Hank shares his unconventional path into IT leadership — beginning with time on Capitol Hill, renewable energy work at the Department of Energy, military service as an infantry officer, oil & gas, and private equity acquisition through a search fund. He eventually returned to Kentucky and found the role at NetGain through LinkedIn.

The conversation focuses heavily on hiring in a highly competitive industry, why culture fit beats technical skill, and NetGain’s emphasis on developing people from within. Hank explains that nearly everyone at NetGain is client-facing, which means they must hire engineers who not only know technology but can “talk like humans to humans.”

Hank discusses their improved onboarding process, his personal 60‑day check-ins with new employees, and how EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) helps keep six offices across five states aligned. He shares how creative HR initiatives — like themed scavenger hunts and employee appreciation events — build unity between “the nerds” (engineers) and “the jocks” (sales).

The episode closes with Hank’s perspective on modern leadership: stay humble, surround yourself with the right team, build systems, and ask “dumb questions” to get to better answers faster.

📝 KEY SHOW NOTES (Producer-Style)

1. Hank’s Background & Journey

1. Started career in politics and renewable energy.
2. Joined the Army; transitioned to oil & gas afterward.
3. Moved into private equity via a search fund (buy → grow → sell).
4. Relocated to Kentucky for family.
5. Found the NetGain CEO role on LinkedIn, which becomes a running joke throughout the episode.

2. HR & Hiring in Tech

1. Hiring in cybersecurity is very difficult and highly competitive.
2. Strategy:
3. Grow from within whenever possible.
4. Prioritize culture fit over skills (“You can learn any skill”).
5. Hire people who can “talk like humans” since everyone is client-facing.
6. Avoid rushing to fill seats — get “the right people in the right seat.”

3. Culture & Retention

1. NetGain maps traits of their top 5 employees to guide hiring.
2. Strong mentoring mentality at all levels.
3. Exit interviews help refine their retention strategy.
4. Leadership’s philosophy: treat people like family, build trust, coach them.

4. Onboarding & Employee Development

1. Developed a structured onboarding journey with HR and managers.
2. After 60 days, Hank personally meets with every new hire to get feedback.
3. Uses fresh eyes to identify broken or outdated processes.
4. Employees appreciate clarity, KPIs, and knowing what their day looks like.
5. EOS provides organizational structure across multiple regions.

5. Culture Building Across 6 Cities

1. Host appreciation events, team building activities, and themed experiences.
2. HR runs creative morale initiatives (e.g., Harry Potter scavenger hunts with butterbeer, casino days).
3. Hank travels frequently to maintain culture and visibility.

6. Leadership Philosophy

1. Adapt leadership style to individual personalities and motivations.
2. Lessons from the military: different people require different forms of instruction and motivation.
3. Humility is foundational: “You don’t have all the answers.”
4. Ask questions — even dumb ones — to get clarity faster.

7. What It Takes to Be a Business Owner

1. Be humble.
2. Build systems and processes.
3. Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
4. Ask a lot of questions — especially the obvious ones.
5. Create an organization where constant improvement is normal.

💬 MEMORABLE QUOTES

Pull-ready for social media, promos, or newsletter highlights:

On Hiring & Culture

1. “You can learn any skill, but hiring for the culture of the company is way more important.”
2. “Everyone in the company is client-facing, so we need engineers who can talk like humans to humans.”
3. “We modeled our 5 best employees and asked, ‘How do we find this in our applicants?’”

On Onboarding & Feedback

1. “You have fresh eyes — tell me if something’s dumb. When you’ve been here 3 or 15 years, you forget what dumb looks like.”
2. “There’s nothing worse than showing up day one not knowing where the bathroom is or not having a computer.”

On Leadership

1. “My job is to make the nerds and the jocks work together.”
2. “Everyone’s motivated differently — you have to adapt your leadership style.”
3. “Treat people like they’re part of the family.”

On Culture & Team Unity

1. “The common ground is the most important thing — getting people together who impact each other’s work.”
2. “We spend more money than we’d like getting everyone in the same place, but it’s worth it.”

On What It Takes to Be a Business Owner

1. “Be humble — you don’t have all the right answers and no one should expect you to.”
2. “Surround yourself with the right team — with people who do have the answers.”
3. “Ask a bunch of really dumb questions. They get you to yes or no a lot faster.”