The Cort Brady Podcast

Think hiring global talent is risky, complicated, or only for big companies?

Think again.

In this episode, I break down how we went from a 30-person local office to a 65-person global team across 12 countries—without sacrificing quality, culture, or control.

You’ll learn:

The 2 false beliefs holding most founders back from hiring internationally

How to start small and scale global hiring with confidence

Where to find top talent and how to handle compliance without headaches

Why treating international employees like core team members changes everything

If you’re not hiring internationally, your competitors are—saving 60% on labor while expanding their talent pool exponentially.

This isn’t theory. It’s the exact playbook we’ve used—and you can too.

Most founders try to fix low performance by throwing money at the problem—bonuses, perks, raises. I did it too. And I was dead wrong.

In this episode, I’ll show you how to double your team’s productivity without spending a single extra dollar.

You’ll learn:

Why accountability culture is broken—and what to replace it with

How to define clear outcomes that drive ownership and output

Why spending time with your top performers creates exponential ROI

And why keeping one C-player is silently killing team morale and momentum

If your team feels stuck or you're scaling without results, this might be the exact mindset shift you need. No raises. No new hires. Just output.

Most founders think the key to success is knowing when to pivot.

But what if that instinct is exactly what’s killing your momentum?

In this episode, Cort Brady breaks down why pivoting too early—and too often—is one of the most common startup killers. Drawing from his own experience building an 8-figure service company, he reveals why most founders quit right before they strike gold… and what to do instead.

You’ll learn:

Why boredom—not failure—is the biggest threat to your success

The “oil drilling” analogy that will forever change how you think about strategy

A simple system that guarantees you always extract the full value of your ideas

How to layer and test new approaches without abandoning your current path

If you're a founder stuck in indecision—this episode could save you years of wasted time.

The right business partner will multiply your momentum.

The wrong one? They’ll drain your energy, dilute your vision, and make you hate waking up.

I’ve had both.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the 5 signs you’ve found the perfect business partner—based on years of leading, splitting, stepping down, and staying in the game.

We’ll cover:

How to spot true complementary strengths (and avoid clones)

Why vibe matters more than most founders admit

The real test for motivation alignment—and how to avoid the “slow drift”

Why clear leadership isn’t optional, even in a 50/50 partnership

And the difference between a partner and an employee (hint: one bails when it gets hard)

If you’re in a partnership now—or thinking about starting one—this episode might save you from years of regret.

👊 Drop a comment if you want me to dive deeper into deal structures, equity splits, or partnership exits in future episodes.

If you’re a founder who can’t shut off—even when things are going well—this episode is for you.

I never struggled with anxiety… until I became a CEO.

A few years in, I couldn’t sleep. Every notification felt like a fire. I was constantly reacting, spiraling, and pretending everything was fine. That’s the hidden cost of leadership most people don’t talk about.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the 3 tactics that actually worked—the ones that helped me reclaim my focus, lead with clarity, and finally feel free again.

You’ll learn:

How to train your brain for calm (in under 12 minutes a day)

Why most founders are addicted to tension—and how to break the cycle

The single habit that helps you build freedom without stepping away completely

This isn’t therapy. It’s tactical, practical, and built from experience.

Most founders think growth is the goal — but growth without the right foundation? That’s a death sentence.

In this episode, I break down the real reason most companies fail right after their biggest year — and walk you through the 3 must-haves before you scale.

You’ll learn:

What product-market fit actually means (and how to know if you have it)

Why being the “hub” will kill you past 12 employees — and what to build instead

How to use your cash conversion cycle to scale with confidence, not chaos

If you're about to pour fuel on the fire, listen to this first — or risk accelerating straight off a cliff.

The real choke point in most growing companies isn’t strategy, it’s structure—specifically, the lack of a strong mid-level management layer.

In this episode, I break down the three hard-won secrets to building middle management that actually works. The kind that protects your culture, raises your standards, and gives you your time back—without letting quality slip.

You’ll learn:

Why promoting one manager is a recipe for confusion—and how hiring in twos creates clarity and accountability

How to properly onboard and coach new leaders without micromanaging or disappearing

Why outcomes—not process—are the foundation of scalable leadership

If your team still relies on you for every decision, it’s not a team—it’s a trap. This episode shows you how to fix that.

🎧 Listen now and start building the layer that sets you free.

—

Subscribe to The Cort Brady Podcast for daily insights on building high-performing teams, scaling with clarity, and stepping out without selling.

In this episode, I break down the exact framework I used to go from 80-hour weeks to 8-hour months — while the business kept growing without me.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why most founders get stuck in the “decision bottleneck” trap

✅ The 5-step system to build a self-managing business

✅ How to define winning, create ownership, and set the rhythm

✅ Real stories of founders who stepped out — and saw growth accelerate

This isn’t about selling your company or checking out too early.

It’s about building a team of leaders who think, act, and win without you.

👇 Want the framework I teach in this episode?

Type framework in the comments — I’ll send it to you.

I cut every meeting from my calendar—and for a minute, it felt like freedom.

Then everything started breaking.

Alignment vanished. Morale dipped. My inbox exploded.

Turns out, meetings weren’t the problem. Bad meetings were.

So I rebuilt my entire 1:1 process from scratch—studying what actually works, borrowing from the best, and testing every element myself.

Now? My weekly 1:1s are the highest-leverage thing I do as a founder.

In this episode, I walk you through the exact 6-step framework I use to run powerful, productive 1:1s that:

Build trust

Align priorities

Reinforce culture

And drive performance—without micromanaging

If you’re tired of time-wasting check-ins that go nowhere, this episode will change how you lead—forever.

“You’re the reason your company is stuck.”

That’s what a $1B CEO told me to my face—and he was right.

In this episode, I share the 3 brutal truths he gave me that completely changed how I lead. They were direct, uncomfortable, and exactly what I needed to hear:

Why “being lazy” is actually the smartest leadership move you can make

How defensiveness is silently killing your culture and growth

The difference between vague, damaging feedback—and sharp feedback that drives real development

If you’re still the one solving everything in your business, this is your wake-up call.

This episode will show you how to get out of the weeds, empower your team, and finally scale without becoming the bottleneck.

Founders: if you want freedom without selling—start here.

🎧 Listen now.

👉 And if it hits home, share it with another founder who needs to hear the hard truth.