Dr. Russ Barnes: From B-52s to Business Strategy - Leadership, Resilience, and Building Profitable Small Businesses

What do you get when you combine Division I basketball, 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, a PhD in Organization Development, and a passion for helping small businesses become profitable?

You get Dr. Russ Barnes (see his bio below).

In this episode, I reconnect with my former Manhattan College dorm mate, now retired Air Force Colonel, strategist, author, and founder of Systro Solutions, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, preparation, resilience, and what it really takes to build a profitable business.

Russ shares:

• What it was like flying B-52 missions and graduating from the Air Force’s elite Weapons School

• How being an introvert shaped his leadership style and ultimately became a strength

• The lesson a senior officer gave him that transformed his career: “Do your homework.”

• Why most small business owners struggle before profitability, and how strategy, not hustle, changes the game

We also talk about his unlikely first post-military venture, repairing leather and vinyl, the evolution into organization design, and why helping small businesses succeed is really about strengthening communities.

If you care about leadership, lifelong learning, economic impact, or simply doing meaningful work at a high level, this conversation delivers.

 

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About ​Russ: ​Colonel (retired) Dr. Russ Barnes is Chief Strategist at​ Systro Solutions, an organization design firm specializing in small businesses. His 30+ years of experience in organization development are drawn from military service, franchise ownership, academic programs, and strategy consulting, specifically with small businesses. Russ is a best-selling author, speaker, podcaster, strategist, and lifelong learner. He is passionate about serving the community of military veterans and currently contributes as a Director of Education on the​ Action Zone Board of Directors and a course facilitator supporting the mission to help veterans, military spouses, and dependents build profitable companies.​ Russ earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Manhattan ​College (NY), his​ MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, his Master of Science degree in Strategic Studies from Air University, and his PhD in​ Organization Development from Benedictine University.