Business Growth Spotlight

Heidi Schalk
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Daily

Welcome to Business Growth Spotlight, the podcast where we shine a light on innovative business leaders, cutting-edge strategies, and the latest trends shaping the world of business growth. Whether you're a CEO, Founder, Corporate leader or Entrepreneur, this podcast delivers actionable insights and expert conversations to help you scale your business, increase revenue, and stay ahead in a competitive market.  Join host Heidi Schalk as we dive deep into the stories and strategies of industry leaders, uncovering the tools and tactics they use to drive success. From navigating corporate challenges to mastering online visibility, this podcast is your go-to resource for scaling your business and reaching your goals. Tune in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for inspiring conversations, practical advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.

  1. 1d ago

    Why Growth Strategies Fail in Execution | Ep. 262

    Why do good companies stop growing? Host Heidi Schalk talks with Craig Apatov, founder and managing partner of Ascension Growth and Innovation Strategies, a 25 year old consulting firm focused entirely on top line growth for middle market companies and divisions of global corporations. Craig explains war gaming, where leaders study their own business through a competitor's eyes, and why growth strategies so often stall during execution. He walks through Ascension's AIMS framework (Analytics, Insight mining, Marketing optimization, Sales enablement) and shares how market research helped Midwest Can launch the Flame Shield Safety System and become the first fuel container brand to own safety. He also reveals what drives his own firm's visibility, the costly lesson of buying an email list, and his parting truth: when executives say everything is fine, it never is. Bio: Craig Apatov is an accomplished senior level executive with over 30 years of experience working for several of the world’s leading Fortune 100 organizations.  In 2003 after a long and decorated career of strategic marketing and business development accomplishment, he founded Ascension Growth & Innovation Strategies (management consulting) and Ascension Studios (agency) both Atlanta-based firms focused on helping companies accelerate organic growth and improve business performance.  Ascension works extensively with growth focused, middle market companies and private equity organizations in the industrial manufacturing, financial services, consumer products, business services, and healthcare industries.  Prior to starting Ascension, Apatov worked in general management, strategic marketing, and business development roles at Foote Cone & Belding Advertising, ConAgra Brands, Walt Disney, Time Warner, Citibank, General Motors,  Miller Zell Retail Solutions and Mattel Toys. He is known for his significant accomplishments in the areas of growth strategy, new product/service development, and business model transformation.  Apatov served as Chief Marketing Officer in three different organizations. Among his most noted professional accomplishments were: -The creation of $150 million in marketing partnerships for Walt Disney animated television programming -The successful development and launch of the GMAC/Ally Bank – now the nation’s largest and most successful online financial services provider with assets over $180 billion. -Spearheading Citigroup’s move into ecommerce with the development of the first virtual credit card, digital wallet, and online shopping portals as part of a massive project called “Click Citi”  -The development of the original go-to-market strategy for AutoTrader.com – now the world’s dominant online automotive marketplace -At Con Agra, led the strategic reformulation and aggressive national ad campaign for Hunt’s Ketchup focused on the brand’s superior taste doubling market share vs. category leader Heinz -Repositioning of Mattel Hot Wheels business leveraging core brand “racing” equity to expand into race sets, battery operated vehicles, and radio-controlled cars thereby doubling brand revenue Apatov holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and has done graduate work at the University of Southern California. He has lived and worked in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and conducted business around the globe.  He guest lectures on progressive strategic growth and advanced marketing/sales enablement topics at the undergraduate and graduate levels for Georgia State University, University of West Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Emory University and the University of Georgia as well as many professional organizations. He also teaches “growth strategy” for the Herndon Directors Institute targeting minority executives in Fortune 500 firms seeking board roles.  Craig is married and lives in the Douglasville, Georgia and Chattanooga, TN. His wife is a senior executive for Paramount/CBS Television, and they have two grown children, both married. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigapatov/  Website:  https://ascensionstrategy.com/  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  2. 6d ago

    Financial Strategy for Business Growth with Ben Cooper | Ep. 261

    Ben Cooper, founder of Amplify, joins Heidi Schalk to talk about what really happens when a business grows beyond the point where the owner can rely on gut instinct alone. They discuss using financial forecasting to make better growth decisions, why business owners often avoid their numbers, how AI can support financial strategy without replacing human judgment, and why growth should ultimately support the life you want to live. Ben also shares how Amplify uses relationships, education, and practical tools like Cash Flow Mountain to help business owners see their options more clearly and move forward with confidence. Bio: Ben launched Amplify to give founder-led businesses a real Finance Seat — forward-looking finance without the full-time CFO price tag. He's happiest making the complex simple so others can build their business in a way they can enjoy a life of meaning.  To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cooper-amplify/  Website:  https://amplify.business/  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  3. Sep 29

    Leadership in the AI Era: Why Human Skills Win | Ep. 260

    Great Ideas Don't Fail. Teams Do. with Dr. Nikki Blacksmith of Symeta Behavior Science What really determines whether a business succeeds? According to Dr. Nikki Blacksmith, it's rarely the idea. It's the people behind it. In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, Heidi Schalk sits down with Dr. Nikki Blacksmith, a scientist practitioner of behavior science and founder of Symeta Behavior Science. Nikki's path runs from industrial organizational psychology to a postdoc at the Army Research Institute studying military decision making, to building hiring assessments at Gallup. When she discovered that 97 to 98 percent of venture capital goes to men, she stepped off the tenure track and founded Symeta to help investors evaluate teams on capability rather than connections. Nikki shares why investors would rather back an A team with a B idea than a B team with an A idea, and breaks down the behaviors that separate teams who thrive through rapid growth from those who stall: the right mix of skills, decisive action over analysis paralysis, a deep understanding of the customer, and trust at every level. She walks through a real client story where two partners with opposite working styles unknowingly confused their entire team, and how building psychological safety turned them into a unit so cohesive their limited partners noticed. She even shares how she and her own cofounder resolved a persistent communication clash once they discovered one was an abstract thinker and the other a concrete one. The conversation also explores leadership in the AI era, why expertise matters more than ever for spotting AI output that doesn't hold up, the three cognitive biases that quietly derail growth decisions, and the hard lesson Symeta learned about leading with expert jargon instead of the customer's language. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkiblacksmith/  Website:  https://www.symeta.science/  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  4. Sep 25

    Get Off the Treadmill: How to Break a Business Growth Plateau | Ep. 259

    Your business is working. The bills are paid, clients are coming in, and everything is fine. So why does it feel like you are running in place? In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Jim McLaughlin, partner at Effective Action Consulting, to talk about what it really takes to step off the treadmill and actually go somewhere with your business. Jim is a former engineering geologist turned business consultant who has spent 17 years guiding business owners through the hidden structures that shape leadership, communication, and growth. Effective Action Consulting was founded in 1993, and Jim brings a rare blend of scientific curiosity and practical business insight to every client he works with. Jim shares the signs that a founder or leadership team has hit a plateau, from the quiet feeling of dread to the frustration of a team that just doesn't seem to share the vision. He tells the story of a small business owner who finally declared "I can't go on like this anymore," stepped into public speaking and networking despite the fear, and went on to double their revenue. He explains why he sees every business as a network of conversations, and why his rule of thumb is that most businesses operate at around 40% efficiency, leaving enormous room for growth. The conversation also turns to AI. Jim shares how a single prompt about chamber music hooked him on the possibilities, how he learned the hard way that outsourcing too much of his creativity stopped sounding like him, and how he now uses AI as a project manager to keep more than 20 projects moving. He reflects on why human adaptation has always outpaced new technology, from desktop publishing to today. Finally, Jim opens up about building visibility beyond referrals, the mindset shift that made online marketing feel authentic instead of manipulative, how to stay true to who you are while using modern marketing tools, and the next mountain he is climbing with his upcoming online program, the Pathway to Extraordinary. Bio: Jim McLaughlin is a business consultant and former engineering geologist who helps business owners uncover the hidden structures that shape leadership, communication, and growth. Having practiced this work for more than 28 years—and professionally guided business owners for the past 17—Jim brings scientific curiosity together with practical business insight, helping leaders see familiar challenges through a new lens and take more effective action. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmclaughlin27/  IG:  @youarewhoyouchoosetobe (IG)   Website:  www.effectiveactionconsulting.com  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  5. Sep 23

    Burnout to Freedom in 90 Days | Ep. 258

    What if leaving corporate did not require leaping off a cliff? In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, Heidi Schalk sits down with Kimberly Nicole Evans, founder of Seismic Transformations and founding partner of Renel Evans Limited and Beck Evans Limited, joining us from Hawaii with an ocean view you have to see on YouTube. After years in banking and executive leadership, including one year with 52 round trips, Kimberly built three businesses that take less of her time than her corporate career ever did. She shares the Bridge 40 Method, her framework for professionals over 40 with real responsibilities who want to build something of their own without risking everything. Kimberly and Heidi talk about where our beliefs actually come from, why partnerships beat going it alone, how to build a business that runs without you so it becomes a sellable asset, and why hustle culture creates the very struggle it glorifies. She also shares how a client went from exhausted to thriving in 90 days, and why reputation and follow up outperformed her expensive PR spend. Kimberly is gifting a free ebook of. Message her on LinkedIn (Kimberly Nicole Evans) and mention Heidi's show, or book a quick 15 minute call at seismictransformations.com. You can also download the ST360 app on iOS and Android for the companion course and custom GPT. Bio: Kimberly Nicole Evans CEO & Founder, Seismic Transformations Kimberly N. Evans is a visionary leader, strategist, and mentor dedicated to empowering professionals and business leaders to achieve transformative success. As the CEO and Founder of Seismic Transformations, she provides expert mentorship and strategic guidance, helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. In addition to her leadership at Seismic Transformations, Kimberly is a founding partner of BeckEvans Limited Co. and Renel Evans Ltd. Co., global consulting firms that support emerging businesses with strategic growth initiatives. Her extensive background spans finance, banking, wealth management, and executive leadership, shaping her expertise in navigating complex business landscapes. A former U.S. Army service member, Kimberly has held strategic roles across leading financial institutions and served as Chief Financial Officer for a high-growth middle-market company. Her dynamic career reflects a deep understanding of financial strategy, leadership development, and business transformation. As a Certified Consultant with the Proctor Gallagher Institute—an institution rooted in the success principles of Andrew Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, and Earl Nightingale—Kimberly is committed to developing visionary leaders and fostering lasting professional growth. A proud graduate of Texas Southern University, Kimberly holds a Master’s in Business Administration. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, she continues to inspire and equip professionals and entrepreneurs with the tools to redefine success and build generational impact. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-nicole-evans  Website:  renelevans.com 🎁 The first five listeners to reach out to Kimberly on LinkedIn will get a free audio copy of The Bridge 40 Method Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  6. Sep 21

    Decisions Under Pressure: Miracle on the Hudson is a Business Case Study with Dave Sanderson | Ep. 257

    Dave Sanderson is best known as the last passenger off US Airways Flight 1549, the flight the world remembers as the Miracle on the Hudson. In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Dave to unpack what that day actually taught him about leadership, and how a former Oracle sales executive and Tony Robbins security director turned one of the most famous survival stories in aviation into a business case for making better decisions under pressure. Dave walks through his ASSESS framework, the six step decision making process he reverse engineered from that day: acknowledge reality, scan for options, select the best next step, execute without hesitation, support others, and stay calm while moving fast. He and Heidi dig into why the strongest leaders share just two traits, resourcefulness and the willingness to actually decide, and why so many companies stall the moment their stated values get pushed aside under pressure. The conversation gets practical about growth too. Dave shares the "who not how" philosophy that finally let him scale, the idea that proximity is power (a lesson borrowed from his years with Tony Robbins), and the COVID mask story that turned a single "how can I help" into a lesson about broken supply chains and bureaucracy. On visibility, he opens up about the LinkedIn strategy shift that doubled his following in three months, built on founder led storytelling rather than generic teaching. Bio: Dave Sanderson is an internationally recognized leadership speaker, bestselling author, and resilience expert best known as the last passenger out of US Airways Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson. Drawing from that defining experience, his career as a top Oracle sales executive, and years as Tony Robbins' Security Director, Dave equips entrepreneurs and executive leaders to make better decisions under pressure, build resilient teams, and lead with confidence through change. He has spoken to more than 1,700 audiences worldwide, sharing practical strategies that help leaders and organizations turn their disruption into their competitive advantage in an increasingly complex business environment. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredavesanderson Website:  https://davesandersonspeaks.com/   🎁Grab the free diagnostic: https://resiliencepartnersgroup.com/  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com   🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  7. Sep 18

    Agility as a Competitive Advantage: How Small Teams Win in Global Markets | Ep. 256

    In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Angus MacDonald, director and co-founder of A&S International, a British company that acts as a master distributor for niche maintenance and reliability solutions across heavy industry worldwide. Angus makes a refreshing case that innovation is not always about inventing something new. Often it is about helping companies pull more performance, more reliability, and more profit out of the critical assets they already run. Angus explains why downtime is the most expensive thing that can happen to an offshore oil and gas platform or a 24/7 waste to energy plant, and how the right solution turns a maintenance headache into a genuine return on investment. He shares how sustainability has quietly shifted from a compliance checkbox into a core business strategy, and why net zero credentials now matter to the shareholders and buyers his clients are trying to win. The stories carry real numbers. A British operator responsible for critical gas infrastructure used Fluitec's DECON, a group five base oil added at just five percent, to dissolve varnish contamination in its turbines and compressors without any downtime, and is now rolling it out to a third depot. A waste to energy client avoided replacing 8,000 liters of turbine oil entirely. An offshore platform in Aberdeen added two drums of DECON to a critical gas turbine and conservatively estimated $4 million in savings. As Angus puts it, at those figures it becomes a bit of a no brainer. From there the conversation turns to leadership and growth. Angus argues that agility is the quality that matters most right now, and that human expertise will stay indispensable even as AI reshapes industrial operations. On the marketing side he is candid about what works and what does not.  To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/angus-macdonald-asinternational/ Website:  https://aands.international/ Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Website:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com  🎁Get your First Thought Advantage Score:  AI Visibility Index™ | Assessment  🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

  8. Sep 16

    Stop Being the Bottleneck: Systems That Give Fitness Entrepreneurs More Freedom with Tobias Young | Ep. 255

    In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Tobias Young, an IFBB Pro, seven time fitness magazine cover model, and founder of TNT Fit Pro Coaching, to unpack how fitness professionals can turn expert coaching skills into a scalable six figure online business. Tobias breaks down his nine step framework for building a profitable online fitness coaching business, built on three core pillars: marketing and lead generation, sales and conversion, and client delivery and retention. He explains why nailing your ideal client avatar, what he calls the Bullseye Avatar, is the non negotiable foundation everything else stands on, and why trying to target everyone actually repels the clients you want to attract. The conversation digs into the biggest mindset shift trainers must make when they move from brick and mortar to online coaching: charging for the transformation, not the hour. Tobias shares the story of a client who hit 25K in his first month online by implementing fast and refusing to let perfectionism kill his momentum. He also gives practical guidance on choosing a CRM, building lead nurture systems, hiring a team, and using AI as a tool to enhance your voice rather than replace it. They close with a candid look at what is actually working in Tobias's own business right now, including organic content across social platforms, appointment setters, and email outreach, plus a hard earned warning about why running paid ads before your offer is proven to convert will burn your budget fast. BIO: Tobias Young is an IFBB Pro, 7x fitness magazine cover model, author of *The Online Success Blueprint*, and the owner of TNT Fit Pro Coaching. With 27+ years in the fitness industry, 17+ years coaching online, and 7+ years helping fitness professionals grow their businesses, Tobias has helped online trainers and fitness coaches attract more clients, build stronger offers, and scale past inconsistent income. Through his signature 9X Ascend Method, Tobias teaches coaches how to clarify their ideal client, create content that actually converts, build high-ticket coaching offers, and install the systems needed to grow a profitable online fitness business. He is also the host of *The Fit Biz Accelerator Podcast* and the creator of Fit Pro Solution and My Trainer Connect. Tobias is passionate about helping great coaches stop being the “best kept secret” and start building businesses that give them more income, impact, and freedom.  To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasyoung/  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tobiasyoungcoaching/  IG:  https://www.instagram.com/tobiasyoungcoaching/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@tobiasyoungcoaching  Websites:  tntfitprocoaching.com                     fitprosolution.com                    mytrainerconnect.com  🎁The Online Trainer's Playbook: https://tntfitprocoaching.com/online-trainers-playbook  Connect with me: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ 🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint:  https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

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About

Welcome to Business Growth Spotlight, the podcast where we shine a light on innovative business leaders, cutting-edge strategies, and the latest trends shaping the world of business growth. Whether you're a CEO, Founder, Corporate leader or Entrepreneur, this podcast delivers actionable insights and expert conversations to help you scale your business, increase revenue, and stay ahead in a competitive market.  Join host Heidi Schalk as we dive deep into the stories and strategies of industry leaders, uncovering the tools and tactics they use to drive success. From navigating corporate challenges to mastering online visibility, this podcast is your go-to resource for scaling your business and reaching your goals. Tune in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for inspiring conversations, practical advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.

Information

  • Creator
    Heidi Schalk
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    263
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Business Growth Spotlight
  • Show Website
    Business Growth Spotlight