There are seasons in leadership where the instinct is to tighten your grip. To search for more certainty. More control. More reassurance that things will unfold the way you hope they will. But the harder leaders try to eliminate uncertainty, the more disconnected they become from what actually matters.

This week’s Field Note explores the tension between control and trust, and why strong leadership often looks less like having every answer and more like staying grounded while outcomes are still unclear. Because people don’t just need strategy from leaders in uncertain moments. They need steadiness. Presence. The kind of calm that keeps fear from taking over the room.

Not everything is yours to control. But how you lead when certainty disappears shapes far more than you realize.

Some businesses start with a business plan. Others start with a moment that completely wrecks the direction your life was headed.

Rob Ekno went from alcoholism and homelessness to Hollywood, award-winning books, and eventually building the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival, a platform that now draws creators from around the world. This conversation dives into what happens when you stop waiting for certainty, trust the next step anyway, and build something meaningful before anyone else can fully see it.

Hear how Rob turned chaos into conviction and why that mindset changes everything for founders.

Do you have an entrepreneur story to tell? A point to make? An idea to share? We want to hear from you! Sign up to be a Hello Chaos guest today.

Ask Justin Ray Williams, an entertainment producer who orchestrates a perpetual calendar of events, theater shows and festivals around South Carolina. He has big energy and ideas, but he has an even bigger heart; his mission is always to give back some part of what he does. Justin shared the challenges of growing and maintaining a business (or two or five) while taking advantage of opportunities to serve others.

Another of Justin’s companies, Take Part, produces Roku and Amazon Fire-connected TV channels for podcasters and digital creators, including the Wedding Channel, Guitar 101, and American Warriors. Yet he still finds time to volunteer as the National Director of Events and Marketing with the Wounded Warrior Program and homeschool his three kids. Here’s how he keeps up the drive to make it all work.

The University of South Carolina Career Center is built for a problem most teams run into quickly.

There is no shortage of talent, but finding the right people and knowing how to reach them is where things get difficult. Without a clear approach, recruiting can feel scattered and inconsistent.

The USC Career Center gives companies a more structured way to connect with students and graduates through job postings, events, and direct support. Whether you already know what you are looking for or need help building a strategy, they provide tools to make the process more intentional and effective.

If you are looking to strengthen your hiring pipeline, this is a resource worth exploring.

Here’s a smarter way to make it work for you. CFFCU savings accounts are built to help you grow what matters most.

You’re not just opening an account. You’re becoming an owner.
Start with as little as $5 and choose the savings approach that fits you.

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