Most founders dream of building a business that runs without them, but the reality? They’re trapped in sales and can’t break free. If you feel like your business can’t grow without you closing every deal, this episode is for you.

I sit down with Brian Smith, an expert in scaling service-based businesses, to break down:

✅ Why founder-led sales is crucial early on but a growth killer later

✅ The trap of relying on referrals (and what it really says about your positioning)

✅ How to make faster, smarter decisions to accelerate growth

✅ Why most sales hires fail and how to remove yourself from the process

✅ The shift from selling value to building authority (and why it changes everything)

If you’re stuck in the day-to-day grind, this episode will show you how to escape, scale, and finally build a business that runs without you.

Episode Highlights

"Founder-led sales is a necessity early on, but it becomes a growth killer later." - John Rankins

"Most founders are trapped in their business because they never learn how to delegate sales." - Brian Smith

"Success isn’t about working harder, it’s about making smarter, faster decisions." - John Rankins

"Too many founders get stuck ‘playing office’ instead of solving the real problems in their business." - Brian Smith

"The biggest mistake founders make? They think hiring a salesperson will solve their sales problem." - John Rankins

"Most service businesses sell the process instead of selling the transformation, that’s why they struggle to scale." - Brian Smith

Chapters

(02:56) - The Journey of Entrepreneurship

(05:48) - Founder-Led Sales: The Key to Success

(09:02) - Overcoming Resistance in Sales

(11:58) - Sales Methodology: From Service to Transformation

(14:57) - The Role of Advisory Services in Business Growth

(18:03) - Challenges in Scaling Service Businesses

(21:04) - Success Stories: Learning from Experience

(30:45) - Maximizing Kitchen Capacity for Revenue Growth

(31:30) - The Importance of Fast Decision-Making

(32:57) - Building Trust and Delegating Sales

(34:45) - Overcoming Growth Challenges from 7 to 8 Figures

(38:17) - Identifying Ideal Client Profiles

(40:47) - Marketing to Repel Wrong Fit Clients

(44:21) - Navigating Go-To-Market Strategies

(46:05) - Defining Situational Ideal Client Profiles

(52:29) - Solving Bigger Problems for Bigger Companies

Connect with Brian Smith

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

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

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

Connect with John Rankins

Website: https://thesalesmachine.com/

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

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

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesalesmachineofficial/

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