Don't Waste the Chaos

Most people say they hate HR — and honestly, most of the time they're right to be frustrated, but not for the reasons they think. The problem isn't HR as a function; it's HR that has settled for being a cost center, stayed buried in administration, and never figured out how to prove its value to the business. This episode is Kerri getting raw about her 20-year journey in HR — the wi...

Micromanagement is one of the most common and most costly leadership problems in small business — and most micromanagers don't even realize they are one. It shows up as lack of trust, perfectionism, poor delegation, insecurity, organizational culture, or just not having the right systems in place. And the worst part? It's quietly killing your team's motivation, creativity, and desir...

Workplace burnout isn't just about feeling overwhelmed — there is actual science happening in your body that explains why it's so hard to shake, and understanding it is the first step toward doing something about it. This episode is an expansion of my interview with Lydia Melton on burnout's impact on the P&L (Episode 23), but this time we're going deeper into the physiolog...

You've probably heard of a SWOT analysis — but if you're being honest, do you actually know how to run one, what to do with the results, or why it's worth the time? This episode is the down-and-dirty practical walkthrough that most resources skip, built specifically for small and mid-sized business owners who want to do strategic planning right without spending a fortune on consulta...

A single workers' compensation claim for tennis elbow averages $70,000 — and that's before you factor in legal fees, OSHA fines, lost productivity, and the experience modification rate that follows your business for years. Most small business owners think workers' comp insurance is the answer, but Paul Krewson has spent 20 years proving that early intervention is what actually keeps...

Reducing your workforce is one of the hardest decisions a business owner will ever make — and doing it wrong can land you on TikTok, in a lawsuit, or both. Most small business owners avoid this conversation entirely until they're in crisis mode, which is exactly when the most costly mistakes happen. This episode is the practical, legally grounded walkthrough you need to have in your back pock...

Why do employees who interviewed as adaptable, flexible team players suddenly dig their heels in the moment you introduce a real change? It happens in every organization, at every level, and most leaders either get frustrated and push harder — or give up entirely. This episode breaks down the actual science behind resistance to change and gives you a practical, step-by-step framework for navigatin...

Employee burnout is quietly draining your business — but most owners have no idea how to put a dollar amount on it because it doesn't show up as a line item on the P&L. That doesn't mean it's not there. It just means it's getting absorbed elsewhere — in turnover costs, reduced productivity, and a domino effect that spreads from one burnt-out employee to the entire team. Thi...

What separates entrepreneurs who build something lasting from the ones who burn out, stay too long, or never quite find their lane? George Zimny has done all of it — door-to-door insurance sales post-recession, scaling to 10 offices and 42 staff, a successful exit, an Ironman triathlon, a seat on the board of a global executive search firm, and a brand new talent acquisition startup — and he'...

When did you last sit down with your kid and actually ask them how they feel about your work schedule, your phone habits, and the life you're building together — and then listen to the answer?   This episode is one of the most personal things I've recorded, and I'll be honest, some of what my 12-year-old said to me on mic stopped me in my tracks. But beyond the parenting conversatio...

Low employee morale is one of the most expensive and avoidable problems in small business — so why do so many leaders wait until people are already checked out to do something about it? Whether it's poor communication, lack of recognition, limited growth opportunities, or just a culture that's quietly draining people, the signs are usually there long before someone resigns. This episode...

Do you actually know what's going on with your small business finances — or are you handing a shoebox of receipts to your accountant every April and hoping for the best? Most entrepreneurs know less about their money than they'd like to admit, and that gap between what you think you know and what's actually happening on your P&L is costing you real opportunities. This episode is...

What does ineffective leadership actually cost your business — and do you have any leaders right now who are quietly draining your culture, your productivity, and your best people? Most organizations don't ask that question until someone quits, something breaks, or a senior leader finally admits they promoted the wrong person too fast. This episode is the honest conversation about what bad le...

Are you still running HR and payroll the hard way — paper forms, manual processes, disconnected systems — and wondering why it keeps eating your time and costing you money? If you've been putting off HR and payroll technology because you think it's too expensive, too complicated, or just not worth it for a business your size, this episode is going to change your thinking. Josh Robinson h...

When you feel undervalued, burned out, or like you just don't belong at work — how do you know if that's your own negative self-talk, or if the organization is actually the problem? This is one of the hardest questions a leader can sit with, and most people never do the work to actually answer it. This episode goes deep — personally and professionally — on both sides of that question, an...

How much of the tension, turnover, and productivity loss in your business is actually a communication problem in disguise? Most managers think they're communicating clearly — and most employees would disagree. This episode breaks down exactly where the breakdown happens, why it keeps repeating, and what you can do right now to address it before it costs you another good person. In this episod...

What does it actually take to succeed in sales when you're not a natural salesperson — and what happens when someone who struggles with empathy becomes one of the top producers in their industry? This episode is one of the most raw, honest, and genuinely surprising conversations I've had on this podcast, and I say that as someone who has been friends with this guest for over 16 years. Te...

Do you actually know what kind of employee benefits plan you're running — or are you just renewing it every year and hoping your broker has it handled? Most small business owners have no idea whether they're in the right plan structure, whether they're leaving money on the table, or whether their employees even understand what they have. This episode pulls back the curtain on all of...

Is employee engagement something you talk about at your company — or something you actually measure, act on, and build systems around? For most small and mid-sized businesses, it stays in the "we care about culture" category without ever becoming a real strategy. This episode is the practical roadmap that changes that, with specific tools you can start using this week whether you have fi...

What does it actually take to build a thriving med spa business from scratch — survive a cease and desist before you even open your doors, and still come out the other side with an award-winning brand? That's exactly what Beth Donaldson did, and her story is one of the most honest, gritty, and inspiring entrepreneur conversations I've had on this podcast. This episode is equal parts busi...

Are you running your small business finances off a shoebox of receipts, a half-maintained QuickBooks file, or just hoping your tax person figures it out at the end of the year? If any of those hit close to home, you're not alone — and you're also not as far from having a real financial foundation as you might think. This episode is the money conversation most small business owners wish t...

Do you know why your employees are actually leaving — or are you just shrugging it off and hoping the next hire sticks? High employee turnover is one of the most expensive and avoidable problems in small business, and most of the time the root cause was visible long before anyone handed in their notice. This episode is a practical, no-fluff walkthrough of exactly what to do — before, during, and a...

Are you thinking about buying a home — or an investment property — but you don't actually know if you're ready, what your credit looks like, or how to find a lender you can trust? Most people don't start that conversation until they've already found a property they love, and by then the stress is real and the options are limited. This episode is the conversation you should be h...

Are you still running HR and payroll out of a spreadsheet, a stack of paper files, or — bless your heart — a typewriter? If managing employee hours, taxes, benefits, and compliance feels like it's eating your week alive, the problem isn't you — it's that you haven't found the right system yet. This episode breaks down exactly what small business owners need to know before choos...

Do you actually have what it takes to be an entrepreneur — or are you just romanticizing the idea of working for yourself? That's not a rhetorical question, and the honest answer might save you years of unnecessary pain. This episode is equal parts encouragement and reality check, straight from someone who spent 15 years insisting she'd never own a business before launching one and never...