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Are you constantly complaining that you "can't find good technicians" in the security and locksmith industry? In Episode 98 (the final countdown before our 100th episode!), Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe), Tony (Assured Security), and Chad (Loc-Doc Security) deconstruct the root cause behind the industry's hiring shortage—and why hunting for pre-trained "unicorn" technicians is crippling shop growth. The episode opens with the hosts showing off left-handed Unlocked Podcast mugs and teasing upcoming Centennial swag for Episode 100. Then, Lars introduces a provocative economic thesis: client pain for door hardware is low compared to massive HVAC or electrical infrastructure budgets. Because traditional shops undercharge for service, they cap their ability to offer competitive starting compensation. The trio explores why shops must transition into training organizations—abandoning slow 1-on-1 "ride-along" shadow training in favor of cohort onboarding, 30/60/90-day task walls, and rapid "speed to competency" models.

Do you dread Sunday evenings and roll into your shop on Monday morning playing defense, just waiting to get punched in the face by unexpected chaos? In Episode 97, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) dive into the operational importance of Mondays and how leaders set the tone for the entire week. Recording after Chad recap's a whirlwind golf trip to Minnesota with Tony—where Chad managed to miss the bag-check window, lose his golf clubs, and find out the tournament was canceled midway through the practice round—the hosts pivot to executive time management. Chad breaks down Loc-Doc Security’s strict 15-minute 7:45 AM Monday all-hands meeting, detailing how cascading department reports eliminate operational silos and prevent mid-week surprises. Tony outlines how Assured Security uses team-level Monday huddles to keep salespeople and installers aligned, while Lars explains why Calgary Lock & Safe shifts its main week-planning meetings to Tuesday mornings to clean up weekend emergency calls.

If your locksmith or security integration business is stuck at a revenue plateau, the roadblock almost never stems from a lack of technical skill—it stems from making the wrong hires at the wrong time. In Episode 96, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) map out a practical, stage-by-stage hiring roadmap for scaling a trade business from $1M to $10M. Recording after a lighthearted preamble discussing Royal Portrush golf gifts, Tony's hallway office setup in Bloomington, and their upcoming 100th-episode milestone, the trio treats executive hiring like a strategic drafting session. They debate when an owner must hand off daily dispatch to a dedicated Operations Manager, why adding an outside salesperson moves a shop from $30 re-keys to $50,000 door hardware projects, and how adding a Systems IT Administrator eliminates administrative "copy-paste" friction. Plus, they explore why hiring a dedicated technical trainer solves the industry's talent shortage and why every founder needs an outside business coach or peer group once they hit $7M.

Is your personal "weirdness" actually your ultimate executive superpower? In Episode 95, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) pivot from tactical operational playbooks to a reflective, self-actualization session inspired by Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom podcast. The episode kicks off with host banter as Lars spills coffee all over his gray pants on camera, Tony shares his top pet peeves (cubed ice in an Old Fashioned and uncollected B2B sales follow-ups), and the hosts joke about an automated email offering to buy the podcast. Then, the trio dives deep into executive self-awareness. Tony breaks down his "nerd habit" of using Microsoft Excel and raw data to tell emotional business stories. Chad reflects on his evolution from an "arsonist" who started fifteen chaotic shop projects at once to a reserved leader focused on solving root causes. Plus, the guys dissect the illusion of busyness, debate why achieving success can feel surprisingly hollow, and discuss how to scale output per employee past standard industry metrics.

What happens when you lock three trade business owners with high ingenuity scores in a room, ban table-bashing, and force them to pitch wild, untested concepts across sales, finance, and operations? In Episode 95, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) run a fast-paced, 45-minute ideation session to completely rethink the traditional locksmith and security model. Recording after opening banter about airport meetings with longtime listeners and Minnesota State Fair "Juicy Lucy" burgers, the trio jumps straight into the ideation sandbox. They explore how live-stream video interactions and real-time AI phone summaries can eliminate wasted site visits and provide instant quotes on the spot. In the finance segment, Lars questions why service companies tolerate standard Net-30 credit terms while retail stores enjoy instant cash, prompting a deep dive into card-on-file billing, Net-15 adjustments, and AI-driven daily cash-flow inboxes.

As your business scales from $\$2\text{M}$ to $\$10\text{M}$, does it strictly require replacing your original staff, or can you systematically elevate your existing team to meet the new operational demands? In Episode 94, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) break down an episode topic submitted by industry veteran Glen Younger: how to build an intentional, self-sustaining culture of continuous personal growth. The episode kicks off with host banter about Chad meeting up with longtime listener Kevin Sheehan for a chai latte at Charlotte's perpetually under-construction airport, alongside plans for Chad and Tony to devour "Juicy Lucy" burgers at the Minnesota State Fair. Then, the trio dives deep into team development. They explore why "leaders bring the temperature", how to use live lesson-boards after major projects, and the real-world trade-offs between promoting internal talent versus hiring external senior managers.

You negotiated the price, completed the due diligence, and signed the asset purchase agreement—so what actually happens on Day 1? In Episode 93, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) bypass theoretical business valuations to deliver an operational playbook on what to do immediately after an acquisition closes. The episode kicks off with host banter about Chad running into longtime listener Kevin Sheehan during a Charlotte airport layover, and Tony preparing to host Chad at the Minnesota State Fair for a "Juicy Lucy" burger. Then, the trio gets down to business, detailing the immediate 30-day post-closing roadmap. Chad breaks down his department-by-department integration checklist, while Tony explains why listening to frontline employees before forcing new operating software prevents culture friction. Lars shares painful lessons about direct-deposit bank transitions, and the hosts debate whether you should ever touch pricing on Day 1.

Are you so hyper-focused on driving top-line revenue that you are completely blind to the silent margin leaks bleeding your business dry? In Episode 92, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) dive into the operational habits of history's most cost-obsessed founders. Chad reflects on his own executive mindset pivot—moving from trying to "outrun costs" with top-line sales to embracing the classic Glen Younger quote: "Revenue is for vanity, profit is for sanity." The hosts explore real-world examples of extreme cost discipline, from John D. Rockefeller saving thousands by eliminating a single drop of solder on kerosene cans to modern shop optimizations. Lars reveals how catching 8-cent color printing defaults and auditing fuel cards saved his business thousands, while Tony outlines how dividing department budgets keeps direct labor costs from spiraling out of control. Plus, Chad breaks down how switching to bulk serialized key blanks and line-item costing boosted their product margins by 15 points.

Can traditional locksmiths borrow recurring revenue playbooks from the alarm and software industries? In Episode 91, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) dive into an in-depth workshop on building, pricing, and scaling Door Service Plans and mechanical RMR (Recurring Monthly Revenue). Recording after returning from their trip to Colorado, the hosts pull apart the operational shift required to move commercial clients from transactional "break-fix" requests to predictable operational maintenance contracts. Chad details Loc-Doc Security’s turnkey hardware program—explaining why they calculate maintenance rates using square footage data via Google Maps rather than spending weeks counting individual doors. Lars introduces the psychological "availability heuristic" trap that stops operators from launching RMR programs due to fear of catastrophic losses. Plus, the trio debates whether "club membership" models work for residential clients and explores why recurring revenue dramatically increases company valuation.

Have you ever audited your operations and realized your team is spending hundreds of hours optimizing processes that shouldn't even exist in the first place? In Episode 89, Chad (Loc-Doc Security) sits down for a solo deep dive to unearth the long-rumored "Lost Musk Episode"—revisiting first-principles thinking, questioning over-complicated workflows, and eliminating administrative friction across trade operations. Chad breaks down how Loc-Doc Security applies Elon Musk's core problem-solving framework to streamline daily operations. He shares the real story behind why they completely eliminated hourly labor billing in favor of standardized, real-time flat-rate pricing, why cutting residential service calls saved hundreds of commercial technician hours, and how a radical decision to buy out and absorb the cost of a complex, low-margin high-security keyway permanently boosted technical efficiency. Plus, Chad reflects on the painful lessons learned from early corporate acquisitions and outlines why fixing a broken sales follow-up process is the single fastest lever for increasing bottom-line profitability.

Can the fundamental principles of a legendary college basketball coach transform a modern physical security enterprise? In Episode 88, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) dive deep into the practical business applications of Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. Recording after an operational deep dive into leadership methodologies, the hosts explore how Wooden’s focus on process over outcome directly applies to managing service technicians, dispatchers, and sales teams. Chad breaks down why Loc-Doc Security enforces strict standardization across uniforms, van shelving layouts, and tool brands to eliminate daily friction and elevate client perception. Lars shares his "SOS" (Standardization of Stuff) initiative, detailing why every technician must use identical tool suites and software shortcuts to prevent massive administrative backlogs. Finally, the trio addresses Wooden's "anti-superstar" philosophy, debating whether individual sales commissions alienate team culture, and how leaders secretly undermine their own processes by cutting queues for friends. Plus, the guys give a real-time update on the growing applicant roster for the upcoming Unlocked Invitational.

Are you actively leveraging artificial intelligence to eliminate front-office friction, or are you still standing on the sidelines overwhelmed by the hype? In Episode 87, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) bypass theoretical tech jargon to deliver a grounded, operational look at how commercial security operators are deploying Large Language Models (LLMs) inside their businesses right now. Recording while traveling internationally—with Chad dialed in from just outside the Tower of London after hitting his fourth major golf championship—the trio breaks down the distinct roles of Gemini, Claude, Claude Code, and Cursor within their companies. Chad explains how Loc-Doc Security uses Gemini inside Google Workspace for daily automation and transcribing, while utilizing Claude to completely rebuild employee hubs, dynamic scorecards, and cleanliness audits in a fraction of the traditional development time. The guys unpack actionable ways to begin "workflow hacking"—from analyzing complex accounting task overlaps to using simple, silent screen recordings to auto-generate standard operating procedures (SOPs). Plus, they address the dark side of rapid AI adoption: managing "data clutter," avoiding AI agreement bias, and navigating the long-term subscription economics of venture-backed software.

Is corporate America’s favorite advice actually helping you scale, or is it just romanticized business lore? In Episode 86, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) host a candid "therapy session" to react to some of the most controversial entrepreneurial quotes of our generation. The episode kicks off with the ultimate host call-out: Tony reveals he snuck into Chad's grueling 6:00 AM virtual team meeting. While Tony claims Chad stole Lars's lines to brag about being "slightly better" than Assured Security, he was genuinely blown away by a massive display of organizational alignment where 55 employees individually shout out their peers weekly. Then, the trio takes off the kid gloves to audit advice from the industry giants. They dissect Elon Musk's famous philosophy ("If you need inspiration to do it, don't do it"), debate whether 24/7 hyper-focus is a toxic expectation to put on employees, and get into a heated clash over personal finance icon Dave Ramsey's strict "no credit cards" mandate—where Tony holds absolutely nothing back.

Interested in the Unlocked Invitational? Fill out the form at https://unlockedpodcast.com Every business leader inevitably hits a wall where the daily grind transitions from an exciting problem-solving puzzle into an exhausting, endless game of operational whack-a-mole. In Episode 85, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) get incredibly candid about the peaks, valleys, and hidden physiological tolls of maintaining motivation at the midway point of the year. Tony shares how structured personal resets—like his weekly Thursday golf sessions and stepping entirely away from communication channels during the birth of his daughter—are critical to protecting executive longevity. Chad outlines a tactical shift toward gamifying daily workflows to keep younger technicians motivated through immediate feedback rather than relying on abstract ten-year corporate goals. Meanwhile, Lars details how hyper-distraction via smart devices strips away active attention and why leaving your phone at home can completely restore mental clarity. Plus, the guys break down a major milestone announcement: the soft launch of a highly exclusive, peer-led event framework—the Unlocked Invitational.

If you want to expand your locksmith business into the hollow metal door and frame market. In Episode 84, Tony Hokanson (Assured Security) takes the steering wheel to break down a listener question from Adam Smith regarding vertical trade integration, managing the extreme hidden risks of retrofitting, and scaling into adjacent security segments without diluting your focus. Chad Lingafelt (Loc-Doc Security) and Lars Johnston (Calgary Lock & Safe) get incredibly transparent about their most expensive, painful historical learning experiences. They pull apart the operational reality of handling heavy structural steel block cutouts, the massive importance of selecting an internal product "champion," and how Chad managed to skyrocket his business from $2.5m to $8m+ by methodically prioritizing a standardized commercial hardware specification playbook over ad-hoc "whimsical" branching.