The Examined Life

How do you create leverage as an entrepreneur? [Bart Egnal]

Jan 30, 2025

In this insightful discussion, Bart Egnal, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of The Humphrey Group, shares his journey from childhood sales to leading successful businesses. He discusses the traps of scaling service-based industries, highlighting the balance between revenue growth and profitability. Bart emphasizes the importance of effective communication skills for leaders and the necessity of sustainable business models. He reflects on personal fulfillment in entrepreneurship and the evolving coaching landscape, urging aspiring leaders to adapt and maintain their unique styles.

55:40

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Bart Egnal

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Entrepreneurs must transform their service-based business models to enable scalability and reduce dependence on their personal time.

Effective communication skills are essential for career advancement, particularly for executives seeking promotions and team influence.

Understanding personal motivations for scaling a business is crucial, as genuine passion drives fulfillment beyond mere financial gain.

Deep dives

Understanding Entrepreneurial Leverage

Creating leverage as an entrepreneur involves transforming a business model that heavily relies on one’s own time and effort into one that can scale effectively. A fundamental insight includes recognizing that many service-based businesses, especially those primarily involving personal coaching, struggle with scalability due to their one-on-one nature, where income is directly tied to hours worked. For instance, if an entrepreneur takes time off, they often experience immediate financial loss, highlighting the imperative to develop a system that allows for passive income or increased reach. Therefore, entrepreneurs must seek methods to package their knowledge and expertise into products or programs that can be delivered to larger audiences without a proportionate increase in personal effort.

Intro

2min

The Evolution of Executive Communication Skills

2min

From Childhood Sales to Entrepreneurial Aspirations

3min

Navigating Entrepreneurial Leverage and Sustainable Growth

3min

Redefining Entrepreneurial Growth

29min

Unlocking Creativity Through Communication Training

2min

Navigating Team Dynamics as a Solo Entrepreneur

14min

Are solopreneurs destined to be stuck trading time for money? Serial entrepreneur Bart Egnal breaks down the traps of scaling a service business — where more revenue often leads to lower profits and bigger headaches. As entrepreneurs hit different revenue breakpoints, they face crucial decisions about hiring, systematizing their IP, and most importantly, whether scaling aligns with their deeper motivations beyond just watching "the numbers go up.” [Episode 87] Bart Egnal is the CEO at The Humphrey Group and Chairman at the Niagara Institute.

Learn more about Bart:

• Bart's LinkedIn

• The Inspire Podcast

• The Humphrey Group Blog

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