

The Start, Scale & Succeed Podcast
Scott Ritzheimer
Scale Architects, founder, CEO and Secrets of The High Demand Coach podcast host Scott Ritzheimer has helped start nearly 20,000 new businesses and nonprofits and launched and sold his own multimillion-dollar business after leading it through an exceptional and extended growth phase (over 10 years of double-digit growth) all before he turned 35.
He realized the biggest secret to success is that there is not one secret to success. There are key strategies, tactics, skills, and mindsets needed at each stage of the journey AND they are different in each stage.
He launched the Start, Scale & Succeed podcast to help you know what you need to do RIGHT NOW to create the success you want. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, owner, or CEO or even if you'd like to be. You'll find episodes guiding you to success in all seven stages of your journey from pre-launch to post-exit.
He realized the biggest secret to success is that there is not one secret to success. There are key strategies, tactics, skills, and mindsets needed at each stage of the journey AND they are different in each stage.
He launched the Start, Scale & Succeed podcast to help you know what you need to do RIGHT NOW to create the success you want. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, owner, or CEO or even if you'd like to be. You'll find episodes guiding you to success in all seven stages of your journey from pre-launch to post-exit.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 7, 2025 • 18min
The Secrets Every Pre-Founder Should Know with Chanel Rose - Ep. 244
In this entrepreneurial episode, Chanel Rose, Director of Business Development of Pivot To Profits, shares how she helps her clients make the leap, start their own business, and take it full time.You will discover:- How to know when it’s time to start your own business- Why you don't have to go full-time to be a successful entrepreneur- What you can and should do before you go full-time as a founder
Chanel Rose has over 15 years of experience in business development, philanthropy, and procurement of government contracts. She proudly owns an international consulting firm renowned for crafting growth and success strategies. Holding certifications in Project Management and Leadership Development from Northwestern University and Business Analytics from Harvard University, her expertise is unmatched. In 2023 alone, she secured over $750,000 in government contracts, showcasing her prowess in boosting business revenue.
Want to learn more about Chanel Rose's work at Pivot To Profit? Connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanelrose/ and/or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hellochanelrose/.Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Jan 7, 2025 • 18min
Do you need Coaching, Consulting, or Counseling? with Doris Jackson-Shazier - Ep. 243
In this clarifying episode, Doris Jackson-Shazier, Owner of Shazier Coaching & Consulting, shares how she helps her clients figure out if they need coaching, consulting, or even both. If you've ever wondered what the difference is, or if you have a challenge that you'd like to overcome but don't quite know who can help best, then check out this great episode.You will discover:- the most important distinctions between coaching, consulting, and counseling- what challenges you can solve through coaching vs consulting- why many founders would benefit from both
Doris Jackson-Shazier is a seasoned author, speaker, ICF-accredited leadership coach, and management consultant with over twenty years of experience driving organizational growth and excellence. Renowned for her genuine and cooperative leadership style, Doris plays multiple roles—leader, mentor, facilitator, wife, and mother of four. She is deeply passionate about empowering relationships at home and work and specializes in teaching leaders how to create high accountability and high morale environments.
Want to learn more about Shazier Coaching & Consulting's work at Shazier Coaching & Consulting? Check out her website at https://dorisjacksonshazier.com/ and get a copy of her book Raising Justice: Lessons Learned Through Motherhood https://amzn.to/4f5lENc.Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 31, 2024 • 27min
Leadership with a Servant’s Heart with Kevin Johnson - Ep. 242
In this relentless episode, Kevin Johnson, CEO of The Johnson Leadership Group LLC, shares his life’s mission to help individuals achieve excellence at all levels and empower organizations to serve those in the communities they operate.You will discover:- Why being a leader is synonymous with being a servant- The two core aspects of leadership and how they must be aligned- How do the needs of your leaders change as they rise through the ranks from front-line supervisors to the senior leadership team?
As Founder and Chief Executive of The Johnson Leadership Group LLC, Kevin Wayne Johnson provides organizations and those working within them with the tools to forge adequate personnel and interpersonal communication. He delivers training on dynamic relationships to equip teams with the attitudes and attributes needed to develop individuals into leaders. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Want to learn more about Kevin Johnson's work at The Johnson Leadership Group? Check out his website at https://thejohnsonleadershipgroup.com/ or get a copy of his book Leadership with a Servant’s Heart: Leading in Your Workplace at https://amzn.to/3YaAMlF .Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 31, 2024 • 20min
The Coming Leadership Revolution with Lori Mazan - Ep. 241
In this illustrious episode, Lori Mazan, President of Sounding Board, Inc., shares how she has provided tens of thousands of coaching sessions to top leaders, from Fortune 100 CEOs to venture-backed startup executives.You will discover:- Why we need a revolution in leadership- Your role in coaching your team up to the next level- Practical tips on how to succeed as a leader in a hybrid work environment
Lori Mazan is a distinguished executive coach with 25 years of experience. She’s the co-founder, president, and chief coaching officer of Sounding Board, Inc. It offers a tech-driven, human-centric approach to leadership development as the go-to leadership development firm for forward-looking companies—including Chevron, Sprint, Citibank, Intellikine, Tapjoy, and 10XGenomics; Mazan and her team develop capabilities that produce immediate, positive business results. Mazan packages these strategies in her new book, Leadership Revolution: The Future of Developing Dynamic Leaders.
Want to learn more about Lori Mazan's work at Sounding Board, Inc? Check out her website at https://www.soundingboardinc.com/ and grab a copy of her book Leadership Revolution: The Future of Developing Dynamic Leaders https://amzn.to/40anSGRMentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 24, 2024 • 21min
Embracing Productive Paranoia with Matthew Davis - Ep. 240
In this lawfully creative episode, Matthew Davis, C.E.O. and Owner of Davis Business Law, P.L.L.C., shares how he runs his firm's innovative Custom Legal Department Program, where they work proactively with ambitious business owners to protect, improve, and grow their enterprises.You will discover:- The most common business vulnerabilities and how they change as you grow- What a good legal counselor should do and say (and how you don't want to scale without one)- Why productive paranoia is so effective for lasting success
Matthew Neill Davis is an attorney, heavy metal guitarist, and entrepreneur who led his solely owned firm, Davis Business Law, through over 1000% percent growth over eight years, making it one of the rare law firms ever to make the Inc 5000 list. The firm currently has eight offices from Austin to Kansas City. With over twenty-five years of experience helping business leaders with their legal and entrepreneurial matters, Davis now teaches them how to deal with their vulnerabilities so they can capitalize on their opportunities through his firm’s proprietary Strong Protected Business System™️. Davis holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma, Cornell University, and Cornell College.
Want to learn more about Matthew Davis's work at Davis Business Law, P.L.L.C? Check out his website at https://davisbusinesslaw.com/ or get a copy of his book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4eKRYVS.Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 24, 2024 • 20min
Transforming from Owner to Investor with Keith Blackborg - Ep. 239
In this high-roi episode, Keith Blackborg, Owner of Financial Journey, LLC, shares how you can make the leap from founder/owner to investor and put your wealth to work for you all in the context of a community of fellow founders and investors.You will discover:- How to achieve "work optional" without being put out to pasture- Why the sophistication of your wealth strategy has to expand beyond your business- How a community of investors will help you avoid the biggest mistake successful founders make once they exit their business
Keith Blackborg is a CPA, a proud father, husband, wealth optimizer, and tax strategist. He transitioned to Wealth as THE Business and reached “Work Optional” by age 30. He helps people build their ideal life financially and creates actionable strategies to achieve those goals. He has unique advanced tax strategies that his clients can take advantage of, and he shares his deal flow processes and strategy for when to diversify and when to concentrate when investing.
Want to learn more about Keith Blackborg's work at Financial Journey, LLC? Check out his website at https://www.financialjourney.life/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 17, 2024 • 20min
Scaling within a Franchise with Jon Ostenson - Ep. 238
In this leveraged episode, Jon Ostenson, CEO of FranBridge Consulting, shares how he helps clients understand all aspects of non-food franchising, from launching to scaling and everything in between.If you're interested in starting a franchise that you won't have to run yourself, or if you'd like to hand off the day-to-day of your current franchise, then check out this great episode.You will discover:- How to own but not run your franchise- What ingredients do you need to do it successfully- How to build a leadership team that can lead even when you're not around
Jon Ostenson is the CEO of FranBridge Consulting, an Inc. 5000 company, and he is a top .1% franchise consultant. He is also the bestselling author of the book, ‘Non-Food Franchising.’ Jon draws on his experience as a former Inc. 500 Franchise President and Multi-Brand Franchisee to help his clients select their franchise investments. Jon frequently contributes to franchising for publications such as Forbes, Inc. and Bloomberg.
Want to learn more about Jon Ostenson's work at FranBridge Consulting? Check out his website at https://franbridgeconsulting.com/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 17, 2024 • 21min
Future-Focused Leadership with Louise Mowbray - Ep. 237
In this futurist episode, Louise Mowbray, Owner and Managing Director of Mowbray by Design, shares how she specializes in The Future of Work and Leadership, working with executives, entrepreneurs, and C-suite teams at the intersection of leadership, futures, tech, transformation, and purpose-driven business.You will discover:- how to become a more future-focused leader (and why you need to)- how genetics and epigenetics shape your leadership in profound ways- what blue zones are, and why should we be paying attention to the habits of those who live in them
Louise Mowbray is the Founder of Mowbray by Design, the Future-Focused Conscious Leadership Consultancy established in London in 2005. She is an executive coach and keynote speaker, and she specializes in the future of work and the future of leadership. Earlier career chapters include working for listed organizations in the investment banking, technology, and executive search sectors, co-founding an executive search firm in London, and MD MENA for a British luxury lifestyle company based in Dubai. She is the author of 'Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership.
Want to learn more about Louise Mowbray's work at Mowbray by Design? Check out her website at https://mowbraybydesign.com/ or get a copy of her book Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership at https://amzn.to/48bobDk.Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 10, 2024 • 21min
Protecting Your Founder's Legacy with Adam Zuckerman - Ep. 236
In this legacy-leaving episode, Adam Zuckerman, Founder of Buried in Work, shares how he became a cross-disciplinary generalist with a track record of success creating and leading initiatives at Fortune 500 companies and startups for over twenty years.You will discover:- How most founders get their estate planning wrong- A simple exercise you can use to create enormous clarity to your exit strategy.- The unique benefits only founders get from estate planning.
Adam Zuckerman is the Founder of Buried in Work, which provides resources and services to simplify estate planning/organization, end-of-life tasks, and estate transitions for consumers and businesses. He's an attorney, MBA, and Eisenhower Fellow with a diverse background in finance, media, consumer package goods, and clean energy. Adam's personal experiences and professional expertise make him a visionary in transforming how we think about securing our legacies.
Want to learn more about Adam Zuckerman's work at Buried in Work? Check out his website at https://buriedinwork.com/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Dec 10, 2024 • 23min
Sales Automation Made Simple with Steve Wallace - Ep. 235
In this rigorous episode, Steve Wallace, Chief Revenue Officer of MaverickApp, shares his relentless determination, unwavering work ethic, and unshakable commitment to empowering salespeople and business owners to sell more.You will discover:- When you absolutely should not start automating sales activity- When you should start using automation and how to get started- Why you don't need more leads (and what you do need instead)
Steve Wallace stands firmly on the side of doing the work – and doing it exceptionally well while some salespeople and business owners seek shortcuts. His message is straightforward: stop evading the work and the invaluable lessons it brings; do it. Take action, even if you do it imperfectly, and relish the profound lessons within those experiences. Regarding sales, Steve is an evangelist who believes that automation can empower salespeople but will never replace them or the essential effort that underpins success. Steve is a beacon of passionate opposition in an era dominated by business and sales automation. He's not against automation but against "the easy button."
Want to learn more about Steve Wallace's work at MaverickApp? Check out his website at https://maverickapp.io/ or connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiefsalesnerd/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you’re a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you’re doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz


