In this BizBlend episode host Sana interviews Brandon Moon, co-founder and COO of TD Pine Advisors, about how founders escape the “founder trap” and build companies that run without them. We break down the top operational bottlenecks—owner dependency, poor systems, and weak cash-flow focus—and show concrete steps to hire the right operator, create operational clarity, and prepare a business for exit readiness. Expect practical frameworks for founder freedom, how COOs proactively prevent fires, and what private equity really looks for beyond P&Ls. Ideal for founders, early CEOs, operators, and investors who want a more sellable, scalable business.

Brandon Moon — co-founder & COO at TD Pine Advisors. Engineer-turned-operator with hands-on experience scaling family and founder-led businesses. Brandon helps founders move from firefighting to strategy by building systems, operational playbooks, and exit-ready organizations.

Owner dependency is the primary scaling blocker: founders who wear all hats cap growth at their personal capacity.

Hire an operator (COO) when growth plateaus and you need complementary skills to move past the founder’s glass ceiling.

Systems beat spreadsheets: documented processes, real-time data, and automated workflows enable predictable scaling.

Profit > revenue mindset: measure and manage free cash flow and margins, not just top-line growth.

COO mindset = proactive risk management: identify and mitigate future “fires” before they disrupt the business.

Freedom metric: a marketable business is one that can thrive while the founder is absent (vacation test — 1–6 months).

Personal brand vs. company brand: design systems so founders can preserve human connection without being the daily operator.

Exit planning is strategic, not emotional: include exit scenarios in your business plan (sell, gift, succession) and prepare early.

Due diligence truth: buyers de-risk deals by assessing owner dependence, contracts, environmental and operational liabilities — expect deep document requests.

Cultural fit & trust: hiring an operator requires interview rigor, cultural assessment, and acceptance of some trial-and-error hiring.

LinkedIn: search Brandon Moon (active on LinkedIn — best contact route).

Website: tdpineadvisors.com — includes assessments and contact forms Brandon mentioned.

Suggested action: take the operational/exit readiness assessments on TD Pine Advisors’ site to gauge next steps.

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