Get Off The Treadmill Podcast

Leadership isn't just about what you think, it's also about what your body knows. In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman welcomes somatic literacy expert Kelly Burns for a fascinating conversation about the connection between our bodies, our leadership, and the way we show up in business. Together, they explore why stress isn't just a mental challenge, it's a physical one, and ho...

What if the key to getting off the treadmill isn't becoming a better manager, but stopping management altogether? In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman takes the next step in his Participation Age leadership series by exploring what leaders should do instead of managing. He shares practical strategies for replacing control with trust, telling with asking, and supervision with ow...

Why do so many business owners stay stuck on the treadmill? According to John Heenan, it comes down to three things: clarity, hope, and risk. In this episode, Chuck Blakeman and John explore why business owners often get trapped in survival mode, reacting to urgent demands instead of pursuing meaningful goals. Together, they discuss how clarity creates hope, how hope fuels the courage to take risk...

If managers aren't necessary, what takes their place? In Part 2 of this thought-provoking series, Chuck Blakeman continues exploring one of the most challenging ideas in modern business: that leadership and management are not the same thing—and that truly healthy organizations don't depend on managers to function. Building on the foundation from Part 1, Chuck dives deeper into how Participation Ag...

Most onboarding processes leave new employees figuring things out on their own. In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman and Brandon Rains explore how Freedom Mapping helps new team members quickly understand their role, connect to the mission, and contribute with confidence from day one. Brandon shares how documented systems, process maps, and clear expectations create stronger cu...

One of the most deeply held beliefs in business is that growth requires management. More people. More managers. More oversight. But what if that's exactly what's keeping you stuck on the treadmill? In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman challenges one of the foundational assumptions of traditional business: that people need managers in order to succeed. Drawing on the principles...

Most people think sales is about persuasion. But what if great business development has nothing to do with “selling” at all? In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with returning guest Jessica Agopian and 3to5 Club leader Mark Bellestri to unpack a radically different approach to growth: serve first, sell second. Jessica shares how she transformed her view of sales—from...

In the last episode, Chuck Blakeman introduced the idea of the mission-centered organization.  In this second part of the series, he unpacks exactly how this organic structure works and why it outperforms the traditional "factory system" every time. Because if you don't find a new boss for your company, you’ll never truly get off the treadmill. When the mission becomes the only boss, the entire or...

Most business owners believe their job is to manage people. But what if that belief is exactly what’s keeping them stuck on the treadmill? In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with Henry McCrory to challenge one of the most ingrained habits in business: management. Together, they unpack why managing people creates dependency instead of ownership—and how shifting to a...

Most businesses say they have a mission. But very few actually run on it. In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman unpacks what it really means to become a mission-centered organization and why this shift is essential if you want to build a business that runs without you. Because if the mission isn’t the boss… then you are. And that’s what keeps you stuck on the treadmill. Chuck ex...

What does it really mean to own a business, not just run one? In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with Andrew Rowland to explore the mindset and systems required to move from operator to true business owner. Andrew shares how his journey, from operations management to launching and growing his own home care company, shifted when he stopped focusing on transactions an...

“Empowerment” has become one of the most overused and misunderstood words in business. In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman challenges the idea that leaders can give power to people. Instead, he makes a compelling case that true ownership doesn’t come from empowerment, it comes from engagement. Because here’s the reality: You can’t empower people. You can only create an environ...

In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with returning guest Cassie Morris to challenge one of the biggest myths in business—that you need the perfect plan before you take action. Instead, they unpack why waiting for clarity keeps you stuck on the treadmill… and how creating a bad plan can actually be the fastest way to build momentum, gain clarity, and move toward your...

Most businesses don’t have a people problem. They don’t have a strategy problem. They don’t even have a motivation problem. They have an operating system problem. In this episode of the Get Off The Treadmill Podcast, Chuck challenges the common instinct to fix broken businesses with surface-level solutions, new incentives, new org charts, new software, new accountability systems, without addressin...

Most business owners stay stuck on the treadmill because they treat every customer the same—pitching harder instead of listening better. In this episode, Chuck Blakeman welcomes back Valerie Reid, CEO and Founder of Simple Cremation USA, to break down why understanding how your customer thinks matters more than what you’re selling. Drawing from her experience advising Fortune 100 companies at Delo...

The industrial-age workplace is breaking down and that’s good news. In this episode, Chuck Blakeman introduces the concept of the Participation Age, a new way of working that replaces top-down control with trust, ownership, and shared responsibility. It’s about rehumanizing the workplace by giving everybody their brain back. This episode kicks off a series exploring what it really takes to build a...

Most business owners avoid hiring for one simple reason: They don’t want to manage people. In this episode, Chuck sits down with Brandon Rains to challenge that assumption and show why the right hiring process eliminates the need for management altogether. Brandon shares how he built a thriving estate planning firm with a high-performing team by hiring for culture, beliefs, and talent before skill...

What if the fastest way to improve productivity, profit, and retention wasn’t tighter control—but giving people their time back? In this solo episode, Chuck Blakeman challenges the outdated belief that managing time equals managing performance. Drawing from real-world business examples and decades of leadership experience, Chuck explains why autonomy, trust, and outcome-based leadership consistent...

What does it really take to start and grow a business when you don’t have all the answers? In this energizing conversation, Chuck sits down with Jessica Agopian, founder of 33 Services & Consulting and multi-center Sylvan Learning franchise owner, along with 3to5 Club facilitator Mark Bellestri, to unpack what it means to lead with action instead of anxiety. Jessica shares how she went from em...

Gratitude may not sound like a business strategy, but science says otherwise. In this thought-provoking solo episode, Chuck Blakeman takes a purposeful left turn to explore how gratitude directly impacts business performance, leadership effectiveness, and long-term success. Backed by neuroscience and real-world data, Chuck breaks down why emotional intelligence (EQ), not IQ or technical skill, is...

Most business owners don’t lose sales because of pricing, competition, or skill, they lose them because they don’t follow up. In this powerful and energizing episode, Chuck reconnects with Lynn Whitbeck, CEO of Petite2Queen, host of Claim Your Career Crown, and widely known as the Queen of Joyful Sales, to unpack the real reason follow-up fails and how you can fix it starting today. Lynn shares th...

Why do so many business owners work harder and harder… yet never seem to get ahead? In this solo episode, Chuck breaks down one of the most powerful mindset shifts in entrepreneurship: intending to make more money in less time. Drawing from decades of experience building 13 businesses on four continents, Chuck explains why most owners stay trapped on the treadmill and how a single shift in intenti...

Why does business development feel so exhausting for so many business owners? Because most of us were taught to do it the wrong way. In this episode, Chuck Blakeman sits down with Andrew Rowland to unpack what real business development actually looks like and why it has nothing to do with chasing strangers, pitching at networking events, or collecting business cards you’ll never use. Andrew shares...

What if you could stop chasing clients and start attracting them instead? In this solo episode, Chuck Blakeman breaks down The Lumberjack Buying System, a proven four-stage process that replaces traditional selling with relationship building. Used by thousands of business owners worldwide, this system helps you leave behind cold calls, endless networking, and transactional sales for something far...

What really drives you to get out of bed every morning and how does that shape the way you do business? In this inspiring conversation, Chuck Blakeman sits down with entrepreneur Cassie Morris to explore the concept of the Big Why, the lifetime goal you can never check off, but that gives meaning to everything you do. Cassie shares her journey from a career in sales to launching two businesses, Cl...