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Episode overview
In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch sits down with entrepreneur, author, and business coach Kevin St.Clergy to reveal the concept of “blind blame”—a hidden pattern that causes leaders to miss problems and stunt growth.
Kevin shares a powerful personal story that led to the discovery of blind blame and explains how this situation occurs in business, especially when leaders automatically blame marketing, teams, or external factors instead of identifying the causes. The discussion delves into the choice of mindset, the importance of meditation, and why many entrepreneurs remain stuck despite working harder than ever.
Listeners will learn Kevin’s RCD Method (Reflect, Connect, Decide), how to uncover hidden bottlenecks, and why change—not tactics—is the future of business growth. This episode is very important for entrepreneurs, agency owners, and leaders who feel stuck despite putting in a lot of effort.
Guest Bio: Kevin St.Clergy
Kevin D. St.Clergy is an entrepreneur, speaker, consultant, and author of Beyond Blind Suspicion: Stop Solving the Wrong Problems and Get Faster Results. After successfully building and exiting his marketing agency, Kevin now helps business owners and leaders identify hidden assumptions, conceptual barriers, and misdiagnosed problems that limit growth. His work focuses on transforming leaders by addressing root causes rather than superficial symptoms.
Key Takeaways
1. Many Leaders Solve the Wrong Problems
Blind suspicion occurs when people suspect the most obvious or simple cause—often without verifying that it is correct. This leads to repeated failures despite extra effort.
2. Cognitive Bias Drive Misdiagnosis
- Bias and Availability: The first explanation that comes to mind becomes the assumed truth.
- Confirmation Bias: The leaders then looked for evidence to prove that assumption correct.
- The result: Time and energy wasted on wrong solutions.
3. RCD Method of Development
- Display: Ask, “Am I missing something?”
- Connect: Seek outside opinions (coaches, mentors, thinkers).
- Decide: Take decisive action once clarity is achieved.
4. Earning More Isn’t Always a Problem
Many businesses blame marketing when the real problem is:
- Poor sales practices
- Missed calls
- Poor customer experience
5. Transformation Beats Transaction
Modern clients don’t want more resources—they want results. Businesses that transition from transactional services to transformational partnerships see higher retention and growth.
6. Mindset Shapes Business Results
Limiting beliefs (eg, “I won’t be that successful”) have a direct impact on business performance. Growth often begins with expanding what leaders believe is possible.
7. Slowing Down Is a Growth Strategy
Successful entrepreneurs tend to avoid thinking. Scheduling dedicated thinking time is essential to identifying root problems and making better decisions.
Good Times (Time Stamps)
00:01 – An introduction to “blind suspicion” and why leaders get stuck
01:08 – Kevin’s baseball story that inspired the idea
02:44 – Real-world example: businesses suspect marketing is wrong
03:36 – Introduction to RCD Method
05:12 – Why external opinions are important for growth
06:18 – Ability to make decisive decisions (MFD concept)
06:55 – Why slowing down leads to better results
09:25 – Seeing the blind suspicion of language and mind
11:39 – Three fatal mistakes: discovery, validation, and wrong focus
13:47 – Transition from marketing agency to business development partner
15:01 – Strategy to start the way and to be a trusted advisor
17:18 – Discovering real business problems without over guesswork
18:58 – Why clients crave change, not services
20:16 – Hidden human factors (such as health) that affect business performance
Notable quotes
“Reckless blaming is when we blame something completely outside of our control—or something that isn’t even a real problem.”
“If you keep solving the same problem over and over and get the same results, you’re probably solving the wrong problem.”
“People don’t want more advertising—they want more money, more growth, more influence.”
“Build a business owner who builds a business.”
“Change always outpaces practice.”
