Todd has spent 27 years proving that hiring is much, much more than finding the right resume.

Todd Hohauser is the CEO of Harvey Hohauser & Associates, a boutique and relationship driven retained executive search firm. He grew up watching his dad build the business while talking about culture and fit before Todd really understood their implications. When it was time to take over, he inherited his dad’s philosophy.

In this episode we talk about:

→ Why 90% of executives are firstborn children… and what that explains about leadership

→ The ONE interview question that reveals a candidate’s values better than any assessment

→ How retained executive search works and why the best hires take three months to get right

→ Why most succession plans fail in family owned businesses

→ And so much more!

What struck me is that you don’t need more information to become a better leader… 

You just need clearly defined values and someone who asks the right questions.

Thanks so much Todd for coming into the studio to share your story and expertise!

*Chapters*

0:00 – Introduction & Shakespeare Cold Open

1:47 – Meet Todd Hohauser & Harvey Hohauser’s Origin Story

2:51 – Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey Explained

7:22 – Why 90% of Executives Are Firstborn Children

10:11 – AI as the New Companion in the Hero’s Journey

12:11 – How Todd Handles Hard: Yoga, Lucid Dreaming & Manifesting

13:23 – Todd’s Heart Attack and What It Changed

18:34 – Improv, Psychodrama, and Why It Made Todd a Better Interviewer

22:38 – Why Job Interviews Are the Weirdest Business Meeting Ever Invented

24:30 – The Best Interview Question in the History of Interview Questions

30:40 – What Is Retained Executive Search and Why Does It Work?

36:20 – When a Client’s Culture Doesn’t Align with Yours

44:07 – Why Family Businesses Are Different and the Three Circle Model

50:14 – How Harvey Transitioned the Business to Todd and Eric

55:16 – Tikkun Olam: Healing the World Through Business

1:03:17 – Final Thoughts, the HAIR Group, and the 40th Anniversary Party

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