Why Outworking Everyone Else Changed His Life w/ Scott Kleckner

"I lost confidence in myself." — What happens when the thing you've always relied on suddenly disappears? Scott Kleckner, owner of Olive Wood Pizza, shares how 18 months of unemployment forced him to confront something he'd never faced before: self-doubt. After decades leading turnarounds and managing restaurants, stadiums, and entertainment venues, he suddenly found himself questioning whether the skills that built his career still mattered. Instead of continuing the search for another corporate role, Kleckner took a risk and bought a small catering business in Southern California. The transition wasn't easy, but it reminded him of a lesson he'd learned long ago: work ethic can carry you through almost anything. This conversation explores confidence, leadership, identity, and why resilience is often less about avoiding setbacks and more about getting back to work when things don't go according to plan. What You'll Learn: • Why losing confidence can be harder than losing a job • How work ethic became Scott's foundation for resilience • What he learned from 18 months of unemployment • Why ownership gave him clarity that corporate leadership never could • The difference between being stubborn and being resilient Episode Links • Scott Kleckner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkleckner/ • Olive Wood Pizza: https://www.olivewoodpizza.com/