The Scaling Podcast With Aaron Harper

Most conversations about wealth stop at numbers. This one does not. In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Aaron sits down with Christopher Mackin to explore how wealth, energy, identity, and decision-making intersect over a long career. They unpack what happens when financial success outpaces personal alignment, how over-optimization can quietly erode health and relationships, and why many high performers eventually realize that money alone is not the finish line. This is a grounded conversation about building wealth with intention, navigating major life transitions, and redefining success beyond hustle culture. If you are an entrepreneur, operator, or business owner thinking long term, this episode will challenge how you think about money and what it is actually for. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Christopher's background in wealth management 03:30 Discovering the missing piece beyond financial success 06:20 Energy, money, and how people relate to wealth 09:20 Spiritual experiences and shifting perspective 13:00 Burnout, overworking, and the cost of chasing growth 15:30 Stepping away from the CEO role and redefining success 18:45 Time and energy as business resources 23:00 Writing a personal life operating plan 27:30 Separating personal identity from public business roles 32:00 The concept of "enough" and why more is rarely the answer 36:15 Astrology, intuition, and expanding belief systems 40:30 What Reiki is and how Christopher uses it daily 44:20 Health, healing, and non-traditional approaches 47:20 How energy work influenced client relationships 50:30 Working with founders, exits, and family wealth 54:30 Wealth inheritance and responsibility across generations 58:00 Values-based investing and intentional capital deployment 01:02:00 Money, relationships, and communication 01:05:20 Preparing the next generation for wealth 01:09:20 Guardrails, planning, and long-term stewardship 01:12:30 Final reflections on conscious wealth

In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Aaron Harper sits down with Tony Hilbert — CEO of Horsepower Brands — to break down how they grew from a single roofing brand to 9 franchise brands and 400+ owners in under five years. Tony shares his journey from CPA → CFO → franchise multi-unit operator, the collapse of a 68-location chain, the resilience lessons that shaped him, and the blueprint Horsepower uses to launch & scale home-service franchises at record speed.

Brooke Budke opens up about the real challenges of leading a franchise brand. She explains the pressure, the criticism, the emotional weight, and the constant responsibility that comes with supporting owners and their families. This episode explores leadership at a deeper level. Brooke shares what she learned through rapid growth, identity shifts, becoming brand president during the most difficult season of her career, and rebuilding her life as a founder and parent. You will hear her perspective on communication, culture, clarity, personal reinvention, and the internal noise that leaders face when everyone has an opinion about every decision. She explains her journey with honesty and experience, and the result is a conversation that leaves you with a clearer view of what leadership demands. This episode is for anyone navigating growth, change, or a new season of responsibility. It is a conversation grounded in experience and focused on real lessons from a leader who has lived through both success and personal transformation. 0:00 In person introduction in Brentwood TN 00:47 Starting at Title Boxing at age 30 01:53 Early challenges stepping into a leadership role 03:55 Everyone disliked the marketing team 06:18 Rebranding and early operational chaos 08:25 Understanding the thirty five year old female consumer 10:06 Helping franchisees communicate with their audience 11:24 Why communication determines long term results 11:46 Handling criticism and internal pressure 12:19 Mindset structure and decision making 14:11 Human needs and franchisee conflict 16:25 Leading with clarity and kindness 17:40 The emotional weight of leading a brand 18:08 Why no one has your exact vantage point 18:39 Why franchising feels personal to every owner 19:15 Becoming brand president and navigating shutdowns 20:27 Solving problems with limited resources 22:09 Resetting identity after a company sale 23:14 Separating personal identity from the business 24:45 Removing yourself from roles that limit growth 27:16 Creating a personal operating structure 28:01 Using conviction to solve business problems 29:31 Evolving from founder to leader 30:25 Attracting the right partners 31:19 Selecting the right franchisees from the beginning 32:50 Moving from zero units to three hundred 37:01 Step parent life IVF and purpose 37:56 A one in a million pregnancy journey 40:09 Why people remain in familiar situations 41:28 Choosing yourself and choosing your family 43:24 Launching Momentum Brands during pregnancy 46:02 Coaching founders and emerging brands 47:46 Brand profiles and common challenges 50:08 The value of recurring revenue 51:12 Leadership habits that influence brand performance 54:28 How founders create their own barriers 59:04 Micro habits of successful operators 01:12:25 Training product and building alignment 01:29:01 Using content as leverage 01:42:13 Breaking limiting beliefs around social platforms 01:47:08 Closing thoughts and gratitude

In this episode, Aaron sits down with entrepreneur and operator Adam House to break down the real journey behind scaling multiple companies — from early exits to navigating Series A/B fundraising, rebuilding identity after stepping away as CEO, and the power of authentic content in franchising.Adam shares stories from his earliest ventures, including selling his first company right before the financial crisis, launching a mobile tech company acquired in just 18 months, and building a health-care analytics platform from a literal napkin sketch.They also dive deep into the seasons of entrepreneurship, the realities of capital raising, and how personal brand strategy took franchise lead flow from 7% to 42% in a single year.

Aaron Harper sits down with Empower CEO Scott Zide to explore how the company scaled from its early roots to over $1.5 billion in systemwide franchise sales. Scott shares his journey from being a 23-year-old franchisee to leading one of the largest multi-brand platforms in the industry. They break down Empower's approach to incubating vs. acquiring, what makes great franchisees, and why staying true to entrepreneurial values matters at scale. This is a deep look at the future of franchising platforms, brand building, and unit economics done right. 00:00 – Intro: From Franchisee to CEO 03:13 – Founding Mosquito Squad & Building Early Brands 06:21 – How Empower Formed Through Merger 09:43 – What Empower Looks for in Acquisitions 15:44 – How to Incubate a Brand the Right Way 23:58 – Scaling Commercial vs. Residential 35:04 – Empower's $1.5B Growth 43:50 – Getting Franchisees to Follow the Model 53:40 – Empower's Philosophy on Brand Life Cycles 59:15 – Closing Thoughts on Leadership & Growth

When life completely falls apart, what do you do next? In this powerful episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Brad Smith to talk about the accident that ended his thriving fitness business — and how he rebuilt his life, mindset, and mission from scratch. They cover the lessons hidden in loss, the importance of multiple income streams, and what it really takes to find purpose again when everything changes overnight. Whether you're an entrepreneur, athlete, or just someone trying to navigate a hard season, this conversation will remind you that resilience isn't about bouncing back — it's about building better. 00:00:00 – Opening & introductions Aaron introduces Brad, sets the tone for a conversation on resilience, rebuilding, and life pivots. 00:05:20 – The accident and everything changing overnight Brad shares the story of the car accident that derailed his fitness business and forced a complete reset. 00:15:30 – Navigating physical and emotional recovery Discussion on dealing with chronic pain, loss of purpose, and the identity crisis that comes after success collapses. 00:26:40 – Rebuilding from the ground up How Brad and his wife approached recovery by focusing on mindset, small wins, and redefining success. 00:37:50 – The business lessons hidden in loss Brad reflects on the dangers of single-income dependence and what diversification really means for entrepreneurs. 00:48:20 – Visibility, storytelling, and building trust Aaron and Brad talk about showing up publicly, using vulnerability to connect, and the business power of authenticity. 00:59:10 – Creating momentum again Brad explains how consistency and purpose gradually replaced burnout, leading to long-term stability. 01:10:15 – Lessons on leadership and legacy A look at how setbacks reshape leadership values — empathy, communication, and resilience through example. 01:17:30 – Closing reflections Aaron wraps the conversation by summarizing the key takeaways: rebuild, stay visible, and move forward with purpose.

What does it take to walk away from a safe, successful career and bet everything on yourself? In this episode, Navin joins Aaron to talk about his leap from medicine into entrepreneurship—and the lessons learned along the way. They dive into what it really means to build a business that runs without you, how to scale responsibly, and why content is the most underrated driver of growth today. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to trade comfort for conviction, this conversation will hit home. Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome & intro: from doctor to entrepreneur 04:15 — The moment Navin knew he had to make a change 06:45 — Leaving a 12-year medical career for the unknown 10:18 — The bridge years: working while building a company 14:03 — Why every business should outgrow its founder 18:59 — Early angel investing and storytelling as a magnet 22:10 — Balancing risk and fulfillment during the transition 25:55 — How to build teams that can operate without you 29:11 — Investing, exits, and lessons from early ventures 31:08 — Playing the long game: patience in pre-seed investing 35:40 — Smart money vs. dumb money in startup funding 38:42 — Scaling philosophy: investing in people, not institutions 43:10 — How personal purpose drives entrepreneurial success 47:59 — Raising capital through relationships and mentorship 50:34 — Lessons from franchising and operational scale 51:25 — Using content to represent and grow your business 55:42 — The responsibility of being a founder 01:01:25 — Why consistent content builds trust and opportunity 01:04:10 — Closing thoughts: redefining what success looks like

In this conversation, Aaron Harper and Rand Larsen explore the realities of entrepreneurship, franchising, and community building. They discuss lessons from Scale Path, the challenges of retention, creative marketing approaches, and the importance of solving problems in business with clarity and honesty. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 04:19 – Franchising, entrepreneurship, and lessons learned 18:46 – Building trust and peer group communities 34:44 – Identifying business constraints and solving problems 50:04 – Creative experiments: entrepreneur caricature card game 54:32 – Vision, goals, and the role of retention 54:54 – Rand Larsen: Building trust and retention in entrepreneur communities 56:25 – Rand Larsen: Breaking through the noise in business growth 57:23 – LinkedIn vs Twitter: what really works for engagement 01:14:17 – Rand Larsen: The hard truth about struggle in business 01:15:44 – Real-world example: solving CRM and customer account challenges 01:20:00 – Long-term value of content and storytelling 01:25:00 – Closing thoughts on scaling and future direction

What makes the best leaders stand out? Adam Mendler, host of 30 Minute Mentors and a speaker who has interviewed thousands of top CEOs, athletes, and public figures, shares the core lessons of leadership, authenticity, and personal growth. In this episode of the Scaling Podcast, Aaron and Adam dive into leadership traits, entrepreneurial advice, and the importance of being a lifelong learner. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:42 – Adam's background and path into leadership 4:08 – Why authenticity matters in leadership 5:53 – Great leaders as listeners and lifelong learners 7:28 – Adam's lessons from college and early career 14:32 – Mistakes, pivots, and resilience in business 19:38 – Building a culture and staying adaptable 30:06 – Speaking, storytelling, and connecting with audiences 37:24 – Adam's advice for entrepreneurs 42:30 – Key takeaway on success and leadership

What does it take to get a business off the ground when everything is stacked against you? Ryan Hanley has lived it — from launching a company right before COVID to stepping in as a "wartime CEO" to help startups break through chaos and find focus. In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Aaron Harper and Ryan unpack the lessons every founder, entrepreneur, and leader needs: why focus matters more than perfection, how ADHD shaped Ryan's leadership, and why content and personal branding are no longer optional in today's world. 💡 If you've ever felt stretched thin, chasing too many ideas, or stuck trying to find clarity — this conversation is for you. 🕒 Timestamps 0:00 – Intro: Aaron introduces Ryan Hanley 2:15 – What it means to be a "wartime CEO" 9:47 – Why technical founders often struggle with leadership 10:23 – Focus vs. perfection: the real startup killer 11:20 – Where most startups die in their journey 19:29 – Ryan's ADHD story and its impact on leadership 20:50 – Launching an insurance business days before COVID 30:00 – Lessons from crisis: clarity, systems, and self-management 51:40 – Leading with resonance: content and personal branding 53:36 – The survivor bias in startup advice 1:00:00 – Authenticity in the age of AI-generated content 1:03:49 – Ryan's PEAK framework for recalibration 1:05:15 – Aaron's $3.2M case study: content as a sales engine 1:11:18 – Why content acts as your silent salesperson 1:14:00 – Closing takeaways: focus, systems, and leadership clarity