We started this podcast in July 2025 with a bold goal: 

Hit 50 episodes by the end of the year

Why? Ambitious goals can help you figure things out faster. I had to learn how to Do. The. Thing. and not let my fear or shyness get in the way. 

The purpose of the podcast is to bring true, trusted, vetted business advice and leadership advice to the world, where more and more ai slop and hype messaging is sending founders in dangerous, costly misdirections. Plus, it is a blast to geek out on topics and meet cool founders and operators from all over the world!

What Happened? As I went through these 6 mos, I learned a great deal from all the guests, and I've been able to apply these lessons to the podcast along the way.

What Were the Lessons? When we pull all the transcripts from the 49 guest episodes, common themes emerged. We analyzed the number of times words and phrases came up, categorized the "mistakes" and "wins", and put together this short and sweet episode to summarize.

1. Lack of effort isn't getting in your way of growth. Likely lack of scalable systems is likely at the heart of that slowing down or stalling you're feeling.

2. Alignment is crucial for growth. Not only does each role and piece of your business need clear systems, they need to be rowing in the same direction (or towards the same targets) as your other teams and pieces of the business. Misalignment can sneak up on you. If you're just a hair's width off track in a space ship, you may wake up one day in the wrong galaxy.  

3. Leadership growth (mindset, skills), is not to be ignored. Get a coach, get a therapist, work on your limiting beliefs. Many leaders we interviewed had "aha!" moments when they realized "oh boy, I AM THE PROBLEM". 

What's Next?

You can enjoy all of 2025's episodes and articles anytime you'd like. Refer back to all these different topics whenever you feel stuck.

In 2026, we are going to do deep dives into specific topics, one per month starting in February. Our first topic is Category Design & Go To Market (defining each, IDing how they overlap/differences, and meeting people who wrote the book on AND are living examples of each of these through their career success)

Thank you for continuing to join us here. A like, subscribe, or share helps others find us, and I appreciate it very much. If you have any topics you're interested in or challenges you want us to unpack in 2026, shoot us a note at [email protected]

Happy New Year, and see you next time!

xo

Chelsey

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Consistency is rarely flashy. It's little actions you take again and again (even if boring or hard), and finally... momentum clicks. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down again with Dee Henry, founder of The Sales Loft and creator of Boundaries, to unpack what actually happened after her layoff story went viral.

Dee returns to share how “The Great Lock In” became her personal operating system for growth. From building two businesses at once to landing brand partnerships with companies like Microsoft and Coursera, this conversation is about what happens when you pair courage with structure and let sales math do the heavy lifting.

You will hear how Dee turned consistency into a competitive advantage, why community from the internet outpaced expectations from real life, and how Boundaries evolved from a personal need into a startup built to help founders with ADHD protect their time, energy, and revenue.

This episode is for founders, operators, and creators who want proof that steady action compounds faster than motivation alone.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How “The Great Lock In” created momentum across content, sales, and speaking
• Why consistency beats intensity when building a startup and a personal brand
• How Dee balanced a consulting business while self-funding a SaaS product
• The role community played in accelerating confidence and opportunity
• How to turn overwhelm into systems that support growth

Where to find Dee:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidremhenry/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deidreofficial

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@deidreofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deidreofficial/

Thanks for listening! We have one more episode in 2025, and are so happy you chose to come on this journey with us.

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Successful growth depends on more than new technology or big initiatives. It depends on people. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Scott Sheinbaum, Founder and Senior Managing Partner at Anthros Partners, to unpack what truly drives adoption and ROI during organizational change.

Scott brings nearly three decades of consulting experience, having led transformation initiatives at firms like KPMG, IBM, Wipro, and Cognizant. His work spans ERP implementations, digital transformations, mergers and acquisitions, and operating model shifts. Across it all, Scott is known for his servant leadership mindset and pragmatic, business-first approach to change.

In this conversation, Scott explains why most transformation efforts stall, how leaders can reduce change fatigue, and what it takes to get teams bought in from day one. He also shares why change management should be part of every organization’s operating rhythm, not something brought in after problems appear.

If you’re planning a major system rollout, introducing AI, or navigating multiple initiatives at once, this episode will help you lead change that actually sticks.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Why people, not technology, determine whether change succeeds
• How leaders can spot early warning signs of poor adoption
• Practical ways to reduce change fatigue and burnout
• The role managers play in building trust and alignment
• How to connect transformation efforts directly to ROI
  
  

Learn more and connect with Scott here:

Anthros Partners Website: https://anthrospartners.com/

Scott's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsheinbaum/

Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for conversations that help founders and executives scale with clarity, alignment, and confidence.

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Strong leadership does not start in the boardroom. It starts at home, with the personal systems that create clarity, confidence, and calm. 

Are you taking care of yourself first?

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with financial advisor Jessica Scola, CFP®, to talk about the five personal finance systems every leader needs in place. This conversation is practical, human, and refreshingly shame free. 

Jessica brings her experience as a former Big Four CPA and her lived experience through major life transitions to help leaders simplify their financial lives so they can show up stronger for their teams, families, and futures.

Rather than focusing only on wealth or retirement, this episode walks through the foundational systems that reduce stress, free up mental bandwidth, and support better decision making at work and at home.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• The five essential financial systems that support clear, confident leadership
• Why estate planning and insurance matter at every income level
• How an emergency fund changes the way leaders make decisions
• What an annual financial review should actually include
• How removing shame from money conversations creates momentum and calm

This episode is a must listen for anyone who wants their personal finances to support the life and leadership they are building and maybe has been kicking that can down the road long enough.

Where you can find Jessica:

www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaaikenscola
instagram & facebook: @jessicascola
[email protected]

jessicascola.com

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Get ready to rethink how you lead, hire, and scale for remote businesses. 

On this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Dennis “DM” Meador returns to share the mindset and systems that helped him grow the Legal Podcast Network to nearly 60 remote team members in under two years.

Dennis is the founder of The Legal Podcast Network and a nationally recognized expert in legal marketing. With more than 25 years of experience helping law firms grow with clarity and credibility, he brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial vision and bold creative strategy. His company helps attorneys build authority-driven podcasts that attract ideal clients and elevate their reputation, and his leadership philosophy reflects the same mix of innovation and simplicity.

You will hear how he builds trust across global teams, why delegation starts with knowing your metrics that matter, and how culture becomes the backbone of a high performing service business. If you are a founder aiming to scale without burning out, this conversation will feel like a reset button.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
• How life flow leadership helps you delegate with confidence
• The simple metrics Dennis uses to unblock departments and grow faster
• Why culture determines whether your customers stick around
• How remote teams can outperform traditional companies
• A fresh way to think about failure by replacing it with lessons

Follow DM here: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismeador/

Legal Podcast Network: https://www.thelegalpodcastnetwork.com/

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Culture can feel fuzzy and unimportant until it starts to cost you growth, people, and momentum. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, we turn culture into something you can actually design, measure, and manage.

Strategic growth and M&A executive Matthew Person returns to unpack his concept of constrained independence and his Square Management System, a practical way to align structure, strategy, and behavior as you scale. He explains why the best companies are the most aligned, how misalignment quietly builds over years, and what leaders can do right now to create a culture where people know exactly how far they can run with their own ideas.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How constrained independence defines the real culture inside your company
• The four sides of the Square Management System and how they shape alignment
• How to diagnose misalignment using simple, repeatable questions and assessments
• The hidden costs of culture drift and inconsistent standards across departments
• Practical ways any leader or individual contributor can start tightening alignment today
  
  

You will also hear Matthew’s stories from turning around underperforming organizations, why “best place to work” labels can be misleading, and how executives can stop copying other companies and design a system that actually fits their own business. This is a playbook style conversation that will help you see your company with fresh eyes and give you language you can use with your leadership team this week.

About the guest:
Matthew Person is a strategic growth and M&A executive with nearly twenty five years of experience leading operations, GTM strategy, and global integrations. He is the Founder and CEO of Town Square Advisors and the creator of the Square Management System. His forthcoming book, The Culture of Alignment, expands this work into a practical guide for leaders who want to design aligned, scalable companies.

Here are some links we chatted about, including the square!

Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdperson/

About Square Mgmt System: https://townsquare-advisors.com/services/square-management-system

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

The creative world is evolving fast, and the leaders who know how to blend branding, culture, and strategic thinking are the ones shaping what comes next. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Jesse Vuona, a multi versed digital creative director and cofounder of Fresh, a boutique agency trusted by brands like Adidas, New Balance, Converse, Panera, Foxwoods, NCAA, and YMCA.

Jesse brings a rare mix of conceptual thinking, visual design, UX expertise, and real world agency experience from his years at Mullen Advertising. He is also a musician with international touring experience, which adds its own spark to the way he approaches creative problem solving. 

What you’ll learn in this episode:

•  Why branding goes far beyond logos
•  How culture shapes the way your brand shows up in the world
•  AI - gloom and doom or exciting future for creatives?
• The new skills creative professionals need in a tech driven era
• How leaders can partner better with internal and external creative teams
• What the future of creative work may look like in the next five to ten years

ALSO- if you're newer to the creative field, Jesse packs in tons of advice for getting started and landing your first job.

You can learn more about Jesse and his team at freshsince2015.com or 

Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jessevuona (if we all friend him, will he start using it?!?)

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Leaders everywhere are rethinking how they show up for their teams. This conversation with Julia Rock brings clarity to what modern leadership really requires. 

Her philosophy is simple: Leadership isn’t complicated, it’s just hard, and small daily actions create the culture your people feel every day.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Julia shares how clarity, consistency, connection, courage, and celebration shape engaged teams and healthy workplaces. You’ll hear how to spot early signs of burnout, why micromanagement often comes from a leader’s own self-doubt, and how to create a culture where people feel seen, supported, and motivated to do their best work.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
• Why uncomplicated leadership gets better results
• How the five C’s create stronger teams and better culture
• What burnout looks like for both employees and leaders
• How to reset expectations through simple, honest conversations
• Practical steps you can take today to improve your leadership style

About the Guest
Julia C. Rock is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and certified executive coach dedicated to uncomplicating leadership and eliminating burnout from the modern workplace. With a rich background as a former senior finance leader in the oil and gas industry, Julia has successfully managed and scaled global teams, navigating and overcoming challenges like burnout, disengagement, and inequality. Her personal journey has empowered her to coach and mentor over 1,000 professionals and leaders in building meaningful and fulfilling careers.

Company Website: https://rockcareer.com/

Speaker Booking Website: https://www.thejuliarock.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-rock/

Substack: https://leaduncomplicated.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_thejuliarock

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuliarock/

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Build faster. Spend less. Keep control. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey and no-code expert Xan Hong, founder of Drive Phase Consulting, reveal how founders ship MVPs in weeks, connect tools with APIs, and launch AI agents that act like real team members.

You’ll hear how Xan built his first app to track an ice cream truck with his daughter and how that moment turned into a thriving consulting business helping founders create software without a single line of code. He shares how to think about vendor lock, when to use no-code for internal tools, and where AI fits into the next wave of innovation.

About the Guest
Xan Hong is the founder of Drive Phase Consulting, where he helps companies turn their ideas into real products with no-code tools like Bubble.io, WeWeb, Xano, and Go High Level. As one of the first 100 certified Bubble developers globally, Xan blends technical expertise with practical business strategy to help founders move from concept to launch with speed and confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• How to validate and ship an MVP in a fraction of the time
• When to replace a SaaS tool and when to extend it with APIs
• The real cost math for bringing software in-house with no-code
• Security basics that protect your data and your users
• Where AI-generated code helps and where AI agents create leverage

You can find Xan here:

Website: https://www.drivephase.co
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/drivephaseco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drivephaseco/

PLUS! If you want to test an outbound sales agent, you can submit your contact info here to test the outbound agent and the agent will call you:  https://marketing.drivephase.co/ai-agent-demo.
Current functionality- schedule an appointment, reschedule an existing appointment, and cancel an existing appointment, questions about Drive Phase Consulting, and then a default agent just takes information to get back to person if relevant.

Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.

If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Send us a text

Build faster. Spend less. Keep control. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey and no-code expert Xan Hong, founder of Drive Phase Consulting, reveal how founders ship MVPs in weeks, connect tools with APIs, and launch AI agents that act like real team members.

You’ll hear how Xan built his first app to track an ice cream truck with his daughter and how that moment turned into a thriving consulting business helping founders create software without a single line of code. He shares how to think about vendor lock, when to use no-code for internal tools, and where AI fits into the next wave of innovation.

About the Guest
Xan Hong is the founder of Drive Phase Consulting, where he helps companies turn their ideas into real products with no-code tools like Bubble.io, WeWeb, Xano, and Go High Level. As one of the first 100 certified Bubble developers globally, Xan blends technical expertise with practical business strategy to help founders move from concept to launch with speed and confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• How to validate and ship an MVP in a fraction of the time
• When to replace a SaaS tool and when to extend it with APIs
• The real cost math for bringing software in-house with no-code
• Security basics that protect your data and your users
• Where AI-generated code helps and where AI agents create leverage

You can find Xan here:

Website: https://www.drivephase.co
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/drivephaseco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drivephaseco/

PLUS! If you want to test an outbound sales agent, you can submit your contact info here to test the outbound agent and the agent will call you:  https://marketing.drivephase.co/ai-agent-demo.
Current functionality- schedule an appointment, reschedule an existing appointment, and cancel an existing appointment, questions about Drive Phase Consulting, and then a default agent just takes information to get back to person if relevant.

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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