Vision With Execution

This episode of The Vision with Execution Show is a milestone for me as I welcome my first female guest, Michelle B. Griffin, a best-selling author, branding expert, and passionate advocate for visibility and empowerment. We dive deep into AI’s role in content creation, the importance of personal branding, and strategies for execution.

Michelle introduces her favorite AI tools—Fathom, Otter, and Fireflies—that act as her “trusted executive assistants” for note-taking and repurposing content. For her, talking is a form of content creation, allowing her to articulate thoughts quickly and efficiently. I share my own experience with AI-powered note-taking, emphasizing how it helps streamline podcasting.

Michelle and I discuss the gender imbalance in professional visibility. I acknowledge that most of my guests have been male simply because of my professional circles. However, I recognize the importance of female voices and want to create a platform that encourages more women to share their expertise. Michelle highlights the “visibility gap” many women face, explaining that societal pressures often make them hesitant to step into the spotlight. Her mission is to help more women “own their lane” and share their brilliance with confidence.

We explore the concept of “owning your lane” and how it differs for men and women. I share my perspective as a man, where I focus solely on my own path without much concern for external perceptions. In contrast, Michelle explains that many women consider how they are perceived by others, often battling self-doubt and imposter syndrome. She emphasizes that personal branding isn’t about self-promotion—it’s about sharing one’s gifts with the world.

Michelle’s vision is to expand her Own Your Lane framework internationally through speaking engagements, books, and training programs. To execute this, she simplifies her strategy by focusing on three key goals: publishing another book, securing more speaking opportunities, and growing her podcast reach. She also uses a vision board and specific goal-setting methods to stay on track. I resonate with this approach, as I believe specificity drives execution.

We delve into the significance of human connection, both in business and personal life. I open up about my background in addiction recovery and how I’ve learned that connection is the opposite of addiction. Michelle builds on this, explaining how human interaction fuels her energy and creativity. We also discuss perfectionism as a barrier to execution—Michelle admits she has struggled with overthinking but has worked on simplifying her approach.

Our conversation shifts to earned media, the role of PR agencies, and the decline of traditional journalism. Michelle and I discuss how paid media is increasingly becoming the norm and how consultants and branding experts can leverage third-party platforms for credibility. I explain my work in media publishing and how I help experts gain visibility.

The episode ends with a mutual appreciation for connection, execution, and visibility. Michelle reinforces the importance of getting out of one’s comfort zone, while I reflect on the value of learning from each guest. As the show evolves, I look forward to featuring more diverse voices and continuing to explore the intersection of vision and execution.

This conversation with Michelle has been a powerful reminder of the impact of sharing our voices. The cost of staying hidden is too great—it's time to own our lanes and step into visibility.

The conversation kicks off with Jamie briefly pausing to process a sales lead—an authentic moment that underscores his sales-driven mindset. Adam introduces the theme of the podcast, which centers on defining a vision and executing it effectively, and asks Jamie about his vision for 2025.

Jamie shares that his goal for 2025 is to transform GetLevrg from an obscure company into a recognizable micro-brand in the sales and marketing agency space across North America. He wants small-to-medium businesses to recognize GetLevrg as a solution for overcoming resource constraints by utilizing offshore talent. His company has achieved 10% compounded monthly growth since its inception, and with the backing of a private equity minority investment, they plan to scale three times faster in the coming year.

To execute this vision, Jamie explains how GetLevrg follows the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), as outlined in Traction by Gino Wickman. They combine EOS principles with Franklin Covey’s "rocks" methodology to break down their five-year plan into quarterly objectives. He details how their growth strategy includes inbound and outbound marketing, referral partnerships, and optimizing service delivery to ensure customer retention. Since GetLevrg operates on a recurring revenue model, maintaining satisfied clients is critical to sustaining and compounding their success.

Jamie also discusses the Level 10 meeting framework from EOS, which changed how he operates his business. Instead of constantly shifting gears based on new ideas, his leadership team follows a structured weekly meeting schedule where major decisions are voted on collectively. This system minimizes distractions and keeps the team focused on execution.

The conversation then shifts to personal motivation. Jamie reflects on his upbringing in Canada, his early exposure to entrepreneurship, and his drive to build something meaningful for his family. He shares that after experiencing financial struggles in a previous business, he became more strategic about managing costs—especially human capital. Jamie also reveals that he quit drinking a year ago, improving his mindset and self-discipline.

Adam, who is eight years sober himself, relates to Jamie’s personal growth journey and expresses appreciation for his insights. The episode wraps up with Adam discussing how his business helps clients build authority through earned media. They agree to reconnect in late February to explore how GetLevrg’s clients might benefit from these strategies.

This engaging conversation highlights Jamie’s structured approach to business growth, leadership, and personal development.

In this episode of Vision with Execution, host Adam Torkildson sits down with Jeremiah Smith, CEO of Simple Tiger, to discuss vision, execution, connection, AI, and the importance of family in business. The conversation starts lightheartedly with talk about favorite treats (chocolate and cookies) before diving into deeper topics.

Jeremiah emphasizes how remote work presents unique challenges in fostering authentic connections. As a leader of a fully remote digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, PPC, and Webflow development for B2B SaaS companies, he shares his strategies for keeping employees engaged. From Slack channels for travel, music, and life updates to fostering a company culture of support, he ensures his team feels truly connected—even without a physical office.

Jeremiah’s vision for 2025 is crystal clear: embrace AI or be left behind. He describes how AI’s rapid growth, which follows a logarithmic trajectory rather than a simple exponential one, will reshape the digital marketing landscape. Agencies that fail to integrate AI risk becoming obsolete, while those that adapt can achieve high leverage—doing more with fewer resources. He compares AI’s evolution to the historical shift in coal mining, where technology accelerated production exponentially.

His agency, Simple Tiger, is committed to staying small yet powerful, avoiding the pitfalls of scaling for the sake of it. He envisions a high-leverage boutique agency, using AI to produce world-class results at scale without ballooning the team.

A particularly emotional moment in the episode comes when Adam and Jeremiah discuss family. Both entrepreneurs acknowledge that their biggest motivation isn’t just financial success—it’s creating a life that allows them to be present with their loved ones. Jeremiah shares how Simple Tiger was designed as a results-only work environment, giving employees the freedom to focus on their families while still delivering exceptional work.

In a touching moment, he reveals that several employees recently welcomed new babies, and the team naturally stepped up to support them. This strong company culture of mutual care moved Jeremiah to tears in a recent all-hands meeting, reinforcing his belief that a thriving business should also foster thriving families.

This episode is packed with valuable insights on business strategy, the future of AI, and the balance between work and personal life. Jeremiah’s thoughtful approach to leadership, technology, and human connection offers inspiration for entrepreneurs navigating the evolving digital landscape.

Listeners who appreciate authentic, thought-provoking conversations will find plenty to take away from this discussion. Check out the full episode for a deep dive into AI, remote work culture, and what it takes to execute a powerful vision. 🚀

Paul 'AI' Allen is the founder of Ancestry.com and several other companies. He is currently building SOAR AI Studio which builds fast growing portfolio companies built on a common core of AI technology in specific verticals to uplift humanity. Learn more at Soar.com

Ramon is an attorney, real estate investor, patriot, former athlete, and is hoping to get married this year!

Andrew shares his journey into real estate investing, offering insights into his background and the strategies driving his success. The duo delves into the importance of vision and execution, highlighting personal goals for 2025 and the role of intentional planning.

The discussion takes a deep dive into BAM Capital, showcasing its innovative investment strategies and operations. Adam expresses his genuine admiration for BAM’s approach and the impact it has on its investors.

On a personal note, Andrew opens up about his fitness journey, dietary habits, and the health benefits of natural supplements. The conversation balances professional and personal growth, leaving listeners inspired to invest not only in their portfolios but also in their health and well-being.

Tune in for actionable insights and relatable moments with Andrew Hogan in this reflective and informative episode!

Dr. Low is an incredible individual with some amazing thoughts on increasing personal capabilities through mental rewiring of the brain. This is an episode you don't want to miss!

Nathan Gwilliam is the founder and CEO of the podcasting software I'm using to record this show, Podup. I'm also an investor! We talk about his vision for the company in 2025 and how he's going to execute on it. A big reveal near the end as well :)

Alec Atkinson, founder of HarvestReact and Arcane Capital, talks about recently getting married, and his vision for 2025 and how he's going to execute on it. He lives about 5 minutes away from me here in Utah!

Peter Winick is the founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage. For the past two decades he has helped individuals and organizations build and grow revenue streams through designing and growing their thought leadership platforms as well as acting as a guide and advisor for increasing business to business sales of thought leadership products. He joined me for the 3rd episode of the Vision With Execution Show