Business on Top with Kaeli Lindholm

Kaeli Lindholm
  • 5.0 (134)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Business on Top is the podcast for visionary women founders leading without a playbook—rewriting outdated business rules and building powerful, life-first companies in a world that has not yet caught up to how women lead today. Each episode explores the real work of leadership: identity expansion, decision-making under pressure, structural growth, and the messy realities behind building companies that create both profit and freedom.

  1. Episode 5: Never Outsource Your Financial Intelligence

    1d ago ·  Video

    Episode 5: Never Outsource Your Financial Intelligence

    In this episode, I'm diving into a conversation that I believe more female founders need to be having: financial intelligence, financial leadership, and why you should never outsource your awareness around money. As more women become primary breadwinners, scale businesses, and generate significant wealth, I think it's incredibly important that we learn not just how to make money, but how to understand it, steward it, protect it, grow it, and direct it intentionally. In this episode, I share some of my own financial mistakes as a founder, the mindset shifts that changed my relationship with money, and the lessons I learned about relying too heavily on experts without staying connected to the financial realities of my own business. We talk about the difference between earning money and building wealth, the roles of bookkeepers, accountants, CFOs, and wealth advisors, and why financial confidence often starts with simply being willing to ask questions, even when you feel like you "should" already know the answers. I also share why operational leadership and financial leadership are deeply connected, and how founders unknowingly create expensive business models when everything depends on them operationally. If you've ever felt intimidated by money conversations, disconnected from your numbers, or ready to become a more empowered CEO and steward of your business, this episode is for you. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Pop Leadership Academy is right for you! → Download our Operationally Excellent Practice Manager Audit → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm

    17 min
  2. Episode 4: Part 2: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner

    May 25 ·  Video

    Episode 4: Part 2: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner

    In this episode of Business on Top, I'm sharing Leadership Lesson #4: Your Partner Cannot Support a Vision They Don't Understand, a conversation about communication, advocacy, and what it really looks like to build alignment inside a relationship while pursuing ambitious goals. This episode is also Part 2 of the ALT husbands panel we shared last week, where we continue the conversation with an honest look into what support, trust, and partnership actually look like behind the scenes of building big businesses and ambitious lives together. I open up about the early days of building KLC, including the emotional weight of investing our personal savings into a brand-new business, navigating uncertainty inside my marriage, and the conversation that shifted my husband from skepticism to support. From leaving a lucrative corporate career to investing in mentorship before the results existed, this episode explores what it looks like to ask someone to believe in a vision they cannot fully see yet. This conversation feels especially important for women stepping into new levels of leadership, income, and influence inside their households,  often without a roadmap for how partnership evolves alongside ambition. In the second half of the episode, we continue the ALT husbands panel and go deeper into: What support actually looks like during seasons of growth How couples navigate financial and emotional uncertainty together Building trust while one person is actively scaling a vision Why communication creates alignment far more effectively than justification If you are building something meaningful, pursuing a bigger vision, or navigating growth inside your relationships, this episode is a reminder that people trust your vision more deeply when they can feel that you trust it first. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Pop Leadership Academy is right for you! → Learn more about our Owner + Practice Manager Business Intensive at The Gwen in Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm

    39 min
  3. Episode 3: Part 1: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner

    May 18 ·  Video

    Episode 3: Part 1: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner

    In this episode of Business on Top, I'm diving into something that impacts nearly every woman building at a high level, but rarely gets talked about openly: the evolution of partnership as your business grows. You'll hear a powerful panel conversation we hosted at ALT, where we intentionally brought husbands into the dialogue, not as outsiders to the business journey, but as a meaningful part of the ecosystem that supports it. This conversation is part one of a two-part discussion exploring what happens inside relationships as women step more fully into leadership, create wealth, expand their influence, and take on greater responsibility. Because as your business evolves, your relationship is often being asked to evolve too, and many of us are navigating territory that doesn't come with a clear roadmap. Together, we unpack the tension, opportunity, and complexity that can emerge when one person is growing rapidly while the relationship itself is trying to catch up to that growth. We talk about the communication gaps that happen when support is expected but never fully defined, and how misalignment often comes less from lack of love or desire, and more from lack of clarity and understanding. Because your business does not exist in a vacuum. And the quality of your partnership will either expand your capacity or quietly limit it. This episode is honest, nuanced, and deeply relevant for any woman trying to build not just a successful company, but a life that can truly sustain it. Leadership Lesson #3: When the Business Grows, Your Relationship Has to Evolve. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Pop Leadership Academy is right for you! → Learn more about our Owner + Practice Manager Business Intensive at The Gwen in Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm

    39 min
  4. Episode 2: Leadership is Messy

    May 11

    Episode 2: Leadership is Messy

    In this episode of Business on Top, I'm dismantling the polished, picture-perfect version of leadership, and replacing it with something far more honest. Leadership is messy. And the sooner you accept that, the more powerfully you can lead. In this conversation, I walk through the gap between what I thought leadership would feel like and the reality of building something in real time. If you've ever questioned whether you're doing it "right," felt the weight of responsibility while still figuring things out behind the scenes, or wondered why leadership feels harder than it looks, this episode will meet you there. I share personal stories and hard-earned lessons from building my own company, the truth about early hiring mistakes, the pressure to get it right, and the humbling realization that alignment matters more than credentials. You'll hear what it really takes to build a team in the messy middle, why hiring for your current stage is critical, and how chasing the "perfect" structure can actually hold you back. I also pull back the curtain on the real-life leadership challenges women are navigating today, moments you can't prepare for, situations that test your character, and decisions that don't come with a playbook. Because the truth is: the version of leadership many of us were taught was never designed for the reality we're living in. The leader you're becoming isn't the one who has it all together, she's the one willing to move forward without certainty, build without a blueprint, and lead while still evolving. If you've been judging yourself for the messiness of your journey, I want this episode to help you see it differently: It's not a flaw.  It's proof that you're leading. Resources → Subscribe to The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Pop Leadership Academy is right for you! → Learn more about our Owner + Practice Manager Business Intensive: June 12–13 at The Gwen, Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move.

    13 min
  5. Episode 1: A New Chapter Begins

    May 4 ·  Video

    Episode 1: A New Chapter Begins

    Welcome to the very first episode of Business on Top, a podcast created for women who are building, leading, and navigating the complexities of growth in a world that hasn't fully caught up to their reality. In this opening conversation, I share the deeper truth behind what so many of us as women are experiencing, but haven't always had the language to articulate. As we step into greater financial leadership, build companies, and expand our influence, the traditional ideas of "work-life balance" and "doing it all" start to fall short. What I've found instead is a much more nuanced tension: how to build something meaningful without losing connection to what matters most. I introduce the Life First Business Model, a framework I use to measure success beyond revenue, through health, wealth, impact, and freedom. I also bring you into real stories from my own journey and from the women I've worked with, moments that highlight what leadership actually looks like behind the scenes. This episode is the foundation for the conversations we're going to have here. Conversations that challenge outdated models, normalize the complexity of modern leadership, and create space for us to build businesses that truly support our lives. If you've ever felt like you're navigating something that hasn't been clearly defined yet… you're not alone. And you're exactly where you're meant to be. Resources → Subscribe to The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Practice Manager Academy is right for you! → Learn more about our Owner + Practice Manager Business Intensive: June 12–13 at The Gwen, Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move.

    21 min
  6. Episode 315: The End of an Era: The Final Fierce Factor Episode

    Apr 20

    Episode 315: The End of an Era: The Final Fierce Factor Episode

    Episode 315 marks the end of an era, and the beginning of something entirely new. After five and a half years of recording weekly episodes, this final chapter of the Fierce Factor Podcast is both a reflection and a turning point. What started in 2020 as a space to give women permission, to want more, to build bigger, to pursue both impact and financial success, has grown into something far more meaningful. This podcast has been a place for honest conversations, for finding your voice, and for navigating the very real, often unspoken experience of building a business and a life at the same time. But the conversation has evolved. The women in this community are no longer asking, "Can I do this?" They are building. Expanding. Leading. And now asking a different question: "How do I become the absolute best at what I'm creating?" With that evolution comes a new layer of complexity, one that is more nuanced, more demanding, and often more isolating than expected. In this episode, I share my deeply personal reflection on what it means to lead in this current era, where many women are building businesses at a level they've never seen modeled before. Without a clear blueprint, they are learning how to lead while actively holding the weight of that responsibility. This conversation explores the reality of modern leadership: the pressure, the identity shifts, the ambition, and the quiet questions so many founders carry but rarely say out loud. It's about what it looks like to continue growing something meaningful without slowly losing yourself in the process, and how to build in a way that is both expansive and sustainable. While this chapter is coming to a close, the work is not. A new era is emerging, one that holds deeper, more honest conversations about leadership, capacity, and what it truly takes to build at this level. If you've been part of the Fierce Factor journey, this is a moment to reflect on how far you've come, and a powerful invitation into what's next. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Practice Manager Academy is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move. KLC Consulting Website Kaeli on LinkedIn

    10 min
  7. Episode 314: Learning to Lead Before You Feel Ready with Melanie Crowley

    Apr 13

    Episode 314: Learning to Lead Before You Feel Ready with Melanie Crowley

    In this episode, I'm bringing you a replay from our recent SPARK sprint, where we focused on strengthening operational leadership inside growing aesthetic and wellness practices. During this conversation, I sat down with Melanie Crowley, Practice Manager at Renova Aesthetics, to talk through her journey from elementary education into managing a multi-million dollar business, without a traditional background in this industry. What unfolds is an honest and highly relatable look at what it means to step into leadership before you feel fully ready, and build confidence through action. Together, we unpack the evolving relationship between an owner and a practice manager, and what it really takes to create alignment as a business grows. From navigating team dynamics and implementing change, to learning how to hold accountability without losing trust, Melanie shares what it's looked like to develop her leadership in real time. Inside this replay, we also get into some of the realities that many practice managers and owners face but don't often say out loud… What happens when your team doesn't understand your role How to lead people who were there before you How to balance being supportive while still upholding standards And how consistent communication becomes the foundation for trust, performance, and culture If you're a practice manager learning how to lead, or an owner looking to strengthen your operational leadership and partnership, I think you'll find this conversation both validating and clarifying. Because what this conversation reinforces is simple… Leadership isn't something you wait to feel ready for. It's something you build, one conversation, one decision, and one level-up at a time. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Practice Manager Academy is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move. KLC Consulting Website Kaeli on LinkedIn

    1h 6m
  8. Episode 313: Turning Big Ideas into Executable Strategy with Whitney Stanford

    Apr 6

    Episode 313: Turning Big Ideas into Executable Strategy with Whitney Stanford

    In this episode, I'm sitting down with Whitney Stanford, Practice Manager of Meg Fox Aesthetics, for a conversation I've been really looking forward to sharing. This episode is a replay from Day 3 of our SPARK event, where we focused on strengthening operational leadership inside growing practices. We talk about what leadership actually looks like when you're in that seat between vision and execution, responsible for taking big ideas and turning them into something your team can consistently carry out across a growing, multi-location practice. Whitney shares her experience navigating that role, from building trust with her team while still holding a high standard for performance, to creating clarity around expectations so accountability feels collaborative rather than confrontational. We also get into how leadership has evolved for her as the business has grown, and what it's taken to develop the confidence and structure needed to support that growth. Throughout the conversation, we unpack the idea that as a business scales, complexity increases, and sustainable growth requires more than effort. It requires systems, alignment, and operational excellence. We also talk about the frameworks and tools Whitney has implemented to bring more consistency to her leadership and create clear, trackable execution across her team. If you're a Practice Manager, or an owner working closely with one, this episode will give you a real look at what it takes to scale without everything falling back on one person. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the Practice Manager Academy is right for you! → Snag your ticket for the ALT Experience. There are just a handful of tickets remaining! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm Additional Ways to Connect: Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let's map out your next strategic move. KLC Consulting Website Kaeli on LinkedIn

    31 min
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5
out of 5
134 Ratings

About

Business on Top is the podcast for visionary women founders leading without a playbook—rewriting outdated business rules and building powerful, life-first companies in a world that has not yet caught up to how women lead today. Each episode explores the real work of leadership: identity expansion, decision-making under pressure, structural growth, and the messy realities behind building companies that create both profit and freedom.

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