Above The Business

Bradley Hamner

What if you could step out of the day-to-day and see your business from a whole new perspective? Welcome to Above The Business, where we empower you to rise above the daily grind and embrace a higher way of business ownership. It's time to build your business by design. www.abovethebusiness.co

  1. 1d ago

    #581: Leading Through the AI Shift with Caroline Stokes

    In this episode, Bradley sits down with Caroline Stokes, executive coach, founder of The Forward, and author of Aftershock 2030, to talk about what actually determines whether a business succeeds as AI reshapes how teams work. Caroline shares her path from launching PlayStation as employee number nine to coaching CEOs through reinvention, and why she became convinced early on that organizations rise or fall on their people. They discuss why human connection becomes more valuable as AI automates more of the work, how one AI-avoidant CEO became a superuser in fourteen months, and the cost of hesitating while competitors move. Caroline also explains the "mission is the boss" principle, the discipline she calls mental sovereignty, and why short, intentional experiments with AI beat chasing every new feature. This conversation moves beyond AI tactics and into how leaders carry their teams through change. How do you build a culture where people feel safe to speak up and challenge direction? How do you adopt new tools without losing focus on the business in front of you? And how do you bring curiosity and play back into the way you lead? If you want to lead your people well while the ground keeps shifting, this conversation is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Learn more about Caroline Stokes and her books: www.theforward.co Thanks to our sponsors Coach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://www.coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

    38 min
  2. 4d ago

    #580: Dealing With Toxic High Performance

    In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner addresses a problem almost every business owner eventually faces: the top producer who performs at a high level while quietly damaging the culture. He describes the golden handcuffs that keep owners from acting, and the resentment that builds on a team when everyone can see the problem the owner will not confront. Bradley calls it the Dez Bryant syndrome, using the talented but disruptive athlete as a lens for the toxic high performer in business. He shares what happens when owners finally make the call, why teams often respond with relief instead of loss, and why a company built around one irreplaceable person carries more risk than most owners admit. He also makes the case for documenting what that person does so the business runs on systems rather than dependence. This conversation moves beyond the tactic of simply removing the person. Are you protecting production at the expense of your culture? Have you had the honest conversation, or stuck your head in the sand? And if that person left tomorrow, could your business carry the work forward? If you have ever felt handcuffed to a talented employee who is hurting your team, this episode is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

    13 min
  3. Jun 29

    #579: Building a Business That Doesn't Need You with Jason Swenk

    Jason Swenk built a digital agency from scratch to over 100 people and eight figures before selling it twice. He now coaches agency owners through Agency Mastery and has codified the journey into five identity shifts inside his book, Operator to Owner. Bradley and Jason walk through each shift: operator, manager, architect, CEO, and owner. They cover the rubber band effect, the 1-3-1 decision-making method, delegating outcomes vs. tasks, and what separates a CEO from a true owner. This conversation goes beyond tactics and into identity. What happens when your self-worth is tied to the business? And how do you build a company around yourself rather than sacrificing yourself to build it? If you want to move from stuck inside the work to building a business that runs without you, this conversation is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Learn more about Jason Swenk and pick up Operator to Owner: https://www.swenk.com Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://www.coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

    40 min
  4. Jun 26

    #578: Google Maps & Your Business

    In this Friday solo episode, Bradley Hamner uses a tool everyone already trusts to make a point about direction. Every time you open Google Maps, it needs two coordinates: where you are right now and where you are trying to go. Bradley argues your business requires the exact same two points, a clear point A and a clear point B. He walks through what happens when obstacles appear between those two points. Maps reroute without ever touching the destination, yet business owners often do the reverse, pulling the vision back the moment things get hard. Bradley explains why a three-year vision should function as a fixed destination, why you keep an old vision as an artifact even when your thinking changes, and how 90-day priorities, one-year objectives, and a long-term picture work together as a roadmap. This episode moves past the metaphor and into how you actually navigate. Do you have a clear picture of where your business sits today across revenue, profit, team, marketing, and systems? Do you know where you want it to go over the next 90 days, 12 months, and three years? And do you have a plan you follow when you get off course? If you tend to move the destination every time the road gets difficult, this episode is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

    9 min
  5. Jun 22

    #577: The Three Pillars of Predictable Growth with Stephen Woessner

    In this episode, Bradley sits down with Stephen Woessner, co-founder of Predictive ROI, who has owned five businesses and spent 16 years helping agency owners grow. Stephen shares his family's entrepreneurial roots and why he believes risk tolerance, strategic clarity, and team-building form the core of any founder's DNA. They cover the "ones and threes" revenue friction points, Predictive ROI's three pillars of growth (grow audience, nurture leads, increase sales), and why trust has moved so far upstream in B2B buying that most prospects are already pre-sold before a first conversation. Stephen also breaks down where agentic AI is creating real operational leverage today. This goes beyond tactics and into what sustainable growth actually requires. What does owning your addressable market mean in practice? How do you pick one channel when resources are tight? And how do you build trust deep enough that the sales process becomes a foregone conclusion? If you are working to grow more predictably, build a stronger pipeline, and understand how content and AI function as real business tools, this conversation is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. ResourcesLearn more about Stephen Woessner and Predictive ROI: https://predictiveroi.com/ Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwoessner Listen to the Sell With Authority podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUWdPxO9zhTzRtalDC59E?si=39125931da4a4247 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sell-with-authority/id1596810706 Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://www.coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

    37 min
  6. Jun 19

    #576: Unconscious Incompetence

    In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner addresses the guilt and shame many business owners feel when they realize they don't know their marketing numbers. Drawing on feedback from the April Above The Business marketing workshop, Bradley explains why not knowing something like customer acquisition cost or lifetime value is not a character flaw. If no one has ever walked you through it, that is unconscious incompetence, not negligence. Bradley breaks down the difference between unconscious incompetence and conscious incompetence, and why the two carry very different weight. He covers how simply measuring something in your business tends to improve it, and shares a clear framework for deciding what to do with new knowledge: act on it, put it on the someday shelf, or trade it for something already in the business. This episode goes beyond marketing metrics and into how business owners process new information. Are you carrying guilt over something nobody ever taught you? What changes once you've been exposed to a concept but still haven't acted on it? And how do you decide what actually deserves a place in your business right now? If you've ever felt behind for not knowing what you didn't know, this episode is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

    12 min
  7. Jun 15

    #575: Delegation as a Growth Strategy with Kyle Willis

    In this episode, Bradley sits down with Kyle Willis from BELAY, a fractional remote staffing company that places experienced executive assistants with small business owners. Kyle shares how the fractional model works, who it's right for, and what separates business owners who build lasting EA partnerships from those who plateau early. They cover how to build your delegation list before you hire, what BELAY's matching and onboarding process includes, how mismatches get handled, and specific workflows that show what a high-functioning EA relationship looks like in practice. This conversation goes beyond hiring tactics. What is the real cost of doing work that only your EA should handle? How do you turn delegation from a task dump into a growth investment? And what does it take to build a true strategic partner who grows with your business over time? If you are a business owner running out of capacity and wondering whether a fractional EA is the right move, this conversation is for you. Download BELAY's free Freedom Framework: text ABOVE to 55123 Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. ResourcesBuy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://a.co/d/05Rk66SQ Visit BELAY to get in touch with Kyle and his team: https://belaysolutions.com/ Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://www.coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

    48 min
  8. Jun 12

    #574: Coach vs Consultant

    In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner breaks down the difference between coaching and consulting and why it matters for business owners in two practical ways: how they lead and develop their team members, and how they think about finding outside help for their own business. Bradley uses a clear analogy to frame the distinction. A doctor starts with diagnostic questions to understand what's wrong, then shifts to writing a prescription. That move from pulling answers out of someone to giving direct answers is exactly the difference between coaching and consulting. He applies the same thinking to team interactions and to working with advisors or growth programs. This episode goes beyond communication style and into leadership clarity. When should you ask questions and let someone arrive at the answer themselves? When is it time to stop asking and give direction? And what should you actually be looking for when you are the one seeking guidance? If you lead a team or are evaluating how to get better help for your business, this episode is for you. Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop. Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at: https://coachpconsulting.com Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast. Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions. https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out. Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads. Exclusive offer for listeners: https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived. About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

    10 min
4.8
out of 5
57 Ratings

About

What if you could step out of the day-to-day and see your business from a whole new perspective? Welcome to Above The Business, where we empower you to rise above the daily grind and embrace a higher way of business ownership. It's time to build your business by design. www.abovethebusiness.co

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