Scale Differently

Does creating thought leadership content leave you feeling drained or energized? If you find yourself dreading content creation or even avoiding it altogether, that's a sign that the framework you're using may not be aligned with your natural strengths and wiring. In this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show, I sit down with Macy Robison, a thought leadership strategist who helps people build a platform around how they're naturally wired. We dive into how to build a thought leadership approach that sounds and feels like you, including:

• Why copying a "proven" playbook doesn't always work
• How to identify your unique signal and voice
• Three ways your message lands or falls flat
• The archetypes that shape how you communicate and get results
• Using your natural style to build your platform

We also reviewed the results of my style from Macy's Resonant Thought Leader Archetype assessment, which was fascinating!

Links

• Website: https://macyrobison.com/
• Assessment: https://assessment.thoughtleaderarchetype.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macyrobison
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macyrobison/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/macyrobison/

Want to share your thoughts on this episode or ask me questions? Connect with me on Substack: https://scaledifferently.substack.com/

Interested in working with me? Book a call so we can explore working together: https://www.leanscaling.com/consult

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Ever feel like you've outgrown who you used to be, but haven't fully settled into who you're becoming? That space between the two can feel destabilizing, where you've outgrown the old version, and the new one hasn't fully settled in yet. Most people don't recognize that discomfort for what it is. They assume something is off when really they're just in the middle of an identity evolution that hasn't completed yet. In this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show, I share an example of what full embodiment looks like and what to do when you're still in the middle of a change, including:

• Why the in-between space feels so destabilizing
• The identity evolutions your business goes through without you noticing
• How to tell which side of the shift you're actually on
• How to move through the discomfort instead of staying stuck in it

Discomfort isn't always a sign that something is off or misaligned. It often means you're growing into the next level of your business or yourself.

Head over to Substack and share your thoughts on this episode: https://scaledifferently.substack.com/

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Ever look back at a decision or compromise that felt small in the moment only to realize how far it took you away from the path you wanted to be on? Founders make so many decisions every day, and even ones that don't feel 100% aligned rarely look dramatic on the surface. They look practical, like the sensible choice given everything on your plate at the time, and it's usually only later when you look back that you can see the magnitude of the impact. In this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show, I share a few of my own stories about decisions that inadvertently pulled me off course, and walk through how to spot these patterns in your own business, including:

• How a compromise turns into a habit without you noticing
• The tell that you've logic'd yourself away from what you intuitively 'knew'
• Why the people closest to you shape more of your decisions than you think
• What it looks like when you put yourself in a box someone else handed you
• How to catch the next fork in the road before you're past it

Understanding where these patterns show up for you is the key to avoiding misalignment and getting back on track.

Connect with me on Substack: https://leanscaling.substack.com/

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

How do you get people talking about you (in a good way) when you're not in the room? We all know that person whose name pops up everywhere, often before we've ever met them. Or when you ask for a referral and everyone recommends the same person to you. If you're curious what makes them so memorable and referable, and better yet how you become that person yourself, that's what we break down on this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show. I am joined by Michael Roderick, the CEO of Small Pond Enterprises and an expert in thought leadership, brand positioning, and relationship building, to talk about what it takes to become someone people remember, recommend, and want to connect with, including:

• What makes you easy to refer and remember long after a conversation
• Simple shifts to make your expertise more accessible
• The difference between aspirational and excellence buyers
• Understanding how you're naturally wired to grow your business
• How to make your messaging memorable and shareable

If you want to create an unforgettable message that makes it simple for people to naturally think of you, talk about you, and introduce you to others, you won't want to miss this episode.

Links

• Website: https://www.smallpondenterprises.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-roderick-1161571/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.roderick.940
• Twitter: https://x.com/MichaelRoderick

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

What would it feel like to make every decision in your business based on what you 'want to' do instead of what you feel like you 'have to' or 'should' do? When business owners think of freedom, they often think in terms of financial freedom or freedom of time, and those are important, but there's an even more impactful kind of freedom... Having the 'freedom of choice' and being able to make decisions from a place of alignment instead of obligation. The challenge is that most business models and scaling and growth frameworks create the opposite. In this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show, I break down how to intentionally create 'freedom of choice' in your business and I share a perspective that transformed the way I think about scaling, including:

• The 3 different types of founder freedom and how to approach each
• The hidden cost of scaling from obligation vs. alignment
• How to approach decisions so they create more flexibility
• How to redesign your business for more freedom of choice

The choices you make today create the options you'll have tomorrow.

If you're ready to redesign your business to be more aligned with the next-level vision you have, let's spend a full day together building the bridge from where you are today to where you want to take things next. Book a Scale Different Day at cristagrasso.com/different

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Most of us hit a point where the current version of our business no longer aligns with what we want or who we're becoming next. Or when we realize we've compartmentalized the different facets of who we are and we want a business that reflects ALL of us instead of strategic parts of us. Growth isn't only tied to your revenue or numbers. I find the biggest seasons of growth occur during identity evolutions, whether personally, within your business, or both. In this week's episode of the Simplify to Scale Show, I'm sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my own personal and business identity evolution and what happens when you reimagine your business to reflect all of who you are, including:

• The unintentional ways we limit ourselves
• The important things an identity shift can reveal
• Questions to ask when something no longer fits
• Showing up as ALL of you in your business
• Creating more fun and alignment in your work

Sometimes the next level is about creating space to be more of who you are.

If you're ready to reimagine your business to better reflect who you're becoming, let's spend a full day together building the bridge from where you are now to what's next. Book a Scale Different Day at leanscaling.com/different

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Are you ready to think bigger than just business revenue? Have you wondered how to turn your profits into lasting wealth? What if your investments could truly align with your values and lifestyle?

In this episode, I speak with Amelia Misenheimer, a Wealth Building Strategist who supports entrepreneurs in growing personal wealth beyond their core businesses.

We explore how to shift your mindset from focusing purely on profit to building long-term personal wealth. Amelia shares her experience in real estate and investing to share practical strategies tailored to different risk profiles, life stages, and personal interests.

We also discuss what really happens during a business exit, including the often unexpected challenges of selling a company. Amelia breaks down actionable ways to move capital from your business into investments that create lasting value. She also highlights the importance of starting early, while reinforcing that it is never too late to begin building wealth intentionally.

If you're inspired to build wealth that reflects your goals and values, this episode is for you. Connect with Amelia and start making intentional moves beyond your business.

• Wealth beyond business and personal legacy focus
• Transition from revenue to profit to wealth
• Personalization and alignment in wealth strategies
• Real estate as a wealth-building tool
• Challenges and realities of selling businesses
• Importance of early and consistent investing
• Women normalizing conversations about money Links

• Website: https://www.ameliamisenheimer.com/
• Book a discovery call: https://tidycal.com/ameliagmisen/20-min-discovery
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/ameliagmisenheimer/
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/amelia.misenheimer1/
• LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-misenheimer/
• Substack: https://ameliagmisenheimer.substack.com/

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Are you ready to finally step into your true role as a visionary founder? Have you wondered how to keep your business running at top quality without everything depending on you? Are you looking for a way to combine human expertise and AI capabilities while staying true to your brand?

In this episode, I share the importance of building a visionary operating system for your business, a foundation that helps both people and technology understand exactly how you want things done. I talk about the components that make up this system: your business's universe, your personal genius, and your decision-making code. You'll hear why capturing this unique blend is so valuable and how it supports scaling, maintaining brand integrity, and freeing you up for higher-level leadership.

If you want your business to run the way you've always envisioned, I invite you to my upcoming Founder Frequency Live event where we work together to build your visionary operating system. Let's move you into the founder seat and set your business up for lasting success.

• Visionary operating system for business success
• Differentiating business brain from visionary system
• Importance of clear team communication
• Integrating AI and human team members
• Maintaining brand integrity with automation
• Simplifying operations for sustainable scaling
• Overcoming AI hype and FOMO distractions

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

Are you feeling the call to step into a new version of yourself or your business? Are you interested in how AI can truly support your next chapter? In this episode, I share a special behind-the-scenes look into my private podcast, revealing honest insights about identity evolution in business.

I talk about how many business owners and right-hand partners are navigating not only shifts in their services but also deep internal changes. From embracing AI as a strategic asset to rethinking roles and client communication, I offer guidance on making these transitions thoughtfully. You'll hear stories from my private community and get practical advice on moving forward, whether you're adjusting what you do by a few degrees or making a big leap.

If you've been considering a transformation, this episode gives you the space and inspiration to reflect on what's next for you. I also invite you to explore my upcoming Founder Frequency Live event in Austin, where you can connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and move your ideas into action.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Identity evolution in business and leadership
• Navigating change and letting go
• Using AI as a strategic asset
• Transparent communication with clients
• Adapting to market disruptions and shifts
• Reimagining roles and personal fulfillment
• Practical strategies for sustainable scaling

If you're feeling called toward your own next evolution as a founder, join me for Founder Frequency Live in Austin, TX on June 18th-20th. Over three days together, we'll build the foundational elements that help both your team and your AI team operate at a higher level, while creating more space for you to stay in your role as the visionary leader of the business. Join me for the Founder Frequency Live experience at https://www.leanscaling.com/

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.

How do you build a business that doesn't depend solely on you? What does truly sustainable scaling look like for women entrepreneurs? How can honoring your health and rhythms actually fuel your business growth?

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Emily Sadri, a women's health nurse practitioner and entrepreneur, who shares her journey from burnout in clinical medicine to building a seven-figure practice spanning 16 states.

Emily talks about the mindset shifts, experiments, and business model changes that helped her avoid burnout, enhance retention, and create more value for her clients. Together, we discuss evolving business strategies, the importance of relationships, resisting urgency in sales, and building a long-term membership model designed for both clients' well-being and business sustainability.

If you're ready to scale your business in a way that feels aligned and supportive for both you and your clients, this episode is packed with actionable ideas and refreshing perspective.

"Remember the things that have always worked for centuries in business. Be a good human, focus on relationships, do the right thing and protect your energy."

-

In this episode, we discuss

• Sustainable scaling versus growth at all costs
• Evolving business models to fit market needs
• Women's health and hormone care approaches
• Importance of retention over initial enrollment
• Ethical marketing and eliminating false urgency
• Trusting intuition over external business advice
• Prioritizing self-care for female entrepreneurs

Links

• https://aureliahealth.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/emilysadri_np
• https://www.tiktok.com/@aureliahealthemily
• https://www.youtube.com/@aureliahealth

Founders: Are you ready to get out of the day-to-day operations of your business?

Start by joining me inside our next Scale Simpler workshop, where I help you discover the hidden factors keeping you stuck in the day-to-day.

Then join me in Extraction, where we'll spend 4 weeks together developing your founder extraction roadmap to help you finally get out of the day-to-day of the business without things falling apart.

Register for Scale Simpler at https://www.leanscaling.com/scaleworkshop and Extraction at https://www.leanscaling.com/extraction

Fractionals & Consultants: Ready to become the strategic partner that small businesses can't imagine scaling without?

Apply for our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer (CSOO) certification and become licensed to leverage our Lean Scaling System™ to simplify how you scale your clients' businesses (and your own) and step into the role founders are increasingly searching for.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/certification

Fractionals, Consultants, & Leaders: Ready to deepen your strategic leadership skills and differentiate your services to stand out in a crowded market?

Join our SOL Collective community, THE private space centered on strategic leadership, AI enablement, and defining your signature positioning for those who partner with small to mid-sized businesses.

Learn more at https://www.strategicopsinstitute.com/collective

Have questions? Want to explore partnering together to scale your business? Connect with me on my personal Instagram @cristagrasso or LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.

If you loved this episode, please help us spread the word and reach more business owners like you by leaving a 5-star rating and review. Hit subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes each Tuesday.