Hire To Scale

JP Forno
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

For fast-moving founders ready to stop doing it all themselves and start building a team they can actually rely on. Hosted by JP Forno, founder of METEOR and an operator with years of experience building high-performing teams, each episode breaks down the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts needed to hire great people, train them well, and turn them into long-term operators who help your business grow. You’ll hear founder-to-founder frameworks, tools, and real-world lessons that help you spend less time in the weeds and more time building a business that runs with or without you. 

Episodes

  1. Jul 15

    Why "Loyalty" Is Keeping Your Company Stuck with Jordin McEntire

    INTRO In this episode, I sit down with Jordin McEntire, Executive Coach and Fractional COO at the DEO (Dentist Entrepreneur Organization) and CEO of Entire Management. Jordin has spent 18 years in operations and management, running multi-location practices with some of the largest dental organizations in the country before building her own company helping businesses across industries scale through better systems, leadership, and talent development. Most conversations about talent stop at hiring. This one starts where they end. We talk about what happens after you get people through the door: how to diagnose the health of your team and culture, how to build pay bands and career pathways so your people know exactly what growth looks like, and how to decide whether someone needs to be coached up or coached out. Jordin also walks through her five performance levels for evaluating talent, how to have hard conversations (including letting people go) in a human way, her Heal-Deal-Do approach to change management, and why AI should be treated as an enhancement to your people, not a replacement. If you have ever lost a great team member and didn't know why, or held on to a bad fit longer than you should have, this conversation gives you the frameworks to fix both. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to diagnose your company's talent and culture health beyond just the dataHow to build pay bands and pathways with clear entry, mid, and expert tiersWhy seniority is not the same as competence, and how to break that trapThe "skill vs. will" framework for putting the right person in the right seatJordin's five performance levels for evaluating talent objectivelyWhen to coach someone up versus coach them out (and why you can't do both)How to fire someone in a human way so it never comes as a surpriseThe Heal-Deal-Do method for leading your team through changeHow to position AI as an enhancement for your team, not a replacement RESOURCES MENTIONED The Talent Bank — Jordin's assessment framework for evaluating the health of your culture, retention, and compensationPay Bands & Pathways — A tiered structure (entry, mid, expert) that gives every role clear KPIs, skills, and growth milestonesSkill vs. Will Framework — A diagnostic for whether performance issues come from ability, motivation, or the environmentThe Five Performance Levels — New Enroll, Needs Improvement, Strong Contributor, Strong Contributor Well-Placed, and Strong Contributor Do MoreHeal, Deal, Do — Jordin's approach for working through the internal blockers that stop leaders from taking action"People don't quit hard, they quit unclear" — The retention principle behind clear roles, frequent check-ins, and honest conversationsNever Lose a Customer Again by Joey Coleman — A book on designing customer experiences that create loyaltyThe DEO (Dentist Entrepreneur Organization) — Community, coaching, and resources for dental entrepreneursFree Leadership Self-Assessment — Reach out to Jordin for the self-analysis tool she shares with new leaders CONNECT WITH JORDIN Website: https://www.entiremanagement.org/ LinkedIn (Jordin): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordin-mcentire/ LinkedIn (Entire Management): https://www.linkedin.com/company/entire-management/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordin.mcentire/ Dentists: Find Jordin at the DEO — https://deodentalgroup.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, follow HIRE TO SCALE for weekly conversations about how to recruit, train, and manage high-performing teams so you can build a business that actually scales. Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR (https://www.trymeteor.com/) Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook (https://trymeteor.notion.site/The-METEOR-VA-Hiring-Playbook-204d0a7c8414809d9d7ed58850a1bc88?pvs=74) Connect with JP: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpforno/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jp.forno/ Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  2. Apr 8

    The Recruiting System All Founders Need Before Their Next Hires with Frank Lofaro

    In this episode, I sit down with Frank Lofaro, founder of Tank Recruiting and one of the sharpest talent partners I know for founders. Frank has helped companies hire hundreds of A-players, led recruiting for high-growth teams, and was part of a record-breaking $105M weekend launch built on the back of strong people and process. We break down why most founders treat hiring like a last‑minute emergency instead of a core growth lever, and how to use Frank’s 7-step recruiting system to make your first five (and next fifty) hires without guessing. Frank walks through his talent / time / money audit, his driver–vehicle–fuel framework, and simple ways to treat recruiting like sales and marketing so you consistently attract better people. If you’re a founder who’s out of time, drowning in work, and not sure who to hire next, this conversation will help you prioritize the right role, design a clear job, and move fast enough to close top talent before you lose them. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to decide if your next move is a hire, a contractor, or just a process fixFrank’s 7-step recruiting roadmap: prioritize, define, referrals, launch, fishermen, evaluate, closeHow to run talent, time, and money audits so you design the right role instead of throwing bodies at problemsHow to write job descriptions that actually attract A-players (and why you should model bigger companies first)How to use 30-60-90 day plans to interview, onboard, and hold new hires accountableHow to turn your network into a referral engine with simple scripts and smart bonus structuresWhy hiring velocity matters, and how to shrink your offer process from weeks to days with BAMFAMHow to use gut instinct in hiring without letting bias wreck your decisionsRESOURCES MENTIONED Talent / Time / Money Audit FrameworkIdentify–Prioritize–Resolve problem funnelDriver–Vehicle–Fuel model for evaluating roles and leaders30-60-90 Day Onboarding PlanBAMFAM (Book-A-Meeting-From-A-Meeting) principle for hiring speedTank Recruiting – Frank’s recruiting firm for foundersCONNECT WITH FRANK Instagram (personal):  https://www.instagram.com/franklofaro/ Instagram (Tank Recruiting):  https://www.instagram.com/tankrecruiting/ LinkedIn (Frank):  https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-lofaro/ LinkedIn (Tank Recruiting):  linkedin.com/company/tank-recruit/about/ GET MORE TIME BACK TO SCALE YOUR BUSINESS Start here →  https://www.trymeteor.com/ Download the VA Hiring Playbook: https://trymeteor.notion.site/The-METEOR-VA-Hiring-Playbook-204d0a7c8414809d9d7ed58850a1bc88?pvs=74 Connect with JP: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jp.forno/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpforno/ If you enjoyed this episode, follow HIRE TO SCALE for weekly conversations about how to recruit, train, and manage high-performing teams so you can build a business that actually scales. Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  3. 11/25/2025

    How To Take The Guesswork Out of Recruiting: Assumptions vs Deductions

    INTRO Hiring is one of the most important decisions a founder makes because the wrong person slows the business down and the right person unlocks the next level of growth. The problem is that most hiring processes are built on assumptions, first impressions, and gut feelings, which makes the entire thing feel like a coin toss instead of a system. In this episode I break down why hiring feels unpredictable and what actually makes it predictable. I explain the difference between assumption based hiring and deduction based hiring, how to define exactly what you are looking for before you ever open a job post, and how to test for the behaviors that matter most. I also walk you through the two pillars that make up a reliable recruiting system so you can stop gambling on talent and start hiring with intention. If you want a clear and practical way to think about recruiting, this episode gives you the foundation to build a process you can trust. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Why most founders make hiring decisions with almost no real evidence.The difference between assumption based hiring and deduction based hiring and why it matters.How to define what “winning” looks like for a role before you begin recruiting.How to identify the biggest constraint in your business and use it to shape the role.How to design assessments that reveal real behavior instead of surface level signals.How to evaluate technical competence, culture fit, and job fit with clarity.A simple three step framework you can use to improve your next hire immediately. RESOURCES MENTIONED Mads Faurholt Jorgensen TED Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxjgL64czRY Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  4. 11/18/2025

    How to Build Thinkers, Not Just Task-Takers With Michelle Braden

    INTRO In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Braden, one of the most decorated learning and talent development leaders in the world. Michelle is a certified executive coach and former Chief Learning Officer with over 25 years of experience transforming how organizations grow their people. She has led global learning functions that supported tens of thousands of employees worldwide and earned industry-leading recognition, including 2023 CLO of the Year and multiple Brandon Hall Gold Awards for innovation in leadership development, blended learning, and onboarding impact. We talk about how to design training that people actually remember, how to coach so your team can solve problems on their own, and how to use AI as a helper instead of a crutch. Michelle also shares her Why-What-How framework for developing any skill, her thoughts on the shortening of attention spans at work, and how leaders can empower their teams without losing accountability. If you want to build a team that thinks critically, takes ownership, and grows without you having to hold their hand, this conversation will show you how. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN The Why-What-How framework for designing effective trainingHow to create a learning culture in companies without formal L&D departmentsWhy empowerment and accountability go hand in handHow to coach your team to think through problems, not wait for instructionsThe difference between delegation and true empowermentHow to build confidence and ownership in new hires fastThe impact of AI on learning and why critical thinking is still your superpower RESOURCES MENTIONED Situational Leadership Model – Helps leaders tailor their management style based on competence and commitment levelsThe Why-What-How Framework – Michelle’s practical method for structuring training so it is understandable, memorable, and applicableThe Learning Imperative Podcast – Michelle’s show exploring how continuous learning fuels organizational innovationThe Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz – A book Michelle credits with shaping her leadership and coaching philosophyCONNECT WITH MICHELLE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbraden/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yciplZSoX3QIa3xo9ISUL Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  5. 11/10/2025

    How to Design Training That Actually Works with Shelly Ballew

    INTRO Training is one of the most critical parts of building a high-performing team, yet one of the most underdeveloped skills for founders. In this episode, I sit down with Shelly Ballew, a SaaS leader with over a decade of experience building high-performing revenue and enablement teams and facilitating more than 500 trainings. Shelly’s programs have helped thousands of professionals improve performance, accelerate ramp time, and drive measurable business results. Together, we talk about how founders and leaders can move beyond compliance-based onboarding and build training that actually drives performance, retention, and culture. We explore how to create onboarding experiences that foster belonging, design training that mirrors real-world job performance, and measure learning outcomes that tie directly to company KPIs. Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a growing team, this conversation will help you design training that truly works. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to build onboarding that creates belonging and reinforces company cultureThe difference between academic learning and real-world adult learningHow to design training that mirrors job performance and real outcomesWays to make shadowing and reverse-shadowing meaningful learning toolsHow to coach effectively and diagnose “skill vs will” performance gapsWhy ongoing training and manager development are essential for growthThe most common mistakes founders make when designing training programsRESOURCES MENTIONED JD Dillon’s “Results-First” Framework – A practical approach to align training design with business outcomes by starting with the measurable result and working backward to define required skills and behaviors.Skill vs Will vs Conditions Model – A diagnostic tool that helps leaders identify whether performance issues stem from missing skills, lack of motivation or confidence, or environmental factors.Conscious Competence Ladder – A four-stage model that explains the journey from “unconscious incompetence” (not knowing what you don’t know) to “unconscious competence” (mastery through repetition).The 30-60-90 Framework for Onboarding – A milestone-based plan that helps new hires build clarity, confidence, and contribution in structured stages.“Fix the Roof While the Sun Is Shining” Mindset – A leadership principle Shelly references, reminding founders to build systems before growth exposes weaknesses.CONNECT WITH SHELLY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellyballew/ Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  6. 11/04/2025

    Scaling Sales Teams Without Losing Your Culture with Peter Swenson

    Guest: Peter Swenson, CEO & Co-Founder of The HIRE Advantage INTRO When I first started this podcast, I knew exactly who I wanted as my first guest. Peter Swenson is not just a close friend, he is the person who gave me my first job in sales back in college. Over the last 20 years, he has hired and trained more than 4,000 sales professionals across educational products, home automation, and solar generating hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. Today, Peter is the CEO and Co-Founder of The HIRE Advantage, where he helps companies build and scale high-performing sales teams through proven systems for recruiting, onboarding, and training. I have seen firsthand how his methods work, and in this episode we break down how to build a high-performing team from the ground up without losing your culture or burning yourself out in the process. We talk about how to design recruiting systems that actually filter for the right people, how to create onboarding experiences that build trust and buy-in, and how to develop a culture of training that keeps people improving long after their first week. If you are a founder or leader trying to build a reliable, scalable team, this conversation gives you a clear roadmap. Peter's Quick Tips Highest-leverage habit: going to bed on timeBook that shaped his leadership: Traction by Gino Wickman WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to build a strong recruiting system that removes personal biasWays to scale hiring volume without losing team cultureThe difference between onboarding and integrationHow to identify coachability during the recruiting processTraining systems that help new hires ramp up fasterHow to build trust and buy-in during the first 90 daysWhy culture and performance must be built together CONNECT WITH PETER Website: https://www.thehireadvantage.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pvswenson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pvswenson/ ----- If you enjoyed this episode, follow HIRE TO SCALE for weekly conversations about how to recruit, train, and manage high-performing teams so you can build a business that actually scales. Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

  7. Season 1 Trailer

    Introducing Hire To Scale

    For fast-moving founders ready to stop doing it all themselves and start building a team they can actually rely on. Hosted by JP Forno, founder of METEOR and an operator with years of experience building high-performing teams, each episode breaks down the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts needed to hire great people, train them well, and turn them into long-term operators who help your business grow. You’ll hear founder-to-founder frameworks, tools, and real-world lessons that help you spend less time in the weeds and more time building a business that runs with or without you.  Get More Time Back to Scale Your Business Start here → METEOR Download the VA Hiring Playbook here: METEOR VA/EA Hiring Playbook Connect with JP: LinkedIn Instagram

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

For fast-moving founders ready to stop doing it all themselves and start building a team they can actually rely on. Hosted by JP Forno, founder of METEOR and an operator with years of experience building high-performing teams, each episode breaks down the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts needed to hire great people, train them well, and turn them into long-term operators who help your business grow. You’ll hear founder-to-founder frameworks, tools, and real-world lessons that help you spend less time in the weeds and more time building a business that runs with or without you. 

Information

  • Creator
    JP Forno
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hire To Scale
  • Show Website
    Hire To Scale