Fixers & Founders

Forrest Derr and Tony Lilja
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Fixers & Founders is a podcast about the partnership between visionary founders and the fractional executives who help them bring structure, clarity, and scale. Each episode features candid conversations with founders and the operators who steady the ship—highlighting how ideas get fueled, how systems get fixed, and how businesses move forward when vision and execution finally meet.

  1. 1d ago

    Know Thy Data | Fixing the Friction That Slows Growth

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest sit down with Cory Watson to explore the hidden operational friction that quietly slows growing businesses. From overloaded inboxes and disconnected systems to poorly implemented technology and fragmented data, Cory explains why most growth challenges don't start with strategy. They start with process. We discuss the difference between meaningful automation and shiny object syndrome, why companies often buy technology before understanding their actual problems, and how leaders can create stronger operational foundations before scaling. In this conversation, we explore: Know Thy Data: Why understanding what you already have is the first step toward better decisions. Meaningful Automation: The difference between solving a problem and simply adding more software. Operational Friction: How repetitive processes quietly erode speed, clarity, and profitability. People Before Process: Why organizational bottlenecks often have more to do with human behavior than technology. If your team feels busy but not efficient, this conversation is for you. Connect with Cory Watson Email: cwatson@imageaccesscorp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coryjwatson Intro & Outro Music "Which One Is the Jellyfish?" by Aunt Cynthia's Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K

    19 min

  2. Jul 1

    Your Body Is a Business System | Building Sustainable Performance

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Kyle Thibodeaux, co-owner of Refine PT & Performance, physical therapist, performance coach, and advocate for sustainable human performance. Kyle works with everyone from collegiate athletes to business operators, helping them recover from injury, improve performance, and build systems that support long-term health. His approach combines rehabilitation, strength training, sleep optimization, and practical habits that help people perform at a higher level without burning themselves out. We explore the relationship between stress and growth, why many high performers misunderstand pain, and the foundational habits that drive long-term performance both inside and outside of business. In this conversation, we explore: Stress Adaptation: Why growth requires the right amount of challenge. Performance vs. Rehab: Understanding the difference between recovery and optimization. The Sleep Advantage: Why sleep may be the most overlooked performance tool available. Small Habits, Big Results: How simple behaviors compound over years and decades. If you're trying to perform at a high level without sacrificing your health, your energy, or your longevity, this conversation is for you. Connect with Kyle Thibodeaux: Email: kyle@refineptp.com Website: https://refineptp.com Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K

    22 min

  3. Jun 24

    Accountability Isn't Mean | Scaling Without Breaking Culture

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Stephany Day, Fractional COO, founder of Duke BCG, and operational strategist helping founders scale without losing control of their businesses. Stephany shares her journey from project management and operations leadership into the world of fractional executive leadership, where she helps visionary founders transform chaos into clarity. Through her Built to Scale framework, she works alongside leadership teams to align vision, strengthen accountability, and create organizations capable of sustainable growth. We explore why operations often become the bottleneck to ambitious growth, how founders unintentionally create misalignment inside their teams, and why accountability is one of the most misunderstood concepts in business. In this conversation, we explore: Accountability Isn't Mean: Why great cultures get stronger when commitments are documented and followed through. The Helper's Advantage: What founders can learn from the people behind the scenes who make vision possible. Visionary Alignment: How miscommunication creates chaos long before systems break. The Clarity Break: A simple practice for founders who feel overwhelmed by too many issues and too many decisions. If you've ever felt like your business is growing faster than your systems, your team isn't aligned around the same destination, or you're struggling to create accountability without damaging culture, this episode is for you. Connect with Stephany Day: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanyday Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K

    29 min

  4. Jun 17

    The Cost Per Sale | Fixing Marketing That Doesn't Convert

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by David Gibson, founder of Salt & Lime Consulting, former agency owner, bourbon entrepreneur, and marketing operator focused on helping small businesses eliminate waste and create measurable growth. David shares lessons from more than two decades in marketing, brand strategy, digital advertising, and business operations. From fixing broken ad campaigns to helping founders understand the true cost of acquiring customers, his approach is grounded in practical systems, real accountability, and results that actually impact the bottom line. We explore why so many businesses struggle to connect marketing with sales, how hidden inefficiencies drain marketing budgets, and why authentic relationships may be making a comeback in a world increasingly driven by automation. In this conversation, we explore: The Cost Per Sale: Why most businesses track the wrong marketing metrics. Marketing Theater: The difference between activity and actual results. Alignment Matters: How marketing and sales can finally speak the same language. Build for Humans: Why authentic relationships still outperform gimmicks and shortcuts. If your marketing feels disconnected from revenue, your ad spend feels impossible to measure, or your sales team keeps asking for better leads, this episode is for you. Connect with David Gibson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gibson-546204 Website: https://saltandlimeconsulting.com Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s CabinUsed with permission under a non-exclusive license.Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.comSpotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2KFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

    27 min

  5. Jun 10

    Marketing Isn't a Gumball Machine | Building Revenue Systems

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Patrick Elliott, founder of Four Cross GTM, fractional CMO, and go-to-market strategist with more than two decades of experience spanning SaaS, healthcare, investing, technology, and business development. Patrick shares lessons from launching billion-dollar brands, leading revenue teams, and helping growth-minded companies align marketing, sales, customer service, and operations around a single goal: sustainable revenue growth. We pull back the curtain on why traditional lead generation thinking is breaking down, how customer service can become a revenue driver, and what founders need to understand about buyer behavior in an AI-powered world. In this conversation, we explore: Marketing Isn't a Gumball Machine: Why lead generation alone is no longer enough. The Four Cross Framework: Aligning marketing, sales, customer service, and operations around revenue. The Value Economy: How AI and modern buyer behavior are changing go-to-market strategy. Differentiated Point of View: Why businesses must clearly communicate what makes them worth choosing. If your growth feels stalled, your marketing feels disconnected from revenue, or your team is struggling to align around a common objective, this conversation is for you. Connect with Patrick Elliott: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfelliott Website: https://www.fourcrossgtm.com Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

    25 min

  6. Jun 3

    Return on Invested Time | Leading With Intention

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Dusty Holcomb, former CEO of Red Stag Fulfillment, endurance athlete, board leader, and founder of The Arcqus Group, where he helps growth-minded executives turn clarity into traction. Dusty shares lessons from scaling businesses, completing Ironmans, and coaching leaders through the realities of growth, discipline, and self leadership. From operational execution to personal alignment, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for founders and operators trying to scale without losing themselves in the process. We pull back the curtain on what leadership actually requires when the stakes get bigger, the discipline needed to manage time intentionally, and why saying no is often the most important growth strategy of all. In this conversation, we explore:Return on Invested Time: Why your calendar reflects your leadership priorities.Leadership Starts Within: What self leadership actually looks like in practice.Scaling Through Simplicity: Why founders need fewer priorities, not more.The Ironman Mindset: How endurance training translates directly into business discipline. If you’re trying to lead with more clarity, scale with more focus, or build a business without burning yourself out, this conversation is for you. Connect with Dusty Holcomb: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustyholcomb Website: https://www.arcqusgroup.com Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s CabinUsed with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

    21 min

  7. May 20

    Revenue Is a Team Sport | Aligning Sales and Marketing

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Rayne Palmer, Chief Revenue Officer at Next Level Revenue and a national community leader with ENRG, the growing EOS-powered network of entrepreneurs, integrators, and operators. Rayne shares her unconventional journey from marine biology and oyster restoration into the world of marketing, sales strategy, and revenue operations — and why curiosity, systems, and community have become the foundation of her work. We pull back the curtain on why sales and marketing should never operate in silos, how founders create traction by asking for help, and what actually makes peer-driven communities valuable in a world full of transactional networking. In this conversation, we explore: The Revenue Room: Why sales and marketing need aligned language and shared systems. Help First Leadership: What makes communities like ENRG actually work. The Scientific Method of Growth: How testing, iteration, and curiosity drive better revenue decisions. Wearing Too Many Hats: Why founders grow faster when they stop trying to do everything alone. If you’re building a business, a team, or a community and trying to create sustainable growth without burning yourself out, this conversation is for you. Connect with Rayne Palmer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayne-n-palmer Website: https://readyforthenextlevel.com ENRG: https://enrg.life Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

    24 min

  8. May 6

    The Founder Bottleneck | Why Growth Stalls Without Systems

    In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Tony and Forrest are joined by Corey Robinson, founder of Crossroads Operating Partners and a fractional COO helping early-stage companies get unstuck and scale with intention. Corey shares his journey from corporate leadership at John Deere to buying and operating multiple businesses, and the hard realization that success can quickly turn into chaos when everything still runs through the owner. We pull back the curtain on the real reason most businesses stall: not a lack of opportunity, but a lack of systems — and a founder who hasn’t stepped out of the middle. In this conversation, we explore: The Founder Bottleneck: Why growth slows when everything still depends on you. Revenue vs. Delivery: How businesses break when sales outpace operations. Systems That Scale: Why 70% done and repeatable beats perfect and delayed. Clarity Breaks: How stepping away from the business drives better decisions. If your business feels heavier than it should — or like everything still depends on you — this is a practical playbook for building the machine that actually scales. Connect with Corey Robinson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-robinson Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin Used with permission under a non-exclusive license. Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/5XoG0H2D0vY58n32W8xI2K Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin

    21 min
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About

Fixers & Founders is a podcast about the partnership between visionary founders and the fractional executives who help them bring structure, clarity, and scale. Each episode features candid conversations with founders and the operators who steady the ship—highlighting how ideas get fueled, how systems get fixed, and how businesses move forward when vision and execution finally meet.

Information

  • Creator
    Forrest Derr and Tony Lilja
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Forrest Derr and Tony Lilja
  • Show Website
    Fixers & Founders

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