Scaling Up Business Podcast

How can entrepreneurs and business owners avoid getting bogged down in the doom and gloom of midlife? How can they reframe this phase of life as an opportunity for wisdom and growth? In this episode, Bill and his guest explore coping with uncertainty, consciously curating your life, and the need for modern elders to be curious and wise. Today’s guest is Chip Conley, a hospitality disrupter, bestselling author, and the co-founder of the Modern Elder Academy, a “midlife wisdom school” that helps people get unstuck and cultivate purpose. Key topics that Bill and Chip explore in this episode: - Aging and wisdom. - How both Bill and Chip felt depressed and anxious in their 40s, yet found happiness and fulfillment in their 50s and beyond.- How the Modern Elder Academy is helping people reframe their midlife crisis and find joy in the second half of life.- The intersection of curiosity and wisdom. - Why wisdom is different from being smart or savvy.- Bringing wacky ideas to leadership team meetings.- Diffusing criti

How can leaders adapt their workplaces to emphasize people development and talent optimization. Also, how can they use science-backed approaches to creating a fulfilling work environment? In this episode, Bill talks with the founders of Real Good Ventures and the hosts of the Bosshole Chronicles Podcast. John Broer and Sara Best are People Optimization Experts who believe that better work makes for a better world. At the top of their LinkedIn profiles, they both proudly self-identify as Bosshole Prevention Specialists. Key topics that Bill, John, and Sara explore in this episode: - The evolution of workplaces in terms of collaboration and community.- The metaphor that a traditional workplace is often like a stoplight intersection, while a modern workplace is (or perhaps should be) more like a roundabout.- How some parts of modern work culture are plagued with disengagement and a lack of productivity.- The origin of John and Sara’s podcast, the Bosshole Chronicles.- Self-awareness, empathy, and personal growth

Since we all know that employee unhappiness impacts customer happiness, why do we often overlook employee morale, retention, and job satisfaction? In this episode, Bill and his guest, John DiJulius, get into the nitty-gritty of employee experience and customer satisfaction. Their discussion underscores the need for leaders to set the tone and create a workplace where employees feel valued and supported, leading to increased profitability and employee retention.John DiJulius is a rock star in the worlds of customer service and employee experience. He is also the author of The Employee Experience Revolution and the host of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast. Key topics that Bill and John explore in this episode: - How the customer experience and employee experience are intertwined. - The frustration of platitudes related to customer service, such as “Take really good care of your customers” and “Treat your customers the way you want to be treated.” - John’s obsession with improving

Bill emphasizes the importance of approaching others with expectation of hearing "yes" rather than bracing for rejection. He points out that expecting a "no" can negatively affect one's demeanor and the way proposals are presented, potentially leading to self-sabotage before even fully articulating the pitch. To counteract this, Bill advises focusing on the potential "yes" by considering and speaking to what the other party might want or find beneficial, thereby crafting a more compelling and engaging proposal.Moreover, Bill delves into the psychological barriers that fear of rejection can create, suggesting that this fear can significantly impede one's ability to secure affirmative responses. He recommends acknowledging and setting aside this fear to focus on why the proposition could be appealing to the other party. If the fear of rejection is deeply ingrained, seeking external help or therapy might be necessary to overcome these hurdles. Ultimately, the aim is to move beyond the fear, speculate on potentia

If you were a teenager dreaming of your entrepreneurial future, do you think you’d ever imagine that you’d end up creating and running a pest control company, a marketing agency, a commercial cleaning service, and a tinted car window company? Well, that's what today’s guest did. And he’s got the scars to prove it. In this episode, Cameron Bawden shares his unique approaches to scaling multiple businesses, shooting high for revenue goals, and combining his love of flying helicopters with podcasting. An entrepreneurial trailblazer who has co-founded multiple successful ventures (Green Mango Pest Control, Hype Pharm Agency, Coconut Cleaning, and Agave Auto Glass) and is just getting started, Cameron is passionate about connecting with fellow business owners and driving growth. He’s also the host of the “Flying High with Cam” podcast, which he records while flying in his chopper (yes you read that right), and the co-host of “The Premium Mindset” podcast. Key topics that Bill and Cameron explore in this episode:

In this episode, the emphasis is on the need for a yes response to our investment pitches, sales, hiring, and project assignments. Bill highlights the crucial need for hearing "yes" more frequently to facilitate growth and scaling in business. He introduces a simple, transformative approach to increase the likelihood of getting affirmative responses without necessarily changing one's appearance or demeanor. The key, according to Bill, lies in focusing on and addressing what the other party wants.Bill elaborates on the strategy of tailoring pitches and proposals to align with the interests and desires of the person you're engaging with. He advises speculating about the other person's wants and framing your proposition around how it fulfills those wants, thereby making the conversation more about them and less about you. This approach fosters a more connected and meaningful dialogue, increasing the chances of a positive outcome. Bill underscores the importance of listening deeply and showing genuine interest in

If you're bootstrapped and don’t have a nice wad of VC money to grow your business, how can you scale up faster? In this episode, Bill Gallagher and his guest explore various scaling up strategies to create a sustainable company. Pete Martin loves starting, scaling, and selling companies (6 so far), playing drums in a classic rock band, traveling, reading/learning, and most of all, helping business leaders improve the health of their companies and personal wealth through richer exits. According to his bio, his “go-to humor is sarcasm” and he was “voted class clown in high school for a reason.”Key topics that Bill and Pete explore in this episode: - Pete shares insights from his book, Scale Up Faster, and three years of studying successful scaling strategies.- Frustration around the media’s attention on unicorn founders, who haven't created sustainable companies.- Growing a company fast without a business plan or outside funding.- How a chip on your shoulder can empower you to prove something to others. - The

Our focus is on transforming the hiring process to make it more manageable and predictable for businesses looking to grow and scale. Bill shares innovative strategies and practical tips for improving hiring practices, emphasizing the importance of creating a large candidate pool and moving candidates through the process efficiently. He advocates for treating the job posting like a product launch, complete with marketing efforts to attract a wide array of candidates simultaneously, rather than waiting for them to trickle in. This approach allows for a more dynamic selection process and ensures that companies don't miss out on potential hires by waiting too long for more applicants.Bill also discusses the need to sell the company first by highlighting its unique qualities, values, and vision, making the job opportunity stand out to prospective candidates. He suggests using screening techniques like phone interviews or meet-and-greets to quickly assess a large number of applicants. Furthermore, Bill touches on t

How can you, as an entrepreneur, take your first steps toward buying and selling businesses? Do you agree, like my guest, that most businesses should never be owned longer than six years? In this episode, Bill Gallagher talks with Josh Tolley, an expert in flipping businesses. Josh is the chairman of a business brokerage company that buys, builds, operates, and sells companies in finance, spirits, birthing centers, professional sports, and other industries. Key topics that Bill and Josh explore in this episode: - Josh shares insights from his recent book, Acquisition of Wealth, on creating life-changing prosperity.- The importance of perseverance and learning from failures in acquiring business success.- Saving vs. investing for wealth, with a focus on business ownership. - Why saving your way to wealth can become like chasing a moving target.- The power of buying businesses for profit over real estate.- Buying vs starting a business. - The distinction between small business owne

In this episode, Bill contrasts the job scorecard's effectiveness with traditional job descriptions, which he finds overly bureaucratic and filled with generic language. The job scorecard, with its clarity and simplicity, provides a structured framework for outlining the responsibilities, expected outcomes, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for a role, making it an invaluable asset in evaluating candidates and managing employee performance over time.Bill outlines the key components of a job scorecard, including the job title, reporting lines, a succinct headline describing the role's main function, specific outcomes the role is accountable for, and a set of KPIs to measure these outcomes. He emphasizes the importance of setting clear performance standards (green, yellow, red levels) for each KPI, facilitating objective performance evaluations and discussions. By employing the job scorecard in regular one-on-one coaching sessions, managers can effectively guide employees towards improved performance, ensur

How can business leaders let go of control at the same time as they empower team members to take ownership of their work?In this episode, Bill Gallagher and Hortense Le Gentil discuss trust, empathy, and the importance of leaders recognizing and challenging their limiting beliefs. An executive leadership coach and an author, Hortense Le Gentil is on a mission to empower leaders to embody authenticity, inspire meaningful change, and make a profound difference in the lives of people around them and the organizations they lead.Key topics Bill and Hortense explore in this episode: - Hortense’s journey from France to business coaching and book writing.- Why empathy and trust are key to effective leadership. - Hortense recounts a personal experience of feeling unfulfilled in her professional life and seeking a change, despite having a seemingly perfect life on the outside.- Hortense’s journey as an entrepreneur, from learning to be herself to helping others.- Self-discovery through neuroscience and p

In this episode, Bill emphasizes the significant impact of crafting a company manifesto as a foundational tool for embedding cultural elements deeply and swiftly into the organizational fabric. This manifesto should articulate the company's purpose, its emotional core, the vision for the future, the values guiding its operations, promises made to customers, and a long-term transformational goal, commonly referred to as a "big, hairy, audacious goal" (BHAG). By doing so, a manifesto provides a comprehensive overview of why the company exists, its direction, how it plans to get there, the intended experience for its beneficiaries, and a specific target to achieve.Bill outlines a practical approach to creating such a manifesto, starting with defining the company's purpose and detailing its aspirations, operational values, customer commitments, and a visionary BHAG. He suggests integrating this manifesto into daily business operations through various means such as printing, office displays, recitation in meetings

As an entrepreneur, have you given much thought to your exit plan? Are you not only capturing wealth but also putting the right things in place to preserve your legacy? In this episode, Elizabeth Ledoux shares her wealth of knowledge on business transitions. With over three decades of experience, Elizabeth helps entrepreneurs start their business transition journey. Elizabeth Ledoux is the founder and CEO of the Transition Strategists, an international consultancy that helps owners of private and family businesses to maximize the odds of successful business transitions. Key topics that Bill and Elizabeth explore in this episode: - Exit strategies for business owners.- Why some entrepreneurs prioritize revenue or valuation over exit planning and impact, but may struggle with purpose and fulfillment in their businesses.- Family business ownership and passing on a legacy to the next generation.- The importance of starting with the "why, who, what, and when" during conflict resolution, rather

In this episode, Bill delves into the significance of creating a powerful and positive company culture as a foundational strategy for scaling businesses effectively and sustainably. He likens the ideal company culture to a "good cult," emphasizing the need for intentional, cult-like qualities within a company to foster unity, commitment, and shared values among team members. By drawing parallels with companies like Disney and Apple, known for their strong, cult-like cultures, Bill outlines how such a culture can significantly contribute to a company's success by enhancing teamwork, shared responsibility, and overall satisfaction within the organization.Bill provides practical advice on building a company culture that resonates deeply with employees and guides the organization towards its goals. He stresses the importance of defining clear and meaningful core values, purpose, and brand promises that reflect the company's essence and how it operates at its best. Bill encourages embedding these cultural elements

In this insightful episode, Bill delves into the essence and significance of company core values, demystifying how to get them right and why they are so crucial for creating a thriving, scalable business. He emphasizes that core values are not mere aspirational statements or the embodiment of desired traits but rather a reflection of how a company operates at its best. Bill argues that core values should guide the behavior and decisions within a company, ensuring it grows in a way that remains true to its founding principles without becoming overwhelming or diverging into something the founder no longer recognizes or loves.Bill advises against common pitfalls such as creating too many or too few core values, suggesting an optimal number of five to maintain focus and memorability. He strongly cautions against using generic business terms like integrity, communication, or teamwork as core values, advocating instead for richer, more descriptive phrases that evoke a clear picture and resonate more deeply with tea

Why is it essential for management to strike a balance between profitability and cash flow for sustained business growth?In this episode, dive into the world of managing a positive cash flow and scaling up businesses with our insightful guest, Peter Kingma. We also explore the impact of different accounting practices on profit and cash flow, the significance of meaningful KPIs, and the importance of understanding cash flow in decision-making.Peter Kingma works with multinational clients and leads EY Working Capital services in the Americas. Corporate leaders entrust him to help liberate cash through operational improvements, which help in reducing costs and improving service quality. Peter is also the author of Cash Is King. Key topics that Bill and Peter explore in this episode: - Different accounting practices and their impact on profit and cash flow- The significance of measuring the right KPIs and avoiding information overload- The impact of disputes in billing and payment on cash flow and poten

Effective leaders know how to delegate the things they don’t do well — or don’t want to do well — so that they can focus on their strengths and move the company toward greater success.   Dave Kerpen is currently an advisor to many companies and is the CEO/Co-Founder of Apprentice, a platform that connects entrepreneurs and business leaders with smart and motivated college students looking for real-world experience and mentorship. Dave’s new book, Get Over Yourself, shares the roadmap for how you can shift your mindset (and your workload) to focus on the things most important for your business, your employees, and you. Dave calls himself a serial entrepreneur and is the first to admit that he has made plenty of delegating mistakes over the years. But failing doesn’t mean the game is over, it simply means that now you have more information to learn from as you keep moving forward. But should effective leaders learn how to do everything themselves before delegating some tasks to others? Dave says no. Rather, i

In this episode, the focus is on mastering the art of pitching within the context of growing a company, emphasizing the importance of engaging people effectively despite their inherent complexities and irrationalities. Recognizing that people, including ourselves, operate in ways that might only make sense to them, the episode delves into how to craft a pitch that resonates and leads to more affirmative responses. The key lies in sharing a compelling vision of the future that addresses a problem or gap and depicts an improved future state. This approach not only demonstrates an understanding of the current challenges but also ignites excitement and passion, crucial elements for driving decision-making and action. The episode further explores the significance of personalizing the pitch to align with the interests and desires of the audience. This requires setting aside one's own objectives to contemplate what truly matters to the other party, speculating on their motivations, and explicitly connecting the bene

In this episode, Bill delves into the psychological barriers that hinder our ability to secure affirmative responses in business interactions, emphasizing the detrimental impact of personal concerns and self-doubt. He identifies common worries, such as fearing one is too salesy or arrogant, and illustrates how these internal fears can prevent effective communication and diminish the enthusiasm in pitches or proposals. Bill proposes a solution to shift focus away from oneself and towards understanding and addressing the needs and interests of the other party. By acknowledging and setting aside personal concerns, rather than suppressing or compensating for them, individuals can engage more authentically and constructively in conversations. This approach encourages looking beyond one's insecurities to concentrate on the other person's perspective, fostering a more connected and productive dialogue that can lead to a mutually beneficial "yes." Bill's insights highlight the importance of self-awareness and adaptab

The ultimate goal of building a company is to build its value. Designing a company that can get rich is not always top-of-mind for business owners, but it should be.   Christopher Volk is the author of The Value Equation. Christopher was instrumental in leading and publicly listing three successful companies, two of which he co-founded. A 2019 regional winner of EYs’ Entrepreneur of the Year award, Christopher is a frequent university lecturer and serves on multiple non-profit boards. Not all companies are created equal. While many companies focus on their goods or services that are designed to make the world a better place, what separates an average company from a successful company is its ability to master the financial aspects of business. In order to get really good at one thing to the point that people are willing to pay money for it, business owners have to be willing to reject a lot of other things. Determine who your core customers are, identify what you can do to bring them value, and hone in on ju