The Growth and Wealth Podcast

Rodney Boswell

You built this. You proved you could do it. So why does it feel like you're working harder every year for the same money, never sure if you're building real wealth or just a bigger, more stressful job? The Growth and Wealth Podcast is for business owners who are done with hype, gurus, and vague advice from people who've never done it themselves. Every week, Rodney sits down with operators and strategists who've built and protected serious wealth, then breaks it into straight answers to the questions keeping you up at night: How much should you pay yourself? Where is profit leaking out

  1. 6 days ago

    The Biggest Year-End Tax Mistake Business Owners Make | TAX EXPERT EXPLAINS

    Every year business owners ask me what they can still do before December 31 to reduce their taxes. It's a fair question, but if saving taxes is the only reason for a decision, you're asking too little of it. In this solo episode, I walk through five year-end conversations every business owner should have while there's still time to influence the outcome. I explain how to get clear on where your business really stands, how to spot the opportunities still open this year, why good decisions are lost when they never get implemented, how to give freed-up financial capacity a job before it shows up, and the one question I'd filter every major decision through. I also share the story of two owners who each create an extra $50,000 through planning: one lets it get absorbed into everyday expenses, the other deploys it on purpose. Same money, completely different future. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH⁠⁠ Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - ⁠https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠https://bit.ly/454Aktf⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://bit.ly/4yI42lo⁠ CHAPTERS 00:00 Why year-end tax questions are often the wrong ones 01:09 How better questions lead to better business decisions 02:37 Conversation one: where your business stands today 04:54 Why clarity has to come before strategy 06:53 Conversation two: opportunities still open this year 09:22 Adjusting your course before the year closes 11:13 Conversation three: implementing the decisions you've made 12:46 Why good decisions get lost in a busy year-end 14:14 Planning sets direction but execution builds results 16:26 Conversation four: deploying the financial capacity you create 18:47 Two owners, the same $50,000, different futures 20:33 Giving every dollar an assignment before it arrives 21:03 Conversation five: the future you're intentionally building 22:16 The one question to filter every major decision 27:56 The year-end Builder's Challenge KEYWORDS year-end tax planning year-end planning for business owners how to reduce business taxes before year end what to do before December 31 to save taxes tax planning for business owners business tax strategy fourth quarter business planning end of year business review how to make better business decisions clarity before strategy understanding your business numbers cash flow profitability

  2. 28 Oct

    One Injury Away: Why Business Owners Need Multiple Streams of Income | DR. JEFF ANZALONE

    If your income depends on you showing up every day, one injury or one shutdown can stop everything, even if you've done everything else right. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jeff Anzalone, a dental specialist in Louisiana. Jeff had paid off every dollar of debt, including his house, when a ski accident injured his wrist and he realized that being debt free isn't the same as being free. That moment, and later a COVID shutdown of his practice, pushed him to build income that doesn't depend on his hands. Now he runs Perdido Capital, invests in mobile home parks, and teaches on his YouTube channel, The Debt Free Doctor. Jeff explains his seven work optional wealth steps, how to calculate your freedom number from your real monthly expenses, why he shifted savings into cash-flowing investments instead of selling assets to live on, and how to tell good debt from bad. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH Learn more about Dr. Jeff Anzalone - https://www.debtfreedr.com/ Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/454Aktf Instagram - https://bit.ly/4yI42lo CHAPTERS 00:00 Debt free but not free: Jeff's wake-up call 02:18 Why relying on one income stream is risky 06:18 Why high earners rarely diversify their income 11:15 How COVID exposed financially fragile business owners 14:25 Turn your business into an asset by replacing yourself 19:12 Why a clear why keeps you investing through losses 23:06 What work optional means and how it differs from retirement 26:29 The shortcut of learning from people who've done it 30:51 The seven work optional wealth steps 34:10 How to calculate your freedom number 37:24 Why cash flow beats selling assets to fund retirement 43:36 Why most people never take action 45:02 Why wealthy families invest in real estate 48:52 Active vs passive real estate investing 53:37 Good debt, bad debt, and avoiding overleverage KEYWORDS work optional freedom number seven work optional wealth steps multiple streams of income passive income how to become financially independent how to retire early how to stop trading time for money how to replace myself in my business financial planning for dentists financial planning for doctors debt free debt snowball emergency fund good debt vs bad debt lifestyle creep cash flow investing dividend stocks dividend ETFs

  3. 21 Oct

    5 Decisions That Make Your Business More Valuable

    Most business owners spend years growing their business without asking what actually makes it more valuable. Two companies can serve similar customers, bring in similar revenue, and earn similar profits, yet be worth dramatically different amounts. In this solo episode, I walk through the five decisions I believe shape that difference: intentionally developing your people, multiplying leaders so the business doesn't depend on you, building systems that protect client relationships instead of replacing them, earning trust through hundreds of small, consistent moments, and continually increasing your capacity to create value. I share what we're putting into practice at IHS Group, why Chick-fil-A's consistency protects its hospitality, and one question you can ask yourself tomorrow for each decision. This isn't an episode about selling your business. It's about building one that is stronger next year than it is today, because business value isn't something you discover. It's something you build, one decision at a time. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/454Aktf Instagram - https://bit.ly/4yI42lo CHAPTERS 00:00 Why business growth and business value aren't the same 01:21 Value is built long before anyone measures it 02:42 Decision 1: intentionally develop your people 05:17 Decision 2: multiply leaders throughout the business 07:17 Why distributed leadership beats owner dependency 09:12 Decision 3: build systems that protect relationships 11:07 Systems protect your promises, not just efficiency 12:39 What Chick-fil-A shows about consistent client experiences 13:33 Find the client experience that depends on memory 14:12 Decision 4: intentionally build trust through relationships 16:46 Why trust creates opportunities money can't buy 19:31 Decision 5: keep increasing your capacity to create value 22:07 Why great businesses never stop improving 23:40 Choose one area and manage the decision daily 25:39 This week's builder's challenge KEYWORDS business value how to increase business value how to build a more valuable business business growth vs business value five decisions business owners make capacity to create value developing employees employee development plan how to develop leaders in my business leadership development distributed leadership owner dependency key person dependency how to step back from running my company building a business that runs without you business systems documenting processes client experience customer experience consistency building trust in business client relationships referral partners company culture continuous improvement business owner mindset small business leadership

  4. 14 Oct

    How to Build a Business That Runs Without You | ALBERT BUTLER

    A lot of business owners leave a 40-hour job only to end up working 80. The money is coming in, but there's no real freedom and not much wealth building on the side. In this episode, I talk with Albert Butler, a CPA, author, and former auditor who has worked with founders and executives around the world. Albert explains what it means to be financially exposed and why you should treat your CPA like your financial doctor. He also covers how income, enterprise value, and personal wealth differ, his five muscles of enterprise framework, and why payroll and people are the biggest risk on your P&L. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - ⁠https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH⁠ Learn more about Albert Butler - https://albertbutler.com/ Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/454Aktf Instagram - https://bit.ly/4yI42lo CHAPTERS 00:00 Built a business or just a job with your name on it 01:37 Why your CPA is your financial doctor 06:12 Reading the tax code as a roadmap, not a threat 10:55 Income vs. business value vs. personal wealth 17:37 Why work-life balance doesn't exist 18:58 Scale yourself, then your family, then your business 26:07 Risk assessment and accounting as the heartbeat of business 32:24 The vacation test and the five muscles of enterprise 36:20 Using AI with judgment: functionality vs. vitality 39:07 Why a strong admin should be your first hire 40:40 Buying back your time at home and at work 46:33 Why payroll and people are your biggest risk 51:31 The customer blind spot and three reasons people buy 54:11 Exit options and building a business to sell 57:29 When to bring your kids into the business KEYWORDS financially exposed business or a job how to step back from running my business how to take time off as a business owner buy back your time work-life balance for entrepreneurs income vs wealth enterprise value building personal wealth as a business owner

  5. 7 Oct

    If Your Business Doubled Tomorrow, What Would Break First?

    If your business feels harder to run now than it did a few years ago, the problem probably isn't your people. It's your systems. In this solo episode, Rodney Boswell answers five questions he hears all the time from business owners who feel stuck at their current size. He explains why growth reveals weak spots instead of creating them, how clarity gets your team to take ownership, and why customers judge your business as a single experience. You'll also learn how leaders keep culture from drifting and how to find the one constraint to fix first before your business grows again. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - ⁠https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH⁠ Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - ⁠https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ ⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠https://bit.ly/454Aktf ⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://bit.ly/4yI42lo⁠ Chapters 00:00 Why your business feels harder to run as it grows 01:06 Question 1: Why everything feels harder after you hit your revenue goals 03:46 Growth doesn't create problems, it reveals them 05:25 Asking the better question: Is my business strong enough to support growth? 06:32 Question 2: Why good employees won't take ownership 07:35 Why ownership problems are usually clarity problems 09:43 Confusion doesn't scale, and neither does the owner 10:25 Question 3: Why customers get inconsistent experiences 13:05 Shifting from individual tasks to the full customer journey 14:30 Question 4: Why company culture drifts as you grow 16:07 Reinforcement as a core leadership responsibility 19:12 Question 5: Where to start when everything needs fixing 20:41 Finding your biggest constraint: What breaks if you double in size? 22:29 Preparing your business for growth vs. chasing growth 24:58 Why growing thin and wide makes a business brittle 25:47 Strong businesses grow because they become stronger Keywords business growth, scaling a business, small business owner, business systems, growing pains in business, entrepreneur leadership, business leadership, employee ownership, team accountability, delegation, owner dependency, clarity in leadership, customer experience, customer journey, consistent customer service, company culture, culture drift, leadership reinforcement, business constraints, scaling challenges, sustainable growth, business foundation, operational systems, organizational structure, business strategy, Rodney Boswell, Growth and Wealth podcast, business podcast, entrepreneurship podcast, leadership podcast

  6. 30 Sept

    Afraid to Start a Small Business? You're Afraid of the Wrong Thing | MATT ESTRIN

    Most people who dream of owning a business never take the leap, and many who do stall out after the first few months. Matt Estrin, a former worship pastor who has started seven businesses including 477 Distilling in Greeley, Colorado, joins Rodney Boswell to share what actually makes a small business last. He explains why the people side of business matters more than the product, how to hand off work to your team before you feel ready, and the three criteria he uses before opening any new location. Matt also covers the early sales drop every new business faces, how to avoid burning cash when it hits, and how he pays himself across multiple companies using Profit First. Whether you're thinking about starting a business or trying to grow the one you have, this episode gives you a practical framework to move forward. Learn more about Matt Estrin - https://www.mattestrin.net/ Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - ⁠https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH⁠ Learn more about Rodney Boswell - IHS Group - ⁠https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ ⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠https://bit.ly/454Aktf ⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://bit.ly/4yI42lo⁠ CHAPTERS 01:10 Overcoming fear of failure 07:03 From pastor to distillery owner 11:34 Two leadership lessons 15:49 Trusting your team 19:29 Learning from mistakes 23:26 Three rules for a new business 29:55 Building a core team 33:18 Owning your backyard 37:19 The new business curve 41:02 Avoiding panic spending 42:49 Knowing when to expand 45:06 Paying yourself with Profit First 47:48 The story behind I Know the Owner 53:04 One step to start today 55:26 How to connect with Matt Keywords small business podcast, how to start a business, fear of failure, entrepreneurship, serial entrepreneur, small business growth, small business leadership, delegation for business owners, hiring and trusting employees, building a leadership team, business expansion strategy, when to open a second location, multiple business ownership, craft distillery business, restaurant business tips, high margin business, low overhead business, foot traffic location, brick and mortar business, cash flow management, business cash reserves, Profit First, how to pay yourself as a business owner, owner draws LLC, community marketing, local business marketing, personal brand for business owners, new business sales curve, avoiding business failure, I Know the Owner book, Matt Estrin, 477 Distilling, Greeley Colorado, Growth and Wealth Podcast, Rodney Boswell

  7. 23 Sept

    Five Ways To Gain Respect As A New Business Owner

    Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH Owning a business makes you the boss, but it doesn't make you a leader your team wants to follow. In this solo episode, Rodney Boswell shares five lessons from building IHS that help new business owners earn real respect from their teams, without becoming a pushover or leading through fear. He explains why culture comes from consistent communication, how protecting your people starts with a healthy organization, and why listening has to come before solving. He also covers the difference between managing and leading, and how to build a vision your team can see themselves in. If you have people counting on you, this episode gives you practical steps you can start using tomorrow morning. Learn more about Rodney Boswell! IHS Group - https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/454Aktf Instagram - https://bit.ly/4yI42lo Chapters 00:00 Why your team isn't following 00:51 Avoid the two common mistakes 01:51 Communicate until it's culture 03:40 Build a weekly reinforcement rhythm 05:09 Lead by going first 06:03 Protect your people's paychecks 07:25 Earn trust before vision 09:42 Keep your organization healthy 11:21 Listen before you lead 14:23 Focus on what they heard 15:34 Stay curious, not defensive 17:24 Lead people, don't manage them 18:29 Fit roles to people 20:06 Build confidence through small wins 21:12 Turn mistakes into growth 23:40 Create a shared vision 24:20 Make room for growth 25:07 Don't outrun your team 27:30 Ask what they want 31:03 Grow yourself to grow Keywords leadership for business owners, how to earn respect as a leader, gain respect from your team, new business owner leadership, small business leadership, boss vs leader, leadership lessons, building company culture, team communication, consistent communication, leadership reinforcement, protecting your employees, employee trust, building trust with your team, law of magnetism, John Maxwell leadership, listening skills for leaders, difficult conversations at work, handling feedback as a leader, managing vs leading, employee development, building employee confidence, failing forward, casting vision, company vision, leading a growing team, personal growth for leaders, entrepreneur leadership, Rodney Boswell, Growth and Wealth podcast, business growth podcast

  8. 16 Sept

    Signs Your Business Is More Fragile Than You Think | DR. KARISSA THOMAS

    If you run a small business, chances are every big decision, every hard call, and every task only you know how to do still runs through you. That works right up until a key person quits, you have a health scare, or you try to take a real vacation. I sat down with Dr. Karissa Thomas, award winning author and creator of the Mosaic Way, to talk about building leaders underneath you so your business keeps running without you in the middle of everything. We get into how to tell if your business is fragile or stewarded, why your best people being overloaded is a structural problem and not a people problem, and what actually breaks when a key employee walks out the door. Karissa also shares one quarterly rhythm you can put on your calendar right now to start making leadership stick and building a business that's worth more. Take the Builder's Mirror Assessment to discover your Builder Story and get clear next steps toward the business freedom you want. - https://bit.ly/3RdNRLH Learn more about Karissa Thomas! - https://drkarissathomas.net/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Why $366 billion in leadership training wears off by Monday 05:12 Big personality businesses and making room for other leaders 08:05 When your natural gift becomes the bottleneck 11:43 The hourly rate test for deciding what to delegate 13:37 Why most leadership development misses the mark 18:01 Signs your business is fragile instead of stewarded 20:12 Moving past the fear of handing off work 21:34 Building trust by sharing financials with your team 24:47 Why businesses fall apart when the owner steps away 28:59 The "I don't have time to train anyone" lie 32:34 What really breaks when a key employee quits 34:26 Making decisions run on systems, not personalities 37:34 Designing a culture where your people grow 42:10 Making hard calls under pressure without slowing the team down 47:45 How business owners can use their emotions instead of burying them 49:43 Turning leadership instincts into a repeatable system 51:13 The one system to start today 53:00 Preparing your business for a crisis before it hits 54:56 What to put in place if you disappeared tomorrow 58:00 The quarterly rhythm every leadership team needs 1:00:00 How a strong leadership system increases business value 1:02:35 How to connect with Dr. Karissa Thomas Learn more about Rodney Boswell! IHS Group - https://bit.ly/4pCdouJ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/454Aktf Instagram - https://bit.ly/4yI42lo KEYWORDS small business leadership, leadership development, Mosaic Way, Dr. Karissa Thomas, Rodney Boswell, Growth and Wealth Podcast, business owner bottleneck, delegation for business owners, building a leadership team, succession planning, exit planning, business continuity plan, key employee risk, employee retention, company culture, systems vs personality, scaling a small business, business value, emotional intelligence in leadership, leading under pressure, quarterly planning rhythm, crisis preparedness for small business, owner dependent business, stewardship in business, growth mindset, entrepreneur burnout, buy back your time, small business podcast, leadership systems

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About

You built this. You proved you could do it. So why does it feel like you're working harder every year for the same money, never sure if you're building real wealth or just a bigger, more stressful job? The Growth and Wealth Podcast is for business owners who are done with hype, gurus, and vague advice from people who've never done it themselves. Every week, Rodney sits down with operators and strategists who've built and protected serious wealth, then breaks it into straight answers to the questions keeping you up at night: How much should you pay yourself? Where is profit leaking out

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