Podcasts about scaling up

Geopower, Energy Realpolitik with Todd Royal – Renewables have not ushered in prosperity—they have destroyed competitiveness, destabilized grids, and accelerated geopolitical decline. Europe is the test case, and the results are catastrophic. This episode makes the argument plainly: Renewables are dead. Fossil fuels remain dominant. And the nations that accept this reality will...

Growing a pool service business comes down to clear choices and honest math: buy a route, build organically, or blend both. Each path has tradeoffs in cash, time, and risk. Buying through a trusted broker can deliver instant revenue and a safety net, but it requires real capital and commitment. Building through ads and local outreach can be cheaper per account, but it demands relentless effort and tight tracking. The right choice depends on your market's competition, your cash access, and how quickly you need dependable monthly revenue.Route purchases can be a smart investment when you treat them like an asset, not a gamble. Most brokered routes trade near 12 times monthly billing, which implies a one-year payback if retention holds. You're not waiting a year to see money—cash flow starts day one—but mentally assigning that revenue to repay the purchase keeps you disciplined. Brokers add value with short safety periods and seller training, which matters when some sellers vanish after closing. If you finance with a home equity line of credit, understand you're “all in.” Buying a partial route can de-risk your entry, letting you learn which pools to keep, which to swap, and how to manage density without overextending.We share a practical roadmap to grow a pool service business with real numbers, clear tradeoffs, and field-tested plays. From buying a partial route to building a referral engine and partnering with builders, we map the paths that scale without wasting cash.• when buying a route makes sense and why broker safety nets matter• financing realities, payback math, and retention risks• organic growth via Google Ads, Yelp, HomeAdvisor, and Thumbtack• door hangers and targeted mailers that lower cost per account• market differences that favor partial route purchases• referral rewards that convert and sustain growth• builder partnerships and NPC startup methods for easy wins• simple metrics for route density, churn, and marginsJoin the pool guy coaching program. Get expert advice, business tiSend us a textSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y

 Industrial cooling is one of the biggest levers industrial facilities can pull on water use—and it's getting harder to ignore as data centers and other high-heat operations grow. Returning guest Dr. Kelle Zeiher (Project Manager at Garratt Callahan) breaks down what water reuse looks like when you move past slogans and into the realities of pretreatment, concentrate management, footprint, and cost.  Cooling water reuse: the scale of the opportunity  Dr. Zeiher reframes "drought" beyond rainfall, emphasizing aquifer recharge and the limits of focusing only on household restrictions. She contrasts domestic use (~12%) with the much larger share tied to cooling (~50%), then connects that to why optimizing industrial cooling matters—especially when operations sit in arid, desert-like regions with limited water availability. She also shares a data-center statistic that puts "the cloud" into physical terms: ~53 gallons of purified water per gigabyte of data stored to keep environments cool enough for microchips.  Higher cycles, RO blending, and the concentrate question  The conversation moves into practical tower strategy: driving cycles up as far as the water and metallurgy allow. Dr. Zeiher describes a case moving from three cycles to six with RO blending and pretreatment, resulting in millions of gallons saved annually. From there, the engineering problem becomes unavoidable: higher cycles create a concentrated cooling-water stream, and RO adds its own waste stream. The key operational question is how to manage both streams without trading water savings for disposal and reliability issues.  Minimal liquid discharge, and the AEROS approach  "Zero liquid discharge" (ZLD) remains a theoretical target, but Dr. Zeiher is clear about the realities: ZLD can require large equipment and high energy demand. She shares a cost example where a 20 gpm ZLD concept came in at nearly $8 million in capital. Her team's approach focuses on minimal liquid discharge (MLD)—recovering roughly 80–90% of water rather than 98–99%, while reducing energy intensity and footprint. She introduces AEROS (Aqueous Recovery Optimization System): rapid precipitation/conditioning, followed by sequential mechanical and membrane filtration, then an RO polishing step to return purified water.  Industry wisdom: proof-first projects, relationships, and AI  You'll also hear Dr. Zeiher's "proof-first" pathway—bench-style testing, then a 5–10 gpm flow-through evaluation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (with BioLargo)—plus a process guarantee framework and how credits can apply toward a final system. She closes with leadership lessons on documentation, continuity of customer care, and practical guidance for working with AI: feed it strong technical inputs, then apply human critical thinking before recommendations reach customers.  Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps   02:40 — End-of-year reflection becomes a professional challenge: keep learning fast enough to keep systems stable and clients confident. 05:50 — "Dry December" as a discipline story—used to tee up Trace's broader point: habits beat calendar-based resolutions. 12:00 — Water You Know  13:10 — The events page pitch: planning early protects training time and reduces last-minute operational fire drills. 17:00 — Dr. Kelle Zeiher returns after Episode 351; AWT Louisville hallway energy turns into a deep dive on reuse. 18:40 — Mystery novels as technical storytelling: The Cupcake Caper, real lab practices, and a pen name built for a non-scientific audience. 20:50 — Data centers and water: 53 gallons per GB stored reframes "the cloud" as heat management with real resource costs. 23:40 — Macro water math: 50% of U.S. water use tied to cooling vs. 12% domestic—why industrial optimization moves the needle. 27:50 — "Pretreatment is everything": RO's tiny flow channels make debris control and scale prevention non-negotiable. 30:10 — Cycles example: 3 to 6 cycles with RO blending/pretreatment, plus the caution that RO-softened blends can increase corrosion risk. 31:30 — ZLD vs. MLD: energy-heavy evaporation/distillation compared to a lower-energy recovery target that still returns most water. 33:50 — AEROS explained: rapid precipitation + filtration + RO polish, with solids handling designed to keep water moving back to the front end. 37:00 — Customer pathway: bench demos → Oak Ridge pilot (5–10 gpm) → engineered system; upfront testing credits toward purchase. 43:20 — Performance accountability: process guarantee includes refund/take-back if promised performance can't be met. 47:40 — Trust and continuity: plant presence, documentation, and relationship handoffs prevent "solution drift" when people change roles. 54:40 — Working with AI: feed it strong data, then apply human critical thinking so recommendations don't outpace experience.     Quotes "Water is not a limitless resource. It's a finite resource, and we simply purify it and reuse it over and over again." "We have to learn to work with AI when it's still a toddler before it grows up into the 6th grade bully and beats you up for your lunch money."  "Persistence overcomes almost anything."  "An AI will give you a great outline for a presentation, but it won't give you a full presentation."    Connect with Dr. Kelle Zeiher Phone: (630) 660-3457  Email: kzeiher@g-c.com   Website: Water Treatment Expertise Since 1904 I Garratt-Callahan  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelle-zeiher-6bab221/     Guest Resources Mentioned   The Cupcake Caper (Undercover Cat Mysteries) by Kelle Z Riley  Process Heating and Cooling Show Paper (Cooling Tower Cycles & MLD)  Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI Paperback by Ethan Mollick   Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World Paperback by Jenn Granneman (Author), Andre Sólo (Author)  Empower Your Investing: Adopting Best Practices From John Templeton, Peter Lynch, and Warren Buffett Hardcover by Scott A. Chapman CFA  Membrane Technologies for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Advances, Challenges, and Applications in Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) Systems  Comparative techno-economic and environmental analysis of minimal liquid discharge (MLD) and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) desalination systems for seawater brine treatment and valorization  Forever Chemicals: A Look at the History, Regulations, Emerging Trends and Technologies to Solve the PFAS Crisis    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind 351 Maximizing Water's Potential: Tech and Water Treaters in Perfect Harmony    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: How much heat energy does it take to heat 1 pound of liquid water by 1 degree Fahrenheit?    Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

How do you run a year-end strategy offsite that's focused, fun, and actually gets resultsIn this episode, Bill is joined by strategic advisor Dan Clifford to walk you through how to plan and execute a high-impact annual strategy session offsite. From pre-planning to post-event execution, Dan shares his years of business knowledge with the audience today. Whether you're a founder, CEO, or senior leader, this conversation will help you rethink your next big planning meeting and make sure it drives real outcomes for the new year to come. You'll learn how to choose the right environment for deep thinking, gather and synthesize the right data before you meet, build an agenda that creates clarity and momentum, and ensure your team actually follows through long after the offsite ends.Topics explored in this episode:(03:25) The Pre-Planning Stage*If it's not on the calendar, it doesn't exist.*Find a good off-site location that has both indoor and outdoor options.. *Don't just go through ‘the motions' of an agenda; schedule downtime, walks, and thinking time.*Think about what success would look like at the end of the event.(19:05) The Pre-Meeting Stage*If you have more than 8 people in the room for year-end planning, you need to hire a facilitator.*Get your data and numbers together, as well as a company-wide survey on what's working and what's not.*Bill likes to use AI to summarize the data collected and offers some tips on how to leverage this fully.*With a critical meeting like this, set the expectation with senior leadership that there will be no laptops and no cellphones.(41:40) The Agenda*Start with big-picture thinking, then narrow into what the action plan looks like.*What resources do you currently have vs. what you need to achieve your BHAG?*Walk out with 3–5 big priorities.*Bill likes to start with good news, human connection, and a bit of play before the big-picture strategy conversations begin.(31:35) The After*Don't just set it and forget it. Schedule weekly follow-up meetings to keep momentum.*Focus on Q1 for now; don't try to forecast Q2-Q4 yet. A lot can change in 90 days.*Don't be afraid to use AI to help you along this process! Thanks to Dan Clifford for being on the show!Connect with Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danclifford/Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then...

Work with Kevin to get the confidence to build the life you want. - - - - - The One with Rob Heyder In this conversation, Kevin Dairaghi interviews Rob Heyder, a successful real estate entrepreneur, about his journey from residential to commercial real estate. They discuss the challenges of property management, the importance of systems in business, and the impact of market changes. Rob shares insights on scaling a business, the role of mentorship, and the significance of having a strategic plan. He emphasizes the need for a strong support network and the value of learning from experiences. The conversation also touches on the future of real estate, including the integration of AI and the importance of financial preparedness. 00:00 Introduction 02:46 From Residential to Commercial Real Estate 05:51 Challenges of Commercial Property Management 09:05 Scaling Up in Real Estate 12:05 The Importance of Systems in Real Estate 15:00 Navigating Market Changes 17:52 The Role of Education and Mentorship 21:01 Forging Moments in Real Estate Career 23:59 The Impact of AI on Real Estate 26:51 Advice to My Younger Self 47:12 Strategic Thinking and Overcoming Limiting Beliefs 49:42 Finding Motivation in Challenging Times 52:05 The Importance of Learning from Mistakes 53:46 Scaling Up and Down in Business 56:09 Navigating Financial Strategies in Real Estate 01:07:42 Innovative Approaches to Commercial Real Estate 01:10:40 Building a Unique Coaching Program Kevin is definitely available for more MC and speaking opportunities. Have a group, you'd like him to speak to - Your kid's team? Your team? Your church? Just ask us! New linktree: linktr.ee/kevindairaghi Limited Time Offering for Self-Guided Roadmap Course --> Follow linktree ^ & Use Code: RUCRAZYKEVIN2025 House Buying Website: www.RestoreSTL.com Connect with Kevin Dairaghi! Website: www.kevindairaghi.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kdairaghi Instagram: @thekevindairaghishow Facebook: www.facebook.com/kdairaghi Get free access to some of the tools we talked about at www.kevindairaghi.com/tools You are who you surround yourself with. Join the Tribe! RATE & REVIEW this episode on Apple and Spotify. SHARE this episode with someone who needs it! A huge thank you to our sponsors: Lois Mans with Farmers Insurance - Insurance! ‭(314) 283-1981‬ Greg Mans with Upright Construction - Roofs! (314) 374-1343‬ Adam Droege with CRS Realty - Property Management! (314) 325-8328 Jason Hudson with Red Maples Construction - Turnovers! (314) 312-2147 Please reach out to them - they are my real estate team! Tell them Kevin sent ya! Dealmachine Bonus: http://www.dealmachine.com/KDSHOW

What if the key to improving obstetrical surgery outcomes isn't a new technology, but rethinking who's in the operating room? In this episode of BackTable OBGYN, host Dr. Mark Hoffman and co-host Dr. Amy Park welcome Dr. Sony Singh, a prominent figure in the field of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS) and obstetrics, to share perspectives on the emerging role of MIG surgeons in obstetrical surgery. --- SYNPOSIS Dr. Singh shares his extensive career journey, from his education in Canada and Australia to his current role as department chair of OBGYN at the Ottawa Hospital. The conversation delves into the integration of MIGS into obstetric surgery, including procedures like laparoscopic cerclages, placenta accreta management, and cesarean scar pregnancies. The hosts and guest discuss the challenges and importance of building a robust team, regionalization of care, maintaining work-life balance, and the eventual transition of leadership roles to sustain the high standards of care. This episode highlights the crucial role of minimally invasive specialists in advancing OBGYN practices while promoting a sustainable work culture. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 02:08 - Dr. Singh's Journey07:37 - The Role of MIG Surgeons in Obstetrical Surgery16:06 - Building a Collaborative Team18:38 - Challenges and Best Practices25:26 - Expanding the Scope of MIG Surgeons30:19 - The Evolution of Urogynecology and MIGS31:31 - Leadership and Building Programs37:54 - Scaling Up and Regionalization of Care42:53 - Balancing Work and Personal Life54:37 - Concluding Thoughts --- RESOURCES Canadian Society for Advancement of Gynecologic Excellencehttps://cansage.org/about/ From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brookshttps://www.arthurbrooks.com/books

What does it take to run a vertically integrated multifamily operation—and do it well? This week, we're joined by Michael Root, Co-Founder and Strategic Leader of Root Property Group, who breaks down the systems, strategies, and lessons behind managing nearly 1,000 doors in Chicago's north side.From understanding why “selling is a decision made before closing” to avoiding the trap of over-improving a property, Michael shares real, practical insights for investors who want to build long-term wealth the right way.Key Takeaways:3:07 – Michael's Core Roles: His three main hats are underwriting deals, asset management (executing strategies), and running the renovation crew.5:44 – Niche Strategy: Focusing on 10-unit, scattered-site buildings in core neighborhoods allows for hyper-accurate local data and pricing.10:26 – Tech for Efficiency: Software like ShowMojo automates scheduling and showings, eliminating phone tag and preventing lead loss.12:41 – Data-Driven Diligence: Use your own portfolio's data to accurately benchmark expenses against the seller's claims before touring the property.15:16 – Avoid Over-Improving: The worst mistake is over-investing in renovations, causing the property value to exceed what the local market can support ("meeting the market").17:02 – Legacy Transition: Buying the existing family business structure secured better lending credit and leverage for future acquisitions.19:55 – When to Sell: Consider selling if you've maximized value, plan no further capital investment, and wouldn't buy the asset back at the current market price.21:47 – Hindsight: Regrets include not networking more when younger and passing up "good deals" out of fear.Michael speaks Corwyn's "real estate dialect," diving deep into the world of multifamily acquisitions and the strategic vision needed to lead a multi-million dollar firm.Connect with Michael:Contact Number: 773 -904-1 383Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-root-6242a6a/Website: https://www.rootrealty.com//Connect with Corwyn:Contact Number: 843-619-3005Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/exitstrategiesradioshow/⁠FB Page:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/exitstrategiessc/⁠Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxoSuynJd5c4qQ_eDXLJaZA⁠Website:⁠ https://www.exitstrategiesradioshow.com⁠Linkedin:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmelette/⁠Shoutout to our Sponsor: Mellifund Capital, LLCNeed funding for your next real estate flip or build? MelliFund Capital makes it fast, flexible, and investor-friendly. Visit MelliFundCapital.com and fund your future today. Again, that's MelliFundCapital.com, M-E-L-L-I-L-U-N-D, Capital.com

Een hogere omzet kun je organiseren. Groeicoach Louise Verschuren deelt de Scaling Up-methode van Verne Harnish en laat zo zien hoe je met structuur de turboknop vindt.Deze aflevering in het kort:☑️ Waarom groei geen toeval is maar een georganiseerd proces☑️ De tien gewoontes van Scaling Up voor snelle, gestructureerde groei☑️ Hoe je strategie, team en technologie slim inzet om te schalenIn deze aflevering duiken we in een vraagstuk dat ondernemers jaar na jaar bezighoudt: hoe organiseer je groei op een voorspelbare en schaalbare manier? Te gast is groeicoach en ondernemer Louise Verschuren, die organisaties helpt met de Scaling Up-methode van Verne Harnish. Ze ziet dat veel bedrijven wel ambitie hebben, maar het lastig vinden om die ambitie te vertalen naar focus, ritme en meetbare resultaten. Volgens Verschuren - in het dagelijks leven ondernemer met Wuzzon - gaat succesvolle groei niet zozeer over harder werken, maar vooral over slimmer organiseren.

Timestamps:7:30 - Impact vs profit maximizing19:48 - The price of saying no to investors and customers25:17 - How bootstrapping vs VC funding impact speed and focus30:54 - Defining success: short global impact story vs sustainable and long-term growth This episode was produced by Founders Hive, a community of successful startup founders, industry experts, and investors promoting entrepreneurship in Switzerland and helping early-stage business concepts get ready for seed-stage investment.Founders Hive is a partner of the Entrepreneurship Training programme, empowered by Innosuisse, the Swiss innovation agency supporting SMEs, startups, research institutions and other Swiss organizations in their research and development activities. Click here to find out more about Founders Hive, empowered by Innosuisse.Episode summary:In this Opposing Views episode, we welcome David Eberle (INSEAD MBA), Co-Founder and CEO of Typewise, a YC-backed AI startup building autonomous customer service agents, and Florian Emaury (ETH PhD), Co-Founder and CEO of Menhir Photonics, a fully bootstrapped Swiss deep-tech company producing some of the most precise lasers in the world.Together with Silvan, they unpack one of the most debated questions in the startup world: should you optimize for impact or profit? They explore how funding strategy shapes decisions, why margins (not industry) determine whether bootstrapping is viable, and how shifting from B2C keyboard app to B2B enterprise AI changed Typewise's trajectory. They also discuss pricing discipline, ethical boundaries, pivots, and how Swiss founders approach growth compared to U.S. startup culture.They also open up about navigating ethical red flags with investors, resisting tempting short-term revenue, and balancing ambition with a life worth living. Both founders reflect on what success means beyond valuations: sustainability, joy, quality, risk-taking, and building something that lasts. Whether you're building a deep-tech hardware company or scaling AI software, this episode challenges how you define success and what you're willing to trade for it.The cover portrait was edited by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.‍‍‍Don't forget to give us a follow on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there's no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.‍

Industrial water professionals sit at the intersection of risk, regulation, and community trust. In this episode, Dr. Annette Davison ("the water risk doctor") joins Trace Blackmore to show how disciplined governance, clear supply chain thinking, and community engagement can turn fragmented water systems into coherent, defensible risk management frameworks.  Water risk from source to customer  Annette starts with a simple question most customers never ask: "Where's your water coming from?" She walks through a conceptual supply chain from source to end point—collection, transfer, treatment, distribution, and customers—then layers governance on top. Who holds custody at each handover point? Are water quality objectives clearly defined and documented? What happens when something "stuffs up," and how is that communicated downstream? For leaders, it's a practical reminder that risk isn't just about treatment performance; it's about clearly assigned responsibilities along the entire chain.  Governance, ISO 31000, and the Water31K framework  Drawing on her background in microbial ecology and environmental law, Annette explains why "you can't do a good risk assessment unless you've got the context right." She describes how ISO 31000 inspired the Water31K framework—an approach that is jurisdictionally agnostic and capable of spanning drinking water, recycled water, and recreational water guidelines. Using Water31K, her team walks into any jurisdiction and systematically maps stakeholders, legal and formal requirements, reporting lines, and internal obligations so utilities can see their governance landscape clearly before they start scoring risk.  Critical control points, AI, and learning from incidents  Critical control points may have started in the food industry, but Annette shows how they can be sharpened for water. Her test— "would a computer understand this?"—forces teams to close logical gaps and define thresholds and responses precisely enough to be automated. She also explores how AI and "agents as a service" could help analyze incident data, while warning that AI is useless if utilities haven't done the basics: monitoring the right things, at the right place, at the right time, with a firm grasp of supply chain risk. Her mantra: never waste a good incident; dissect it and make sure it doesn't happen again.  Regulations, public–private contracts, and community projects  Using Australia as an example, Annette unpacks the complexity of layered laws—Commonwealth, state, local—and the different regimes governing public, metro, and private utilities. She shares a five-part checklist for public–private contracts (quantity, quality, maintenance, ownership, operations) and explains how weak agreements can undermine water quality objectives and monitoring. In parallel, she talks about social initiatives like One Street and One Creek, community-led work on Rocky Creek, and bringing STEAM (not just STEM) into high schools so the next generation sees water as a diverse, creative career path.  Strong water risk governance isn't just about compliance; it's about making better decisions for customers and communities over decades. This conversation gives leaders language, frameworks, and examples they can use to tighten their own systems and engage people beyond the plant fence.  Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:15 — Trace reflects on the end of 2025, recap planning, and how goal setting shapes a stronger 2026 for sales and learning. 11:12 — Introducing lab partner Dr. Annette Davison and her diverse day-to-day across mediation workshops, field work, and high school outreach. 12:10 — The Risk Edge Group mission: protecting people, processes, and the planet from contaminated water with documents, templates, tools, and audits. 13:14 — "Incidents Online" as a free learning resource and how sharing real events helps others protect themselves. 14:10 — Becoming Australian Water Association's Water Professional of the Year and launching the One Street and One Creek social initiatives. 15:29 — From microbial ecology and contaminated sites to environmental law and a career focused on water quality governance. 19:47 — Training as a core "case study": lighting up operators and directors by finally explaining the "why" behind procedures and funding. 22:00 — Walking the water supply chain from source to end point and identifying governance handover points and quality objectives. 24:22 — Strategy-to-operations workflow: from planning and design to commissioning and operations, and why design must serve operators. 24:45 — Critical control points, space diarrhoea origin-story, and the discipline of defining CCPs so clearly "a computer would understand." 30:30 — How Water31K creates a common language for teasing out complex legal and regulatory structures across jurisdictions. 33:03 — The multi-layered Australian governance example: Commonwealth guidelines, state acts, and differing regimes for local, metro, and private utilities. 36:23 — Rocky Creek and the Karingai "Kraken" network: turning an unloved creek into a pilot for community care and data-driven education. 38:19 — onestreet.earth, mobilising your community, and building a playbook so others can replicate a "One Creek" model. 39:21 — STEAM power in schools: bringing science, technology, engineering, art, and maths together to improve water communication. 42:01 — Public vs private utilities, the Water Industry Competition Act, nimble private operators, and the five-part contract checklist. 44:39 — Emerging hazards (microplastics, PFAS) and the reminder not to take our eyes off the basics while we monitor new risks. 46:19 — Annette's core message: we've got to love water and help customers understand what it takes to keep it safe and reliable.   Quotes "You can't do a good risk assessment unless you've got the context right."  "Where's your water coming from? How do you collect it? How do you transfer it to where it needs to go to? How do you treat it?"  "We now just keep asking ourselves the same question, will the computer understand this?"  "AI's not going to help us until we get the right inputs to AI. Let's get the basics right first."  "We've got to love water. We've got to make sure that people are aware of water, not only the technocrats, but also the people who are using it."    Connect with Annette Davison Email: annette@riskedge.com.au  Website: https://www.riskedge.com.au/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettedavison/    Guest Resources Mentioned   The Risk Edge Group – Water31K Framework & Services  Incidents Online (Risk Edge)  Risk Edge Training (e.g., CCP and Governance Courses)  Ku-ring-gai Community Rotary Network ("the Kraken")  Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)  WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality  The Overstory – Richard Powers  The Three-Body Problem – Cixin Liu  The Covenant of Water – Abraham Verghese    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

What if chasing “having it all” is exactly what's making you miserable?In this episode, Bill challenges what “having it all” means and explores what actually creates sustainable happiness for high-performing leaders. He shares moments from when he had money, success, and recognition, but still felt empty, and explains why joy often comes from subtraction of things. Topics explored in this episode:(03:40) Success Without Joy Is Emptiness*Bill reflects on hitting financial and professional milestones; yet still feeling a strange emptiness. *Challenge the belief that: achievement = happiness. *External wins don't always translate to internal satisfaction.(07:15) Why the Gratitude Advice Doesn't Always Work*Break “Thanksgiving” into two core practices: Thanks (appreciation) and Giving (generosity).*Start with gratitude for team members, family, and yourself.*Let go of expectations, and express that through generous action.(10:50) The Secret Might Be: Wanting Less*True happiness often comes from removing things, not adding more. *Reconsider the idea of “having it all.” *Creating fewer goals for yourself actually might be the real key to fulfillment.Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

Today, I'm thrilled to share my conversation with Nathan. He's the Director of Soil and a long-time force behind Rust Belt Riders, a cooperative composting operation that's grown from bicycles and buckets to launching a mid-scale compost facility. Their story is truly inspiring—not just because of the growth, but because of how intentionally they've done it.We talk about the early days, what it's been like to scale, and the importance of their unique cooperative business structure—which sets them apart in the composting world. And toward the end of the conversation, Nathan shares his beautiful vision of a compost-centric utopian future. It's heartfelt, imaginative, and honestly, something we could all use a bit more of.Check out Rust Belt Riders (

Send us a textIn this episode, Stuart and Mena unpack ten punchy lessons from Verne Harnish's Scaling Up, plus a sharp LinkedIn distillation by Jennifer Berkowitz, and translate them for Australian SMEs. They start with the big two: why speed wins (compress decision-to-execution with short cycles, guardrails, and rapid prototypes) and why simplicity scales (a one-page strategy everyone can explain). Then it's “you can't grow what you don't measure”: weekly, not quarterly, tracking of lead flow, conversion, average order value, labour efficiency, delivery time, and retention. They tackle Goldratt's core idea, fix the single biggest constraint before revealing the most overlooked growth lever: pricing power (a 5–10% lift can drive 20–40% more profit). You'll hear how to raise Return on Payroll through clearer roles, better talent, automation, and ruthless prioritisation; why the “Moneyball stat” is your inbound ratio; and how AI supercharges A-Players instead of replacing them. They argue for being someone's favourite niche dominance over bland mass appeal, and close on the kicker: speed is useless without direction. Stuart and Mena leave you with three clarifying questions (Where are we going? How will we win? What matters this quarter?) and a practical checklist to turn momentum into measurable results.If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. It helps us reach more incredible listeners like you. Thank you for being a part of the journey! Click here to subscribe to our weekly email. SPECIAL OFFER: Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog here. Work with Mena & Stuart's team: At ProSolution Private Clients we encourage clients to adopt a holistic and evidence-based approach when making financial decisions. Visit our website. Follow us: Stuart: Twitter/X and LinkedIn. Mena: LinkedInIMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

 Entamoeba histolytica nearly ended Ron Blutrich's scientific career. Instead, it pushed him to rethink how we protect people in multi-family buildings, senior facilities, and dense urban centers from invisible microbiological risks in their drinking water. In this episode, he joins host Trace Blackmore to unpack what whole-building UV can (and can't) do for Legionella, biofilm, and real-world water safety.  When One Bad Cup of Water Redefines a Career  In the middle of his PhD in molecular genetics, Ron drank from an under-sink reverse osmosis tap at an Airbnb and contracted Entamoeba histolytica. The infection triggered more than three years of severe gastrointestinal symptoms and a 100-pound weight loss, despite being "clinically cured." That experience—and the lack of clear answers—led him to dig into how governments, utilities, and buildings actually manage microbiological risk in water. He discovered that even in urban centers, there is "a lot left to be desired" in monitoring, guidelines, and the epidemiology of waterborne disease.  UV at the Point of Entry: Why Medium Pressure Matters  Ron explains why he chose UV as the primary disinfection tool for CLEAR's whole-building solutions. He contrasts conventional filters (carbon, RO, media) that remove contaminants but do not kill biology with UV systems that directly target DNA and other cellular structures. He walks through the differences between low-pressure and medium-pressure UV, including temperature independence for hot water recirculation and the broader wavelength spectrum that can damage DNA, proteins, membranes, and even DNA repair enzymes. That same technology is being used for multicellular control in marine environments, ballast water, and mollusk control, and Ron argues it is uniquely suited to domestic hot water systems facing Legionella and biofilm.  Legionella, Biofilm, and the Limits of "Good Enough"  Drawing from CLEAR's field work, Ron describes how often Legionella shows up in single homes, condos, and new buildings, and how standard practices typically focus on remediation and short-term clearance instead of long-term prevention. He highlights the gap between ASHRAE 188's recommendations for hot water temperatures and real constraints in senior housing, where anti-scalding concerns keep tanks too cool to reliably control Legionella. He also shares stories of property managers and public agencies reluctant to test because they lack cost-effective treatment options or don't want to confront what the data might show.  Scaling UV from Towers to Single Homes  Ron walks through why conventional media and RO systems don't scale well to large towers—footprint, cost, and pressure loss—and how CLEAR instead installs inline UV systems at the point of entry. These systems can handle up to roughly 2,000 gallons per minute, require minimal head loss, and are designed as a single point of installation and service. From there, he explains how his team layered on monitoring and a tenant-facing dashboard so that properties can see UV dose, transmittance, and flow in real time, and service can be triggered based on performance instead of fixed schedules. He also discusses emerging opportunities in UV LEDs and next-generation media that could make fully comprehensive point-of-entry treatment feasible in more buildings.  For leaders responsible for building portfolios, senior living, or high-density residential properties, this conversation offers a rigorous look at what it really takes to move from "we hope the water is fine" to a defensible, data-backed stance on microbiological safety.  Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  04:59 - Trace talks about skipping turkey and ham this year and explains his usual turkey-stock "ice cube" tradition  13:59 - Trace introduces today's lab partner, Ron Blutrich of Clear Inc., and sets up the UV-in-buildings topic  13:03 – Events page shout out   10:57 - Water You Know with James McDonald  16:21 – Drinking from an under-sink RO line at an Airbnb, contracting Entamoeba Histolytica  19:15 - Why unmaintained RO and carbon filters can increase microbiological risk  23:27 - UV to keep post-UV systems cleaner   34:51 – Installation  40:23 – Cyanotoxins, Great Lakes algal blooms, and using medium-pressure UV to denature toxins, not just microbes  43:31 – Ron's current habits  48:08 – Future Opportunities: UV LEDs   49:04 – Multi-spectral UV LED arrays    Quotes "And what I learned really changed my life, because what I understood is that even in urban settings, not just in remote communities, there's a lot left to be desired when it comes to water quality, water quality treatment, guidelines, monitoring" - Ron Blutrich  "I think that in general, we need to understand with our eyes open exactly what it is that we do when we treat." - Ron Blutrich  "So generally, there's a lot left to be desired in terms of what we're trying to do for Legionella. It turns out that Legionella is extremely susceptible to UV. Legionella can be reduced almost 6 logs with most conventional UV systems" - Ron Blutrich  "So, at this point, our UV systems, it's an inline system. It's basically a section of pipe that happens to disinfect the water going through it. It's a single point of installation, a single point of service. There's no head loss, there's no pressure loss" - Ron Blutrich    Connect with Ron Blutrich Email: ron@clear.inc  Website: Clear - UV Treated Purified Water at Point of Entry  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-blutrich-50262b2a3/     Guest Resources Mentioned  ORIGINS OF ORDER: Self-Organization and Selection in Evolution by Stuart Kauffman  Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan  Clear Inc – Whole-Building UV Water Purification  Entamoeba histolytica Infection  CDC Household Water Treatment   EPA Guidance Manual: Filtration and Disinfection Requirements  WQA Guidance for Sanitizing Residential Treatment Systems  Application of Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes (UV-LED) to Full-Scale Drinking-Water Disinfection  Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines on Water Treatment for Wilderness, International Travel, and Austere Situations    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind   Water You Know with James Question: What is the interaction called when chemicals react on a mole-to-mole basis that could possibly be considered the opposite of the Threshold Effect?    Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

Mark Loeffler is a successful realtor, triathlete, and seasoned real estate investor with an impressive portfolio spanning the Golden Horseshoe. Inspired by Rich Dad Poor Dad, Mark launched his investment journey, eventually scaling from single-family homes to multifamily apartment buildings in thriving markets. His story blends discipline, strategic thinking, and long-term vision.  In this episode, we dive into: How Mark Kickstarted His Real Estate Journey — from his first properties to expanding into the multifamily market The Transformative Influence of Rich Dad Poor Dad on his investment philosophy The Mindset of a Triathlete — and how endurance, consistency, and discipline translate directly into real estate success Scaling Strategies that took him from small residential homes to full apartment buildings What He's Learned Along the Way about navigating market shifts, taking calculated risks, and building long-term wealth through real estate Download a free report: "Multi-Unit Renovation Operations Order - A Guide to Starting a Renovation" Subscribe and review today! Instagram Youtube Spotify Apple Podcasts  

Can you help me make more podcasts? Consider supporting me on Patreon as the service is 100% funded by you: https://EVne.ws/patreon You can read all the latest news on the blog here: https://EVne.ws/blog Subscribe for free and listen to the podcast on audio platforms: ➤ Apple: https://EVne.ws/apple ➤ YouTube Music: https://EVne.ws/youtubemusic ➤ Spotify: https://EVne.ws/spotify ➤ TuneIn: https://EVne.ws/tunein ➤ iHeart: https://EVne.ws/iheart GENESIS GV90 LEAKED AS ULTRA-LUXE EV FLAGSHIP https://evne.ws/3M87q59 CUPRA RAVAL AIMS FOR EUROPE'S BUDGET EV DRIVERS https://evne.ws/4otQpzQ NACS CHARGING SURGES AS NON-TESLA NETWORKS SCALE UP https://evne.ws/3XXaqnr HYUNDAI SURGES PAST VOLKSWAGEN IN GLOBAL PROFITS https://evne.ws/4pcja5g TESLA LAUNCHES FSD DEMO DRIVES IN EUROPE https://evne.ws/4rogrqV OMODA & JAECOO OFFER UPFRONT REBATE ON FUTURE UK EV TAX https://evne.ws/48oolb3 EU STEPS UP EV BATTERY FACTORY BUILD-OUT https://evne.ws/4pCw7oB MCKINSEY SEES €5 TRILLION CLEAN‑TECH INVESTMENT WAVE BY 2035 https://evne.ws/489dIdd E.ON WINS €70 MILLION EU GRANT FOR MEGAWATT TRUCK CHARGING https://evne.ws/44wt5tX CYPRUS OFFERS NEW EV GRANTS OF UP TO €9,000 https://evne.ws/4an47kv MERCEDES DIESEL RECALL OVERTURNED IN GERMANY https://evne.ws/3Kyblrn GM EV1 RESTORATION PROJECT REWRITES EV HISTORY https://evne.ws/4pxZdWa

Mastering Business Growth: Insights from Mark Abbott, Founder & CEO of Ninety, on Operating Systems, Culture, and Organizational MaturityIn this episode, host Josh Elledge sits down with Mark Abbott, Founder and CEO of Ninety, for a deep dive into business operating systems, organizational culture, and the journey of scaling small and mid-sized companies. Mark—drawing on decades of experience in entrepreneurship, software development, coaching, and workplace culture—explains how leaders can build high-performing, resilient organizations by implementing the right frameworks at the right time. This blog breaks down the episode's key insights and practical guidance to help business owners navigate their company's growth stages with clarity and confidence.Building Mature, Aligned, and High-Trust OrganizationsMark begins by explaining what a Business Operating System (BOS) truly is: a combination of tools, disciplines, and concepts that help organizations stay aligned, accountable, and scalable. He emphasizes that every company already has an operating system—whether intentional or accidental—and the goal is to consciously design one that matches the business's stage of development. Popular frameworks like EOS, Scaling Up, and The Great Game of Business offer structured paths, but each company must adopt the tools most appropriate for their maturity level.He breaks down the five stages of business development—Formation, Early Growth, Expansion, Maturity, and Legacy—and stresses that leaders must avoid skipping steps. For example, documenting every process too early is counterproductive; focusing instead on clarity, roles, and early team alignment yields better results. As businesses grow, they often mistake size for maturity, creating organizations that look impressive on the outside but lack foundational discipline internally.Mark also highlights the importance of culture, trust, and forgiveness. High-performance organizations assume goodwill, set clear expectations, and use trust as a guiding principle—while also acknowledging that not all behaviors should be tolerated. He references research from Dr. Paul Zak to explain how trust chemically fuels team performance and why leaders must foster environments where transparency and accountability thrive. Platforms like Ninety help reinforce these practices by providing tools for meetings, scorecards, vision alignment, and process documentation, ensuring companies build habits that support long-term excellence.About Mark AbbottMark Abbott is the Founder and CEO of Ninety, a platform designed to help small and mid-sized businesses implement and sustain business operating systems. With decades of experience across entrepreneurship, leadership development, and organizational design, Mark has coached countless teams on building trust-based cultures and operational excellence. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.About NinetyNinety is a comprehensive software platform built to help organizations adopt, implement, and sustain a Business Operating System such as EOS. With tools for meetings, scorecards, rocks, issues, processes, and organizational clarity, Ninety equips leadership teams with everything they need to run a healthy, aligned, and scalable business. The platform supports both coach-led and self-directed implementations and includes extensive resources for long-term growth and accountability.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeMark Abbott LinkedIn

What does it really mean for people to feel like they matter in the workplace?In this episode, Zach Mercurio unpacks why mattering is the missing piece in most workplace cultures and how leaders can foster it. He also explores how a sense of value and contribution drives engagement, innovation, and retention. Zach is on a mission to make work and life more meaningful. As an author, researcher, and speaker, he helps leaders create environments where people feel valued. Topics explored in this episode: (02:15) The Science of Mattering* How mattering influences employee performance and well-being.* Why recognition alone isn't enough to make people feel valued.(10:40) Workplace Disconnection* The hidden costs of employees feeling like they don't matter.(18:55) The Role of Leaders in Creating Mattering* Mattering shouldn't be just an HR initiative—it's a leadership responsibility.(28:30) Purpose vs. Mattering* Why having a sense of mattering is more foundational than purpose.* Case studies of companies that have built cultures of mattering.(47:20) Building a Mattering-Centric Culture* The three key components of a workplace where people feel they matter.Thanks to Zach Mercurio for being on the show! Learn more about Zach: https://www.zachmercurio.com/Get Zach's book: The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8XMWCLJ Connect with Zach on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook:

Simple Numbers, Big Profits with Greg Crabtree: How to Scale Without Debt or Chaos   Most business owners chase revenue—and lose sight of profit. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky Lalvani sits down with Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits, to cut through the noise and talk about what really drives a successful business. A self-described "recovering accountant," Greg shares how data—not opinions—can transform how entrepreneurs see their numbers, make decisions, and grow sustainably.   If you've ever felt like your financial reports are confusing or your growth isn't showing up in profit, this conversation will show you exactly where to look and what to fix.   In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why accounting data is often misleading—and how to use "simple numbers" instead. How to measure labor efficiency so your team drives profit, not just revenue. The power of gross margin as the real top line of your business. Why debt-free growth is possible with strong cash discipline. What Greg's 100-company study reveals about the real state of today's economy.   Key Takeaways: Gross Margin is King – Stop paying attention to revenue. Profit lives in the margin. Know Your Labor Efficiency Ratio – Every $1 in labor should create $2 in gross margin. Cash is a Strategy – Keep two months of operating expenses in the bank—your safety net for growth. The Economy is Shifting – Growth won't come from the market; it'll come from taking share from weaker competitors. Simplify Your Dashboard – If a number doesn't drive a decision, take it off the report.   Bio: Greg Crabtree, speaker, author, entrepreneur and financial expert.  Greg founded his own firm Crabtree, Rowe and Berger to focus on helping entrepreneurs build their economic engine.  After being named to the INC 5000 list for 2019, Greg's firm merged with Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPA's and Advisors, a top 20 U.S. Accounting firm to help broaden their impact on the entrepreneur community. Greg serves as the Partner in Charge of the Simple Numbers Consulting unit. In 2011, Greg's first book "Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits" shares his core principles of how to turn your business into a wealth building engine.  In 2014, Greg contributed a chapter to Verne Harnish's book, "Scaling Up" on how to improve profits though labor efficiency.  In 2020, Greg released his newest book, "Simple Numbers 2.0: Rules for Smart Scaling".  Greg is a frequent speaker to groups like EO, Scaling Up (Gazelles), Metronomics, Bloom Growth, Vistage, ACETECH and many Mastermind groups and has presented in over 15 countries.  Greg also chairs the EO@Wharton Executive Education program for the last 7 years and serves as an EO Accelerator trainer since inception of the Accelerator program. Both books are available on Amazon, Kindle and Audible.   Links: Simple Numbers - https://www.simplenumberscri.com/ Greg Speaking - https://gregcrabtree.net/   Conclusion: Greg Crabtree reminds us that business success isn't about how much you sell—it's about how efficiently you turn effort into profit. The future belongs to entrepreneurs who understand their numbers, make decisions from data, and lead with discipline. As Greg says, "You don't need more data—you need the right data."   Whether you're running a $1M or $10M business, this episode will help you stop guessing, start measuring, and finally take control of your profits.   #ProfitFirst #SimpleNumbers #GregCrabtree #BusinessProfitability #CashFlow #Entrepreneurship #FinancialClarity #FractionalCFO #ProfitAnswerMan #SmallBusinessFinance #GrossMargin #BusinessGrowth #CashManagement #LaborEfficiency #ProfitabilityMatters   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

In this episode of Talk Commerce, Leslie Hassler, a business scaling expert, discusses her journey in founding Your Biz Rules, a fractional C-suite service aimed at helping businesses grow and scale. She emphasizes the importance of having a structured approach to business growth, the role of AI in enhancing business strategies, and the need for resilience in navigating market changes. Leslie also shares insights on maintaining individuality in business and the significance of strategic planning in uncertain times.TakeawaysLeslie Hassler is the founder of Your Biz Rules, focusing on business scaling.Your Biz Rules provides fractional C-suite services to companies.The importance of having a structured approach to business growth.AI can enhance business strategies but should not replace human expertise.Maintaining individuality is crucial for businesses to stand out.Businesses need to be resilient in the face of market changes.Strategic planning is essential for navigating uncertainties.Measuring the right metrics is key to business success.Frameworks like EOS and Scaling Up can guide business growth.Networking and community engagement are vital for business leaders.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Business Scaling02:11 The Journey of Your Biz Rules04:55 Frameworks for Business Growth09:50 The Role of AI in Business18:21 Navigating Business Trends and Predictions22:39 Shameless Plug and Closing Thoughts

What happens when you build a company around one niche, listen obsessively to customers, and never stop improving? In this episode, host Trace Blackmore finally sits down for a full-length conversation with Frank Lecrone, Founder, President, and CEO of AquaPhoenix Scientific. What started in a small 60' x 60' space in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with three employees, maxed-out credit cards, and endless Staples runs has grown into a 300+-person organization serving industrial water professionals around the world.   Frank shares how AquaPhoenix became "the booth everyone wants to be next to" at AWT, why they built their entire business around industrial water treatment instead of trying to be everything to everyone, and how a simple continuous improvement system now generates hundreds of ideas a year from frontline team members. He also pulls back the curtain on acquisitions and private equity, explaining EBITDA in plain language, how to think about "add-backs," and what owners should understand long before they think about selling. Whether you're leading a growing company, running a route, or thinking about your own "second chapter," this conversation is a masterclass in culture, courage, and caring deeply about the people you serve. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps   02:20 - Trace Blackmore shares a recap from the recent 2025 AWT Conference, The Hang, and a Blood Donation Story   14:02 - Water You Know with James McDonald  15:20 - Upcoming Conference for Water Professionals  18:16 – Introduction of Frank Lecrone, CEO of AquaPhoenix Scientific (eight years in the making)  24:52 – Why Hanover?   26:59 – Supporting AWT  37:38 – Color-coded caps & QR Codes  42:30 – Learning from mistakes  45:31 – Core Values   48:26 – Acquisitions and Culture   1:03:32 – Valuations and EBITDA    Quotes  "We didn't grow by doing everything for everyone. We grew by doing exactly what one market needed and wanted—and then doing it better every year."  "The lack of information is almost always interpreted negatively. That's why you have to over-communicate, especially during acquisitions."  "EBITDA equals freedom. The more EBITDA you have, the less anybody can tell you what to do with your own company."  "We're not perfect. We screw things up like everyone else—but we fix it, and we fix it quickly, and we make doing business with us as easy as possible."  "I don't want to be the smartest person in the room. I want great people around me, giving ideas and pushing things forward, so I'm not the bottleneck."  "Business is like standing in a bathtub while the water rises. It feels fine until it reaches your mouth. The trick is noticing when it's at your knees and fixing the bottleneck then."  "We give a darn. We have 'GAS'—Give a #$%@—and if we can make it right and do it better, we absolutely will."    Connect with Frank Lecrone Email: frank@aquaphoenixsci.com   Website: Water Quality Testing Products | AquaPhoenix Scientific  LinkedIn:  Frank Lecrone | LinkedIn       Guest Resources Mentioned   AquaPhoenix Scientific   Aliquot – AquaPhoenix's Water Management Software  QR-coded Custom Test Kits (AquaPhoenix EndPoint® ID)    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  American Red Cross    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What industrial water treatment word is derived from the Greek word meaning "claw?"    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

When we think of paper flowers, we often imagine something small, intricate, and realistic. But what happens when you scale that beauty up tenfold? In this episode of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Sara Kim, and Jessie Chui explore the bold, beautiful world of large paper flowers and the practical realities that come with going big. Listen to this Episode to learn: Why large flowers require careful structural planning How to price and protect your work (and yourself) The importance of weather, shipping, and storage considerations Creative ways to include large flowers in your business offerings Creating giant paper flowers is both an artistic and logistical challenge. As Quynh shared, even the smallest miscalculation can cause a flower to droop or collapse. “I watched one of my large flowers start to wilt before my eyes,” she said. “I had to go back and rewire it.” Wiring each petal, reinforcing the base, and using durable materials are essential steps for any large-scale project. For Sara, the biggest lessons came from experience. “Even when my flowers stood perfectly in my studio, they would tip over at outdoor events. Wind, heat, and humidity change everything,” she explained. Over time, she realized that offering large flower installations professionally required more than artistic skill, it required business planning, insurance, and honest client communication. Jessie agreed, adding that the paper flower business side of things can't be ignored. “It's not just about making the flower,” she said. “It's about managing logistics, installation, and liability. Once you step into larger projects, you're responsible for safety and presentation.” So, what should artists know before offering giant paper flowers for events or retail displays? Structure Comes First - Use strong wiring, test every connection, and consider how gravity will affect your flower over time. Hanging or standing pieces should be tested for at least 24 hours before installation. Communicate Clearly with Clients - Set expectations about weather sensitivity and handling. As Sara put it, “Treat paper flowers like real flowers—they're beautiful but fragile.” Plan for Storage and Transport - Large flowers take up significant space. Think about storage, dust protection, and packaging. If you must ship, factor in both the size and fragility—shipping costs can quadruple quickly. Protect Your Business - Event venues often require liability insurance, especially for installations. “Even if you're just setting up a backdrop,” Jessie noted, “you need coverage in case something happens.” Start with One Big Bloom - If you're new to large-scale work, start small. Make one flower for yourself. It's fun, forgiving, and will teach you about scale, structure, and creativity. Despite the hurdles, large flowers remain a showstopper. They command attention, tell stories, and redefine what paper art can be. Whether they're adorning a wedding ceremony, retail window, or photo backdrop, these flowers remind us that art can bloom in any size. As Quynh summed it up beautifully, “Paper flowers can bloom in every size. The key is knowing how to make them stand tall.”

Join host Duncan MacPherson and his guest Rob Montella of First Trust as they discuss moving upstream in client engagement, emphasizing the need to understand client needs and enhance services through advisory councils. Rob shares insights from his time at Goldman Sachs and First Trust, highlighting the importance of adapting strategies for high-net-worth clients. Rob … Continue reading Moving Upstream: Scaling Up Your Business with Robert Montella (Ep. 86) →

Systems are one of those things we can be reluctant to change.  Most churches outgrow their systems without even realizing it. What worked then suddenly doesn't work now. And churches get stuck using old systems that are beyond their usefulness, all while hoping for different results. When you're in seasons of growth, you have to get more intentional about scaling up the systems that have started to break down due to growth to make your ministry sustainable.  In this episode, Amy and Sean discuss why systems function poorly for so long, what to do when you recognize key systems are broken and how to redesign systems during growth.   This Episode is Sponsored By DonorBox:  This Christmas season could be your biggest fundraising opportunity: church attendance often doubles and generosity surges. Donorbox Live Kiosk ensures you won't miss a single gift. No cash? No problem. Your congregants can tap, swipe, or use their phone to donate instantly. Automatically capture contact information, send tax receipts, and even set up recurring gifts. Join 100,000 organizations raising billions with Donorbox. Try Live Kiosk free at donorbox.org/unstuckpodcast    Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

Are you planning time off or avoiding the truth about your team?In this solo episode, Bill explores how the holiday season acts as a diagnostic tool for your business. Are you building a company that thrives without you or one that collapses the second you unplug? He shares why most founders avoid taking time off and how strategically stepping away can highlight leadership gaps, capacity issues, and trust breakdowns. If you're feeling pulled in every direction heading into November or December, this episode is for you. Topics explored in this episode:(01:15) The Holiday Season Is a Double-Edged Sword*The holidays are often very joyful, but they also carry a lot of stress.*Leaders are managing business deadlines, shorter days, and personal expectations collide.*It's important to acknowledge that stress exists alongside celebration(02:25) Redefining “Thanksgiving”*Break “Thanksgiving” into two core practices: Thanks (appreciation) and Giving (generosity).*Start with gratitude for team members, family, and yourself.*Let go of expectations, and express that through generous action.(5:25) Build Systems That Let You Breathe*Think through the logistics of how you will see and connect with friends and family. *What's gone wrong in the past? How can you prevent it from going wrong this year? *Apply the same reflection to your team; ask how they're feeling and what support they needBill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

Pranav Dalal is the visionary Founder and CEO of Office Beacon, a global outsourcing powerhouse with over 5,500 employees. Launching the business in 2000 after the dot-com crash, Pranav has expanded operations from India to the Philippines, Mexico, and South Africa, providing over 150 different services to clients worldwide. As a single father, he is actively building a multi-generational family business, with his children joining the ranks to learn the industry from the ground up. Pranav is also a forward-thinker who leverages unique partnerships with the NFL and SoFi Stadium to drive business growth.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode, host Jonathan Goldhill sits down with Pranav Dalal to discuss his 25-year journey of building a truly global enterprise. Pranav shares the origin story of shifting from the tech sector to B2B services and how he strategically scaled Office Beacon across multiple continents. We explore how he balances running a massive remote organization using systems like EOS and the "generational compact" he has established with his children. Pranav also offers fascinating insights into his unique sports marketing partnerships, his aggressive adoption of AI to disrupt his own business model, and the ancestral values that guide his leadership.KEY TAKEAWAYSThe Generational Compact: Pranav built Office Beacon with the specific intent of creating a multi-generational legacy. His children joined the business not through nepotism, but by starting at entry-level positions to learn humility and hard work.Scaling with EOS: Managing 5,500 employees remotely requires discipline. Pranav utilizes the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) five levels deep to ensure core values and goals are cascaded effectively across global teams.Innovative Partnerships: Moving beyond traditional marketing, Office Beacon holds exclusive partnerships with SoFi Stadium and the NFL Alumni Association, using stadium suites for daily business networking rather than just game-day entertainment.Disrupt or Be Disrupted: Pranav views himself as the "Chief Disruption Officer." He is heavily investing in AI education and implementation for 2026, believing that if he doesn't disrupt his own business model, a competitor will.Trust But Verify: A core leadership lesson Pranav instills in his children and team is the concept of "trust but verify"—maintaining faith in people while ensuring details and execution are validated to prevent costly mistakes.Ancestral DNA: Pranav reconnected with his heritage, discovering that his surname "Dalal" means "broker" in Persian/Hindi, which reinforced his belief that business and entrepreneurship are embedded in his family's DNA.QUOTES"My whole goal was to create a multi-generational family business.""If we're not disrupting ourselves, someone's going to disrupt you.""I realized that it was a very doable thing... that there are these family legacies out there in business that go back hundreds of years.""They fail, feel a sense of ownership even though I'm the owner... their mindset of being accountable is incredible.""I'm in the people business, and I should be the first one to say, 'Wow, I'm scared of AI,' but I'm embracing it a thousand percent."Connect and learn more about Pranav Dalal and Office Beacon: Pranav Dalal's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranavdalal/Office Beacon Website: https://www.officebeacon.com/  Email for inquiries: sales@officebeacon.comIf you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, review, and share with a friend who would benefit from the message. If you're interested in picking up a copy of Jonathan Goldhill's book, Disruptive Successor, go to the website at www.DisruptiveSuccessor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"The More You Know" - Robin Deal A million-gallon-a-day perspective, distilled into actionable steps. Robin Deal, AquaPure Product Manager at Hubbard-Hall unpacks how seasoned pros can squeeze more performance—and less sludge—out of industrial wastewater systems without compromising compliance or plant uptime.    From "clear water in a jar" to stable discharge in the field  Robin details a practical jar-testing workflow: start from upstream processes, target pH using hydroxide/sulfide solubility curves, choose the right coagulant (aluminum, iron, calcium, lanthanum, or organics), and validate against metals/COD/BOD/phosphorus before scaling. The test bench isn't the finish line; it's the feasibility gate when you're treating 150,000+ gpd.  Lean wastewater: cost center or controllable system?  Commodity choices (lime, alum, ferric) can generate 70–85% more sludge than optimized blends—driving hazardous waste hauling, clogging lines, and shortening pump life. Robin reframes the "penny-per-pound" price war into a total-system economics conversation: sludge recyclability, maintenance cycles, and realistic break-even targets.  PFAS: remove now, plan to destroy  For hex-chrome platers and other industrial dischargers, Robin shares near-term and emerging options: carbon filtration for immediate removal, evaporation/condensation where capital exists, and destruction pathways under evaluation—advanced oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, "thermobotic agglomeration," and ball milling—with an eye on evolving limits and cost realities.  One Water thinking for manufacturers  "Water is water." Robin introduces the One Water mindset for plant leaders: tighten internal loops, reduce community draw and discharge impact, and align non-contact, potable, and wastewater under one stewardship model. It's not a club—it's a decision framework that's already influencing global brands and drought-stressed regions.  Treat each round of testing as a hypothesis check, each chemical as a system lever, and each gallon as a shared resource. That's how leaders turn compliance into predictable results. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  16:45 - Trace Blackmore shares insights on current industry events, an upcoming conference, the "magic button" idea for user-friendly wastewater control and announces The Hang to build community engagement 17:50 - Water You Know with James McDonald  23:04 - Interview begins: Robin Deal introduced as AquaPure Product Manager, origin story and family context   28:12 - First Jar Test Story   32:17 - Jar testing Workflow  42:34 - One Water concept  54:12 - Regulations   Quotes  "Just say yes to the job." "Lime is not a lean." "Best available technology does not mean best economic." "So just deep breath, stay calm and do the best that we can do and wait for those regulations to come out because they are coming" "Turn off the water in the polymer tank."    Connect with Robin Deal Email: robin.renee47@yahoo.com  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robin-deal    https://www.linkedin.com/company/hubbard-hall-inc./      Guest Resources Mentioned   The Wandering Inn: Book One in The Wandering Inn Series by pirateaba  Water Reuse Organization   American Water Works Association  Water Environment Federation    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind Start With Why Simon Sinek TedTalk  The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick M. Lencioni  James McDonald's Be Like Water Series  Drop by Drop: Articles on Industrial Water Treatment by James McDonald     Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What is the device called that is installed on the effluent line of an ion exchange unit to prevent resin from ending up downstream where it doesn't belong?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

Dive into a lively episode of the Green Side Up podcast as hosts Jason and Jordan welcome special guest Joey Coberly, founder of Landscaping Bookkeeper and Lawn Care Launch. Joey shares his journey from leaving the corporate world to building businesses dedicated to empowering small operators in the green industry. Gain valuable insights into the art of bookkeeping, the importance of understanding profit versus salary, and the critical steps to setting your lawn care or landscaping company on a path to growth. Throughout the conversation, Joey dishes out practical financial wisdom, tells memorable stories from the field—including gator hunts and blue-collar life in Florida—and discusses innovative initiatives like the Lawn Care Launch bootcamp and exciting industry events such as the Landscape Rodeo and Equip trade show. Whether you're looking to level up your small business or simply enjoy real-talk and laughs from industry insiders, this episode delivers the inspiration and know-how to move your business forward. Connect with Joey: www.thelandscapingbookkeeper.com www.lawncarelaunch.com IG-@joeycoberly. @thelandscapingbookkeeper   Connect with Jason and Jordan:

What does it really take to lead powerfully and why does knowing yourself matter more than sounding confident?In this episode, Bill sits down with Susan Power, Founder and CEO of PowerUp Leadership, for a conversation about what it takes to lead well in today's world. Susan shares her personal evolution as a leader, from trying to “do it all” to embracing emotional intelligence, slowing down, and showing up as her full self.They discuss how leadership isn't about being louder or tougher, it's about knowing how you operate, communicating clearly, and making space for others to grow. Susan uses with her high-growth clients, including emotional check-ins, mindset shifts, and coaching techniques to increase self-awareness.Topics explored in this episode:(06:45) The Path to Becoming a Leader*Susan discusses how her leadership style has changed over the years. *Play to your strengths.*What does Susan struggle with the most in her leadership style? (15:25) Communicate with Power*The better leadership skills you have, the better you'll be at sales.*When things are hard, when you're tired, just remember, you're going to be okay. *You need to believe in yourself in order to go for new heights. (28:15) Leadership is Emotional; Lean Into It *It's okay to be emotional and expressive. *Susan loves to use an emotional wheel to help her clients get dialed in on their feelings. *Sometimes you have to slow down to pay attention to your body. (31:35) How You Show Up Matters*The value of coaching helps you increase your self-awareness.*It's okay to give people a heads up on how you operate. *Most people don't know what their weaknesses are. Thanks to Susan Power for being on the show!Learn more about Susan here: https://powerupleadership.caConnect with Susan: https://www.linkedin.com/company/powerupleadership/Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify:...

In our latest paper reading, we had the pleasure of hosting Grégoire Mialon — Research Scientist at Meta Superintelligence Labs — to walk us through Meta AI's groundbreaking paper titled “ARE: scaling up agent environments and evaluations" and the new ARE and Gaia2 frameworks.Learn more about AI observability and evaluation, join the Arize AI Slack community or get the latest on LinkedIn and X.

Get stuck in – Michael Bourgeois, CWT How do standards get written in ways that working water treaters can actually meet? In this conversation, AWT Past President, current Related Trade Organization (RTO) Committee Chair, and Chemco Products Company Operations Manager, Michael Bourgeois CWT, explains how AWT's liaisons collaborate with peer organizations, so guidance reflects field reality—operations, risk, and achievable compliance.  From Field Bags to Board Rooms: Why RTOs Matter  Bourgeois outlines the purpose of AWT's RTO structure: volunteer liaisons track and influence work at groups whose missions overlap with industrial water—CTI, ABMA, ASHRAE, AWWA, ASHE, and others. The aim is simple and practical: make sure member voices are heard so guidance advances health outcomes (e.g., Legionella control) and day-to-day feasibility for service providers and suppliers.  Turning Reaction into Proaction  Historically, the industry learned about new rules after they landed. Bourgeois details how AWT is shifting to co-authoring cooling-water guidelines with CTI and re-engaging ABMA, so boiler-water limits and methods reflect current technologies and operations. The model: clarify shared goals, contribute content expertise, and formalize collaboration so members get usable documents at member pricing.  Concrete Moves: Boiler Water, Healthcare, and More  Examples include AWT's role on ABMA's Boiler Expo steering committee (with a focused water-treatment training block) and early conversations with ASHE on pathogen control in building and healthcare water systems. He describes how liaisons feed updates into a formal committee cadence, so the AWT Board and members see progress—not just headlines.  When working professionals help write the playbook, outcomes improve clients, operators, and public health—and members stop "reacting" to standards they had no hand in shaping.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below.   Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!     Timestamps   00:02:28 - Trace Blackmore shares his AWT excitement & community shout-outs  00:05:16 - Water You Know with James McDonald  00:06:44 - The magic of the Scaling Up buttons (why & how to use them)  00:20:25 - North Metal Quarterly Magazine (Grab physical copy by visiting Booth 212)  00:27:00 - Interview starts: Mike Bourgeois (Chemco; AWT Past President; RTO Chair)  00:33:58 - What is the RTO Committee and why it exists  00:36:31 - The 10 formal collaborators + 4–6 informal  00:36:43 - AWWA/ASDWA (Joe Hannigan); Premise plumbing link  00:38:19 - ASHE (healthcare engineering) early wins (Reid Hutchinson)  00:38:47 - ABMA (boilers) momentum (Steve Jobin) + Women of Boilers  00:40:28 - CTI (Mike); CDC (Patsy Root); WEF (Brian Liotta)  00:40:46 - AMPP (formerly NACE) (Jay Farmerie); WQA (Chuck Hamrick)  00:41:19 - ASHRAE (Bill Pearson) & the impact on Std 188  00:45:26 - Principle: Be proactive so standards are achievable for members  00:47:34 - Boiler Expo: half-day on water treatment (economics, pretreatment, failures, regs)  00:50:56 - Where to learn about RTO work  00:54:19 - Volunteers needed: attributes of great liaisons  00:58:48 - Breakthrough: ABMA boiler water guideline refresh (toward ASME alignment)  01:01:02 - Potential collaboration with ASHE on pathogen control guidance  01:01:39 - What Mike's most excited to see at the Broadmoor  01:02:22 - Mike's session: new OSHA walk-around rules  01:02:51 - Theme of the conversation: "Get stuck in" (join committees)    Quotes  "The button is magic—it breaks the ice for you and starts real conversations."  "Talk to every single booth. A year from now, you'll remember exactly who can help."   "RTO stands for Related Trade Organization—our way to shape the standards that shape us."   "Why write a standard no one can achieve? AWT's role is to make it achievable."   "If you want to help AWT, get stuck in. Volunteer. It pays back 10 to 100-fold."   "AWT's RTO liaisons keep members' interests represented before rules and guidelines are finalized—so they're practical and achievable."  "Look for committees aligned with your strengths."    Connect with Michael Bourgeois Email: mbourgeois@chemcoprod.com   Website: Home | Chemco Products Company  LinkedIn: Michael Bourgeois, CWT | LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/company/chemco-products-company/     Guest Resources Mentioned   ABMA's Boiler Water Quality Requirements and Associated Steam Quality for Industrial/Commercial and Institutional Boilers  Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Ed.) Hardcover – April 21, 2005 by Ayn Rand  AWT Committee  AWT Get Involved  Cancer Ward: A Novel (FSG Classics) Paperback – April 14, 2015 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Author)  Cooling Technology Institute (CTI)  Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less Hardcover – by Alex Epstein   Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design Paperback – Illustrated, June 22, 2010 by Stephen C. Meyer  WTG-126: The Use of Non-Oxidizing Biocides in Cooling Water Systems    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  380 The WOW Effect: Women Leading Transformation in the Water Industry  447 Unlocking Team Potential with Culture Index with Randi Fargen  ASHE's "Water Management in Health Care Facilities: Complying with ASHRAE Standard 188"  ASPE's Engineering Methodologies to Reduce the Risk of Legionella in Premise Plumbing Systems  ASSE 12080 Training & Certification, Get certified to the ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI 12080 Standard: Professional Qualifications Standard for Legionella Water Safety and Management Personnel  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   AWT's Legionella 2019: A Position Statement and Guidance Document  North Metal & Chemical Co Quarterly Magazine Issue 3 -page 8 for Trace Blackmore Story  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Start with Why Simon Sinek - TedTalk  Submit a Show Idea  The 6 Types of Working Genius  The Rising Tide Mastermind    Water You Know with James Questions: What do you call the physical property of matter that is defined as the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

Rob Monson reveals how professionals can become A-players—and what leaders can do to retain them. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The hard truth many leaders don't want to accept2) What A-players do differently from the rest 3) The simple trick to get a day back every weekSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1108 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT ROB — Rob Monson, founder of Tenfold Advisors, is Utah's leading business growth coach. A Scaling Up and Metronomics coach, he helps mid-market CEOs install disciplined systems that transform people, strategy, execution, and cash. His clients have driven Utah's most founder exits at a 7X EBITDA multiple, 10X profit gains, Inc. 5000 honors, and award-winning cultures. Formerly with Golf Channel and 1-800 Contacts, Rob now shares practical scaling insights as Tenfold Biz Coach on TikTok.• Tiktok: @rmonson12• Website: TenfoldAdvisors.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Tool: Liz Wisemen Multipliers Assessment• Website: The Systems Thinker• Book: Topgrading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People, Revised and Updated Edition by Bradford Smart• Book: Who by Geoff Smart• Book: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm by Vern Harnish• Book: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, 20th Anniversary Edition by Patrick Lencioni• Book: The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams by Sam Walker• Past episode: 030: Optimal Practices for Prioritizing, Hiring, and Relating with ghSMART's Randy Street• Past episode: 552: The Foundational Principle that Separates Good Leaders from Bad Ones with Pat Lencioni• Past episode: 719: Liz Wiseman Reveals the Five Practices of Indispensable, High-Impact Players— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most shop owners look at revenue… Great shop owners look at Labor Efficiency Rate (LER). In this episode, Dominic Rubino talks with Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers and Scaling Up contributor, about the most important number big shops track. You'll learn: 1. What the Labor Efficiency Rate is 2. Why the magic number is 2:1 3. How to know if your team is working efficiently 4. Why backlog can hurt you, not help you 5. How to think like a profitable manufacturer Greg also shares lessons from real companies he's worked with — including shop owners who hit strong profits by focusing on this one number.

What do you do when everything feels like it's falling apart?In this solo episode, Bill explores why “feeling groovy” isn't just a quirky phrase; it's a powerful tool for high-performing CEOs. Drawing inspiration from Simon & Garfunkel's 59th Street Bridge Song, Bill breaks down the connection between presence, creativity, luck, and leadership effectiveness.Topics explored in this episode:(01:15) Why CEOs Need to Feel Groovy*What “feeling groovy” means in a leadership context.*You can't inspire others if you're always in survival mode.*Slowing down is a powerful gateway to clarity, presence, and leadership.(03:50) The Power of Pause*How taking breaks helps you recover physically, mentally, and emotionally.*Even brief pauses improve your ability to make strategic decisions.*Creating space leads to insights and better human connection.(06:25) The “Happy People” Study*A fascinating social study on why “lucky” people spot more opportunities.*Presence and joy increase awareness and your luck! *Why mindset affects what you notice (or don't) in your environment.Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

Fuquan Bilal shares how he scaled NNG Capital Fund, raised $50M, and built systems, teams, and mindset to create freedom through real estate investing.In this episode of RealDealChat, Jack Hoss sits down with Fuquan Bilal, founder of NNG Capital Fund, to discuss how he built a $50M+ portfolio through multifamily, affordable housing, and luxury new construction—powered by systems, people, and purpose.Fuquan explains how he started from nothing, burned his bridges to corporate life, and learned the hard way how to scale sustainably. He shares his experience implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), raising capital through transparency, and developing affordable housing in the Southeast while building luxury spec homes in New Jersey.You'll also hear how he uses AI for deal analysis, trains his team through systems, and helps investors earn passive income while providing quality housing for families in need.What you'll learn in this episode:How Fuquan started with one deal and scaled to raising $50M+ in capitalWhy transparency and communication build investor trustThe real work after closing: asset management & operational excellenceWhy self-managing properties can double profitabilityHow to implement EOS & Scaling Up to create real tractionLessons from right-sizing your team & aligning around core valuesFour pillars of business success: people, strategy, execution & cashWhy systems + mindset = scaleHow to use creative financing (seller carryback, bridge alternatives)How AI is transforming underwriting and deal review

Holidays don't usually line up with release day—but this year they did. In this Halloween special, Trace uses the horror-movie trope of the "scary boiler room" to deliver practical, field-tested reminders for safer sampling, clearer thinking, and better decisions in high-heat, low-light spaces.   Boiler Rooms, Myths, and Real Risks  From Nightmare on Elm Street to Tower of Terror, pop culture loves dim steam, tight corridors, and clangy pipe-labyrinths. Trace contrasts that imagery with what matters to pros: light, ventilation, a stable work surface, and time for observation. He urges listeners to advocate for basics—task lighting, a table, and smarter workflow—so test results are usable, repeatable, and defensible.  Sampling That Won't Scare Your Data  Sampling isn't the job—thinking is. Trace reviews essentials: collect safely (sample coolers when available), fill bottles with no headspace, cool samples to about "hand-holdable" (~100°F) before running tests, and remember temperature and prep sensitivities—especially sulfite tests that use starch. Poor cooling "cooks the potatoes," skewing readings. Tie every test to a hypothesis about system behavior; use results to prove or disprove what you think is happening.  Observation > Automation  Don't just grab a bottle and walk. Log pressures and temperatures (DA/FT), verify blowdown practices (including surface blow and any cooling devices), check the sample cooler, and review boiler logs. Pair disciplined observation with testing so numbers have context.  Stretch Past the "Butterfly Line"  Halloween also prompts a leadership challenge: if you haven't felt "butterflies" lately, are you still stretching? Trace revisits public-speaking growth, previews his AWT presentations (presenting craft, Start With Why, Working Genius, and processes), and encourages pros to reframe nerves as excitement on the way to competence.  Make the boiler room less cinematic and more professional. Better lighting, better setup, and hypothesis-driven testing produce better calls—and better outcomes for customers.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps 07:05 - Why Hollywood loves boiler rooms  10:10 — Disney's Tower of Terror queue through a "boiler room" and hidden Mickeys  13:31 – Don't just sample – Observe  15:02 - Safety first: sample coolers when available; protect yourself from burns  35:21 - Water You Know with James McDonald  47:05 – Halloween Throwback    Connect with Scaling UP! H2O  Website:  www.scalinguph2o.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalinguph2o/  YouTube: Scaling Up! H2O Podcast - YouTube    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Annual Convention and Exposition 2025  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea Start with Why Ted Talk  The Rising Tide Mastermind  The Hang Ep 166 The One Where We Celebrate Halloween  Ep 325 Rising Together: Conquering Challenges through Collective Support  Ep 427 July 4th! Entrepreneurship, Water Wells, and the Spirit of Liberty    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What is the pressure of a fluid called that's measured relative to "atmospheric" pressure?   2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

Building on last week's episode on AI and Operating Systems in SMBs, Dave West and PST Yuval Yeret dive into the challenges of scaling small and medium-sized businesses.Dave shares lessons from growing an organization from a small team to over 100 people—navigating silos, new stakeholders, and keeping teams outcome-focused. Yuval highlights common scaling pitfalls and explores frameworks like EOS, Scaling Up, and D4X, emphasizing vision, strategic goals, and evidence-based management.Learn how to maintain agility at scale, build cross-functional teams, and create an operating system that drives sustainable growth.Resource - Mastering Organizational Traction Trail Map

What happens when the hardest workers on your team start burning out?In this episode, Bill is joined by Paul Austin-Menear for a conversation about the unseen toll of hustle culture on your team, your operations, and your long-term performance. Together, they explore the red flags leaders often miss, from rising sick days to unchecked overachievement, and offer practical ways to build smarter, more resilient companies. You'll hear stories about simplifying systems, protecting downtime, acting on feedback fast, and creating environments where people thrive instead of burn out.Topics explored in this episode:(02:45) Having Hustle Isn't Enough*When is too much ‘Hustle' in your company a problem? *More sick days, more absences; leaders shouldn't ignore these signs! *Things break down and you lose business when your hustlers start to burn out. (9:50) Reframing Your Off Time *When you rest, you perform better. *On the weekends, everything should be OFF! Emails, messages, everything. *For those overachievers who couldn't help themselves, Paul would shut their emails off over the weekend. Work performance improved. (27:30) Are You Overcomplicating Your Process?*Bill shares a client story on how you can find ways to simplify.*Reduce the redundancies. It might not be as hard as you think! *Everything is trackable. You can find ways to reduce workload. (37:50) Act on Feedback Quickly*Engage your whole team, even from different departments, to spark innovation. *How to structure bonuses and incentives in a smart way. *So many times feedback sits in a folder and no one acts on it. Thanks to Paul Austin-Menear for being on the show!Learn more about Paul here: https://6catalysts.ca/Connect with Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pwamenear/Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts:

After finding early success in the natural channel, Olyra revamped its packaging, flavors and formulation to resonate with mainstream consumers while preserving the ancient Greek roots at the heart of its story

 Hiring in industrial water is slow, specialized, and expensive to get wrong. In this conversation, executive advisor Randi Fargen explains how a two-question, 5–7 minute Culture Index survey becomes an ongoing management and coaching system—not just a hiring screen—so owners cut turnover risk, speed onboarding, and improve day-to-day communication.    From “assessment fatigue” to a usable language  Most teams dread long assessments. This survey takes minutes and measures four primary traits—autonomy, sociability, pace/patience, conformity—plus three sub-traits (logic, ingenuity, mental stamina). Leaders get a shared vocabulary for why projects stall, what information different people need, and where the team is over-weighted in “gas” (vision/growth) or “brake” (quality/process).    Objective data where interviews fail  Resumes can be embellished, references are curated, and interviews are where candidates most modify behavior. The survey provides objective, EEOC-compliant data to align role demands with how a person is wired—a first pass for “right person, right seat,” followed by skills and experience checks. Trace shares a driver-hire example where data prevented a costly misfit and made the interview process smoother and more targeted.    Turnover, onboarding load, and the health check  Randi highlights research she cites with clients: 66% of employees have accepted roles they knew weren't a fit, and 50% of those left within six months—burning cash and team morale. The fix isn't one-and-done. Teams re-survey every 3–6 months to read dynamic “job behavior” shifts, diagnose disconnects early, and adjust coaching, workload, or process before problems harden.    Coaching at scale, not weaponization  Culture Index works best when deployed top-down and organization-wide (not just managers). Teams adopt simple practices—e.g., bringing pattern cards to meetings or adding patterns to email signatures—to reduce friction. A guardrail: never “weaponize the dots.” Use the data to maximize strengths and support challenges; never to excuse behavior or limit someone's potential.    Industry relevance and next steps  Because industrial water roles are niche and ramp time is long, using objective behavioral data helps retain talent you've already invested in. Randi closes with a free team diagnostic offer for companies that want to “test drive” the approach and leave with actionable insights—regardless of whether they proceed further.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:01 - Trace Blackmore shares a Legionella Awareness Month recap (most listened yet, high sharing), shout-outs to some guests, note that the CDC recognized Legionella Awareness Month, the origin story from 2020 lockdowns, a call to keep challenging what we “know”  07:52 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   12:51 - Interview with Randi Fargen, Executive Advisor with Culture Index  13:27 - Randi's self-intro: role and how she helps businesses (“right people, right seats”)  17:02 – Hiring Win; interviews get sharper when profiles guide questions  22:13 – Cost of Turnover  33:42 - What's measured: four primary traits (A/B/C/D) + three sub-traits (logic/ingenuity/stamina)  41:06 - Gas vs. brake; turning productive tension into quality control  52:51 - Guardrail: never “weaponize the dots”; use data to support, not to excuse or exclude  01:12:21 - Water You Know with James McDonald    Quotes  “Fully exploited strengths are a far greater value than marginally improved weaknesses.”  “Statistically speaking, 98% of the population has less autonomy than you do.”  “The second this is weaponized; the program is dead within your organization.”  “This isn't something, it's not a magic wand, it's not a magic bullet… This is a marathon, not a sprint.”    Connect with Randi Fargen Phone: 1(303) 242 0346  Email: rfargen@cultureindex.com   Website: www.cultureindex.com     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randi-fargen/     Guest Resources Mentioned   Culture Index Program  Randi Fargen (Executive Advisor) Free Team Diagnostic   Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink   How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older by Michael Greger    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  446 Leveraging the Culture Index for Business Success with Danielle Scimeca and Conor Parrish    Water You Know with James McDonald   Question: What is the molar mass of water?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

In this episode of The AZREIA Show, hosts Marcus Maloney and Mike Del Prete interview hotel developer Mark Pomerenke, who builds quality lodging in rural America. Mark shares his journey from managing family motels to scaling a nationwide hotel business, discusses public-private partnerships and Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and reveals how faith and perseverance fueled his success. A must-listen for anyone interested in real estate, entrepreneurship, or inspiring success stories. Key Takeaways:  00:21 Mark Pomerenke Background in Hotel Development 00:58 First Steps in Hotel Development 03:11 Challenges and Strategies in Early Projects 06:22 Scaling Up and Vertical Integration 07:07 First Successful Project and Expansion 14:37 Navigating Financial Challenges 19:15 Brainstorming Investment Strategies 19:34 Building Partnerships in Small Towns 20:06 Navigating the Financial Crisis 20:43 Expanding into New Markets 21:08 The Importance of Pivoting 22:22 Faith and Resilience in Business 22:41 Scaling the Hotel Business 25:51 Innovative Business Models 31:19 Giving Back and Mentorship 33:04 Final Thoughts and Reflections -

What do you do when everything feels like it's falling apart?In this solo episode, Bill talks openly about when things just don't go according to plan. When life hits harder than expected, and when the most reliable tools seem to stop working, there are still ways out of it. He reflects on his recent client experience and how he coaches his clients out of hardship and being stuck. Topics explored in this episode:(03:45) When the Tools Stop Working*Even experienced leaders can hit moments when none of their usual tools work.*Bill shares a client story about his brain and body shutting down, and how to navigate out of it.*What to do when your energy is gone and your head won't cooperate.(06:50) Get Curious About the Breakdown*The key question: “What do I need right now?”*Shifting from judgment to curiosity during emotional shutdowns.*Sometimes the fastest path forward is to stop fighting and get present.(09:15) Rebuilding from Ground Zero*Bill shares how he gets his clients unstuck. *When you can't make progress, focus on one small action.*This process isn't about fixing fires, it's about listening and realigning.Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

Points of Interest00:01 – 00:55 – Introduction: Marcel welcomes Kristen Kelly and frames Q4 as prime season for annual and quarterly planning, noting the high cost of leadership offsites demands clear outcomes.01:18 – 03:10 – Why Planning Feels Hard: Kristen cites common hurdles—turning history into forward plans, aligning stakeholders, and building forecasts that can flex with scenarios.01:55 – 03:47 – Frameworks Without Dogma: Marcel references EOS and Scaling Up, extracting shared essentials: look back, look forward, set a few priorities, and install a cadence.03:48 – 05:16 – From Ideas to Execution: Teams stall when models are rigid or fragmented and when revenue targets are arbitrary rather than grounded in capacity, pricing, and cost.05:17 – 08:43 – Static Models Create Drag: Rigid spreadsheets bias decisions toward the status quo, force opinion-driven debates, and delay choices into the quarter, shrinking execution time.08:44 – 11:48 – Prep That Actually Works: Start with mission and quantifiable goals, anchor to a simple, accurate, flexible model, and compare forecast to actuals to keep scope tight.11:49 – 14:32 – Surface Misalignment Early: A pre-offsite FUD survey (fear, uncertainty, doubt) creates psychological safety, reveals blind spots, and primes productive discussion.14:33 – 17:16 – Make the Look-Back Lightweight: Ongoing scorecards make recaps brief; focus on AGI, delivery margin, overhead/AGI, operating profit, and levers like utilization, ABR, and average cost per hour.17:17 – 20:56 – Prioritize by the Numbers: Identify which metrics must move, set a small set of OKR-style priorities, and tie initiatives directly to measurable outcomes and weekly execution.20:56 – 23:47 – Objectives Stay Stable; Communicate Often: Big objectives change slowly; raise the bar via evolving key results and over-communicate the plan so decisions map back to it.25:23 – 27:58 – Commit, Then Figure It Out: Install scorecards and targets even if imperfect; the commitment becomes the forcing function to solve data structure, forecasting, and tracking.28:27 – 36:56 – Model-Backed Decisions & Facilitation: Use a living model to handle cyclical topics (price raises, comp), budgeting, and tradeoffs; third-party facilitation drives objectivity, buy-in, and offers ABR-improving options beyond price increases.36:56 – 39:29 – Unified Budgeting & Final Advice: A connected model aligns payroll, pricing, overhead, and delivery targets, preventing unrealistic constraints; the closing takeaway is numbers-first planning that builds alignment and speeds execution.Show NotesConnect with Kristen via LinkedInFree Agency ToolkitParakeeto Foundations CourseFree access to our Model PlatformLove this Episode?Leave us a review here.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you turn a personal frustration into a $75 million brand—with no experience in the industry? In this episode of Leaders of Transformation, host Nicole Jansen interviews Justin Baer, founder of Collars & Co., who transformed a simple idea—a dress-collar polo shirt—into one of the fastest-growing luxury menswear brands in America. With no background in fashion and a long history of entrepreneurial experiments (and failures), Justin shares how he built a multimillion-dollar brand through relentless action, rapid testing, and the courage to launch imperfect ideas. His story of Shark Tank success and partnership with Mark Cuban reveals how persistence, timing, and customer feedback can turn a simple product into a household name. You'll learn: How to identify business opportunities from everyday frustrations Why “done” is better than “perfect” when launching a new product The power of storytelling and viral marketing (including the TikTok video made by his daughter) How to scale fast while staying true to your brand vision What it takes to go from side hustle to a $75 million business in just three years If you're an entrepreneur, innovator, or aspiring business leader, this conversation will inspire you to take action—before you feel ready—and trust the process of learning, testing, and growing along the way.

Get ready for a warm and inspiring episode, friend, as we welcome the visionary leaders behind a truly groundbreaking moment: the phenomenal merger of Girl Rising and She's The First. We sit down with Christina Lowery, Nidhi Shukla, Kate Kiama, and Tammy Tibbetts, the women fearlessly charting this new course

How do you make “right person, right seat” a repeatable system—not a hope?  Fact Water Co's Danielle Scimeca (President) and returning guest Conor Parrish (Chief Growth Officer) share how the Culture Index became a decisive tool for coaching, hiring, and a company-wide restructure. If you lead field service, customer service, or operations in industrial water, this conversation offers practical patterns you can apply the next time a role feels misaligned or a 1:1 stall on surface-level updates. From intuition to instrumentation  Trace opens with the origin story and quickly moves to why Danielle and Conor adopted the Culture Index. Conor outlines the survey's core traits (A, B, C, D), EU (energy units), logic, and ingenuity—and how those readings map to daily work. The team now enters 1:1s with data, not guesswork, and uses pattern shifts (e.g., crossing the bell-curve center line) as objective prompts to discuss burnout risk, disengagement, or role fit. Coaching that respects how people actually work Quarterly surveys provide a shared language for conflict and pace. Danielle and Conor show how “high-D vs. low-D” disagreements de-escalate when both sides name the pattern and adjust the level of detail or speed. The same framework helps leaders spot “quiet quitting” signals (e.g., EU changes) early, address them with empathy, and—when necessary—make seat changes with clarity. Hiring with a C-Job—and holding the line For open roles, they build a “C-job” (ideal pattern) and filter applicants by percentage match before reading résumés. That slows the front end but saves cycles by preventing mis-fit first interviews, reduces turnover, and improves team performance. The hardest lesson? When they ignored the pattern and hired outside the profile, they regretted it. Restructure at scale—faster, with fewer re-hires Armed with data, Fact Water accelerated a difficult restructure (significant field and customer-service turnover) and refilled seats against the right patterns. Outcomes included better alignment, happier team members, and fewer escalations. The same insights even improved communication at home—proof the temperament model applies beyond work. Tools don't lead—leaders do. The Culture Index gave Danielle and Conor the transparency and conviction to act sooner and coach smarter.  Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  02:24 - Trace Blackmore shares Industrial Water Week recap & #IWW25 highlights   13:37 - Water You Know with James McDonald  14:53 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   21:22 – Interview starts: Danielle Scimeca & Conor Parrish of Fact Water Co  24:46 – Why Culture Index  26:16 - Culture Index Overview   36:11 – Coaching Use: Data-Drive 1:1s and pattern shifts  44:36 – Hiring Use: C-Job Profiles  47:49 – Slower Hiring vs. Lower Turnover: lessons learned  53:46 – Real Example: High- D vs. Low-D communication conflict   Quotes  Conor Parrish: "High level culture index is a tool that we use. It starts with the culture index survey." Danielle Scimeca: “The program forces you to make tough decisions… you deserve to be in a job that you find fulfilling.” Conor Parrish: “HR isn't doing first interviews with 30 people—they're doing first interviews with three to five.” Conor Parrish: “There's so much more to it the more you go… I'm learning something new every day”  Danielle Scimeca: “If you're not ready to make changes, it might not be the right time to do it.”    Connect with Conor Parrish Email: cparrish@factwaterco.com   Website: https://www.factwaterco.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-parrish-cwt-15208251/     Connect with Danielle Scimeca  Email: dscimeca@fctwater.com  Website: https://www.factwaterco.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-scimeca-esq-519604279/     Guest Resources Mentioned   Randi Fargen (Executive Advisor)  Culture Index Program    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  AWT 2025 Convention and Exposition   AWT 2025 Business Owners Meeting  AWT 2025 Golf Tournament  008 The One with Conor Parrish  186 The One where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 1  187 The One where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 2  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  The Hang (November 20, 2025 - 6 PM Eastern Time)    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What do we call the liquid formed after steam does its work and has cooled below its dew point?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

John sits down with Christian Rattin, CEO of Five Star Home Services, to unpack how he helped transform a single-family HVAC shop into a $40M+ multi-market powerhouse across Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati.From growing through chaos to professionalizing with purpose, Christian shares Five Star's evolution — blending faith, strategy, and servant leadership to build a home service company that gives back millions. They go deep on: the “profit on purpose” philosophy, scaling across markets without losing culture, leadership development for second-chance employees, and using systems like Scaling Up to sustain growth.If you're serious about building a multi-location business, leading through values, or turning revenue into real impact, this episode is a masterclass in intentional scaling.

What if the real reason you're not closing deals has nothing to do with your leads and everything to do with your process?In this episode, Sean Samson breaks down the myths around what makes someone great at sales, and why most people fail. Sean shares how he went from average to top 1% by mastering the process, not his ‘sales' personality. He reveals why decent leads don't matter if your close rate is broken, how to adjust pricing based on buyer beliefs, and the difference between sales and business development (hint: most people don't know it). Whether you're hiring your first sales rep or trying to close more deals yourself, Sean offers insights into creating scalable sales systems.Topics explored in this episode:(07:10) Understand the Game of Sales*Sean knew if he wanted to be a 1% top performer in his industry, he had to know sales. *First things first, you need to understand why people aren't buying from you. *You need consistency, and to have consistency, you need a process.(9:40) Create a People-First Company*Sales fall through because the customer didn't have enough information. *...and they had the wrong price! You can adjust your price to the needs of the customer. *You run a sales call to find out what your customer believes and to meet them there. (19:15) Decent Leads, Horrible Close Ratio*How are leads coming to you? *Why are they coming to you? *You need to track the customer journey through a CRM. (31:35) Business Development vs. Sales*What's the difference between business development and sales? Most don't know!*How do you get your sales guys to stay longer? *Most people fail at sales because they don't understand there's a structure and scalability factor to it. Thanks to Sean Samson for being on the show!Learn more about Sean here: https://www.seansamsontraining.com/Connect with Sean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seansamsontraining/Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify:

“I believe what we're doing is based on something that's good for healing people and healing the planet. So, we're always organic and we're always working with regenerative organic farmers. And we're sticking to that mission and values, which is really important to me, because those are things that are always going to be good for you and for the…planet.” —Neka Pasquale   Sometimes, wellness feels like a luxury instead of a way of life. Between the stress of business, family, and bills, it's easy to put health last until the cost of burnout catches up. What if the values that ground us—nourishment, balance, and purpose—were also the very things that drive sustainable success? An acupuncturist turned entrepreneur, Neka Pasquale has built Urban Remedy from her kitchen into a movement by pairing holistic values with smart business. Her journey shows that growth doesn't come from chasing trends but from honoring what genuinely heals and sustains people. This week, Justine and Neka provide clear, usable lessons about product-first growth, sourcing, hiring leadership, bootstrapped problem-solving, pivoting retail models, investor trade-offs, and how to scale without losing the values that made you special.   Meet Neka: Neka Pasquale is the founder of Urban Remedy, a nationally recognized organic food company rooted in the philosophy of food as medicine. With a background as a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese medicine, Neka has dedicated her career to promoting health and wellness through functional, organic, and healing foods. Since founding Urban Remedy over 13 years ago, she has grown the company from a local business in Marin, California, to a national brand featured in Whole Foods and other major retailers. Neka is known for her innovative approach to nutrition, her commitment to sustainability, and her passion for making healthy, fresh food accessible to a wider audience. Website Instagram Facebook   Connect with NextGen Purpose: Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube   Episode Highlights: 00:41 Urban Remedy: First Store to Wild Growth 04:43 Developing the Menu: Chinese Medicine and the Power of Food Temperatures 08:41 Finding Food Balance and Early Entrepreneurial Spirit  13:35 Scaling Up and Facing Growth Hurdles (Money, Team, and Staying Afloat)  16:35 Major Lessons on Grit, Glitch, Growth, and Greed  21:13 Evaluating Opportunities and Choosing the Right Growth Path 23:01 Hiring Your First CEO— What Matters Most 28:16 Navigating Unexpected Success and Bittersweet Decisions 31:40 Urban Remedy: The Next Steps 

What if real leadership isn't about being louder, but about being more present?In this solo episode, Bill Gallagher explores a different lens on leadership: mindful power. Instead of dominating a room with volume or charisma, Bill shares how the most effective CEOs lead through presence, clarity, and intention.Topics explored in this episode:(00:00) Power Isn't Loud*Real power doesn't come from dominating the room.*Before performance, you need presence.*Bill opens the episode with a mindful exercise.(04:45) The Mindfulness Formula*Get Present (notice your body, breath, thoughts, surroundings)*Practice Gratitude (recognize what brings joy, connection, and abundance)*Set Intention (what are you showing up for today?)(09:20) Lead with Intention, Not Reaction*Whether it's a client call, event, or family dinner, leadership starts with conscious intent.*Mindful power isn't about slowing everything down, it's about speeding up the right things with presence.*Bring presence first, before performance.Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall