Growth Think Tank

Gene Hammett is a Speaker, Executive Coach, Inc Columnist, and Host of "Gr
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Develop leadership skills and understand leadership development from expert interviews with transformational leaders. Leaders in the Trenches gives raw discussions that dive deep into new strategies to accelerate your company growth and your leadership abilities. Get interviews from Fortune 100 leaders to experts in various domains of marketing, sales, and leadership that allows you to explode your growth. Learn from their failures and discover the finer elements of significance that will impact your company. Guests include Daymond John, Les Brown, Michael Gerber, Jonah Berger, Bob Berg, Greg McKeown, and with the host Gene Hammett.

  1. 6d ago

    Reading Leadership Books is Great, And Hypergrowth Demand Real Leadership: What It Actually Takes to Lead a Company Through Hypergrowth with Wes Cobb at JLJ Associates

    In this episode, Wes Cobb reflects on his career at JLJ, a leading critical infrastructure construction company, and his journey from field operations to project management, finance, and ultimately CEO in 2022. He discusses JLJ's specialized work renovating and upgrading mission-critical facilities, including data centers, hospitals, and telecommunications sites where uninterrupted power and cooling are essential. Cobb shares how the company's rapid growth exposed gaps in its leadership structure, prompting the creation of an executive leadership team, clearer organizational roles, regular leadership meetings, and a structured superintendent training program. He also offers candid insights into his own leadership evolution, emphasizing the importance of having difficult conversations, empowering others instead of micromanaging, and focusing on strategic direction. Looking ahead, Cobb outlines JLJ's commitment to strengthening its systems, expanding its capacity, and achieving sustainable growth while maintaining the quality and consistency that define the company. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 2:09 Hypergrowth Reality Check 4:29 From Field to CFO 5:43 Critical Infrastructure Focus 9:19 The Wake-Up Call 13:43 No Leadership System 15:36 Growth Pressure Mounts 19:33 From Micromanager to Leader 21:36 Meetings Build Alignment 23:00 Training the Next Tier 27:30 Hard Conversations 29:49 Alignment Drives Results 31:22 Ready to Scale Again  In This Episode, We'll Discuss ✔️ Wes Cobb's journey from carpenter to CEO of JLJ. ✔️ How JLJ specializes in critical infrastructure renovations for data centers, hospitals, and telecommunications facilities. ✔️ Why rapid growth exposed weaknesses in the company's leadership structure. ✔️ Building an executive leadership team with clearly defined roles and accountability. ✔️ The importance of leadership operating systems during periods of hypergrowth. ✔️ Creating a superintendent training program to develop future leaders. ✔️ The shift from micromanaging to empowering leaders throughout the organization. ✔️ Why difficult conversations are essential for healthy leadership. ✔️ How alignment across the executive team improved consistency, culture, and execution. ✔️ JLJ's vision for continued growth while protecting quality and reputation. Key Takeaways ✔️ Leadership systems matter more than headcount. Sustainable growth requires clear roles, accountability, and structured leadership not simply hiring more people. ✔️ Growth exposes organizational weaknesses. Scaling from $70 million to $150 million forced JLJ to address issues that had previously gone unnoticed. ✔️ Alignment starts at the top. Regular executive leadership meetings created shared direction and improved decision-making across the company. ✔️ Leadership requires personal growth. Cobb learned to stop micromanaging, delegate effectively, and focus on setting strategic direction. ✔️ Training creates long-term capacity. Investing in superintendent development ensures the company can scale without sacrificing quality. ✔️ Difficult conversations build stronger teams. Honest, direct communication became a cornerstone of JLJ's leadership culture. ✔️ Reputation is the ultimate competitive advantage. Maintaining excellence while growing remains JLJ's highest priority. ✔️ Sometimes you have to get better before you get bigger. Building strong systems and capable leaders creates the foundation for sustainable expansion. ✔️ Wes Cobb, CEO of JLJ, shares how he led the company through a pivotal period of rapid growth by transforming both his leadership style and the organization's leadership structure. ✔️ After decades of working in field operations, project management, finance, and executive leadership, Cobb recognized that JLJ's success had outgrown its systems.  ✔️ He discusses the challenges of scaling a critical infrastructure construction company, building an executive leadership team, creating accountability through structured meetings, and investing in superintendent training.  ✔️ Cobb also reflects on his personal growth as a leader, learning to have difficult conversations, delegate instead of micromanage, and focus on strategic leadership while preparing the company for its next phase of sustainable growth.

  2. Jul 23

    The Inner Work of Leadership in Chaos with Nicholas Janni, co-author of Leading in Chaos

    In this episode, we're joined by Nicholas Janni, leadership coach and co-author of Leading in Chaos, for a thoughtful conversation about what it takes to lead effectively in times of uncertainty and constant change. We explore why inner work is essential for modern leadership, discussing the power of presence, focus, authentic connection, and letting go of the need to control what cannot be controlled. Nicholas shares insights from Leading in Chaos on how leaders can cultivate deeper listening, create space for honest dialogue, and remain grounded as technology continues to reshape the workplace. We also examine the importance of slowing down internally, embracing trauma-informed leadership, and seeking coaching, mentoring, and psychologically safe environments that enable leaders to process challenges with greater clarity, courage, and authenticity. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 3:56 Why This Book Matters 4:49 Chaos and Uncertainty Rise 5:56 AI Cannot Replace Leaders 7:07 Writing Together, Stronger Voice 9:00 The Trap of Control 11:19 Speed Gives Way to Presence 13:44 Living in Flow 16:28 Looking Inside First 19:32 Trauma in the Boardroom 22:16 Stop Overthinking Leadership In This Episode, We'll Discuss ✔️Why presence is a greater leadership advantage than constant speed. ✔️How control and overthinking limit your effectiveness as a leader. ✔️Why AI makes human leadership more valuable, not less. ✔️How your inner mindset shapes your team's performance. ✔️Practical ways to lead with more clarity, trust, and authenticity. Key Takeaways ✔️Great leadership starts with awareness before action. ✔️High-performing leaders create space to think before they react. ✔️Real listening builds stronger teams than micromanagement ever can. ✔️Emotional intelligence is a competitive advantage in uncertain times. ✔️Sustainable growth begins with the leader's own development. ✔️The strongest leaders aren't the most controlling; they're the most present. How to Connect with Nicholas Janni: LinkedIn: Nicholas Janni https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-janni/ Company Website: Leading in Chaos – to learn more about his work and platform https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Chaos-Leadership-Development-Transformational/dp/1917391854 Get In Touch with Nicholas: https://www.nicholasjanni.com/ Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast https://growththinktank.com/

  3. Jul 16

    3 Ways to Improve Your Enterprise Value with Gene Hammett, Founder Coach

    How do you increase the value of your company? In this episode, we break down the three critical drivers that determine business value: profitability, risk, and founder independence. We explore how EBITDA serves as a key measure of profitability and financial performance, how the valuation multiple reflects the level of risk and confidence buyers place on a business, and how these two factors combine to determine enterprise value. We also dive into the Founder Freedom Factor: the impact founder dependency has on a company's scalability, growth potential, and overall value. A business that relies heavily on the founder carries more risk, while a business built on strong systems, capable leadership, and operational independence becomes more valuable. In this episode, you'll learn how to: Improve EBITDA and increase profitability Understand how valuation multiples impact company value Reduce business risk and increase enterprise value Identify how founder dependency affects valuation Build greater business independence Create a company designed for long-term growth, freedom, and value creation Whether you're preparing for an exit, scaling your company, or simply looking to build a more valuable business, understanding these value drivers is essential. Key Topics: EBITDA | Profitability | Valuation Multiple | Business Risk | Enterprise Value | Founder Freedom Factor | Founder Dependency | Company Value | Business Independence | Value Creation

  4. Jul 8

    When Do You Know When to Hire a Fractional CFO with Brennan de Raad at Vessel Advisors

    Most founders end up as their own default CFO, buried in spreadsheets, cash flow, and pricing decisions. In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett talks with Brennan de Raad, founder of Vessel Advisors (No. 2,665 on the Inc. 5000). We explore the key signs that it's time to bring in strategic financial leadership, especially as your business grows beyond $5 million in revenue and the founder is still managing the finances. Gene sits down with Brennan De Raad of Vessel Advisors to discuss how fractional CFOs, controllers, and back-office accounting teams help businesses gain financial clarity, improve cash flow visibility, and make better decisions with actionable reporting. We also dive into how AI is transforming recurring finance tasks, the importance of tracking leading indicators alongside traditional financial metrics, and why weekly revenue, cash flow forecasts, and sales activity deserve closer attention. The conversation wraps up with a practical discussion on pricing strategy and gross margin, two of the most overlooked drivers of sustainable growth and profitability. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:03 Fractional CFO Basics 4:23 AI in Finance 7:19 When to Hire a CFO 15:03 Tracking the Right Numbers 19:47 Pricing and Margin Blind Spots 24:32 Final CFO Takeaways Key Takeaways The $5M threshold: Once a business crosses roughly $5M in revenue, it's usually strong enough to benefit from a fractional CFO but not yet large enough to justify a $250K–$600K full-time hire.  Warning signs it's time to hire: Financial reports stop making sense, revenue grows but cash stays tight, or the founder feels lost in a finance world they no longer fully understand.  AI is reshaping finance functions: Platforms like QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage are building in native AI agents, while tools like Claude are cutting cash-flow forecasting projects from hours down to a fast, natural-language process.  Fractional works at scale too: Vessel Advisors now supports companies north of $100M on a fractional basis, a shift from a decade ago when a $25M company "had to" have a full-time CFO.  Track leading indicators, not just lagging ones: Trailing 4–6 week revenue, a 13-week rolling cash forecast, and sales activity metrics (like meetings booked) give founders earlier warning signs than a monthly P&L.  The #1 hidden problem: Most companies haven't audited their actual pricing and gross margins in years; the deal they thought was a 35% margin project might really be closer to 4–12%.  Time is the real cost: Founders who stay in spreadsheets they should have delegated aren't just losing hours; they're losing the deals, meetings, and strategic moves that would have grown the business faster. Pricing increases rarely cost you customers: One example shared: a 9% average price increase across the board resulted in customer gratitude, not attrition, once the founder finally acted. This episode is a must-listen for CEOs and executives looking to lead innovation with purpose, scale responsibly with AI, and build cultures where people feel empowered to think boldly and grow. Connect With Today's Guest Brennan De Raad is the Founder & CEO of Vessel Advisors. Vessel Advisors provides Fractional CFO, Controller, and Back-Office Accounting services for growing businesses, helping founders gain financial clarity, improve cash flow, and scale with confidence. How to Connect with Brennan De Raad: LinkedIn: Brennan De Raad https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennanderaad/ Company Website: Vessel Advisors https://vesseladvisors.com/ – to learn more about his work and platform

  5. Jun 29

    Learning to Be A Better Leader is NOT in the Book with Gene Hammett, Founder Coach

    In this episode, we discuss how leaders learn and why information alone doesn't create growth. We explore the difference between consuming content and changing behavior, and why conversations with coaches, mentors, and teammates are often the catalyst for real transformation. Through practical examples, we highlight the importance of execution, accountability, and being willing to be challenged in order to become a better leader. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:03 Learning by Doing 2:33 Why Books Fall Short 4:07 Coaching Changes Behavior 5:49 Real Transformation Starts Here 🎯Key Takeaways Leadership growth doesn't come from consuming more information it comes from applying what you learn through reflection, accountability, and action. Books, podcasts, and videos can provide valuable insights, but real transformation happens when a coach, mentor, or trusted colleague challenges your assumptions, helps you examine your behaviors, and holds you accountable for meaningful change. Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com and getfounderfreedom.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: training.coreelevation.com 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

  6. Jun 22

    2 Key questions to unlock transformation as a leader with Gene Hammett, Founder Coach

    In this episode, we explore what we truly want and how we often stand in our own way, covering the importance of clear goals, spotting self-sabotage, and building the self-awareness needed before attempting real change. We dig into our work with founder-dependent companies and the shift from founder-led to team-driven structures, sharing a personal story of rebuilding after business failure and how identifying a recurring pattern helped us change behavior and continue growing. We close with a practical challenge: write down what you want, talk it over with people you trust, and honestly reflect on where you might be holding yourself back. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:07 Know What You Want 3:58 Find Your Self-Sabotage 6:27 Unlock the Hidden Pattern 🎯Key Takeaways Get clear on what you really want in your business and life, don't limit it to what feels comfortable or realistic today. You don't need the "how" yet; clarity on direction comes before strategy. Founder dependency limits growth. The goal is to move from founder-led to team-driven. Self-sabotage blocks progress often through fear, hesitation, or repeating old patterns. Past failures can shape current decisions without you realizing it. Awareness is the turning point. You can't change what you don't see. Growth requires honesty and courage to face your own patterns. Two core questions drive change: What do you really want? How are you getting in your own way? Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com and getfounderfreedom.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: training.coreelevation.com 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

  7. Jun 15

    Staying True to Your Mission While Scaling a Fast-Growing Company with Arad Levertov at Sunbit

    In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett sits down with Arad Levertov, CEO and Co-Founder of Sunbit, an Inc. 5000 company ranked No. 1,374 in 2025, to discuss how leaders can stay true to their mission while scaling a fast-growing organization. Arad shares how Sunbit was founded with a mission to reduce financial waste and friction by providing personalized financial solutions that benefit both consumers and merchants. He reflects on the frustrating credit card application experience that inspired the company's creation and explains how Sunbit has expanded across industries, including auto repair, dental care, and eyewear, while facilitating millions of customer financing transactions. The conversation also explores how mission-driven leadership is reinforced through communication, company values, and performance evaluations, as well as the important lessons learned from hiring too quickly during rapid growth. This episode offers valuable insights for leaders seeking to scale their companies without losing sight of their purpose. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 1:22 Staying True While Scaling 4:15 Sunbit's Customer Promise 5:10 The Costco Moment 8:12 Who Sunbit Serves 11:45 Growth Pressure And Fees 14:35 Spreading The Mission 16:32 Living The Core Values 18:06 Leading By Customer Feel 20:10 Hiring Mistakes And Focus Key Takeaways ✅ Why mission-driven companies outperform when growth creates pressure. ✅ The personal Costco experience that inspired Sunbit's founding. ✅ How eliminating financial waste became Sunbit's core mission. ✅ Why Sunbit refuses to charge late fees or origination fees. ✅ The importance of consistent communication as companies scale. ✅ How company values are reinforced through hiring, performance reviews, and daily decisions. ✅ Why "Serve Others Before Self" is Sunbit's foundational value. ✅ How leaders can avoid becoming disconnected from customers as organizations grow. ✅ Lessons learned from hiring too quickly during periods of rapid expansion. ✅ Why maintaining focus requires saying "no" more often than saying "yes." This episode is a must-listen for CEOs and executives looking to lead innovation with purpose, scale responsibly with AI, and build cultures where people feel empowered to think boldly and grow. Connect With Today's Guest Arad Levertov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sunbit, a financial technology company focused on eliminating financial waste and helping consumers spend and save with confidence through personalized financial solutions. Under his leadership, Sunbit has expanded to more than 40,000 merchant locations and served millions of customers across the United States. How to Connect with Arad Levertov: LinkedIn: Arad Levertov (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/arad-levertov-37815b4 Company Website: Sunbit https://sunbit.com/ – to learn more about his work and platform Get In Touch with Arad: https://sunbit.com/contact-us/ Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

  8. Jun 8

    3 Leadership Mindset Shifts to Turn Problems Into Growth

    Every leader faces problems, and founders carry more than their share. In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett breaks down the leadership mindset shifts that separate leaders who get buried by their problems from those who grow because of them. The problem is rarely the real problem. The way you see it is. Gene shares three perspective shifts that change how you handle stress, setbacks, and the daily fires of running a company. You will learn why choosing growth over comfort builds the leader your business needs, how to move from victim to leader and take your power back from blame, and why letting go of control and empowering your team to take ownership is the real work of leadership. If you are a founder or CEO ready to turn your hardest problems into your next stage of growth, this conversation will change how you lead. Leadership is giving power away. This episode shows you how. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:03 Problem Is About Perspective 1:21 Three Mindset Shifts 3:16 From Control to Empower 4:52 Coaching Creates Clarity 🎯Key Takeaways 1. Problems Are About Perspective - The way you view a challenge determines the options available to you. Expanding your perspective can reveal opportunities you might otherwise miss. 2. Shift from Victim to Leader- A victim mindset focuses on what's happening to you. A leadership mindset focuses on what you can do about it and how you can create positive outcomes. 3. Choose Growth Over Comfort - The easiest solution isn't always the best one. Growth often comes from embracing discomfort and doing the hard things that build resilience and capability. 4. Empower Instead of Control - Strong leaders resist the urge to solve every problem themselves. Empowering others to take ownership creates stronger teams and develops future leaders. 5. Coaching Creates Clarity - When you're emotionally attached to a problem, your perspective can become limited. An outside perspective can help you see new possibilities and move forward with confidence. 6. Leadership Growth Starts with Mindset. Before strategies, tactics, or solutions, effective leadership begins with how you think about challenges and the perspectives you choose to adopt. Remember: The next time you face a problem, pause before reacting. Ask yourself: "What perspective am I using, and what other perspectives might reveal a better path forward?" Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 📖 Free Book - Get Founder Freedom https://freebook.coreelevation.com/ 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

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About

Develop leadership skills and understand leadership development from expert interviews with transformational leaders. Leaders in the Trenches gives raw discussions that dive deep into new strategies to accelerate your company growth and your leadership abilities. Get interviews from Fortune 100 leaders to experts in various domains of marketing, sales, and leadership that allows you to explode your growth. Learn from their failures and discover the finer elements of significance that will impact your company. Guests include Daymond John, Les Brown, Michael Gerber, Jonah Berger, Bob Berg, Greg McKeown, and with the host Gene Hammett.

Information

  • Creator
    Gene Hammett is a Speaker, Executive Coach, Inc Columnist, and Host of "Gr
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2014-2021
  • Show Website
    Growth Think Tank

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