From Stuck to Scaled: Growth Strategies for SMBs

In this episode of the "From Stuck to Scaled" podcast, host Julio Gonzalez welcomes Brooke Lively, a seasoned expert in helping law firm leaders achieve clarity, traction, and profitable growth. With over 20 years in the legal industry and founders of two law-firm-focused companies, Brooke combines financial acumen and strategic insight to demystify scaling law practices. Join us as we d...

In our first episode of 2026 of the From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Javier Lozano Jr., a fractional CMO and the mastermind behind Bolder Media Co. Javier shares his remarkable journey from world champion athlete to successful SMB founder, emphasizing the importance of operational discipline over sheer luck or hustle.  Discover how Javier scaled revenue from ~$1M to ~$20M d...

In this final episode of 2025 of the From Stuck to Scaled podcast, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with leadership expert Dan Winter to explore the intricacies of transforming your group of leaders into a high-performing executive team. Dan works globally with leaders facing complex challenges, guiding them to innovate and enhance their organizational culture. As the co-author of the Amazon best-sel...

In this enlightening episode of the "From Stuck to Scaled" podcast, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Senen Garcia, an accomplished entrepreneur and seasoned attorney, to unravel the legal myths and misconceptions about starting a business. With over 17 years of experience managing corporate, tax, estate planning, and probate needs, Mr. Garcia shares his invaluable insights on the legal...

When growth depends on partners, structure beats hope.  Lauren Zaslansky Conner—Founder of ZAZ Business Solutions and former leader at Disney, MGA/Little Tikes, and multiple startups—explains how to integrate agencies, vendors, and reps so they operate like in-house teams. We unpack the essentials: appointing a single internal owner, setting shared goals and 3–5 meaningful metrics, building a biwe...

Scaling stalls when leaders cling to the habits that once made them indispensable.  In this episode, CJ Stasik—founder of SheHandlesIt and former CEO—explains why over-functioning is the real constraint on growth and how to transition from execution to direction. We dig into early warning signs of burnout in small and midsized teams, practical ways to shift decision rights, and the operating rhyth...

For wealthy families and growing businesses with assets on both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border, managing wealth is a complex challenge filled with potential tax and liquidity pitfalls.  In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Wayne Baxter, Senior Executive Manager at One Capital Management, LLC. Wayne, who hosts the 3 Questions podcast, shares his strateg...

Are you confusing responsibility with accountability? Most leaders are, and it’s costing them high-performing teams and consistent results.  In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, we’re joined by Dave Rosenberg, a combat-proven Naval Officer turned business strategist and the architect of the Radical Accountability™ Leadership Doctrine.  Dave breaks down the critical difference between responsib...

The biggest challenge in a growing business? HR can’t be a one-person show.  In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Monica Martinez of PuzzleHR, a leader with over 25 years of experience in operations and HR for Fortune 1000 companies.  Monica reveals why the modern scope of HR—from recruiting to benefits to culture—is too large for a single generalist to handl...

Everyone's talking about AI, but our guest, Aaron Shechet, is here to explain why it demands a total business model transformation for professionals.  Aaron, a former lawyer and expert witness who now builds custom AI agents, argues that the billable hour is obsolete and intellectual property is losing relevance.  In this eye-opening episode, we dive into the strategic shifts professionals—fro...

In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Jessica Portalatin, founder of Portalatin Business Law Firm and a Super Lawyers Rising Star. Jessica shares her journey of transforming from a successful attorney into a strategic business owner who sells legal services. We dive deep into the crucial mindset shift required to make this leap, the importance of knowing your...

Most business owners don’t realize how much hidden people risks can stall growth. Gaps in roles, fuzzy decision rights, and unspoken communication breakdowns often go unnoticed until they’re already costing time, money, and momentum. In this episode, Rachel Platt of PLATTinum Consulting explains how to identify these risks before they escalate, what red flags to watch for, and how small and midsiz...

Running a fast-growing law firm in today’s environment requires more than legal expertise—it demands the right technology to scale efficiently and deliver value. In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, David “DJ” Holt, healthcare attorney and founder of Holt Law, shares the exact tech stack behind his 7-figure boutique multi-state practice. From screening new tech decisions to leveraging AI tools...

Conventional wisdom sounds safe—but playing it safe rarely leads to breakthroughs. In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, Julio Gonzalez sits down with Kim Miller-Hershon, leadership coach and host of Unconventional Wisdom About Conventional Wisdom.  Together, they challenge the clichés that hold leaders back and dig into the bold, messy, and unconventional ways real growth happens. From celebra...

As the year winds down, many business owners feel the pressure to meet or exceed their sales goals.  In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with sales expert Evan Polin, President of Polin Performance Group and co-author of Selling Professional Services the Sandler Way. Evan shares practical advice on overcoming sales challenges, the dangers of not having a defined...

Most change initiatives don’t fail because of strategy—they fail because leaders underestimate how people naturally react to change. Fear, guilt, nostalgia, even excitement can quietly derail progress and leave organizations struggling with resistance, disengagement, and missed goals. In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, Dr. Rachel Boehm, organizational behavior expert and founder of RB Strate...

Trust is more than a value—it’s a measurable business asset. In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Maggie Ishak, Certified Business and Executive Coach and former Michelin VP, to explore the Trust Edge framework and its eight pillars.  Maggie shares how leaders can identify trust gaps, avoid common mistakes, and use trust to drive team performance, client loya...

Money isn’t just math—it’s mindset. In this episode, Julio Gonzalez sits down with Erika Wasserman, one of only 100 Certified Financial Therapists in the country, to unpack how our emotions, upbringing, and experiences shape the way we think about money. Erika shares practical strategies for making financial conversations less stressful and more productive, from using the “side-by-side” method for...

When a loved one is in the grip of addiction, mental illness, or repeated failed attempts at recovery, families often feel helpless—unsure where to turn, desperate for hope. Attorney Mark Astor built his life’s work around answering that call. Starting with no money but a mission to save families in crisis, Mark founded law firms dedicated to fighting for the rights of those struggling with substa...

The key to entrepreneurship isn’t just solving problems—but seeing them before anyone else does? In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with serial entrepreneur Alex Sabonge, a systems engineer turned business builder who has repeatedly turned emerging trends into thriving ventures. From launching a web development training company in the early internet days to crea...

Technology has never moved faster—and for small businesses, that speed can be both a blessing and a threat. In this episode, we’re joined by David Moadab, Founder of Solutions Squad, cybersecurity strategist, and AI expert who’s been solving complex IT challenges for more than two decades. David shares why growing companies can no longer rely on informal or part-time IT support and how the right s...

In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Dr. Shanequa Fleming — CEO of Culture Accelerators®, TEDx speaker, and trusted advisor to top-tier leaders — to unpack the hidden reasons why so many businesses hit a wall just when they’re ready to scale. Dr. Fleming breaks down why operations aren't the problem — leadership is. She dives deep into the invisible costs of...

In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Yasu Bueno, the powerhouse CEO of Deep Clean Experts, whose entrepreneurial journey is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and impact. From her roots in Venezuela to becoming one of FAMA News’ Top 50 Entrepreneurs of 2024, Yasu shares how she transformed a side hustle during the pandemic into a luxury cleaning brand...

What does local government really do for small business—and what should it be doing? In this episode of From Stuck to Scaled, Julio Gonzalez sits down with Eugen Bold, Broward County Commission candidate and former Director of Public Policy, to talk about how government can empower entrepreneurs instead of slowing them down. From post-flood disaster relief to securing funding and contracts for sma...

This week on From Stuck to Scaled, host Julio Gonzalez sits down with Christian Barrientos—a millennial entrepreneur, podcaster, and Florida International University graduate—who made the bold choice to step outside his family’s successful logistics business and build something of his own. Christian shares how he went from zero to scalable by focusing on mindset, mastering delegation, and deliveri...