What You’ll Learn
- The Remote Leadership Framework – How to build culture, maintain communication, and drive performance with 500 employees in another country
- Scaling Without Implosion – The systems, frameworks, and leadership principles that enabled 4.5 years of hypergrowth
- The Onboarding Advantage – Why most companies fail at onboarding and Brad’s 90-day playbook that actually works
- Level 5 Leadership in Action – Practical applications of Jim Collins’ principles for mid-market CEOs
Key Takeaways for Mid-Market CEOs
- ✅ The EOS framework combined with the Four Disciplines of Execution creates accountability and clarity
- ✅ Recognition matters more than you think—Brad spends 10–15 hours each month writing personal welcome messages
- ✅ A simple 2-question exercise reveals your biggest business constraints in a single survey
- ✅ Why onboarding takes 90 days (not 2 weeks) and how to structure it for success
- ✅ Ferrari intensity doesn’t work with cargo ship reality—how to manage expectations during hypergrowth
Whether you’re managing remote teams, scaling rapidly, or struggling with onboarding, this episode delivers battle-tested frameworks from a CEO who grew 500 employees across the world during a pandemic.
Key Timestamps
Episode Overview
Former IAA CEO John Kett shares his remarkable 22-year journey building a damaged vehicle marketplace from $200 million to $7.5 billion through multiple private equity transactions, public offerings, and a major merger. This unfiltered conversation dives deep into private equity strategies, M&A lessons, and what it truly takes to scale mid-market companies.
In This Episode, John Reveals:
- The truth about working with private equity firms
- How to prepare your company for a private equity sale
- Why technology should enable process—not the other way around
- Navigating the complexity of public vs. private company leadership
- Board meeting preparation strategies that actually work
- The cost of short-term thinking in PE-backed companies
Key Timestamps
About John Kett
John Kett is the former CEO of Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA). During his tenure, he led the company through multiple transformations including private equity acquisitions, public listings, and ultimately a $7.5 billion merger with Ritchie Brothers. With over 22 years of experience scaling mid-market companies, John now advises CEOs and serves on corporate boards.
About Jane Gentry
Jane Gentry has had a successful 30-year career as a CEO, Business Consultant, Executive Coach, and Keynoter. Jane formed her practice in 1999 and since then has partnered with her clients to improve growth, profitability, client retention, employee retention, leadership capabilities and business value.
Jane leverages strategies including the proprietary Value Blueprint to enable business owners and leaders to successfully create healthy organizations, plan for succession or sell their businesses for the highest possible market value. Jane is considered one of the top voices in leadership and sales.
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CEOs Unscripted
Where Real Talk Drives Real Growth And Delivers Real Results For Mid-market Leaders.
Welcome to CEOs Unscripted, the podcast where real talk drives real growth and delivers real results for mid-market leaders. Each episode offers an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the wins, the losses, and the playbooks shared by CEOs, founders, and executives. Grab a seat and join us for unscripted, honest conversations about what it takes to lead, grow, and scale in today’s business landscape.
