From Construction to Culture: Navigating Family Business Leadership with Brandon Stanchock

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The Entrepreneur Gene Podcast with Laurie Barkman

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-entrepreneur-gene/id1766510338

What happens when you step into a leadership role you weren’t sure you wanted—and weren’t expected to take?

In this episode of The Entrepreneurial Gene, host Laurie Barkman sits down with Brandon Stanchok, CEO of SWF Industrial and host of Just Some BS, for a candid conversation about stepping into a family business, imposter syndrome, and leading with values like humor, curiosity, and growth.

We cover:

• The unexpected family meeting that changed Brandon’s career
• What it’s really like to take over a business from a founder with declining health
• How Brandon avoided disaster by building trust with his team
• The "hungry beast" of growth—and how he’s planning for succession
• How he uses performance reviews and peer groups to identify rising leaders
• Why he launched a local manufacturing roundtable to solve the labor shortage
• A construction company with a book club? Yep—and it works.
• The origin story of “Stay Weird” and how it fuels his leadership style
• Personal branding, YouTube travel reviews, and what makes him come alive

This one’s full of truth, tactics, and some serious heart.

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