Shows
Path to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 48 | Feedback, Not Fear: How to Build a Culture of GrowthWhat really makes a great workplace culture? Is it the perks, the people, or something deeper?In this episode, Charles Burdett, CEO and founder of Pip Decks, joins Stephen King to discuss the key elements that shape a thriving workplace—from trust and transparency to leadership and psychological safety. They explain how companies can foster an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to do their best work. Plus, they share real-world examples and practical tips you can bring to your own team.Whether you're a leader, manager, or team member looking to improve your workplace culture, this episode is...
2025-04-0340 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 47 | Adapting Leadership Strategies For The Future Of WorkThe workplace is evolving fast—so how do leaders keep up? As the boundaries between remote and in-office blur, adapting to this new era is crucial for fostering a thriving, engaged workforce.In this episode, Susan Kreeger, Co-owner of RealHR Solutions joins Stephen King to dive into the shifting dynamics of hybrid and remote work, the challenges of managing performance from a distance, and what it takes to build a company culture that keeps employees engaged. From balancing flexibility with productivity to setting clear boundaries that prevent burnout, we’ll explore strategies that help businesses thrive in this new era of w...
2025-03-0351 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 46 | The Power Your Vision Statement Has In Your Business
2025-01-2901 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 46 | The Power of the 3 P's: People, Purpose, and ProfitsWhat if success wasn’t about chasing profits but about igniting purpose, empowering people, and crafting a vision so sharp it cuts through the noise?In this episode, we sit down with a visionary leader who’s transforming the way we think about success in business. Discover why crafting a truly intentional vision is more than a mission statement—it’s the cornerstone of your business. Daniel Steere, Owner of Steering Ventures, joins Stephen King to explore an innovative framework that reveals unexpected blind spots, a game-changing perspective on making clients the real stars of your story, and why profits aren’t t...
2025-01-2944 min2024-09-1900 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 45 | The Unlikely Love Story of Sales & Marketing“My sales and marketing team are working in silos.”Sound familiar? It’s not uncommon for these two departments to be out of sync. We are here to tell you when these two departments work together, revenue soars. Enter the M2S (Marketing To Sales) Framework, coined by none other than our guest: Austin LaRoche, CEO of ATAK Interactive. Austin joins our host Stephen King to talk about the key to aligning your teams, driving seamless conversions, and creating a unified force that doesn’t just attract clients but turns them into loyal advocates!Transform the way you approach marketing & dive dee...
2024-09-1938 min2024-08-0601 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 44 | Don't Take the Bait: Phishing, Culture, and CommunicationUnpack cybersecurity, starting with this motto: “just assume everything is bad.”Cybersecurity wizard, Scott Kreisberg from One Step Secure IT joins Stephen King to discuss all things technology: from phishing to preventing cybersecurity attacks, this tech focused episode provides practical tips to enhance your online security.Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a business leader, or just someone interested in the evolving world of cybersecurity, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice to help you stay ahead of cyber threats.They discuss:Innovations in cybersecurityStrategies to prevent cyberattacksHow your company culture can go in to prevent cyberattacksSimulated phishingThe chan...
2024-08-0629 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 43 | Six Secrets to a Successful Business Exit StrategySo, you’re ready to sell your business you built from the ground up - what’s your motivation? That’s the first question you should ask yourself.With over three decades of experience in finance and investment, Kirk Michie, Managing Partner of Candor Advisors, joins Stephen on this episode to discuss the Wild West of exit strategies.Kirk starts by emphasizing the "WHY" – how your motivations can guide the entire sale process and ensure a more favorable outcome.Whether you're contemplating selling your business now or in the future, this episode is packed with practical advice and expert perspectives to help...
2024-06-0447 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 42 | The Number One Thing Employers Need To Do
2024-04-2601 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 42 | The 1:1 Meeting: Empowering Employee EngagementBy now, you’re most likely familiar with the concept of 1:1 meetings (well… we hope so).But did you know it can be the missing key to unlocking employee engagement? Jennifer Loftus, owner of HR consulting firm Astron Solutions, joins Stephen King for not only one of the most talked about topics, but the MOST IMPORTANT topic: Employee Engagement.After all, your people are your biggest asset.Tune in to listen to Jennifer’s takeaways on the importance of keeping employees engaged, and how to do so in a remote environment. They discuss:Astron’s 25 year history.How the pandemic shifted...
2024-04-2642 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 41 | Designing for Profitability: The Architecture of Business SuccessAre the riches really in the niches?We weighed in with Carolyn Boldt Co-founder, VP, & Director of Design of CrossFields Interiors & Architecture. Carolyn shares her journey and the strategic steps she took when ascending to Co-founder & Vice president, offering invaluable insights into leadership and business acumen. From designing for big enterprises to honing in on holistic health and wellness practices, Carolyn shares the “blueprint” for finding your niche. Carolyn walks us through how she successfully identified and catered to her ideal client, reshaping the trajectory of CrossFields' success.They discuss:Carolyn's background & what her team is currently working on.Michael Gerb...
2024-03-1232 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 40 | An Architect’s Blueprint For Building A Successful FirmThe past four years have challenged business owners to reshape both their financial and people strategies; Guy Geier, Managing Partner at FX Collaborative, is no different. Guy joins Steve on Path To Profit to talk about the reality of the new normal after the pandemic from a financial and cultural perspective, and actions taken by his architecture company when funds were tight to reach their current revenue of $25 million. Guy also shares the specific KPIs he consistently uses to manage his firm.This is a must-listen for any business owner who wants to find the “blueprint” for growing a successful firm...
2023-12-2037 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersThe FIRST Step To Fuel A Business For Growth
2023-11-0901 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 39 | Turning Struggling Companies into Financial SuccessA strategic vision alone won't cut it. Russ Hawkins, CEO at Agilence Inc shares invaluable insights on leading struggling companies to financial success. As a seasoned leader with a track record of turning companies around, Russ delivers a masterclass in the art of transformation. His proven approach involves thorough a SWOT analysis, a proven people strategy, and the proper way to use data. With over $100 million raised and successful sales in three different companies, his experience is a goldmine for entrepreneurs and business leaders.We Discuss:Russ’s process when being brought into a new tech company to turn it in...
2023-11-0837 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 38 | Successfully Navigating Labor ShortagesLet this statistic sit with you: 40% of roles in SMBs can not be filled. In this episode, Rob Levin, CEO of WorkBetterNow is the guide on our venture into the heart of labor shortages and the talent crisis. Rob is no ordinary entrepreneur. Since its inception in 2018, he has steered his business to a staggering $7 million run rate, boasting an awe-inspiring 17% net profit. So, if you're racking your brain, wondering how to solve the ever-persistent Great ReShuffle this episode offers a different perspective. We Discuss:How Rob grew his new business to $7 million & 17% net profit since starting it in 2018The...
2023-09-2134 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 37 | Don’t Mess With (Taxes)Taxes are a labyrinth, so our seasoned experts unravel the complexities surrounding business taxes, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. State Tax Advisors new president, Hunter Epps, and Chairman & Founder Riley Epps, join Stephen King to discuss the intricacies of taxes and how a solid foundation is key to avoiding those dreaded, stress-inducing audits that can make even the most seasoned business owner break into a cold sweat.Plus, for all our remote/hybrid business owners- we take a deep dive into how to properly handle payroll with employees in different states. We Discuss:A Path To Pr...
2023-08-2530 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 36 | The Most Important Elements In A Press Release
2023-07-2401 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 36 | The Anatomy Of A Press ReleaseLet’s rewind the clock back 25 years to the era of sending a press release through fax machines. Those days are long gone, but the press release still remains an effective marketing tactic to get in front of your target audience. Now, in a digital space. Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases joins this episode of Path To Profit to uncover the keys to unleashing the true potential of press releases.Mickie reflects on the challenges and triumphs that shaped the revolution of press releases.Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or a curious listener, this episode is your backstage pass.We Di...
2023-07-2136 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 35 | How To “Thryv” In The Digital AgeIt starts with business innovation, growth, and customer-centric strategies; It ends with a 1.2 BILLION dollar software business. On this episode of Path To Profit, we are stepping into the world of business transformation and success with Gordon Henry, Chief Strategy Officer at Thryv, as your guide. As a data-driven strategist, Gordon reveals the key metrics and analytics that other business owners should pay close attention to in order to stay ahead of the game.
2023-05-3032 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 34 | Breaking the Glass Ceiling: 3 Invisible Systemic Barriers Holding Women BackIn the U.S., women own about 50% of the businesses, but only generate about 4% of the revenue. And no one is talking about it.Except for Alex Batdorf, Founder & CEO of GetSh!TDone. Alex joins us to break down the statistics and the challenges that women face in today’s business world.How can we support women in growing businesses that scale generational impact? We Discuss:How she became an entrepreneur at the age of 19.The statistics behind women business ownersThe 3 biggest things women see as barriers How the current business model keeps women from making 6 figures in revenueHow individuals ca...
2023-04-2634 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 34 | Breaking the Glass Ceiling: 3 Invisible Systemic Barriers Holding Women BackIn the U.S., women own about 50% of the businesses, but only generate about 4% of the revenue. And no one is talking about it.Except for Alex Batdorf, Founder & CEO of GetSh!TDone. Alex joins us to break down the statistics and the challenges that women face in today’s business world.How can we support women in growing businesses that scale generational impact? We Discuss:How she became an entrepreneur at the age of 19.The statistics behind women business ownersThe 3 biggest things women see as...
2023-04-2634 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 33 | The Number One Thing All People Leaders Must Do
2023-04-1801 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 33 | Being A Leader Vs. Being A ManagerHow do you know if you’re a ‘manager’ or a ‘people leader’? How do you motivate your employees to carry out your organization’s mission? Is your org chart set up correctly?If you’re a business owner- you’ve likely asked yourself this once or twice. We weighed in with an expert. In the second part of this 2-part series, Sarah Sentes, Managing Partner at Manager Tools, takes the mic and shares her expertise in all things Managerial, Mission, and Org charts! We’ll give you a hint: it starts with (proper) communication.
2023-03-1037 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 32 | The Science Behind Successful ManagementIt’s an age-old adage: Employees don’t quit jobs - they quit managers. The question becomes: what makes a successful manager? We weighed in with an expert. Kate Braun, Managing Partner at Manager Tools, shares her formula for successful management (and the science behind it) on this episode of Path To Profit. Kate’s story with Manager Tools dates back to 2006, where was started as an intern. She’s returned to be a Co-Managing Partner to help other leaders become effective & productive managers through communication. Make sure to follow us on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn at @GrowthForce & Instagram at @GrowthForceHQ
2023-01-0640 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 31 | LinkedIn Secrets Your Sales Team Should Know AboutEvery business leader knows by now LinkedIn is one of — if not the — most effective social networks for expanding your brand. But how do you know your sales team is taking full advantage of the platform? We asked an expert. This week, Stephen King weighs in with Intero Advisory Founder and CEO, Colleen McKenna. As the leader of LinkedIn branding, sales, and recruiting enablement, Colleen shares her four pronged approach to social selling and on how to make your business stand out through the digital noise. Not only do we tap into Colleen's expertise in navigating LinkedIn, but she shares her...
2022-09-3041 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 30 | The ‘Do’s’ And ‘Don’ts’ In Navigating Successful M&AsFor most business owners, the world of M&A can feel like the wild west. But this isn’t Aldridge’s first rodeo. Aldridge CEO, Patrick Wiley & President, Bryan Gregory share the mic this week on Path To Profit. As a nearly 4 decade old business, this MSP company has has been through it all- from changes in leadership, M&As, and industry shifts. Patrick & Bryan share the lessons they’ve learned along the way as they’ve grown their business through M&As. Make sure to follow us on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn at @GrowthForce & Instagram at @GrowthForceHQ!
2022-08-2637 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 29 | The 3 Phases of Making a Business ProfitableEvery CEO’s story looks different. But David Snyder’s journey to become CEO of SmartAcre is particularly miraculous. Tragedy struck and David was thrown into his current position. Despite challenges, David was able to turn SmartAcre into a fast growing, profitable business - 29% to the bottom line to be exact! How did he do it? David shares the 3 phases he stands by that helped him turn his business around. Make sure to follow us on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn at @GrowthForce & Instagram @GrowthForceHQ!
2022-07-0737 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 28 | A Scientist’s Formula To Scaling A $50M BusinessFrom finding innovative environmental solutions to tragedies such as the Gulf Coast oil spill, to growing a service business to $50 million in top-line revenue, Laurie LaPat-Polasko, Vice President at Matrix New World Engineering, is not your average businesswoman. Taking her scientific background and a life-long passion, Laurie ventured into the business world with a unique perspective that made her the successful leader she is today. Make sure to follow us on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn at @GrowthForce & Instagram @GrowthForceHQ!
2022-04-1432 min
Nonprofit Architect Podcast with Brenda McChesneyFive Steps to get Alignment in your Organization and Board: Stephen KingYou can maximize your cash flow and operational efficiency! Learn how to get alignment in your organization and board through five steps of strategic thinking! Conversation Highlights {03:21} Know your mission and rank your programs based on quality and quantity. {08:20} Analyze the unit economics. {14:13} Know which programs most directly impact your mission. {21:18} Budget! {28:02} Be a good steward of your funds. Remarkable Quotes Travis: Rank each program, which ones have the impact that you're trying to have. Stephen: If you show the donor the tangible...
2022-03-0837 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 27 | From Struggling Startup to Rapid Growth in Revenue & ProfitFive years ago, ESG was stable. It was profitable, but it was not growing. When Michael Harnum first joined the company as CEO, his first order of business was to find out why. Since that fateful moment, ESG has gone from a struggling startup to a high growth company with $10 million in top line revenue and $3 million in bottom line profits. In this episode, Michael shares how he turned the company around.
2022-01-2032 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 26 | Triple Bottom Line: How to Raise More Money & Drive More ImpactMost business leaders focus on the bottom line - the one that measures a company’s profits. But there’s another bottom line you should be focusing on and that is the triple bottom line - the one that measures a company’s impact. In this episode, host Stephen King shares some tips on how you can raise more money and drive more impact in an organization. Whether you’re involved in a nonprofit or know someone who is, you’ll find value in listening – because for-profit businesses should be run like the best nonprofit organizations, and vice versa. Watch the On-Deman...
2021-12-1507 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 25 | How the Largest Creative Staffing Company Handles Culture & Digital MarketingIt’s the question that has been on every CEO’s mind over the last 18 months: How do you maintain your workplace culture in a hybrid world? This is one of the biggest challenges businesses are facing as a result of the pandemic. According to Michael Weiss, VP of Creative Circle, and my guest on today’s episode, the silver lining is that the pandemic has also given us a degree of empathy that we simply lacked before - and that empathy can and should inform how we approach this challenge moving forward.
2021-11-1639 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 24 | How the Give Back Model Helped Dogtopia South Bay Double Profits During the PandemicIn the world of doggie daycare, the COVID shutdown should have been an economic disaster. With everyone now working from home, it seems inevitable that daycare services would decrease in demand.But that wasn’t the case for Kathy Miller, President of Dogtopia - South Bay. In fact, her company not only weathered the storm but actually doubled its profits during the pandemic.In this episode, she shares the story of the pivot that made it all possible. Learn more about the service dog program by emailing Kathy at kathy.miller@dogtopia.com or by visiting dogtopia. com/torrance-south-bay.
2021-11-0227 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 23 | Nonprofit Fundraising: Lessons From The Best For-Profit BusinessesRunning a Nonprofit and running a for-profit have more similarities than you may think. Everybody’s goal is to at least break even, and at best- have a surplus at the end of the year. That’s why nonprofits can learn a lot, in terms of how to effectively raise money and generate profits, by studying the best for-profit businesses, and vice versa. In this Nonprofit-focused episode, Jennifer Lehman, President & CEO of Mission Advancement, shares the best practices any nonprofit can take from the for-profit world and the most effective strategies for fundraising. With many business owners being on the boar...
2021-10-1944 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 22 | In the Margins: Making the Leap to Over $10M in RevenueThere’s a fine balance between investing generously in your product and effectively managing your margins. The key is to find a happy medium between funding a quality product that makes your clients happy (and attracts new ones) and generating enough profit to grow. Anson Sowby, CEO & Co-Founder at Battery, shares how his company navigated these waters en route to generating $10 million in revenue with a 20% profit margin.
2021-10-1941 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 21 | How Structures & Systems Help You Effectively Run Your BusinessWhen you decide to purchase a restaurant franchise, you’re given a book on how to run it effectively. It breaks down how to approach marketing, handle finances, and run operations. But when you’re an entrepreneur opening up your own business, no such book exists to guide you along the path to profit.Today’s guest set out to write that playbook. In this episode, I chat with Jeff Chastain, Founder and Business Transformation Coach at Admentus, Inc., about the lessons he learned from building a business and how he codified them into processes for other companies to follow. Listen...
2021-09-0734 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 20 | Lessons Learned From Building a $40 Million Growth MachineEarly on, many entrepreneurs learn the important lesson of making the business less about them, and more about the mission.For today’s guest, Jacky Fischer, CEO of 3 Men Movers, that was exactly the mindset shift that sparked tremendous growth for her company. During this episode, Jacky shares the lessons she learned on her journey to building a $40 million business. Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:- Jacky’s book is The Growth Paradox: The Way to Run a Business is Opposite of What You Think.
2021-08-1035 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 19 | Crawl, Walk, Run: Pandemic Recovery Strategy in the Events SpaceIn 2020, you were doing $100 million in revenue with 250 employees. But then, your revenue dropped to $20 million, and you could only keep 38 employees (most at 25% of their salaries). Right after an acquisition, too. Just a year later, you’ve recovered to $45 million (that’s 250% bounce back), and many of your employees have returned. This is the experience of today’s guest, Ray Pekowski, Owner at The Expo Group, a 30-year-old company that’s chosen to act like a startup to recover its growth. Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:- Ray’s book is Lessons of an Entrepreneur- The Expo G...
2021-07-2738 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 18 | How to Grow 10-20% Per Year for a DecadeIt’s strange to hear a five-time Inc. 5000 lister talk about down periods. But his company didn’t start becoming profitable for the first five years, easily. What changed? EOS.In this episode, I interview Steve Thies, CEO at Integrated Biometrics, about how persistence and EOS led him to a success that only 3% of companies can boast.What we talked about:- The origin of his company and the pain of long sales cycles- How he arrived at cash-flow positive- All things EOS (Wickman’s Traction is a must-read)- His predictive model for his company’s financial success- Value prop and...
2021-07-0640 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 17 | Searching for Patterns: How to Use Financial Statements to Your Businesses’ AdvantageHow do you make decisions based on financial statements? For that matter, how do you communicate the content of financial statements so that others can make sound decisions? Join us for a discussion of the art and science of financials. In this episode, I interview Chris Williams, President and CEO at Rocaceia LLC, about how financial statements inform his business strategy. How to Use Financial Statements to your businesses’ advantageWhat we talked about:- The business model he uses and why- Building financial statements that matter- Using visuals to communicate financial data- Monthly averages, quarterly averages, and the importance of ev...
2021-06-2226 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 16 | Culture Eats Strategy for BreakfastYou’re the CEO of a mid-sized company, and you do a great job with the process of running the business. The thing you may not have a great handle on is growth.In this episode, I interview my longtime friend Art Saxby, CEO and Founder at Chief Outsiders, about how he took less than $2K and an interest in QuickBooks all the way to the largest strategic growth implementation company. What we talked about:- Setting a vision and creating culture based on strategy- The need to rely on data & how to use it- The difference between accounting and bo...
2021-06-0850 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 15 | Tracking Key Performance Indicators to Drive Business GrowthRobin Stanaland, Master Chair at Vistage International, is a force to be reckoned with. She’s been a Vistage Chair for more than 15 years, and is a six-time award winner, putting her in the top 20 Vistage Chairs out of over 700 in the United States. In this episode, Robin sits down with our host Stephen King to discuss how companies view their metrics, what impact that makes on their business, and how tracking their KPIs allows them to make data-driven decisions.What we talked about:- The success stories she’s seen in her 15+ years as a Vistage Chair- The mindset of a...
2021-05-2536 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 14 | Sharpen Your Profit SuperpowersSid Trivedi, Partner at Foundation Capital, has a superpower. It’s his vast customer network matched with his high levels of cybersecurity. In this episode he shares his insight on how he uses his superpower to help B2B businesses navigate their path to profits. What we talked about:- The importance of your first 10 customers- Pattern mapping - Stages and levels of sales hires - Protecting your business against cybersecurity attacks - Smart money vs. dumb money - Focus on valuation- Lessons learned Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:- Sid Trivedi is Partner at Foundation Ca...
2021-05-1141 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 13 | Steve's Point to Ponder: Keeping Score in the Game of ProfitStephen King, President & CEO at GrowthForce, breaks down pricing metrics and the importance of “keeping score” by measuring the top line, the gross profit line, and the bottom line. What we talked about the 5 most important metrics of every business:- Total revenue dollars- Gross profit dollars- Gross profit percent - Net income dollars- Net income presented Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:- GrowthForce website
2021-05-0407 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 12 | The Journey from Med School to a CEO and Repeat Inc. 500 WinnerToday’s guest started a staffing business out of his dorm room in medical school and didn’t see any profit for seven years. He thought it was his hobby that paid for med school bills, but then he made Inc. 500 and drew in $15 million in revenue.In this episode, I interview Dr. Matt Kolinski, Founder & CEO at USA Staffing Services and author of Work-Passion-Life Balance, about his entrepreneurial journey. What we talked about:- Matt’s early business mistakes & how he learned from them- The maturing of a company as compared to life stages- How to know if your compan...
2021-04-2138 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 11 | Mission First, Profit Second w/ Matthew PolegaI'm joined by Matthew Polega: Cofounder, Head of Communications & Public Policy at Mark43, a company bringing cloud-first data-driven technology to public safety use. Matt and I discussed:- His experience in Engineering Science- Lateral thinking in public safety models- Public safety technology- Using customer voices to further develop a business- Software multi-tenancy- Investor relations at Mark43- The significance of making certain mistakes- Culture by design (how they use core values)- Unit economics- Spending money to make money- That you can’t ‘save’ your way to profits- Investing in people We mentioned these resources, which you can check out at any...
2021-04-1329 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 10 | The Riches Really Are in the NichesYour core values should dictate all of your hiring, coaching, and firing decisions. And all of your payment decisions should be based on cost of replacement.Intrigued? Listen to a headhunter about how to keep your people.In this episode, I speak with Jeremy Jenson, CEO at Encore Search Partners, about EOS, PEO, and how to treat your employees so that leaving never crosses their minds.What we talked about:- Viewing your people as an asset, not as an expense- Developing your core values based on your last 10 fires- Hyper niching out & narrowing focus- How not getting a raise...
2021-04-0638 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 9 | Steve's Point to Ponder: How to Fix Your Cash Flow w/ Pricing InsightsCash flow is the lifeblood of every business. Let’s dive into the impact of pricing on cash flow. In this episode, your host Stephen King, President & CEO at GrowthForce, walks you through why and how to price your jobs to raise your cash flow: What you’ll learn:- Understanding the fully loaded labor cost- Establishing a gross profit per team field in your accounting system- Identifying which clients are most profitable (probably not your biggest client)- Why discounts are so damaging to cash flow
2021-03-1606 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 8 | How to apply a continuous innovation delivery model to your business for greater profitA lot of people think that a software or service is done once it’s developed. But innovation is never done. If you want to be a strategic ongoing partner for your customers, you have to continuously meet their expectations. You have to continuously execute ideas. You have to continuously deliver. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King talks with Micah Brandenburg, Founder of Micah Brandenburg Consulting, to discuss the EOS business framework, and how this subscription-based delivery model built around the concept of traction can help your business grow. Micah also explains: - How to reverse-engineer your st...
2021-03-0943 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 7 | How to create and implement written goals for better productivity and employee engagementWriting down goals increases the likelihood of success by 82%. It lets everyone on your team know what you’re aiming for, and helps you increase alignment. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King talks with Emily Hak, District Manager at Insperity, about how leaders can set their teams up for success through the simple act of writing down and cascading written goals in their business. Emily also explains: - How to motivate disengaged employees.- How to translate a company goal into individual goals. - A simple formula for creating goals that challenge employees.
2021-03-0211 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 6 | Increasing profitability through unique value: a lesson in differentiation from YouAppi’s CEOMoshe Vaknin increases the profitability of his clients by helping them get the most valuable users for their apps. By narrowing down his service to its unique selling proposition and concentrating the focus of employee’s energy around a single simple unifying effort — in this case, customer retargeting — he’s made his own unique path to profit. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King talks with Moshe Vaknin, Founder & CEO at YouAppi, about the decisions he made in his business that helped him increase profitability and growth. Moshe also explains:- How YouAppi’s services help brands grow their busi...
2021-01-2231 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 5 | How to Create a Meeting Culture that Increases Productivity and ProfitabilityWhat could company culture look like if leaders were really great meeting facilitators? What could businesses look like if their people really loved meetings? You might be thinking, “Nobody loves meetings...” But there is a way to infuse meetings with more joy to create a more connected culture and efficient workflow. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King talks with Douglas Ferguson, President at Voltage Control, about how leaders can use meetings to increase the productivity of their people and the profitability of their business. Douglas also explains: - What leaders are doing wrong when it comes to meet...
2021-01-1337 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 4 | Money In, Money Out: How To Fix These Common Cash Flow MistakesCash flow is the lifeblood of every business. So if you have billing, collections, or pricing problems, your business will suffer. Cash flow issues can be difficult, even annoying to manage, but at the end of the day it’s a lot easier to maintain than repair. In this episode of Path To Profit, host Stephen King makes the cash flow process easier with tips on managing the money coming in and going out of your business. He also shares: - Advice on automating and sending out invoices.- Tools and resources to use for billing and managing your cash...
2021-01-0622 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 3 | Preparing Your Business for Exit Planning: Factors to consider & why they matter.It’s hard to think about selling your business in the middle of a pandemic. But it’s a very real possibility. Business owners need to start thinking now about their exit strategy, whether they plan to exit or not, and increasing their business value to prepare for what may come in 2021. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King talks with Brett Dearing, Founder of Business Owners Exchange (BXO) and Head of Business Owner Advisory at Cerity Partners, about his experience working with business owners on growth and succession planning. Brett talks about his experience developing and executing acti...
2020-12-2229 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 2 | 3 Ways Businesses Get Ripped Off By Dishonest EmployeesSmall businesses and nonprofits are more vulnerable to fraud than larger organizations, and the effects can be far more damaging. Considering potential losses, small-business owners need to make the prevention of fraud a priority in their businesses. Mitigating fraud starts with being able to prevent and identify it in your company. In this episode of Path to Profit, host Stephen King, CEO of Growthforce, shares real stories of internal fraud and what to do in preventing it. Specifically, he covers:- An example of bill payment fraud from a nonprofit that outsourced its CFO.- Common forms of expense reimbursement...
2020-12-1605 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersEP 1 | The Pivot To Remote Work And Why It’s Good For Your People w/Andrew JacksonCOVID-19 necessitated a shift from offices and resulted in an impressive spur of remote work. If remote work is going to be sustainable, it needs to become more than just work: it needs to be a conduit of culture. In this episode of Path To Profit, Stephen King speaks with Andrew Jackson, founder and president of BravoTech, about how to maintain and encourage a healthy company culture in a remote environment. Andrew talks about how being open to hiring more remote employees increases a company’s reach and drives growth. He also discusses: How to maintain culture in a remote en...
2020-11-1927 minPath to Profit: Lessons From Growth-Driven Business LeadersGrowthForce’s Origin Story And The Man Behind The BusinessAt a young age, Stephen King’s eyes were opened to how technology can be used to reduce manual labor and help small businesses succeed. That revelation sparked an eagerness to “learn the language of business” and acquire accounting and technology skills that would allow him to help small businesses and nonprofits grow. In this introductory episode of Path To Profit, Martha DeFeo, Director of Marketing at Growthforce, interviews Path To Profit host and Growthforce President/CEO Stephen King about his professional journey. Stephen talks about his time working at Ernst & Young, Amnesty International partnering with Insperity, his side hustles that l...
2020-11-1925 min