
#LeadershipCommunication #CrisisLeadership #JayHolstine #TeamAlignment
4 Aug 2025
Leadership, Strategy & Growth: How Vistage Empowers CEOs Like Clint O’Rear
Jay Holstine welcomes Clint O’Rear, President of Creative Sales Consulting, for a dynamic conversation on leadership evolution, strategic growth, and the value of peer accountability. Clint shares how his business bridges manufacturers with major retailers, and how joining a Vistage CEO peer group has sharpened his decision-making and expanded his leadership capacity. His passion for strategy, humility in learning, and commitment to business excellence make this an inspiring listen for growth-oriented leaders navigating change and scale.
#VistageLeadership #ClintORear #StrategicGrowth #PeerAdvisory #JayHolstine
4 Aug 2025
CEO insights: Top Growing Company in DFW
Jay Holstine speaks with Tom Currier, CEO of Maverick Power, to unpack the leadership mindset behind one of the fastest-growing companies in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Recognized by both the Dallas Business Journal and SMU Cox for outstanding growth, Maverick Power's rise reflects a sharp focus on execution, culture, and strategic decision-making. Tom shares how participating in a CEO peer group has sharpened his leadership skills and provided valuable insight during key inflection points. This conversation offers an inside look at what it takes to lead through scale in a high-growth environment.
#DFWBusiness #MaverickPower #TomCurrier #LeadershipStrategy #JayHolstine
4 Aug 2025
Impactful one-to-ones. Turning raw thoughts into structure.
Brodie Allen, founder of Evolve Surface Strategies, joins Jay Holstine to reflect on the power of structured, recurring one-to-one conversations in shaping both leadership and organizational clarity. With a team of nearly 200 professionals across the U.S. and Canada, Brodie shares how thoughtful engagement—through monthly coaching and CEO peer group insights—has helped him refine ideas, stay strategically aligned, and continue scaling his business with purpose. This discussion reveals how simple yet intentional conversations can become transformative tools for leaders navigating complexity and growth.
#LeadershipDevelopment #CEOInsights #EvolveStrategies #JayHolstine #ExecutiveCoaching
4 Aug 2025
How to build a winning sales culture
Jay Holstine sits down with Morne’ Smit to unpack the core drivers of an exceptional sales organization. Together, they explore five essential pillars for creating a high-performing sales culture: Preparation, Practice, Keeping Score, Dedicated Coaching, and a strong Playbook. Morne’ emphasizes the importance of tracking leading indicators—behaviors and habits that forecast success—and highlights why consistent practice off the field is critical to avoiding costly mistakes with real customers. This candid conversation is a must-listen for leaders aiming to professionalize their sales force and elevate performance at every level.
#JayHolstine #SalesLeadership #SalesPlaybook #TeamPerformance #MorneSmit #JayHolstine
4 Aug 2025
Enhance Your Existing EOS Deployment by Adding Purpose
Jay Holstine sits down with Eric Kuefler to explore how business leaders can deepen the impact of their EOS implementation by integrating purpose-driven strategy. Eric contrasts the traditional EOS Vision/Traction Organizer (VTO) with Pinnacle’s Strategic Vision & Execution Plan (SVEP), revealing how Pinnacle’s tools empower teams to think more strategically, align with long-term vision, and make better choices. If you’re already using EOS and want to unlock greater clarity, alignment, and performance, this conversation will give you practical thinking tools to take your execution to the next level.
#JayHolstine #EOS #StrategicExecution #PurposeDrivenLeadership #JayHolstine #PinnacleSVEP
1 Aug 2025
Pragmatic Strategies that really Increase Business Revenues and Profits
In this value-packed conversation, strategic consultant Marc Emmer breaks down how specialization and smart segmentation unlock growth for companies seeking a competitive edge. He explains how businesses can avoid margin erosion by identifying underserved niches and focusing on high-value opportunities that large competitors often overlook. The discussion also explores the role of Artificial Intelligence in accelerating digital transformation and enhancing operational efficiency. Expect actionable takeaways for scaling with precision, improving profitability, and future-proofing your strategy in today’s dynamic market landscape.
#BusinessStrategy #AIinBusiness #MarketSegmentation #ScalingSuccess #JayHolstine
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