Impact with Eddie Wilson

What do you do when your business feels like it’s slipping through your hands? In this episode, Eddie Wilson tackles one of the most stressful moments any entrepreneur can face; when success stalls, profits shrink, or failure feels closer than momentum. Instead of offering surface level motivation, Eddie breaks down a practical, leadership driven approach to diagnosing what’s actually going wrong inside a business. This conversation dives into why most companies don’t collapse because of market conditions or competition, but because leaders avoid the uncomfortable truths hiding inside their own operations. Eddie challenges entrepreneurs to replace panic with clarity, and emotion with data; revealing a framework that has helped countless businesses rebuild stronger foundations during their most uncertain seasons. If you’ve ever questioned whether your business can recover, or wondered how to respond when growth stops, this episode offers a powerful shift in perspective that could change how you lead through pressure.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — When your business feels like it’s failing00:43 — The 3 moves every empire builder must make02:22 — Step 1: Run a brutally honest cash check03:15 — Understanding runway, burn rate, and survival clarity05:02 — Why clarity must come before strategy05:19 — Step 2: Identify and reinforce your “Brick” KPI06:21 — The Foot Locker lesson: Measuring feet vs selling shoes07:40 — Simplifying your business to bring life back08:00 — Step 3: Confront what’s actually broken08:45 — Learning from your best customers09:28 — Why mentorship reveals blind spots10:15 — The power of internal honesty with your team11:08 — Don’t try to out-market a leadership problem11:59 — Turning panic into power13:10 — Facing truth vs faking stability13:34 — Final recap: The 3 empire-saving moves

In Episode 48, Eddie Wilson opens up about one of his greatest leadership weaknesses: the lack of stillness, and why many entrepreneurs confuse stillness with laziness. Eddie explains how stillness is the pathway to clarity, the place where ego gets reframed, fear stops running the show, and leaders regain alignment in business, relationships, and life. He breaks down insights from Ryan Holiday’s “Stillness Is the Key,” and connects it to the biblical principle “be still and know that I am God,” framing stillness not as quitting, but as surrender, trust, and a decision making advantage. Finally, Eddie gives practical ways to build stillness into leadership, plus the internal questions to ask yourself when you finally slow down.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Eddie’s vulnerability: his leadership weakness00:38 — Why entrepreneurs struggle with stillness01:42 — “Everything I want is on the other side of ego”… and stillness is the way through02:53 — High achievers equate stillness with laziness03:50 — Stillness creates clarity; without it you build ego, fear, assumptions04:38 — “Your next breakthrough won’t come from speed… it’ll come from stillness”06:10 — Ryan Holiday: stillness across mind, soul, body, plus leadership examples09:17 — “Without stillness, you mistake noise for direction” 10:35 — Bible lens: “Be still and know” 16:02 — What is practical stillness17:15 — Daily “nothingness” 19:14 — Rhythm of rest: “You don’t lose momentum by resting…”20:39 — The inner questions to ask in stillness22:45 — Stillness doesn’t slow you down; it recenters you and gives direction 

Most leaders chase strength, dominance, and control but Eddie Wilson argues the leaders who build what lasts develop something rarer: strength under control. In Episode 47, Eddie breaks down the difference between leading yourself, leading followers, and becoming a leader of leaders. He challenges you to measure your leadership against the traits found at the highest level. Eddie uses examples like Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to show how ego can drive success but also make an empire fragile, then introduces the three surprising traits with practical habits to cultivate them that set elite leaders apart.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Strength under control and measuring yourself against elite leadership traits00:42 — Why the strongest leaders trade dominance for awareness and inner freedom02:23 — The core questions: strong enough to bend? build without ego?02:50 — Ego can create conquest, but not lasting empires (Alexander + Genghis)04:46 — The 3 levels: lead yourself → lead followers → lead leaders06:08 — Trait #1: Wonder 09:06 — Wonder draws people in; “I’m discovering, not just directing”09:30 — Trait #2: Humility10:04 — The Sherpa lesson: confident enough to help others win12:29 — How to spot ego: can you say “I was wrong”? can you apologize?14:12 — Trait #3: Openness to be wrong 16:08 — Practices: keep wonder alive, ask for feedback, “what am I missing?”20:15 — Weekly challenge: lead without proving anything

Eddie breaks down why people miss defining moments in business and life, and why it’s rarely a lack of “chance,” it’s a lack of readiness. He shares a childhood story about preparing for the responsibility of a dog before getting one, then connects it to the biblical story of the Promised Land and the danger of fear driven thinking. You’ll also learn the four reasons people miss their moment, and Eddie closes with a clear weekly challenge so you won’t miss yours.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — The truth most people won’t tell you: opportunity won’t make you ready01:22 — Don’t binge these episodes: listen weekly and apply02:48 — Why people miss their moment: you weren’t prepared03:34 — The dog story: “Act as if you already have it”06:28 — Moses + the Promised Land: fear meets opportunity08:51 — “Fear delays your destiny… and sometimes disqualifies you”10:42 — Reason #1: Have you prepared13:01 — Reason #2: You fear what’s ahead 16:00 — Reason #3: Who are you surrounding yourself with19:00 — Reason #4: The moment moved on21:34 — The weekly challenge: build while you wait + train fear response24:10 — “You’re not waiting on clarity… you’re avoiding responsibility”

This episode is a powerful year in review and a behind the scenes look at Impact Others and Project Dakota. Eddie shares the story of launching a new “house of refuge” and feeding center in Colombia, why he’s been drawn to protecting children who can’t protect themselves, and the personal origin behind Project Dakota, named in honor of his brother. Eddie then takes you to India, where he helped deliver Christmas gifts to hundreds of children who had never received a gift in their entire life, and describes the moment that wrecked him in the best way; orphans singing “Silent Night.” To close, Eddie gives three end of year principles to carry into your planning that will help build a life that creates real fulfillment through impact.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Year in review and why this episode matters: Impact Others00:31 – Colombia: launching a new feeding center & house of refuge02:16 – “Why orphans?” and the personal reason Eddie didn’t fully name before03:46 – Eddie’s childhood loss and his brother Dakota’s story06:55 – The question that sparked it: honoring Dakota + why Christmas08:22 – Project Dakota is born: giving Christmas morning to orphans09:29 – 17,000+ orphans touched plus toy drives across the U.S.10:52 – India trip: what Eddie saw in Madurai14:16 – Giving gifts to children who’d never received one15:38 – The “Silent Night” moment 17:57 – Eddie’s challenge: what are you doing that actually matters?18:19 – The 3 principles21:52 – The 3 impact targets23:02 – Closing

What if real leadership isn’t about holding power tighter but knowing when to give it back? In this episode Eddie Wilson unpacks the story of Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer who was pulled from his field, given absolute power as dictator, saved Rome in just 15 days and then walked away to go back to his plow. Eddie uses this ancient story to challenge modern leaders, founders, and parents who never “asked” to lead but now have people watching them, along with breaking three core leadership truths. From business owners stuck at the $5M ceiling because they won’t relinquish control, to parents learning when to let their kids fail and grow, to politicians who “die in the spotlight” because they hold power too long, this episode will force you to ask: Am I building something that shines without me, or something that only works as long as I’m in the room?TIME STAMPS:00:00 – Leadership isn’t ego, it’s letting go00:37 – Who is Cincinnatus? The farmer turned Roman dictator01:32 – When leadership finds you 02:44 – For leaders who never asked to lead but answered the call04:21 – Accepting the role: abandoning what was, embracing what is05:37 – In one day: from farmer’s clothes to dictator’s robe07:41 – Overnight march, citizen soldiers, and outmaneuvering the enemy09:39 – Victory in 15 days and Cincinnatus walks away from power11:34 – Lesson #1: Power is a tool, not a throne14:00 – Lesson #2: True leaders know when to step up and step away15:42 – Why most small businesses never get past $5M16:16 – Letting go as a parent: leading sons at different stages17:51 – Lesson #3: Discipline over dominance restraint is greatness19:56 – Give your followers the credit, not yourself21:09 – Are you building a business that can thrive without you?22:03 – Don’t just build for power; build for peace22:47 – When leaders hold power too long: politics, ego, and dying in the spotlight25:09 – Final challenge: use power as a tool, then let it go