Above The Business

This podcast episode explore the critical role of clear expectations in employee engagement, performance, and retention. Highlighting research from Gallup, Harvard Business Review, and others, it reveals that unclear expectations are a major reason employees leave their jobs. It discusses the importance of setting clear, measurable goals, not just in performance improvement plans (PIPs), but also as a regular management practice through tools like weekly one-on-one meetings and quarterly reviews. By fostering open communication and using structured frameworks, business owners can create a culture of clarity and accountability that drives success and reduces turnover.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Download the FREE Rainmaker to Architect Starter Kit at https://start.blueprintos.com! Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Growth Isn't a Guessing Game. Jim works with ambitious companies who are ready to lower CAC, increase LTV, and break revenue records. He focuses on increasing profits by improving conversion rates, acquiring new customers by maximizing ad spend, and growing sales with a team. His methods have scaled 150 brands and counting.Jim is the author of the Amazon best-seller, The Growth Marketer’s Playbook, and he teaches the #1 course on LinkedIn for CRO and Growth Marketing. His company, Growth Hit, has even launched its own brands. His team eats, sleeps and dreams growth marketing.You can learn more, get the book, and connect with Jim at https://growthhit.com/.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Download the FREE Rainmaker to Architect Starter Kit at https://start.blueprintos.com! Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

In this podcast episode, Bradley focuses on the balance between growth and sustainability in business. He discusses the allure of the Inc. 5000 list, which showcases the fastest-growing private companies in America, but cautions against chasing growth at all costs. While rapid expansion is often celebrated, true success lies in building a business that is not only growing but also profitable and sustainable for the long haul. In answer to this rapid growth, he introduces the Rule of 40, which suggests that a healthy business should balance growth and profitability to ensure long-term viability.Bradley also highlights the hidden costs of rapid growth, such as personal sacrifices and potential burnout, reminding business owners of the importance of aligning their business goals with their personal values and priorities. He encourages entrepreneurs to use the Inc. 5000 as a source of inspiration rather than a strict blueprint, urging them to focus on creating a business that supports their desired lifestyle. Growth is important, but building a business that you love and that allows you to live the life you want is the true measure of success.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Download the FREE Rainmaker to Architect Starter Kit at https://start.blueprintos.com! Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Discover how startups often start within well known companies and spin out in this episode. Dr. André Laplume, co-author of Spinout Ventures, joins Bradley to discuss...you guessed it: spinout ventures.Laplume is a Full Professor in Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Ted Rogers School of Management, which is part of Toronto Metropolitan University. Laplume researches the intersections where new entrants and incumbent firms meet with the aim of breaking down the barriers facing entrepreneurs, while helping managers deal with entrepreneurial ambitions in their organizations. His research has appeared in top journals like Human Relations, Journal of International Business Studies, and Journal of Business Research, among others. He received his PhD in Management from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, and spent seven years at Michigan Tech, teaching in its MBA program. Earlier, Laplume was a business and information technology consultant, helping clients integrate businesses and automate units. He is a frequent judge at entrepreneurship pitch competitions and an experienced entrepreneur, having launched a startup while in Michigan.Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Download the FREE Rainmaker to Architect Starter Kit at https://start.blueprintos.com! Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

In this episode, Bradley reflects on a pivotal experience early in his career, when his manager, Sharma, pushed him to unlock his full potential despite his recent success. After winning a prestigious "Rep of the Year" award, Bradley expected praise, but Sharma instead challenged him during a grueling ride-along, critiquing his every move. She explained that she wasn’t comparing him to others but to the future version of himself, knowing he had more to give. This lesson shaped Bradley’s leadership approach, highlighting the importance of challenging top performers and even oneself to reach untapped potential.Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Today on the podcast, Kelli Rae Thompson joins Bradley to discuss confidence in business. Faced with real workplace demands, it can be tough to put delegation into practice. Many business owners say things like “I’m the only one who can do the job” or “If this project doesn’t go smoothly, the whole team will suffer.” Kelli wrote an article for Harvard Business Review on advancing from doer to strategic leader by allowing your employees to struggle, and then she literally wrote the book on confidence.In this episode, they discuss...Shifting from a doer to a leader mindset: This mindset shift may be the hardest of all. We can discuss noticing the payoff from doing, claiming your leadership identity by getting clear on values, and intentionally responding instead of reacting. Embracing the discomfort of the learning process: Instead of taking back work your employee is struggling with, you can name your emotions, normalize the discomfort, and reframe the situation. Distinguishing between high-stakes and low-stakes tasks: For example, if your employee’s goal is to develop better presentation skills, ask them to lead the next staff meeting before a high-stakes one like conducting a client meeting. Being curious and facilitative: Leaders can’t be expected to have all the answers. But they do need to have patience and curiosity and ask insightful questions to facilitate learning. Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

The desert is also a phase where many businesses get stuck. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the challenges of managing a growing team and to settle into a comfortable but stagnant routine. However, for those who are willing to push through, the rewards on the other side are immense.Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Today on the podcast, Peter Kingma joins Bradley to talk cash. "Cash is king," says business expert Peter Kingma.  Without it, your business won’t survive.You need cash to pay your bills, develop new products, hire additional employees, and so on. With cash, you can take advantage of growth opportunities. If you have too much debt and too little cash, then your business is vulnerable anytime the economy shifts.Kingma has thirty years of experience helping companies drive operational resilience with better cash management.  In his new book, CASH IS KING, he offers his unparalleled perspective on the necessity of developing a “cash culture.”Get his book at https://www.amazon.com/Cash-King-Maintain-Liquidity-Opportunity/dp/1119983355In His New Book CASH IS KING, Business Expert Peter Kingma Provides A Framework for Building Organizational Liquidity.“Few people outside of senior finance executives really understand the importance of cash in their businesses,” writes expert Peter Kingma in his new book CASH IS KING: Maintain Liquidity, Build Capital, and Prepare Your Business for Every Opportunity (Wiley; May 2024). With over thirty years of experience helping companies drive operational resilience with better cash management, Kingma has an unparalleled perspective on the necessity of developing a “cash culture.”“Revenue is important, but cash is king,” he explains. “In many companies, there is far too often a fixation on revenue alone. Profitable businesses can go out of business without adequate cash. Good ideas can’t get launched, new products can’t be developed, markets cannot be expanded without cash. There needs to be a positive balance between cash inflow and outflow.”CASH IS KING is not a typical book about finance.  Kingma illustrates his advice by telling the story of Owens, Inc., a fictional, mid-sized manufacturing company. Quarter after quarter, as Owens sales grow, the company’s CFO becomes increasingly concerned about cash flow. The business is now more complex. Interest rates are rising, inventory is growing faster than sales, the demand for capital improvements is at an all-time high, and customers are paying more slowly than ever.Join us at The 2 Day MBA, August 6th-7th 2024. Register free here: https://www.abovethebusiness.co/2daymba-24This 2 Day Experience from industry leaders is more practical and valuable than a 2 year degree that “qualifies” you to begin a venture. Join us to get the systems, processes, and insights you need to design a business that supports scale. Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Recently Bradley was thinking about scavenger hunts from his childhood, college days, and even those he's organized for his kids. Remember those exhilarating moments of following clues to the next exciting discovery? While scavenger hunts are fun in certain contexts, they can become a frustrating metaphor for disorganization in business settings. In this episode, Bradley shares how to create systems for organizing information that can be used by the entire team.Join us at The 2 Day MBA, August 6th-7th 2024. Register free here: https://www.abovethebusiness.co/2daymba-24This 2 Day Experience from industry leaders is more practical and valuable than a 2 year degree that “qualifies” you to begin a venture. Join us to get the systems, processes, and insights you need to design a business that supports scale. Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/

Today on the podcast, Chris Thyberg joins Bradley to discuss The Serving Way. Chris is on a mission to cultivate joy at work, one growing leader at a time. His coaching declaration serves as a compass, ensuring that leaders can harness their capacity, power, and wholeness to pursue great purposes.Chris's unique approach, known as The Serving Way, is designed to transcend current leadership challenges and cultivate joy at work. As a trusted partner, guide, and companion, Chris is committed to supporting growth, contributing to the betterment of the world through empowered leadership.Whether you're an emerging leader navigating a new role, an experienced executive seeking purpose and confidence, or someone in transition facing career changes, Chris provides tailored coaching that addresses your unique needs. Specializing in the growing edge of leadership, he utilizes thought-provoking tools and methodologies to address identity questions, transform drama into empowerment, and enhance inner capacity to navigate today's challenges.Learn more about The Serving Way and connect with Chris: Visit TheServingWay.com, schedule a call with Chris and his team at www.Calendly.com/The_Serving_Way or email him at Chris.Thyberg@TheServingWay.comChris Thyberg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christhyberg/Register for The 2 Day MBA! Master your systems and processes for growth on August 6th and 7th in this 2 day live event with keynote speakers Dan Martell, Andrew Filar, Coach P, and Bradley. Visit www.abovethebusiness.co to learn more and register free!Thanks to our sponsors...Club Capital provides monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capitalBlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Discover our free resources for growing your business at www.blueprintos.com.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you’ll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Go to www.autopilotrecruiting.com to get started.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.TodayApp is a corporate approved app that allows you to build custom activities and track all your commissions and bonus structures, and integrates perfectly with your CRM. It can even manage your employees’ time, track production, have a leaderboard with metrics, and more. Contact Today App and for a custom demo and let them know you heard about them on The Above The Business Podcast. https://todayapppro.com/