As the founder of MaxedS, a go-to-market advisory and sales acceleration firm, Puneet Sharma is a seasoned professional with decades of experience taking services and products to market.

Puneet spent many years working with large corporations to develop and deploy new products and services. While “seeing the light late” as he describes it, he saw a need in the small business realm where entrepreneurs with great ideas struggled to bring them to market successfully.

Key Takeaway: “I saw the light late ..." Making the jump from the corporate world to the entrepreneur world is a big leap and not without risk. At the same time, you must validate your ideas early with people outside of your inner circle to ensure that you have a sustainable mission that people are willing to buy into.

Lessons Learned:

Validate Your Ideas – It can be easy to get sucked into believing your own marketing. Make sure to validate your ideas early with people outside your inner circle.

Make Life Easier – When developing new ideas, look for ways to help make somebody else’s life better.

Empower Your Team – Promote the ability out of the game to empower your team. Let them make decisions without having to run everything up the chain.

For More Information:

MaxedS @ https://www.maxeds.org/ (https://www.maxeds.org/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/maxeds/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/maxeds/)

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Maxed__S (https://twitter.com/Maxed__S)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/puneetsharmax/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/puneetsharmax/)

David Norman is the CEO and Founder of Arryved, Inc. Founded in 2015, Arryved is a point-of-sale technology that focuses on the needs of beer patrons as well as the people who serve them, providing a best-in-class experience for the craft brewing industry and beyond.

David is a self-described engineer who gets to play CEO. In this interview, David really dives into the power of culture, hiring the right people, and building a common, shared direction.

“When I can hear people almost talking in my voice, without my saying anything, pitching the same exact vision, I have done my job because everybody is effectively moving in the same direction.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5gyNdcmViE

Key Takeaway: “When you are dealing with the service industry, you better have really good customer service.” By focusing on the power of culture and on your team, you build an entire team that buys into your mission and vision – thus being an extension of your message in front of your customers.

Lessons Learned:

Be Flexible - what we think we plan to start our days/weeks/months with is not ever where we finish up.

Take Risks - as much as we all hate to fail, many of us are easily employable elsewhere. Do know when to swing for the fences and when to bunt.

Know Who You Are - you only scale if you are humble enough to know your limitations and bring people along who can shine.

For More Information:

Arryved @ https://www.arryved.com/ (https://www.arryved.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/arryved-inc-/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/arryved-inc-/)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/arryved/ (https://www.facebook.com/arryved/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-norman-a8782b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-norman-a8782b/)

Brett Trembly is the founder of the Inc 5000 Business and Litigation law firm Trembly Law in Miami Florida. Seeing a need in his own business, he partnered with a fellow lawyer to create Get Staffed Up, a virtual assistant staffing company.

As Brett describes it, the point at which he started treating his law firm like a real restaurant instead of a hot dog stand on the corner was the point at which growth took off and he was finally able to truly enjoy a vacation with the family.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNi-7cTBF38

Key Takeaway: Key Takeaway: "Too many lawyers treat their law firm like a hot dog stand on the corner rather than a real restaurant." This is scary, but the only way to actually grow a business is to get things off of your plate and to focus on the areas that truly generate revenue. You must run your business like a business rather than doing everything yourself.

Check It Out: Visit https://getstaffedup.com/VIP (https://getstaffedup.com/VIP) and mention our host Jeff Chastain and the Building to Scale podcast to get a discount on your onboarding costs for a new virtual assistant!

Lessons Learned:

Delegate Sooner Rather than Later – If you do not have an assistant, you are an assistant. I wish I hired my first assistant sooner.

Effective Delegation is Key – Delegation is KEY. It is a skill that every leader requires. It is important to know how to do it effectively and efficiently.

Build the Right Team – You must have the right people in the right seats and have a great culture within the company.

For More Information:

Get Staffed Up @ https://getstaffedup.com/ (https://getstaffedup.com/)

Trembly Law Firm @ https://tremblylaw.com/ (https://tremblylaw.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/getstaffedup/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/getstaffedup/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretttrembly/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretttrembly/)

Uyi Abraham is the founder and CEO of Vonza, a complete, all-in-one solution that helps coaches and business leaders sell online and run their entire business in one place.

Uyi was born in Nigeria and came to America for medical school with only $100 and a suitcase of clothes. Despite his humble beginnings, he has attained entrepreneurial success, and is devoted to helping others become successful entrepreneurs.

By focusing on simplicity and always keeping an eye on the long game, Uyi has been able to persevere through the challenges of growing an entrepreneurial software as a service platform. Facing issues with overseas development teams to learning how to market, Uyi has taken on the challenges of business one step at a time.

Key Takeaway: Focus on simplicity – simplicity is the founding principle of Vonza with the goal of simplifying technology for entrepreneurs. Complexity creeps up on business owners – one tool, one technology at a time and before long you are wasting all kinds of resources trying to hold it all together.

Lessons Learned:

Product Market Fit – Do your homework, talk to your customers, and get feedback early in the product development process to ensure you have market fit and bring value.

Persistence – Success in business is a long game and persistence is key. There will be bumps in the road along the way but keep the long game in mind and keep going.

Talking to Your Customers – Always keep your customers in mind and continue to engage with them to ensure you stay on the right track.

For More Information:

Vonza @ https://www.vonza.com (https://www.vonza.com)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/vonza/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/vonza/)

Uyi Abraham @ https://www.uyiabraham.com/ (https://www.uyiabraham.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/uyiabraham/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/uyiabraham/)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/druyiabraham/ (http://www.facebook.com/druyiabraham/)

Twitter @ https://www.twitter.com/uyiabraham (http://www.twitter.com/uyiabraham)

James Creech is an entrepreneur focused on digital media and technology. His passion is putting together great teams, scaling growth, and building lasting businesses.

As the Co-Founder and CEO of Paladin Software, he leads a team focused on being the essential influencer marketing platform for agencies and media companies. Most recently, James and his team have launched Measure Studio – a new social analytics tool for creators and publishers that aims to ease the burden of tracking and optimizing marketing campaigns.

As James states, the adage is "we know 50% of our marketing is working, we are just not sure which 50%". With Measure Studio, they aim to make real analytics and data available in one place so you can easily focus on what matters the most.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcX1u3KC2zM

Key Takeaway: When investing in your business - in marketing, in product development, etc. - knowing your numbers and making decisions based upon numbers is critical. In James's words, the adage is "we know 50% of our marketing is working, we are just not sure which 50%". Without real analytics and numbers, you will never know and waste resources you cannot afford to.

Lessons Learned:

Go Deep Before You Go Wide - Focus your early efforts on being the best at one thing before expanding to serve additional use cases.

Sales is the Lifeblood of a Business - Beyond driving revenue, sales is the first touchpoint with your customer, the best source of product feedback, and a source of market intelligence about future customer segments.

Find a Coach - Surround yourself with mentors and advisors who can help you learn quickly and ask the tough questions to challenge your thinking.

For More Information:

Paladin Software @ https://www.paladinsoftware.com/ (https://www.paladinsoftware.com/)

Measure Studio @ https://www.measure.studio/ (https://www.measure.studio/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/measure-studio/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/measure-studio/)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/measurestudioapp/ (https://www.facebook.com/measurestudioapp/)

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/measurestudio/ (https://twitter.com/measurestudio/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlcreech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlcreech/)

Over the years, Brad Weber has gone from one-man shop, developing custom software applications, to the founder and CEO of InspiringApps, a rapidly growing mobile app design and development company based out of Boulder, Colorado. Now with offices in multiple states and a growing remote team, Brad has experienced many of the growing pains that come with scaling a business rapidly.

Today, Brad and the team at InspiringApps remain passionate about their mission to create digital products that delight users and help businesses thrive. With a focus on the long-term strategy, consistent processes, and a stronger foundation, they are poised for great things.

Key Takeaway: Build a strong foundation – As Brad states, while we have been successful with a 14-year history and more than 20 employees, we would have been better served by introducing strategy, process, and a stronger foundation earlier in the game.

Lessons Learned:

Build a Foundation – Having structure – systems, processes, etc. in your business can make a huge difference in the long term of a business from both an efficiency perspective as well as a value perspective.

Contractors vs. Employees – Regardless of whether you are dealing with contractors or employees, ensure there is a cultural fit and buy-in to ensure that everybody is committed and pulling in the same direction.

Continual Learning – As an entrepreneur and an executive, learning never stops.

For More Information:

InspiringApps @ http://www.inspiringapps.com/ (http://www.inspiringapps.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiringapps/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiringapps/)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/inspiringapps/ (https://www.facebook.com/inspiringapps/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/iabrad/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/iabrad/)

Twitter @ https://www.twitter.com/iaBrad/ (https://www.twitter.com/iaBrad/)

After an accomplished career with the US Army as a Green Beret, Adam Clark worked through a path from defense contracting to the medical industry where he became the CEO of Tangible Solutions, a contract manufacturer of 3D printed titanium orthopedic implants.

Like most entrepreneurs, Adam learned on the job when it came to the transition from entrepreneur to business executive in areas like leading a team, building a company culture, and the tools and challenges that are involved with growing and scaling a successful business venture.

Key Takeaway: When it comes to being an entrepreneur, the transformation and the growth of the business occurs both within the business itself and also within yourself. Your team will be looking to you as a leader, not just "one of the guys" and that can cover a huge array from your ability to lead and organize, to your personal health and your family.

Lessons Learned:

Culture is everything. You can have the best plan, but that is all it is. Understanding your own values and seeing those values given the same weight by other people is important when building a team.

Be adaptable. When it comes to execution, the team must be adaptable and take on obstacles together. The frontier of business is ever-changing and not being flexible to that changing landscape can spell the end of the business.

Seek outside counsel. As an entrepreneur, you can have grand new ideas every day. Without a sounding board that is going to check your ideas and ask you to back them up, you run the risk of “shiny object” syndrome, wasting resources and losing momentum.

For More Information:

Tangible Solutions @ http://www.tangiblesolutions3d.com/ (http://www.tangiblesolutions3d.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tangible-solutions-additive-manufacturing/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/tangible-solutions-additive-manufacturing/)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/tangiblesolutions (https://www.facebook.com/tangiblesolutions)

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/tangiblesolutns/ (https://twitter.com/tangiblesolutns/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammbclark (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammbclark)

Andy Hilliard is a serial entrepreneur with A both global and technology focus; he is the CEO of Accelerance, a consulting firm that helps technology leaders create and execute effective strategies for global software outsourcing.

Andy has been responsible for driving the company forward through new ideas, a strong culture, and engagement with the market. Working on a global stage, there are all kinds of shifting tides and impacts to business. In this episode, Andy talks about the company getting overextended during the 2008 financial crisis and the changes they have made since to ensure that it does not happen again.

Key Takeaway: The world of business is in a constant state of change. While you cannot change direction with every shift of the wind, you must have the metrics and indicators in place to be able to see in advance where you are overextended and need to pivot.

Lessons Learned:

Build a strong culture by hiring people who are aligned with core company values and weave these values into KPIs (Rocks), quarterly reviews, salaries and bonuses, job descriptions etc.

Culture alignment is more important than sheer talent. You can teach skills, but culture alignment is hard-coded in people.

GWC - get it, want it, capacity to do it ... make sure everyone is in the right seat and if not, make changes swiftly.

For More Information:

Accelerance @ http://www.accelerance.com/ (http://www.accelerance.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/accelerance-inc/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/accelerance-inc/)

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/accelerance (http://twitter.com/accelerance)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyhilliard (http://www.linkedin.com/in/andyhilliard)

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/andyhilliard (https://www.facebook.com/andyhilliard)

Ofer Yourvexel is the co-founder and CEO of Pepperi, the mobile commerce platform for brands and wholesalers. Prior to founding Pepperi, Mr. Yourvexel spent over 20 years in executive leadership positions with enterprise technology companies including Amdocs, Jacada, Enigma, and Tefen.

As Ofer describes it, the move from big corporate executive to growing an entrepreneurial business leader compares to his history in the navy. Big corporations are like a destroyer – lots of strength, resources, etc., but a lot slower to turn and move. On the flip side, his current entrepreneurial venture is more like the patrol boat – nimble, agile, and easy to pivot.

Key Takeaway: Every new stage of business requires changes. As your business grows, make sure you are focusing on the one thing your business does well and not constantly chasing new markets and new customers. Serve your current customers well - bring new value and dig deep into your market before expanding into new markets.

Lessons Learned:

Focus Deep over Wide – When working with your market, focus on bringing new value and developing your existing market rather than going wide and expanding into new ones.

Make Decisions Quickly – The longer you delay in deciding, the more challenges and problems you're likely introducing or opportunities you are missing.

For More Information:

Pepperi @ https://www.pepperi.com/ (https://www.pepperi.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/pepperi-com/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pepperi-com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofer-yourvexel-4898a64/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofer-yourvexel-4898a64/)

As an entrepreneur in technology, consulting, and business for over 20 years, Uni Rosales Yost has led and managed multiple businesses that focus on creating new products and services in multiple industries including insurance, finance, healthcare, real estate, banking, mortgages, and more.

Today, Uni is founder and CEO of GoAskJay, a leading innovative Insurance (Insurtech) and Financial (Fintech) AI matching platform in a $4 trillion insurance industry that delivers insurance and financial products to consumers and small businesses.

Key Takeaway: Expert advisors, mentors, and coaches should play a key role early on in your business. They can often spot and warn of pitfalls that are coming instead of being 6-months down that road before you figure out you made a mistake. Your time is limited and valuable - you must make the best use of your resources.

Lessons Learned:

Always Start with a Plan – Figure out who to target, what solution you are offering, and be realistic about whether there is a real market need. Move forward only when you have good answers to those questions. Once you start a business, it is hard to stop.

Make Sure the Funding is in Place – Do you have the money to continue to scale before you will see ROI? Do not partner lightly -- they say it is 10x harder to get out of a business partnership than it is to get a divorce.

For More Information:

GoAskJay @ http://www.goaskjay.com/ (http://www.goaskjay.com/)

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/goaskjay (https://www.linkedin.com/company/goaskjay)

Facebook @ https://faceboook.com/goaskjay (https://faceboook.com/goaskjay)

LinkedIn @ https://linkedin.com/in/uniyost (http://linkedin.com/in/uniyost)

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/uyost (https://twitter.com/uyost)