Help! My Business is Growing

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Unique content is critical to growing your business. 


But with AI like ChatGPT on the rise, staying ahead of the game is a challenge.


So, how can businesses keep up?  How does AI impact thought leadership content? 

What opportunities and obstacles come with using it? 

And most importantly, how can you leverage this technology to drive business growth?

In today's episode, our guest Stephanie Nivinskus and I discuss all things AI, particularly ChatGPT, and how - if used properly - it can help you with your marketing efforts

Stephanie is the CEO of SizzleForce Marketing, a Fractional CMO agency that services scaling companies. Since 1995 she’s been developing brand-building marketing campaigns that have been used by companies including Starbucks, Quiksilver, The National Football League, Cox Communications, and thousands of privately owned companies. 

Stephanie has written for Forbes and Entrepreneur magazines and is the author of the international #1 best-seller, Absolutely Unforgettable: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Creating A HeartCentered Brand And Standing Out In A Noisy World. 

Known for her ability to humanize commerce and market products and services in an authentic & powerful way, she delights audiences with attention-grabbing stories and strategies that connect the dots between people and profit. Her raw, heart-centered approach to creating meaningful conversations gives scaling companies a big voice in the marketplace. 

Stephanie speaks nationwide. When she’s not helping brands showcase their sizzle, Stephanie enjoys time with her husband and three teenagers in San Diego.

We discuss:

03:40 How can Chat GPT be leveraged to develop thought leadership content and improve content quality?

05:54 What are some practical ways to use Chat GPT to enhance content ideation for a blog while incorporating one's thought leadership and experience?

10:07 What measures should be taken to verify the accuracy of the information generated by AI tools and ensure the reliability of sources used?

12:28 What measures can you take to ensure the ethical and effective use of AI and Chat GPT by marketing agencies?

18:30 What are some clear indications or "dead giveaways" that suggest an individual or organization has simply taken Chat GPT's output and passed it off as their own content, without additional modifications or thoughts?

23:10 What other ways, besides content creation and marketing, can individuals or organizations effectively use ChatGPT to their advantage? 

31:07  What would be the next actionable step for someone just starting to use AI to ensure they are using it effectively and efficiently?

Resources:

Stephanie Nivinskus, CEO, Author, and Speaker, SizzleForce Marketing:
https://sizzleforce.com/

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

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

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SizzleForce/

Author of Absolutely Unforgettable: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Creating A HeartCentered Brand And Standing Out In A Noisy World

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | Content Creation for Businesses in the Age of AI
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/content-creation-for-businesses-in-the-age-of-ai

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Many seasoned entrepreneurs pour years of blood, sweat, and tears into building a successful company. But with time, priorities change, and circumstances shift. 

Whether it's retirement, a new endeavor, or handing the company over to your successor, exiting your business requires careful planning and execution. 

So what steps do you need to take to ensure a smooth transition? 

How do you prepare yourself emotionally for this major life change?

Joining me in today’s podcast is John Ovrom, the President and founder of Exit Consulting Group, which provides consulting and brokerage services for business owners to prepare for and execute their exit. 

We explore why emotional preparedness is essential when exiting your business and share tips on handling this monumental transition.

John specializes in creating roadmaps for business owners anticipating a transition, whether transferring the business to family or employees or selling to a third party. He’s also the author of "Exit & Answers: Navigate Your Business, Exit Like An Expert"

We discuss:

04:49 When is the major change felt in the process of exiting a business, and is it before signing the agreement, during the process, or after the agreement has been completed and the payment has been made?

09:50 What other business exit strategies can business owners consider aside from selling the company or their job?

12:23 How can business owners effectively transition from being the central figure to empowering employees to take ownership and lead the business through its different stages of growth?

14:32 What helpful strategies and techniques exist to emotionally prepare yourself or your clients to separate from their business and navigate the exit process successfully?

18:51 How can businesses manage the emotional impact on employees during an owner's decision to exit, and maintain team dynamics during the transition period?

22:16 What actionable steps can owners take to reassure employees during the exit process and provide effective change management support to ensure a successful transition?

25:19 Can transitioning from being an owner to an employee affect the team dynamic, and how does it work in practice?

36:25 What practical steps can business owners take in the next week or two if they are thinking of exiting their business, aside from preparing for the emotional transition?

Resources:

John Ovrom, President, Founder, and Author, Exit Consulting Group:
https://exitconsultinggroup.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/exit-consulting-group

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ExitConsultingG/

Youtube: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxBy-BxehkPy6vu_KqewJeg

Email:
[email protected]


Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | Mastering the Emotional Side of Exiting Your Business
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/mastering-the-emotional-side-of-exiting-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Starting and growing a business can be incredibly fulfilling but can quickly overwhelm many owners.

Managing the increased complexity across all aspects of your operations becomes crucial as your business expands. 

Not only will it help increase revenue, but also help you avoid stress, burnout and even potential resentment towards your customers. 

So what can you do or set up, so you are better prepared to deal with these "growing pains" both in your professional and private life?

In today's episode, our guest Jessica Yarbrough and I talk about how to build or create systems that will support your professional and personal lives during times of growth. We explore where to start and what to expect from these support systems.

Jessica Yarbrough is a Business Strategist and Growth Expert. She quickly developed a reputation for being one of the best business strategists for coaches and consultants who want to sell and scale ultra-high-end services. Her background is in international business, and she has built multiple companies.

Jessica is a genius at showing entrepreneurs how to build an expert platform, rapidly raise their value, build credibility and attract high-paying clients. She loves teaching entrepreneurs how to grow their influence and make the income and impact they desire.

We discuss:

02:59 What is the biggest problem faced by clients when their business grows?

04:05 Are there commonalities in the "growing pains" experienced by those who seek help, and how do you prevent them from recurring?

10:02 What specific qualities or attributes do you seek when interviewing potential team members for your own company?

10:57 During interviews, how do you determine if a candidate may have loyalty or value issues that could impact your business?

12:35 Why is it important to have both internal and external systems to support the growth of a small business, and how do they aid owners in their private life?

18:01  How can business owners create systems and processes without sacrificing their personal lives?

20:39 Have you observed "unruly growth" in businesses as they expand, and is this what happened with this particular client?

22:08 What is the next actionable step to take in the next week or two if you want to establish effective internal and external systems in your professional and private life?

23:10 How do you identify high-value activities for your business, especially when it seems like all the tasks on your calendar are equally important?

Resources:

Jessica Yarbrough, Business Growth Strategist, and Growth Expert:
https://jessicayarbrough.com/

LinkedIn: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicayarbrough-bizconsultant/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@jessicayarbrough


Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | Building Professional and Personal Support Systems to Grow Your Business
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/building-professional-and-personal-support-systems-to-grow-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

As a business owner, you know the importance of planning for success. But have you ever thought about planning for the end of your business journey? 

Exiting a business is a critical process that requires careful preparation. 

With a solid exit strategy, you can maintain control of the outcome and get all the rewards for your hard work. 

Whether you're looking to retire, start a new venture, or sell your business, developing an exit plan ensures a smooth transition and the best possible conclusion for all concerned, including your employees and stakeholders. 

The sooner you begin planning, the more successful your exit will be.

In today’s episode, our guest Patty Block unlocks the doors on how to develop an exit plan for your business: what are the first steps to take, is there a process, and what to consider so that you can reach your exit goals?

Patty is a business advisor and pricing expert who believes that consistent business success comes from leveraging your hidden advantage, making informed decisions, communicating powerfully, and taking calculated action. 

Since 2006, Patty has empowered women business owners who are experts in their fields to turn up their power to price, sell, and run their businesses on their terms.

Patty is the founder of The Block Group Inc. and author of "Your Hidden AdvantageTM: Unlock the Power to Attract Right-fit Clients and Boost Your Revenue."  

We discuss:

02:33 What are some different ways you can exit the business?

04:26 What's the difference between exiting and selling a business? 

08:48 The importance of building assets and intellectual property.

11:27 Besides hiring, what else should you think about as you're trying to build assets in your business?

14:54 The importance of building systems and processes to support the business. 

29:01 How do you determine what is intellectual property? 

32:19 Why are intellectual property and branding valuable?

38:13 How do you catch yourself overdelivering?  

42:09 What's the one actionable step that someone thinking about exiting their company in the future can do in the next month to get them closer to that goal?

Resources:

Patty Block, Pricing Expert and Business Expert, The Block Group Inc.:
https://www.theblockgroup.net/

LinkedIn: 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/theblockgroup

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

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/TheBlockGroupInc

Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/TheBlockGroup

Email: 
[email protected]

Author of Your Hidden Advantage: Unlock the Power to Attract Right-fit Clients and Boost Your Revenue

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | The Art of Exiting Your Business:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/the-art-of-exiting-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Having a solid sales infrastructure in place has the potential to make or break your growing business. 

If designed - and implemented - correctly, it can help you achieve goals, increase sales, and stay ahead of the competition. 

But building one requires careful planning and execution, and key elements must be in place to support business growth.

So what steps do you need to take to establish a sales infrastructure? And how can you ensure that it will take your business to the next level?

In today's episode, our guest Eric Balis and I break down how you can build up an effective sales infrastructure for your business. 

Eric is a Fractional VP of Sales and the Founder of Top Tier Sales Advisors. He helps founders realize their company's maximum value by accelerating revenue production and helping their sales teams achieve excellent and repeatable results. 

He concentrates on helping small and mid-size companies optimize their sales strategy, process, and education. Eric helps companies transform their sales culture, implement new sales processes and procedures, and instill best practices. He focuses not just on the strategic level but also on the tactical level to help companies achieve record-breaking sales results.

We discuss:

02:13 What does it mean to have a sales infrastructure? What does it look like?

04:49 What is the role of content marketing in educating buyers and supporting sales efforts in service-based businesses? 

07:55 Do you have an example of a business that you helped where its marketing and sales efforts were focused on attracting high-quality customers and that it drove business growth and increased revenue?

11:41 What changes did the company in your example make to its messaging that improved its sales process? 

13:31 What is considered a good open rate for email campaigns? Is there an industry standard for what is considered average or low?

15:09 After setting the foundational pieces of having the correct messaging and positioning, is finding the best CRM system the next step in building your sales infrastructure?

16:39 What personality traits, attitudes, and qualities do successful salespeople tend to have? 

20:01 Is it possible to train someone to actively listen and ask insightful probing questions in sales conversations, and is it a skill that can be taught, or is it innate to a specific personality type?

22:55 When does a business determine if it has reached the tipping point where it needs to implement a sales process? 

24:17 What are some common mistakes businesses make when they try to handle challenging projects on their own instead of hiring a consultant or expert?

28:35 What is one actionable step that a business can take in the next month to improve its sales infrastructure if they already have some pieces in place, such as a CRM system and the right messaging and positioning?

Resources:

Eric Balis, Fractional VP of Sales and Founder, Top Tier Sales Advisors:
https://salesxceleration.bullseyelocations.com/salesxceleration/advisors/eric-balis/31190015

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-balis-0a170a1/

Take the Free Sales Agility Assessment: 
https://salesxceleration.com/sales-agility-assessment/?locationid=31190015

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog Post | How to Build a Strong Sales Infrastructure:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-build-a-strong-sales-infrastructure

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Staying on top of day-to-day operations can be daunting and this can be especially challenging for small businesses with CEOs often juggling multiple roles to keep their companies running smoothly. 

But what happens when growth takes off and those responsibilities become too much to handle? 

This is where a fractional COO can be a game-changer. 

Their expertise and guidance can help optimize your operations and free up valuable time for you to focus on driving business growth.

But what exactly is a fractional COO, what do they do and how do they help take your business to the next level? 

In today’s episode, our guest Valerie Hayes and I discuss the role of a Fractional COO and how they can drive business growth by optimizing operations, including managing remote teams.

Valerie is on a mission to help overburdened entrepreneurs, small business owners, and CEOs establish their businesses as industry leaders without working 24/7/365 days a year. 

As a Fractional COO/EOS Integrator, she helps untangle everything that's not working smoothly, sorts them out, and puts it all back together. No more late nights stuck at your desk trying to figure it all out.

She is here to give us some actionable insights on how you can balance running day-to-day operations with implementing your ideas to grow your business.

We discuss:

03:49 How do you describe your role as a fractional COO and how do people find you?

12:03  What are some of the biggest issues that prompt people to seek a fractional COO for their business?

15:26 How does having the right people affect the impact of processes and procedures on a business?

16:59 When you begin working with a new business, how do you prioritize which areas to focus on first, given the many issues that need addressing?

20:07 Have you ever encountered a situation in which employees were resistant to change, resulting in an exodus of personnel who disagreed with the new direction?

26:41 How does managing a virtual team differ from managing an on-site team, and what are some key considerations to consider when leading remote workers?

33:36 What strategies do you recommend for effectively managing the work and workflow of virtual teams?

37:05 How do you measure the effectiveness of creative work being done by remote team members, such as an offshore marketing person who is responsible for planning, conceptualizing, and strategizing?

40:12 What factors should a business owner consider when deciding whether to let an employee go or to move them to a different role within the company?

42:38 If someone struggles to manage their virtual team, what is one actionable step they can take next week to improve their ability to manage the team effectively?

Resources:

Valerie Hayes, Fractional COO, EOS Integrator & Entrepreneur. Valerie Hayes and Company:
https://valeriehayes.com/

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

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/valeriemhayes

Email:
[email protected]

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Maximize Business Growth by Hiring a Fractional COO
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-maximize-business-growth-by-hiring-a-fractional-coo

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

When running a service-based business, one of your highest costs is your labor cost. 

You'll need to track your employee's time to ensure your business stays profitable.

Timesheets or time-tracking software protects your company, keeps you compliant, and increases productivity. You'll also see how much time each employee is spending on a particular client, which can help set the correct fees for future clients or projects.

But if poorly implemented, time tracking can alienate your staff, cause resentment, especially amongst members of your creative team, and negatively impact your business. 

So what are the benefits of time tracking, how do you motivate your employees to use timesheets, and how can it help with your profitability?

In this episode, our guest George Wiedemann walks us through how to manage profitability in a service-based business, in relation to managing your people's time.

George was the founder and CEO of Grey Direct - a global subsidiary for Grey Advertising -  for 21 consecutive years of worldwide growth. He was also the CEO of pioneer Silicon Valley email platform Responsys; and CEO of The DRUM Agency. 

He is the founder and CEO of Relationshipping Consulting, focusing on bringing efficiencies to large-scale enterprises through deep budgetary analysis and process alignment. He also works with agencies on their strategies and plans.  

We discuss:

02:45 How do you manage profitability in a service-based business like an agency specifically?

04:27 What are some of the best practices when using timesheets?

08:20 What did you log into these time sheets?  

10:16 How did you use all collected time tracking data?

12:48 How did weekly client meetings look like? What was the agenda, and what was discussed? 

17:05 Does finance play a part in the process? From contract signing to client meetings? 

20:17 What happens when you spend too much time on one client and go over the budgeted hours?

24:34 What happens when you don't spend as much time on your client and have tons of time left over? 

25:51 How do you manage working with creatives, who might feel restricted, and their time sheets?

28:25 What is the next actionable step to take this week to get one started in tracking time and how to manage it successfully?  

Resources:

George Wiedemann, Founder, and CEO, Relationshipping Consulting:
https://www.relationshipping.org/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-wiedemann

Email: 
[email protected]

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | Time Tracking and Profitability in Service-Based Businesses  
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/time-tracking-and-profitability-in-service-based-businesses

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Growing a marketing agency is extremely tough.  Beyond finding (and retaining) a steady stream of clients, you also need to hire (and keep) experts, manage time spent on projects, and keep an eye out for profitability. 

Our guest for today's episode of Help! My Business Is Growing is Thomas Padula, President and CEO of Padula Media Digital Marketing Agency.

Thomas has been recognized as one of Chester County's 40 Under 40 millennial superstars, and his agency, Padula Media, is one of the best advertising agencies in Pennsylvania.

He's our featured founder for our mini-series "How I Grew", featuring CEOs, leaders, and founders who have successfully grown their businesses.  

Padula Media's success comes from taking a client-first approach, acting as an internal CMO, and offering the best and highest ROI-driven services for each client.  The company has established a growth pattern through data-driven decisions, including hiring the right people and placing them in the right seats, which has been critical to its success. 

In 2018, Thomas began following the model of meeting transparent, determined, and selfless people, regardless of whether they could be a client. By expanding his network and building impactful relationships, Thomas has created networking groups, cultivated strong professional relationships, and driven his own personal network to be more successful.

We'll talk to Thomas and hear his story and discuss tips, resources, and other valuable insights he can share on how you can grow your business.

We discuss:

02:07 How was it like when you started your business?

04:02 What were some things you implemented in your business that were helpful when you decided you needed to hire more people to grow?

05:40 What specific advice did the "money people" you hired provide?

08:51 How is having a deeper understanding of your numbers and gaining financial control different from when you were smaller vs. today? How has it evolved?

10:31 What do you mean by good revenue and bad revenue?

13:10 What works best for you to track employee time spent on the project? 

13:52 How has implementing ClickUp helped your business grow?  

17:52 How did implementing systems and processes evolve for you?

19:39 When did you realize that you needed a Director of Operations?

21:26 How do you maintain a consistent culture even if the company and its team members have grown and evolved? 

23:04 Who helps you with your corporate culture? Do you have a fractional HR person working with you?

24:29 What has worked well for your organization(meetings or events) to bring that cohesiveness of the team together?

25:56 Has the work-from-home phenomenon positively or negatively impacted your team and culture?

28:19 What do you think has made the most significant impact on your business so far? 

30:07  What tip would you give other business owners that would positively impact their business?

31:50 Where did you find your mentors? 

Resources:

Thomas Padula, President and CEO, Padula Media Digital Marketing:
https://padulamedia.com/

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

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/padulamedia/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How I Grew: Thomas Padula,  President and CEO of Padula Media
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-i-grew-thomas-padula-president-and-ceo-of-padula-media

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Growing your business means making operational changes to keep your workers and workflows efficient. These adjustments are necessary for your business to adapt and thrive. 

But in any organization, there will always be employees resistant to change. 

So how can you make transitions smoother and easier for everyone? 


In today's episode, our guest Jeffrey Edwards and I talk about how effective communication with all your team members will ensure that they are aligned with your business expansion goals.

Jeffrey is a business consultant, leadership coach, and culture change expert. For over 20 years, he has been helping small to Fortune 500 companies create inclusive teams that thrive from the inside out. He loves to build strong relationships with clients and help them create a positive workplace culture. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.

We discuss:

02:53 Why do companies struggle with change, and how to communicate that change to their employees/teams?

07:38 How would you prepare your team to accept organizational change and to make them understand how it will affect them daily?

09:23 How do you communicate to your people that you are also unsure of the outcome of this impending change?

13:33 Would you communicate this in the form of team or one-on-one meetings? 

14:43 Do you have any advice on how to pick these champions? 

16:25 When do you bring the champions into this conversation? 

18:03 Do you have an example of a company that has undergone a significant amount of change that was successfully implemented? 

20:48 What about an example of when the change management process failed spectacularly?

24:14 What are some things they could have done at the beginning to avoid such a fallout?

28:10 What is one small step that people who are about to implement change in their business can take in the next week to ensure that it will be successfully communicated to their people so that everyone is aligned and committed?


Resources:

Jeffrey Edwards, Founder, and Managing Director, The MakeWell Performance Group:
https://themakewellgroup.com/

Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/Makewell_Coach

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MakeWell-Coaching-815991488475042/

Podcast | The Leader’s Chair: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leaders-chair/id1529378857

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Positively Communicate Changes to Your Employees
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-positively-communicate-changes-to-your-employees

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Having a self-reliant team is crucial in growing your business. 

When your employees can function and thrive under minimal supervision, you can focus on more important areas that will push your business to the next level. 

But with employees heavily depending on you to guide their every step, you'll have less time and energy to concentrate on higher-level tasks. 

How can you train your workers to have enough competence and confidence to complete their work independently?

In today's episode, our guest Lauren Goldstein and I discuss how you can grow a team that can work independently and effectively.

Lauren is the founder and CEO of the award-winning and globally recognized boutique business consulting firm, Golden Key Partnership. 

Since 2011, Lauren has been helping business owners achieve true entrepreneurial freedom by optimizing their teams and operations to successfully transition from day-to-day business "operator" into business owner - running their business instead of the other way 'round. 

We discuss:

03:23: What is the main obstacle to having self-reliant team members in your business?

06:06  What do you look for to ensure you hire people who can do the big-picture thinking for you? 

07:45 Are there specific questions to ask or qualities to look for if you want to recruit players vs worker bees?

11:25 Regarding the "Four C's", the first one is Clarity, but what are the other three C's that you want to use in your business?  

14:28 What is unrelated work? Can you give us examples, and how do you recognize if someone is doing unrelated work?

17:12 How should you coach your team members? Do you take advice from management books and resources? Or do you consider your personality and your unique business needs when building your team?

21:29 What is the "Rule of Three"?

27:52 What can you realistically do to get your people to the 90% level wherein they can practically just run everything without your involvement?

30:19 What are some things you would put on the Scorecard?  

31:24 Do you have a Scorecard for a specific person, the company, team members, or all of the above?

34:43 What is the realistic next step leaders can take in the next week to develop self-reliant team members? 

Resources:

Lauren Goldstein, Founder, CEO, and The Business Doctor, Golden Key Partnership:
https://www.goldenkeypartnership.com/

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

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/GoldenKeyPartnership/

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

Podcast | The Biz Doctor:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biz-doctor/id1618773779

Scorecard: 
http://www.goldenkeypartnership.com/scorecard

Bullseye Hiring: 
https://www.goldenkeypartnership.com/bullseye

 
Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Coach Your Team to Become Self-reliant
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-coach-your-team-to-become-self-reliant

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