Episode Details

What if the most valuable currency in business isn’t money, influence, or technology — but relationships? In this episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, host Francisco Gonzalez sits down with entrepreneur, author, community builder, and longtime technology executive Joshua Evarts to explore a career that has taken him from building and selling tech companies to working alongside U.S. forces in Iraq, revitalizing historic downtown Meridian, Idaho, and creating The Vault, an experiential cigar lounge built around authentic relationships. Joshua shares how curiosity and a willingness to walk into unexpected rooms helped shape his entrepreneurial career, what his time in Iraq taught him about leadership, and why he believes leaders should be slow to hire, quick to fire, transparent about failure, and committed to serving the people around them. The conversation also explores the philosophy behind Joshua’s new book, “If Jesus Smoked Cigars: Eight Lessons in Relational Leadership.” Despite the provocative title, the book isn’t really about cigars — it’s about what happens when relationships become the foundation of how we lead, build organizations, and live our lives. Francisco and Joshua also discuss why cigar lounges can create unusually meaningful conversations, the difference between online influence and authentic relationships, and why technology, social media, and AI make real human connection more important than ever. You can also watch this conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OBJoVetfeJM If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe to the Agents of Innovation Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who loves travel, entrepreneurship, or stories that inspire. Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators, philanthropists, and artists who are shaping the future. Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on: Instagram: / / innovationradio X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation Facebook: / / agentsofinnovationpodcast You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com Learn more: 🌍 Fearless Journeys: https://fearlessjourneys.org 00:00 – Introduction to Joshua Everts 03:23 – From tech entrepreneur to Iraq 07:51 – Leadership lessons from the military 09:23 – The phone call that changed everything 12:02 – Curiosity and getting into the right rooms 13:24 – Knowing when to sell a company 18:35 – Slow to hire, quick to fire 20:11 – Rebuilding downtown Meridian 23:32 – How The Vault cigar lounge began 27:04 – What relational leadership looks like 31:06 – Why cigars create connection 34:24 – Listening, relationships & serving others 36:36 – Creating real connection in a digital world 39:11 – “If Jesus Smoked Cigars” 43:02 – Being open to people who think differently 45:10 – Handling difficult workplace conversations 48:41 – Rapid-fire questions 49:20 – Joshua’s greatest leadership influence 51:05 – Start with one relationship 51:59 – Influence vs. authentic relationships 54:26 – Where to find Joshua and his books 55:20 – Closing thoughts