Brigitte Lyons shares her founder journey from running a PR agency to creating a productized podcast booking service. She discusses the challenges of adapting her business model to achieve a location-independent lifestyle, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her client relationships, and the importance of marketing and capacity in sustaining growth.

Brigitte emphasizes the need to trust her own process and the significance of maintaining integrity in business practices. Brigitte shares her journey of building and eventually shutting down her PR agency, discussing the challenges of team dynamics, client management, and the importance of one-on-one meetings.

She reflects on the economic downturn's impact on her business, her decision to sell, and her new venture, Ops Whisperer, aimed at helping agency owners streamline their operations and delegate effectively.

Topics covered:

- Brigitte transitioned from a PR agency to a podcast booking service.
- She aimed to create a productized agency for scalability.
- Brigitte's journey includes closing and selling her agency.
- Writing comes in bursts, with a focus on quality over quantity.
- Trusting her own process has been a key lesson for Brigitte.
- Brigitte's approach to client onboarding evolved significantly.
- The pandemic forced her to reassess client contracts and relationships.
- She learned the importance of capacity and marketing in business growth.
- One-on-ones help build trust and open communication.
- Scaling requires delegating responsibilities effectively.
- Economic downturns can significantly impact service businesses.
- Transparency with the team during transitions is important.
- Selling a business can be a complex process.
- Creating systems should enable people to do their best work.
- Accountability is key in achieving business goals.
- It's essential to seek help and guidance when needed.

Find Brigitte at https://theopswhisperer.com/
Brigitte's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigittelyons/
Substack: https://brigittelyons.substack.com/ (I pledged, you should too!)

Find Alex at https://icoachfounders.com/
Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mcclafferty/

In this conversation, Sam Shepler discusses his journey from running a generalist video agency to founding Testimonial Hero, a productized service focused on customer storytelling through video testimonials and written case studies. He shares insights on navigating growth, adapting to challenges like COVID-19, and the importance of branding and talent retention. Sam also highlights the strategic acquisitions made to expand service offerings and the future direction of the company, emphasizing the need to embrace unpredictability and focus on cash flow management.

Takeaways

- Testimonial Hero focuses on customer storytelling through video testimonials and written case studies.
- The transition from agency to productized services requires mindset shifts and a focus on efficiency.
- COVID-19 forced innovation, leading to the development of remote video testimonials.
- Branding plays a crucial role in establishing credibility and attracting clients.
- Acquisitions can accelerate growth and expand service offerings.
- Maintaining cash reserves is essential for navigating unpredictable revenue months.
- A multi-brand strategy can increase customer lifetime value and retention.
- Attracting and retaining top talent is vital for success in the service industry.
- Understanding cash vs. accrual accounting is crucial for financial health.
- Embracing unpredictability allows for better decision-making and strategic growth.

Chapters

00:00 Revisiting the Journey: From 2019 to Present

03:08 The Evolution of Testimonial Hero

06:03 Mindset Shifts: From Agency to Productized Service

09:11 Navigating Growth: Major Milestones and Challenges

12:03 Adapting to Change: The COVID Pivot

15:07 Innovating for Success: Remote Video Testimonials

18:09 Competition and Collaboration: Acquisitions in the Industry

20:47 Financial Insights: Cash vs. Accrual Accounting

23:53 The Rollercoaster of Rapid Growth

27:06 Lessons Learned: The Importance of Timing and Market Conditions

38:34 The Illusion of Recurring Revenue

51:24 Strategic Acquisitions for Growth

01:01:38 Balancing Ambition and Lifestyle

01:02:45 Future Vision and Multi-Brand Strategy

My old pal and long-time former client, Jake Jorgovan, joins me to explore his journey of entrepreneurship, self-promotion, and the evolution of his business ventures in this episode of Where Are They Now?

We discuss the importance of personal branding, understanding customer needs, and the challenges of leadership in a growing business. We examine the emotional aspects of layoffs, the importance of resilience, and the necessity of risk management in business strategy. Jake shares insights from his experiences, emphasising the value of hiring competently and building skills to effectively manage teams and navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship.

Chapters

00:00 Lessons Learned: The Importance of Documentation
00:45 The Journey of Self-Promotion
02:02 From Pseudo Therapy to Legitimate Coaching
02:57 The Evolution of a Serial Entrepreneur
04:27 Early Ventures and Lessons Learned
06:39 Building a Personal Brand and Audience
07:58 Navigating Market Validation and Customer Engagement
10:00 The Importance of Market Research

10:31 Bonus - RESCUE(C) framework

R - Is there a recurring need that this product solves? If your product is one off, the score will be 1. If it is all recurring, then 3.

E - Does the problem you’re solving elicit emotion? Will your customer be angry if it doesn’t get solved or love you if it does? 1 for no reaction, 2 for meh and 3 for anger or I love you.

S - Can you see your product scaling to generate enough revenue to help you achieve your personal income goals? 1 for no and 3 for yes.

C - Is there a meaningful/significant hard and/or soft cost of not solving the problem your product intends to solve? 1 for no tangible impact, 3 for holy shit this is going to cost me a ton.

U - Is there an urgency to solve the problem? Can the customer just do nothing? If yes, score 1. If it matters, score 3.

E - Does the idea of working on this product excite you? Can you see it exciting you for more than a few months? 1 for nah, 3 for OMG this looks like a ton of fun.

C - Do you have conviction that you can do this and want to do it? 1 for nope, 3 for heck yeah.

Add up your score for a few ideas and you'll get a feel for how exciting the opportunity is, for you.

11:33 Understanding Platform Risks in Business
14:48 Solving Expensive Problems
15:54 Positioning and Client Profiles
18:51 The Benefits and Challenges of Upmarket Sales
21:00 A Day in the Life of a Multi-Business Leader
22:57 Leadership Lessons from Personal Experience
26:54 Navigating Layoffs and Emotional Resilience
28:33 Building a Resilient Business Structure
30:27 The Impact of Team Bonding and Personal Connections
33:57 Creating Opportunities for Others through Creativity
35:42 The Journey of Personal Growth and Resilience
38:01 Understanding Risk Management in Business
45:11 The Importance of Competency Before Hiring
54:29 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions

Welcome to Where Are They Now, a mini-series where I talk to former clients and friends from yesteryear to learn about their progress since we last talked business five years ago.

In this conversation, Ray Corcoran shares his journey from working in customer service to becoming a successful marketing agency owner. He discusses the importance of learning from failures, building a steady pipeline for business, and the strategies he used for content creation and audience engagement. Ray emphasizes the significance of consistency in marketing efforts and the need to focus on the right audience rather than chasing mass appeal. In this conversation, Ray Corcoran shares his journey in business, emphasizing the importance of understanding audience engagement, the challenges of expanding services, and the significance of owning one's value in pricing. He discusses the evolution of his agency, the necessity of specialization, and the strategies he employed to build strong client relationships. Ray also reflects on the balance between running a lifestyle business and achieving financial success, while highlighting the role of motivation and energy management in maintaining productivity. He concludes by inviting listeners to connect with him online for further insights.

Takeaways

In this episode of Where are they now, Justin shares the journey of founding Video Husky, a video editing service, and the challenges faced during its growth, particularly during the COVID pandemic. He discusses the importance of branding, customer relationships, and the dynamics of managing a growing team. Justin reflects on his personal growth, the decision to hire a general manager, and the lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the need to define success beyond just revenue and the importance of patience in business.

Takeaways

- Video editing was inspired by the rise of social media.
- Paid acquisition was a key growth strategy for Video Husky.
- COVID had a significant impact on business operations and revenue.
- Branding and design are crucial for standing out in a competitive market.
- Onboarding processes need to be tailored to customer skill levels.
- The best customers are those who already create content.
- Managing a growing team presents unique challenges.
- Hiring a general manager can alleviate founder burnout.
- Personal growth is as important as business success.
- Success is defined by personal values, not just revenue.

Welcome to Where Are They Now, a mini-series where I talk to former coaching clients to learn about their progress since we last worked together five years ago.

I'm joined by Craig Hewitt, the experienced campaigner behind Castos, as he unpacks his journey from France back to the U.S. and through the ever-shifting podcasting landscape. Swapping European life for Boston to juggle family, taxes, and U.S. time zones, Craig shares the real reasons behind the move and what it meant for his business.

He dives into how Castos evolved from a service provider to a SaaS contender, tackling a market where YouTube reigns supreme and AI’s rewriting the rules (and most of this podcast description). Craig doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle—raising close to a million, dodging shaky acquisition offers, and keeping podcasting’s authentic edge in a noisy world. Curious about why churches are his top clients or how he’s mulling a roll-up to shake things up? This one’s packed with insights.

Craig gets honest about the grind: burnout, coaching gigs, and lessons from Alex Hormozi that flipped his thinking. From sidestepping middle management nightmares to running a seven-figure business, it’s a raw look at what it takes to stay in the game. Perfect for anyone building something real and wanting to know how to keep going when the world’s a mess. Hit play to see what’s driving Craig forward.

Find Craig on X (@thecraighewitt) or YouTube www.youtube.com/@thecraighewitt 

For podcast hosting or production, visit www.castos.com

The Founder coach podcast is brought to you by www.productize.co - we help founders scale their business without losing their marbles.