Ep 98 - Combustion: Simplification That Ignites Success for Leaders in Business
True leadership isn’t about managing complexities from an ivory tower—it is about stripping away noise, elevating the people around you, and building a foundation that thrives long after you leave. In Episode 98 of the I’m Booked Podcast, host April Eichhorn caught up with author and seasoned executive Elliott Haverlack to discuss the release of his latest book, Combustion: Simplification That Ignites Success for Leaders in Business. Coming out in October 2026, Combustion serves as a tactical, practical companion to his previous leadership title, Firestarter.Across five decades in business, Haverlack has served as a turnaround leader, life mentor, and advocate for human-first leadership. During the conversation, he shared actionable advice for modern managers, personal updates on his lifelong educational journey, and reflections on his ongoing partnership with Golden Acorn Press.A Multi-Year Journey with Golden Acorn PressSince 2021, Elliott Haverlack has collaborated closely with Golden Acorn Press to bring his core philosophies to life. The publishing house has helped him publish three distinct books, turning decades of hard-won experience into lasting legacies:* From Fear to Fulfillment: Haverlack’s first release with Golden Acorn Press explores the psychological barriers holding leaders back. The book addresses how overcoming fear and avoiding greed are crucial to unlocking personal growth and living a fulfilling, meaningful life.* Firestarter: Born out of an insight during physical therapy—“Managers put out fires, leaders ignite them”—this book outlines the foundational philosophy of servant leadership. It focuses on prioritizing team victories over personal gains and includes 20 years of hand-signed letters written to employees to inspire organizational trust.* Combustion: Haverlack’s third release with Golden Acorn Press was prompted by feedback from over 200 college students asking for practical execution strategies. Combustion answers that call, serving as a tactical blueprint for applying the principles of Firestarter.Golden Acorn Press has also worked alongside Haverlack to design companion covers for his leadership series—pairing the black, fire-and-lightbulb aesthetic of Firestarter with the white, water-and-matchstick design of Combustion to highlight their complementary nature.Key Takeaways & Leadership FrameworksDuring the conversation, Haverlack broke down the key concepts featured in Combustion designed to help leaders streamline operations and build stronger corporate cultures:* Alignment in Personal Health: Real leadership starts within. Leaders must maintain balance across physical, mental, and spiritual health to remain centered and effectively guide others.* The Power of Simplicity: Businesses often overcomplicate their problems. Much like water—a simple compound of hydrogen and oxygen that sustains life—the most powerful solutions in business are often straightforward and directly in front of us.* Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light: To streamline project updates, teams should color-code initiatives. While individual team members can flag issues by changing a green project to yellow or red, it requires whole-team consensus to move a project back to green.* The Rule of 100: De-escalate emotional moments or workplace friction by asking: “Will this matter in 100 years? 10 years? 1 year?” Filtering issues through this lens strips away existential panic so teams can focus on actionable solutions.* The Rule of Fishing (Hiring Speed): Applying the rules of fishing to recruitment, Haverlack points out that top talent is taken quickly. Streamlining hiring processes allows companies to capture high-quality candidates before competitors do.* Penalty Flags for Meeting Culture: Inject fun and lightheartedness into meetings by giving team members yellow penalty flags to toss when bad behaviors surface, enforcing mutual accountability with humor.Lifelong Learning and LegacyAt 68 years old, Haverlack continues to practice what he preaches. He recently completed his MBA at his alma mater, Slippery Rock University, earning a 4.0 GPA. Having previously endowed the university’s business school—now the Haverlack Business School—he returned as a student to remain a lifelong learner and engage directly with the next generation.For Haverlack, leadership ultimately comes down to human connection and a core lesson passed down by his father: “People might forget what they bought, but they’ll never forget the way you made them feel”.Elliott Haverlack’s new book, Combustion, is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and major booksellers. You can learn more about his work at his official website or by connecting with him on LinkedIn.April Eichhorn is the founder of Golden Acorn Press, an independent book publishing company. To schedule a publishing consultation visit goldenacornpress.com and be sure to connect with April on Linkedin. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goldenacornpress.substack.com
