What does it look like when an industrial engineer decides that marketing has a measurement problem — and builds an entire business to solve it? Andy Janaitis, founder of PPC Pitbulls, turned his engineering training into a competitive advantage in a field that rarely asks whether the data is actually right. In this episode, Andy breaks down the systematic gap he found in digital advertising and why an engineering mindset may be the most valuable asset you bring into a non-traditional field.

• Industrial engineering is “business engineering” — the problem-solving framework transfers to virtually any industry
• Most paid advertising fails not because the ads are bad, but because the underlying data is wrong or misunderstood
• Before optimizing for more leads, you have to map the full pipeline — from click all the way to paying customer
• Clients often don’t know their own goal clearly enough — the real consulting work starts with defining what success actually means
• Human judgment in the loop will not be replaced by AI; strategic context is the irreplaceable piece
• Career transitions can be de-risked: Andy negotiated part-time hours before going all in — that move is more available than most engineers think
• AI proficiency is now a competitive differentiator — engineers who use these tools aggressively will outperform those who resist
• Your engineering mindset is an asset in non-traditional fields — especially where everyone else is guessing

• 00:00 — What drew Andy to industrial engineering
• 01:32 — What he thought his career would look like coming out of school
• 02:42 — Discovering data and modeling as a discipline
• 05:15 — Early career in government consulting and engineering management
• 08:08 — The decision to go out on his own
• 11:33 — Building PPC Pitbulls around a data-first marketing approach
• 13:46 — The biggest challenge: helping clients define the real goal
• 16:34 — Mapping the full client pipeline from lead to paying customer
• 17:49 — The surprising gap: how often businesses misread their own data
• 21:50 — Advice for engineers who want to branch out
• 25:19 — AI, existential risk, and how Andy’s firm stays ahead
• 29:27 — Where PPC Pitbulls is growing next — specialty manufacturers
• 31:39 — Mic Flip: Andy interviews James
• 33:58 — Coach in Your Corner

Andy Janaitis is an industrial engineer turned digital marketing entrepreneur and the founder of PPC Pitbulls, a data-driven paid advertising agency. He applies engineering systems thinking to Google and Meta advertising — helping small and medium businesses measure what is actually working, identify where their pipeline leaks, and drive real business outcomes rather than vanity metrics. Andy works especially with specialty manufacturers and B2B businesses that have strong products but weak digital visibility. Listeners can book a free strategy session directly with Andy at ppcpitbulls.com.

Dr. James Bryant is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and host of the Engineer Your Success podcast. His mission is to help professionals win at work and at home by developing the leadership skills and presence that technical training alone does not provide.

Get Your weekly Leadership Insights here: https://www.engineeryoursuccessnow.com/eys-email-update

Most engineers and technical professionals are promoted because they’re exceptional at their craft. But nobody tells you that the skills that got you promoted are almost entirely different from the skills you need to lead. If you’ve ever felt underprepared stepping into a management role, this episode will tell you why — and more importantly, what to do about it.

Ben Perreau is a former music journalist turned leadership strategist who has advised senior executives at major global organizations. He now helps early career managers build leadership capabilities in real time through his company Parafoil. Ben brings a rare perspective — he’s lived the IC-to-leader transition himself, stumbled through it, and spent his career helping others navigate it better than he did.

In this conversation, Ben and James dig into why frontline managers are chronically undersupported, how feedback became the turning point in Ben’s own leadership journey, and what it actually takes to go from high performer to high-impact leader. Plus — James flips the mic and shares the one thing he wishes he had known earlier in his career.

• Almost every individual contributor who transitions to manager is underprepared — not because they’re not talented, but because it’s a fundamentally different career requiring different skills
• Feedback is the primary mechanism for leadership growth, but most people aren’t ready to receive it even when it’s being given to them
• High performance requires high learning — the most effective leaders treat their development like an agile process, not an annual review
• Creating space for reflection — whether through journaling, coaching, or conversation — is a non-negotiable leadership practice
• As AI takes over more technical work, human judgment, discernment, creativity, and moral reasoning become the differentiating leadership skills

• [00:24] Introduction — The frontline manager gap and who this episode is for
• [01:24] What Ben learned advising senior executives at Fortune 100 companies
• [04:28] Where the real friction is — why frontline managers are left carrying culture change
• [07:12] Why moving from IC to leader is a career change most people aren’t prepared for
• [09:05] Ben’s story — from music journalist to accidental manager at 24
• [12:51] The moment feedback changed everything — and why pride almost got in the way
• [16:03] How feedback accelerates leadership development in frontline managers
• [17:40] The case for continuous feedback vs. the annual performance review
• [19:43] Are you ready to receive feedback? James coaches directly to the listener
• [21:48] Practical takeaways — reflection, the whole person, and leading in an AI world
• [24:23] Mic Flip — Ben asks James what he wishes he had known earlier
• [26:46] Closing — James thanks Ben
• [26:57] Coach in Your Corner — Feedback is data, not a verdict on your worth

• Name: Ben Perreau, Leadership Strategist and Co-founder of Parafoil
• Contact: humans@parafoil.co
• Website: parafoil.co

Dr. James Bryant is a professional engineer, executive coach, and the host of Engineer Your Success — a podcast dedicated to helping engineering professionals win at work and at home. James brings a unique blend of technical expertise and leadership coaching to help engineers grow beyond their discipline and into their full potential as leaders.

Most leaders are already selling every day. They just don’t call it that.

In this episode, Drew Norton — sales trainer, podcast host, and founder of the Everyday Sales Leader — makes the case that influence, discovery, and communication aren’t sales skills or leadership skills. They’re the same skill set, and most engineers are leaving them on the table.

Drew spent over a decade building and leading sales teams before turning his focus to training professionals how to communicate clearly, handle resistance, and influence outcomes — without twisting anyone’s arm. His perspective is especially valuable for technical professionals: the goal of sales isn’t to convince — it’s to guide someone through a process of self-discovery until they reach their own conclusion.

In this conversation, Drew and James dig into the transition from technical expert to seller-doer, why introverts often outperform extroverts in sales, the three A’s of leadership, and how the inner narrative you carry is the hidden ceiling on everything you’re trying to build — at work and at home.

• Great salespeople don’t convince — they guide people to their own conclusions through discovery
• Engineers transitioning to seller-doer roles tend to over-feature-dump; buyers decide based on benefits and emotional outcomes, not specs
• The three A’s (Acknowledge, Ask, Agreement) apply equally to closing a sale and correcting a struggling team member
• Confidence in others starts with confidence in yourself — your inner narrative directly limits your external results
• You don’t have to choose between winning at work and winning at home; most bottlenecks trace back to leadership or systems, not time

[00:00] Introduction — Why sales skills are leadership skills

[01:26] Sales is life: Drew’s core philosophy on communication and influence

[04:53] Drew’s journey — door-to-door sales to training leaders

[06:29] Overcoming the stigma of sales and finding the moral obligation to serve

[09:14] Advice for engineers becoming seller-doers: stop feature-dumping, start benefit-connecting

[11:12] How government and internal leaders can use sales skills to influence teams

[14:25] The three A’s of leadership: Acknowledge, Ask, Agreement

[16:12] Self-leadership and the inner narrative that caps your success

[21:52] The Abundant Man: faith, family, fitness, and finance without sacrifice

[26:13] Mic flip — James answers: what does it take to engineer your own success?

Name: Drew Norton, Everyday Sales Leader

Website: theeverydaysalesleader.com

About the Host

Dr. James Bryant, P.E. is an engineer, executive coach, and host of the Engineer Your Success podcast. He helps engineering professionals win at work and at home by bridging technical expertise with leadership development.

Website: engineeryoursuccessnow.com

• All links: sleek.bio/eyspod