Scaling With People

Gwenevere Crary
  • 5.0 (27)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Tired of spinning your startup wheels but never gaining traction? Buckle up, founders and CEOs, because this podcast is your rocket fuel to profitability! Every week, we ignite explosive conversations with bold-faced founders, brainy experts, and even a few out-of-this-world vendors. Get ready to crack the code on growth, master employee engagement, and blast through your scaling goals. We’re talking real-world strategies, actionable tips, and perspectives that’ll make your business do a cosmic dance. So, strap in and prepare for lift-off!

  1. 4D AGO

    Your Team Isn’t the Problem. Your Leadership Is. with David Miller

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to stall a growing company isn’t bad strategy. It’s treating people like “soft stuff” and trusting the numbers to tell the whole story. In this episode, David Miller breaks down what actually compounds in small business growth—and why most founders avoid it. We get into the uncomfortable truth behind energy, trust, and culture, and how ignoring them quietly slows everything down. David shares the moment he realized pure grind wasn’t sustainable—and how shifting to energy management and mental discipline changed how he leads. We unpack his “inside-out leadership” approach, why busywork feels productive while killing momentum, and how taking control of your calendar protects the work that actually drives growth. On the people side, this gets even sharper. We talk about hiring and rewarding based on earned trust, using core values as a real operating system—not wall art—and how to spot early signs of culture breakdown before they cost you. David also explains how to quantify the true cost of a toxic employee—and why your best people won’t tolerate misalignment for long. From an investor lens, we go inside the signals that show up in the first 3 to 90 days, how outside capital changes team dynamics, and what it actually means to respect capital when you’re building for the long term. If you’re building a company where people—not just numbers—decide the outcome, this episode will change how you think about growth. Follow the show for more conversations on how founders actually scale without breaking—and share this with someone who’s feeling the pressure behind the scenes. Support the show

    31 min

  2. APR 15

    Your Business Isn’t Worth What You Think with Gregory Kovsky

    Send us Fan Mail You can build a great company and still leave millions on the table when it’s time to sell. In this episode, I sit down with Gregory Kovsky, President and CEO of International Businesas Associates, who has personally closed 300+ transactions. We break down what actually drives valuation, how deals really happen, and the quiet mistakes founders don’t realize they’re making until offers come in lower than expected. One of the biggest myths in business is that there’s a single “correct” valuation. There isn’t. The same company can sell for very different numbers depending on the buyer, the market, and how well your financial story holds up under scrutiny. We get into the real drivers that show up in diligence: Why documented systems and processes increase value How customer concentration can quietly kill your multiple What clean financials actually mean—and how messy books destroy trust fast The hidden cost of running personal expenses through the business or keeping revenue off the books This conversation also goes beyond the numbers. Selling a business isn’t just a transaction—it’s identity, responsibility, and transition. We talk about what happens after the deal, how to protect employees and customers, and how professionals run a confidential process using NDAs, financial vetting, and controlled outreach—especially in a world where AI makes it easier than ever to expose sensitive information. If you’re thinking about selling in the next 12–24 months, this episode will change how you prepare—and how much you walk away with. Follow the show for more conversations on how to scale with people without breaking your business. And if this episode hits, share it with a founder who’s building toward an exit. Support the show

    33 min

  3. APR 8

    AI Won’t Fix Your Messy Company. It Will Expose It Faster with Karen Zeigler

    Send us Fan Mail Most founders think AI will make their company faster. It will. But if your systems are messy, your workflows are unclear, and your team is running on workarounds, AI won’t fix that. It will amplify it. In this episode, we sit down with Karen Zeigler, CEO of HumanScore, to break down what actually happens when companies try to automate broken operations and why “faster” quickly becomes riskier if your business isn’t built to handle the speed. We get specific about what needs to be fixed before you touch AI:  The workflows that look good on paper but don’t reflect how work actually happens  Data silos that confuse even the smartest models  Hidden decision-making norms that quietly run your company Because here’s the reality:  AI doesn’t remove the need for strong leadership. It raises the standard. If your team is surviving on patches and workarounds, AI will scale every gap unless you redesign how your company actually operates. We also go deeper into what human-centered leadership really means in an AI-driven world. Not perks. Not programs. But fixing the real friction that slows teams down and drains execution. And we draw a clear line on what should stay human, no matter how advanced the tools get:  Critical thinking  Real connection  Creativity Karen frames this moment as a workplace reset. A shift as big as the printing press. One that can elevate people, if leaders stop managing through control and start co-creating how work gets done. If you’re:  Planning an AI rollout  Scaling operations that feel increasingly fragile  Trying to improve employee experience without losing performance This episode will challenge how you’re thinking about growth. Follow + Share If you’re building a company that needs to scale without breaking, follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next. And if this episode hit, share it with a founder or leader who’s about to “move faster” without fixing the foundation. Support the show

    25 min

  4. APR 1

    Merchandise Your Value with Joe Frankie III

    Send us Fan Mail Your leadership can be strong and still go unnoticed if you don’t know how to position it. That’s the battlefield we step into with Joe Frankie III, a former U.S. Army commander turned executive advisor who’s helped hundreds of executives, veterans, and students build a bridge to their next role. We talk about what separates leaders who quietly stall from leaders who compound trust, influence, and opportunity. We start with the basics that many leaders skip: you don’t become a great leader until you learn to be a great follower. From there we get concrete about servant leadership, “leadership by walking around,” and why the best leaders think of themselves as resource providers. We also dig into prioritization when everything is urgent, plus a memorable distinction that changes how you delegate: calculated risk versus gambling. Then we move into modern executive presence and personal branding on LinkedIn. Joe breaks down what it means to merchandise your IQ and EQ, why a resume is a black-and-white snapshot, and why your LinkedIn profile is the color portrait that does covert networking on your behalf. We get tactical on building influence without feeling salesy, writing your About section in first person, and the small trust signals that matter fast, including a professional headshot where people can see your eyes. Know more about Joe here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefrankieiii/ https://www.facebook.com/joefrankieiii/ https://x.com/JoeFrankieiii If you’re a founder, executive, or veteran translating your experience into the civilian market, this is a practical guide to being found, being understood, and being trusted. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest change you’re making to your LinkedIn presence. Support the show

    34 min

  5. MAR 25

    Lean Marketing Wins with Mark Donnigan

    Send us Fan Mail If marketing feels like a never-ending list of things to do while sales still feels harder than it should, this is why. Most founders don’t have a marketing problem—they have a focus problem. In this episode, we break down how small, focused marketing teams consistently outperform bloated departments by staying close to the buyer and prioritizing impact over activity. You’ll learn what your first marketing hire should actually look like, why founder-led sales is still your strongest early advantage, and how to know when your messaging is finally working. We also dig into how AI is changing marketing—and why the advantage is shifting toward people who can combine strategy with real human judgment. Support the show

    33 min

  6. MAR 18

    How To Build Trust With Benefits That Fit Your People with Oksana Lukash

    Send us Fan Mail Ping pong tables do not build trust and wellness stipends do not fix a broken culture. We get real about the messy intersection of employee benefits, wellness, culture, and retention, and why the “perks” playbook fails when it is copied from companies with totally different people, pay realities, and business goals. I sit down with Oksana Lukash, a seasoned chief people officer and leadership advisor, to unpack what actually makes a culture scalable. We talk about culture starting on day one, showing up in every decision and every conversation, and why leaders have to be honest about expectations so the right talent self-selects in. We also dig into the hidden damage of “culture subtraction” hires and why protecting team dynamics is not soft, it is financial. Then we shift into practical employee benefits strategy: working with a strong benefits broker, using utilization data, running short pulse surveys, and designing coverage around your real workforce demographics. We explore why meeting basic needs through compensation comes before any wellness program, and how high-impact benefits like fertility or adoption support can beat the ROI of many traditional retention tactics. We also highlight the underused lever that changes everything: ongoing benefits education, so employees can confidently use tools like HSA, FSA, dependent care, and retirement plans. If you’re a founder, HR leader, or operator trying to scale without burning people out, this is a playbook you can use immediately. Subscribe, share this with a builder who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest question about benefits, culture, or trust. Support the show

    36 min

  7. MAR 11

    Growth Without Breaking: Scaling Smarter With AI And People with Adnan Eddie Bin-mahfouz

    Send us Fan Mail Growth doesn’t stall because you need “more sales.” It stalls because your systems are fuzzy, your budget isn’t built for a ramp, and your hires are sized for the wrong game. We sit down with Adnan Eddie Bin Mahfouz—former CEO of a five‑company group and author of The Art of Business Development in the Age of AI—to map a cleaner path from chaos to compounding growth, especially for small and mid-sized teams. We start by drawing a clear line between small and medium businesses so expectations match reality. Eddie’s core premise lands fast: hire to grow, not to maintain. We unpack why overhiring from Fortune 500 environments backfires without the tools and budgets those leaders expect, and how underhiring managers while demanding VP outcomes breeds failure. Then we get practical with growth budgeting: carve profit ahead of time, plan multi-quarter investments, and pace for your industry’s sales cycle so new roles have runway to deliver. You’ll hear how onboarding—both for employees and customers—becomes the quiet engine of retention, time to value, and expansion when it’s documented, owned, and measured. From there we get tactical with AI. Keep the human edge where it matters—qualification, discovery, trust, negotiation—and let AI take the grind: cadence messaging, social touches, first-draft personalization, and follow-ups. Eddie shows how teams can win back six to eight hours a week and redirect that time toward live conversations and revenue moments. We close with the mindset shift founders need: step out of the weeds, read the P&L, coach through KPIs, and model growth by staying close to customers. Subcontract specialists when full-time hires are premature, and build a culture that values ownership over control and systems over heroics. If this conversation gives you a new lens on scale, subscribe, share it with a builder who needs it, and leave a quick review. Want people strategy and AI systems that keep up with your growth? Visit guidetohr.com and let’s talk. Support the show

    30 min

  8. MAR 4

    AI, Sales, And The Human Edge with Sean Meenan

    Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    28 min
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5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Tired of spinning your startup wheels but never gaining traction? Buckle up, founders and CEOs, because this podcast is your rocket fuel to profitability! Every week, we ignite explosive conversations with bold-faced founders, brainy experts, and even a few out-of-this-world vendors. Get ready to crack the code on growth, master employee engagement, and blast through your scaling goals. We’re talking real-world strategies, actionable tips, and perspectives that’ll make your business do a cosmic dance. So, strap in and prepare for lift-off!

Information

  • Creator
    Gwenevere Crary
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    130
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Scaling With People
  • Show Website
    Scaling With People