We have all seen the stats regarding the “survival” rates of small entrepreneurial businesses. What is not quite as clear is the number of entrepreneurs – specialists in their field – working long hours day in and day out, with little to show for their efforts. Technically, you have a business, and you are a business owner in title. The challenge is that you are wearing hats on top of hats … 50 or 60 in the words of a guest in season one. However, there is one hat that most entrepreneurs forget to put on. In today’s episode, I talk specifically about some of the challenges a client of mine is facing in turning his small (and I mean small) business into something bigger while trying to stave off burnout. Hopefully, you have this all figured out and are living your dreams. If not, and you are struggling to reach your dreams, the good news is that you have lots of company. The even better news is that we are building a community of people just like you with the sole purpose of being able to help each other out. So, if you have questions after listening to today’s episode - or you simply need some accountability - I invite you to join us in the Building to Scale community today. Jump over to https://www.buildingtoscale.com/group (https://www.BuildingToScale.com/group) and request an invite to the community.

Welcome to the re-launch of the Building to Scale podcast! This is episode 1 of season 2 and I and my team are really excited to be putting a renewed focus on our mission to help entrepreneurial business leaders find clarity in what is really happening in their business today and to guide them through a plan to build a more profitable, scalable, and ultimately saleable business. You see, it is my belief that as a small business entrepreneur, you will never be able to achieve the life you want or the goals you have for either your business or yourself if you do not systematize your business. So how do you do that? In today’s episode, I talk about the idea of a Pinnacle … your overarching goal for the next 10-15 years that gets your team all pulling in the same direction, energizes and excites them, and scares your competitor. It also serves as a measuring stick as new opportunities and challenges arise in your business. What makes up a good Pinnacle goal? There are five things, but you will have to listen to today’s episode to find out. Also, make sure to listen as we outline the Pinnacle for the Building to Scale brand. Then, join us in our new Building to Scale community at https://BuildingToScale.com/Group (https://BuildingToScale.com/Group) and give us your feedback. Does our Pinnacle meet the five criteria?

I am still not sure how we are wrapping up August and Q3 already … On the one hand, 2021 has been a long year, and on the other side, it has flown by. And, as if 2020 needed to be topped, this has been a challenging year for many small businesses. Many face financial trials dealing with the effects of the shutdowns, while others deal with the challenges involved with unplanned growth explosions depending upon the industry and their location. One of the strategies we work with entrepreneurial business leaders on is having a Pinnacle goal and a roadmap to reach that goal. Along the way, you have milestones where you stop, assess, and adjust before moving out on the next leg of your climb on the way to your Pinnacle. When it comes to the Building to Scale brand, this is one of those milestones. https://youtu.be/zM0Zj13BTcU Today’s episode marks the end of Season 1 and the announcement of changes coming in Season 2. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast today in your favorite player to receive notice of season 2. You can also check out https://buildingtoscale.com/Launch (https://BuildingToScale.com/Launch) to sign up for notifications for the new season and a lot of additional new resources we are rolling out at the same time.

As a retired Air Force officer, Axel Meierhoefer started his first company in 2005, focusing on consulting, employee skill development, and program management. These areas remain in place and have now grown internationally. As a business owner, Axel had an eye on the long-term picture – specifically his own. He began to investigate ways to apply profits towards retirement, and research indicated that owning tangible assets would be the best way. It was also the path that the government supports the most, which led him to develop a residential real estate portfolio worth about $1.5 Million. The portfolio is still growing, and the experience has provided many lessons learned that he now teaches, coaches, and mentors other people with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4U23uU1pCY Key Takeaway: Scaling does not mean simply working more hours. Successfully scaling requires making critical strategic decisions in building and developing a business. The overarching strategy and decisions should be made focusing on the long-term picture – the eventual exit and your long-term legacy. Lessons Learned: Focus on building a legacy that serves your family and the next generation instead of focusing on the here and now. Develop a mindset to overcome the nagging fear of dealing with life-changing decisions. When it comes to property investment – finding, buying, and investing in the right properties – partner with an experienced advisor or coach and do not go it alone. For More Information: Ideal Wealth Grower @ http://idealwealthgrower.com/ (http://idealwealthgrower.com/) LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideal-wealth-grower/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideal-wealth-grower/) Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/idealwealthgrower/ (https://www.facebook.com/idealwealthgrower/) Twitter @ https://twitter.com/IdealGrower/ (https://twitter.com/IdealGrower/)

In 2001, Chris launched a start-up in his spare time – a marketing company called Farotech. What started primarily as a web design firm quickly grew into a comprehensive digital marketing agency specializing in helping clients in the healthcare, orthopedics, SaaS, and cybersecurity fields see explosive growth through a proven marketing system. Today, the Farotech team is proud to be known by the clients they serve— Penn Medicine, Rothman Institute, and Philadelphia Insurance Company, to name a few of their marquee partners. Now featured as the fastest growing marketing strategy agency in Philadelphia, Chris has created a unique blend of art and science to build visibility for his clients and helping them reach their strategic goals. https://youtu.be/W2dJug0sRPI Key Takeaway: If you went into the doctor’s office and without asking any questions or looking at your history, the doctor set you up for open-heart surgery, would you do it? As Chris talks about, this is the approach of too many businesses – we have the solution for whatever your problem might be. Lessons Learned: Focus on the Systems, Not the Solutions – Build systems, not solutions, to identify and solve issues for your customers. Marketing Starts with a Great Story – Develop learned a proven, systematic approach to telling your story that will help you generate leads, nurture leads, convert leads into clients, and convert clients into raving fans who understand your vision, brand, and message. For More Information: Farotech : https://farotech.com/ (https://farotech.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/farotech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/farotech/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/farotechmarketing/ (https://www.facebook.com/farotechmarketing/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/Farotech (https://twitter.com/Farotech) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-carr-84b1a02/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-carr-84b1a02/) Thought Leaders Magazine: https://thoughtleadermagazine.org/ (https://thoughtleadermagazine.org/)

Courtney Lukitsch is the principal and founder of Gotham PR, founded in 2002, and is a boutique Marketing PR firm based in New York and London, with a roster of high-profile clients in 30 global markets and on every continent in the world. Courtney started her career working for USAID in development, transitioned to academia abroad, and then to retail technology with Zara in Spain. Back in New York, she joined Rubenstein Public Relations, the country’s first and oldest PR firm, as the VP for business development and strategy. Just after 9/11, the entrepreneurial bug struck, and she ventured out on her own to start Gotham PR, growing it to a global footprint over the last 20 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BwWh4xogaY Key Takeaway: As Courtney outlines, the way to building a successful, lasting business is by surrounding yourself with experts – a great lawyer, a great accountant, a great writer, a great coach. While this is not something new, in her experience, most business leaders come to this realization too late. Lessons Learned: Deal with Challenging Clients – Offload your more challenging clients sooner rather than later. You can't solve every problem, and the high-demand clients take more than their share of your energy. Surround Yourself with Experts – Cultivate a network of experts around you that you can turn to when you have questions and work to benefit both sides of the relationship by referring people to your network. Minimize the Overhead – With the proliferation of co-working spaces and fractional resources, hold off on overhead expenses for as long as possible. For More Information: Gotham PR @ http://gothampr.com/ (http://gothampr.com/) LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/gotham-public-relations-inc-gotham-pr-new-york-gotham-pr-/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gotham-public-relations-inc-gotham-pr-new-york-gotham-pr-/) LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneylukitsch/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneylukitsch/)

Michelle Seiler Tucker is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. She holds the MandAMI (Mergers and Acquisitions Master Intermediary) title, as well as Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Professional (CMandAP) and Certified Senior Business Analyst (CSBA). As a 20-year veteran in the MandA industry, she is regarded as the leading authority on buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses. She and her firm have sold over a thousand businesses in almost every vertical and have a remarkable track record of success. As Michelle describes it, most business owners do not think about selling their business until it is too late to truly maximize their business value. Too often, they are running their business as a job, not as a sellable asset that extends beyond themselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFTGvq-sQQE Key Takeaway: Build your Business with the End in Mind – the idea of selling your business should not come to you a few months before you want to exit. It should be part of your plan from day one, and you should be building your business with that in mind. For More Information: Seiler Tucker: http://www.seilertucker.com/ (http://www.seilertucker.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seiler-tucker/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/seiler-tucker/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.seilertucker/ (https://www.facebook.com/michele.seilertucker/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleseiler/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleseiler/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSeilerTucker/ (https://twitter.com/MSeilerTucker/)

Ann Brennan is the owner of ASMM Digital Marketing and host of the Small Business Connections podcast, demonstrating her passion for marketing. Ann was the “accidental entrepreneur” who took her talents in social media and marketing and started a side hustle while searching for a “real job.” Before long, however, the side hustle turned into a full digital marketing agency that Ann has now led for the past 5+ years. In today’s episode, Ann shares more about her background in launching and building her company and delving into topics like the importance of building partnerships, understanding personalities and how people fit together to build teams, and the importance of processes and systems. https://youtu.be/AnEml3_OMcQ Key Takeaway: Process is key for growth – and coming from a creative background, process and creativity can still go hand in hand. As Ann describes, building processes allows you the flexibility to switch hats, cover roles when people are out, and ultimately delegate to new resources when you can afford to hire – all while maintaining flexibility and creativity. Lessons Learned: Marketing isn’t one thing. It’s everything. It’s finding the right combination of digital, traditional, and guerilla marketing. It’s about how you make them feel. In real life and online. Make your content work for you. Creating marketing content and posting it once is not the answer to growth. For More Information: ASMM Digital Media @ https://asmmdigital.com/ (https://asmmdigital.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asmmdigital/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/asmmdigital/) Facebook: https://facebook.com/ASMMDigital/ (https://facebook.com/ASMMDigital/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennanannie/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennanannie/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrennanAnnie/ (https://twitter.com/BrennanAnnie/)

In this episode, Aimy Steadman of Future Proof shares the journey she and her business partners went through in building Future Proof and BeatBox Beverages. From college incubator to Shark Tank, and now on to a growing beverage brand founded on the belief that future generations will continue to demand products that authentically connect with their lifestyle, Aimy has been through quite a journey. Outside of her day-to-day responsibilities as COO of Future Proof, Aimy is also a board member with Naturally Network, Naturally Austin, EO, Beam Founders, and several other organizations. In other words, she is a big believer in community and giving back! In our conversation, Aimy shared many insights that will resonate with entrepreneurs today, including the value of outside mentors, building and running your business in a systematic manner, and staying true to the future you are building. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4m2HqGRiZs Key Takeaway: As Aimy states, "Be the Change" you want to see in your industry and culture. Culture can either be something you build intentionally in your business or something that develops on its own. One path allows you to control and direct that culture. Lessons Learned: Community is your superpower as an entrepreneur. Network and join groups to surround yourself with best-in-class thinkers in your industry. My close entrepreneur community in Austin helps me navigate through the tough times, and they are also who I celebrate my wins with. I owe a lot of my success to learning early on that I love my business, and it's a huge part of me, but it's not my entire identity. That perspective helps me handle the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur in a healthier way. Taking on the "woman founder" title means not only standing for your company but the vision for inclusive leadership worldwide. Women founders have the unique opportunity to change their industries to be more inclusive of women or non-binary leaders and founders from diverse backgrounds – race and physical abilities included. As a female founder, I love being able to change the game, and I’ve realized my "gentle" leadership style is actually incredibly effective. I don't have to take on a different masculine persona to get things done. For More Information: Future Proof: https://futureprf.com/ (https://futureprf.com/) BeatBox Beverages: https://beatboxbeverages.com/ (https://beatboxbeverages.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-proof-atx/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-proof-atx/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeatboxBeverages/ (https://www.facebook.com/BeatboxBeverages/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimysteadman/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimysteadman/)

Guest Jim Traister has a passion for helping small businesses drive sales. He is CEO of The Digital Navigator, a full-service digital agency that drives sales for independent businesses in three verticals: course providers, hospitality, and small business. In this episode, Traister shares his background as a college instructor turned entrepreneur and how starting his own business came with making mistakes but also fed his love of learning and his passion for helping others. Listen to find out what mistakes most businesses make when it comes to metrics and how it should not cost more than $500 to get enough data to optimize an ad campaign and make predictions about returns on investment. Traister also details how sales and lead generation are like dating and why no matter what changes technology may bring, relationships and creating goodwill are the real key to success in any business. Time adding value for others is never wasted; just be sure to systemize anything that is not value-added. https://youtu.be/SM5puXToKWM (https://youtu.be/SM5puXToKWM) Key Takeaway: Business starts with the heart! Regardless of how technology changes in business, building relationships is the most crucial step to success in any company. Serving your clients well also includes finding the right metrics to look at for the desired results. Measuring matters. Lessons Learned: Take care of your current client base. Always remember that it is people who make the difference. Never stop selling. For More Information: The Digital Navigator: https://www.thedigitalnavigator.com/ (https://www.thedigitalnavigator.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedigitalnavigator/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedigitalnavigator/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedigitalnavigator/ (https://www.facebook.com/thedigitalnavigator/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtraister/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtraister/)