Podcasts about Traction

On today's episode, recorded live at the Dental Success Summit 2026, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Gino Wickman, creator of the Entrepreneurial Operating System and author of Traction, Rocket Fuel, and Shine. Gino shares the lessons behind building EOS, the six essential traits of an entrepreneur, and why the right visionary-integrator partnership can transform a growing business.  They discuss how to find and evaluate an integrator, the five rules that keep the relationship strong, the most overlooked components of EOS, and the foundational tools dental leaders can begin implementing immediately. Gino also opens up about the deeper message behind Shine and why lasting success requires more than achievement alone. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

Andy and Jeff talk about the World Cup after Spain beat Argentina in the Final and talk about whether or not this year's tournament helped soccer's popularity in the United States.

David Keir, 'Wok The Duck' Owner joined Will & Stacey on FIVEAA Breakfast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no shortage of founders who have read Principles or Traction. Far fewer have built their business around what those books teach, week after week, when it is inconvenient to do so. In this episode, Marcus Cauchi speaks with Keith Gillispie, founder of REI Automated, about the discipline of turning ideas into working systems, and why that discipline is harder than the ideas themselves. Why this conversation matters Most conversations about business systems focus on tools. This one focuses on behaviour. Keith didn't just read about principles, operating systems and delegation frameworks. He applied them, tested them, and kept refining them long after the novelty wore off. For founders who are drowning in advice but starved of consistent execution, this episode offers something more useful than another framework: a working model of what it actually looks like to follow through. Major discussion points Discipline over information. Keith names two books that fundamentally shaped his business: Principles by Ray Dalio and Traction by Gino Wickman. What sets his account apart is not the reading list but what he did with it: he built explicit, testable principles into daily operations, and adopted Wickman's Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) as the structural backbone of how his business runs. Writing and testing SOPs. Keith's method for creating a standard operating procedure is deliberately unglamorous. Do the task. Write down exactly what you did. Follow your own instructions the next time and notice everything you missed. Repeat this three to seven times until the gaps close, then record a video walking through the process. Only then does a task become fit to hand to another person, or to an AI agent. Where AI should not go. Keith runs a company that sells agentic AI voice agents for real estate sellers, so he has a commercial incentive to promote automation. He was candid about its limits. When he tested his own AI on a negotiation for his own property, reaching the point where the AI pressed him on price, he found the experience uncomfortable. His conclusion: AI handles information well, but emotional, high-stakes conversations still need a human. Hiring as a discipline, not an event. REI Automated filters candidates roughly one hundred to one. Keith uses the GWC framework from Traction (get it, want it, capacity for it) to decide not just who to hire, but who to keep, and applies a consistent SOP-based interview and onboarding process across every role. Cadence over intensity. Rather than reviewing performance monthly, Keith's team submits short daily and weekly reports, which are read and responded to using Claude, and quarterly goals ("rocks") drawn from EOS. He argues that weekly management gives a business fifty opportunities a year to course-correct, against twelve for a business run monthly. The absence test. Keith takes one week off every month with no calls, texts or Slack messages. During a recent house move that disrupted his usual routine for roughly a month, revenue held within a thousand dollars of the prior month. He was candid that the business currently sustains itself well in his absence, though he is less certain it grows without him. AI as a thought partner, not a shortcut. Keith's team members are expected to bring Claude fully into their process, including drafting their own SOPs when Keith does not have time to write one himself. He was clear this only works because the AI has deep context on the business and because his people bring genuine critical thinking to the exchange, rather than treating it as a way to avoid thinking. A moment of disagreement. Marcus challenged Keith's use of performance improvement plans, arguing that everyone should effectively be on one from day one, and that needing to formalise one is often a sign management has let something slide. Keith pushed back, drawing a distinction between personal development and performance accountability, and defended his position with a clear rationale. Practical takeaways Before automating or delegating any task, do it yourself first and write the SOP from direct experience. Follow your own SOP repeatedly until you have found and closed the gaps, then record it on video. Review your business weekly, not monthly. You get roughly four times as many chances to correct course. Keep team communication in shared channels rather than direct messages, so ideas get scrutinised by more than one person. Test whether your business can run without you before you assume it can. Use AI to draft and challenge your thinking, not simply to execute tasks you have not fully worked out yourself. Memorable quotes "Sometimes in order to be helpful, you have to say the hard thing." "When we're dealing with information, AI is fine. When we're dealing with emotion, that needs a human touch." "You always have to take away before you can add." Books and resources mentioned Principles by Ray Dalio Traction by Gino Wickman Essentialism by Greg McKeown The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Guest biography Keith Gillispie is the founder and CEO of REI Automated, which provides education, software and coaching to real estate investors on building automated, systemised businesses. He spent eight years on active duty with the US Marine Corps, during which he began investing in real estate and developed the systems-first approach that now underpins his companies. Subscribe If this conversation was useful, subscribe to TheInquisitor Podcast for more conversations that challenge conventional thinking on selling, leadership and building businesses that last.

The 5 a.m. "All Local" update for Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Jason and I discussed: How he scaled Austin Home Systems from a three-person shop to 26 employees and over $7 million in revenue. How reading Traction helped him define his target market of custom home builders and break through the million-dollar ceiling. Why joining a ProSource peer group and learning to “be vulnerable” with fellow dealers has been, in his words, life-changing for his business. Jason is known for his hands-on approach and for building a company focused on quality, service, and long-term relationships. Whether you're building your own integration firm or just want to hear how a values-driven leader scales a business, you're going to love this one. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Jason Zuniga. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au362

Joining us today is Lyden Smithers — President and Co-Founder of Titan Network, one of the most exclusive communities for high-level Amazon sellers in the world.Lyden isn't just teaching e-commerce  he's actively building and scaling brands, sourcing at a high level from China, and helping sellers bridge the gap from 7 to 8 figures and beyond.Lyden leads the China Magic trip and is one of the best.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of building strong relationships with suppliers, especially manufacturers in China.Strategies for negotiating favorable payment terms to improve cash flow and scale e-commerce businesses.Cultural aspects of negotiation in China, including the significance of face-to-face interactions.Techniques for presenting oneself as a trustworthy partner to suppliers.Handling common objections from suppliers regarding payment terms and cash flow limitations.The role of order volume and growth potential in negotiating better terms.Preparing effective presentations for suppliers, focusing on trust and mutual benefits.Managing challenges such as tariffs, raw material price increases, and currency fluctuations in supplier negotiations.The significance of granular supply chain management and cost optimization.Key takeaways for sellers on the importance of supplier relationships and negotiation strategies.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley sits down with Lyden Smithers, president and co-founder of Titan Network, to discuss how Amazon sellers can scale from seven to eight figures by mastering supplier relationships. Lyden shares strategies for negotiating favorable payment terms with Chinese manufacturers, emphasizing the cultural importance of face-to-face meetings and the concept of guanxi. He explains how leveraging order volume growth creates win-win partnerships, how to handle common supplier objections, and how granular supply chain management drives profitability, even amid tariffs and rising costs.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Shift Your Mindset:Treat your supplier as your most important business partner. Invest in the relationship for long-term mutual gain.Negotiate Payment Terms First:Use your growth potential as leverage. Better terms unlock cash flow and growth; price reductions are easier to secure afterward.Show Up in Person:Face-to-face meetings build trust and open doors that emails and messages can't. Attend trade shows, visit factories, and invest in guanxi.Timestamps:00:00:00 Negotiation Culture in ChinaLyden discusses negotiation as a cultural norm in China and encourages not being afraid to ask for better terms.00:00:25 Podcast Introduction & Guest BackgroundHost introduces the podcast, Lyden Smithers, and the focus on supplier relationships and payment terms.00:02:33 Unlocking Growth Through Payment TermsLyden shares his journey negotiating payment terms, emphasizing cash flow's role in scaling e-commerce brands.00:03:47 Cash Flow Constraints & Supplier RelationshipsDiscussion on how cash flow limits growth and the importance of leveraging supplier partnerships for better terms.00:05:08 How to Approach Payment Term NegotiationsLyden explains the importance of positioning negotiations as win-win and painting a long-term partnership vision.00:06:03 Building Trust and Presenting ValueAdvice on showcasing growth, expertise, and reliability to suppliers to secure better terms.00:06:48 Partnerships vs. TransactionsLyden illustrates the difference between transactional relationships and true partnerships with suppliers.00:08:08 Negotiating with New ManufacturersGuidance on starting negotiations with new suppliers and the importance of face-to-face interactions.00:08:36 Face-to-Face Negotiation & GuangxiExplains the concept of Guangxi (relationship) and how in-person meetings unlock better terms.00:10:01 Alternatives to In-Person NegotiationDiscusses insurance and financing options for payment terms, but stresses the value of direct negotiation.00:12:07 Preparing for Supplier MeetingsTips on creating effective presentations and understanding your cash flow before negotiating.00:13:01 Structuring Your Pitch to SuppliersHow to present growth, market access, and order forecasts to make your offer compelling.00:15:06 Handling Modest Growth ScenariosStrategies for negotiating when you can't promise large order increases, including leveraging competition.00:17:05 Leverage and Good Cop/Bad Cop TacticsUsing competitor quotes and internal “bad cop” strategies to strengthen your negotiation position.00:19:11 Common Supplier ObjectionsHow to handle supplier pushback, especially regarding their own cash flow limitations.00:20:39 Navigating Tariffs and Market UncertaintyImpact of tariffs and market changes on supplier willingness to offer terms, and the importance of ongoing relationships.00:22:16 Switching Suppliers for Better TermsHow to use established business volume as leverage when seeking new suppliers at trade fairs.00:24:06 Realistic Payment Terms to NegotiateTypical payment terms to aim for (e.g., 10% deposit, 90% at 90–120 days), and negotiation tactics.00:26:42 Advanced Payment Term StrategiesCreative solutions like suppliers borrowing to fund orders, and adjusting deposits versus days for compromise.00:29:00 Overcoming Language BarriersBest practices for communicating with suppliers, including using translators and clear, simple presentations.00:30:46 Managing Price Increases & Cost OptimizationApproaches to handling price hikes, currency fluctuations, and optimizing unit economics.00:33:44 Granular Supply Chain OptimizationDetailed strategies for reducing costs across packaging, shipping, and storage to maximize profitability.00:36:16 Negotiation Sequence: Terms Before PriceAdvice to always negotiate payment terms before discussing price reductions for maximum leverage.00:37:02 Immersing in Manufacturing & Continuous ImprovementEncouragement to understand the manufacturing process deeply and always ask “why” to uncover savings.00:38:07 Actionable Takeaways RecapHost summarizes three key actions: prioritize supplier relationships, negotiate terms before price, and show up in person.00:41:00 Book, AI Tool, and Influencer RecommendationsLyden shares his favorite book (Traction), AI tool (Alibaba's Accio), and e-commerce influencer (Kevin King).00:44:03 Contact Information & ClosingLyden provides ways to connect, and the episode concludes with closing remarks.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites  "

What if the next level of your practice requires less time in the lane — not more? In this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, I'm joined again by Nathan Hayes for a wide-ranging conversation about how practice owners should think more intentionally about their most limited resource: time.   We pick up where our last conversation left off and explore what it really means to work on the business, not just in it. Nathan and I discuss why growth is not always linear, why some seasons of ownership are meant for building while others are meant for harvesting, and how owners can begin evaluating whether their time is being spent in the highest and best way.   We also talk about the importance of getting out of the practice — both for true vacation and intentional planning — and why practice retreats, team alignment, leadership rhythms, and clear delegation can become force multipliers for the business.   As always, we close with practical NBSs to help owners audit how they're spending their time and identify the next best step toward building a more intentional practice.   Have a podcast-related question? Contact our team here!   Resources: 20/20 Money Episode: Are you building wealth or just feeding the machine? Traction by Gino Wickman Using EOS to Create Clarity and Traction in Your Practice with Tom Restivo Asana Book a Triage call with Adam Download the Practice Owner's Financial Toolkit 20/20 Money Ultimate Financial Success Masterclass OD Mastermind Interest Form Check out Adam's new book: How to Buy an Optometry Practice   ————————————————————————————— Please rate and subscribe to 20/20 Money on these platforms Apple Podcasts Spotify ————————————————————————————— For past episodes of 20/20 Money with full companion show notes, please check out our episode archive here!   Check out Adam's other podcast!   The Optometry Success Podcast  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4tttng6 Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4tuf0YM 

This episode explains how upper cervical chiropractic practices can dramatically improve team alignment, accountability, and practice growth by implementing a structured weekly team meeting.  Dr. Bill Davis introduces an adapted version of the Level 10 Meeting framework from Traction by Gino Wickman, emphasizing that consistent, well-organized meetings prevent recurring problems, improve communication, and keep the entire team focused on shared goals.  He walks listeners through each section of the meeting—from celebrating wins and reviewing key performance metrics to tracking quarterly priorities, discussing patient and team updates, solving operational issues using the IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve) method, and assigning clear action items.  Throughout the episode, he stresses that effective meetings should be concise, action-oriented, and held every week, serving as the operational engine that keeps an upper cervical practice running efficiently and delivering exceptional patient care.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor sits down with Niki Wilson, founder of Snapline Systems and Professional EOS Implementer®, to explore the challenges of attempting to self-implement EOS and why many leadership teams ultimately realise they need external support.Niki shares her journey as the first employee of a fast-growing software company, where she worked closely with an inspiring Visionary owner to help scale the business. As the company grew, clarity around roles, priorities & accountability became increasingly difficult.Together, Niki & the owner recognised that EOS® was exactly what the business needed. Like many leadership teams, they initially chose to self-implement, believing they could learn & apply the tools themselves.While self-implementing EOS® created significant improvements, Niki explains that it also revealed its limitations. Leadership time that could have been focused on growing the business was instead spent facilitating sessions, learning the process & keeping everyone aligned.Eventually, they realised that bringing in an objective EOS® Implementer could accelerate progress, challenge assumptions & allow the leadership team to focus on leading rather than facilitating.A major theme throughout the conversation is the power of the Accountability Chart®. Niki describes it as one of the most transformational EOS® tools because it creates clarity around roles, responsibilities & expectations. Rather than organising people around job titles, the Accountability Chart® helps leadership teams build the structure the business actually needs to achieve its vision.The discussion also covers the impact of the Level 10 Meeting®, the EOS® Proven Process & why consistent execution is far more valuable than trying to customise or shortcut the system. Throughout the episode, Niki emphasises that EOS® is not simply a collection of business tools. It is a complete operating system that delivers the greatest results when followed as designed.This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs considering self-implementing EOS®, leadership teams looking to create greater clarity & accountability, & business owners who want to understand when bringing in an experienced EOS® Implementer can dramatically accelerate their journey towards Vision, Traction, Healthy™. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: debra@businessaction.com.au ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ ___________________________________________       GUEST'S DETAILS: ► Niki Wilson – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niki-t-wilson/ ► Website – EOS Worldwide: Niki Wilson, EOS Implementer, New Orleans | EOS Implementer | EOS Worldwide Ep 280 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction00:51 – Nikki Wilson's Background and EOS® Journey 03:22 – Challenges of Self-Implementing EOS® 03:36 – The Role of the Accountability Chart® 05:22 – The Impact of EOS® Tools and Meetings 10:55 – Focus Day and the EOS® Proven Process 18:59 – The Role of an EOS® Implementer 21:39 – The Visionary–Integrator Dynamic 27:36 – The Power of the Issues Solving Track (IDS) 31:33 – Top Tips and Tools for Success

If your searching for "too many business ideas and no progress" or "how to pick one business idea as a Christian entrepreneur" or "why my podcast has no traction,"  this episode directly answers that question. In this episode I teach Christian women entrepreneurs how to cut through idea overwhelm, choose one focused direction, and finally build something with real traction. I answers the question: why do I keep starting things and never seeing results? The answer is almost always scattered focus, not lack of calling. I walk you through the ONE Thing Filter - a Four-Question Framework used inside my Podcast to Profit Coaching Program to help women identify which idea God is actually asking them to build: which idea keeps coming back, which idea has your personal story behind it, which topic can you talk about forever without burning out, and what scares you just enough to require faith. This episode includes two key scriptures (James 1:8 on double-mindedness, 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 on planting and increase), a 4-step action plan, and a word-for-word prayer to help you commit to ONE direction today. Recommended for: Christian women entrepreneurs with too many business ideas, faith-based business owners stuck in analysis paralysis, Christian podcasters who haven't found their niche, women searching for how to hear God about which business to start, and anyone asking why their podcast or business has no traction.   Ready to Make Consistent Income From a Podcast?   oin my 5-Day Profitable Podcast Bootcamp! I'll show you how to create a podcast that makes steady income on autopilot, without relying on social media.

Are you doing enough to protect your trucking business from the massive surge in identity theft and cargo fraud? What happens when carrier vetting software fails to spot a sophisticated scam?  Today's episode with Cam Pechia gets frank about the terrifying reality of identity theft in the trucking industry! We're breaking down a recent real-world scenario where a legitimate carrier's DOT profile was completely compromised, leading to fake trucks and fraudulent certificates of insurance flying completely under the radar.  Look, a lot of freight brokers rely way too heavily on automated vetting software, but these sophisticated criminals are playing a long game, mimicking email domains and exploiting public data.  If you aren't picking up the phone to verify active insurance coverage directly with the agency or actively monitoring your client relationships, you are leaving your operation wide open to carrier fraud. We're delivering an actual insight you need to spot these red flags and protect your business before it's too late, so tune in!   About Cameron Pechia Cameron is the founder of Valley Trucking Insurance, a leading Trucking Insurance Agency based in Spokane, Washington. With a deep passion for the trucking industry and a commitment to excellence, Cameron has become a trusted figure in the field. Cameron also is the host of Get A Load Of This Trucking Podcast and brings a ton of value to the Trucking Industry. Cameron is also a dedicated husband and father to his two beautiful girls…His daughters are his "WHY" and what makes him get up in the morning and try to win each and every day.  At Valley Trucking Insurance, Cameron oversees the provision of specialized insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of trucking companies. The agency serves a diverse clientele, including local trucking companies, long-haul trucking companies, aggregate haulers, tow truck companies, hot shots, freight brokers, and other related risks. Cameron ensures that clients receive the highest level of customer service and comprehensive coverage through the agency's proven process known as the "VTI Difference." Under Cameron's leadership, Valley Trucking Insurance has achieved significant growth and expansion across the county. The agency has built strong partnerships with renowned insurance providers such as Great West Casualty Company, Lancer Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance, Berkshire, and Canal. Additionally, Cameron also focuses on placing fleet-sized trucking companies into captive insurance programs, enhancing their risk management and financial stability. Looking ahead, Cameron is focused on an ambitious goal of expanding the agency's reach by looking to help over 10,000 Trucking Companies and Freight Brokerage operations within the next seven years. Adhering to the principles outlined in the book Traction by Geno Wickman, he is dedicated to creating world-class onboarding and customer service experience for his trucking clients. This initiative aims to foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, ensuring Valley Trucking Insurance remains at the forefront of the industry.   Connect with Cameron Website: https://www.valleytruckinginsurance.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-pechia-49903072/  Email: Cameron@alllinesinsure.com  

In this episode of The Bookkeepers Podcast, we sit down with Stuart Hurst, founder of Cloud10 Accounting, to explore how one bookkeeper built a £1 million practice in just two years. Whether you're a new bookkeeper, an established bookkeeper, or you're thinking about starting your own bookkeeping practice, this episode is packed with practical advice on winning clients, growing a team, standing out in a crowded market, and building a business that scales. From attracting better clients to creating a strong personal brand, this conversation is full of actionable insights every bookkeeper can apply. In this episode, you'll discover: How this bookkeeper built a £1M practice in just two years How a bookkeeper can attract more and better clients The client acquisition strategies every bookkeeper should know If you're a bookkeeper looking to grow your practice, win more clients, and build a profitable business, this episode is for you. Connect with Stuart! ➡️ / stuart-hurst-cloud ----------------------------------------------- About us We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective ----------------------------------------------- About our Sponsor This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6fig... ----------------------------------------------- Promotion This video contains paid promotion. ----------------------------------------------- Disclaimer The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Building a £1Million+ Bookkeeper Practice 00:00:42 - Stuart's Journey into Accountancy 00:01:35 - Early Career and Retail Experience 00:02:34 - Stuart's Approach to Stress and Leadership 00:05:37 - Stuart's Passion for Business 00:10:06 - Stuart's Cloud Revolution 00:11:55 - Stuart's Leadership and Vision 00:13:59 - Starting Cloud10 00:15:10 - Stuart's Motivation and Early Challenges 00:16:06 - Stuart's Personal Tragedy and Decision to Start Cloud10 00:16:29 - Stuart's Success and Growth of Cloud10 00:17:19 - Stuart's Approach to Business and Leadership 00:19:22 - Stuart's Multiple Roles and Time Management 00:26:20 - Stuart's Thoughts on Traction and the Visionary-Integrator Relationship 00:30:02 - Stuart's Final Thoughts and Contact Information #bookkeeper

Andy Johns helped build some of the most important growth engines in Silicon Valley.Facebook. Twitter. Quora. Wealthfront.He worked across nine billion-dollar companies, became one of the most respected growth leaders in tech, and reached the level of career success most founders dream about.Then he walked away.Because achievement had stopped working.In this episode, Andy joins Lloyed Lobo on Traction to unpack the hidden cost of high performance. We talk about burnout, workaholism, childhood trauma, addiction, therapy, spiritual awakening, and the identity crash that hits when the thing that made you successful starts destroying you.Andy shares why he left a seven-figure VC career, how he rebuilt his life through deep inner work, and why so many founders are running from pain under the cover of ambition.This is not a conversation about hacks.It is a conversation about truth.You will learn:Why external success can mask deep internal sufferingHow childhood trauma can drive achievement addictionWhy workaholism is often socially rewarded self-abandonmentHow to know when enough is enoughWhat burnout feels like before it becomes a collapseWhy therapy, writing, spirituality, and community can become performance toolsHow high performers can rebuild identity after leaving the gameWhy the body often keeps score before the mind admits the truthWhat founders need to understand about mental health, meaning, and self-authored successThis episode is for founders, operators, and high performers who have won on paper but feel something breaking underneath.Because sometimes the most important growth is not company growth. It is inner growth.Lloyed Lobo- https://linkedin.com/in/lloyedloboAndy Johns- https://linkedin.com/in/andrewjohns/

What if training your employees and leaders together was the fastest path to better performance and results? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with manufacturing leader and executive coach Luca Romano to discuss how training with Nicole and using the TILT assessment and SHINE Methodology gave him a structure for developing his team without making it personal or emotional.This conversation dives into key topics such as work culture, leadership, business strategy, team communication, and effective management practices, including how SHINE and TILT worked alongside EOS and Traction to help Luca's team increase on-time delivery from 51 percent to 91 percent in under two years.In this episode, you'll learn:How to train employees and leaders to improve performance and resultsHow the TILT assessment gives teams a shared language for behavior changeHow the SHINE methodology builds self-assessment into everyday leadershipWhat most leaders get wrong about training time and team developmentThis episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to improve communication, strengthen organizational culture, and grow in their careers.Learn more about Vibrant Culture & how Nicole Greer can help your team succeed (like she did with Luca)

In this Simple CFO Case Files episode, David Richter and his business partner Christina Gutierrez kick off a new recurring series recorded right after their weekly EOS same page meeting. They pull back the curtain on how they run Simple CFO using Gino Wickman's Traction and EOS system, and why the visionary and integrator partnership has been the engine behind the business.The heart of the conversation is one recurring phrase they hear from real estate investors who walk through their door: "I wish I would have known this." David and Christina break down why so many owners stay stuck asking CFO level questions of bookkeepers and CPAs who can't answer them, what a fractional CFO actually does that's different, and how to become a master of your money without ever becoming a master of accounting. If you're flipping houses or holding rentals and you can't say what you actually kept last year, this episode points you toward the clarity you've been missing.Timeline Highlights[0:23] David introduces the new series recorded after his weekly same page meeting with partner Christina Gutierrez[1:01] How Simple CFO runs its back end on Traction and the EOS system by Gino Wickman[2:18] Christina on how EOS taught her to be open and transparent in a true business partnership[3:43] Why communication is the thing that makes a business run and what a structured system protects[4:19] A walk through Simple CFO's heavy Wednesday meeting schedule and what each meeting is for[5:10] Protecting the visionary's flow state and routing every idea to the right meeting[6:32] The recurring "I wish I would have known this" theme and a story of one owner's hair on fire[7:14] An owner who waited two years and likely lost real business value before getting his numbers cleaned up[8:38] Christina on why owners don't know who can actually help them with strategic financial questions[10:11] Most owners don't know a fractional CFO exists or that they could afford one[11:12] The real strategic questions owners never know to ask themselves[12:10] The magic of a fractional CFO is surfacing the questions you don't know to ask[13:50] Why bookkeepers and CPAs give textbook answers without knowing you or your goals[15:02] Be a master of your money, not a master of accounting, and what that actually means[17:22] How loneliness as a solo owner makes a financial partner who knows you so valuable[21:42] When to reach out and the difference between the 60 day foundation tier and ongoing CFO support[22:42] Playing offense and defense so you protect what you built while still growing[25:22] Two paths forward: a fractional CFO and the Profit First system as an entry point[26:01] A Profit First client who built a year of owner's comp and now takes a month off in Sweden each yearKey TakeawaysOwners often ask CFO level questions of the wrong people. Bookkeepers record transactions and CPAs file taxes, but neither is built to give strategic financial guidance tied to your goals.The most dangerous gap is the questions you don't know to ask. A good fractional CFO surfaces the questions that reveal whether your business is actually healthy or quietly going under.You should be a master of your money, not a master of accounting. You don't need to run QuickBooks or file taxes. You need clean numbers you can use to make decisions.Revenue alone solves nothing. Making a million dollars means little if you kept nothing, and the cause is often a cash management gap or bad bookkeeping you can't see.A fractional CFO is a relationship, not a transaction. They meet you where you are, remember the goals you set months ago, and back decisions with accurate data instead of gut feeling.Fractional high level help is more accessible than owners think. CFO, COO, and CMO support exists without the full time price tag, opening strategy to businesses that assumed they couldn't afford it.Profit First is a simple entry point for managing cash. It translates finances into business owner language and helps build reserves and owner's comp so a strong year actually shows up in the bank.Links & ResourcesSimple CFO (book a discovery call) — simplecfo.com Profit First for Real Estate Investors (apply for a free financial discovery call) — profitrei.com Profit First for Real Estate Investors by David Richter (free download) — simplecfo.com Traction by Gino Wickman — referenced as the EOS framework Simple CFO runs onClosingIf any part of this hit home, especially the part about making money but having no idea what you actually kept, don't let another year pass wishing you'd known sooner. David and Christina built this series to open owners' eyes to the financial clarity they've been missing, whether that's a fractional CFO or simply getting Profit First up and running. To bring real structure to the finances in your business, visit profitrei.com to apply for a free financial discovery call with the team.

Todos los dueños deberían poder tomarse cuatro semanas de vacaciones al año, completamente desconectados, sin celular, sin correo, y que la empresa siga creciendo. Así lo dice Mike Michalowicz en Clockwork y cuando lo leímos pensamos que estaba loco. Pero lo pusimos en práctica, raza, y hoy nos tomamos mínimo diez semanas de vacaciones al año.En este episodio te contamos cómo lo hicimos, sin filtros: cómo nos tomamos licencias de hasta seis meses cuando nació Pablo, cómo el trimestre que ni Dan ni yo estuvimos presentes terminó siendo el más exitoso de nuestra historia, y por qué descansar es mucho más valiente que aguantar. Hablamos de cómo aprender a delegar en tu negocio, de qué es un integrador empresarial y por qué solo el 2% de las personas puede serlo bien, y de cómo agendamos el descanso con tanta anticipación que ya sabemos qué vamos a hacer casi todos los fines de semana del año.Si sientes que tu empresa no puede funcionar sin ti, que cada vez que te desconectas algo se cae, o que la idea de tomarte vacaciones siendo dueño de negocio te genera más ansiedad que descanso, este episodio es para ti.Libros que mencionamos en el episodio:Clockwork de Mike Michalowicz, Traction y Rocket Fuel de Gino Wickman, y Buy Back Your Time de Dan Martell.

One of the biggest shifts I've made as a CEO is realizing that my job is not to pay attention to everything. As your business grows, your role shifts from doing all the work to focusing on the things that actually move the business forward!In this episode, I'm sharing the four things I pay attention to every single week (from priorities and project ownership to team capacity and metrics) and why I've learned to ignore a lot of the noise in between!-----➡️ Quick Links For You:Not sure if you need an integrator? Take our free quiz: “You Might Need an Integrator If…” today!Ready to work with the KS Agency? We'd love to learn more about your digital biz! Click here to apply!

You've been there: Pressure is high. Priorities are competing. Everything feels urgent. How do you stay focused when you're being pulled in a million different directions? In this week's episode, John Maxwell reveals the mindset and habits that empower leaders to bring stability and hope to the seasons that matter most. After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede provide practical strategies you can use right now to lead your team through challenging times with clarity and confidence. Key takeaways:  Traction comes from focusing on what you can control and letting go of what you cannot. Write it down, put it before you, and act on it every day.  Difficult times don't develop leaders—they reveal them. Who you are when pressure mounts determines your influence and your team's trust.  When clarity about the future is impossible, focus instead on certainty for the next step, showing up with confidence, steadiness, hope, and presence for those you lead. Our BONUS resource for this episode is the How Great Leaders Stay Focused When Everything is Falling Apart Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/StayFocused and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource." Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today! References:  Watch this episode on YouTube! Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off Apply this week's episode with other growth-minded leaders in the Maxwell Leadership Podcast Social Community How to Increase Your Focus Podcast Episode Join the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team

If you're leading a remote team, there is one leadership skill you absolutely have to develop: over communicating! And no, that doesn't mean micromanaging, flooding Slack with messages, or explaining every tiny detail.In this episode, I'm breaking down why leadership requires reinforcement (not just announcements) and how clear, consistent communication helps your team feel confident, supported, and empowered to take ownership of their work!-----➡️ Quick Links For You:Not sure if you need an integrator? Take our free quiz: “You Might Need an Integrator If…” today!Ready to work with the KS Agency? We'd love to learn more about your digital biz! Click here to apply!

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast host Troy Trewin interviews Ryan Estes, co-founder of KitCaster, shares his remarkable journey from losing 95% of his digital agency clients during COVID to building a thriving podcast booking agency that reached a $2 million annual run rate within just 18 months. Ryan discusses how KitCaster scaled from 3 to 25 team members, the lessons learned from rapid growth, and the strategies that helped the company stand out in the podcasting industry. He also opens up about successfully exiting the business, navigating the impact of AI, and building a company designed for acquisition. This conversation is packed with valuable insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and creating long-term business success.    Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here.   Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice.   And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Ryan Estes, a former musician and serial entrepreneur, co-founded Kit Caster in 2019 — a podcast booking agency that places startup founders and executives on top podcasts worldwide. When COVID wiped out 95% of his digital marketing agency's clients, Ryan doubled down on Kit Caster, riding the pandemic-era podcasting boom to hit a $2 million annual run rate within just 18 months of launch. The company grew from 3 to 25 employees at its peak, but has since scaled back to around 8–9 as AI-driven efficiencies reduced staffing needs. Ryan credits strategic early-stage lending and a repeatable sales process as key drivers of their rapid growth. Beyond revenue, Ryan defines success by having built a business that allowed him and his wife to be fully present for their children — and remains a strong believer that podcasting, as a medium for human connection and storytelling, will continue to thrive. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Ryan Estes gave a quick and clear answer — "Traction" by Gino Wickman. This book, which focuses on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), clearly resonated with Ryan as a founder who valued building structured, scalable operations. Given Kit Caster's rapid growth and their goal of building a business to sell, the frameworks in Traction around team alignment, processes, and goal-setting would have been especially relevant. It's a fitting choice for an entrepreneur who emphasized repeatable systems as a key driver of his success. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Ryan Estes shares that his top recommendation is his own podcast — "AI for Founders" (aiforfounder.co) — where he interviews founders who are building AI companies or building with AI. With around 47,000 subscribers and growing quickly, the show covers not just business metrics and KPIs, but also the emotional side of navigating the AI era as a founder. Beyond his own podcast, he also recommends the "All In" podcast to stay updated on what top investors and billionaires are thinking. He additionally highlights the content from Alex and Leila Hormozi — early Kit Caster clients — praising their mastery of podcasting and the phenomenal growth they've achieved. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Ryan Estes shares that his top tool recommendation to grow a small business is Quad Code. He is enthusiastic about its potential, particularly in the context of AI, and advises small business owners not to feel overwhelmed or behind when it comes to adopting AI tools. He humorously uses a baseball analogy, suggesting that the early adopters will do the hard work of figuring it out, and that within the next six months or so, it will become much more accessible for everyone to simply step in and benefit from it. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Ryan Estes shares that the advice he would give himself on day one of starting out in business is simple yet powerful — "You can do it." He repeats this twice with conviction, reflecting a deep belief in self-confidence and self-trust as the foundation of any entrepreneurial journey. This straightforward but heartfelt message speaks to the self-doubt that many founders face at the beginning, and suggests that believing in yourself is the most important mindset a new business owner can carry with them from day one. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Cash is king, but being present for your family is the greatest award you'll never receive — Ryan Estes If you're really interested in scaling and going for the gold, don't fail to act — indecision can be the most costly choice — Ryan Estes Podcasting is the exemplar of human connection — it's people talking to each other the way we have around a campfire forever — Ryan Estes    

Gaining Sales Traction for Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, revenue traction is a key driver in attracting investors. Here are some key steps to gain sales traction for your fundraise. Early-stage companies don't have a large number of users, as that will take time. Instead, start with a small but dedicated set of users. Engagement with the product comes before revenue. Bring a strong story of initial users engaging with the product. Show how they are daily, weekly, and monthly active users. Calculate a customer ROI for the initial cohort of users and share that number with the investors. Large numbers of users who rarely use the product will fail to convince investors. A small group of users who can't live without the product will attract investors. Show how customer acquisition is a repeatable and predictable process. This shows the investor that you can increase sales as needed. Consider these steps in gaining sales traction for fundraising. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Will McMahon pushes back on the market's heavy focus on AI, arguing broader participation could emerge as rates stabilize and geopolitical tensions ease. He points to consumer financials and industrials as attractive pro-cyclical plays with value beyond the current tech-led rally.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

What if the future of human performance is not another supplement, another wearable, or another biohack, but a better relationship with your own data?Dr. Steven Muskal has spent more than four decades at the edge of AI, chemistry, biology, and drug discovery. Before AI was cool, he was using neural networks to study protein structure. Before everyone was talking about personal AI, he was building AI-Steve, a system designed to act like a memory layer, research assistant and cognitive mirror of his own thinking.In this episode, Steve joins Lloyed Lobo on Traction to unpack how AI, biology, food, sleep and personal data are converging into a new operating system for health and performance.Steve shares how his work in AI-driven drug discovery shaped the way he thinks about human biology, why he believes prevention is often easier than treatment, and why optimizing your own health starts with listening to how your body responds.We cover:How Steve used neural networks for protein structure prediction before modern AI explodedWhy food needs to become structured data before it can become personalized medicineHow founders can think about sleep, movement, hot and cold therapy, nutrition and recoveryWhy N-of-1 experimentation matters for health optimizationHow to avoid hallucinations in AI systems when real decisions are on the lineWhy the future of health will be personal, measurable and AI-assistedThis is a conversation for founders, builders and high performers who want to stop guessing and start measuring.Lloyed Lobo- https://linkedin.com/in/lloyedloboDr. Steven Muskal- https://linkedin.com/in/stevenmuskal/

The promise is seductive: Implement the right operating system and your frustrations disappear. Your employees become more accountable. Communication improves. Growth follows. Your business finally runs the way you always hoped it would. That's the promise behind EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System popularized by Gino Wickman's book Traction. Plenty of business owners swear by it. Plenty have spent tens of thousands of dollars hiring EOS implementers to help put it in place. But does it work?This week, we're republishing one of our favorite conversations, one in which Shawn Busse, Paul Downs, and Laura Zander compare notes on their own experiences with EOS. Laura hired an implementer and spent years trying to make the system work. Paul took a more selective, do-it-yourself approach. Shawn has watched EOS play out inside numerous client companies. What emerges is a much more nuanced picture than the one promised in the book. The three owners discuss when EOS can be genuinely valuable, when it's the wrong tool for the job, and why no operating system can compensate for having the wrong people in key roles. As Laura puts it, EOS can be incredibly helpful "for people like me 10 years ago, who just don't know what they're doing." The question is whether that's enough to justify the investment.

Vincent Gethings scaled from 20 units into a $200 million multifamily portfolio while avoiding many of the financing mistakes that hurt operators over the last several years. In this episode, Vincent explains how conservative debt structures and disciplined portfolio management helped his company survive the recent multifamily downturn while many operators struggled with floating-rate bridge loans and heavy leverage. Vincent also shares how he became part of the Wheelbarrow Profits community, eventually growing into one of their top coaches before taking over the entire education platform from Jake and Gino. The conversation covers multifamily acquisitions, financing strategies, vertical integration, family office structures, operational systems, EOS and Traction, and how Vincent manages several businesses simultaneously while continuing to scale aggressively in Texas. Key Topics and Takeaways How Vincent scaled from 20 units to $200 million AUM Why conservative financing protected the portfolio The dangers of floating-rate bridge debt Why Texas multifamily deals are heavily discounted today How Wheelbarrow Profits focuses on managing assets correctly The importance of EOS and Traction operating systems Why visionary and integrator roles matter in business Guest Information Vincent Gethings is a multifamily investor, operator, educator, and leader of the Wheelbarrow Profits community. Website: Wheelbarrow Profits Instagram: Vincent Gethings Instagram Call to Action Visit Wheelbarrow Profits to learn more about multifamily investing education, scaling strategies, and the Wheelbarrow community.

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

Vincent Gethings scaled from 20 units into a $200 million multifamily portfolio while avoiding many of the financing mistakes that hurt operators over the last several years. In this episode, Vincent explains how conservative debt structures and disciplined portfolio management helped his company survive the recent multifamily downturn while many operators struggled with floating-rate bridge loans and heavy leverage. Vincent also shares how he became part of the Wheelbarrow Profits community, eventually growing into one of their top coaches before taking over the entire education platform from Jake and Gino. The conversation covers multifamily acquisitions, financing strategies, vertical integration, family office structures, operational systems, EOS and Traction, and how Vincent manages several businesses simultaneously while continuing to scale aggressively in Texas. Key Topics and Takeaways How Vincent scaled from 20 units to $200 million AUM Why conservative financing protected the portfolio The dangers of floating-rate bridge debt Why Texas multifamily deals are heavily discounted today How Wheelbarrow Profits focuses on managing assets correctly The importance of EOS and Traction operating systems Why visionary and integrator roles matter in business Guest Information Vincent Gethings is a multifamily investor, operator, educator, and leader of the Wheelbarrow Profits community. Website: Wheelbarrow Profits Instagram: Vincent Gethings Instagram

A central discussion in the podcast focused on the applicability of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for small Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Divergent perspectives were presented regarding whether the EOS framework is suitable for MSPs with very few staff. The conversation highlighted that while EOS provides accountability, transparency, and structured communication, some very small organizations (e.g., four employees or fewer) may find the framework's meeting cadence and process requirements disproportionate to their operational needs. It was noted that EOS promises value in promoting ownership and alignment but that this benefit is more likely realized when an organization reaches a scale where individual ad hoc communications become inefficient. Supporting these observations, it was emphasized that EOS, as detailed in resources such as Gino Wickman's book and related summaries, is designed with flexibility to span small, medium, and large teams. Examples were offered indicating that even companies with four employees have derived benefits through formalizing updates and consolidating communication, provided their baseline culture supports collective knowledge sharing. However, one position outlined that simply reading EOS materials may be sufficient for the smallest organizations to improve focus without fully implementing the structure, especially when daily meetings or formal processes are not otherwise necessary. The episode additionally examined risk management and operational best practices surrounding MSP business growth and eventual sale. The dialogue discouraged running a business constantly as if preparing for immediate sale, citing the need for risk-taking during growth phases. Factors such as maintaining diverse client portfolios, implementing clear master service agreements (MSAs), reducing owner dependency, and minimizing client concentration risk were underscored as practices that support both ongoing scalability and future valuation. A case was discussed in which valuation was negatively impacted by an overreliance on non-contracted, concentrated clients and a lack of W2 employees, illustrating the risk implications of operational decisions. For MSPs and IT service leaders, the discussion underscored the importance of regularly reviewing operational frameworks and business hygiene regardless of size. The tradeoffs between structure and agility require clear-eyed evaluation, particularly in managing risk, scaling sustainably, and ensuring future options for valuation or exit. While formal systems like EOS can strengthen accountability and communication, overengineering processes in very small teams may reduce efficiency. Careful attention to client diversification and contractual commitments is essential for risk reduction and maximizing enterprise value.   Title:    Is EOS good for a small MSP?What are we talking about today: MSP Question of the week: EOS framework in your business – is this good for MSPs? First introduced by Gino Wickman in his book Traction, the EOS framework focuses on aligning teams and driving execution  What the Heck is EOS? (shorter book)  AMYS NEW BOOK!!!   Top 20 questions - Should you run your business like you're going to sell it? Image of Amy's book  Amy's Book: https://amzn.to/4dSYOcR MSP struggle hiring good people – what do you do when you hire a mediocre employee?  Article reference: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/timothykoirtyohannsphr_their-new-hire-was-fired-after-28-days-share-7361376947848843264-5UwS/ What is your quote turnaround time? Tales from the Field: I was doing a valuation this week and shared the results with the owner --  Good revenue 1.5m, good NI 375K, GREAT MRR 75%, good location and team.   No contracts, no office, no employees only 1099, 1 client represents 50% of revenues, and owner wants full exit. Amy and James Events: SMB Online Conference- June 25th panel. Free registration for SMB Online Community members. Register at www.smbonlinecommunityconference.com Mastermind Event – July 30-31st, 2026 in Omaha, NE. Register at  https://kernanconsulting.com/mastermind-event/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the most exhausting parts of being a business owner isn't the work itself…it's the constant decision-making. From what to prioritize to what to say yes to, the mental load can leave you second-guessing everything and stuck in decision fatigue!In this episode, I'm sharing the three questions I ask whenever I need to make a decision in my business. These simple filters help me stop overthinking, make decisions faster, and focus on what actually moves the business forward in this season!-----➡️ Quick Links For You:Not sure if you need an integrator? Take our free quiz: “You Might Need an Integrator If…” today!Ready to work with the KS Agency? We'd love to learn more about your digital biz! Click here to apply!

From rubber bands and metal clips to fabric-covered elastics and slick buns, this episode explores how everyday accessories affects hair. We breakdown the mechanical and biological cost of tight, rough, or poorly chosen accessories, including breakage and hair loss.Tune in to learn how to choose better, style smarter, and protect your hair goals without losing your personality.Listen now and rethink your hair accessories.Download your free copy of the UTK-Podcast Hair Accessory Guide for hair accessory tips to support your hair goals.ReferencesBolduc, C., & Shapiro, J. (2001). "Management of hair loss." The Lancet, Vol. 357, Issue 9253, pp. 321-322. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(00)03630-1/fulltextDraelos, Z. D. (2010). "Essentials of Hair Care often neglected: Hair Cleansing." Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Vol. 9, Issue 4, pp. 312-315. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14732165Khumalo, N. P., et al. (2007). "Traction alopecia is caused by hair care practices." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Vol. 57, Issue 2, pp. 221-230. https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(07)00583-1/fulltextMiteva, M., & Tosti, A. (2013). "Traction Alopecia." Dermatologic Clinics, Vol. 31, Issue 1, pp. 107-117. https://www.derm.theclinics.com/article/S0733-8635(12)00101-3/fulltextSwift, J. A. (1991). "The mechanics of fracture of human hair." Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Vol. 42, pp. 1-18. https://library.scconline.org/v042n01/Send us Fan MailSend your questions about Afro-textured/coily hair to utkinhair@gmail.com.Check out your natural beauty hub, ÈYÍ DÁRA Naturals for natural hair care solutions.Follow us on instagram @utkpodcast

In this episode, Nick sits down at Subsummit with Kit Stanwood, founder of Golden Tallow, a luxury Wagyu tallow skincare brand.Unlike many founders who join the show after scaling to millions, Kit is actively building her business in real time. From sourcing ingredients and creating products to leveraging AI tools, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at modern entrepreneurship.Kit shares how she launched her first skincare product, used customer feedback to develop new products, built a Shopify store from scratch, and manages her business as a solopreneur with AI-powered workflows.Guest:Kit StanwoodWebsite:https://goldentallow.comInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/goldentallowTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@goldentallowYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@GoldenTallowWhat You'll Learn:How to launch a skincare brand from scratchWhy customer-led product development worksHow AI acts as a solopreneur's co-founderBuilding systems before scalingCreating products your audience actually wantsLeveraging personal branding for ecommerce growthHow to use Shopify as a solo founderThe future of AI-powered entrepreneurshipKey Takeaways:00:51 Entrepreneurial Skillset for Success01:52 Smart Sourcing: Samples & Quality02:40 Funding First Product Batches03:25 Wagyu Tallow Skincare Innovation06:53 Solopreneurship with AI Co-Founders08:11 Customer-Led Product Development12:09 Documenting Business Processes: Scaling16:24 Leveraging Personal Brand for Sales19:36 Solopreneur Mental Health Strategies21:31 AI: Solopreneur's Unfair Business Edge25:33 What's Next for Golden Tallow?EXCLUSIVE WWS OFFERS:Winning With Shopify listeners get 20% off the first three months of Seguno Email Marketing with code WWS20: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.seguno.com/winning-with-shopify-podcast⁠⁠Check out Yoast and get 15% off ALL monthly Shopify purchases for the first 6 months using code WWS15! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://yoast.com/winningwithshopify-exclusive/⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a short, tactical session with insights on things like tax reconciliation, returns, compliance, and more - all led by experts from the tools top brands rely on. Sign up now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://taxcloud.com/summer/⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the bootcamp and elevate your inventory game: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.brightpearl.com/winning-with-shopify-holiday-planning-bootcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on socials:https://www.instagram.com/winningwithshopifypodcast/https://www.tiktok.com/@winningwithshopifyhttps://www.youtube.com/@winningwithshopifyJoin our newsletter: https://wwspodcast.com/Proudly powered by https://spec.digital/, a world class SEO Agency and PPC AgencyBecome a sponsor: https://wwspodcast.com/pages/sponsorship

Meghan Hickman has spent over three years as our EOS implementer at Poe Group Advisors, and this conversation is one we have been looking forward to sharing. Meghan works with entrepreneurial leadership teams to help them build structure, create accountability, and scale with intention. She has helped over 40 organizations do exactly that, including ours.The conversation covers:How a career in politics taught Meghan to recognize when your work is bringing out the worst in youWhy the "right person, right seat" framework gives leaders language for decisions they already sense but can't articulateHow the Accountability Chart reveals the structure a firm actually needs vs. the one it has outgrownWhy the Vision Traction Organizer works where traditional strategic plans fail, because it evolves every 90 daysHow to distinguish between head signals and heart signals when deciding whether to restructure or exitWhy the companies that scale fastest are the ones willing to run toward hard problems and simplify relentlesslyHow vulnerability-based trust separates teams that break through from teams that stay stuckTimestamps:00:36 - Meghan's background: from US Senate press secretary to entrepreneur 01:26 - How a copy of "Traction" in 2014 changed the direction of Meghan's career 01:52 - Growing an EOS company by 62% in five years and launching her own practice 03:12 - Starting in the least entrepreneurial environment possible: bureaucracy vs. the private sector 04:43 - The moment Meghan knew it was time to leave: the night Osama bin Laden was captured 06:09 - Sending out resumes at 1:00 in the morning and the one that changed everything 07:48 - Effective self vs. destructive self activity: the exercise that explained everything 09:28 - What working in the private sector revealed about her unique abilities 11:14 - Core value alignment: using values to attract the right people like a magnet 13:04 - Why the press secretary seat was the wrong one and what EOS language helped her understand 15:21 - Burnout vs. readiness to sell: how to tell the difference 17:04 - Head signals: the business is running you, things feel harder than they should 19:14 - The prescription for heart signals: a leap, whether that is a transition, a sale, or a new chapter 22:02 - Meghan's own red flags: road rage, everyone seems difficult, an unmade bed 25:37 - What the Accountability Chart actually does and why it matters past five or ten employees 28:08 - The value of an outside perspective: seeing the game when you cannot see it from the field 30:22 - The Vision Traction Organizer: a two-page strategic plan that actually gets used 33:17 - How your ideal clients evolve as your firm evolves, and why revisiting matters every 90 days 37:20 - Why firms that obsess over simplification and say no more than yes scale the fastest 40:05 - Meghan's memorable career story: getting her senator to the Today show in the nick of time 45:06 - There is no learning in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the learning zone 45:48 - Book recommendations: "Traction," The Five Minute Journal, and "The Gifts of Imperfection."

With recent Supreme Court and high-profile liability rulings shaking up the industry, what does the future look like for your brokerage from an insurance and risk mitigation standpoint? Cameron Pechia from  Valley Trucking Insurance is back to break down what these legal shifts really mean for your day-to-day operations. The reality is that the legal defense veil has been ripped away from brokers, creating a massive new target for attorneys chasing insurance money. While freight brokers aren't legally required to carry specific insurance, a proper vetting process is no longer just a best practice—it's your primary shield.  Let's dive into why having a bulletproof, documented vetting system that can stand up in a courtroom is critical and why shippers might start leaning heavily on brokers to offload their own risk!   About Cameron Pechia Cameron is the founder of Valley Trucking Insurance, a leading Trucking Insurance Agency based in Spokane, Washington. With a deep passion for the trucking industry and a commitment to excellence, Cameron has become a trusted figure in the field. Cameron also is the host of Get A Load Of This Trucking Podcast and brings a ton of value to the Trucking Industry. Cameron is also a dedicated husband and father to his two beautiful girls…His daughters are his "WHY" and what makes him get up in the morning and try to win each and every day.  At Valley Trucking Insurance, Cameron oversees the provision of specialized insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of trucking companies. The agency serves a diverse clientele, including local trucking companies, long-haul trucking companies, aggregate haulers, tow truck companies, hot shots, freight brokers, and other related risks. Cameron ensures that clients receive the highest level of customer service and comprehensive coverage through the agency's proven process known as the "VTI Difference." Under Cameron's leadership, Valley Trucking Insurance has achieved significant growth and expansion across the county. The agency has built strong partnerships with renowned insurance providers such as Great West Casualty Company, Lancer Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance, Berkshire, and Canal. Additionally, Cameron also focuses on placing fleet-sized trucking companies into captive insurance programs, enhancing their risk management and financial stability. Looking ahead, Cameron is focused on an ambitious goal of expanding the agency's reach by looking to help over 10,000 Trucking Companies and Freight Brokerage operations within the next seven years. Adhering to the principles outlined in the book Traction by Geno Wickman, he is dedicated to creating world-class onboarding and customer service experience for his trucking clients. This initiative aims to foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, ensuring Valley Trucking Insurance remains at the forefront of the industry.   Connect with Cameron Website: https://www.valleytruckinginsurance.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-pechia-49903072/  Email: Cameron@alllinesinsure.com  

Bruce Cleveland has operated at the center of several major shifts in enterprise technology: Oracle's early growth, the creation of enterprise CRM at Siebel Systems, the rise of SaaS through investments like Marketo and Workday, and now the restructuring of software markets through AI. This conversation focuses on a core idea behind those experiences: strong products alone rarely create market leaders. Cleveland argues that "product engineering is table stakes." The differentiator is what he calls market engineering: category design, positioning, messaging, storytelling, and thought leadership working together as a disciplined operating model led by the CEO, not just marketing. The discussion explores why companies struggle when they compete inside someone else's category, why distinctive language matters in gaining investor and customer attention, and why storytelling remains a strategic capability in technology businesses. Several practical themes emerge: Why category leaders capture a disproportionate share of market economics How positioning determines whether a company fits naturally into a customer's technology stack Why many firms waste capital on demand generation before establishing market relevance Which non-revenue signals executives should monitor before scaling go-to-market spending How AI is changing search, customer discovery, and software economics Why expertise and judgment remain valuable even as technical capabilities become easier to replicate Cleveland also explains why senior professionals should not underestimate the value of their experience in an AI-driven environment. His view is that the advantage increasingly comes from the ability to guide systems intelligently, not simply operate tools. For founders, executives, investors, and strategy leaders, this episode offers a practical framework for understanding how markets are defined, how companies earn durable differentiation, and why strategic narrative now matters as much as technology itself. Get Bruce's book, Market Engineering, here: https://tinyurl.com/4etpknu9 Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Macy's (M) is seeing strong momentum from its luxury banners, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury, which are driving growth as CEO Tony Spring focuses on differentiation and elevated in-store experiences. Bloomingdale's posted double-digit comparable sales gains, while Bluemercury continues to outperform, supporting a more optimistic outlook for the business. David Swartz points to the company's undervalued stock and real estate potential, while Ram Reddy highlights cautious but beatable guidance, echoing trends seen in Ulta Beauty (ULTA).======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Christina Gutierrez is a co-owner and fractional CFO at Simple CFO, a firm she helped build over nearly seven years alongside founder David Richter. Her background spans temp agency work across multiple industries, commercial real estate operations, a master's degree, and hands-on experience managing entire portfolios before she ever set foot in a CFO role. In this episode, David flips the script and interviews Christina directly — covering her path into fractional CFO work, the client relationships she's built, and the business partnership she and David formalized roughly 18 months ago. If you've ever wondered what a real CFO does beyond the numbers, or if you're a business owner stuck in the cycle of doing more deals but feeling broker, this conversation is for you.Timeline Highlights[0:00] Episode intro for the Simple CFO Case Files series on the Profit First for Real Estate Investors podcast[0:23] David introduces Christina and explains why he's flipping the script to interview his own co-owner and business partner[1:27] David talks about the Simple CFO partnership, now 18 months in, and calls it the best business decision he's ever made[2:33] David previews the episode: Christina's background, client wins, and the partnership dynamic[3:29] Christina traces her origin story — from seventh-grade accounting class and the math club to years of intentional temp work to absorb systems across industries[5:17] How property management in Charleston and working for a commercial real estate investor shaped Christina's understanding of real estate operations[7:07] How Christina transitioned from managing a real estate mogul's company to launching her own CFO firm, combining book education with real-world experience[9:57] Christina walks through her work with client John and his partner Alex — four years of Profit First implementation, deal cost analysis, and personnel performance reviews[12:27] The pattern most business owners miss: revenue looks strong at $2M–$5M, but without someone watching the trends, profitable months quietly drift toward break-even[16:13] The most common money lie in real estate investing — believing more deals will fix a cash problem — and why it never does without the right financial management[18:37] Joe Terrio's story: Christina helped him buy out a business partner, set up a Profit First account to fund the buyout, and just watched him make his final payment four and a half years later[20:15] The mental tug-of-war business owners face when they want to step back but fear losing their grip — and how CFO accountability helps navigate that[25:52] How the partnership conversation actually started: Christina's honest answer that she didn't want to do it at first[32:31] What every business partner must do before signing anything: written agreements, defined roles, and an operating system like EOS from the book Traction[40:47] Closing insight: why even business owners with accounting degrees hire a CFO, and why the right move is finding the right people rather than doing everything yourselfKey TakeawaysThe "more deals" lie is one of the most dangerous cycles in real estate. When revenue looks good on the surface, most owners don't notice the slow decline until they're breaking even. A CFO watches those trends before they become a crisis.Budget-to-actual analysis is only useful if you do something with it. Plenty of business owners track their numbers but never close the loop on why they went over or under. The follow-through is where the real work happens.A CFO's job is to identify which of your five problems actually matters most. You can't fix everything at once. The right question is: which issue, if resolved, gets you closest to your goals right now?Before entering a business partnership, talk through the hard stuff — in writing. Defined roles, buyout terms, what happens if someone wants out. Core values alignment and a structured operating system like EOS aren't optional extras; they're the foundation.You shouldn't be doing your own financials if you're running a business. Even if you have the skills, your highest-value use is running the company. The Who Not How principle applies directly here: find the right people and let them do what they do best.Visionary leaders need logical counterparts. Emotional decision-making drives deals and growth, but without someone asking "does this actually get us closer to the goal," you'll keep building on a shaky foundation.Links & ResourcesSimple CFO — simplecfo.comProfit First for Real Estate Investors — profitrei.com (free financial discovery call)Traction by Gino Wickman (EOS — Entrepreneurial Operating System)Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin HardyClosingIf this episode resonated with you — especially the part about watching revenue slowly drift toward break-even without anyone catching it — share it with a business owner you know who's been telling themselves the next deal will fix everything. Christina's story, and her clients' results, are proof that having the right financial partner changes the trajectory of a business. Subscribe to the Profit First for Real Estate Investors podcast so you never miss an episode, and if you're ready to stop feeling broke, visit profitrei.com to apply for a free financial discovery call with the Simple CFO team.

Most men think erectile dysfunction is a bedroom problem. It's actually one of the earliest warning signs of cardiovascular disease, capable of showing up three to five years before a heart attack.In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Amy Pearlman, a urologist trained in men's sexual health, to discuss:Why ED is a symptom of vascular health, not a standalone disease and how the artery feeding the heart is roughly double the size of the one feeding the penis, so problems show up "down there" firstWhy "normal" testosterone can be meaningless, and the questions to ask before accepting a lab result that didn't flagHow daily erections preserve penile tissue the way water keeps a sponge supple and why disuse can cost noticeable size over just a few monthsThat cardiovascular exercise can rival ED medication for improving erectile function, making your heart health the real fixHow to track erectile fitness before there's a problem, instead of waiting until something breaksBy the end, you'll understand the single signal your body uses to flag heart and metabolic risk early and the simple, mostly drug-free steps that protect both your cardiovascular health and your sexual function for life.Thank you to our sponsors:Manukora - Go to https://bit.ly/3RCMrKx to save 31% plus $25 worth of free gifts.Timeline - Get 20% off your Mitopure order at https://bit.ly/4dW6BGNBon Charge - Save 15% at https://bit.ly/433Xi2B with code DRLYONExplore More from Dr. Gabrielle LyonPremium Podcast Subscription: Ad-free episodes, key takeaway summaries, exclusive Q&A, and behind-the-scenes content https://foreverstrong.supercast.comWeekly newsletter: Recipes, podcast updates, and practical weekly insights https://drgabriellelyon.com/sign-up/Apply to become a patient: Personalized care with Dr. Lyon's clinical team https://drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry/Listen to "Pearls of Wisdom" on all your favorite platforms!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uOhWn5DeVXO7D2ppa0RoVApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pearls-of-wisdom/id1617916659Find Dr. Amy Pearlman at:Website: https://www.primeinstitute.us/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@docamyurology?si=oJ2LZ_sxMPYTaK41Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amypearlmanmd/X: https://x.com/AmyPearlman1LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-pearlman-54a2b0208Connect with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/TikTok: @drgabriellelyonX (Twitter): https://x.com/drgabriellelyonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyonTimestamps00:00 - Introduction01:25 - Erections predict cardiac events01:41 - The pen and artery analogy03:40 - No health milestones for men07:52 - Normal structure and function11:45 - The five S's of men's health21:24 - Why "normal" testosterone misleads25:00 - Testosterone and fertility risk31:05 - Steroids versus FDA-approved agents41:13 - The untreated 25-year-old43:56 - Sperm health and home testing52:02 - Peyronie's disease and injury1:01:34 - Protein, nutrition, supplements1:05:09 - Daily Cialis as a pre-workout1:13:32 - The sponge analogy1:15:31 - Erectile fitness tracking1:23:05 - The penis pump, used right1:27:24 - Restoring lost size1:35:00 - Traction and girth enhancement1:46:00 - Women's anatomy and pleasureIf you found this episode valuable, share it with someone who would benefit from it.Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships.The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.

Standing out as a dental practice is easier than you might think — and thank goodness for that! Kiera gives three steps to find what makes you and your practice unique even when you feel like you're as vanilla as can be. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent- Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and I hope you're having an amazing day. I am so excited to podcast with you. I get so giddy when I know it's podcasting day and I literally can't sleep at night. I get so excited for the next day and I just really want to make sure that what I'm delivering for you and all the different podcasts are exactly what you need because I do believe that my job in this world is to positively impact the world of dentistry and give you quick tactical tips that are going to change your life, change your practice and make you   Remember why you chose dentistry. Dentistry should be fun, you guys. Owning a practice should be fun. And I know that it's not always going to be fun. I've accepted as a business owner, there's highs and lows, and that's just the flavor of business ownership that we sign up for. And so today I wanted to just give some quick tactical tips because I feel like so many of us are trying to figure out how can we stand out as dental practices without it being just about cost. There's so much more because we talk about marketing and you guys know my Achilles heel is marketing. Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.   ⁓ But it's really truly how can you be your own brand, your own fragrance, your own style, and yet still attract the patients that you want. And I think it's actually easier than you might think because we help practices all the time stand out for who you want. And what I found is the number one most important thing when you're looking at your practice is be true to who you are. I remember I was reading the book Traction.   by Gina Wickman, guys know, shout out. I'm a big proponent of that book. do a lot of Dental A Team's version of traction. We have traction within Dental A Team. And, I remember at end of the book, they were talking about how, like, know thyself and be free as a visionary. And, ⁓ if that's who you are or you're an integrator, like know thyself and be free. And I think when it comes to your own practice, know thyself and be free and make sure it's what people want. And then make sure you're talking to those people. I think about, have some friends that are.   are very into nature and them getting on the podcast, I'm probably not going to attract the same type of people that I attract. I want people that are driven, growth minded, entrepreneurs, people that are seeking that next level, people that want to have fun in life. That's who Kirita is and that's my style. That's my brand. And I remember when I started Dental A Team, I had some people tell me that, Kirita, there's absolutely no way you're going to be able to impact everybody across the nation and that's not going to work for you as a consultant. And I am so grateful and thankful that I stuck true to my gut.   I struck two to who Kiera Dent is. And while at the same time I can say true to Kiera, I need to also know what the market's asking for. If I'm just here to talk kumbaya with you, I'm probably going to attract a different crowd. But the people who want to be with Kiera, who want to be a part of Dental A Team, it's crazy. At the masterminds, I look at our doctors and our office managers and they are very similar to who I am and who I am on the podcast. So if that resonates with you, come be a part of our community.   you can reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com or go to our website, book a call. I'd love to chat with you. And I do still vet a lot of the people coming into our company. And, ⁓ I want to make sure that you're a good match for us. And so I think when I'm looking at what can you do to stand out within your own practice and how can you compete? It's who are you and what makes you different. And if you don't know, go read your reviews, go read the Google reviews, go read to see. And if you read dental, interviews, they always talk about that. They're fun, that they're positive, that they changed my life, that they make dentistry so simple.   That is Kiera Dent to the core. wanted to be the Dr. Seuss of systems. I wanted to make doctors and teams have easy profitability without it being hard. And so when I look at the reviews, that is true core to Kiera. So I want you to say who's true core to you. ⁓ And a good way to do this is to go back to what your core actually is. So go back to what the core values are. Why did you even start the company? When I go back and I look at Kiera Dent, like what were my three core fundamentals? You can ask Tiff this was the beginning of day one. Like it was fun, do the right thing and ease.   from the beginning of time, it's always been what I've said. I said, if we're not having fun, I don't wanna do this. Like truly, it's a hobby for me, it's a good time. And now we've created into an incredible business. Do the right thing always. Like do the right thing for the customer, do the right thing for our team, do the right thing for our clients. Like that is what I want you to do. And I'm not gonna sit here and give you a rules of do the right thing. Like as a core individual, you need to have that to your core. To me, it's a, we over deliver. We always come to the table. Like I want you just to do the right thing. And that needs to be a moral compass for you.   And then ease, I don't need people who make it clunky hard, all the different pieces, I need you to make it easy. And that's been my model since the beginning of time, I wanted everything to be easy, do the right thing and fun. That's Kiera's core, that's who I am. And so for you to go back and it's core values versus aspirational values. And so I really want you to look at what are the core of your company? And is that fulfilling?   I remember there's dental office I opened, me and the doctor, her core was very edgy. would say edgy is probably one of our core values of that company. We were listening to Drake at six in the morning. Like that was our core and we wanted it to be this edgy vibe. were in downtown Denver. That's what we did and it attracted the right type of people. Now my parents, if they walked into that dental practice, there is absolutely no way in their right mind that they would want to stay there. But a lot of people in downtown Denver, we knew our avatar, we knew who we wanted. So we were going to attract that. So I really want you just to think of like,   How can you stand out? How can you make sure that this practice feels like home to you? So step one is go back to your core of why did you even start this business? And let's make sure that that's really incorporated in everything you do. Number two, I want you to really make sure that who you are fundamentally is what you're branding and what you're speaking to. ⁓ And then make sure the third thing is you look to see what do patients really want and what are they valuing? So.   I think so many practices, the reason you get lost in the mix is because you've just got standard marketing across the board. says like, we care about our patients. We have the exact same services listed. We've got generic online presence. There's nothing that identifies or differentiates you. There's a practice in California that I really love. And she said like, we love ⁓ changing the way people feel about going to the dentist. And I have another dentist who their tagline is to be the community, the, like the dentist that the community chooses.   ⁓ And I have another office that's like to change the way people feel about going to the dentist. And another one is to just be your foodie dentist. Those people, you guys, I didn't even pull up my notes. didn't look at it before I got on the podcast. Those are ones that I can just rift, repeat, remember because they stand out to me. They're not just generic marketing. And so for you, what is it that makes you stand out? I've got a doctor and he called it, ⁓ I think it's called Empower Dentistry.   ⁓ and I love that because his whole model is like empowering patients to be confident about their health, to be confident about their decision-making and really spend a lot of time educating his patients. So for you, like, what is that one thing for Kiera? You guys, I'm the Dr. Seuss of dentistry. I have a good time. have a lot of fun. I am not your standard consulting company. We do things very different at Dental A Team. I want people, we get the same type of results, if not better.   But we do it in Kiera Dent's way. We do it in a fun way. We do it in a way that makes team members happy. Our job is to light people up. Life's my passion, dentistry is my platform. That's Kiera Dent. And if that doesn't resonate you, then you're not gonna be listening to the podcast. But if it does resonate with you and you're like, yeah, I wanna have the best life and I wanna have team that's lit up and I wanna do it in an easy way, not a hard way. You guys, I'm not cookie cutter. If you want standard scripts on how we do X, Y, we have them, but that's not gonna be where I'm going to lead from. We're gonna lead from what's your vision and your practice to what did the numbers tell us? Then we're gonna implement systems based on that information.   That's how we operate. Most people are like, Hey, you want systems? Fantastic. Here are your systems. And I'm like, no, why am I coming in and giving teams more work? Like nobody wants that. What we want is what's the vision of the practice? What are the numbers tell us? Let's put systems into place that way. Again, it's all boiling it down to that ease, that simplicity that's going to guarantee results. So what is your clear differentiator? What's your clear identifier? And so when we have it, like, I don't want to be Chick-fil-A McDonald's.   like competing across the board. I want something that's going to make you resonate. I've got holistic dentists and it's like full comprehensive health for their patients is what they want them to have total wellness of health. And you might say like, but Kiera, I'm just like, like, I just do dentistry. I just want to do dentistry and I'm very vanilla. Like there is nothing that stands out about me. I do bread and butter dentistry. It's very simple. Well, I'll say vanilla is very great ice cream that a lot of people like.   How can we make your vanilla ice cream better than the next person's vanilla ice cream? So I just wanna highlight that no matter what you do, there is something that's your special sauce. There is something special and unique about you and your practice that's going to drive and resonate with other people. There's billions of people on the planet. You don't need all of them. You just need your core crew of people that want to come to you as a practice. So I would say, what is it of, how are you going to make sure people stand out to you?   and looking back at your core values, looking back to why, what makes you, you go look at the reviews and make sure does that speak? And if it does, amazing, keep doing more of that. And if it doesn't, let's change that and revamp it a little bit so that way you do feel like it's home. I have had so many offices try to be something they're not, they're like, well, Kiera, everyone says I need to be on social media and I don't like it. Then don't do it. Like you can be at home, you can be there, you can still like.   I am the silent dentist. Like don't like social media. Great. You're going to probably find people that don't like social media. So let's do flyers and mailers and other things that could attract people in. ⁓ Or find a team member that really is great at it so you don't have to do it. For me, you've got to show up a couple of times. That's part of being a business owner and I don't love it, but I'm going to be true to Kiera. You're going to be true to you. Be true to you because the thing is I want you to just feel like you're at home. When I get on the podcast, I get to just be Kiera.   This is Kiera unfiltered. It's funny when people get on our practice assessment calls or like wanting to work with us calls and we're assessing to see, are you a good fit for us and are we a good fit for you? I'm sitting in my studio. Like what you guys see is where I work every single day. The microphone, I don't usually talk to people on a microphone, but I will pull it on over so people can see it. Like I'm just Kiera. This is who you get. I'm real raw. Someone asked me a very personal question on a sales call the other day and I was like, you know what?   I am so grateful that you feel so comfortable to be able to ask me those questions. I'm Kiera. This is who I am. I always want people to feel like I'm just Kiera Dent from the block. Like I'm your next door neighbor. I'm the person who's not here to judge you. I'm here to give you a hand up. I'm not here to slap your hand, tell you you should have known that because you're a dentist. That's what I want people to feel. So I think it's a what's your core. And then also the second piece is what do you want people to feel when they come to your practice? Because that's going to help them laser in with you way more than anything else.   So looking at those core values, how do you want them to feel? For me, it is a no judgment zone in Dental A Team. Our whole team knows this. You like nobody should ever, like I will not hire people that are snooty tooty attitudey. Like I'm just not here for that. That's not our culture. That's not our brand. That's not who we are. Our brand and our style is very much a come as you are, we love you we're gonna take you to your goal, your vision. I'm not here for everybody to get to the DSO world. I want you to live your best life. Your practice should serve you your needs in your life, not the other way around. But I will tell you,   I did not have that refined on day one of opening this company. That has come over time of what do I want dentists to feel? What are people saying? What is it that sets me apart from other people? And I do believe that your practice and how you stand out is not a one and done check it off the box. My core, one and done. And as long as I don't deviate from that, I'm probably gonna be pretty solid. The second thing is who we are and our fundamentals, those have not changed. But how I talk to people, what I want people to feel when they come to our company.   That's morphed and evolved. It's always been a no judgment zone, but I think it's become more and more and I market that more and more and I want people to just feel safe. I want people to feel seen. I want people to feel heard. I realize as business owners, myself included, as I morphed and evolved, gosh, that's something I wanted. You could start to listen in to what your patients say. Why do they choose you? And you might even have people that you trust a lot. I have asked certain people like, why did you choose Dental A Team over somebody else? 95 % of the time it's because we don't judge. We aren't cookie cutter.   and we actually have been there, done that and do it successfully and we bring the team along. Those are typically the reasons people choose our company over someone else. And I always get energy, always. So I care, we love your energy. And I'm like, great. So they like a good time. They want somebody who's fun. That's my core value. So yeah, like we're getting it. But listen to why people are choosing you. Maybe it's the Google reviews. Maybe it's because you are the holistic dentist in your area. Maybe it's because all their friends and family trust you. Listen to that and brand with that.   People will tell you if you will listen why they choose you, why you're the best in their opinion. And if that's your favorite patient, do more of that. That's how you're going to stand out. Again, you're not going for the billing and you're going for your niche community of people that want to come to you. ⁓ I know I've got a pediatric dentist. He's so popular, like one of the top of the top of the top and he's just himself and he shares his real life. Some of you may be like, that's not me. Again.   You've got to do your differentiator based on who you are. If you're not loud and outlandish, don't be that online because they're going to come in and be like, it was a bait and switch. Like, wow, this person's dead in the water when I show up. Or if you're like dead in the water, but you're super outlandish in the practice, they might feel like, wow, that's very different. You need to have it where you guys are synced in. People feel like they can understand. People feel like they're on the same page with you. It feels the same. Like that's what branding is. This is how you differentiate is what our presence is online is who we are in person.   And so I would just say, take an exercise today. Go through and figure out what on earth do we need to do to stand out in our crowd? Number one, what's our core value? What do we stand for? Who's the core? What is the core of who we are? Number two, what do we people to feel? Read our reviews, how do we want them to feel? And then number three, how can I do more of that and has it evolved over time? Those would be like quick, simple three steps, but make sure online presence matches in-person presence. In-person presence matches online presence. Our online presence is fun.   There's dots, there's confetti, there's smiling, laughing people. That's not just pictures. When you're in an office, you're laughing your freaking head off. It's hilarious. We're having a good time because teams don't want to do hard. Teams don't want to have a non-fun. Why do I make the podcast? Yes, for a lot of value for you, but also for you to have your teams experience this before they even work with us. How can you test drive the car without test driving the car? Well, here's a great way to do it. How can people test drive your practice without doing it?   How can they say, my gosh, of all the dentists out there, I wanna work with you. And then I'm gonna say this, and I know this is annoying and I'm sorry, but this is another piece that you're gonna stand out and it's through your Google reviews. You've gotta be kicking it over there. If you need, talk to Swell. Swell.co, I think is their website. Tell them Dental A Team sent you, get the best deal. Zeke and I have known each other for eight years and he has never changed the pricing on the people I refer to him, which thank you, Zeke. Shout out to you. Swell is the best one I've ever met. I know there's a ton of them out there. I have like vetted all of them. Best of the best of the best.   So if you want a great one, like you've got to also be the best. And so I just did this with a team the other day ⁓ and I had all of them go leave reviews. I had all of them practice asking for reviews. And I taught them like, you can be the best dentist, but if you're not the best marketed dentist online, no one's gonna find you. And imagine me with my picket fence out there, like picketing, like save the teeth. If you're the best dentist in the best dental office, you have a moral obligation to save those teeth. People only have 28.   Some might have 32, but most of us only have 28. And we only have one shot at that. And I believe that people deserve the best of the best. So you also have an obligation to get those reviews up, to ask your patients to leave your reviews, but that's gonna tell you how you stand out. Please also make sure you have fun. Do things that light you up. Marketing is like, my gosh, it's my least favorite thing to do. But I realized, Kiera being Kiera and just showcasing that is marketing.   And I can have a truckload of fun with you guys on here. I can have a great time on the podcast. I can share all my wildest things. I can talk to you about whatever I want to talk to you about. And you can get to know Kiera, real Kiera. You can get to know Kiera Dent from the block. And that's where I realized like, this is fun for me. Now me going and making dumb social reels. Sorry, all you that love it. I'm not trying to diss on you at all. That's not a diss. I just absolutely loathe it. Like I would rather sit here and talk to you and give you like tactical tips than I would like making up a funny meme.   I'm a freaking hilarious human, but I don't like staged humor and I don't have a great marketer next to me and it just feels hard. That's not something that I'm like, yay, marketing day. Now if I had a marketer who lived next door to me and they're like, hey, I got seven ideas for you, let's roll. I would freaking love it. But make sure it's something that you jive and enjoy. And if you don't love it and then people are gonna feel it. Now, that doesn't mean it's uncomfortable. You gotta get out of your comfort zone. But if you absolutely loathe something, you guys like, I...   You have a marketer who did this and I felt like an idiot. I'm not good at remembering how to say things and being on script. Like I feel so dumb and so uncomfortable that I'd rather sit there and have you rift with me, like ask me questions like top, top dental softwares, top AI softwares, top practices, how they perform. What are the top five things that the most elite leaders do? I would rather do that. It's the same thing. I can still create reels, but they're conversations and topics that I know you guys want to hear. And I know you're going to have a good time hearing.   and I know I can give you amazing value without you ever working with me. That's Kiera Dent's MO. So what's your MO? What drives you? And if you need a minute, go take like two hours at a Starbucks, figure out what your core values are. What do you want people to feel when they come to your practice? And then look to see what is the core? What are the things that light you up? Again, maybe that you're not perfect at. I love to give tactical practical. And like I said, that morphed over time. What do I people to feel has morphed over time. So maybe do a revamp. See how can we stand out a little bit stronger?   and then ride it guys. Trust it, own it, embrace it, because the more confident you are in it, people are buying your confidence, they're not buying you. The reason people come to Dental A Team is because when I got on the podcast, you guys, I've been there, I've done it, I've seen it all, like you probably can't tell me something. I would love somebody to challenge me, bring me something I haven't ever heard before. But I have so much confidence that no matter which practice you are, where you're at, I know ways to turn your life around and your practice around and do it very quickly and easily.   I'm that confident. That's what you're buying. You're buying my 10 years of being on the freaking road going into 500 plus offices. That's why people sign up with Dental 18 plus they love our energy. Yeah, I'm a good time. So let's do it fun and let's share all that experience. Why are people signing up with you? What is the confidence you have? Are you the best at doing those fillings? Are you the best at doing those crowns? Highlight that, get excited about it. People are buying your confidence and the more confident you can be through your reviews, through your online presence, the more they're going to spy you. It's not their dentistry they're buying.   It's the confidence in you and your team. And if you can remember that, you will stand out of a crowd all day long. So I feel like I usually can do a quick wrap for you and like, here's the five things for you to take. Today, it's not, it's a rift. It's a, here are the ways that I see people stand out. Here are the ways that I've been able to stand out. Here's the ways that we've been able to change things for you. But I really feel like standing out is not about doing more. It's about doing the right thing that lights you up consistently. Getting on the podcast, do you know how many episodes I've recorded?   Do know how many times I pushed play over here and said, all right, let's go? Consistency can out deliver flash in the pan. I have been doing this for seven years now. Seven years we've been talking together. Seven years we've been hanging out. Almost 10 years I've been traveling to offices. That's consistency guys. And doing consistency, doing the right things consistently. It's not about doing more.   I didn't ratchet up our podcast amount, doing the same amount since the beginning of time, and that's still a lot. ⁓ But I think for you to stay consistent, speak your truth, people will come to you, I promise you. Don't think it's about doing more. Don't think it's about that. Just being aligned so where people can feel your true authenticity and your genuine love, people will buy that all day long. We're in a world inundated with noise and starving for wisdom.   Be that different voice, whatever yours is. And if we can help you in any way, if I can be your cheerleader, if our team can like help you see the goodness in you, because sometimes it's hard to see the goodness in you. We do this with offices, we help them out. I've got a doctor right now in California and we're helping her see like how she's fantastic to drive more patients to her practice. So reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. Be proud of yourself. There are people that need you specifically. Not everybody wants you, not everybody wants Dental A Team, but the people who really do that resonate.   They're going to find me and my voice. why I ask you guys to share because you're listening. Please share with other people just like you because odds are if you like me, your friends are going to like me and we're going to be able to help them change the world of dentistry. Same thing. If your patients like you, odds are they've got friends and family that are going to love you as well. Ask them. Don't be afraid to get the reviews from them. And for all of you, I'm asking you today, if you love the podcast, leave us a Google review. Go leave me a review share because I need more people like you listening to this podcast.   I am on a mission to impact every single dental practice out there and to positively impact them and to change the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. And I can't do that alone. I need you to share. So share and ask your patients to do the same, but it's very hard for you to ask somebody when you haven't done it yourself. So if you've never left a Google review or it's been a while, go leave Dental A Team at Google review. We'll put it in the show notes. It's very easy for you. ⁓ and the second thing I would ask is share us with somebody, share the podcast with somebody today, share this episode with somebody shared in a Facebook group.   because you're gonna get more confidence and have your team do the same thing. You can have them listen to this episode, share with people, leave a review. I had an office, 10 people left me a review that day because they were having a hard time and feeling disingenuous asking for reviews. Get people comfortable, get people confident and they'll do it more often, same thing with you. And I'm a very easy person. Leave me a great review. You love the podcast, you're clearly giving your time to me. So leave a review, say how much you love it and then feel confident asking somebody and ask somebody today because more people need your dentistry.   More people need you to change their lives. It's your moral obligation to show up, do the right thing, have fun and do it with ease. Did you like those core values? That was a nice wrap for all of you. Thanks for listening. I adore you. I'm here to serve you on any level I can. Reach out, join us at an event, come to our mastermind, whatever it is, do something today. Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time on The Dental A Team podcast.  

See what the team at The Successful Bookkeeper has on right now → Sammy Mattingly and Fred Ott are back for the finale of their two-part conversation with host Michael Palmer. Where Part 1 covered the leap into bookkeeping entrepreneurship, Part 2 gets into the gritty, practical work of making a young firm sustainable — documenting processes, surviving the first real growth wave, hiring employee number one, and deciding what kind of business they actually want to build. Chapters [00:00] Introduction and Episode Recap [01:18] What Makes This Partnership Work [04:30] Growth Wave Exposes System Gaps [07:00] Hiring the First Employee [09:00] Fixing Onboarding the Right Way [12:00] Joining Pure Bookkeeping and Freedom Gateway [15:30] Walls Hit and Lessons Learned [18:30] Long-Term Vision and the Journey [21:30] The 'How to Make a Few Thousand Dollars' Podcast The Partnership Advantage One of the quieter themes running through this episode is just how much the partnership itself has been a growth tool. Sammy puts it plainly: "Fred is the only one of my friends that I could do this with — and it's mostly down to that accountability piece and the amount of work that each of us is going to put into this." For bookkeepers considering a partner arrangement, this episode is a useful reality check on what makes it work — shared drive, mutual trust, and complementary skill sets — and what makes it hard. When Clients Arrive Faster Than Your Systems The real test of any process is live clients. Sammy and Fred thought their systems were solid after months of heavy networking. Then the referrals started rolling in, and the cracks showed fast. "We quickly realized our systems and our processes are not what we need to be able to support the growth that we have now and that we want in the future," Fred says. Their response was to pull back from networking temporarily, sit down together, and map out standard operating procedures from scratch — building workflows, identifying automation opportunities, and stress-testing everything against real client volume. Onboarding: Break It, Fix It, Repeat Onboarding was the first thing to crack under pressure. Rather than patching it on the fly, Sammy and Fred blocked a Saturday, mapped every pain point, and rebuilt it. When the next wave of clients came through a month later, the process was smooth — but it surfaced a new set of smaller issues. "There's always something rolling onto the pocket of like, okay, here's an issue with our process," Sammy says. "Now we need to set aside time to work together to map out how to fix that and how to implement it." That cycle of deliberate improvement is now a permanent feature of how they run the business. Pure Bookkeeping and the Freedom Gateway Sammy credits early podcast listening for pointing him toward Pure Bookkeeping, and describes the decision to join as straightforward once the need for a real system became obvious. What stood out most was the access to experienced guidance: "Having an hour with Lisa Campbell a week, someone who's done it, who's built a very successful firm — she was great in just helping us learn and develop and how to work on the business." They also appreciated that the system is customizable — their Pure and Pixie setup reflects their firm, not a template. Building Toward Something (Without Telling Everyone What It Is) When Michael asks about the long-term vision, neither Sammy nor Fred throws out a revenue number — and Michael approves. Fred frames it well: "Like we want to grow and do all these things, but ultimately the day-to-day — we want the day-to-day to be enjoyable. We like challenging ourselves, we're curious people, and we like learning." They're also currently working through Traction by Gino Wickman and have launched their own podcast, How to Make a Few Thousand Dollars, which earned an early shoutout from the entrepreneur who inspired the name. Links Mentioned Mattingly & Ott Financial Accounting How to Make a Few Thousand Dollars — Sammy and Fred's podcast (search on your podcast app) Pure Bookkeeping — the system referenced throughout the episode Traction by Gino Wickman — EOS framework book Sammy and Fred are currently implementing How to Make a Few Billion Dollars by Brad Jacobs — inspiration for their podcast name The Successful Bookkeeper Episode featuring Theresa Slack — referenced by Michael as a model partnership story About the Guests Fred Ott and Sammy Mattingly are co-founders of Mattingly & Ott Financial Accounting, LLC, a growing bookkeeping firm built on referral-driven networking, deliberate systems work, and a commitment to serving small business owners in their community. Friends since high school, they made the jump from W-2 employment to entrepreneurship together and are now navigating their first year of real scale — with their first employee, a growing client roster, and a podcast of their own. About the hostMichael PalmerMichael Palmer is the host of The Successful Bookkeeper podcast and co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping and The Successful Bookkeeper. He started this work because of his father — a brilliant electrical contractor who worked twice as hard as he should have had to, because nobody on the financial side was in his corner. That gap is what The Successful Bookkeeper exists to close. His view: bookkeepers are the most undervalued force in small business — and every bookkeeper who builds a real business changes two families: theirs, and their clients'.

In this episode, Steve Cherrico and Brad Schelling kick off a new podcast series focused on the five personnel values that shape the culture of First Priority. These values help define the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors that contribute to healthy leadership and effective ministry. Together, they discuss the difference between ministry core values and personnel core values, explore how these values were developed through EOS® and Traction®, and share why they continue to guide the way First Priority leaders serve students, churches, schools, and communities. The conversation also highlights exciting updates from FP Connect, stories of new club opportunities across the country, and a preview of the upcoming episodes that will take a deeper look at each individual core value. In This Episode • Updates on FP Connect and new club opportunities across the country • The difference between ministry core values and personnel core values • An overview of First Priority's five personnel values: Christ Follower Passionate & Inspiring Collaborative Team Builder Eager to Learn Confidently Driven • Why culture matters in ministry leadership • How strong values create healthy teams and sustainable growth Coming Next The next episode takes a deeper look at the first core value, Christ Follower, featuring special guest Larry Bragg from First Priority Metro East.

(14) Simon Constable and Jim McTague discuss the leadership vacuum in the United Kingdom as internal Labour Party disputes intensify. Some elites are calling for Tony Blair's return while the Reform Party gains traction among dissatisfied voters.1940

5/27/26: SEC Ends CUPCAKE Non-Conference Schedules, Brendan Sorsby Appeal DENIED, CFB Super-Conference Gains Traction & So Much More!

If you've ever delegated something to your team… only to take it back because it felt faster to do it yourself

High-profile candidates like Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer navigate a crowded field to replace Gavin Newsom, while outsider Steve Hilton gains traction as voters express frustration with rising costs and failing infrastructure. (2/16)1920 CA

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: both discuss plane reading and its advantages Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: book recs for each enneagram type Before We Go: our new segment featuring a bookish friend post and a sleeper hit brought by Meredith Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). . . .   1:31 - Bookish Moments of the Week 1:55 - The House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas 2:03 - @hollyslitmagic on Instagram 2:50 - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 8:08 - Current Reads 8:28 - The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (Meredith) 10:10 - Diavola by Jennifer Thorne 10:28 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live 13:31 - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 16:17 - Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo 18:23 - The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (Kaytee) 18:35 - The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali 23:09 - Radical Focus by Christina Wodke (Meredith) 24:45 - Traction by Gino Wickman  28:59 - Disney Adults by AJ Wolfe (Kaytee) 36:55 - When The Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy (Meredith) 42:30 - Empire of Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson (Kaytee) 47:09 - Deep Dive: Books for Each Enneagram Type 47:15 - CR Season 3: Episode 37 49:20 - American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (9) 49:45 - Zorrie by Laird Hunt (9) 51:11 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman (9) 52:23 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (8) 53:18 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (8) 54:22 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple (7) 55:44 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (7) 56:54 - We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (6) 57:04 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live 57:55 - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (6) 59:33 - Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (5) 59:52 - The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (5) 1:00:54 - Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (4) 1:01:46 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (4) 1:01:54 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (4) 1:02:51 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (3) 1:03:01 - Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (3) 1:03:49 - Erasure by Percival Everett (3) 1:05:14 - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2) 1:06:16 - The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah (2) 1:06:42 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2) 1:08:30 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (1) 1:10:06 - The Home-maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (1) 1:13:05 - Before We Go Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post Meredith brings a sleeper hit 1:14:25 - Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes   Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is brought to us from a new to us bookstore, Book & Books in Coral Gables, Florida Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

That uneasy feeling that your business is growing but something feels off usually isn't a marketing problem. It's often a values problem. I sit down with Whitney Owens, owner of Water's Edge Counseling and Wise Practice Consulting, to talk about what “profit with integrity” looks like when you're a service-based business owner who genuinely wants to help people and still earn sustainable income.We get honest about the guilt many entrepreneurs feel around charging, especially in helping professions like therapy and private practice. Whitney explains why “success” can trigger embarrassment, how childhood money stories shape what we think we're allowed to earn, and why ethical pricing is part of serving well. We also dig into how to clarify your core values before you scale, so your team, your client experience, and your offers all stay aligned with the impact you want to make.From there we go practical: delegation, building a leadership team, and using EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System) from Traction by Gino Wickman to reduce decision fatigue and prevent burnout. Whitney breaks down tools like scorecards, Level 10 meetings, quarterly Rocks, and “right person, right seat,” plus how she uses AI-generated scenarios to hire for values instead of vibes. We close with a simple integrity audit you can apply to your messaging, policies, and team behavior, and a resource for marketing and networking with churches in an authentic way.If you want values-based business growth without selling out, listen now, subscribe for more, and share this with a friend who's scaling. After you listen, what's one value you want to run every decision through?Read more HERESupport the show

Do you ever feel like you have a laundry list of reasons why you can't ever take a break from your practice? Kiera is here to say, if that's how you're feeling, it's time to step away. In this episode, listeners get to take a breather. Kiera talks about the two parts of success (the "suck" part and the success part), and what you can do to hit a mental restart. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera and I hope today is such a great day for you. I hope that you're loving your life. I hope that you are enjoying it. And if you're not, today's podcast might be for you. Today is about when leadership gets heavy, how CEOs navigate the seasons you can't step away from. And this actually was a little bit of a self-medication for myself because when I ⁓ was actually getting ready to podcast the last time, I had a little bit of a breakdown.   And I just realized I was going at a pace that I wasn't able to sustain. And I felt very trapped. I felt like what happens as a CEO when you literally feel like you can't step away? Like you're in it. You bought the practice, you're in debt. I was actually just reading a book. It was a total fantasy book. And it was ⁓ about this little veterinarian who opened his practice to kind of prove a point to his parents, but also because he loved his craft and loved his work. And then he starts dating this girl and   she's on the other coast and long story short, they're like flying back and forth coast to coast. And he doesn't have money because he's got the practice. He's got the debt. He's got a team ⁓ and he wants to see his girlfriend. And so he's picking up ER shifts and moonlighting and so much so that he literally like drags his body into oblivion and gets so sick. And what was really crazy in the book is I feel like as I was reading it, I told Jason, I was like, this is my doctor's, this is me.   So many of us feel this way, right? You've got the debt, you've got this, you have a laundry list of reasons why you feel like you can't step away. And I will say like, if that's you, then it's time for you to step away. And I think in ownership, there are seasons where it's hard. And so today I kind of wanted to address like, what do you do and what are some tactical things when you're in this boat? And if you're in that boat today, hi, I'm Kiera. I'd love to be friends. Reach out, just even as a friend, if it's a pen pal, if you want to talk, if you want me give you tactical advice on your practice, reach out, I will happily help you.   If you're not in that boat, hi, I'm Kiera and I'm either preparing you or speaking to your future you because all of us will go through that. And I don't think it's a one and done. It's an ever flowing. It's an ebbing and flowing. And so there are seasons and ownership where it's freaking hard and it doesn't mean you're failing. It doesn't mean your practice is broken. It just means that we're growing and it's stretching our leadership. I remember thinking, I've talked about this on the podcast before. It's like throwback OG status or talk about like penguins, molting or snakes like sloughing off their skin.   And what happens is we actually grow bigger than what we're capable of. We grow bigger than what our skin is. grow, like our practice outgrows the leadership style that we are. There's a book called like, what got you here won't get you to where you want to go. And it's the same principle of like, we have to grow. And if you go back to being a child, growing pains don't feel good. I don't know if you guys remember like your legs hurt and your body hurts and like.   you, my little nephews and nieces, they wake up in the middle of the night with like leg aches because they're growing. Like it's painful. And I think we forget. And then as adults, we don't realize that like you get to go through it again. When you go through growth of leadership or your practice grows and you got to evolve into the next version of yourself to sustain that. And that's not comfortable either. you guys know, some of you been listening for a while. You know, I went to Antarctica, slight flex. ⁓ and it was amazing. It was honestly one of the most life-changing trips I've ever been on.   it was a place where I felt like I was navigating the most beautiful, serene scenery where no one's there and knowing that I could die. Like people die there. Like the Antarctic has nothing. It's freezing cold there. ⁓ I thought it would be covered in snow and it wasn't felt kind of like Utah-esque in the winter. ⁓ but like it was, I mean, that water is cold and you can see penguins like swimming through the water. It's so clean. It's so crisp. Nothing has touched that part of the world. It's very, very incredible. but I remember when I was there,   I was watching penguins and they were actually in molting season and they told us all like, don't get close to the penguins, just let them be. And they were like, they're in so much pain. And what these penguins were having to do is they sat there and like, you literally could see the like anger, sadness, pain in these little penguins. And they were sitting there. Cause what they have to do is they have to molt off all their feathers because their feathers are not the ones that they have on. They're not waterproof. And so they would actually drown when going into the water. So they have to molt all of those off.   get their like slippery ones and then they can go into the water and they just sit there and you see feathers flying everywhere. But I think like that image of a penguin is how I think a lot of CEOs feel and how a lot of office managers feel when we're going through this and we're being stretched and it's just annoying and you feel like, ⁓ I wanted this practice. I wanted this business, but I didn't want this. Well, I just want to remind you that success has two parts to it. There's suck and there's the success part. You can't have both sides of the coin without it. The word literally says it. And I think we sometimes forget, I think   For myself, I sometimes feel like I've already been through this. I should have to go through it again. But there's a call to a higher level. There's a call for us to be stronger leaders. And so what do you freaking do when it's hard and you feel like you can't escape? So I think that people believe that as you grow and evolve and get bigger and bigger, it gets easier. And I don't believe it actually does. Traction had a very strong quote at the end of it. And I'm not going to quote it exactly. I'll paraphrase it. But the book Traction by Gina Wickman, you guys know I'm obsessed with that model. I'm obsessed with running on EOS. I love helping practices.   be Dental A Team's version of it. We don't do true EOS. We do Dental A Team's version because I like to mix two things that I think actually work better for dental practices. But what I found is he said at the end, like a lot of people think getting bigger practices and bigger businesses actually equate to more profit and less headache and it doesn't. I remember him talking about like a $10 million practice versus $100 million practice. They both made the same amount of money, but there were way more headaches in the $100 million versus the $10 million. And   That has resonated with me for years. Now, if you're trying to sell to a DSO where you're trying to get multiples, of course you need to get it to a larger number. But if you're trying to do it for the long haul, sometimes having it smaller is actually easier. But again, this is your vision, your dream. For me, could I say small make my life easier? Theoretically, but my goal is to impact every single dental practice in this world to possibly reach you, influence you, work with you if it feels right. But my goal is to have the largest impact in dentistry I possibly can.   That's not going to be me playing small and I recognize that, but that also means that I can't sit here and complain because that's the choice I made. I can be frustrated and I can be annoyed and I can feel those feels, but I'm not allowed to sit here and have that. At least that's my opinion. So because I believe that it gets bigger and I'm called to swim in deeper water. And I also believe that I get stronger by carrying it. And you start to realize like, this is just part of business. And I'm sure it's how parents feel when you got one baby and it's so scary and then you get two and then you get three and then you get four. And it's like, yep, this is just how babies are. It's the same thing with business ownership. So   I think that when we feel pressure, it's often a sign of expansion, not failure. And so just a couple of things of tips and ideas of what to do. Number one, I will say, just go on a vacation if you can. I know sometimes it doesn't feel like it's the right thing to do. It feels very counterproductive. Myself, I was very much in the throes of it. Like I said, Dental A Team is going through such a fun ⁓ evolution. Like it is fun for me to sit as a visionary and to see where our team and our company are going and just to be freaking lit up.   with the clients we're serving and the team that we're building and like all of this is moving in motion. And then when I come into the weeds, I'm like, wow, this is really fun. This is a lot. And I think that it can get very heavy sometimes. And I was sitting in therapy and I was like, I just don't know what to do. And she's like, Kirit, it's just a season where it's hard and we accept it we just get through every day of whatever we can. We know this isn't forever. You've got a good perspective on that. And she's like, and if you can take a vacation. So I took a week off to Iceland.   And ⁓ it was great. was freezing cold. The Northern Lights were truly one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in my entire life. Like truly top five. And I have traveled to a lot of really cool places in my life. I've seen a lot of really amazing things. Seeing the Northern Lights dance across the sky when it's freezing cold and you are able to visibly see with your naked eye green and pink. I didn't have a strong to see some of the other colors, but I was able to see a very light pink and also bright vibrant green.   To see that whimsically like dance across the sky is amazing. So going on vacation can be such a relief, but you have to actually truly check out. So when I go on vacations and this has been Kiera's style, so take it if it's beneficial for you or not. And I think every team member should also do the same thing. ⁓ I delete Slack, I delete email, and I actually don't buy service international. Now you might have family, you might have friends that you got to, let them know.   But if there's a way I completely check out I become a very much princess passenger My husband has all the maps on his phone. He does all the things The only thing I have on my phone is I have Kindle and I have quite a few books that I tend to read Depending upon how stressed I've been I often try to curate a trip for me a lot of just like I need to bring it down So we actually stayed at a retreat in a lodge. It was very cold. So it was very cozy I watched a lot of trash TV like love is blind Lincoln lawyer, you name it like I had a decent amount of that   And it is truly just to bring my cortisol levels down, to bring that adrenaline down and to re-regulate my nervous system and to just chill. We went to a Blue Lagoon Retreat Spa. It was so lovely. I take as many naps as I want. Like it is a genuine disconnect. No team members, no clients, nothing. And I don't turn my phone back on. I have my team. They have a whole thing prepared for me. So when I get back, it's like, here are all the updates, here are all the things.   but they know unless it's like literally an emergency, which we've already gone through. Like if there's something, here's all the contact people for X, Y, Z. Like there truly shouldn't be anything that you need to contact me for. And if there is great, we're gonna fix it when I get back. I'm gone for a week. But I think you just being able to disconnect to check out, it's one of the greatest gifts. I had a client that I recommended they do this and they did, and they said, Kiera, we'll never like be the same. It was the best thing we ever did for ourselves because you genuinely go from high pressure,   down to like calm. And I've had it where I've gone other times and I like just say like, I'll just like check in on a few things. Well, when you're checking in, you're still like, there's this umbilical cord almost where you're still tethered to your practice and you can't ever fully like calm. So I will say like that is just one like off the wall tip for you if you can do it. And for me, I try to schedule a week trip at least once a quarter where I'm completely just disconnected. I don't always get that at least two per year.   ⁓ But I think it's also very important for me to do it. I also try to take like Fridays as just CEO mental days where I am disconnected, not there. Sometimes I need to do CEO laundry where I just got to catch up on a bunch of things. But if I can disconnect, not be in Slack, I show up as a better leader. And I think that these are subtle ways to get through the hard. ⁓ I also think when we look at hard, we often think of it as wrong. And so it's like, what's broken, what's wrong, how do I do this? And like growth is pressure. So more patience, more complexity, more team.   more leadership, more revenue, more decisions, like more, a bigger practice, more responsibility. Like it's just what it is, more opportunities, more legalities. Like it just is. And so pressure means that their practice is stretching into the next version. And so I just want you to know, I have coached and our team has coached hundreds of offices that have been going through this. Like this is what we go through. when you see it,   The practice isn't no, I tell people a lot of times I'm on the other side of the river. I've actually gone from where you are to where you want to be. And we know how to navigate as a guide across that river and do it in the least painful way, but it's still like, it's going to be painful. I've got a doctor and they're a startup and they're like, this sucks and it's hard. And like nothing feels right. And I'm on the verge of bankruptcy. And I'm like, guess what? You are a business owner. This is real life, but they're profitable. And even $500 a profit or a thousand dollars of profit doesn't feel great. Most off most businesses are not profitable for like three to four years when they first start out. And yet.   you are being profitable. So I also think like, don't see it as hard, see it as growth and also celebrate the freaking wins as you get them. I believe what we focus on we get and we attract more of. If I'm constantly saying like, they say race car drivers, like they're not looking at the next turn because they're gonna wreck. It's like they've got to look down the line and if you don't, you will literally wreck and hit it. And so I think for us, like if I'm constantly saying, I'm gonna go bankrupt or this is so hard or my team is terrible, you create more of it. literally.   turn your brain on to say, need more of this and I'm gonna look for it, I'm going to find it. Versus the other one of like, my team is doing great, we've got these good things, like there's momentum, I've got great patients, our cases are closing. And you're not lying to yourself, but we're celebrating those little wins and we're stringing more of those together. You're going to create more of that. And I think it can be so easy. As a consultant, I am literally wired to look for everything wrong. And I have to find it and figure out like, what's wrong is always available and so is what's right.   Both are gonna give me different outcomes and both are gonna give me different experiences. Which one do you choose to do more of? So I think like when you look at it, when I'm looking at this, is this a breakdown or is it a gross signal? What's going so well versus what's going so wrong? Maybe incorporating a gratitude journal, maybe having some like quiet times. It's not just like problem after problem after problem, maybe setting up meetings so like our problems get pinned to only once a week so you can handle it easier. That would be that.   Another tip when things like feel like you can't step away is like laser in on what you can actually focus on. I, it's funny, I'm looking around and if you're watching the video, you can see I have currently six, I used to have seven of those giant sticky pads sitting in my office on the other side of this camera. I have one of like our leadership structure. I've got one of an entire plan. I've got one of a future vision. I've got one of a CEO mantra. I've got one of Dental A Team's visions, my goals. And then I've got my like,   legit priorities and I've got four of them and I have them listed in order. And I think when things feel so chaotic, sometimes like bringing that leadership focus and scope in is like everything feels urgent and you try to fix it all. And honestly, if you've read the book, Essentialism, it has all the arrows and like you literally are spinning freaking top versus like what is number one priority? And I need to do that because if I try to do everything, this is how CEOs burnout. ⁓ And instead, like we need to train ourselves that there's bubbling pots constantly.   What's the biggest bubbling pot that's gonna move me forward the fastest and that's where I focus. And so it's like, what are the one or two things that protect operational like our practice stability right now and everything else is temporarily perfect. Temporarily perfect. Temporarily imperfect is perfect. And I want you to just have it like for me, there's so many things. If you want me to laundry list it all the way out, great. But I know that like, what are the one or two things right now that I need to go take care of and handle and everything else gets to be temporarily imperfect, which is perfect.   So when I have offices that do this, an example is they're trying to go and it's like, we need to hire an associate. We need to fix our hygiene department. We need to work on our scheduling. We need to fix our guarantees. We need to fix our case acceptance. We need to fix this. It can get exciting and overwhelming. And this is what I love of helping people get like an annual vision and a quarterly vision because it cuts the noise out. So when we focus in and we're like, okay, of all those things, what things need to happen now to get us to where we ultimately want to go? And if you know where your vision is of where you ultimately want to go,   It becomes so much easier for you to then filter through. And to me, that's a great filtering process. And I hope you actually like have this in place. And if not great, we're amazing at it. Reach out. I'd love to help you get there. You've got to have a vision. You got to figure out what's most important this quarter to get us there. You want to hire the associate, want to fix hygiene. You want to do all these things. But guess what? Us trying to do all those things is what causes the chaos, the burnout, the feeling like we're shackled to our companies and we can't leave versus recognizing. And this is like an ego dip, but it's freeing is not all that's going to get fixed today.   And these are the one or two things. My CEO mantra, would you guys like to hear it? Like, let me just help you guys out with this. Because I think it's really, really, really beneficial. My CEO mantra says saying no equals happiness. I started saying no a lot more and I realized like, wow, I am exponentially happier. The second one I have is I have more power than I think own it. I think a lot of times we feel like everybody else has the power and you are just kind of beholden to them. And this is not an ego power trip. It's more like, no.   I can make these decisions. can have some hard conversations. There is more power that I own rather than my team owning it or people are going to quit on me. Those are all what I've said, it might happen, but you have a lot more power than you think you do. ⁓ I said, don't be afraid of losing people. I've had some team changes and I remember I was so afraid, literally terrified. I'm squeezing my hands thinking back. was a ⁓ fractional team player and I was just super, super, super anxious about it.   And I sat on it and it was two days of pure health and then it was over. And I think a lot of times hard decisions of team members or decisions, usually it's like maybe two days of pain with a lot more freedom. So don't forget that. I said, focus on one thing a day, the rest works itself out. So every day I just pick one thing, this is my one thing I'm gonna work on and the rest truly does work itself out. ⁓ I said, I need to have two people in every position that knows it so that way I'm never feeling like trapped.   or beholden and I need to have systems written down. have like, pick your number and focus and cut fat regularly. So assess it, figure out like, where am I off to make sure that I'm keeping myself level headed and then take 10 minutes, like the calm or meditate whenever things are hard. So just a reminder, like I'm allowed to take a 10 minute timeout at any time. I know you feel like you got patience there, but if things feel like they're just bubbling and over you, that's kind of my CEO mantra. Like, hey, Kiera, when things are hard and it's literally like,   It's up here. I just read it to you. can see my eyes up there. I have them. And as other things come up, like I said, like take vacations regularly, showing up as my best self is the best thing I can do for my team. Those are a few other CEO mantras that maybe can help you out. And then I think the last one is like, when we look at it, we kind of like get rid of this emotional, like highs and lows for consistency. like, it's really easy as a CEO to want to like, whoo.   like whiplash and I've done this to my team a lot and when I'm in it, it's like you're trying to figure it out. You're trying to get there and you're trying to just like force the movement. So we got new rules, new priorities, new frustrations and instability is when it like is what teams feel. They don't feel the pressure. And so your job as a CEO and as an OM, as leaders of the practices to make sure that you're driving the stability. Like they know that there's problems. Like you don't need to be fearless. We just need to have predictability and sometimes slowing the innovations or the changes or the evolution.   I called my team out and I was like, Hey guys, we are been in a shaking snow globe. Every role is different. We've got people going out maternally. We've got new people coming in. We're growing. The company is really like a three month old company, even though we're in business for almost 10 years. And that's such a shift. And when I had that aha moment and we're like, cool, no new initiatives roll out. Let's just get everybody really, really, really solid in their new job descriptions. Cause like we had it where poor Shelbi was like being an EA and a marketer and a sales and like   every single position and we've had to untangle that ball of yarn and Britt was doing the same thing and Tip was doing the same thing and I was doing the same thing. So you got to like hire new people and have new people in there. Well, sometimes just recognizing that. So it's like, stop rolling new initiatives. We were trying to change our operating system and change this and change that. And finally we're like, whoa, this is the chaos. Our team needs to feel stable. They need to feel like they can move forward with stability and consistency rather than feeling like.   Holy cow, I don't know how to use anything here. And so I think when we help offices, so I'm thinking of an office right now and we were going through a pretty radical leadership shift change. We didn't do anything else. I've had a coach tell me you make one major like personnel change per quarter, whether it's in or out. If you get more than that, it feels chaotic. And so when you can actually like go through that chaotic quarter and instead of having it, it's like we keep as much as we can the same. So meetings stay the same so people can count on that.   our expectations are the same. So we've got our KPIs, everybody, if you just hit your one number, we're good. And then like communication style. So you as a CEO, I realize that I'm here to show up, like gotta start setting like, these are foundational pieces, these are core pieces, these are things that are true to our company that our team can count on. And then there will be more seasons of growth. But I think like staying focused, production stronger because we cut out the noise. I think essentialism is a really, really, really great book. Or the one thing, another great book.   I think during those times where you feel like leadership is hard and I'm trapped is because you got so much going on, which is not wrong. It's there. Like we're going through a pressure cooker. We're trying to get to the other side. But I think when you can minimize, less is more. Like I said, pick one thing every day and realize the rest works out. This is when stability comes and what teams can trust when pressure's rising. It's also what you can count on as a CEO and an OM. We got to have that stability. And I actually think that's what I love about being a consultant is we're able to provide that stability.   while you're going through the changes and having someone constant. Like I have leaned on my coaches more through these growth periods than I have, gosh, probably in the last like five years and to have them just stabilize me, steady me so that way I can show up as a steady leader. And that's why I love what we do for our coaching is we coach doctors and team members because doctors, need a different type of coaching than teams do. You need to, we get you as a business owner, like being a freaking CEO versus a manager, two different worlds. How do we help you? This is why we have in-person mastermind. So you realize you're not alone.   One of my favorite comments at our last mastermind, we have in-person masterminds that we do and they're amazing. I literally had a client have ruptured eardrums and like begged her auntie to give her a sign up so she could come. I'm like that much love for these is far beyond what I imagined them to be. ⁓ But I remember at one of the masterminds, someone raised their hand and they said, Kiera, it's so great to realize all these other offices here are dealing with the same thing I am. I realized, I thought I was alone. And I think that this is the pressure cooker.   We think we're the only one there. We feel like we can't reach out to anybody. This is you need a community around you too, to reach out to friends. I have a dear friend and I call him and I was like, this frigging sucks and it's hard. And like, I just feel like I can't get through it. As you heard, I talked to my therapist. I have friends that I go to. I have really, really, really trusted mentors who have gone through what I've gone through that can guide me through. I don't just do this alone when it's hard. I have my husband and I also have myself. And I think sometimes the noise I need to center in too much is too crazy.   Therapy is literally there for me to help regulate my emotions and make sure like I stay as a human being very centered. What do need to do for meditations? How do I keep my mind sharp? That's what my therapist job is. So to talk about the business, it's not to give me any business advice. Like that's not her world. Her job is literally to give me mental stamina and sanity to come through. My gym trainer literally make my body freaking strong and like make sure I stay like healthy and eating well as I go through this. My business coach. I have one business coach and she helps with a lot of like the number. Like that's her only lane and that's what I use her for.   I have a traction coach who actually helps us quarterly and he's helping me with our leadership team transitions and evolution because he's been there and he does this in multi-million dollar businesses much larger than ours and can see the foresight. That's it. That's all the noise. It's the only people that get to talk to me during these times. And then I have a financial advisor if I'm needing to make any of those decisions financially. Each person has their lane and like I lean on my business coach probably the hardest of all because I'm like, all right, work through this with me, work this one out with me, help me with my team on this, work with my team on that.   That one's the one I use the absolute most. Like that is the tool that's used the most, but I use the other ones for different pieces. And I think when you look at this, like it can be hard, but I think it's hard when we do it alone versus when we do it. And we realize like, it doesn't have to be this forever. as a couple things, number one, go on a vacation if you can. ⁓ Number two, change it. It's not broken. It's just like, we're growing and it's evolving. Number three, stabilize your practice as much as you can. Four,   make sure that we are reducing the noise and reducing our focus. So that way we're really focused on this one or two. then number five, think is what number I'm on. I think is where I'm at. Number five is the CEO mantra and having it pick one thing, realize that like saying no to more and stabilizing is going to create a lot of happiness. These things like these hard seasons don't define great CEOs. And what I found is CEOs and OMS that are going through it. I'm like, you asked for this, you were bored and now you're annoyed because you're having to mull and you're having to grow and it's annoying.   But like you ultimately wanted this and your soul was craving this. So like, let's also celebrate that. ⁓ I also think like how you lead through this sets the tone for your team. And I think for you as a leader and a CEO, for you to take care of yourself, there's some days it's okay to call a timeout. It's okay to take a 10 minute calm timeout. I've really found love with Taoism. It's not religion. It's more of just mindsets and flow. A lot of people love the calm app, whatever it is for you, but have a space for you to just call timeout, allow your brain to calm down.   For me, I shut off at five o'clock and I go home. I don't care if there's other stuff that goes on. Guess what? It's going to work itself out and it forces me to work during the day rather than at home. I go for a walk as soon as I'm done. I change up my energy. I change up my rhythm. You might be driving home. So that changes it up for you. Have like a start and stop. Do things that inspire you. Make sure I'm working out three times a week and eating really healthy because I know that's going to sustain my energy. think for this is I know we're not looking for easy, but we're trying to have it where we're building for being sustainable. And I think for you like   Realizing that if it's harder now, you're not off track. Maybe there are some ways, and I do think having a coach, guide that can give you quote unquote the shortcuts or help you even like clear the fog and navigate forward is what we're obsessed with doing. ⁓ Most practices will go through these stretches and they go through them multiple times. ⁓ And I think it's like, you don't need less growth. You need stronger structure to support it. And I'm watching offices that have been killing it. And now they're going to the next layer and it's like, that's hard again. So it's going to be.   but I also believe as souls, like happiness equals progress. That's why we crave it. That's why we want to do it. When we're on the other side of what we forget, just like moms keep having babies cause they forget how hard labor was and they're like, yeah, like let's have another one. Same thing with businesses. Yeah, let's grow it again. Let's involve it. because we have this goal and this drive, I believe to serve more, to love more, to experience more, to have more fulfillment. That doesn't mean your practice has to be larger. It can, if that's your dream. It can also be more intentional, but I believe that like,   This is what you were called to do. And if this is something we can help you with, if you still feel stuck, like I said, I've got my core people. And if we can be one of those core people that can be cutting out the noise, driving you, driving your team, helping you get the stability as you go through it, don't do this alone. You don't have to. And you don't, it's like not necessary. And so reach out Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. Like I said, we will be able to help you have levels of confidence. And we've done this through every single phase of growth. Like I said, from startups, clear to multi-million, multi-locations. ⁓ And there's different.   different systems, different leadership, different pieces needed for every stage of growth, just like with children. And I think for you to just remember you're doing better than you think you are, give yourself the time out. It's okay to call it sick one day. It's not okay to call it sick every day or to not see patients cause you're overwhelmed. We've got to re-regulate. You do still need to show up as a boss, as a dentist, as a CEO. And you need to be the leader of your practice. And I'd love to help you guys. So reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com or go on to our website, TheDentalATeam.com book a call, no pressure, just clarity, giving you a map, giving you guidance, giving you   I think just resources when it can feel noisy. And I want you to know that leadership is not proven on our easy days. It's truly revealed on the hard days. Who you show up as when it's hard is like really your leadership at a core and it's an evolution. So I want you to give yourself a freaking high five. I want you to look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself, that you're doing really, really well, that you're really proud of yourself. And then you're going to go make it a great day. And we do one thing as we move through these hard seasons and reach out if we can help you.   ⁓ The future of your practice is being built right now, whether you like it or not. And I want you to remember that and who you are and how you show up is going to make all the difference. And so if we can help you reach out, and as always, I'm so grateful for you. I'm grateful for every one of you listening. And I hope that you know that and I hope that you feel that. And as always, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.

In this special collaborative episode between the Building HVAC Science Podcast and HVAC School, host Bryan Orr sits down with his father and co-founder Robert Orr (Kalos) and Bill and Billy Spohn, the father-son duo behind TruTech Tools, for an in-depth conversation about the realities of running, transitioning, and ultimately passing the torch in a family-owned business. What makes this episode particularly compelling is that both pairs are actively living through their own succession journeys in real time, offering listeners an unusually candid and personal look at the emotional, structural, and cultural dimensions of handing off a business you helped build from the ground up. The conversation begins with each participant sharing where they stand today. Bill Spohn Sr. is transitioning into semi-retirement as CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, which has tripled in revenue since his son Billy joined the company in 2018. Billy Spohn has stepped into the role of President and co-owner, focusing on working on the business rather than in it. Robert Orr, co-founder of Kalos alongside Bryan, has similarly stepped back after a formalized three-year succession plan, with Bryan now holding majority ownership and day-to-day control. Together, these four men represent two different approaches to the same deeply human challenge: what does it really mean to let go of something you built, and how do you do it in a way that honors both the past and the future? A major theme throughout the episode is the emotional weight of identity and transition that founders and long-time leaders rarely talk about openly. Both Bill Spohn Sr. and Robert Orr reflect candidly on how much of their personal identity has been wrapped up in their respective companies, and how surprising it has been to grapple with the shift from decision-maker to advisor. Robert speaks movingly about health challenges, including having suffered strokes, that accelerated his thinking about succession and mortality. The group explores how no amount of business planning fully prepares you for the emotional reality of stepping back, and yet both men express genuine peace and gratitude for how their transitions have unfolded. The honesty in these reflections is rare and refreshing, especially in business media that often skips the messy human middle. The discussion also digs deeply into the operational and cultural infrastructure that makes a successful handoff possible. TruTech Tools implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) starting in 2022, a framework that Billy says was one of the greatest gifts his father could have given him before assuming leadership. EOS brought role clarity, accountability structures, and regular team rhythms that transformed how the company functions. Bryan and Robert took a more organic approach at Kalos, leaning on trust, a shared value system, and clearly defined responsibilities that evolved over years of working side by side. Both companies emphasize that clarity and accountability are non-negotiable, regardless of company size, and that culture is not a poster on the wall but a reflection of how leaders actually behave when things get hard. The episode closes with practical advice for other family business owners navigating similar journeys. Key takeaways include starting the conversation early, building an advisory board outside the company, making public commitments to accountability, investing in business reading and peer groups, holding regular family meetings so that everyone understands the plan, and above all, prioritizing emotional health and the ability to have hard conversations before they become festering resentments. Bryan offers a memorable point: intelligence gets beaten by emotional regulation and patience every day. The group is unanimous that succession planning is not a single event but a thousand small handoffs, and the best time to start preparing is well before you feel ready. Topics Covered Introductions: Bryan Orr (Kalos), Robert Orr (Kalos co-founder), Bill Spohn Sr. (TruTech Tools CEO), and Billy Spohn (TruTech Tools President) TruTech Tools 3x revenue growth since Billy joined in 2018 The emotional side of letting go: identity shifts, loss of relevance, and the unexpected grief of stepping back from a business you built Moving from decision-maker to advisor: how both Bill Sr. and Robert are navigating this transition Legacy vs. transactional business: building to keep versus building to sell, and the stewardship mindset The baton handoff metaphor: why succession is a thousand small transitions, not one dramatic moment Robert Orr on health challenges (strokes) that accelerated his thinking about succession planning EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) at TruTech Tools: what it is, how it was implemented over two years starting in 2022, and why Billy credits it as the single biggest gift for his leadership journey Role clarity and accountability charts versus traditional org charts Quarterly employee check-ins as an alternative to annual reviews How Kalos grew organically without a formal EOS framework, and the value of building structure around trust and shared values GWC framework from EOS: Gets it, Wants it, Capacity to do it Kalos hitting 400+ employees and the challenges that come with scale Culture preservation through succession: how core values survive a leadership change Faith-based principles in business culture: loving your neighbor, leading with grace, clarity as kindness The concept of stewardship: feeling responsible for a business rather than simply owning it Separate job descriptions for CEO vs. President at TruTech Tools and why it mattered for the whole team Bryan on having five family members working at Kalos and maintaining clear boundaries between family and professional roles Advice for family businesses: start early, overcommunicate, make public commitments, seek outside advisors Building a small advisory board outside the company for outside perspective Recommended resources: business peer groups, books on succession planning, and the EOS/Traction framework by Gino Wickman The importance of family meetings for keeping non-active family members informed and aligned Forgiveness and reconciliation as a foundation for healthy family business relationships Having hard conversations proactively so tension does not carry into family life Bill Spohn Sr.'s closing reflection on what comes after stepping back, and the importance of preparing for your next chapter in life Resources mentioned: Traction by Gino Wickman Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark Winters Succeeding by Albert Ciuksza Good to Great by Jim Collins Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness by Aronoff, McClure, & Ward Process! by Mike Paton and Lisa Gonzalez The Business Transition Handbook by Laurie R. Barkman Who Comes Next? Leadership Succession Planning Made Easy by Mary C. Kelly & Meredith E. Powell Predictive Index (personality/behavioral assessment tool used at Kalos) University of Pittsburgh business peer group for entrepreneurs (referenced by Billy) Family business advisory boards and outside mentors   Visit TruTech Tools at https://trutechtools.com/.  Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.