Good Business with Clay Vaughan

Clay Vaughan
  • 5.0 (15)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Good Business with Clay Vaughan is a podcast about building companies that actually matter. Not just ones that grow, but ones that last. Ones that honor God, care for people, and create real value in the world. Every week, Clay sits down with entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders who are walking that road in their own way. The conversations aren’t fluffy or surface-level. They get into the hard stuff—how to lead through chaos, how to build culture when it’s easier to cut corners, and how to keep purpose front and center when profit is shouting in your ear. It’s a show about the kind of business most people want to run but few actually figure out. You’ll hear wins and mistakes, stories and strategies, but more importantly—you’ll hear what it looks like to run a business that’s both good at what it does and good for the people it touches. If you want to grow, lead well, and make an impact that outlives you, this is your place.

  1. Stop Chasing Bad Leads: How Syft AI Finds the Deals You Never See

    FEB 24

    Stop Chasing Bad Leads: How Syft AI Finds the Deals You Never See

    Most sales teams are still prospecting like it is 2013. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Zach Wright and Lee Rodgers of Syft AI to talk about how AI is changing outbound sales, why territories exist, and what it looks like to sell with real intentionality. They break down how Syft finds deals already in motion by tracking real-world signals, matching them to the problems a product solves, and surfacing opportunities your team would never see otherwise. The conversation goes beyond tools and gets into the human side of selling, the danger of scaling low-quality outreach, and why the future belongs to teams who lead with both speed and integrity. In this episode, we cover: - How AI can reduce wasted prospecting time - Why most sales AI tools still miss the real problem - What signals reveal active buying intent - How to think about value alignment and intentional outreach - Why territories may become obsolete - The downside of “disingenuous personalization.” - Underrated sales tactics that still work right now Subscribe for more episodes of Good Business. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this with someone leading a sales team. #GoodBusiness #Sales #B2BSales #Prospecting #SalesLeadership #AI #SalesTech #OutboundSales #RevenueOperations #GoToMarket #SaaS #Entrepreneurship Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    1h 8m
  2. What Servant Leadership Really Costs (and Why It Works)

    FEB 17

    What Servant Leadership Really Costs (and Why It Works)

    Most leaders either run fast or care deeply, but very few can do both. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Dr. Terry Cokenour, professor at Houston Christian University and a longtime friend of Clay’s, for a conversation about servant leadership, burnout, and the legacy we leave behind. Terry shares stories from managing teams in the early days of the virtual reality industry, serving on the mission field in Hungary, and leading through seasons of stress, anxiety, and a colon cancer diagnosis. This episode is not just about leadership theory. It is about presence, resilience, and leading in a way that makes the people around you better. In this episode, we cover: - Why servant leadership matters and what it actually looks like - How toxic relationships create unhealthy organizations - A leadership decision that transformed a broken workplace culture - How to spot burnout before it becomes a crisis - Why stress often stays hidden until it blows up - The role of community, therapy, and “soul friends” in endurance - How hardship shapes legacy and changes what leaders prioritize - The one sentence Terry believes his kids would use to describe his leadership Subscribe for more episodes of Good Business. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this with someone who needs it. #GoodBusiness #Leadership #ServantLeadership #Burnout #WorkplaceCulture #ConflictResolution #ChristianLeadership #Resilience #MentalHealth #TeamBuilding #Management #Legacy #FaithAndWork Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    1h 8m
  3. You Can’t Replace Relationships with AI: Sales and Marketing Alignment

    FEB 10

    You Can’t Replace Relationships with AI: Sales and Marketing Alignment

    In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with David Lillard to talk about marketing in the age of AI and what still wins in the real world. AI can generate websites, copy, and content fast. But businesses still struggle with the hardest part: deciding what to do, why it matters, and how to tie marketing to revenue without lying to themselves. David explains why you cannot replace relationships with technology, how marketing should create lift so leaders can manage more relationships, and why frameworks and decision-making matter more than deliverables.  This conversation covers sales and marketing alignment, clarity that compounds, finding leaks in your funnel, and why email remains one of the most underrated growth channels in B2B. #GoodBusiness #Marketing #Sales #AI #B2BMarketing #RevenueGrowth #Leadership #SalesEnablement #EmailMarketing #Strategy Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    58 min
  4. Why Trust Beats the Lowest Bid in Construction and Business with Kirk Wright

    FEB 3

    Why Trust Beats the Lowest Bid in Construction and Business with Kirk Wright

    In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with Kirk Wright, CEO of Buildian Construction Services, to talk about what actually wins in construction and business. Kirk explains why being the lowest bidder is rarely the best strategy, how disciplined processes protect trust, and what it takes to scale across multiple states without losing integrity. This conversation covers pre-construction safeguards, subcontractor accountability, hospitality as a business advantage, and why boring consistency works. If you are a founder, operator, or leader who wants to build a reputation that drives referrals, this episode is for you. #GoodBusiness #Construction #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Reputation #Trust #Operations #ProjectManagement #FaithAndWork Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    53 min
  5. What It Takes to Build a Team Gen Z Won’t Quit

    JAN 27

    What It Takes to Build a Team Gen Z Won’t Quit

    What if you could build a team so strong that people never wanted to leave. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Jacob Karnes, a former Chick-fil-A corporate trainer, leadership coach, and author of Master Your First Job, to talk about what it really takes to build a culture that attracts and retains great people, especially Gen Z. They unpack why apathy is rising, why human connection is becoming a competitive advantage, and how to design a purpose-driven workplace people actually want to stay in. Jacob shares practical frameworks leaders can use right away, including how to hire for values, coach with clarity, and create a feedback culture that builds people instead of burning them out. In this episode, we cover: - Why Gen Z is leaving jobs so quickly - How purpose and community fight apathy - What Chick-fil-A gets right about culture and hiring - What personal brand really means for young workers - The WIN feedback method using What, Illustrate, and Navigate - Why praise matters more than most leaders think Subscribe for more episodes of Good Business. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this with someone who needs it. #GoodBusiness #Leadership #CompanyCulture #GenZ #EmployeeRetention #Management #TeamBuilding #Feedback #PersonalBrand #ChickfilA #BusinessCoaching #WorkplaceCulture #Operations Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    53 min
  6. What It Really Takes to Buy and Run a Business

    JAN 20

    What It Really Takes to Buy and Run a Business

    Most people dream about owning a business. Mike Fransen bought one, and it changed everything. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Mike to talk about what it looks like to acquire a boomer-owned, blue-collar business and survive the first two years. They cover the pressure of personally guaranteeing a loan, managing partnership tension, navigating a seller transition, and learning how to lead a new team while stabilizing cash flow. In this episode, we cover: What it feels like the day you sign the papers Why tension is not the problem, but mismanaging it is How to evaluate a business beyond the numbers What first-time buyers underestimate about seller transitions Why “boring” businesses can be the smartest move What stability actually looks like in year one and year two If you are thinking about buying a business, stepping out of corporate, or building a partnership that lasts, this one is for you. Subscribe for more episodes of Good Business. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this with someone who needs it. #GoodBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessAcquisition #SmallBusiness #Leadership #BusinessPartnership #BlueCollarBusiness #SBA #EOS #Operations #MergersAndAcquisitions #FounderJourney Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    1h 2m
  7. 10X Growth Without Losing Your Soul: Faith, Leadership, and Culture at AAA Paving

    JAN 13

    10X Growth Without Losing Your Soul: Faith, Leadership, and Culture at AAA Paving

    Most blue-collar businesses grow slowly. AAA Paving grew 10X in just three years without burning out crews or compromising culture. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Rheese Stanley, President of AAA Paving, to talk about servant leadership, faith in business, disciplined systems, and what it really takes to scale while putting people first. From standing by employees through unjust arrests to doubling down during COVID, Rheese shares real stories of courage, humility, and leadership that honors God. If you’re a business owner, leader, or entrepreneur trying to grow without losing your heart, this episode is for you. Schedule a marketing discovery call here: https://www.goodagency.com/schedule-call Subscribe to Good Business on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkcg0fdy9Ku0VxRddLh9sF1-Syc1o0HWl Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0fka1EglKh0dCqc8ACF77E?si=e11317b8cd1b4b70&nd=1&dlsi=e3601189b0b94acf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-business-with-clay-vaughan/id1610259222 #leadership #businessoperations #entrepreneurship #hustleculture #burnoutprevention #EOS #founderlife Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    1h 4m
  8. Where Contractors Really Lose Money: Execution, Systems, and Scalable Margin with Josiah Peterson

    JAN 6

    Where Contractors Really Lose Money: Execution, Systems, and Scalable Margin with Josiah Peterson

    Most contractors don’t lose money on sales. They lose it on execution. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Josiah Peterson, founder of KBHC Consulting, to talk about what really protects profit in contracting and service businesses.  From job costing and overhead recovery to the 3–5 crew breaking point, seasonality planning, and change orders that drain margins, Josiah shares what he learned scaling and exiting his own business and what he now teaches contractors who want to grow. We also talk about software, CRMs, routing and scheduling, and how AI and automation will transform trades faster than most owners expect. If you are a contractor, operator, or service business owner trying to scale without losing control of your margins, this is for you. Connect with Josiah: Reach out on LinkedIn (as mentioned in the episode). If this helped you: Like, subscribe, and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Chapters 00:00 Contractors lose money on execution, not sales 01:15 Why margins disappear (unseen costs, sloppy schedules) 05:24 Mentorship and steady leadership 11:07 Purpose, provision, and pushing through naysayers 13:18 The 3–5 crew ceiling and team runway 16:04 Seasonality planning and consistent pipeline 24:23 Small jobs, better margin, and selling to defined need 31:43 Overhead recovery and true cost of business 36:02 Software, CRM, AI, and integration 40:21 Will robots take over trades? 45:21 Change orders and emotional capital 49:21 Monetizing existing customers and plugging leaks 55:36 The question every leader should ask Subscribe for more: Good Business exists to help leaders build companies that impact the world for good. #GoodBusinessPodcast #Contractors #Leadership #Operations #Pricing #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #ServiceBusiness #Construction #Trades Support the show This show is sponsored by Rocketfuel, a CRM that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and automate their communications so that nothing slips through the cracks and their top-line capacity can grow. Try it risk-free today at https://www.rocketfuel.software!

    54 min
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About

Good Business with Clay Vaughan is a podcast about building companies that actually matter. Not just ones that grow, but ones that last. Ones that honor God, care for people, and create real value in the world. Every week, Clay sits down with entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders who are walking that road in their own way. The conversations aren’t fluffy or surface-level. They get into the hard stuff—how to lead through chaos, how to build culture when it’s easier to cut corners, and how to keep purpose front and center when profit is shouting in your ear. It’s a show about the kind of business most people want to run but few actually figure out. You’ll hear wins and mistakes, stories and strategies, but more importantly—you’ll hear what it looks like to run a business that’s both good at what it does and good for the people it touches. If you want to grow, lead well, and make an impact that outlives you, this is your place.

Information

  • Creator
    Clay Vaughan
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Good Business with Clay Vaughan
  • Show Website
    Good Business with Clay Vaughan