Growth Architects' Table | Real talk on what's working in mid-market business growth

Dominique Glanville
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Most business advice is sanitized. Cleaned up for the highlight reel. The Growth Architects' Table exists for the conversation that happens after the keynote — when the experts stop performing and start talking. Each episode brings together a seasoned advisor, consultant, or fractional leader who works inside $10M–$50M businesses at their most critical inflection points. We talk about what actually breaks, who you actually need to bring in, and how to know the difference between a growth problem and a strategy problem. If you're a business owner wondering whether you're doing the right things at the right time — or an advisor who knows exactly what we mean — this show was made for you. Hosted by Dominique Glanville, fractional CMO and growth strategist at Heights Strategic.

Episodes

  1. Sep 7

    Unlocking SaaS Success: Storytelling, Growth, and the AI Advantage with Kelly Sjol

    What happens when the marketing playbook you've relied on for years stops working? Kelly Sjol, founder and lead consultant at Storify Marketing and founder of Tech Founder X, sits down to talk about the seismic shifts happening in B2B SaaS marketing and growth strategy. We explore how AI is rewriting the rules for software companies, why so many founders confuse a sales problem with a story problem, and what it really takes to move from opportunistic growth to intentional scale. Kelly shares a remarkable case study of a quality assurance company that repositioned itself in the AI era and 10X'd its revenue — from $10,000 engagements to $100,000 contracts scaling to a million dollars a year. We also get honest about what business owners should expect from consultants today, why long-term contracts and overpromises are red flags, and how the best advisors are obsessed with your growth — not their own marketing prowess. HIGHLIGHTS Why experts get trapped in jargon and fail to communicate with the people actually buying their productThe critical difference between growth and scale — and why most companies stall because they grow on top of systems and stories that were never built to handle itHow to vet an advisor who balances deep expertise with humility and curiosity (and why you should run from anyone promising guaranteed results on a 12-month plan)What AI is actually changing for tech companies: the threat of not going all-in, and the opportunity for service businesses to reposition as the strategy layerA real-world case study of a QA vendor that repositioned as a strategic partner in the AI era and 10X'd revenueWhy you don't have a sales problem — you have a story problemThe difference between a marketing manager and a marketing leader, and how that distinction changes everythingWhy being "in love with marketing" is a liability, and being "in love with growth" is the mindset that actually serves clientsHow to lead through the AI shift without getting too far ahead of your customers CHAPTERS 0:00 Meet Your Hosts 1:54 Kelly Origin Story 5:35 Translating Nerd Speak 6:38 Expert Jargon Trap 10:54 Growth Versus Scale 14:34 Intentional Growth Mindset 17:39 Choosing The Right Advisor 20:31 Avoiding Overpromises 21:48 Marketing In The AI Era 23:57 Resetting Client Expectations 25:42 Marketing Leader or Manager 26:38 Quick Wins and Long Game 28:47 Growth First Mindset 30:03 Head of Growth Accountability 35:02 Tech Sells Itself Myth 36:02 Story That Scales Sales 38:07 AI Era Repositioning Case 41:01 Replicating the 10X Shift 43:07 AI Threats and Opportunities 48:49 Lead Through the AI Shift 51:28 Stay Human and Wrap Up RESOURCES Kelly Sjol on LinkedIn  Storify Marketing Thank you so much for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. And to learn more about the advisors who can help your business grow and scale, visit growtharchitectstable.com.

  2. Aug 24

    Ditch Time Management and Lead with Unlimited Energy | Dana Williams Unfiltered Truth for Authentic Growth

    What if the secret to better leadership isn't managing your time, but managing your energy? I sat down with Dana Williams — a leadership identity expert, Gallup Strengths coach, and author of The Internal Revolution — for a conversation I can't stop thinking about. Dana has worked with organizations like Southwest Airlines and Children's Medical, and she brings a rare mix of corporate experience and personal vulnerability to how she talks about leadership. We get into why your job title is not your brand, why "strengths envy" holds so many people back from great teamwork, and the surprisingly simple daily practice Dana uses to stay emotionally grounded as a leader. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to do more with less, this one's for you. Highlights Why leaders should focus on managing energy, not timeThe origin story of CliftonStrengths and how Dana brought it into Southwest AirlinesWhat "strengths envy" is and how a team grid helps leaders build complementary teams instead of comparing themselves to othersDana's personal journey through a marriage crisis that led her to write The Internal RevolutionHer Authentic Imprint framework: strengths, core values, mission, and emotional recognitionA simple daily emotional check-in practice that takes just 5–7 minutesWhy vulnerability and authenticity build trust — and how that shows up differently for women in leadershipHow to build relationship rapport before diving into transactional or strategic conversationsThe four team domains (executing, relationship building, strategic thinking, influencing) and why influencing is often the missing pieceSigns a company is ready to bring in an outside advisorWhat separates a transactional advisor relationship from a truly healthy oneWhy humility — not having all the answers — is a hallmark of the best leaders Chapters 0:00 — Meet Dana Williams 1:39 — Strengths to Energy Shift 4:42 — Dana's Top Five Strengths 6:11 — Strengths Envy and Team Grids 8:57 — Internal Revolution Origin Story 14:20 — Emotional Recognition Practices 21:13 — Authenticity to ROI 26:08 — Adaptive Leadership in Action 26:55 — When to Hire an Advisor 35:17 — Healthy Advisor Relationships 39:38 — Clarity and Humble Growth 41:46 — Where to Follow Dana Resources Mentioned Dana Williams' website and Authentic Imprint assessment: danawilliamsco.comThe Internal Revolution by Dana WilliamsDominate Your Day on AppleDana Williams on LinkedIn Thank you so much for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. And to learn more about the advisors who can help your business grow and scale, visit growtharchitectstable.com.

  3. Aug 10

    How One Invisible Company Became an Acquisition Target Overnight | Beth Carr on the Brand Moves that Every Mid-Market Leader Should Learn

    Ever wonder why some legacy companies quietly disappear while others land million-dollar acquisitions seemingly overnight? It usually comes down to one thing: whether their brand strategy (and their leadership's visibility) kept pace with how buyers actually make decisions today. I sat down with Beth Carr, founder and lead consultant at Fortified Branding, to unpack exactly that. We get into why executive visibility isn't optional anymore, how to hold consultants accountable to real ROI, and what separates an "order taker" from an actual strategist. Beth also shares a client story that went from blending in with the competition to a multi-million dollar acquisition offer — and breaks down exactly what changed. Highlights 57% of Your Buyers Have Already Decided Before You Talk to Them. Are You Winning or Losing That Moment? What mid-market leaders get wrong about brand strategyYour Brand Isn't Bland Because of Your Logo. It's Bland Because Your Leaders Are Hiding. Beth Carr on why executive visibility is now a revenue strategyBeth's "secret sauce": diagnosing the inner architecture and mindset of a company before prescribing any brand fixWhy unified vision, messaging, and mission across leadership teams is critical — "many of body, one of mind"The shift in buyer psychology: younger buyers want to know who's behind the company, not just the logoWhy "humble" has become "hidden" — and why that's now expensive for executivesA client case study: a CTO-led dev company that went from blending in to being acquired for millions after committing to a visibility strategyHow to vet a strategic partner: ask about times their strategy didn't work and what ROI/KPIs they'd guesstimate upfrontThe "doctor vs. patient" analogy for diagnosing the real business problem instead of just filling the client's initial requestHow to build an executive content strategy that doesn't require hours on camera — batching, AI tools, and repurposingWhy brand work done right should last a minimum of 10 yearsThe stat that 57% of buyers do their homework before ever having a conversation with you — and why AI search (AEO) makes visibility even more criticalChapters 0:02 — Meet Beth Carr 1:07 — Brand Strategy Secret Sauce 2:06 — Why Teams Feel Misaligned 4:36 — Visibility in the AI Era 6:18 — Executive Personal Brand Playbook 10:33 — Case Study: From Blending In to Exit 15:36 — Unifying Messaging Across Teams 18:22 — Beth's Unusual Career Path 20:05 — Brand Work That Lasts a Decade 24:11 — ROI Accountability and Hard Questions 28:15 — Proving ROI With Receipts 31:33 — Diagnosing the Real Problem 32:57 — Diagnose Before You Prescribe 34:42 — Order Taker vs. Strategist 35:38 — When the Problem Is Bigger 37:25 — Politics, Culture, and Truth 39:57 — Phase Zero: The Mini Audition 44:00 — Executive Presence Strategy 51:29 — Batching Content With AI 55:01 — Don't Let AI Bland You 56:45 — Where to Find Beth Resources Mentioned Fortified Branding — fortifiedbranding.comBeth Carr on LinkedInThank you so much for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. And to learn more about the advisors who can help your business grow and scale, visit growtharchitectstable.com.

  4. Aug 10

    You're Hitting Every Goal and Still Feeling Empty. Here's Why. | Kourtney Street on the Gap Between the Soul Line and the Goal Line

    What if the thing standing between you and your next level of leadership isn't a strategy problem — it's a silence problem? On this episode, I sit down with Kourtney Street, co-founder of Sacred and Strategic, a coaching practice built at the intersection of the sacred and the strategic, between the “soul line and the goal line.” Kourtney and I get honest about what it actually looks like to work with a business coach, the vulnerability required to let someone see behind the curtain, and how to tell the difference between a coach who's just collecting a retainer and one who can genuinely help you grow. We talk about high-achiever burnout, 360 feedback done right, the discipline of silence, and how her work as chaplain for the Orlando Pride shapes the way she coaches business leaders. If you've ever wondered whether it's time to bring a coach into your world — or how to find the right one — this conversation is for you. Highlights The Reason You Haven't Reached Your Next Level Isn't a Strategy Problem. Kourtney Street on the silent thing blocking your best leadershipHigh Achievers Are the Last to Know They're Burning Out - What a coach sees in you that you can't see in yourselfThe "soul line, goal line" framework: why delivering results isn't enough if you're not becoming a better human along the wayHow to know when it's time to hire a coach and the questions to ask yourself firstWhat separates a great coach from someone who just put "coach" in their title (hint: 80% listening, 20% talking)Why high achievers are especially prone to unsustainable pace and how a coach helps you catch itThe truth about 360 feedback: why it should never surprise you, and how to do it without blowing someone upLearning to distinguish a "sprint" season from a "marathon" season in leadershipLessons from serving as chaplain for the Orlando Pride (NWSL) and what elite athletes teach us about balancing individual and team successCommon leadership blind spots and why building in silence and reflection is a discipline, not a luxuryWhat it means to lead with alignment, especially when life outside work gets chaoticChapters 1:20 — Meet Sacred and Strategic 2:24 — Soul Line, Goal Line Framework 4:14 — Kourtney's Origin Story 7:26 — When to Hire a Coach 9:29 — High Achiever Patterns 13:48 — Choosing the Right Coach 19:05 — Vulnerability and 360 Feedback 22:32 — Leadership Ceilings and Inflection Points 27:59 — Wiring, Pacing, and Intensives 30:55 — Sports Chaplaincy Lessons 36:31 — Blind Spots and Silence Practice 43:15 — Getting Started and Closing Resources Mentioned Sacred and StrategicThank you so much for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. And to learn more about the advisors who can help your business grow and scale, visit growtharchitectstable.com.

  5. Aug 10

    What If Your Best Thinking Never Makes It Out of Your Head? | How mid-market leaders are losing their competitive edge — and what to do about it, with Joe Reed

    What if the biggest bottleneck in your business isn't a systems problem — it's a knowledge problem? In this conversation, I sit down with Joe Reed, founder and CEO of Fulcrum Collective, to unpack how businesses can find real leverage through people, AI, and the systems that hold it all together. Joe's path is anything but typical. From missionary work and nonprofit leadership to building business intelligence systems for mid-market companies, his unique journey shapes everything he sees. We talk about why most organizations don't actually have a systems gap, they have a knowledge gap; why leaders should be wise and even a little skeptical before letting AI near their business; and why hiring the right advisor comes down to chemistry and challenge, not credentials. Joe also shares one of the best metaphors I've heard for thinking about AI (hint: it involves a sailboat and the Charles River), plus practical advice on what a healthy advisor-client relationship should actually look like. Highlights Joe's unconventional path from missionary and nonprofit leader to founder of a business intelligence and systems consultancyWhy the real challenge for most growing businesses is a knowledge gap, not a systems gapHow to extract a leader's intuitive decision-making and turn it into organizational wisdomThe "AI is wind, your business is the boat" metaphor for thinking about adopting AI wiselyWhy leaders should be skeptical of AI and bring it in slowly, like plumbing a new houseRed flags when hiring advisors (hint: if their outreach reads like it was written entirely by AI, that's a problem)What a healthy, accountable advisor-client relationship looks like in practiceA real example of turning a two-hour sales research process into 20 minutesHow the discipline of asking great questions with clients has changed how Joe parents his adult kidsChapters 0:00 — Welcome to Growth Architects Table 2:10 — Meet Joe Reed: life, family, and the road from missions to business 3:00 — From missionary work to solving for-profit growth problems 7:32 — The knowledge gap vs. the systems gap 9:06 — People, culture, and building systems around human strengths 10:59 — The patterns leaders repeat from $500K to $200M 16:00 — The sailboat metaphor: AI as wind, not a replacement for people 20:08 — Talking to leaders who are nervous about AI 24:18 — How to hire the right advisor (and spot the wrong one) 27:23 — What a healthy advisor-client relationship looks like 36:42 — A real example: cutting sales research from two hours to 20 minutes 41:34 — How this work has shaped Joe as a parent and community member 43:40 — Closing encouragement for leaders facing growth headwinds Resources Mentioned Fulcrum CollectiveJoe Reed on LinkedInThank you so much for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. And to learn more about the advisors who can help your business grow and scale, visit growtharchitectstable.com.

  6. Episode 1

    Real talk about business growth | Launching August 10th!

    Every founder and CEO building something real eventually hits the same wall: the stakes get higher, the complexity compounds, and there's no handbook for the decisions in front of you. This is the show for that moment. Host Dominique Glanville, founder of Heights Growth Advisors, sits down with the coaches, strategists, and fractional executives who actually move the needle for mid-market companies — not polished keynote speakers, but practitioners who've been in the trenches and helped businesses come out stronger. Real conversations. Fast-paced, honest, and occasionally funny. Highlights: What problems you should be solving before you even know you have themWhat it really costs to hire the wrong advisorWhat "great" looks like — and how to tell the differencePractitioner-level insight, not surface-level adviceWhether you're a business owner who wants to grow with fewer blind spots, or an advisor who wants to be part of a community doing this work at the highest level — pull up a chair.

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Most business advice is sanitized. Cleaned up for the highlight reel. The Growth Architects' Table exists for the conversation that happens after the keynote — when the experts stop performing and start talking. Each episode brings together a seasoned advisor, consultant, or fractional leader who works inside $10M–$50M businesses at their most critical inflection points. We talk about what actually breaks, who you actually need to bring in, and how to know the difference between a growth problem and a strategy problem. If you're a business owner wondering whether you're doing the right things at the right time — or an advisor who knows exactly what we mean — this show was made for you. Hosted by Dominique Glanville, fractional CMO and growth strategist at Heights Strategic.

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