It’s time to shift the spotlight.

If you are like us, you want to know what is happening in the real economy. Not the economy of derivatives trading, credit default swaps, politics, media or Silicon Valley. On Real Leadership, we spotlight the heroes at the helm of companies who make, move and process things. Leaders in a world that is more pragmatic than pretty, more steak than sizzle, more guts than glory.  Discover with us what it takes to lead in that world. 

– Real Leadership 

Latest Episode

Your Host

Meet Jim Weaver

When he’s not hosting the Real Leadership Podcast, Jim is Chief Executive Officer of The Ōnin Group, one of the largest staffing companies in the United States. 

Jim began his journey at Ōnin in 2001 as an account executive in Nashville, Tennessee, and has become integral to The Ōnin Group’s phenomenal growth. Under Jim’s guidance, Ōnin has become a leader in the staffing industry and is recognized as one of Staffing Industry Analysts’ fastest-growing and best places to work. As CEO, Jim’s focus lies in developing smart systems and a corporate culture that boosts employee performance and delights customers.

Meet our latest guest

Zac Elkins

Chief Operating Officer of LFG Manufacturing

As COO of LFG Manufacturing, Power Design’s specialty manufacturing division, Zac is leading one of the boldest vertical integration bets in the electrical industry. When COVID-era backlogs pushed switchgear lead times from 12 weeks to nearly two years, most contractors adjusted. Zac and the LFG team invested millions, bought the equipment, stocked two years of copper and steel…and started manufacturing their own. LFG stands for “Let’s Freaking Go.” And it’s more than a name—it’s the mindset behind a company that refuses to blame the market. In this episode of Real Leadership, Zac shares how a billion-dollar “mom and pop shop” is disrupting the electrical supply chain, why apprenticeship programs are the future of skilled labor, and how a scarcity mindset is the fastest way to lose.

In this episode, we cover:

Turning a 90-week supply chain crisis into a manufacturing company
Why holding two years of inventory isn’t risk—it’s opportunity
The data center boom and what it’s doing to construction economics
Reinventing apprenticeships (and cutting dropout rates from 80% to 20%)
Lessons learned from burning bridges early in your career
Building competitive, culture-driven teams that don’t think small

Previous Real Leadership Guests Include:

Are You a Real Leader?

If you are a top executive in the real economy — like the manufacturing, logistics and food processing sectors — we’d love to talk.  

Real Leadership is a platform for you to promote your business and amplify your leadership message as subscribers listen in on a meaningful conversation between our CEO and you. Our goal is to capture legacy career moments for our guests and high-quality, evergreen media content you can leverage for years to come.   

We have a thorough guest evaluation process, and you will be joining a select group of world-class leaders. 

Real Leadership is a great way to:

Build your personal brand

Promote your company across our listener base

Share your leadership message at a pivotal moment in our industry

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