The Entrepreneur's Roadmap

Kendra Vyse - Clear Direction Advisors
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The Entrepreneur's Roadmap is a podcast for service-based business owners who are ready to stop guessing and start building intentionally. Hosted by Kendra Vyse - business strategist, third-generation entrepreneur, and second-generation accountant - each episode covers the real work of building a service business that pays you well and grows in a direction you chose. Topics include offer strategy, financial clarity, team building, systems, and the mindset behind sustainable growth.

  1. 4d ago

    Building a Business Around the Life You Want with Michelle Kuzmick

    Building a business isn't just about generating more revenue. It's about creating something that supports the life you actually want to live.  In this episode of The Entrepreneur's Roadmap, I sit down with Michelle Kuzmick, a tech implementation specialist and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of business experience. Michelle shares her journey from corporate accounting to running a successful photography business and eventually transitioning into the online business space, where she now helps coaches and service providers bring their ideas online without getting overwhelmed by technology.  We discuss why strategy should always come before technology, the dangers of shiny object syndrome, and why so many entrepreneurs struggle because they change direction before giving a strategy enough time to work. Michelle also shares her perspective on human connection in an AI-driven world and why relationships continue to be one of the most important factors in building a sustainable business.  One of the themes that comes up throughout this conversation is that entrepreneurship isn't linear. There will be setbacks, pivots, challenges, and unexpected detours along the way. The key is staying focused, continuing to take action, and building a business that aligns with the life you want to create.  In This Episode We Discuss: Michelle's journey from corporate accounting to entrepreneurship and building multiple businesses over 25+ yearsWhy strategy matters more than the latest technology or platformThe biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when starting and growing a businesshow shiny object syndrome keeps business owners stuck and slows growthWhy you need to stay focused long enough to give your strategy a chance to work Human connection versus AI and where technology fits into business growthBuilding a business around the lifestyle you want instead of building your life around your businessThe realities of entrepreneurship and why business growth is rarely a straight lineWhat Michelle wishes she had known before starting her business journeyWhy the only real way to fail is to quit Connect with Michelle Kuzmick Website: www.michellekuzmick.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michellekuzmick/   Connect with Kendra Vyse Website: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse Book a Discovery Call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session 5 Key Strategies to Scale Guide: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscale

  2. Jul 13

    90 Day Planning for Business Growth: Why Annual Goals Fail

    We're halfway through the year, and a lot of business owners are either pretending their January goals never existed or wondering why they're so far behind. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. The problem usually isn't the goal itself. The problem is that most business owners set annual goals without creating a practical plan to execute them. A twelve-month goal can feel so far away that it becomes overwhelming, which often leads to scattered priorities, inconsistent action, and stalled progress. In this episode, Kendra breaks down why 90-day planning works better than relying solely on annual goals. You'll learn how to turn big goals into actionable priorities, create momentum without overloading yourself, and build a planning process that actually supports sustainable business growth. What We Cover Why annual goals often fail, even when the goal itself is realisticThe difference between annual planning and 90-day planningHow to break large business goals into manageable quarterly objectivesWhy your current reality matters before you build any planChoosing 1-3 high-impact priorities for the next 90 daysHow to review, adjust, and maintain momentum when business realities changeThe "shiny squirrel" problem and how to stay focused Resources & Links Free Guide: Five Key Strategies to Scale Your Service-Based Business: https://www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscaleStrategic Growth Lab Waitlisthttps://www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/group-programWork with Kendra: https://www.cleardirectionadvisors.comBook a Discovery Call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session Connect With Kendra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisorsSubStack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors If you're tired of setting goals that never seem to turn into progress, it might be worth considering a different approach. The bigger question isn't what you want to accomplish by year-end. The bigger question is what needs to happen in the next 90 days to move your business forward.

  3. Jul 6

    Your First Hire Shouldn’t Be a Guess: A Strategic Approach to Building Your Team

    Most service providers wait too long to hire - and then do it in a hurry. The result is rarely the support they were hoping for. Hiring with intention, at the right time, with the right preparation, changes the outcome entirely.   What We Cover • Why hiring as a rescue mission almost always creates more problems than it solves • Three questions you need to be able to answer before hiring anyone - including a part-time contractor • Five principles for hiring with intention rather than from overwhelm • What separates a hire that accelerates your business from one that sets it back   Links and Resources • Free Guide - Five Key Strategies to Scale YourService-Based Business: cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscale • Work with Kendra — Clear Direction Advisors:www.cleardirectionadvisors.com • Book a discovery call:https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session   Connect With Kendra • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/ • Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisors • Substack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors   If you want to think through whether a hire makes strategicsense for your business right now, book a discovery call. And sign up for the weekly newsletter at www. cleardirectionadvisors.com and get your copy of my Five Key Strategies to Scale Guide.

  4. Jun 29

    What Your Numbers Are Really Telling You

    Most service providers look at their financial statements once a year - when their accountant prepare their tax return. That's not financial clarity. That's avoidance. And it's costing you.What We Cover In this episode, we get into what your financial statements are actually for - and it's not just taxes. We cover: ● The difference between profit and cash flow (and why confusing them can shut your business down) ● What your P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statement are each telling you - in plain language ● Why your bank balance is not your profitability ● How to set up a monthly money check-in that actually tells you something useful ● The metrics beyond the financial statements - capacity, productivity, client acquisition cost - and why they matter for growth decisions   Your numbers are not there to judge you. They're there to helpyou run your business. Links and Resources ● Free Guide - Five Key Strategies to Scale YourService-Based Business: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscale ● Work with Kendra - Clear Direction Advisors: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com ● Book a discovery call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session Connect with Kendra ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/ ● Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisors ● Substack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors

  5. Jun 22

    Why Isn't My Business Growing? The Four Real Reasons Service Businesses Stall

    A plateau doesn't always feel like a crisis. Sometimes it just looks like another month with the same revenue as the last one, and the one before that. If that pattern has been going on for a year, it isn't stability. It's a signal worth paying attention to.   What We Cover In this episode, we get into the four real reasons service businesses stall and why most business owners are diagnosing the problem wrong.   We cover: What a plateau actually means - and why the definition matters before you try to fix anythingPricing gaps - including grandfathered clients and contracts with no annual increase built in Offer confusion - and why unclear messaging keeps ideal clients from finding their way to youCapacity ceilings - and the difference between growing your business and scaling itMissing systems - what they are costing you, even when you can't see the impact yet  If you've been wondering why your business feels stuck and why growth has stalled, this episode gives you a clear framework for figuring out which problem is actually yours.   Links and Resources EP04 | Is Your Offer Suite Designed for Profit or Did It Just HappenEP06 | Why Your Business Stalls: The Systems Problem Holding You BackFree Guide: Five Key Strategies to Scale Your Service-Based Business: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscaleWork with Kendra -- Clear Direction Advisors: www.cleardirectionadvisors.comBook a discovery call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session  Connect With Kendra LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisorsSubstack: substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors  If this episode resonated, follow The Entrepreneur's Roadmap so you don't miss what's coming next, and if you know another service provider who needs to hear this, share it with them.

  6. Jun 15

    Why Real Business Experience Beats Any Certification

    Marshall Stern has been in business for over 35 years. He built a sign and graphics company for 29 years and decided to sell it. He ran coaching and mentoring alongside that company for 14 of those years. He is now coaching full-time, and the way he talks about business, people, and decisions is worth your full attention. In this episode, Marshall shares the decisions that shaped his journey, including why he refused to lay off his team at the start of COVID when everyone told him he should, why he hired a new salesperson in August 2020 when business was still at 50%, and what he has learned about real leadership versus the kind that looks good on paper. We also get into what actually gets in the way of business growth, why a bank balance is not the same thing as financial health, and why real experience in the trenches will always outrank a certification. Marshall holds nothing back. This one is worth listening to more than once. In this episode: The decisions that defined Marshall's entrepreneurial journeyWhy he refused to lay off his team during COVID - and what happened because of itHiring counter-cyclically: taking the leap when nobody else wasWhat actually blocks business growth more than anything elseWhy your bank balance is lying to you about your business healthWhy real experience in the trenches beats any certification Links and Resources Free Guide: Five Key Strategies to Scale Your Service-Based Business: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscaleWork with Kendra at Clear Direction Advisors:www.cleardirectionadvisors.comBook a discovery call:https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-sessionConnect with Marshall: Website: ⁠www.marshallstern.net⁠LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/marshallstern/⁠Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/marshallstern/⁠Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup⁠Connect With Kendra LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisorsSubstack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors

  7. Jun 8

    Why Your Business Stalls: The Systems Problem Holding You Back

    If your business grinds to a halt the moment you step away, you don't have a capacity problem. You have a systems problem. And that's actually good news, because systems are fixable. In this episode of The Entrepreneur's Roadmap, we get intoone of the most common reasons service providers hit a ceiling - not because they lack clients or opportunities, but because the business is built entirely around their personal involvement in every single piece of the process. Key takeaways from this episode: Why being the bottleneck in your own business is a growth ceiling, not a badge of honourThe three things in your business that actually require your specific expertise (and why most owners dramatically overestimate this list)Five areas to look at when building systems: client onboarding, service delivery, financials, communication, and offboardingWhy systems aren't about removing the human element - they're about protecting itWhat it actually looks like to walk into work on a Monday morning and trust that your business is runningIf you're doing everything yourself and wondering why youcan't seem to get ahead, this one is for you. Links and Resources • Free Guide: Five Key Strategies to Scale Your Service-Based Business: www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscale • Work with Kendra at Clear Direction Advisors:www.cleardirectionadvisors.com • Book a discovery call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-session Connect With Kendra • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/ • Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisors • Substack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisors Follow and subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode on making your first (or next) hire a strategic decision rather than a rescue mission.

  8. Jun 1

    How to Build a Strategic Growth Plan That Makes Every Business Decision Easier

    Most service business owners know they need a strategy. What they don't have is a practical framework for building one they'll actually use. In this episode, Kendra Vyse walks through her five-part growth roadmap that turns strategic thinking into real decisions - covering what your plan needs to contain, why starting with goals is not actually the right first step, and how her GAP Framework (Growth Action Plan) works in practice with real service businesses. If you've been making decisions in your business without a clear framework to run them through, this episode is your starting point. What We Cover Why an honest assessment of your current position matters more than your goals, and why most business owners skip itThe five components every strategic growth plan needs to be useful when decisions have to be madeHow the GAP Framework structures the roadmap-building process for service-based businessesWhat changes about how you operate when every decision has a filter to run throughLinks and Resources Free Guide -- Five Key Strategies to Scale Your Service-Based Business: cleardirectionadvisors.com/5keystrategiestoscaleWork with Kendra -- 1:1 Advisory: www.cleardirectionadvisors.comStrategic Growth Lab (September cohort): www.cleardirectionadvisors.com/group-programBook a Discovery Call: https://tidycal.com/cleardirections/discovery-sessionConnect With Kendra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendravyse/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleardirectionadvisorsSubstack: https://substack.com/@cleardirectionadvisorsDon't forget to follow The Entrepreneur's Roadmap so you never miss an episode.

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The Entrepreneur's Roadmap is a podcast for service-based business owners who are ready to stop guessing and start building intentionally. Hosted by Kendra Vyse - business strategist, third-generation entrepreneur, and second-generation accountant - each episode covers the real work of building a service business that pays you well and grows in a direction you chose. Topics include offer strategy, financial clarity, team building, systems, and the mindset behind sustainable growth.

Information

  • Creator
    Kendra Vyse - Clear Direction Advisors
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kendra Vyse - Clear Direction Advisors
  • Show Website
    The Entrepreneur's Roadmap