Shows / Unlocked Podcast
Unlocked Podcast
Three business owners, spanning North Carolina, Minnesota, and Alberta, Canada, have joined forces to create Unlocked Podcast. Their mission? To share their insights on building enduring businesses that thrive for generations to come.
Episodes
- Unlocked Podcast
Rebuilding Your Business: Finance, Operations & Sales (Episode 101)
If you could wave a magic wand and rebuild your business with everything you know now, what would you change first? Recording in person at the Brivo Cloud…
- Unlocked Podcast
Episode 100 LIVE: The Unlocked Podcast Centennial Special!
Episode 100 is finally here—recorded live in front of a studio audience at the ASSA ABLOY Security Partners conference in Tempe, Arizona! Join Chad (Loc-Doc…
- Unlocked Podcast
Efficiency vs. Humanity: Where Do You Draw the Line on AI? (Episode 99)
How far are you willing to go when delegating daily trade operations to Artificial Intelligence? In Episode 99—the final episode before the centennial…
- Unlocked Podcast
Speed to Competency: The "Unicorn Tech" Myth & Cohort Training (Episode 98)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Mondays Matter: Setting the Operational Thermostat and Playing Offense (Episode 97)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
The 9 Key Hires Roadmap: Scaling From $1M to $10M (Episode 96)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Leveraging Your "Weirdness," Busyness vs. Productivity, and CEO Transitions (Episode 95)
Is your personal "weirdness" actually your ultimate executive superpower? In Episode 95, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary…
- Unlocked Podcast
High-Ingenuity Ideation: Disrupting Sales, Finance, and Trade Operations (Episode 94)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Building a Culture of Personal Growth: How to Elevate Your Team as You Scale (Episode 93)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Day 1 Post-Acquisition Playbook: Managing People, Software, and Narrative (Episode 92)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Lessons from Cost-Obsessed Founders (Episode 91)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
How to Build a Door Service Plan (Mechanical RMR for Locksmiths) (Episode 90)
Can traditional locksmiths borrow recurring revenue playbooks from the alarm and software industries? In Episode 91, Tony (Assured Security), Chad (Loc-Doc…
- Unlocked Podcast
Deconstructing Over-Complicated Workflows (The Lost Musk Episode)(Episode 89)
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?…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Wooden Playbook: Standardizing the Small Things and Eliminating Superstar Culture (Episode 88)
Can the fundamental principles of a legendary college basketball coach transform a modern physical security enterprise? In Episode 88, Chad (Loc-Doc Security)…
- Unlocked Podcast
We Didn't AI This Episode: Practical LLMs, Workflow Hacking, and Data Clutter (Episode 87)
Are you actively leveraging artificial intelligence to eliminate front-office friction, or are you still standing on the sidelines overwhelmed by the hype? In…
- Unlocked Podcast
Debunking Toxic Entrepreneurial Quotes (Episode 86)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
Maintaining Motivation as a Leader (Episode 85)
Interested in the Unlocked Invitational? Fill out the form at https://unlockedpodcast.com Every business leader inevitably hits a wall where the daily grind…
- Unlocked Podcast
Opening the Door to New Product Lines (Episode 84)
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…
- Unlocked Podcast
We had an issue...Sorry!
Technical Issues prevented an episode release this week. We have it resolved, until next time. We will be back next Thursday!
- Unlocked Podcast
The 5-Year Industry Horizon: Retiring Owners, Subscription Hardware, and Digital Distortion (Episode 83)
Where is the locksmith and physical security integration industry heading over the next 3 to 5 years? In Episode 83, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Lars (Calgary…
- Unlocked Podcast
Branches vs. Business Units: Structuring Your Organization for Multi-Site Scale (Episode 82)
When a security integration or locksmith business begins to scale geographically, leadership faces a massive, existential structural hurdle: Do you structure…
Unlocked PodcastThe Executive Craftsman: Re-Engineering the Perception of Modern Trades (Episode 81)
Are the trades facing a structural recruitment crisis, or are we just terrible at telling our story? In Episode 81, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured…
Unlocked PodcastOperating Room Efficiency vs. Locksmith Team Structure (Episode 80)
In Episode 80, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe), and Tony (Assured Security) dive into a fascinating Harvard Business Review article…
- Unlocked Podcast
Episode 79: Keeping Your Culture Consistent Across Multiple Branches
As physical security companies scale, regional expansion is often the ultimate growth engine—and the ultimate culture killer. In Episode 79, the Unlocked…
Unlocked PodcastVision over Ambiguity: The Unlocked 2026 Mid-Year Check-In (Episode 78)
We are officially a quarter into 2026, and it’s time for the Unlocked trio to stop talking and start walking. In Episode 78, Lars Johnston (Calgary Lock &…
Unlocked PodcastHow to Process Map Your Business for Growth (Episode 77)
Fresh off a sales training in North Carolina, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) tackle their most technical…
- Unlocked Podcast
Applying Lessons from Iconic Brands to Your Business (Episode 76)
In Episode 76, Tony (Assured Security), Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe), and Chad (Loc-Doc Security) step outside the security industry to examine what the world’s…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Structure of Scaling: Designing an Organization for Growth (Episode 75)
In Episode 75, the Unlocked trio—Lars Johnston from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony Hokanson from Assured Security, and Chad Lingafelt from Loc-Doc Security—break…
- Unlocked Podcast
Specialist vs. Generalist - Revisited (Episode 74)
In Episode 74, the Unlocked trio—Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe)—engage in a high-stakes debate over the…
- Unlocked Podcast
Orchestrating Organic Opportunities (Episode 73)
In Episode 73, Tony (Assured Security), Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe), and Chad (Loc-Doc Security) tackle the challenge of growing organically by capturing…
- Unlocked Podcast
Leveling Up with System 1 and System 2 Thinking (Episode 72)
In Episode 72, the Unlocked trio—Tony (Assured Security), Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe), and Chad (Loc-Doc Security)—dive into the psychology of decision-making…
- Unlocked Podcast
Navigating the Messy Middle (Episode 71)
In Episode 71, Chad (Loc-Doc Security), Tony (Assured Security), and Lars (Calgary Lock & Safe) dive into the psychological and operational warfare of "The…
- Unlocked Podcast
12 Must-Read Books for Scaling Leaders (Episode 70)
Buckle up for Episode 70, where the trio takes on an Instagram-inspired "Blind Rank" challenge that nearly breaks the podcast. Tony (Assured Security) forces…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Art of Quitting: 9 Habits to Kill for Business and Personal Growth (Episode 69)
As we move through the first quarter of 2026, the Unlocked trio—Chad from Loc-Doc Security, Tony from Assured Security, and Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe—flip…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Culture Compound: Protecting Values Through Consistency and Resets (Episode 68)
In Episode 68, the Unlocked trio—Chad from Loc-Doc Security, Tony from Assured Security, and Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe—tackle the most important asset any…
- Unlocked Podcast
System Over Motivation: Master Your Time and Calendar (Episode 67)
In Episode 67, the trio tackles one of the most critical challenges for any entrepreneur: moving from a reactive "firefighting" mindset to proactive…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Unique Factor: A Leadership Therapy Session (Episode 66)
In Episode 66, Lars Johnston from Calgary Lock & Safe challenges the trio to get vulnerable with a high-stakes leadership exercise: identifying their…
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Organic AI Adoption? (Episode 65)
In Episode 65, Chad, Tony, and Lars explore how business owners can turn unexpected chaos into operational gold. When a rare North Carolina snowstorm…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Delegation Paradox: Staying Engaged Without Getting in the Way (64)
In Episode 64, the Unlocked trio—Tony from Assured Security, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security—dive into the tricky middle ground…
- Unlocked Podcast
Selling Sales to Your Salesmen: Compensation, Hiring, and Proactive Growth (63)
In Episode 63, the Unlocked Podcast shifts focus from "low tide" excuses to high-level Sales Management. Lars Johnston from Calgary Lock & Safe leads a candid…
- Unlocked Podcast
Building Habits for a Successful 2026 (62)
In this episode, the team dives into the specific habits and systems required to turn 2026 goals into reality. Tony from Assured Security admits that while he…
- Unlocked Podcast
Strategic Selling: Unlocking Growth by Converting CapEx to OpEx
In the first official deep dive of 2026, the Unlocked Podcast team explores a game-changing sales strategy: shifting high-ticket security solutions from…
- Unlocked Podcast
2026 Strategy: Operational Spring Cleaning
Welcome to the first episode of 2026! We have officially hit Episode 60, and to celebrate this milestone, the team is pulling back the curtain on the "magic"…
- Unlocked Podcast
2025 Successes: Reflection, Discipline, and Leveling Up (59)
As the year comes to a close, the hosts take a moment for reflection—a crucial and often overlooked discipline for busy entrepreneurs. Tony from Assured…
- Unlocked Podcast
Post-Conference Paralysis: How to Prioritize Your Best Ideas (58)
Do you return from every conference or book with a notebook full of ideas only to suffer from "whiplash" and implement nothing? Tony from Assured Security…
- Unlocked Podcast
Vertical Market Strategy: Defining Your Focus for Scale
Are you spreading your business too thin by trying to be "all things to all markets"? This episode dives into the critical strategy of defining your ideal…
- Unlocked Podcast
Business Strategy Shifts: Leveraging Technology and Finding Focus (56)
After spending a day immersed in the Cloud Security Summit in Austin, Texas, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from Assured Security, and Chad from Loc-Doc…
- Unlocked Podcast
Processing the Process (55)
Do your business processes feel more like a tangled web of handcuffs than a straight path to profit? In this episode, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from…
- Unlocked Podcast
Stop Solving Problems, Start Finding the 'Who' (54)
Are you an entrepreneur stuck in the endless cycle of solving every problem in your business? This episode, recorded live in Austin, Texas, dives into the…
- Unlocked Podcast
Mastering Leverage, Cash Flow, and Debt (53)
Do you view debt as a four-letter word, or as a tool for accelerated growth? In this financially focused episode, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta…
- Unlocked Podcast
Retention Strategies: Investing in Technicians (52)
Are you an entrepreneur worried that investing in training only prepares your employees to become your next competitor? This episode dives deep into the…
- Unlocked Podcast
The Secrets to Being Sticky—Why Customers Keep Coming Back (51)
It's the half-century mark! For Episode 50, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony from Assured Security in Minnesota, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security…
- Unlocked Podcast
From Break Fix to Six Figures: Scaling Your Business for Large Projects (50)
Are you ready to stop rolling trucks for $250 tickets and start landing $100,000+ projects? In this episode, recorded live from a conference in Windsor…
- Unlocked Podcast
Business Consulting: Workshop our Problems (49)
In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe, Tony from Assured Security, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security do a deep dive into an "uncomfortable…
- Unlocked Podcast
5 KPIs We Use to Drive Our Business (48)
Are you a business owner who feels like you’re just guessing at what's working? In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony…
- Unlocked Podcast
Strategic Planning: From Vision to Reality (47)
Are you struggling to plan for the future of your business? In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony from Assured Security…
- Unlocked Podcast
Breaking the $3 Million Ceiling (46)
Are you an entrepreneur stuck in the "messy middle" of growth, hovering around the $3 million revenue mark? In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock…
- Unlocked Podcast
Uncomfortable Truths of Entrepreneurship (45)
In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony from Assured Security in Minnesota, and Chad from Loc-Doc Security in Charlotte…
- Unlocked Podcast
Price vs. Value: A Masterclass in Selling in the Security Industry (44)
Are your customers focused solely on the lowest price? In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony from Assured Security in…
- Unlocked Podcast
Price vs. Value: A Masterclass in Selling in the Security Industry (43)
Are your customers focused solely on the lowest price? In this episode of Unlocked, Lars from Calgary Lock & Safe in Alberta, Tony from Assured Security in…