Is Unhealed Trauma Blocking Your Business Growth? Here’s What Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Is Unhealed Trauma Blocking Your Business Growth? Here’s What Every Entrepreneur Should Know

In this episode of the Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast, host Harley Green is joined by trauma recovery coach and business mentor Amy Lloyd, who breaks down a topic not often discussed in the boardroom—but crucial for sustainable success: the link between unresolved trauma and business performance.

Whether you’re leading a team or running solo, how you show up every day is influenced by what you’ve experienced—and what you haven’t addressed.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation? Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Here’s what stood out from the conversation and why it matters to growth-minded entrepreneurs:

1. Trauma Doesn’t Always Look Like Trauma

Amy shared her personal journey of realizing that trauma doesn’t always mean extreme, visible harm. Subtle messages from childhood, like “successful people are greedy” or “asking for help is weakness,” can quietly drive how you show up in leadership, marketing, and decision-making.

2. Self-Sabotage Wears Many Hats

Undercharging, overworking, procrastinating, or struggling with visibility? These aren’t just strategy issues—they’re signs of deeper emotional patterns. Amy explained how imposter syndrome and burnout are often rooted in these hidden beliefs.

3. Boundaries Are a Business Growth Strategy

Entrepreneurs often stretch themselves thin believing it’s “just part of the job.” But without healthy boundaries, burnout is inevitable. Amy emphasizes that learning to say no, delegate, and protect your energy isn’t selfish—it’s what allows you to scale sustainably.

4. Delegation Is Emotional Work, Too

Hiring help—especially for the first time—can be deeply emotional. Amy highlights how resistance to delegation often stems from past programming around control, trust, or worth. But letting go of the small things is often the first big leap toward working on the business, not just in it.

5. Practical Tools Help Rewire Mindsets

From using gratitude as a daily nervous system reset, to batching tasks and setting up automation, Amy shared tangible ways entrepreneurs can reduce overwhelm and reclaim their energy. Her advice: Stop reinventing the wheel. Use templates. Repurpose content. Build systems that support ease.

Bottom line: If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or questioning your next move—it may not be about the strategy. It might be time to take a deeper look within.

As Amy says, “You didn’t build your business to work 80 hours a week. You built it for freedom. So build it that way.”

Ready to stop doing everything yourself and finally scale with support? Schedule a discovery call to meet your Ultimate Executive Assistant.

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People, Profits, and Progress: A Business Owner’s Framework for Sustainable Growth

People, Profits, and Progress: A Business Owner’s Framework for Sustainable Growth

Growing a business isn’t just about increasing revenue—it’s about building the right foundation to support it. In this episode of the Scale Smart, Grow Fast podcast, host Harley Green sits down with Cameron Montgomery, Principal Consultant at Equipricity, to talk about how successful leaders scale without compromising team alignment, profitability, or execution.

🎧 Prefer to listen on the go? Catch this episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Cameron’s 3-part framework—Align People, Amplify Profits, Accelerate Execution—is built for businesses that want to grow with intention.

Here are the key takeaways for business owners ready to scale:

1. Align the Right People

Your growth depends on the people you hire. Surround yourself with team members who believe in the mission and bring skills you don’t have. Hire for strengths. Don’t wait to find the “perfect” candidate—start by identifying passion and potential. Interns, apprentices, or fractional help can be a powerful way to delegate as you grow.

2. Amplify Your Profits by Expanding Your Market

Too many entrepreneurs get stuck selling to just one segment. Instead, look at the multiple levels where your product or service solves a problem—B2C, B2B, and even government. Diversify your revenue streams and make your offer work harder without adding complexity.

3. Accelerate Execution with Systems & Automation

Don’t let the work bury your vision. Use tools like CRMs, automated dialers, and AI (strategically) to simplify operations. Cameron warns: automation should support your quality, not replace the human element. Know when to lean into tools, and when to delegate to a real person.

4. Revisit Your Business Plan Quarterly

Scaling requires regular recalibration. Cameron recommends reviewing your business plan every quarter to stay aligned with your mission and performance goals. What worked 6 months ago may no longer serve your direction. Don’t wait until things break to optimize.

5. Don’t Burn Out Trying to Do It All

Leaders who try to be everything to everyone eventually stall. Delegation is a growth strategy, not a luxury. Whether it’s sales, admin, or client onboarding, outsource the right tasks so you can focus on high-impact decisions.

Final Thought:

If you’re stuck in the grind and not sure how to scale without burning out, it may be time to rethink your people, your systems, and your execution. Cameron’s approach is simple, strategic, and actionable—exactly what growth-minded entrepreneurs need to hear.

Ready to build a people-first, profit-smart business that runs with clarity and purpose? Schedule a discovery call to see how our Ultimate Executive Assistants can help you scale without the burnout.

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How to Stop Leaking Profits: Financial Strategies Every Business Owner Needs

How to Stop Leaking Profits: Financial Strategies Every Business Owner Needs

Are your finances holding back your growth?
Many business owners unknowingly bleed money due to inefficient processes, scattered systems, and lack of clarity around financial data. In a recent episode of the Scale Smart, Grow Fast Podcast, host Harley Green sits down with Ali Swart—Partner and Managing Director at Waldron Private Wealth—to unpack the most common financial blind spots and practical strategies to help entrepreneurs scale without financial strain.

🎧 Prefer to listen on the go? Catch the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for expert insights.

Here are the top takeaways every business owner should know:

1. You Can’t Scale What You Can’t See

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is not knowing where their money is going. Many operate without clear insight into expenses, profitability, or customer lifetime value. Swart explains that having clean, segmented data across your personal and business finances is essential to making informed growth decisions.

Pro Tip: Use tools like QuickBooks or industry-specific software—and ensure your financial team (accountant, attorney, advisor) is actually communicating.

2. Stop Mixing Business and Personal Finances

Too many owners blend personal and business transactions, creating confusion, inaccurate reporting, and missed tax-saving opportunities. Clear separation enables smarter forecasting and helps identify unnecessary spending or duplicate payments.

Solution: Delegate your bookkeeping to a trained professional or virtual assistant who understands how to track and categorize every expense.

3. Catch Profit Leaks Before They Hurt

Swart shared real stories where clients lost money from unchecked expenses, like pool leaks or excessive aircraft costs. Regular account reviews—even monthly—can prevent minor issues from becoming major financial drains.

Simple Fix: Schedule recurring financial reviews with your VA, CFO, or bookkeeper. Look for discrepancies, track expenses, and reconcile accounts proactively.

4. Know Your Numbers—or Risk Bad Decisions

Revenue and expenses are obvious metrics—but understanding profit margins, industry benchmarks, and per-client cost-to-serve can drastically improve decision-making. In Swart’s firm, they even track internal hours spent per client to improve efficiency and prevent burnout.

Smart Scaling Tip: Leverage data to right-size your team, justify hiring support, or eliminate low-ROI activities.

5. Use Bookkeeping as a Strategic Growth Tool

Bookkeeping shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. When done well, it becomes your roadmap for smarter budgeting, forecasting, and scaling.

Turn It Into a Win: Partner with someone who doesn’t just report numbers—but analyzes them with you and flags problems before they cost you.

Final Thought: You Can’t Scale in the Dark

Whether you’re running lean or rapidly expanding, understanding your financials is non-negotiable. Delegating operational tasks to an expert—like an ultimate executive assistant—frees up your time to focus on strategic financial oversight and growth.

Want a financial system that supports your scaling goals?
Schedule a free discovery call with our team and see how a dedicated executive assistant can help streamline your finances, reclaim your time, and drive profitable growth.

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How High-Performing Entrepreneurs Scale Without Burning Out

How High-Performing Entrepreneurs Scale Without Burning Out

What if scaling didn’t mean sacrificing your health, sanity, or time?

That’s the question Nathan Baws—entrepreneur, Shark Tank Australia alum, and Guinness World Record holder—answers in his conversation with Harley Green on the Scale Smart, Grow Fast podcast. After building and scaling 15+ businesses (many to 7 figures), Nathan shares how business owners can grow sustainably by mastering two core disciplines: smart delegation and dopamine-driven leadership.

Listen to the full episode on your favorite platform:
👉 Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Here’s what stood out for growth-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to scale without burnout:

1. Growth Follows Energy—Not Just Strategy

Most entrepreneurs burn out because they obsess over revenue and neglect their energy. Nathan breaks his day into two categories:

  • Business Growth Activities (3+ hours/day): Lead generation, PR, team building.
  • Dopamine-Boosting Habits: Ice baths, fasting, gym, sun exposure—designed to optimize energy, focus, and execution.

High performance is a function of health. If your body and mind are depleted, your business will be too.

2. The First Hire? Someone Who Frees Up Your Energy

One of Nathan’s biggest turning points came from hiring team members he could trust to take ownership. But he emphasized that delegation only works if you:

  • Hire people with proven performance and the right attitude.
  • Let go of perfection and micromanagement.
  • Focus on building systems and structure so your team can succeed without constant oversight.

Workergenix’s Ultimate Executive Assistants were built for this exact challenge: giving founders back time without compromising quality.

3. AI & Automation Are Not Job Killers—They’re Force Multipliers

Nathan is clear: he didn’t replace his team with AI—he empowered them. With automation handling repetitive tasks (like LinkedIn outreach or email follow-ups), his team can focus on high-value work. Result? More output, less cost, and no burnout.

4. Stop Hiding Behind Product Development—Start Selling

One of Nathan’s biggest mistakes early on? Spending too much time perfecting his product and not enough on marketing. Revenue solves most business problems—so focus on sales, lead generation, and consistent outreach.

5. Leadership is Contagious

High-performing leaders create high-performing teams. When Nathan optimized his own lifestyle and mindset, his team followed. As he puts it: “Leadership by example wins every time.”

If you’re a business owner stuck working in the weeds, overwhelmed with day-to-day operations, and ready to scale without sacrificing your life—this episode is a masterclass in what it takes.

Ready to scale without burning out? Schedule a discovery call today and let’s build the systems and support your business needs to grow smarter.

Like what you read? Get weekly insights on scaling, efficiency, and profitability—straight to your inbox. Click here to subscribe.