Built To Lead

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 We know that the foundation of any great business is their team, but most of us are never taught how to lead them.  So I wanted to sit down with the best leaders and founders in the world and find out how they did it.  Who did they hire?  What mistakes did they make? And what do they wish someone had told them years ago? These are the stories they haven't told before and the things that made the biggest difference in their business.  If you want to stop being the bottleneck in your business, delegate properly and build a culture that people can’t wait to be part of Subscribe now wherever you're listening because you won't wanna miss these episodes. 

  1. Should You Hire Offshore… or Replace It All With AI? What You Need to Know Before You Do ANYTHING with Marissa Kos

    21 HRS AGO

    Should You Hire Offshore… or Replace It All With AI? What You Need to Know Before You Do ANYTHING with Marissa Kos

    Are you saving AI posts and prompts on IG? Are you using Chat GPT here and there but have no idea what it could look like to actually incorporate it into your business? Or even wondering if you should ditch the team and buy a Mac Mini to build your business with Open Claw? Take a deep breath and listen to this episode. The AI landscape is moving FAST and it can feel very hard to keep up with (and that’s because it is hard to keep up with).  I wanted to chat to someone who has been in the industry from the start. So today I’m sitting down with Marissa Kos (aka The Blonde Bot and founder of MXM), who is helping founders build AI systems, train their teams and actually make it work inside businesses. Key moments: 0:00 - How many human vs AI team members does Marissa actually have  04:17 - The AI struggle - should you use it and do you still need an offshore team? 13:26 - Chat GPT versus Claude 17:29 - The prompt to move everything over to Claude from Chat GPT 20:08 - Is OpenClaw worth the hype? 22:35 - What “AI agents” actually are  25:19 - How agents work together inside a business  28:48 - What an AI workflow looks like inside an existing team  30:08 - What to do when your team resists AI  35:47 - Where to actually start with AI in your business  39:11 - How Marissa uses AI in real life (not just business)  52:48 - Do you need to understand everything as a founder?  58:21 - Using AI as a business knowledge base  1:01:05 - If Marissa had to start from scratch, who would her first 3 hires be? 1:04:48 - The skill that matters most in the AI era  If you want more from Marissa, you can find her here: Instagram @marissa_kos YouTube @marissa_kos TikTok @marissa_kos Substack www.marissakos.substack.com If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    1h 8m
  2. The Personal Brand Playbook for Time-Poor Founders with Dain Walker

    MAY 4

    The Personal Brand Playbook for Time-Poor Founders with Dain Walker

    If you’re running a business and you don’t have a personal brand, you’re already behind.  But for most founders they’re already time-poor as it is … creating content and starting a personal brand feels difficult, exhausting and like just another thing to add to their to-do list. Today I sit down with Dain Walker who is the founder and CEO of Rivyl, Host of Agency Podcast and Author of The 90 Day Brand. He’s worked with brands like Culture Kings, Nutrition Warehouse, spoken on stages with Gary Vee and Steven Bartlett, has over 600,000 followers and grown his podcast to over 1 million subscribers. We talk about why most founders don’t get the results they want from their content, why building a brand is no longer optional and the exact steps to make sure you stand out.  You’ll hear:  1:31: Why you need to have founder led content as part of your strategy in 2026.   11:25: The key to building a high performance offshore team regardless of their roles 13:01: How to know when it’s time to hire an EA and what that role should actually do 43:25: The 5 things that block most founders from building a personal brand and how to remove each one 51:44: Why your content isn’t getting traction and how to fix it   58:25: How to build a ‘crowd’ that actually want to engage with your content  1:07:10: The 3 circle exercise that will help you determine your audience, niche and content 1:16:52 How to create a product or service your audience actually want to buy  1:22:54: The leadership mindset shift that will put you back in control of everything Follow Dain over at https://www.instagram.com/dainwalker/ and @agencypodcast_ or over at https://www.rivyl.com/ Not sure how to start using AI in your business? Want to know what to delegate (and how)?Get your Founders AI Playbook to see exactly which parts of your workflow to automate, keep human, or cut entirely. Download your copy here. Find out more about building your off-shore team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes of the podcast over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠

    1h 29m
  3. How to Find A-Players (and keep them) with Taylor Fielding

    APR 27

    How to Find A-Players (and keep them) with Taylor Fielding

    Usually you have to choose between scaling and building an epic culture, but TFM Digital is the exception to this.  They were named as one of the best places to work in Australia and landed on the AFR 100 two years in a row.  Today I speak with Taylor Fielding about how he attracts a-players, the biggest mistakes he’s made scaling so quickly and how he’s built a business that allows him to travel more and more every single year (in fact it’s actually an intentional strategy!)  We talk about the hire that nearly blew up the business, why they invest 46% of profits back into their team and the organisational chart you need to implement if you want to scale your own business.  If you've ever hired someone and regretted it, tried to hand off leadership too fast, or told yourself you'll take a real break once things settle down, this one's for you. Key moments: 00:00: The biggest mistakes growing from 1-29 staff  03:58: Where to start if you want to invest in your team  7:52 Attracting, retaining and developing a-players  11:56: How to use your culture to attract the right hires and repel the wrong ones 14:16: The organisational chart every founder who wants to scale needs  17:39 How to use AI to maximise your teams out put (and what not to do)  23:10: The key to setting any senior hire up for success  37:31 Stepping back from the day to day operations AND scaling your business  You can connect with Taylor on LinkedIn | Instagram: @taylorfielding | TikTok/Instagram: @tfmdigital Not sure how to start using AI in your business? Want to know what to delegate (and how)? Get your Founders AI Playbook to see exactly which parts of your workflow to automate, keep human, or cut entirely. Download your copy here. Find out more about building your off-shore team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes of the podcast over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠

    42 min
  4. AI, Agents and why you can’t wait… What every founder needs to know about AI to 10X their business

    APR 20

    AI, Agents and why you can’t wait… What every founder needs to know about AI to 10X their business

    Some founders are firing their whole team and replacing them with AI…or pretending it’s not happening at all. But Joe Stolte thinks differently.  Joe Stolte has built 6 companies, exited 4 (including Lottery.com which went public at $526 million), worked at Microsoft and generated over $100 million in sales. He now helps businesses to deploy and integrate AI agents and knows exactly what separates the business that will survive the shift to AI, from the ones that won’t.  In this episode, we chat about building teams of AI agents, empowering your staff to use AI and ways you can 10x your business. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to get started with AI, this is probably it. Key moments: 00:00: Hire people or hire AI. What founders should actually be thinking about right now 1:19: The matrix that will help you decide what should be done by AI and what should be done by your team 3:09: How AI can completely change the game for sales teams before during and after every call  4:19: What your best employees are actually costing you when they aren’t using AI  5:07: What most founders get wrong when using AI  15:07:: The four stages of AI: what's coming next and why the timeline is shorter than most people expect 30:15: Chatbots vs Agents. What’s the difference and which one you should use  21:52: The three agents worth setting up today and how to actually get started 23:30: Is Open Claw worth it? What it can do, where it falls short and  45:33:How delegation changes when your team is AI-powered and what that means for you as a leader 1:01:00: The one daily habit that moves the needle and how to make it stick in your business Drop a JESS in Joe's DMs at dmjoe.com to get his free Constraint Test bot plus a stack of AI resources and training to get you started. No email, no pitch, just good stuff. And if you want to connect with him or follow what he's up to, that's the place to start. Not sure how to start using AI in your business? Want to know what to delegate (and how)? Get your Founders AI Playbook to see exactly which parts of your workflow to automate, keep human, or cut entirely. Download your copy here. If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    1h 4m
  5. Hiring a CEO: The Decision That Changed Everything at Kivari for Kiki Keysers

    APR 13

    Hiring a CEO: The Decision That Changed Everything at Kivari for Kiki Keysers

    This one’s interesting because on paper, Kiki Keysers’ built the kind of business most founders say they want.  14 stores. 130 staff. A clothing brand people recognise. But the reason I wanted to get her on wasn’t to talk about growth. It was to understand what actually changed behind the scenes to make that possible… because she’s done something most founders avoid for way too long… She stepped out of running the business. In this episode, we get into what that actually looked like. The point where Kiki realised she was the bottleneck in Kivari the Label. The hires she made too late (and the ones she’d make immediately if she started again). And what really happens when you bring in a CEO and have to stop jumping in every five seconds. Key moments: 0:00 - The moment you realise your “side thing” is actually turning into a real business… and what changes after that 4:57 - Hiring your first employee when you have no idea what you’re doing (and why waiting too long will slow everything down) 6:40 - Why your business starts to feel messy as you grow across locations and what actually keeps everything aligned 09:01 - How to develop leaders who can run things without you being involved in every decision 12:06 - The 5 hard truths that keep founders stuck at the same level  15:46 - What ‘good culture’ actually looks like day to day 18:17 - What scaling to the next level really looks like when you already have stores, a team and momentum 19:18 - The one investment that changed how Kiki leads and thinks (and why most founders avoid it) 20:24 - Why putting money into yourself grows your business faster than putting it back into the business 22:08 - What it actually looks like to work with your partner, live together and build a business at the same time 27:52 -What really happens when you bring in a CEO and start letting go of control 29:26 - The hire that gave her back time and changed how the business operates day to day 31:00 - Building a fashion brand with zero experience and figuring it out as you go 32:33 - The first 3 hires she’d make if she had to start again (and why they matter early) 33:35 - Where to start with marketing if you’re building a brand today and don’t have a team yet If you want more of Kiki, follow her on IG @kiki_keysers or visit www.kivari.com.au Listen to Taki’s episode on Spotify or Apple or watch it on Youtube. If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    36 min
  6. Laura Higgins: Learning to be the CEO AND the Creative in your Business

    APR 6

    Laura Higgins: Learning to be the CEO AND the Creative in your Business

    A lot of you have probably seen Laura Higgins online. Sharing content, building her brand, talking about business, but what you don’t see is what it actually took to get there. Like the pivots, the hiring decisions that didn’t work, the pressure of going from working for yourself to leading a team of 19, working with your husband… Laura started as a solo social media manager, grew into an agency, and then completely rebuilt her business into what it is today. Today we’re chatting about the journey and  everything that doesn’t usually make it online. We’re getting into what actually happens when you start hiring, why most founders get stuck with the wrong kind of team, and how your role has to change if you want the business to keep growing (but it can still be fun!) Key moments: 0:00 - The first hire that took Laura from freelancer to building a real business 4:30 - The moment you realise being good at your craft isn’t enough to run a business 15:10 - Why most businesses stay stuck when they try to grow  18:10 - The shift from hiring “doers” and “builders” and what unlocked for Laura when she made the switch 20:30 - Where the best hires actually come from (and you might have guessed but it’s not Seek) 25:19 - An HR backed approach to having hard conversations with your team that puts the focus on the business and away from the person 27:57 - Hiring friends: what works, what breaks, and how to protect both the business and the relationship 32:00 - The leadership shift no one talks about: from helping clients win to leading a team 34:14 - Working with your partner: boundaries, roles, what actually keeps it working long-term + why they work in separate buildings 39:41 - The two rules that make or break couples running a business together 41:14 - What actually changes when you go from solo to leading a team 49:48 - If Laura started again: the first three hires she’d make and why If you want more of Laura you can follow her on IG @laurahiggins, visit her website www.laurahiggins.com or watch along on YouTube here. If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    52 min
  7. How Bella Built Brand Loyalty Strong Enough that Customers Now Sell for Her (From mycavoodle)

    MAR 30

    How Bella Built Brand Loyalty Strong Enough that Customers Now Sell for Her (From mycavoodle)

    Customers don’t buy for your brand because of a clever ad. They do it because of how your business runs when you’re not in the room. Bella Moro has grown mycavoodle into a seven-figure e-commerce brand with a small, values-led team and today her customers recommend her products without being asked. I wanted to get Bella on the show to talk about exactly how she’s done that, including the way she’s hired, delegated and structured her people so that the brand keeps building trust and revenue even when she’s not involved in every conversation. Key moments: 0:00 - How Bella scaled to seven figures with a lean team and what her structure actually looks like behind the scenes 8:21 - How she protected her cashflow in the early stages of scaling her business 11:45 - The moment desperation forced Bella to hire and why waiting until you feel “ready” can hold you back 13:09 - Why she started delegating before having the perfect system 16:06 - How Bella decides whether something should be automated, systemised, or owned by a real person 21:54 - What it was like giving over customer communication to another person 25:27 - To two things Bella focuses on when hiring to ensure a high-performing offshore team 29:58 - How she leads a seven-figure business in three working days a week without burning the team out 34:54 - The habits that are actively improving Bella’s leadership instead of leaving it to chance 37:59 - The marketing shift that helped her to grow even faster 43:58 - How Bella built brand loyalty strong enough that customers now sell for her 48:20 - The next phase of growth and what doubling revenue will require operationally 54:36 - The three hires Bella would make again 56:40 - The one mindset shift e-commerce founders need to survive the messy ride Follow along with mycavoodle at www.mycavoodle.com.au or over on Facebook here and IG @mycavoodle.com.au. If you want more of Bella herself, check her out on IG @bellamoro_ If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    1 hr
  8. The Team Choices That Turned $5,000 Into a $47 Million Exit with the Founder of Di Bella Coffee, Phil Di Bella

    MAR 23

    The Team Choices That Turned $5,000 Into a $47 Million Exit with the Founder of Di Bella Coffee, Phil Di Bella

    Building a business is one thing, but scaling it and then selling it for $47 million is another. Phil Di Bella started Di Bella Coffee with $5,000, built it into a national business with 11% market share, led a team of more than 130 people, and sold it to a publicly listed company for $47 million. Phil built Di Bella Coffee into the kind of business most founders say they want, so I wanted to understand what exactly what goes on behind the scenes. We’re covering exactly how he did it, what kind of team was required to reach this level of success, as well as what happens to a business when a founder exits. Show Notes: 0:00 -Starting with limited capital: how Phil thought about risk, worst case scenarios, and what not to spend money on early 3:00 - The decision that shifted Di Bella Coffee from “just another product” to a business that could actually scale 5:15 - At what point did Phil bring on his first team member? 9:08 - Has leadership always come easily to Phil? Does he still work on his mindset? 11:37 - What a leadership team really needs to look like as your business moves past 20-30 people 14:27 - The part of selling to a public company no one prepares founders for 23:52 - Why Phil started Coffee Commune and the problems he wanted to fix after his exit 32:09 - How Phil gets leaders to treat the business like it’s theirs (without micromanaging) 37:15 -The systems and reporting Phil uses so he can step back without losing control 41:01 -  How often founders with small teams should actually be meeting and when meetings become a waste of time 44:06 - The leadership lesson Phil had to learn the hard way 48:11 - The three hiring questions Phil asks that expose people fast (and why Richard Branson stole them) 50:15 - If Phil were starting again today, the first three hires he’d make 51:14 - What genuinely keeps Phil up at night about the future of business in Australia Want to keep up with Phil? Head over to his Linkedin here. If you want help building your offshore team, send me a message over at @jesswhatman_agentsync - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jesswhatman_agentsync/⁠ Not sure what you could delegate or the next role you need? Ask Andy - https://agentsync.com.au/meet-andy Find out more about off-shore employees over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agentsync_/⁠ and ⁠https://agentsync.com.au/⁠ And see behind the scenes content over at https://www.instagram.com/built.to.lead.podcast/ AgentSync

    57 min
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About

 We know that the foundation of any great business is their team, but most of us are never taught how to lead them.  So I wanted to sit down with the best leaders and founders in the world and find out how they did it.  Who did they hire?  What mistakes did they make? And what do they wish someone had told them years ago? These are the stories they haven't told before and the things that made the biggest difference in their business.  If you want to stop being the bottleneck in your business, delegate properly and build a culture that people can’t wait to be part of Subscribe now wherever you're listening because you won't wanna miss these episodes. 

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  • Creator
    TBC Studios
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Built To Lead 2026
  • Show Website
    Built To Lead

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