Growth Think Tank

To invest or not invest. Investing in your people is a big decision. The real issue here is that it depends on where you are in the growth of your company. But for nearly all of the companies I see, they must be investing the right way. When you are investing in your people, you want to make sure it is more than just traditional training that gets certifications and technology tools. Today's guest...

The future of work has changed. Most organizations will never go back to 100 percent back to the office. It would help if you learned the power of leading a hybrid team. Today's guest is Bill Austin, President at Bill Austin & Associates. Inc Magazine ranked his company #4124 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Bill Austin & Associates, Provides system engineering services for heavy-duty systems, which is...

Great leaders have intentional strategies for talent attraction. In today's war for talent, you have to get ahead of other employers. It takes more than just more money. Talent attraction and development are essential if you want to compete for the best and brightest. Today's guest is Brad Ebenhoeh, Managing Partner at Accountfully. Inc Magazine ranked his company #1819 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list....

Innovation that comes from the top will be limited. Companies that can embrace forward-thinking at all levels will have innovation from everyone. Leaders that want more innovation must see the power of forward-thinking. Today's guest is Steve Thies, CEO at Integrated Biometrics. Inc Magazine ranked his company #2043 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. They have made this list six consecutive times. Integra...

Coaching has become a powerful part of personal growth and that has created massive company growth as well. However, many people wonder if they should hire a coach and end up doing nothing about it. It can be confusing. It is not inexpensive (and that is a good thing). Join the fun as I get honest with a friend and fellow coach. Today's guest is John Patrick Morgan. He is a coach to entrepreneurs...

Growth requires an intentional focus on the right things. One big part of that is living the company's core values. Some leaders take it even further with a concept called weaponizing core values. Today's guest is Justin Holland, President and CEO and Founder at HealthJoy. Inc Magazine ranked his company #142 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. HealthJoy integrates a client's existing benefits to deliver e...

Being an entrepreneur requires continuous learning. Embracing the identity of being an evolving leader will pull you to constant improvement. Today's guest is Todd Walsh, CEO at Alpha Cubed Investments. Inc Magazine ranked his company #2689 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Alpha Cubed Investments is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisory company. The firm offers income, balanced, and growth...

Leadership is more than a role. Those that have risen the ranks of companies may believe that leadership is about finally making it. But the reality, it takes more than most leaders are willing to give to becoming a leader worth following. Today's guest is David Bezar, Senior Managing Director at Thrive Financial Services. Inc Magazine ranked his company #1503 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. Thrive Fin...

What does it take to be Inc's Fastest-Growth Company? Well, it is more than just a great idea at the right time. The fastest growth company is one that can attract and retain talented people. They also know how to develop those people to drive growth. Today's guest is Geetesh Goyal, Chairman & CEO at Human Bees. Inc Magazine ranked this company #1 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. Human Bees, are a natio...

The stress of being a CEO of a growing company is comprised of pressure-filled moments. When it builds up, the answer is not to quit. You might consider the leader's sabbatical. Taking intentional time away from the business and disconnecting from the day-to-day will give you perspective. Today's guest is Sam Eitzen, CEO, and Co-Founder at Snapbar. Inc Magazine ranked his company #473 on the 2019...

At times founders of companies will find themselves out of alignment. Just like with a tire alignment on your car's suspension. You need to have regular founder alignment conversations. Sometimes it is about strategy forward. Founder alignment can also be about the deeper issues that plague company growth. Over the years, I have facilitated many conversations with founders to keep founder alignmen...

Fast companies tend to have in common the focus on leading with core values in mind. They make their values front and center. Discover why leading with core values is not something you can ignore. Today's guest is Chris Hurn, Founder, and CEO at Fountainhead Commercial Capital. Inc Magazine ranked his company #1221 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. They made this list three consecutive times. Fountainhea...

There may be a day in the future you want to sell your company. You will want to make sure you are getting the most for it. One term to add to your understanding is "value acceleration." Today's guest is Dave Clayman, Co-Founder, and CEO at Twelve Points Wealth Management. Inc Magazine ranked his company #869 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC provides wealth management...

Every leader faces challenges. The nature of the role requires them to face leadership decisions with confidence and courage. With over ten years of working with high-level executives and entrepreneurs, I have noticed that leadership decisions often require you to avoid the easy path. When you face a challenge, you always have options. In today's episode, we see how you can see those options and m...

Many believe leaders must put customers first. However, fast-growth company founders and CEOs believe in employee-first focus. This is a very different approach to scaling a business. Putting employees first allows them to take care of the customers because they know leadership is taking care of them. Today's guest is Cory Brymer, Founder, and CEO at BryComm. Inc Magazine ranked his company #3803...

The ups and downs of entrepreneurship are not for everyone. The journey to scale a business requires many skills and evolving mindset. Join us for this climb of building a business. Today's guest is Bob Fraser, Founder, and Principal at Aspen Funds. Inc Magazine ranked his company #2436 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. Aspen Income Fund is a residential mortgage fund designed to provide current income f...

Being a mission-driven company requires that you integrate it into the daily functions of the company culture. Let's look at using your company's mission to change the vibe of the culture. I share with you a simple strategy that allows you to repeat your mission without actually repeating it. Using your company mission in a way that creates unity will improve the company culture. Get the show note...

Every company wants to hire the best employees. In our current economy, attracting talented people is one of the biggest challenges they face. There is no easy fix, but the process of attracting talented people is a competitive advantage. Today's guest is Robert Netzly, President and CEO at Inspire Investing. Inc Magazine ranked his company #1136 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Inspire Investing is a l...

Getting employees to go beyond responsibility is the dream of many leaders. Great companies intentionally encourage employees to think like owners. My research with fast-growth companies has uncovered the concept of leaders inspiring their people to feel like owners. Today's guest is Dean Owen, President at M Dean Owen CPA. Inc Magazine ranked his company #2841 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. M Dean Ow...

Leaders will all agree that they want more loyal employees. The strategy for loyalty is extraordinary leadership. In other words, leaders must learn the skill of inspiring people to walk through walls for them. In today's behind-the-scenes video, you look at inspiring people to be loyal. You will discover the two essential elements that increase loyalty. Learn how inspiring people is not as hard a...

Communication is one of the most critical aspects of leadership and company culture. Fast-growth companies tend to agree that transparent communication is a driving factor to their growth. Leaders that embrace openness and inclusive strategies are perceived to be better leaders. Today's guest is Igor Epshteyn, CEO at Coherent Solutions . Inc Magazine ranked his company nine consecutive times on th...

Company values are essential to fast-growth companies. Many fast-growth companies know hiring and firing by core values is part of their success. Leaders have to be intentional about living by their values. Today's guest is Alex Parker, Managing Partner at CAP Venture Group. Inc Magazine ranked his company #1675 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Alex's company assists clients in buying and selling homes...

Leadership requires you to execute plans, be strategic, and effectively communicate the vision. But the real work of leadership is when it comes to people. Leaders also must be skilled at managing the tensions of the people that are expected to do more with less. They have to find alignment in a sea of chaos. Managing tensions requires you to be a great listener and an even better coach. You will...

The demand for talent seems to be heating up. The brightest people don't want just a job and a paycheck. They want to be part of a mission. Great leaders know the value of empowering brand ambassadors. Today's guest is Sheryl Hunter, attorney and founder at Hunter Business Law. Inc Magazine ranked his company #4200 on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. The company has made the Inc list for three consecutive...

Fast-growth companies want employees taking ownership. It is not enough for employees to get the work done. They want them to feel like owners. This is common theme across many companies. Employees taking ownership maximizes the customer experience. Today's guest is Meghan Freed, attorney and co-founder at Freed Marcroft. Inc Magazine ranked her company #2024 on the 2020 Inc 5000 list. Freed Marcr...