In this conversation, Chris LaFay (Founder, Classic City Consulting) shares a decade of hard-won lessons on staying profitable, avoiding bloat, and building an agency that lasts. We dig into “one-glass focus,” why not niching can still be strategic, when to pass on work, partnerships without finders fees, pricing and retainers, and the KPI that quietly compounds new business: intentional outreach.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• Why “one glass” focus beats scattered growth

• Project variety vs. “niching down” (and how to niche by systems, not industry)

• The comparison trap: learning from peers without copy-pasting their playbook

• When referral partnerships work without commissions—and when they don’t

• The 4 R’s growth engine: Retain → Reactivate → Referral → Recruit (new)

• Don’t hire on a hope: catching operational bloat before it sinks marginsPricing, retainers, and the “help agencies look great” strategy

• The single KPI Chris tracks in good seasons: weekly intentional check-ins

00:00 Intro

09:04 One-Glass Focus: creator energy, momentum, and why projects stay interesting

11:29 Project Variety > Burnout: why new client problems keep the work fresh

14:15 Do You Need a Niche? Niching by WordPress/Shopify & repeatable frameworks

15:32 Peer Comparison Without Copy-Paste: learning from others, keeping identity

18:44 Outreach > Everything: how early agencies stall without consistent relationship-building

25:24 Partnerships Sans Finder Fees: when passing leads is the value (and exceptions)

31:10 Adding Value to Your Agency Network: beyond referrals; community & support

32:17 Risk You’re Glad You Took: the hiring lesson that reshaped the business

37:51 Silencing the Inner Critic: external processing & mentor mirrors

41:22 Most Valuable KPI: weekly intentional reach-outs (and why they compound)

46:55 Action Taker You Admire: David Feldman & decisive leadership

51:49 Sunk Costs & When to Quit: “fans-first” filter + staying lean on OPEX

Connect with Chris:

Founder – Classic City Consulting

Website: https://classiccity.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lafay/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aHdpQXccPOE9YTcDJe4gZ

Connect with Brian:

 Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠

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

If you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this engaging conversation, professional cyclist Alison Tetrick shares her journey from a competitive tennis player to a successful cyclist, discussing the importance of mental health, the joy of sports, and the need for community support. She emphasizes the significance of encouraging youth, especially girls, to stay in sports and find joy in their pursuits rather than focusing solely on competition. Alison also opens up about her personal challenges, including overcoming fear and anxiety after traumatic experiences, and the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive individuals. The discussion highlights the value of enjoying the process and finding personal inspiration in one's goals.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:50 Current Projects and Initiatives

05:43 The Journey of a Cyclist

11:42 Overcoming Challenges and Mental Health

14:38 Rapid Fire Questions

23:10 The Importance of Enjoying the Process

28:55 Navigating Fear and Anxiety

36:44 The Role of Sports in Personal Development

43:40 Encouraging Youth in Sports

51:33 Final Thoughts and Advice

Find Alison Online:

Website: www.alisontetrick.com

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

Twitter: https://www.x.com/AMTetrick

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

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

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

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

Shop: https://saga-ventures.myshopify.com/

👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web: https://brianondrako.com

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Episode 472 features Dr. Sheila Gujrathi, a biotech entrepreneur, executive, and champion for under represented leaders. Her new book, "The Mirror Effect: A Transformative Approach To Growth For The Next Generation Of Female Leaders" is out now.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Book Announcement

02:15 The Unmet Need: Writing for My Younger Self

05:30 Overcoming Challenges: A Personal Journey

09:45 The Power of Mentorship and Sponsorship

14:00 Spiritual Growth and Finding Purpose

18:20 Building a Personal Board of Directors

23:10 The Inner Critic and Self-Compassion

28:45 The Importance of Storytelling in Leadership

33:00 Navigating Negative Work Environments

37:15 Conclusion: Embracing Vulnerability and Connection

Find Sheila Online:

Website: ​​https://sheilagujrathimd.com/ 

TEDxTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DpDx6T3-X4 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-gujrathi-md/ 

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

Book: https://sheilagujrathimd.com/book/

About Sheila:

Sheila is a biotech entrepreneur, executive, and champion for under represented leaders. Over the past 25 years, she’s had the privilege of developing life-changing medicines for patients with serious diseases while building and running private and public biotech companies—including some exciting exits. Today she’s a founder, chairwoman, board director, strategic advisor, and consultant to start-up companies and investment funds. 

Dr. Gujrathi was the co-founder and former CEO of Gossamer Bio and former Chief Medical Officer of Receptos. Her journey started at Northwestern University, where she earned both her M.D. and biomedical engineering degree, and took her from the halls of Harvard, UCSF, and Stanford to the corporate offices of Fortune 500 companies like McKinsey, Genentech, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Dr. Gujrathi has earned multiple leadership awards, including AIMBE Fellow, BLOC100 Luminary, Healthcare Technology Report Top 25 Women Leaders in Biotechnology, Corporate Directors Forum Director of the Year, and Fiercest Women in Life Sciences. But what really lights her up is creating the inclusive environments she wished she’d had throughout her career. That’s why she co-founded the Biotech CEO Sisterhood, a group of trailblazing female CEOs—because we’re all better when we support each other.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠

Episode 471 features Alyona Mysko, Founder & CEO of Fuel Finance.

Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction

01:23 — How Alyona Met Alina Vandenberghe (Eastern Europe Bond)

03:59 — From Math Geek to Finance: Teachers, Simpsons, Degrees

07:02 — Big Four to Fractional CFO ➜ Founding Fuel Finance

08:44 — Opportunity Cost & Learning to Say No

12:28 — Biggest Risks—Startup, Product, Move to the U.S.

16:48 — What Founders Miss at the Start: Talk Money on Day One

23:42 — Profit 101: Your First Financial Plan & Realistic Forecasting

40:06 — Product-Market Fit Signals & Narrowing Your ICP

44:25 — Action Challenge: Set Your “Life Number” + Monthly P&L

Find Alyona Online:

Website: ⁠https://fuelfinance.me/⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyona-mysko/⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/alonamysko⁠

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

About Alyona:

Alyona Mysko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fuelfinance, an AI-powered financial planning and analysis platform built for SMBs. Before starting Fuel, she spent 10+ years as a CFO helping founders handle messy spreadsheets and build forecasts. Now she’s scaling that superpower with AI, giving founders real-time visibility into their numbers and faster decisions without hiring a full finance team.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠

Episode 470 features Amanda Goetz, a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO and author of the book, "Toxic Grit: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have."

Find Amanda Online:

Website: https://www.amandagoetz.com/

Book: https://www.toxicgrit.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoetz/

Twitter: https://x.com/AmandaMGoetz

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

About Amanda:

Amanda Goetz is a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO. She is an inspirational writer and content creator captivating millions of people every month through her social insights and newsletter “Life’s a Game”. Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to lead marketing teams at Ernst & Young, The Knot and still advises as Fractional CMO to multiple startups. She started her last company, House of Wise, during the pandemic in her garage, raised two rounds of venture capital and sold it in 2022 all while homeschooling three young children as a single mom. She found love again and lives with her partner and 3 kiddos in Miami, FL after a decade dodging hustle culture in NYC.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Episode 469 features Timothy Springer, Founder of Level Access and 1 to 100.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:50 Traveling and Balancing Work

03:57 Current Projects and AI Innovations

07:44 Partnerships and Entrepreneurial Support

11:51 Coaching and Operational Guidance

15:52 Goal Setting and Planning

19:52 Persistence and Overcoming Challenges

23:45 Market Timing and Business Viability

27:35 Finding Product-Market Fit

28:24 The Reality of Startup Timelines

30:36 Sales Strategies and Market Focus

35:11 Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes

40:11 Mindset Shifts Across Revenue Stages

47:29 Founder-Led Sales: When to Transition

53:14 Actionable Insights for Founders

Find Tim Online:

https://1to100.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/1-to-100/

https://x.com/1_to_100m

About Tim:

Tim Springer built a B2B technology company from his Stanford dorm room to $100M+ in annual recurring revenue—a path traveled by only 1 in 2,500 tech startups.

His story isn't about overnight success. It's about consistent execution over 25 years, navigating economic downturns, solving complex scaling challenges, and building sustainable growth. Tim's unique advantage? A rare combination of technical depth and operational expertise that bridges the gap between product innovation and organizational mechanics.

Throughout his career, Tim has maintained a commitment to both technical excellence and ethical business practices. His experience spans multiple economic cycles, from navigating the dot-com bust to the 2008 financial crisis, bolstering his leadership approach with resilience and adaptability.

Now, through peer benchmarking and battle-tested scaling methodologies, Tim helps CEOs cut through the noise to make better decisions faster and implement growth strategies that actually work.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

Episode 468 features Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup).

Find Jessica Online:

Website: https://www.getalfa.ai

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pely/

About Jessica:

Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, is pioneering a finance-led approach to B2B sales, go-to-market strategy, and revenue growth. As Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup), she leads the development of an AI-driven platform that transforms complex market signals into precise, actionable insights for sales, marketing, and finance teams.

Jessica brings together a PhD in Financial Economics, a background in Computer Science, and hands-on entrepreneurial execution. She has collaborated with Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler, exploring the intersection of behavioral economics and decision-making, and began her career in quantitative finance and predictive modeling.

Her passion for redefining GTM strategy grew from a common challenge: sales teams drowning in data yet struggling to identify the accounts that matter most. Alfa was created to solve this, deploying AI research agents that identify high-value accounts, map markets, and adapt continuously to real-time changes, enabling companies to penetrate markets with precision and scale revenue smarter.

Recognized as the “Queen of Leads,” Jessica has been named among the Top 100 People in SaaS, and awarded Salesperson of the Year. Beyond her company, she is an active mentor, investor, and coach, championing the next generation of innovators in SaaS, FinTech, and AI.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

In episode 467, I'm joined by Pete Kazanjy, author of Founding Sales, and one of the earliest voices behind the “founder-led sales” movement. Pete shares lessons from building and scaling startups, the critical mindset shifts founders must make when selling, and why focusing on your ideal customer profile (ICP) is key to growth. From when to hire your first sales rep to the biggest blind spots founders face, this conversation is packed with practical insights for any early-stage entrepreneur navigating sales for the first time.

Find Pete Online:

Website: https://www.foundingsales.com/

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

Twitter: https://x.com/Kazanjy

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

Substack: https://founderledsalesstories.substack.com

Founder-Led Sales Stories Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GktosGS97HbPoVr8jq5T1

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

On this week's episode, I welcome in Andy Milligan to explore the art of entrepreneurship and personal growth. Discover how to balance ambition with authenticity and transform challenges into opportunities. Perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs and creatives eager to elevate their game and mindset.

Find Andy Online:

Website: ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net⁠

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

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

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

Link To Podcast You Host (if applicable): ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net/podcast⁠

About Andy:

I’m Andy Milligan, and I run a design and marketing consultancy called MMG Design. I help startups and small marketing teams improve the design and strategy of their website through redesign sprints, audits, and strategy sessions.

My story isn't super glamorous, but the theme is consistent in that I always show up and learn the next step along the way.

After playing college golf at Methodist University and transferring, I joined a small marketing team at the University of Findlay, where I started taking on freelance projects, unpaid, for small businesses locally. That experience introduced me to design, branding, doing it on the job and I quickly became obsessed with this concept of how design could drive real business results and seeing it firsthand. After graduation, I landed a job as a marketing designer near Columbus, Ohio, but after a layoff, I went all in on building my own business. That was coming up two years ago and I haven’t looked back or had another job since.

I got started like most people do, saying yes to freelance gigs I probably wasn’t ready for. But with each project, I got sharper: better strategy, better systems, and a much clearer sense of what I actually bring to the table from a design standpoint, and it led me to slowly niche down into websites and design strategy.

Along the way, I also launched Marketing by Design, my podcast where I talk with marketers, founders, and creatives about how to do this work in a way that actually feels sustainable and effective. It’s been a way to connect with people I admire, sharpen my thinking, and build trust with others in the space. I started posting on Linkedin every day since the layoff, and it's been a huge reason as to why I'm able to make the business work and meet my goals.

Right now, I’m based in Springfield, Ohio, working from a quiet apartment studio that gives me time to focus, reflect, and get better at what I do. I’m currently the VP of membership for the AMA Columbus chapter and involved with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. I spend at least 2 days per week doing in-person meetings with clients or other marketers in Columbus, and my time is spent between fulfillment of client projects and content.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

This week's episode welcomes in Gabe Marusca, a business development strategist and host of the Authority in the Wild Podcast.

Find Gabe Online:

Website: ⁠https://www.gabemarusca.com⁠

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

Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/GabeMarusca⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/GabeMarusca⁠

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

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

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

Authority In The Wild Podcast: ⁠https://authorityinthewild.com

About Gabe:

Gabe's focus is on helping established coaches and consultants serve clients better and longer, doing what they love and know best. Gabe's being driven by the mission to help 10,000 individuals achieve freedom through entrepreneurship.

Having lived through earning a mere $200 paycheck, experiencing burnout, and repeatedly rebuilding from scratch, Gabe deeply understands resilience and adaptation.

Over six years ago, he sold everything, bought a one-way ticket to Asia, and began traveling across continents. He's now visited 27 countries and lived in more than 10, proving his belief that anyone can design a fulfilling life without compromising their health or personal relationships.

When he's not developing new business strategies or engaging with industry leaders on podcasts, you'll likely find Gabe exploring tropical jungles, hiking active volcanoes, or swimming in the ocean.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

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

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠