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In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Charles Fry, Founder and CEO of Codexitos, to tackle one of the most challenging transitions for small business owners: moving from founder-driven sales to building a professional sales organization.
Charles has been in technology since before the internet took shape, founding and growing multiple companies over the decades. With deep experience in scaling businesses, he shares the real-world lessons he’s learned about letting go of being the “only salesperson” and building a sustainable sales team that drives growth.
Together, Corey and Charles dive into:
Charles introduces his framework of three phases for founders transitioning out of being the sole salesperson:
Throughout the conversation, Charles emphasizes the nuances of leadership in sales: balancing the founder’s natural ability to “close deals” with the need to empower a team, maintaining patience with new hires as they learn, and putting systems in place to measure performance. He stresses the value of having a clear sales methodology—whether Challenger, SPIN, or another approach—so everyone is speaking the same language and working from the same playbook.
As a mentor once told him, the role of the CEO is ultimately to be the “Cash Extraction Officer.” Charles explains how founders can best serve as closers—brought in for the final inning when their authority and vision matter most—while the sales team does the heavy lifting of qualification and relationship building.
For business owners feeling trapped as the sole driver of revenue, Charles provides actionable steps:
If you’ve been struggling to step out of the salesperson role—or if you’ve felt the frustration of bad hires, inconsistent results, or being the “rate limiter” on growth—this episode is packed with strategies to help you break free from founder-led sales and build a scalable, repeatable sales engine.
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Charles: https://codexitos.com/
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
If you’ve ever looked at your business and thought, “I know something’s wrong here, but I can’t figure out what it is… or how to fix it,” this episode is for you.
I call this stage The Unsure Business Owner—the second stop in our Key Owner Stages Series. Last time, we covered the Overwhelmed Owner, where the wheels fall off. The Unsure stage is different—you’re still moving, but the wheels are wobbly. You feel the problems, but you’re not sure what’s causing them, how to fix them, or what will happen when you do.
What Being “Unsure” Feels Like
Maybe sales aren’t closing like they used to. Maybe operations is slipping—quality is down, deadlines missed, and you’re stuck firefighting. Or maybe it’s people—loyal employees who once carried you but now can’t keep up. You’re torn between loyalty and performance.
So you wait, hoping things turn around. But when weeks turn into months, indecision costs you your best people. High performers hate working beside tolerated underperformance. They leave, while underperformers become entrenched.
Why This Stage Is Dangerous
Hesitation weakens culture, results decline, and the very people you can’t afford to lose start heading for the exits.
The Big Mistakes Unsure Owners Make
Three common traps:
Why Diagnosis Matters
The problem isn’t always where you see it. Sales might be down, but operations could be the real constraint. A client once thought they needed a GM; we found sales was fine—operations was the issue. They didn’t need a GM; they needed a Director of Operations. Within weeks, the business turned around.
Hiring for the Business You Want
Most owners hire for where they are. That’s a mistake. If you’re a $10M company aiming for $50M, hire someone who’s already run $50M. At KeyHire, every hire is measured against:
Unless they score at least 80% across all three, we don’t move forward.
Avoiding the “Two Hammers” Problem
If someone only has a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Replace one hammer with another, and nothing changes. Every new hire should bring tools and skills that expand your business.
How to Move from Unsure to Confident
Here’s the path forward:
Tighten those wobbly wheels, and you’ll be ready for the next phase: the Curious Business Owner, where you start asking, “What else is possible?”
Three Key Takeaways:
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, listen to the full episode now.
Connect with the Experts
Be KeyHire’s Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram @keyhiresolutions
Connect with Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
More: https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
As a small business owner, there’s a moment when you realize that being in control of everything is no longer helping your business—it’s holding it back. You’re wearing too many hats, every process runs through you, and your team can’t make a move without your approval. Sound familiar? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Kristina Tyler, Coach & Business Partner at Flow Fiero, to talk about how to break free from the daily grind and step into true leadership.
Kristina has helped countless entrepreneurs make the leap from “doing” to “leading.” She knows the emotional and operational challenges that come with letting go—whether it’s the fear that no one can do things as well as you, the discomfort of not being the smartest person in the room, or the burnout that creeps in when you’re always putting out fires. Drawing from her background in high-performance sports coaching and her work with leaders worldwide, Kristina introduces her proven TEAM model—Trust, Engagement, Alignment, and Mobilization—and explains why starting with mobilization can leave your culture feeling “empty.”
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
• The three game-changing questions every business owner should ask before stepping back from daily operations: What game am I playing? Who am I playing against? What do I need to do to win?
• Why burnout, bottlenecks, and the inability to take a real vacation are red flags that you need to transition into leadership.
• How to identify whether performance issues are systemic (process and culture related) or individual (the wrong person in the wrong role).
• The emotional side of leadership change, including overcoming what Corey calls being “addicted to chaos.”
• How to build trust and alignment so your team can make decisions, take ownership, and drive results without you micromanaging.
Kristina and Corey also tackle one of the hardest realities in business growth: sometimes the people who helped you build your company aren’t the ones who can take it to the next level. You’ll hear practical advice on how to navigate these moments with transparency, respect, and a focus on shared success.
Whether you’re at $1 million in revenue or approaching $10 million, the lessons in this episode will help you:
• Step confidently into your role as the visionary leader of your business.
• Build a team you can trust to execute at a high level.
• Create the capacity for growth without burning out or sacrificing quality of life.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your business could survive without you for two weeks—or if you’re starting to feel like the biggest constraint in your own company—this episode is for you. Kristina’s approach blends practical tools with the mindset shifts needed to help you scale your business while actually enjoying the process.
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Kristina: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flow-fiero-llp/
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
Feeling like your business has stalled out—and no matter how hard you push, you just can’t get ahead?
In the first episode of our special Key Owner Stages series, Corey Harlock breaks down the Overwhelmed Stage—the point where growth slows to a crawl, fires never stop, and the people who helped you build your company may no longer have the skills or capacity to help you scale it.
Corey opens with the hard truth: overwhelmed owners aren’t just “busy”—they’re stuck. You’ll recognize the signs instantly: you’re deep in day-to-day work, plugging gaps your leaders should be handling, and constantly jumping from one urgent problem to another.
You’ll also learn why loyalty can be a double-edged sword. Many overwhelmed owners started with loyal, all-in employees—family, friends, neighbors—who gave everything in the early days. But as the business grows, the skill set and experience required to put scalable systems in place outgrow those early team members’ abilities. Corey calls this the Peter Principle: “Everyone rises to the level of their own incompetence.” This isn’t about bad people—it’s about good people in the wrong role for the company’s current needs.
If you’ve inherited a second- or third-generation business, the challenge can be even sharper. Long-term leaders may be comfortable maintaining a $10M operation, but resistant—or even fearful—of the changes needed to grow to $50M.
Corey also shares the most common mistakes owners make when they’re in the Overwhelmed Stage:
Then he lays out a clear, step-by-step approach to getting unstuck:
Corey emphasizes that moving out of overwhelm isn’t about instant transformation. Each smart, strategic move lets a little “air out of the tire,” relieving pressure and giving you the breathing room to address the next constraint. Over 9–18 months, these incremental wins can shift you from being a reactive firefighter to a forward-looking strategic leader.
By the end of this episode, you’ll not only know why you’re overwhelmed—you’ll have a realistic, proven blueprint to start fixing it. You’ll see how the right first hire can reset expectations for what great leadership looks like, setting the stage for your move into the next Key Owner Stage: Unsure.
Connect with the Experts
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, Corey Harlock sits down with Sean Boyle, Managing Partner at Momentum 360, to talk about a growing risk that many small businesses overlook—landing in Google Jail.
Sean breaks down exactly what this means, why it happens, and how it can tank your online visibility overnight. Whether you’re outsourcing SEO or managing it in-house, this episode will arm you with practical insights to avoid costly mistakes and stay compliant with Google’s ever-evolving rules.
Corey and Sean also explore the right way to build a sustainable digital presence, how to vet SEO vendors, and the signals that indicate your site might be heading for trouble. If your business relies on online traffic, you can’t afford to miss this one.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• What “Google Jail” is—and how it crushes online visibility
• Common SEO practices that could be doing more harm than good
• The must-ask questions before hiring an SEO vendor
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Sean: https://www.momentumvirtualtours.com/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
What if sharing your company's financial numbers could transform your workplace culture and drive unprecedented business growth? In this game-changing episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Manny Skevofilax, Principal at Portal CFO, to explore how financial transparency can revolutionize the way small business owners connect with their teams.
Corey and Manny identify a critical problem facing today's entrepreneurs: the disconnect between leadership decisions and employee understanding. When team members don't grasp the financial "why" behind company choices, it creates confusion, mistrust, and disengagement. This gap often leads to reduced productivity, higher turnover, and missed growth opportunities that could otherwise propel a small business forward.
Manny brings decades of experience working with business owners who have successfully implemented open-book management practices. He reveals how sharing financial information—when done strategically—creates a more accountable and motivated workforce that truly understands its role in the company's success. This isn't about overwhelming employees with complex spreadsheets; it's about building a workplace culture where everyone feels invested in the outcome.
Through real-world case studies and practical examples, this episode demonstrates how financial transparency can shift your team's mindset from "just doing their job" to actively contributing to business growth. Manny outlines how to introduce these concepts step-by-step without overwhelming your staff, making this approach accessible for small business owners ready to elevate their leadership.
Whether you're struggling with employee engagement, looking to improve performance, or want to build stronger trust within your organization, this conversation on The KeyHire Small Business Podcast offers actionable insights that can transform your approach to team management.
Key Takeaways:
• Strategic Financial Sharing: Learn how to introduce financial transparency gradually without overwhelming employees or compromising sensitive information.
• Motivation Through Understanding: Discover why employees perform better when they understand how their work directly impacts the company's financial health and success.
• Building Accountability: Understand how open-book practices create a culture where team members take ownership of results rather than simply completing tasks.
• Real-World Implementation: Get practical examples from businesses that have successfully used financial transparency to improve both culture and bottom-line results.
• Overcoming Fear: Address common concerns about sharing financial information and learn how to maintain appropriate boundaries while still being transparent.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about Manny: https://portalcfo.com/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
Ready to take your business to the next level? In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes David Solomon, founder of SERO Growth, to tackle one of the most critical small business challenges: expanding into new markets.
David and Corey define the core problem many entrepreneurs face: the dangerous assumption that "what works here will work everywhere." They explore how this mindset leads to costly mistakes and business failures, even for major corporations, such as Target's billion-dollar Canadian expansion disaster. Through real-world examples and strategic insights, they reveal why successful market expansion requires more than just throwing a salesperson into a new territory and hoping for the best.
This business podcast episode is packed with actionable advice for scaling a small business, whether you're considering geographic expansion or targeting new customer segments. David shares his proven three-question framework for determining market viability and discusses the critical research phase that many businesses skip. From understanding cultural differences in business practices to validating your unique value proposition, this conversation provides the roadmap for smart business growth.
Key Takeaways:
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your small business management journey, this KeyHire Solutions Podcast episode delivers the strategic framework needed to grow a small business successfully. Don't let entrepreneurship enthusiasm override sound business judgment – learn the proven approach to market expansion that protects your investment while maximizing growth potential.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about David: https://www.serogrowth.com
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing small business entrepreneurs today. Corey identifies the core problem plaguing small business management: business owners who still operate under the antiquated "tell me why I should hire you" mindset. This approach is failing in today's job market, where five positions compete for every three qualified candidates.
Corey delivers a wake-up call, revealing how poor candidate experience and weak employer branding don't just hurt recruitment—they directly damage your bottom line and customer relationships. Through compelling statistics and real-world examples, he demonstrates why small business leadership advice must evolve beyond traditional hiring approaches to survive in today's competitive landscape.
Discover how 88% of candidates become more loyal customers after positive hiring experiences, and why 55% of job seekers abandon applications after reading poor employee reviews. Corey challenges small business owners to transform their talent acquisition approach from transactional to relationship-based, emphasizing that candidates are no longer single-use resources but potential long-term brand ambassadors.
This episode provides actionable insights on creating efficient yet thorough hiring processes, building authentic employer branding that attracts aligned talent, and implementing the speed and transparency that top candidates expect. Whether you're struggling with high turnover, can't find quality candidates, or are wondering why your hiring process isn't yielding results, this KeyHire Solutions Podcast episode provides the roadmap for transformation.
Key Takeaways:
Candidate Experience Drives Business Results - Poor hiring experiences don't just lose candidates; they lose customers and damage your reputation in the marketplace.
Speed is Non-Negotiable - Top candidates remain available for only 10 days, making efficient processes essential for successful talent acquisition.
Authentic Employer Branding Attracts Right-Fit Talent - Being genuinely transparent about your culture attracts employees who thrive in your specific environment.
Online Reputation Directly Impacts Hiring Success - 55% of candidates abandon applications after reading negative employee reviews online.
Boomerang Employee Strategy - Treating departing employees with respect creates opportunities for future rehires and positive word-of-mouth marketing.
Connect with the Experts:
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
Every small business owner faces the same challenge: how do you get more sales without breaking the bank on marketing? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes Mark Newsome, CEO of YouCanMarketOnlineNow.com, who reveals how smart business owners are building collaborative sales processes that generate 25% more profit without the traditional high costs of customer acquisition.
Mark and Corey identify the core problem plaguing small business owners: they're treating customer relationships like disposable transactions – investing massive resources to acquire customers, only to abandon them immediately after the first purchase. Instead of nurturing these relationships and leveraging existing networks, most businesses are stuck in an expensive cycle of constantly chasing new customers while ignoring the untapped potential right in front of them.
Through real-world examples and practical strategies, Mark demonstrates how a simple "magic question" can unlock collaborative opportunities that multiply your reach without multiplying your marketing budget. From creating irresistible bounce-back offers to building valuable email lists through strategic giveaways, this episode reveals the untapped assets sitting right under your nose.
Whether you're a retailer, manufacturer, or service provider, this conversation will fundamentally shift how you think about business growth and customer acquisition. The KeyHire Podcast delivers actionable insights that transform grinding entrepreneurs into strategic growth-focused leaders.
Key Takeaways:
The Magic Question Strategy – Learn the specific question that opens doors to collaborative sales partnerships with non-competing businesses in your market.
Lifetime Customer Value – Discover how to calculate what each customer is truly worth to determine your real marketing budget and partnership investments.
Bounce-Back Offer Methodology – Master the art of market-tested, time-sensitive offers that turn one-time buyers into repeat customers who bring friends.
Email List Building Without Begging – Create compelling monthly giveaways that encourage customers to volunteer their contact information, rather than rejecting your requests.
Cross-Promotional Partnership Structure – Understand how to structure win-win arrangements where businesses share customer bases, vendor networks, and employee referrals.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn More About Mark: www.youcanmarketonlinenow.com
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Text us your comments or topic ideas for future shows.
Does your business feel stuck, busy but not making progress, with your team caught up in emergencies instead of working strategically? In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock talks with Aaron Trahan, founder and coach at Performance Mindset Coaching, about a common disruptive pattern in small business management. They explain that the “Chaos Cycle” is a damaging loop that begins with poor priority management, leads to scattered focus, results in weak execution, and prompts leaders to set even more priorities, which can worsen the problem.
Corey and Aaron deliver practical strategies for leadership development, exploring why business leaders often fall in love with complexity rather than focusing on providing value, and how this mindset becomes a barrier to sustainable business growth. Listeners will discover actionable frameworks to break free from the chaos cycle by learning to prioritize effectively, align their teams, and create sustainable systems that eliminate the need for constant firefighting.
The conversation highlights three key growth rules that help prevent businesses from collapsing under pressure. It emphasizes the importance of mastering focus as a competitive advantage and explains why consistently communicating priorities is crucial for overcoming chaos. This episode offers mindset shifts and practical frameworks that entrepreneurs can use to transform their management style and achieve lasting success.
Key Takeaways:
The Chaos Cycle Defined: Priority mismanagement creates scattered focus, leading to weak execution and prompting leaders to add more priorities, perpetuating the cycle.
Communication Imperative: Effective business leadership requires repeating priorities until you're "nauseous"—that's when your team finally understands.
Three Rules of Growth: Sustainable growth must be sustainable, create operating leverage, and never exceed your ability to manage it.
Focus as Superpower: Great companies say no to virtually everything outside their core priorities and predetermined scope.
12-6-3 Strategy: Work backwards from a 12-month vision to create 6-month milestones and 3-month priorities, connecting actions to goals. Create visuals for easy progress tracking.
Revenue Reality: "Revenue is vanity, profits are sanity, cash is king"—focus on converting revenue into sustainable cash flow.
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn More About Aaron: https://performancemindsetcoaching.co/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://www.keyhire.solutions/testimonials
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
From the publisher's feed
You have built a real business. The next stage requires more than working harder.
Scale From Here gives owners of $5M–$25M businesses the practical growth, leadership, operations, and revenue…
Scale From Here gives established small-business owners practical insight into the strategies, people, leadership decisions, and operating systems that create sustainable growth. Hosted by Corey Harlock, the show features direct conversations with operators, experts, and business leaders who understand what it takes to build capacity, lead teams, make better decisions, and move a company beyond its current ceiling.
Whether you are working to improve operations, hire stronger leaders, grow revenue, build a management layer, or reduce owner dependence, every episode is designed to leave you with clear thinking and a practical next step.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @CoreyHarlock
Join our Mailing List at scalefromhere.com