How to Stop Being the Bottleneck and Start Scaling Smarter
Featuring Eden Lovejoy, Creator of the Virtual GM Matrix
If you’re a founder or business leader feeling buried in the day-to-day, chances are—you are the bottleneck. And that’s not a weakness. It’s a signal that you’ve outgrown your current structure, and it’s time for your next level of leadership.
In a recent episode of the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast, Harley Green sat down with Eden Lovejoy, fractional COO and creator of the Virtual GM Matrix, to talk about how leaders can finally step out of the weeds and lead with clarity.
Preferred listening on the go? Catch the full podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
🔑 Key Takeaways from the Episode:
1. Leadership Begins with Mindset
Most operational pain stems from a mindset block. Eden explains that many business owners are hesitant to delegate because they fear losing their value or control. The first step? Trust your team—and accept that leadership is about thinking, not just doing.
2. Delegation ≠ Abandonment
Letting go doesn’t mean walking away. Delegation should come with structured feedback loops. Whether that’s weekly check-ins, data dashboards, or regular reporting, your systems should empower—not isolate—your team.
3. The Virtual GM Matrix: A Framework for Freedom
Eden’s framework has helped countless companies streamline operations and build performance cultures. It’s built on three pillars:
- Cultural Alignment: Mission, vision, and values that guide decisions.
- Organizational Clarity: Defined roles, accountability, and authority.
- Feedback Loops: Real-time insights and growth mechanisms.
4. Scaling Isn’t Just “More”
Scaling isn’t doing more of what got you here—it’s often doing things differently. Eden urges leaders to audit their systems and ask: “Will this still work at 10x the volume?” If not, it’s time to evolve.
5. Work With Your Business
Forget the outdated “on vs. in” dichotomy. Eden champions a new approach: work with your business by distributing leadership across your team. That’s where freedom and growth really begin.
🎯 Final Thought:
Scaling smart isn’t about hustle—it’s about systems, mindset, and trusting your team to lead. If you’re ready to reclaim your time and unlock sustainable growth, this episode is a must-listen.
🎁 Don’t forget to grab your free copy of Eden’s book at freebusinessbook.com
Schedule a discovery call to stop being the bottleneck and start building a business that runs without you.
Transcript
Harley Green:
Hey everybody, welcome back to the Scale Smart Grow Fast podcast. Scaling a business shouldn’t require you to be the bottleneck. In this episode, Eden Lovejoy, creator of the Virtual GM Matrix and fractional COO to high-growth companies, shares how leaders can transition out of day-to-day operations by empowering their teams, installing scalable systems, and embracing a true visionary mindset. With over 30 years of business leadership and a track record of helping companies generate millions in revenue, Eden’s going to deliver a practical framework for delegation, leadership development, and sustainable growth. Eden, welcome to the podcast. How are you doing today?
Eden Lovejoy:
Thanks Harley, I’m doing great. Thanks for having me. Glad to be here.
Harley Green:
Eden, for our audience that isn’t familiar with your background, could you share what brought you along in this journey to what you’re doing today?
Eden Lovejoy:
My journey really starts from being a child in a very chaotic environment. I was the oldest of four kids, and my family was in a lot of chaos in San Francisco in the 70s. I developed a preference for organization, structure, and consistency. Years later, I realized that’s what drives me.
As a young woman, I started working, took a gap year before school, and realized I wanted to work in small to mid-sized business environments. I liked the diversity, challenge, and entrepreneurial energy. Over the years, I found myself in operational, organizational, and streamlining roles. I’m a general manager by craft and inclination—GM or COO depending on the structure.
I always wanted to impact more companies than just one. I tracked what made the most difference in operational leadership and pulled those insights into the Virtual GM Matrix. My goal is to translate that operational leadership skill set into a strong team, diversify the skill set, lean out overhead, improve operations, and build high-performance cultures.
Harley Green:
Before we started recording, we talked a bit about mindset. You mentioned how it’s usually a big challenge when people step into new roles. Can you elaborate?
Eden Lovejoy:
Mindset is everything. I can only coach someone so far until they hit an internal mindset block. Many of my clients have built a team, but even with growth, they don’t get relief. Often it’s because they haven’t delegated authority. Everyone still comes to the owner for answers. They haven’t shifted into trusting their team.
To delegate effectively, you must learn to trust, let people make mistakes, and not fear losing your value as a leader. When owners begin delegating, they often feel awkward—like “what am I supposed to be doing now?” The opportunity is to move into strategic visionary leadership.
Harley Green:
Right, and sometimes there’s guilt around delegation. How do you help people address that?
Eden Lovejoy:
We reassure them. That guilt shows up in leaders who care deeply about their people. They don’t want to be on a pedestal. But leadership is a practical skill set. Teams want to be trusted and they want their leaders to be visionary. It’s about shifting the perspective on leadership’s contribution.
Also, it’s easier to do small tasks. I remember one day realizing everything easy had been delegated and all that remained were the thoughtful things. I had to learn how to work differently.
Harley Green:
What are early signs someone is the bottleneck?
Eden Lovejoy:
One sign is feeling overwhelmed despite having a team. Another is when people ask questions and your first thought is “you should be able to answer that.” These are signs you haven’t empowered your team’s leadership.
Harley Green:
Tell us about the Virtual GM Matrix. How does it work?
Eden Lovejoy:
It has three components. First is the cultural framework—mission, vision, and values that drive decision-making. It’s not just having them, but making them actionable.
Second is organizational structure. We identify overlaps, clarify roles, assign decision-making authority, and create accountability. This shifts pressure from top leadership to the team.
Third is feedback loops and growth patterns. Delegation is not abandonment. We build feedback mechanisms and growth plans so the leader isn’t the only idea generator.
Harley Green:
How do you make mission, vision, and values stick so the team can make decisions like you would?
Eden Lovejoy:
Culture is a contact sport. We integrate values into daily conversations, development reviews, and even contests. It may seem awkward at first, but over time it becomes the team’s language. Like knowing what country you’re in by the language—values become the company’s language.
Harley Green:
Let’s talk about feedback loops. What do they look like in practice?
Eden Lovejoy:
It depends on the company’s culture. The matrix isn’t a cookie-cutter—it’s tailored. We identify key indicators, then build reporting, meeting cadences, or technology around them. One company may focus on receivables, another on POS trends—it must fit the business.
Harley Green:
You talk about working with your business, not just in it. What does that mindset shift look like?
Eden Lovejoy:
The old idea is to work “on” not “in” the business. But now we need to work with the business—building leadership across the team. We move from needing one GM or COO to distributing operational leadership.
Working with the business means giving your team a voice and decision-making power, based on shared values and mission. It’s not managing by consensus—it’s aligning through principles.
Harley Green:
When leaders are scaling, what process do they often skip or underestimate?
Eden Lovejoy:
They think scaling means doing more of the same. But real scaling requires different systems. Sometimes the people or processes that got you here won’t get you there. Leaders must leapfrog beyond what worked and build new structures for the next level.
Harley Green:
What red flags show a system isn’t ready to scale?
Eden Lovejoy:
If you haven’t reviewed your systems recently, that’s a red flag. Businesses grow by patching things together, but at scale, you need cohesive systems. Take time to evaluate and redesign.
Harley Green:
Any simple stress tests or questions you use with clients?
Eden Lovejoy:
I focus more on teaching people how to think. The matrix includes a decision-making framework for growth—helping teams vet ideas thoroughly and ask the right questions, not just chase shiny tools.
Harley Green:
For leaders feeling stuck, what’s one question they should ask themselves?
Eden Lovejoy:
Ask: What am I doing that I don’t want to be doing? What isn’t aligned with my heart, strength, passion, or vision? Then ask: Where does that task belong instead?
Harley Green:
If people want to connect with you or get your book, where should they go?
Eden Lovejoy:
Visit freebusinessbook.com. You can download a free e-book copy. I want to get this info to as many business owners as possible.
Harley Green:
Thanks again for the insights and the generous gift. If this episode brought you value, hit like and subscribe so you don’t miss future strategies to help you scale smarter. And share it with someone who needs it!
