Sparking The Fuse

Tony Stemen of Talent Growth Partners shares how to grow a people-first business with AI.

Learn how AI can free up time for relationships instead of replacing them.

Talent acquisition and leadership lessons from nearly 20 years in recruiting.

Chris Cook interviews Tony Stemen of Talent Growth Partners, who draws on nearly 20 years in talent acquisition to explain how the firm grew from executive recruiting into broader people consulting. They discuss using AI to create efficiencies while protecting human relationships, adapting hiring practices to candidates’ real needs, and what it takes to grow without losing a people-first culture.

Key Takeaways

- Use AI to free up time for relationships, not to automate human connection

- AI tools built on company data save recruiters two to five hours a week

- There is no such thing as a perfect candidate

- Separate non-negotiable skills from wish-list criteria

- Repeated vacancies can point to onboarding or development gaps

- Leaders must examine their own capabilities and be willing to evolve

Chapters

00:00 Meet Tony Stemen and Talent Growth Partners

01:25 From Christian education degree to recruiting

03:14 How resume mining sparked a talent-sourcing career

06:14 Turning sourcing expertise into a 15-person team

09:04 The founding team’s complementary strengths

11:08 Why the firm expanded beyond executive search

14:04 Helping clients address the real problem

16:01 AI efficiencies without automating human connection

18:16 The ambition to triple the business in five years

20:43 AI change and leadership humility as growth challenges

24:11 Protecting a people-first culture as the firm scales

26:39 Hiring for the whole person, not just the resume

29:19 Why there is no perfect candidate

32:30 Adaptability, critical thinking, and human connection

37:10 Why in-person connection still matters

40:26 Where to connect with Tony and Talent Growth Partners

Keywords: Tony Stemen, Talent Growth Partners, talent acquisition, executive recruiting, leadership development, people operations, AI in recruiting, business growth, human connection, hiring, Sparking the Fuse

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today’s Guest

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

Website: https://www.talentgrowthpartners.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Simon Zryd, founder of Denver Business Coach, shows how to build a business you can actually sell.

Learn the growth plateaus, leadership skills, and enterprise value moves that prepare you for exit.

A practical conversation on scaling, strategic planning, and exit-first thinking for small business owners.

In this episode of Sparking the Fuse, Chris sits down with Simon Zryd, founder of Denver Business Coach. Simon shares his path from Switzerland to entrepreneurship and what he has learned about building a business that lasts. They cover the stages of growth, the capacity plateaus that stall owners, how to build a leadership team, and why enterprise value is the real measure of impact. Simon also explains how to adapt your business model for expansion and prepare for exit by building transferable assets.

Key Takeaways

- Start with the end in mind to build a saleable business

- Humble beginnings can lead to big growth with the right strategy

- Scaling requires developing leadership and management skills

- Strategic planning is often overlooked in small businesses

- Building a community within your advisory network enhances value

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Simon Zryd and Denver Business Coach

01:56 Simon’s journey from Switzerland to entrepreneurship

04:02 Evolution of Denver Business Coach and its vision

06:01 Key lessons on growing a successful business

09:51 Common growth plateaus and how to overcome them

11:56 Building leadership teams for scale

16:04 Measuring impact through enterprise value

20:08 Growth journey of Denver Business Coach

24:02 Adapting business models for expansion

28:02 Preparing for exit and building transferable assets

31:47 Future plans and exciting opportunities

35:58 Advice for entrepreneurs and continuous learning

Keywords: business growth, entrepreneurship, business scaling, exit strategy, enterprise value, leadership, business coaching, strategic planning, business valuation, Simon Zryd, Denver Business Coach, Sparking the Fuse

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today’s Guest

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

Website: https://denverbusinesscoach.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Regan Bach went from whitewater kayaking to executive coaching. Here is how better teams turn conflict into high performance.

Learn why trust, healthy disagreement, and following your instincts define great leaders.

Hear Regan Bach of Better Faster Further on culture, coaching, and systemic change.

Regan Bach shares his path from whitewater kayaking to executive coaching and entrepreneurship. We talk about how athletic principles carry into corporate leadership, why trust and healthy conflict drive high-performing teams, and how repetition builds confidence in executive roles. Regan also covers systemic change, growing a coaching firm through reputation, and where Better Faster Further is headed.

Key Takeaways

- Trust your instincts as a leader and make decisions confidently

- Healthy conflict is essential for high-performing teams, so avoid toxic or passive conflict

- Repetition and experience build confidence in executive roles

- Effective coaching combines academic frameworks with real-world experience

- Organizations thrive when leaders create trust and accountability

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Regan Bach and his background

01:05 From whitewater kayaking to executive coaching

02:20 Lessons learned from action sports and outdoor adventures

04:32 The role of coaching in developing raw talent

08:18 How coaching helps break patterns and improve performance

09:03 The founding of Better Faster Further

11:05 Systemic change and scaling organizations

14:06 Overcoming imposter syndrome in executive roles

16:09 The importance of experience and real-world learning

18:50 Growth through word of mouth and reputation

21:50 What makes organizations high performing

23:38 Healthy conflict and team dynamics

26:04 Leadership style and organizational culture

28:43 Adapting to different organizational stages

33:48 The science and art of organizational change

36:02 Mental models for understanding organizations

38:37 Future vision for Better Faster Further

41:49 Integrating wellness and performance in leadership

43:07 Advice for entrepreneurs and leaders

45:32 Connecting with Regan Bach and next steps

Keywords

leadership, high performance, executive coaching, organizational culture, conflict resolution, team trust, entrepreneurship, systemic change, coaching

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

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

Website: https://betterfasterfurther.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Daniel Duty, CEO of Conlego, shows why negotiation is problem-solving, not a battle.

Learn how motivations, interests, and expectations shape better business deals and partnerships.

Plus how Portager AI helps retailers organize and analyze vendor proposals.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Daniel Duty takes us from Capitol Hill to corporate law, then to building negotiation teams at General Mills and Target. Now, as CEO of Conlego, he helps businesses negotiate smarter. We talk about the Michael Jordan Wheaties deal, common misconceptions about negotiation, cultural differences in negotiating styles, and why long-term partnerships beat win-lose tactics. Daniel also introduces Portager, an AI platform that helps retailers organize and compare vendor proposals, and shares his vision for negotiation technology across the retail process.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- Negotiation is more about problem-solving than battle

- Understanding motivations and interests leads to better deals

- Setting the right expectations shapes negotiation outcomes

- Deep industry experience combined with negotiation skills is unique

- Portager AI helps retailers organize and analyze proposals

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and guest background

01:03 Transition from government to corporate law and negotiation

02:36 Michael Jordan Wheaties deal and negotiation insights

04:00 Building a negotiation team at General Mills and Target

05:20 Creating value through negotiation and partnership

06:55 Developing negotiation skills and mental models

10:57 Common misconceptions about negotiation

12:20 Problem-solving approach versus win-lose tactics

14:36 Cultural implications in negotiation styles

18:06 Growth and future opportunities for Conlego

26:15 Introduction to Portager AI platform

28:45 Using Portager for retail vendor negotiations

32:18 Expanding into new retail categories and brands

34:29 Future vision for Conlego and negotiation technology

36:26 Integrating negotiation tools across the retail process

38:36 Closing thoughts and next steps for listeners

KEYWORDS

negotiation, business deals, retail partnerships, negotiation strategies, Conlego, Portager, negotiation training, retail ecosystem, AI in negotiation

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

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

Website: https://conlego.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Kash Rocheleau left the corporate CEO seat to build something of her own — and learned that growth creates as many problems as it solves.

In this episode of Sparking the Fuse, Chris sits down with Kash Rocheleau, Owner of Outgrow Accounting & Finance.

They dig into networking, understanding your financials, and what a fractional CFO actually does for a small business.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Kash Rocheleau shares her journey from corporate CEO to entrepreneur, and what it took to build Outgrow Accounting & Finance from the ground up. She and Chris talk through why relationship-building drives business development, how financials tell a story that should shape your decisions, and how she thinks about managing internal growth challenges while balancing business and personal life. They also get into the evolving role of fractional CFOs and why small businesses should rethink financial leadership.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- Relationship-building and networking are the foundation of sustainable business development

- Your financials tell a story — learning to read and communicate that story drives better decisions

- Growth creates internal challenges that need to be managed deliberately, not reactively

- A fractional CFO gives small businesses financial leadership without the full-time cost

- East Coast and West Coast business cultures differ in ways that shape how you build relationships

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Journey to Entrepreneurship

03:26 Building Outgrow: The Early Days

06:38 Networking and Relationship Building

11:18 Understanding Financials: The Language of Business

19:56 The Structure of Outgrow: Team and Clients

25:22 Cultural Differences: East Coast vs. West Coast

32:19 The Role of a Fractional CFO

35:09 Rethinking Financial Leadership for Small Businesses

38:13 Navigating Internal Growth Challenges

43:08 Balancing Business Growth and Personal Life

44:56 Vision for the Future of Outgrow

47:25 Connecting and Building Relationships in Business

KEYWORDS

entrepreneurship, finance, networking, growth strategies, fractional CFO, business development, leadership, small business, Outgrow Accounting

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kash-rocheleau-a0678528/

Website: https://outgrowaccounting.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Dylan Hendrickson built Staxx into a 30-person, nearly $4M fractional CFO firm without ever becoming a CPA.

In this episode, he explains why most business owners are running their company off the wrong financial statement entirely.

From college football to private equity playbooks, this is how cash — not profit — becomes the real decision-making tool.

Dylan Hendrickson started his accounting business while playing college football and finishing his master's degree, eventually merging it with his business partner's firm to form Staxx. He shares why he still recommends an accounting degree, how Staxx's ideal client profile evolved, and why most business owners are confused about their finances because they're managing cash off a P&L instead of a 13-week cash flow forecast.

- Dylan built his accounting business while playing college football, doing one small thing daily to move it forward.

- Staxx formed when Dylan merged his solo practice with his business partner's firm after meeting at an industry event.

- Hiring ahead of need and stepping out of service delivery early made Staxx scalable, not founder-dependent.

- A P&L can't manage cash; a 13-week cash flow forecast can, and that's the real gap for most business owners.

- Staxx's ideal client typically does $1M-$30M in revenue, needing more than a bookkeeper but not yet an in-house team.

- A clear sign it's time for outside help: making decisions purely off the bank balance and gut feeling.

00:00 - Intro

00:37 - College football and building a business at once

03:14 - How Staxx came together

09:17 - Building for the long term over quick wins

11:24 - Why Dylan still recommends accounting

17:49 - What Staxx looks like today

20:43 - How the offer has evolved

22:28 - The ideal client profile

23:43 - CFO-ready vs. controller-ready

28:23 - Why cash flow forecasting beats the P&L

32:00 - In-house accountants vs. fractional CFOs

35:23 - How long engagements last

37:45 - The hardest part of scaling right now

43:22 - Messaging, pricing, and positioning

46:32 - Balancing marketing, sales, and ops

49:18 - Where to find Dylan and Staxx

fractional CFO, cash flow forecasting, Staxx, Dylan Hendrickson, small business CFO, cash flow vs profit, scaling a service business, financial advisory, business exit planning, entrepreneurship

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-hendrickson-113419153/

Website: https://www.startstaxx.pro/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Olivia Tillema helped automate a workflow that saved 91,000 hours in a single year.

From a remote support gig to rebuilding operations for Bungie, she now runs her own ops agency, t2i collective.

This episode breaks down the systems thinking that helps small businesses scale without burning out the team.

Olivia Tillema went from a remote support role to rebuilding operations inside Bungie, one of the gaming industry's biggest studios, before launching her own boutique agency, T2i Collective. In this episode, she shares her systems-based approach to operations, how tools like Asana can transform team workflows, and the surprising amount of time (and money) the right systems can save a growing business.

Key Takeaways:

- Systems thinking is crucial for operational success

- Automation can save thousands of hours annually

- Understanding team responsibilities improves project flow

Chapters:

00:00 From Layoff to Opportunity: Olivia's Journey

02:03 The Evolution of Remote Work and Operations

05:08 Navigating Career Transitions and Freelancing

08:15 Landing the Bungie Project: A Game Changer

11:14 Current State of T2I Collective: Growth and Challenges

14:01 Understanding Operations: The RACI Framework

17:18 Industry Insights: Communication and Workflow Improvements

23:14 Transforming Efficiency with Automation

24:38 Setting Growth Goals and Expanding Reach

26:26 Building Connections and Networking

27:27 Passion for Work and Personal Fulfillment

Keywords: operations, systems, Asana, remote work, startup growth, process improvement, freelancing, Bungie, video game industry, business scaling

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-tillema-329599138/

Website: https://t2icollective.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Saim Abbasi built multiple businesses before most people finish school.

His edge? Speed and systems — executed before doubt sets in.

Here's what that looks like in practice.

Saim Abbasi is the founder of SA Digital Media Group, a multi-venture digital media and incubation company. In this episode, he breaks down how he moved from university startups during COVID to acquiring and scaling businesses across industries — and what he learned about execution, systems, and the evolving role of generalists in an AI-driven world.

Key Takeaways:

- Speed to market is a competitive advantage — move ideas forward within 48 hours

- Build systems early so the business runs without you

- Make yourself unnecessary by day 90 — that's the goal

- Generalists have a growing edge in the AI era

- Exits and acquisitions are tools, not endpoints

- Identify bottlenecks in planning before they become bottlenecks in execution

00:00 Introduction to Saim Abbasi's Journey

00:40 Navigating University During COVID-19

04:07 From Ideation to Execution: Launching a Business

05:54 The Acquisition Experience

08:07 Building Multiple Ventures Simultaneously

09:46 Influences from Family and Early Lessons

13:24 Overview of SA Digital Media Group

17:07 The Intersection of Technology and Business

19:06 Ideal Clients and Mentorship

21:19 The Need for Generalists in Today's Market

27:12 Becoming Unnecessary: Systems Thinking in Business

30:56 Staying Focused Amidst Multiple Projects

34:08 Identifying Bottlenecks in Planning

36:13 Building Buffers for Success

36:56 Collaborative Opportunities and Networking

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Speed to Market, Systems Building, AI, Generalists, Business Growth, Startup, Mergers, Marketing, Leadership

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

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

Website: https://www.samedia.io/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/

Most business owners wait too long to plan their exit — and it costs them.

Brennan Decima of Decima Wealth Consulting breaks down what smart retirement planning actually looks like.

If you're a business owner, this one's for you.

Brennan Decima built his practice around the clients most advisors underserve — business owners navigating the emotional and financial complexity of stepping away. In this episode, he and Chris dig into the blind spots that derail exit strategies, why identity and social connection matter as much as the numbers, and the behavioral mistakes investors make when markets get rough.

Key Takeaways:

- Business owner retirement involves more stakeholders and emotional weight than most planning accounts for

- The human side of financial planning gets sacrificed when firms chase efficiency

- Social connections are critical to mental health post-retirement

- Start planning your exit at least five years out

- Overconfidence leads investors to carry more risk than they need

- Separate your identity from your business before you exit — not after

Chapters:

00:00 Navigating Business Owner Retirement Planning

03:01 The Shift to Independent Wealth Management

05:51 Identifying Retirement Blind Spots

08:41 Planning for Business Exit Strategies

11:43 Investing Behavior and Risk Management

14:44 The Challenges of Building a Personal Brand

17:30 Growth Strategies for Financial Advisors

Keywords: retirement planning, business owners, wealth management, financial independence, exit strategies, investing behavior, risk management, personal branding, growth strategies, financial advice

🔗 Connect With Chris

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

Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/

🔗 Connect With Today's Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-decima/

Website: https://decimawealth.com/

🎧 Listen on Other Platforms

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431

📸 Socials

Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/