The Planify Podcast

Planify Agency

From the life of business to the business of life, The Planify Podcast features industry leaders talking about growth, strategy, and what it means to do business in the world today.

  1. Oct 20

    The Delegation Dilemma: How to Delegate Without Losing Control

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency If your business cannot run without you, you may own a job more than a business. Most owners know they should delegate, yet handoffs often go sideways. In this episode of The Planify Podcast, Casey Cease and Angelo Gonzalez unpack the delegation dilemma and where it tends to break down. They explain two common patterns, delegation by domination and delegation by abdication, and why both leave owners frustrated and teams unsure. Casey shares how he moved from technician to manager to leader by tracking his tasks for two weeks, assigning each an hourly value, and handing off work someone else could do about 80 percent as well. You will also hear how to handle mistakes by separating system problems from people problems, why worrying about looking lazy can be costly, and which low-risk experiments make a good first step. The conversation closes with practical tools, including a delegation app Casey built, and an invitation to request a delegation assessment from the Planify team. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: - Delegation usually fails in one of two ways: holding on too tightly (domination) or handing off with no direction (abdication). - Track your tasks for two weeks, estimate what each would cost someone else to do, and hand off work that can be done about 80 percent as well as you would do it. - Match the detail of your instructions to the stakes, and describe what "finished" looks like. - When something goes wrong, ask whether it was a system problem or a person problem before reacting. - Start with a low-risk experiment, keep tasks you enjoy, and use delegation as a lever for growth for you and your team. CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome And Audience Invitation 00:01:18 - The Delegation Dilemma Explained 00:03:50 - Domination Vs Abdication Delegation 00:07:19 - Technician To Manager To Leader 00:13:38 - Handling Mistakes Without Panic 00:17:45 - Delegation And The Fear Of Laziness 00:23:37 - Simple Experiments To Start Delegating 00:29:04 - Tools That Make Delegation Easier 00:30:16 - Delegation Assessment And Closing Ask RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: - Strategic Coach (Dan Sullivan): https://www.strategiccoach.com - Experience Transformer walkthrough with Dan Sullivan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyaM6_fz2Rk - System Busters (book): [Ask for URL: System Busters book and author] - DelegateTasks.ai: https://delegatetasks.ai - Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai - Slack: https://slack.com - Planify Podcast Ep. 8, SOPs or Chaos: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sops-or-chaos-how-to-build-a-business-that-runs/id1896816554?i=1000774823035 CONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: - Follow or subscribe to The Planify Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so new episodes find you. - Leave a rating or review on your platform of choice. It helps more business owners find the show. - Share this episode with a founder who is carrying too much on their own plate. - Have a topic idea or want to be a guest? Reach out at https://planify.agency - Curious where you could delegate more? Ask the Planify team about a delegation assessment: https://planify.agency #Delegation #Micromanagement #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #Leadership #SOPs #FounderLife #ThePlanifyPodcast

    The Delegation Dilemma: How to Delegate Without Losing Control

  2. Oct 6

    From Pharmacy Counter to Culture Coach: Chris Cornelison on Praise, Vision, and AI

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency Many business owners know their culture could be better, but they are not sure whether the problem is the team, the systems, or the way they lead. Chris Cornelison knows that feeling firsthand. He took over his grandfather's pharmacy, grew it to three locations, and admits he made nearly every leadership mistake along the way. A single frustrated night, a kicked trash can, and a bank account at zero pushed him to look at himself first. From there, he built a culture around written goals, written processes, a one-year vision, and praise that reinforces what you want repeated. In this conversation with Casey Cease, Chris shares how he sold his family pharmacy to a young pharmacist he had mentored, built a supplement company, became a keynote speaker and author of Super Culture, and now coaches leaders. They also look at a question many owners are asking today: where does AI fit without replacing the human side of your business? Chris walks through a real HubSpot workflow that gives his team time back for the work only people can do, and previews the AI class he and Casey are building together. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: - Start with an honest look at your own leadership. Chris's turning point came when he saw that his empty bank account was tied to how he was leading. - Praise what you want repeated. Specific appreciation lowers stress so people can hear coaching, learn, and build habits. - Write it down. Goals, processes, and a one-year vision give your team direction and give you a simple filter: on vision or off vision? - Coach it, change it, or tolerate it. Make the choice on purpose instead of drifting into tolerating the same issue. - Start AI with your workflow, not a tool. Map the friction, keep a person at the relationship moments, and automate the repetitive handoffs. CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Welcome And Guest Setup 0:56 From Pharmacist To Author Speaker 4:17 Taking Over A Family Pharmacy 5:10 Choosing The Exit And Successor 8:23 Breaking Out Beyond Healthcare Stages 11:22 The Trash Can Moment And Praise 18:32 Coaching With Vision Goals Processes 22:35 Learning AI Through Entrepreneur Networks 27:52 AI Workflows That Boost Culture 35:29 Final Takeaways And AI Class Plug RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Super Culture by Chris Cornelison: https://chriscornelison.com/product/super-culture-book/ Chris Cornelison speaker site: https://chriscornelison.com Solutions Rx: https://solutionsrxproducts.com Steve Gilliland: https://stevegilliland.com Picture Perfect Speakers: https://pictureperfectspeaker.com/ Pharmacy Development Services: https://www.pharmacyowners.com Strategic Coach: https://www.strategiccoach.com SEEDSPARK CoLAB (Chad Jenkins): https://seedsparkcolab.com AI Simplifier class: https://lp.ai-simplifier.com/ SBA CARES Act debt relief evaluation: https://legacy.sba.gov/document/report-21-03-evaluation-cares-act-debt-relief-7a-borrowers HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com Grok: https://grok.com AI Tools That Work: https://aitoolsthatwork.co Chris's TED talk: https://youtu.be/E0_I3alTv00?si=y6FISe7gB17UuNNT CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: https://chriscornelison.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-cornelison Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornelisonsuperculture X: https://x.com/ChrisCorneliso1 CONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: - Share this episode with a family business owner or leader who wants a healthier team culture. - Leave a rating or review in your podcast app. It helps other business owners find the show. - Subscribe to the Planify Podcast so you do not miss the next conversation. - Learn more about the AI class Chris and Casey are building: https://aitoolsthatwork.co #PlanifyPodcast #CompanyCulture #SuperCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #FamilyBusiness #AIforBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessCoaching

    From Pharmacy Counter to Culture Coach: Chris Cornelison on Praise, Vision, and AI

  3. Sep 22

    Create Once, Distribute Forever: Building a Low-Effort Content Machine

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency If content creation feels like a treadmill, you're not alone. Most business owners start strong, post for a few weeks, then run out of ideas, run out of time, or get discouraged when a great piece of content barely gets any views. In this episode of the Planify Podcast, hosts Angelo Gonzalez and Casey Cease break down why content creation feels so hard for business owners and share a simpler way forward: create once, distribute forever. You'll learn how to build a "topic wheel" so you never run out of things to talk about, why a transcript is the backbone of an entire content repurposing workflow, and how one recorded conversation can turn into a blog post, social clips, an email newsletter, and podcast episodes without adding hours to your week. Angelo and Casey also cover how AI fits into the process without creating "AI slop," how to scale output once you bring on a team, and why consistent content builds the trust signals Google and your local market are looking for. If you're stuck in the content grind, this episode gives you a practical place to start. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Content creation feels hard for a reason: most people run out of ideas, run out of time, or get discouraged by low view counts within the first few weeks.A "topic wheel" turns one core subject into dozens of angles (for example, roofing branches into insurance questions, storm damage, HOA issues, and material types), so you're never staring at a blank page.Your transcript is the workflow's backbone: it becomes the blog post, the optimized title and description, social captions, and the source material your team repurposes into clips and newsletters.AI speeds up the process, but the goal is human enhancement, not human replacement. Every AI draft still gets reviewed against real expertise before it goes out.Consistent content across platforms sends the trust and expertise signals that Google and local searchers look for, especially when partners and non-competing businesses share or mention your content.CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Why Content Creation Feels Scary 00:07:15 - Create Once And Repurpose Everywhere 00:13:05 - Designing A Low Effort Content Machine 00:18:00 - Transcript First Repurposing Workflow 00:28:00 - Scaling Output With Team And Tools 00:33:10 - Local SEO Signals And Partner Shares 00:36:10 - How To Start And Get Help RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: ClickUp (task management platform Planify uses to organize the content workflow): https://clickup.comThe Enneagram (personality framework Casey references when describing how he works best): https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-worksCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: This episode features Planify co-hosts Angelo Gonzalez and Casey Cease, not an outside guest. Find Casey's contact info in the Planify team section below. CONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: Share this episode with a business owner who feels stuck on the content treadmill, subscribe so you don't miss the next one, and leave a quick rating on your podcast app. It helps more listeners find these conversations. #ContentMarketing #ContentRepurposing #SmallBusinessMarketing #LocalSEO #PlanifyPodcast #ContentStrategy #MarketingTips

    Create Once, Distribute Forever: Building a Low-Effort Content Machine

  4. Sep 8

    Chad Jenkins On Why He Traded 50 Companies For 1,000 Collaborations

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency If you have ever felt boxed into slow, linear growth, hiring more people, leasing more office space, or buying more trucks just to inch revenue forward, this episode is for you. Casey Cease sits down with Chad Jenkins, founder of SeedSpark and creator of the SeedSpark CoLab, to unpack why so many capable business owners hit a growth ceiling even after building successful companies. After launching more than 50 companies over 25 years, Chad noticed a pattern: conventional best practices only produce average results, and most entrepreneurs are missing the "who," not the "how." Chad walks through his shift from founding companies to building collaborations, sharing a real example of two entrepreneurs, an intellectual property specialist and an investment banker, who combined strengths to create a competitive advantage neither could build alone. You will also learn the VCR formula (Vision, Capability, Reach) that Chad and Dean Jackson developed for fairly splitting revenue in any partnership, without lawyers, entities, or months of negotiation. If you are ready for growth that does not require more overhead, this conversation offers a practical starting point. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Best practices are just "upper echelon average." Removing the film of conventional thinking off any industry reveals friction points your competitors are ignoring.Growth does not have to mean more hires, more office space, or more trucks. Collaboration lets you multiply value with what you already have.The VCR formula (Vision + Capability x Reach) gives you a fast, fair way to split revenue with a collaborator, often on a single page, with no entity or lawyer required to start.Real collaborations pair complementary skill sets, like an intellectual property specialist and an investment banker, to create outcomes neither partner could produce alone.Non-linear growth becomes possible once everyone in a collaboration has skin in the game and shares directly in the outcome.CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome To Seed Spark Collab01:00 A Childhood Lesson In Combining04:40 Remove The Film On Friction05:12 The Moment Collaboration Clicked09:42 Who Wins With Non-Linear Growth15:07 A Real Collab From Two Experts23:22 VCR Formula For Fair Splits33:34 New Book And Where To Find ChadRESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: SeedSpark & the CoLab community: https://seedspark.comThe Code to Collaboration by Chad T. Jenkins: https://codetocollaboration.comJust Add a Zero by Chad T. Jenkins: https://www.justaddzero.comStrategic Coach and the Free Zone Frontier program (Dan Sullivan): https://www.strategiccoach.comThe VCR Formula origin, Dean Jackson: https://deanjackson.com/blog/vision-capabilities-and-reachKolbe A Index (referenced as the "Kolbe profile"): https://www.kolbe.com/kolbe-a-indexKylie Cosmetics lip kit story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylie_CosmeticsNike x Tiffany & Co. Air Force 1 collaboration: https://www.tiffany.com/world-of-tiffany/collaborations/tiffany-nike-air-force.htmlCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Follow Chad Jenkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtjenkinsVisit SeedSpark CoLab: https://seedspark.comGet the new book, The Code to Collaboration: https://codetocollaboration.comCONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: If this conversation shifted how you think about growth, share it with a business partner or collaborator who might see the same opportunity. Leave a quick rating or review on your podcast app so more entrepreneurs can find these conversations, and follow the show so you do not miss the next one. #BusinessCollaboration #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessTips #VCRFormula #BusinessPartnership #GrowthStrategy #PlanifyPodcast

    Chad Jenkins On Why He Traded 50 Companies For 1,000 Collaborations

  5. Aug 25

    From Small Town Garage to Formula 1: Jason and Kellie Sartain's Awesome Shoppe Story

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency If you've ever wondered whether it's smart to walk away from a stable paycheck to build something of your own, this episode offers a real answer instead of a theory. Casey Cease sits down with Jason and Kellie Sartain, owners of Sartain's Awesome Shoppe, a custom woodworking business built from a garage in Bellville, Texas, a town of only a few thousand people. Many small business owners believe they need a big city, a big budget, or a big network before they can compete for major opportunities. Jason and Kellie prove otherwise. They talk through the leap from stable careers into full time entrepreneurship, why market days that produced zero direct sales still moved the business forward, and how giving work away strategically opened doors that paid marketing never could. That strategy eventually led them to a chance encounter with Red Bull, a six day sprint to build event walls for Circuit of the Americas, and a spot inside the Formula 1 world. If you are building a small business and wondering how relationships and generosity actually translate into revenue, this conversation lays out exactly how it happened. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Taking the leap rarely comes with guarantees, but staying in a job that doesn't fit you guarantees nothing will changeEarly marketing doesn't have to mean paid ads. Market days, samples, and consistent conversations can build a pipeline before you have a big followingStrategic generosity, giving away work or services early to prove quality, can build trust and referrals faster than a sales pitchOne relationship, handled well, can open doors to entire industries you never planned forGrowing fast is not the same as growing well. Sometimes shrinking a team to a core group improves quality and controlCHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome And The Big Story00:01:01 - Meet The Makers Behind Awesome Shoppe00:02:06 - Leaving Safe Jobs For The Leap00:06:32 - The Trip That Sparked The Vision00:10:18 - Market Days And Relationship Building00:15:44 - Generosity As Small Town Marketing00:21:40 - Red Bull Walks Into The Shop00:25:34 - Showing Up At COTA Outmatched00:28:49 - Building A Million Dollar Tent Look00:33:14 - New Doors Through F1 Connections00:34:20 - Where To Find Awesome ShoppeRESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Sartain's Awesome Shoppe: https://awesomeshoppe.com/Circuit of the Americas (COTA): https://circuitoftheamericas.comMotoGP: https://www.motogp.comSushi by Scratch Restaurants: https://www.sushibyscratchrestaurants.comRed Bull Racing: https://www.redbullracing.comJourney to F1 - Red Bull Turn 17 VIP Suite Build (Awesome Shoppe): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaoenmXs3C0CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: https://awesomeshoppe.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sartainsawesomeshoppeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sartainsawesomeshoppeCONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: If this conversation gave you a nudge to be a little more generous with your own business, share it with someone building something from scratch. Leave a rating on your podcast app, and tell us on social media the moment you decided to take your own leap. #PlanifyPodcast #SmallBusinessMarketing #WoodworkingBusiness #TexasSmallBusiness #GenerosityMarketing #EntrepreneurStory #FormulaOne #SmallTownBusiness #StrategicGenerosity #BusinessGrowth

    From Small Town Garage to Formula 1: Jason and Kellie Sartain's Awesome Shoppe Story

  6. Aug 11

    From Rock Bottom to Magai: Dustin Stout on Burnout, Faith, and Building an AI Platform for Everyone

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency Every founder eventually hits a season that Instagram never shows: the failed launches, the empty bank account, the whispered doubts about whether it's worth continuing. In this episode of the Planify Podcast, Casey Cease sits down with Dustin Stout, founder and CEO of Magai, an all-in-one AI platform used by thousands of business owners, creators, and everyday professionals. Before Magai took off, Dustin walked through years of business partnership breakdowns, his wife's terrifying and undiagnosed health crisis, tens of thousands of dollars in burned savings, and a stretch of unemployment so bleak it brought him to the edge of suicidal thoughts. Dustin opens up about that season with a level of honesty rarely heard from founders, and Casey pauses the conversation to offer a practical framework for anyone quietly struggling right now. From there, they trace how Dustin rebuilt: teaching himself no-code AI development in eight weeks, launching Magai just months after ChatGPT arrived, and growing it into a thriving business built on integrity, cash flow, and relationships. If you're a business owner navigating a hard season, or simply curious how to put AI to work without the overwhelm, this conversation offers both perspective and a path forward. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Business failure and personal crisis often hit at the same time. Dustin's software partnership was falling apart the same year his wife faced a severe, undiagnosed health crisis, and recognizing that overlap is often the first step toward getting real support.A documented "reach out" plan can save a life. Casey and Dustin outline a practical framework: identify who you would text in a crisis before you're in one, and know that resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline exist for immediate help.Dustin built the first version of Magai in eight weeks using no-code tools, proving you don't need to be a developer to build a serious AI product if you're willing to learn in public and get fast customer feedback.Honoring early investors and legacy customers, even when you're not legally required to, builds the kind of trust that compounds over years. Dustin rolled his original investors and former customers directly into Magai's success.Magai centralizes ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and more than 130 third-party app connections into one private workspace, so business owners can stop juggling a dozen AI subscriptions and fragmented conversation histories.CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome And Why This Story Matters00:01:09 - From Acting Dreams To Tech00:03:53 - Startups, Exits, And Hard Pivots00:05:39 - Health Crisis And Business Collapse00:15:32 - How To Get Help Fast00:20:34 - Learning No Code And Shipping Magai00:25:41 - Integrity, Growth, And Teaching AI00:32:55 - What Magai Does And What's Next00:36:20 - Where To Find MagaiRESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Magai (all-in-one AI platform): https://magai.coChatGPT / OpenAI: https://openai.com/index/chatgptClaude (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.com/claudeGemini (Google): https://gemini.google.comDropping Bombs Podcast with Brad Lea: https://www.droppingbombs.comEvangelical Press Association Convention (where Dustin has spoken): https://epaconvention.comEphesians 2:10 (scripture referenced in this episode): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A10988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (free, confidential, 24/7 support): https://988lifeline.orgCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: https://dustinstout.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dustinstout/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinwstoutX (Twitter): https://x.com/DustinWStoutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dustinwstoutMagai: https://magai.coCONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agencyFollow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.AgencyFollow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagencyConnect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: Subscribe to the Planify Podcast wherever you listen so you don't miss the next conversation.Leave a quick rating or review. It helps other business owners find these stories.Share this episode with a fellow founder who might be having a hard season right now.Check out Magai for yourself at magai.co and see how one AI platform can simplify your workflow.#PlanifyPodcast #EntrepreneurMentalHealth #AIForBusiness #FounderStory #BusinessGrowth #Magai #StartupJourney #MentalHealthAwareness

    From Rock Bottom to Magai: Dustin Stout on Burnout, Faith, and Building an AI Platform for Everyone

  7. Aug 4

    Pricing Your Expertise: Money Lessons From a Personal Injury Attorney

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency If you have ever struggled to ask a client for what your work is actually worth, you are not alone. Many service providers underprice themselves early on, worried that asking for real money will scare clients away or feel greedy. In this episode of the Planify Podcast, Casey Cease sits down with Chicago-area personal injury attorney Pete Wachowski to unpack how he moved from being uncomfortable asking for a retainer to running a law practice built on contingency fees, shared risk, and clearly managed expectations. Pete walks through his path into law, the moment a law partner told him he would need to start paying rent (aka real overhead), and the meeting where a client's casual "cut him a check" moment reset how Pete thought about pricing for good. They also talk about why contingency fee work forces an attorney to be invested in the outcome, how to set realistic expectations with clients, and why narrowing into a specialty, even when it feels risky, can make a business more sustainable. If you are a service provider trying to price your expertise with more confidence, this conversation gives you a real, grounded starting point. ๐Ÿ’ก KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Overhead changes everything: The moment Pete's firm required him to cover real costs, he had to stop treating fees as extra money and start pricing his time like a business owner. A five thousand dollar retainer taught Pete more about value than any class could: Watching a client casually approve a real fee showed him that undercharging was his own limiting belief, not the market's. Contingency fees put the attorney's money where the client's outcome is: Pete fronts case costs and only gets paid if the case succeeds, which forces careful case selection and real investment in the result. Managing expectations matters as much as delivering results: Clients remember whether you told them the truth up front, not just whether you won. Specializing is a risk that can pay off: Narrowing from general practice into personal injury let Pete stop being at odds with clients who could not afford a drawn out fight, and build a more sustainable business. ๐Ÿ•’ CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome And What We Explore 00:01:01 - Pete's Path Into Law 00:07:50 - First-Gen Pressure And A Pivot 00:15:59 - Early Practice And Sudden Overhead 00:21:58 - The Retainer Lesson On Value 00:25:44 - Contingency Fees And Shared Risk 00:29:20 - Delivering Outcomes And Setting Expectations 00:33:58 - Specializing In Personal Injury ๐Ÿ”— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law (Pete's firm, Park Ridge, IL): https://piotrwachowski.com/ Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment (referenced when discussing self-awareness in career fit): https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/take-the-mbti-instrument Kolbe A Index assessment (referenced alongside MBTI): https://www.kolbe.com/kolbe-a-index Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (referenced as an early influence on Pete's money mindset): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_and_Grow_Rich The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason (referenced alongside Think and Grow Rich): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Richest_Man_in_Babylon Strategic Coach / Dan Sullivan's "rugged individualist" concept (referenced when discussing delegating and building a team): https://www.strategiccoach.com/resources/the-multiplier-mindset-blog/what-is-rugged-individualism-and-why-you-might-be-guilty-of-it ๐Ÿค CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Visit Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law: https://piotrwachowski.com/ Follow Pete Wachowski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterwachowski/ Follow Pete Wachowski on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petercwachowski/ Connect with Pete Wachowski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-wachowski-60310620/ ๐Ÿš€ CONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: If this conversation changed how you think about pricing your own expertise, the easiest way to support the show is to subscribe and leave a rating wherever you listen. It helps more service based business owners find these conversations. Share it with someone who is still uncomfortable asking for what their work is worth. #PricingStrategy #ServiceBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #MoneyMindset #ClientExpectations #PlanifyPodcast

    Pricing Your Expertise: Money Lessons From a Personal Injury Attorney

  8. Jul 28

    Local Marketing Strategy: How to Dominate Your Local Market Without a National Ad Budget

    Send us Fan Mail Get your custom Business Growth Strategy Blueprint: https://planify.agency Most local business owners feel like they have to choose between a hundred different marketing options with no clear way to know what will actually work. In this episode, Angelo Gonzalez and Casey Cease break down why local businesses do not need a national ad budget to grow, and why trying to copy big brand advertising is usually a waste of money for a local service business. They walk through a practical local marketing strategy built around three low cost fundamentals: consistent business listings, active reputation management (including how to handle one star reviews), and a simple referral system you can automate. They also cover when it makes sense to add paid tactics like Google Local Service Ads, how to measure return on investment before increasing spend, and why reactivating past customers should come before launching any new campaign. If you are a local business owner trying to figure out where your next marketing dollar should go, this episode gives you a clear, practical starting point. ๐Ÿ’ก KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Local beats national for local businesses: Copying big brand advertising (like a billboard with just a logo) does not translate to a local budget. Local businesses grow by dominating a specific geographic area, not by trying to look big.Strategy comes before tactics: Spending money across many channels without a plan usually means no one can tell you what is actually working. Define the strategy first, then choose the tactics.Reviews are a reputation tool, not just a rating: Consistent business listings (name, address, phone number) and a thoughtful response plan for one star reviews build more trust than a perfect five star record.Referrals need a system, not just good work: Doing great work is not enough on its own. Asking at the right time and automating a simple referral process turns satisfied customers into a repeatable growth channel.Test paid local tactics like Google Local Service Ads carefully: These can offer a low risk way to pay only for qualified leads, but they require verification steps and ongoing ROI tracking to be worth it.๐Ÿ•’ CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome And The Real Goal 00:00:59 - Too Many Marketing Options 00:02:28 - Why Coke-Style Ads Fail Locally 00:06:03 - Strategy First Then Track ROI 00:11:41 - Local SEO Basics That Move Rankings 00:14:35 - One-Star Reviews As An Advantage 00:20:11 - Referrals And Simple Automation 00:25:27 - Google Local Service Ads Explained 00:31:58 - Reactivate Past Customers Then Close ๐Ÿ”— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Google Business Profile (for managing your local listing and map pack presence): https://business.google.com/us/business-profileGoogle Local Service Ads: https://business.google.com/us/ad-solutions/local-service-adsMeta Ads Manager (Facebook/Instagram advertising, referenced for retargeting and testimonial ads): https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/ads-managerYelp for Business (local directory listing referenced alongside Google and NAP consistency): https://business.yelp.comGoogle Alerts (for monitoring brand mentions): https://www.google.com/alertsGo High Level (CRM referenced for automating review requests and referral follow-ups): https://www.gohighlevel.com๐Ÿš€ CONNECT WITH THE PLANIFY TEAM: Visit Planify: https://planify.agency Follow Planify on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planify-agency/ Follow Planify on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planifyagency/ Follow Planify on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planifyagency/ Subscribe to Planify on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Planify.Agency Follow Planify on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planifyagency Connect with Casey Cease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycease/ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? HERE'S HOW TO SUPPORT US: If this episode helped you think differently about where your marketing dollars should go, the best way to support the show is to subscribe and leave a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It genuinely helps more local business owners find this conversation. Share it with a business owner who is trying to figure out their next marketing move. #LocalMarketing #LocalSEO #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessGrowthStrategy #ReputationManagement #PlanifyPodcast

See All (19)

About

From the life of business to the business of life, The Planify Podcast features industry leaders talking about growth, strategy, and what it means to do business in the world today.

Information

  • Creator
    Planify Agency
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ยฉ 2026 The Planify Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Planify Podcast