The Founder's Growth Show

John (AKA Small Mountain) Hill | The Founder's Growth Show

Learn how to grow and scale a business without losing your way. Most business podcasts promise "10x growth," "overnight hacks," and "crushing the competition." But for the founder in the thick of it, those words often feel like more noise in an already loud room. Real growth isn't about moving faster; it's about taking intentional steps built around processes, culture, and leadership. Every week, John (AKA Small Mountain) Hill interviews Founders, Creators, Coaches, and Industry Leaders who have done the work, made the mistakes, and learned how to achieve lasting, sustainable success. No silver bullets or quick fixes; we talk about how they overcame the unsustainable systems, the leadership bottlenecks, and the mental shifts required to build a business that actually serves your life. If you are a founder who feels like you're working harder but gaining less ground, this is your space. No lectures or fluff—just the experienced insights you need to build a resilient, impactful business. New episodes every Thursday. Available in video on YouTube and audio on all major podcast platforms.

  1. 1d ago

    From Punch Cards to AI: How to Spot Industry Pivots Before You're Left Behind — Humberto Rodriguez

    In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Humberto "Bert" Rodriguez, CEO and Co-Founder of SupplySoft, to explore what it takes to build operational systems that withstand decades of technological change. Drawing from over 30 years in supply chain technology—from high school punch cards to modern AI and warehouse automation—Humberto breaks down how unwritten rules and key-person reliance create invisible ceilings on business expansion. Founder-Centric Topics Discussed: The Tribal Knowledge Trap: Why relying on key-person memory and knowledge limits operational velocity and how to systemize execution. Value-Based Pricing: Realities of pricing services based on client impact rather than labor hours. Navigating Market Pivots: Transitioning through major tech shifts (DOS to Windows, Cloud/SaaS, AI) without sacrificing business continuity. The Power of Niching Down: Why focusing deeply on a core partner platform beats spreading thin as a generalist. Leadership Without Ego: Implementing operational litmus tests and building a unified, client-focused culture across global remote teams. If you want to know how a business owner can stay successful and ahead of the game for decades, Bert's expertise is what you need.   Connect with Humberto "Bert" Rodriguez: https://www.supplysoft.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/humberto-rodriguez-b3648b4/ Connect with me:  Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/ Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/ Revenue Evolution Workshops: https://agsherpa.com/revev

    From Punch Cards to AI: How to Spot Industry Pivots Before You're Left Behind — Humberto Rodriguez
  2. 1d ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: Morning Brew Daily

    Introducing Investors Question Kevin Warsh’s Credibility & People Are Talking Less? from Morning Brew Daily. Follow the show: Morning Brew Daily #900: A divided Fed holds interest rates but three members wanted to hike it up. Meta shares dip after reporting an earnings miss as it keeps spending money on data centers. Microsoft beat expectations thanks to its partnership with Anthropic. Then, Neal shares numbers on the busiest commercial flight day on record, weed being more common than cigarettes, and why nobody is talking to each other anymore. Finally, NYC just released a short list of property owners subject to Mamdani’s luxury tax on second homes. Got difficult questions? Head to https://www.claude.ai/mbd to answer them.  Get tickets for our trivia tournament! https://caveat.nyc/events/the-morning-brew-trivia-tournament-2026-07-30  Grab tickets to our Performance Revue show! https://www.morningbrew.com/events/brew-performance-revue-2026?utm_campaign=performance_revue_2026&utm_source=mbd Subscribe to Morning Brew Daily for more of the news you need to start your day. Share the show with a friend, and leave us a review on your favorite podcast app. Listen to Morning Brew Daily Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.swap.fm/l/mbd-note⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: Morning Brew Daily
  3. Jul 16

    Deconstructing Customer Empathy: Why Early Sales Messaging Fails – with Jon Selig

    How do you build a sustainable communication strategy that resonates with a highly specific cold target market? And how do you do it without getting your outreach completely ignored because, let's face it, you sound like a robot? In this episode of the Founder's Growth Show, we break down early-stage business messaging with Jon Selig, who, at the time of the interview two years ago, was the founder of Comedy Writing for Revenue Teams. Jon highlights the immense structural overlap between testing messaging with an audience and executing founder-led B2B sales development. We cut through the noise of corporate "10x" slogans to focus on pure messaging alignment, establishing clarity, and overcoming customer friction. Jon shares his framework for navigating early market discovery, mapping out buyer roadblocks below the waterline, and shifting from empty jargon to high-impact "insider language." Whether you're an analytical leader establishing target personas or a founder refining your team's outreach channels, this conversation offers a deeply grounded approach to customer validation, intentional active listening, and building real pipeline traction. Best of all, while learning about his impactful lessons from then, we'll also get to compare them to where he is today in next week's episode. That's right. This interview was recorded in 2024, when both John Small Mountain and his guest were in different places. So, this interview has been edited to focus solely on the broader themes that remain important to Jon today. And then, next week, we'll get to see what compelled him to leave and then return to the founder role, and how he helps people with their messaging today.   Connect with Jon Selig: Website: https://jonselig.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonselig/   Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/ Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/ Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast Book: Selling From Scratch Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

    Deconstructing Customer Empathy: Why Early Sales Messaging Fails – with Jon Selig
  4. Jul 2

    Why You Should Lean Into the "Unsexy" Work People Need Most with Dan Bennett

    Join host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, and his special guest Dan Bennett, founder of Hot Sauce Video, for a deep dive into the psychology of founder growth and the power of authentic storytelling. Dan shares his journey from a touring musician to a high-end filmmaker and agency owner, revealing how he eventually embraced the very service he tried to avoid: video editing. He also explains why "video is just the vehicle," and the real power behind viral moments is in the story and how it's shared. Notable Topics for Founders and Business Owners: Overcoming Friction: How to identify when you are fighting your own market value. The "Solar System" Framework: A creative approach to understanding business systems and lead generation. Strategic Video: Why "Contact Us" pages are the hidden goldmine for video conversion. Permission to Fail: The importance of "shooting for the edit" and giving yourself grace during the messy stages of growth. The 7 Deadly Sins of Content: Avoiding the trap of trend-chasing and envy in marketing. If you've been avoiding a crucial part of your business because it doesn't excite you, Dan's story about how he made it work without hating his job may change your mind.   Connect with Dan Bennett: Website: https://hotsauce.video/dan-has-links/   Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/ Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/ Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast Book: Selling From Scratch Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

    Why You Should Lean Into the "Unsexy" Work People Need Most with Dan Bennett
  5. Jun 18

    The Post-Sale Growth Engine: Churn, Resilience, and Scaling Across Time Zones with Noah Hallett

    Why do so many rapid-scaling startups struggle to sustain their revenue after an influx of new clients? Because they mistake reactive customer support for a proactive growth strategy. In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John Small Mountain sits down with Noah Hallett, a startup consultant and fractional Chief Customer Officer (CCO). Operating from Lisbon, Portugal, Noah shares his raw perspective on transitioning a business internationally and details why long-term company value is determined entirely by what happens after a sales contract is finalized. The conversation delivers a masterclass in separating reactive customer service from revenue-generating customer success frameworks. Noah breaks down how early-stage founders can: navigate user experience (UX) friction, handle the operational handoff between sales and customer success managers (CSMs), leverage radical transparency in marketing to build brand trust, and reframe high-friction "Struggle Bus" accounts into a blueprint for product development.  Whether you're trying to fix a leaky pipeline, realign your client retention strategy, or understand the deep human element behind scaling an organizational structure, Noah's grounded approach offers immediate clarity for founders looking to build a resilient business. Connect with Noah Hallett: LinkedIn: Noah Hallett 🦦   Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/ Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/ Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast Book: Selling From Scratch

    The Post-Sale Growth Engine: Churn, Resilience, and Scaling Across Time Zones with Noah Hallett

About

Learn how to grow and scale a business without losing your way. Most business podcasts promise "10x growth," "overnight hacks," and "crushing the competition." But for the founder in the thick of it, those words often feel like more noise in an already loud room. Real growth isn't about moving faster; it's about taking intentional steps built around processes, culture, and leadership. Every week, John (AKA Small Mountain) Hill interviews Founders, Creators, Coaches, and Industry Leaders who have done the work, made the mistakes, and learned how to achieve lasting, sustainable success. No silver bullets or quick fixes; we talk about how they overcame the unsustainable systems, the leadership bottlenecks, and the mental shifts required to build a business that actually serves your life. If you are a founder who feels like you're working harder but gaining less ground, this is your space. No lectures or fluff—just the experienced insights you need to build a resilient, impactful business. New episodes every Thursday. Available in video on YouTube and audio on all major podcast platforms.