Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast

The Playbook for Scaling, Leadership & Business Growth

Scale Smart, Grow Fast is the podcast for executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to scale smarter—without the burnout. Each episode delivers proven strategies for leveraging your team, optimizing processes, and driving growth without getting stuck in the weeds. Hit play and start scaling today.

🎧 Where to Listen:

✅ Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast – Apple Podcasts
✅ Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast – Spotify
✅ Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast – YouTube

How to Scale Your Business Without Burning Out

January 22, 2026

How to Scale Your Business Without Burning Out Key Lessons from the Executive Edge Live Panel on Sustainable Growth Scaling a business is exciting—but for many founders, growth quietly turns into chaos, burnout, and stalled execution. In this Executive Edge Live panel, hosted by Harley Green, Founder & CEO of Workergenix, four seasoned operators and advisors share what actually makes growth scalable, sustainable, and leadership-friendly. If you’re a founder or CEO planning to scale in 2026, here’s what you need to know. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Vision Isn’t the Problem—Capacity Is Most leaders don’t lack vision. They lack bandwidth. When everything runs through the founder, growth plans collapse under calendar overload and decision fatigue. The panel emphasized planning around real capacity, not hope. Takeaway: If your time is maxed out, your growth plan is fiction. Leaders Consistently Underestimate Risk, Time, and Cost Entrepreneurs are wired to take risks—but that strength is also a liability. Philip Williams (The Numbers Advisors) shared that most leaders underestimate how long and how expensive scaling will be. Rule of thumb: Add 50% more time and money to your growth plan. Sustainable growth requires financial discipline, contingency planning, and advisors who will challenge assumptions. Scaling Requires the Right People—Not Just More People Growth exposes talent gaps fast. Justin Janowski (Faith2Influence) highlighted one of the hardest leadership responsibilities: letting go of the wrong people, even when you care about them. Holding on too long creates drag across the organization and limits who the company can become. Hard truth: Protecting the future sometimes means making uncomfortable decisions today. Simplicity Beats Complexity in Growth Planning Many growth plans fail because they’re too complex to execute. Bryan Boettger (Estate Four) introduced a powerful framework using fidelity levels: Low fidelity for long-term vision

Why You’re Still Stuck in the Day-to-Day (And How to Break Free)

January 14, 2026

Why You’re Still Stuck in the Day-to-Day (And How to Break Free) If you’re a founder or business leader still caught in the weeds—managing calendars, answering emails, and putting out fires—you’re not alone. But staying stuck in the day-to-day is not the cost of building a successful company. In a recent episode of Scale Smart, Grow Fast, host Harley Green sat down with Ken Wimberly, founder of Laundry Luv and a serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience. Ken has mastered the art of scaling with systems, service, and soul—without burning out. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Here’s what you’ll learn from his journey—and how you can apply it today. 🚧 The Trap: Doing Everything Yourself Ken’s early entrepreneurial days were all hustle, no structure. Like many founders, he thought doing it all was the only way to succeed. The breakthrough came when he realized: you can’t scale if you’re the bottleneck. 🧰 The Tools That Changed Everything To escape the grind, Ken implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—a game-changing framework that helped him align his team, define roles, and lead with clarity. He also built a powerhouse team of virtual executive assistants. One VA has been with him for over 12 years, helping run four different companies. “If you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant.” – Ken Wimberly 💡 Daily Huddles = Daily Clarity Ken starts each day with a 15-minute huddle to align priorities and check in personally with his team. These meetings, inspired by Dan Martell’s Buy Back Your Time, are followed by focused 1-on-1s. Short. Consistent. Game-changing. 🕒 Calendar Blocking = Time Ownership Ken “weaponizes” his calendar using color-coded time blocks for deep work, family, strategy, and more. His VAs overlay this framework to protect his

The New Era of B2B Marketing: Why It’s About to Get Weird (In the Best Way Possible)

January 7, 2026

The New Era of B2B Marketing: Why It’s About to Get Weird (In the Best Way Possible) Marketing isn’t what it used to be—and that’s exactly why it’s working better for those willing to adapt. In the latest episode of the Scale Smart, Grow Fast podcast, Harley Green sat down with Brad Schlachter, Fractional CMO at The Growth Syndicate, to talk about what B2B companies must do to build predictable, scalable, and sustainable growth. If you’re still thinking growth is all about performance ads and lead volume, you’re already behind. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🎯 Key Takeaways from Brad Schlachter: 1. Retention > Acquisition Acquiring leads is expensive. But retaining existing customers? That’s where the real ROI lies. Brad emphasizes that reducing churn—especially for SaaS and subscription-based businesses—should be a core growth lever, not an afterthought. 2. Align Brand and Performance Performance marketing gets clicks. But if your messaging doesn’t align with your brand’s promise, your conversions (and customer trust) will tank. One of Brad’s best examples? A Hallmark ad featuring Betty White. It wasn’t the flashiest creative—but it resonated and converted because it fit the brand perfectly. 3. Find Your “Betty White” Every brand has that one creative, message, or moment that just clicks with their ideal customer. The key is testing, analyzing beyond vanity metrics, and staying consistent with your brand voice. 4. Do Fewer Things, Better Too many teams are spread thin across a dozen disconnected campaigns. Brad suggests focusing on 2–3 strategic “marketing pillars” a year—aligning product launches, content drops, PR, and offers into unified, cross-functional campaigns. 5. AI Is a Co-Pilot, Not a Replacement AI tools (like ChatGPT and marketing agents) are changing how we work—but strategy still needs a human mind. Brad recommends using AI for

Burnout Isn’t a Workload Problem — It’s a Thinking Problem

December 26, 2025

Burnout Isn’t a Workload Problem — It’s a Thinking Problem Leadership burnout is at an all-time high. But according to Dr. Andre Walton, organizational psychologist, innovation expert, and founder of Plan4Change, the root cause isn’t long hours or too much responsibility. It’s the way leaders are thinking. In a recent episode of the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast, host Harley Green sits down with Dr. Walton to unpack why traditional, analytical problem-solving is draining leaders — and how a different approach, called spherical thinking, helps leaders regain creativity, resilience, and clarity. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Why Smart Leaders Are Burning Out Most leaders have been trained to rely almost exclusively on analytical, deductive thinking — drilling down, narrowing focus, and optimizing for efficiency. While this approach is useful, Dr. Walton explains that overusing it creates mental “blinders.” Under pressure, leaders: Burnout, Dr. Walton argues, isn’t simply about workload. It’s about a lack of perceived resources and options. When leaders can’t see alternative paths forward, stress compounds — even if the workload hasn’t changed. The Two Thinking Systems in the Brain Neuroscience research using functional MRI (fMRI) shows that creative thinking and analytical thinking activate different neural pathways. Modern leaders are heavily conditioned to suppress creativity in favor of logic and efficiency. Over time, this imbalance doesn’t just reduce innovation — it weakens emotional intelligence and resilience. What Is Spherical Thinking? Spherical thinking is the ability to balance and switch between creative and analytical thinking depending on the situation. Dr. Walton compares it to a jazz musician: Effective leaders know when to analyze — and when to step back, explore options, and think creatively. This balance allows leaders to: The Hidden Risk of AI for Leaders The episode also explores the growing reliance

How EOS Can Help You Scale Without Burning Out — Insights from Harvey Yergin

December 17, 2025

How EOS Can Help You Scale Without Burning Out — Insights from Harvey Yergin Growing a business without a clear operating system often leads to misalignment, frustration, and stalled progress. If you’ve ever felt like your business is running you instead of the other way around, you’re not alone. In a recent episode of the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast, host Harley Green sat down with Harvey Yergin, a certified EOS Implementer, Army veteran, and former D1 athlete, to break down how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) brings order, clarity, and growth to leadership teams across industries. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🚨 The Problem: Chaotic Growth Without Structure Harvey shared his own experience running a real estate business that was scaling—but painfully. The team struggled with communication, profitability, and accountability. Like many business owners, he was pouring in time and energy without seeing sustainable results. That’s when he discovered Traction—the foundational book for EOS. Within a few pages, everything clicked. ✅ What is EOS? EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) is a proven framework for helping leadership teams align on a shared vision, build healthy team dynamics, and gain traction through disciplined execution. According to Harvey, EOS helps businesses master three pillars: 🔧 EOS Tools That Transform Teams Here are two powerful tools Harvey recommends for any team implementing EOS: Harvey also emphasized the Level 10 Meeting, a structured weekly meeting agenda that drastically improves team communication, problem-solving, and focus. If your meetings are painful or pointless, this is a game changer. 💥 Why Most Teams Struggle (and How EOS Helps) According to Harvey, most leadership teams fail not because they lack strategy, but because they ignore the human side—team health. Trust, vulnerability, and openness are often overlooked, yet they’re essential for growth. He

How to Avoid Hiring Mistakes When Scaling Your Business (with Lynn Talbott)

December 10, 2025

How to Avoid Hiring Mistakes When Scaling Your Business (with Lynn Talbott) Hiring during a growth phase can feel like a scramble. You’re stretched thin, juggling sales, operations, and your team — and suddenly you need someone yesterday. But rushing the hiring process can quietly sabotage your company’s momentum. In a recent episode of the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast, host Harley Green sat down with Lynn Talbott, founder of The Bookkeeper’s Coach, to break down how to avoid the most common hiring pitfalls that hurt growing businesses. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Here are the top takeaways every founder needs to hear: 1. Your First 5 Hires Are Make-or-Break Lynn compares early hires to “cornerstones” of your company. They shape your culture, pace, and scalability. Hiring someone who can’t grow with your business — even if they solve an immediate pain point — will cost you more in the long run. ✅ Tip: Think 3–5 years ahead when hiring. Choose people who can evolve with the company, not just fill a gap today. 2. Don’t Just Delegate—Lead Founders often struggle with delegation — or worse, fall into abdication (handing something off and walking away). Lynn emphasizes the need to develop leadership in your team. Your hires should lighten your load, not add to it. ✅ Tip: Hire with leadership potential in mind. Can they take ownership, or will you be babysitting? 3. Culture Fit > Technical Fit Many entrepreneurs rush into hiring someone with the right skills — but overlook cultural alignment. That’s a fast track to team dysfunction. ✅ Tip: Define your mission, values, and team vibe. Then hire people who live them, not just talk the talk. 4. Watch Out for the “Halo Effect” One of the biggest mistakes? Letting

How to Scale Your Business Without Burning Out: Lessons from the Executive Edge Live Panel

December 3, 2025

How to Scale Your Business Without Burning Out: Lessons from the Executive Edge Live Panel Fast growth is exciting—until it starts to cost you your health, your team, or your culture.If you’re a founder or executive scaling quickly, this blog is your wake-up call and roadmap rolled into one. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Harley Green hosted a powerhouse session on the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast:🎙️ Executive Edge Live Panel, featuring: 🔥 The Core Takeaways for High-Growth Leaders 1. Growth Without Alignment = Guaranteed Burnout Bethany LaFlam emphasizes that scaling without clearly defined goals, values, and personal alignment results in setbacks, misdirection, and emotional drain. “If it feels misaligned, it probably is.” 2. Your Energy Is Your Biggest Asset Saima Geelani explains how invisible drains like unclear boundaries and internal “gremlins” (self-limiting beliefs) lead to burnout. She recommends core energy leadership and micro-recovery practices to maintain momentum. 3. Letting Go Is a Leadership Superpower Alyshia Kisor-Madlem shares real-life experience from scaling agency teams. The difference between heroic contributors and sustainable systems? Documentation, delegation, and trusting your team before you hit crisis mode. 4. Sales Starts with the CEO—But Shouldn’t End There Christopher Filipiak reframes sales as a leadership responsibility rooted in mindset, not just tactics. When CEOs align with sales emotionally and operationally, they stop being bottlenecks—and start leading scalable systems. 5. Protect Team Morale with Transparency Your team isn’t just watching what you say—they’re filling in the blanks when you don’t say anything. Clear, consistent communication protects morale and builds buy-in. 💡 Real Growth Feels Energizing—Not Exhausting Whether you’re a solopreneur adding your first team member or a CEO managing multiple departments, these insights are a must-know. This isn’t just about growth—it’s about building something that lasts without losing yourself or

How to Turn Your Team into a High-Performing Asset (Without Burnout)

November 26, 2025

How to Turn Your Team into a High-Performing Asset (Without Burnout) If your team is your biggest investment, why aren’t they delivering your biggest return? In a recent episode of the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast, host Harley Green sat down with Katie Close, transformational leadership coach and founder of Self Mastery, Entrepreneur Evolution. Katie shared a powerful 6-part framework that helps leaders transform their teams into aligned, efficient, and high-ROI assets—without burnout or bloated headcounts. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Here’s what growth-minded founders and executives need to know: 1. Strategic Clarity Drives Everything Vision isn’t just a poster on the wall. According to Katie, strategic clarity must be embedded into daily operations and decisions. Without it, you risk hiring misaligned team members and wasting energy on low-ROI activities. 2. People Need Defined Roles and Accountability Too many leaders expect new hires to “figure it out.” Katie emphasizes clear role definitions, consistent processes, and aligned expectations as key drivers of performance and satisfaction. 3. Process Before People Before hiring, first fix your systems. Throwing more people at unclear workflows only creates expensive inefficiencies. Align structure and operations before expanding the team. 4. Hire Support for the Visionary Visionary leaders often live on the edge of growth and chaos. Hiring an executive assistant or integrator helps bring structure to vision, translating ideas into execution and freeing the visionary to focus on innovation. 5. Emotional Intelligence is Non-Negotiable Leadership isn’t just strategy—it’s psychology. Katie highlights how subconscious beliefs and unprocessed emotions can sabotage leadership. Emotional intelligence helps leaders stay grounded, navigate setbacks, and maintain the energy needed to inspire others. 6. Start With Honest Conversations Want to improve your team’s performance? Start by asking: “What’s working, what’s not, and what should we change?” Katie

Marketing Without Strategy Is Costing You More Than You Think

November 19, 2025

Marketing Without Strategy Is Costing You More Than You Think If you’re a small business leader juggling roles and drowning in “random acts of marketing,” this one’s for you. In our latest episode of Scale Smart, Grow Fast, Harley Green sat down with Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, to talk about why marketing strategy must come before tactics and technology—especially AI. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🎯 Why Most Marketing Fails Small Business Owners Many founders approach marketing with a to-do list: “We need a new website, some paid ads, maybe some SEO.” But as Sara shares, without a clear strategy, you risk spending thousands with little return—and a lot of frustration. Her team often steps into companies spending $10K+ monthly on marketing with no idea what’s working. Sound familiar? 🧭 What Strategic Marketing Actually Looks Like Sara breaks down a proven process that includes: This foundational work brings clarity, confidence, and control—and often helps businesses do less with better results. 🤖 Don’t Just “Do AI” — Train It on Strategy With AI tools like ChatGPT trending, Sara warns against adopting them without intention. Instead: Smart AI integration enhances your marketing—it doesn’t replace strategy. 🧠 From Doers to Managers: Elevating Your Marketing Team Sara also emphasizes helping teams evolve by: Bringing in a fractional CMO (like Duct Tape Marketing offers) can help founders stay in their zone of genius while giving their team the guidance and structure to succeed. 🚀 Take Action: Start with Strategy If you’re scaling a business and overwhelmed with marketing decisions, here’s Sara’s advice: “Don’t rush into AI or shiny tools. Start with your business goals, then build a marketing strategy that supports them. Everything else should flow from there.” 🔗 Resources from Sara Nay: • Duct

Surviving the Scale-Up: Leadership & Culture Lessons from Vidya Murali

November 12, 2025

Surviving the Scale-Up: Leadership & Culture Lessons from Vidya Murali Scaling a business isn’t just about growth metrics — it’s about surviving the emotional, cultural, and leadership chaos that comes with it. In a recent episode of Scale Smart Grow Fast, host Harley Green sat down with Vidya Murali, executive coach, former Amazon leader, and author of How to Survive in a Scale-Up Business, to unpack the real skills needed to thrive in high-growth environments. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Why Most Scale-Ups Struggle According to Vidya, many startups fail to survive their scale-up phase because: Her insight? “What got you here won’t get you there. Scale-ups need a different kind of leadership mindset.” The Emotional Skills That Matter Vidya emphasizes that logic and strategy alone don’t cut it in the chaos of scale-ups. Leaders need: Creating Resilient, High-Performance Teams Vidya urges leaders to: A strong culture doesn’t happen by accident — it’s shaped by intentional behavior, communication, and trust at the top. Practical Leadership Habits If you’re scaling fast, Vidya recommends two weekly rituals: And always pause before reacting: “The space between a trigger and your response is where leadership lives.” 💡 Final Thought Scale-ups aren’t for the faint of heart. But with the right mindset, emotional tools, and cultural focus, you can grow without burning out. 📘 Get her book at 40% off using code HSSB40: Buy the Book 🌐 Learn more at vidyamurali.com 🚀 Feeling the pressure of fast growth? At Workergenix, we help founders and execs streamline operations, empower leadership teams, and build sustainable, high-performance cultures — without the burnout. 👉 Book a free discovery call to see how our executive support solutions can help you scale smarter. Like what you read? Get weekly insights on scaling, efficiency, and

How to Build a Self-Managing Team That Scales With You

November 5, 2025

How to Build a Self-Managing Team That Scales With You If you’re still the one making every key decision, giving every approval, or tracking every task—you’re not leading, you’re bottlenecking. In our latest Executive Edge Live panel, Harley Green (CEO of Workergenix) brings together four powerhouse leaders to tackle a challenge nearly every business owner faces: how to build a self-managing team that thinks, acts, and leads like owners. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Why Self-Managing Teams Matter A self-managing team isn’t just about delegation. It’s about creating a culture of trust, clarity, and ownership. These teams drive results without waiting for direction, making them essential for sustainable business growth. Meet the Experts This episode features real-world wisdom from: Key Insights From the Panel 1. Shift from Control to Clarity Great teams don’t wait—they move. But they only move confidently when roles, goals, and boundaries are clear. Joanna stressed the power of decision rights embedded in job descriptions, which empower people to act without constant supervision. 2. Use the Right Frameworks Alex recommended combining OKRs with systems like RACI or DACI to establish role clarity and project ownership. These tools support accountability without bottlenecking workflows. 3. Model Emotional Intelligence Dr. Lori emphasized the value of psychological safety. When team members feel seen, heard, and valued, they naturally lead from within. Tools like personality assessments and empathy-building exercises deepen self-awareness and trust. 4. Design With Intent Kristina highlighted the importance of org design. Without a well-structured foundation, you’ll always be reactive. Your team can’t self-manage if the strategy, structure, and expectations are fuzzy. 5. Failing Forward Builds Ownership Failure is a feature, not a flaw. As Alex and Lori pointed out, innovation often comes from the courage to try, misstep, and learn. Teams need

Succession Isn’t Just Strategy—It’s Human: How Visionary Leaders Can Transition with Intention

October 29, 2025

Succession Isn’t Just Strategy—It’s Human: How Visionary Leaders Can Transition with Intention For many founders, succession planning feels like a legal checklist or a financial transaction. But as Andrea Carpenter, President of The Transition Strategists, explains in our latest episode of the Scale Smart ,Grow Fast podcast—it’s so much more than that. Succession is personal. It’s emotional. It’s about legacy, identity, and preparing the next generation to lead. Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Why Succession Planning Starts with Self-Awareness Andrea, a next-gen successor herself, is walking the same roadmap she guides her clients through. Her transition into leadership within Elizabeth Ledoux’s company shows firsthand how complex and meaningful internal business transitions can be. From leadership development to defining fair equity deals, the process is never as straightforward—or as quick—as many founders expect. “The biggest surprise? Timelines. What you think will take a year can easily stretch into three or more,” Andrea shares. Mindset Shifts Every Founder Needs Many visionary leaders delay succession planning due to fear: fear of letting go, fear of family conflict, or simply not knowing what comes next. Andrea emphasizes that successful transitions require a clear vision of your “next adventure” as much as a plan for who will lead the business. Common mindset shifts include: Don’t Wait Until It’s Urgent Andrea recommends starting the process 3–5 years before your desired exit. Whether it’s an internal succession, employee buyout, or third-party sale, you need time to develop leaders, align your values, and structure a deal that’s fair, strategic, and tax-efficient. “The sooner you start, the more options you’ll have—and the more intentional your legacy can be.” Tools for Intentional Transition Andrea shares two powerful tools they use at The Transition Strategists: These tools help families and leadership teams move from