234. Succession Planning and Branding with Lauren Goldstein

Sep 30, 2025

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Are you building a business… or just your own very stressful job? Lauren Goldstein (aka the Biz Doctor) joins Michelle to discuss what makes a business “legacy” versus “lifestyle,” and why your self-worth shouldn’t be tied to your revenue report. From setting boundaries that actually stick, to leveling up in the age of AI, this conversation is a crash course for leaders, freelancers, and anyone determined not to reply to Slack messages from bed. Get the real secrets to finding freedom inside and outside of work.

Lauren Goldstein is who 7- and 8-figure business owners call when they’re stuck in the weeds of success and need their business to truly run without them. An award-winning business consultant and advisor, she is the founder of Golden Key Partnership, a boutique business consulting firm where for over a decade she has fixed broken team dynamics, untangled operational chaos, and helped leaders reclaim their time and sanity. Nicknamed The Biz Doctor®, Lauren diagnoses what is actually holding the business back and builds custom strategies that create clarity, capacity, and a culture that scales. Her work has helped some of the most respected small business owners build companies they actually enjoy running again, and through her top 5% globally ranked podcast, The Biz Doctor®, she shares those same unfiltered insights and tactics with business owners ready to lead smarter and work less. ------------------------ In today's episode, we cover the following:

Legacy and succession planning
Legacy business vs. lifestyle business
Personal brand vs. professional brand
Identity, purpose, and burnout
Productivity, structure and the work-life balance
The 48-72-hour rule
Mental health in entrepreneurship and employment
Setting boundaries as an employee or freelancer
AI's current role in business
Future proofing your career with AI in the game
Navigating uncertainty and community support

---------------------- RESOURCES:

Episode 136: How to Scale Your Business Sustainably with Lauren Goldstein
Listen to Lauren's podcast: The Biz Doctor Podcast https://www.goldenkeypartnership.com/podcast/

----------------------- Guest info: To learn more about Lauren and her consulting, follow her on Instagram @ItsLaurenGoldstein and LinkedIn @LaurenGoldstein and visit her website, GoldenKeyPartnership.com ----------------------- Boring packaging? Forgettable branding? Sticker Giant fixes that with custom stickers and labels designed to make your brand stick—literally. Use code KMA25 at stickergiant.com for 25% off your first order. ----------------------- WORK WITH MKW CREATIVE CO. Connect on social with Michelle at:

----------------------- Did you know that the fuel of the POD and the KMA Team runs on coffee? ;) If you love the content shared in the KMA podcast, you're welcome to invite us to a cup of coffee any time - Buy Me a Coffee! ----------------------- This episode is brought to you by Zencastr. Create high quality video and audio content. Get your first two weeks free at https://zencastr.com/?via=kma. ----------------------- This episode of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast is brought to you by Audible. Get your first month free at www.audible.com/kma. This episode was edited by Berta Wired Theme music by: Eliza Rosevera and Nathan Menard