The DoneMaker Podcast

Zivko Dodovski

The DoneMaker Podcast invites guests who are business experts, from marketing to scaling a business, to how to develop a strong leadership team. In every episode, our guests dive deep into business growth strategies, productivity improvements, marketing and social strategies, and personal or leadership development techniques. Your entrepreneurial journey doesn't have to be a lonely one - we're all in this together. New episodes launch every week.

  1. Jul 20

    One Test Reveals if It's a Training Problem or a Motivation Problem

    70% of the mistakes on your team aren't training problems; they're broken processes (and training only makes them worse). Marci Araki, Chief Learning Officer at Clearest Course Consulting, spends her days helping companies stop throwing training at problems training can't fix. In this episode, you'll learn her brutal "gun-to-your-head" test for whether someone actually needs training or just motivation, why every workaround on your team is a red flag you're ignoring, and the real reason new software and processes fail to get adopted (hint: it's almost never a knowledge gap). If you're a small business owner or CEO scaling a team, this will change how you onboard, delegate, and build systems. In This Episode, You'll Learn: - Why 70% of workplace mistakes come from the organization, not the individual- The "gun to your head" test that tells you if it's a training issue or a motivation issue- What the 3 real reasons people struggle at their job actually are (and why info is #1)- How to map a "performance gap" before you build a single piece of training- Why workarounds are a signal to fix the process — not write another policy- When training is actively harmful and destroys team trust (Marci's printing-deadline story)- Why being great at your job does NOT make you good at training people Whether you're building your first SOPs, hiring your first employees, or scaling a lean team without paid ads, this episode is a masterclass in creating systems that stick. For entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs focused on small business growth, LinkedIn outreach, and B2B lead generation, getting your training and processes right is the difference between a team that runs itself and one that runs you. This is essential listening for anyone serious about building a business that scales. 👉 Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call 📚 Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ #DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #EmployeeTraining #TeamBuilding #ProcessImprovement #LeadershipDevelopment #SOPs #BusinessSystems --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep. Chapters00:00 Cold Open00:56 Intro — Meet Marci Araki (Part 2)01:36 What Is Training (And What It Isn't)02:00 The "Gun to Your Head" Test02:56 Why 70% of Mistakes Aren't a Training Problem03:53 The 3 Reasons People Struggle: Info, Tools, Motivation07:40 Knowledge & Skills — The One Bucket Training Fits09:24 Why Training Won't Fix a Broken Process10:19 How Workarounds Create Inconsistency13:15 When Training Actually Helps: The Performance Gap15:40 The Payroll Example — Find the Cause Before You Train18:20 When Training Becomes Harmful18:41 Marci's Printer Story: How Bad Training Kills Trust21:37 Why Assumptions Are the Real Enemy23:43 Train the Trainers — Presenting Isn't Training26:59 What a Trainer Actually Does28:16 Fixing Passive Training: Set the Expectations31:36 When Nobody Adopts the New Tool (The Copilot Problem)35:12 Governance Without Bureaucracy38:11 Don't Document the Workaround — Fix It40:04 Final Takeaway & How to Reach Marci

  2. Jul 13

    The 3-Question Checklist before spending on Meta & Google Ads

    Most small business owners waste thousands on paid ads that never convert. Gabby Bellinger, founder and lead strategist at Honed Digital Strategy & Co, joins the DoneMaker Podcast to break down what actually drives results on Meta, Google, and beyond. With years of agency experience turned solopreneur success, she reveals why fundamentals beat flashy tactics every time. You’ll discover how to know if you’re truly ready for paid ads, the exact way to set budgets based on your profit margins and CAC, why AI-generated assets are hurting your ROI right now, and the retargeting strategies that create the 12+ touchpoints buyers need before saying yes. In This Episode, You'll Learn:- Why knowing your customer deeply is still the only foundation that matters for conversions and ROI- The 3-question readiness checklist every small business owner must pass before spending on Meta or Google ads- How to calculate your ideal ad budget by working backwards from price, profit margin, and cost per acquisition- Why real photography and videography beats AI assets — and how often you actually need new shoots- The real reason “garbage leads” happen and the simple lead form + targeting fixes that qualify them fast- How to avoid click fraud and traffic campaigns that look good but deliver zero sales- Retargeting secrets plus when to test new platforms (and when to double down on Google’s intent) If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or CEO tired of guessing with ad spend, this episode gives you the clear, no-BS framework to turn paid media into a predictable growth engine while protecting your cash flow. Perfect for anyone building a sales pipeline, exploring lead generation without ads, or scaling a business with smarter systems and an entrepreneurial mindset. 👉 Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call📚 Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ #DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #PaidAds #MetaAds #GoogleAds #DigitalMarketing #AdStrategy #Retargeting #BusinessGrowth ---------------------------------Guest’s contacts:Website: https://honeddigital.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-belangerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeddigital/Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/honeddigital/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep.

  3. Jul 6

    The 12-Step System That Turns Toxic Teams Into People Begging to Join

    The 12-step system a P&G-trained leader uses to turn a toxic, dysfunctional team into one people actually beg to join 🔧 Jennifer Backer spent years fixing broken teams at Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and USAA — and she's distilled it into a repeatable 12-step process any founder can run. In this episode, you'll learn why your first move as a new leader should be doing nothing but watching for 2-3 weeks, how to spot the "problem child" who delivers great results but quietly poisons your culture, and the difference between being nice and being kind (most founders get this backwards). If you're building a small team and wondering why great people still can't work together, this is the playbook you've been missing. In This Episode, You'll Learn:- Why your first 2-3 weeks as a new leader should be pure observation — and what to watch for in team meetings- How to build real trust by finding each person's "one thing" (money, family, career, or hobby)- What a "team remit" is and why documenting who you are, what you do, and what you DON'T do changes everything- The difference between the "right team" and the "best team" — and why an all-star roster usually fails- How to tell the "problem child" apart from the "special child" everyone secretly relies on- Why "done beats perfect" when rebuilding — and how to avoid the 2-year fix that kills momentum- When being "nice" is actually hurting your team, and how to lead with kindness insteadWhether you're a small business owner scaling past your first few hires or a CEO trying to fix a team that looks good on paper but can't deliver, this conversation gives you a concrete system to build a culture people don't want to leave. It's essential listening for any entrepreneur who knows that strong leadership — not just talent — is what separates a business that scales from one that stalls. Real business growth starts with the people in the room. 👉 Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call 📚 Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ #DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #TeamBuilding #Leadership #CompanyCulture #TeamManagement #StartupLeadership --------------------------------- Jennifer Backer’s contacts:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenbeckercomms/Website: https://jbcommsconsulting.com/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep. Chapters:00:00 Cold Open: The Trust Tactic That Sounds Manipulative (But Works)00:57 Meet Jennifer Backer (P&G, Kimberly-Clark, USAA)01:36 Her Journey: Fixing Dysfunctional Teams at Fortune 500s05:20 Step 1: Never Assume — Observe First07:26 Step 2: Meet Every Team Member One-on-One09:07 Step 3: Find Their "One Thing" to Build Trust11:51 Step 4: Identify the Patterns (Alone)13:53 Step 5: Rebuild Fast — Done vs. Perfect16:00 Step 6: The Right Team vs. the Best Team18:42 Step 7: Build the Team Remit20:51 Steps 8 & 9: The Problem Child and the Special One25:21 Step 10: Lead the New Structure — Nice vs. Kind29:09 Step 11: Build the Team's Sub-Culture31:18 Step 12: Keep It Going (Never "Set and Forget")34:19 Q&A: What If Someone Lies to Throw You Off the Trail?37:48 Q&A: When a Great Team Member Keeps Letting You Down40:50 Q&A: Problem Child vs. Special Child — How to Tell49:39 Q&A: Does the EOS "Hire by Core Values" Method Work?51:58 Where to Find Jennifer + Final Thoughts

  4. Jul 5

    CAC, Show Rate, Close Rate: The Numbers that make or Break Scale

    If you're closing way more than 30% of your sales calls, you're underpricing your business, and that's just the start of what Neil breaks down here. This episode features Neil Persaud, Head of Growth at Mad Hub — a marketing pro with 25 years in the game who's scaled 8 agencies, sat on 12 boards, and driven 60M+ in sales revenue. You'll learn why "I don't want to be your partner, I want to be your growth department" is the exact mindset to look for, how to spot the red flags that scream a bad agency before you sign, and why the real bottleneck in your growth might be sitting in your own C-suite. If you're a small business owner or CEO trying to scale without lighting money on fire, this one will change how you hire help. In This Episode, You'll Learn:- Why "quick wins" and free pilot projects are the biggest red flags when outsourcing your marketing- How to know if you're underpricing — the 30% closing-rate benchmark that exposes it instantly- What numbers you MUST know before you scale (CAC, show rate, closing rate) or the math falls apart- Why a $5K budget against a 10MM TAM guarantees you'll see zero real results- The "growth department" mindset that separates real partners from vendors who treat you like a number- How to extend LTV by locking in a preferred rate in good faith instead of renegotiating every quarter- The one-page strategic plan that aligns your whole team around a single north star Whether you're focused on LinkedIn outreach, B2B lead generation, or building a sales pipeline that doesn't depend on paid ads, this conversation gives small business owners and entrepreneurs a clear framework for choosing the right growth partner. Neil's take on the entrepreneurial mindset, organic LinkedIn strategy, and what it actually takes to scale a business is essential listening for any CEO serious about sustainable business growth. 👉 Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call📚 Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/#DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #MarketingAgency #GrowthStrategy #ScalingABusiness #DigitalMarketing #CEOAdvice --------------------------------- Neil Persaud’s contacts:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilpersaud76/--------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep. Chapters:00:00 If You Don't Know Your Numbers, You Can't Do the Math00:58 Meet Neil Persaud, Head of Growth at Mad Hub01:50 Revenue Angles When You're Still Working IN the Business03:30 The Numbers Every Owner Must Know (Show Rate, Close Rate, CAC)05:19 Extending Terms to Lock In a Preferred Rate07:30 Why There's No Cookie-Cutter Playbook12:30 $500K to $5M vs $5M to $25M: What Actually Changes15:00 Red Flags: When You're NOT Ready to Outsource Marketing19:35 What a Real Go-To-Market Strategy Actually Is22:00 Synergies to Scale: Transparent Comms & Slack Integration22:50 Why Digital Marketers Get a Bad Rep28:50 Why Selling "Packages" Is a Red Flag29:50 Jack of All Trades? Inside Mad Hub's Bench of Experts39:00 The Fragmented Trap: Nobody Owns Sales & Marketing42:00 The One-Page Strategic Plan That Drove $700K, $2.5M & $3.5M44:50 How to Connect With Neil + His Final Challenge

  5. Jun 3

    Scaling Past 15 Employees: The Exact Hiring Order That Works

    Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ --------------------------------- He scaled his agency to 15 people and stopped doing the work — here's exactly how he hired, let go, and found his role as CEO. In this episode, Zivko sits down with Erik Rubadeau, CEO of YeeBoo Digital — an agency that's spent 15 years helping non-profits raise revenue through digital marketing and technology. Erik breaks down the exact order he hired in to scale past the chaos of startup mode, why he stopped using recruiters after one expensive failure, and the mindset shift that happens when you go from player to coach. If you're a business owner still stuck in the day-to-day, this one hits different. In This Episode, You'll Learn:▸ Why Erik's first hires were specialists that replaced his own weaknesses — not generalists▸ How bringing in a project manager (now COO) at 5–10 employees created the structure that unlocked growth▸ Why hiring for personality and hunger matters more than skills — and how Erik screens for it▸ The "sink or swim" trap that drowns good employees and how to find the balance instead▸ How his team uses AI to save 20+ hours a week by turning website walkthroughs into client guides automatically▸ Why Erik still holds onto sales and brand as CEO — and what he let go of first▸ What "AI" actually is right now — a probabilistic tool, not intelligence — and why that distinction matters for your business Whether you're running a small B2B agency, building a sales pipeline through LinkedIn outreach, or trying to figure out when to stop being the doer and start being the leader — this episode is packed with real lessons from someone who's been through it. If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur scaling past your first few hires, Erik's approach to culture-first hiring and stepping out of daily operations is a playbook worth studying. #DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #ScalingAnAgency #CEOMinds #HiringForCulture #AIForBusiness #NonProfitMarketing #AgencyGrowth ---------------------------------Guest’s contacts:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikrubadeau/Website: https://yeeboodigital.com/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER:Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep. Chapters:0:00 — How scaling past startup mode almost broke everything0:58 — Meet Erik Rubadeau, CEO of YeeBoo Digital1:22 — What YeeBoo Digital does for non-profits2:22 — Selling a feeling vs. selling a product3:44 — Copywriting across channels for non-profits5:06 — The tech stack every non-profit needs6:18 — Why WordPress still wins in 20268:31 — Can AI-built websites replace WordPress?11:04 — AI is probabilistic — that's why it's inconsistent14:09 — Where AI works and where it falls apart16:39 — "What we call AI now" — is it really intelligence?19:11 — AI is just a really good operating system23:06 — How Erik implemented AI inside his agency26:34 — Find a process that sucks and automate it28:48 — The order Erik hired to scale his agency31:08 — When startup mode stops working (5–10 people)33:52 — Hiring for personality and hunger, not just skills36:42 — Why recruiters failed and imposter syndrome in hiring40:25 — How Erik stepped out of day-to-day operations44:05 — The sink-or-swim balance with your team44:29 — What a CEO should never let go of47:16 — You built the boat — now where are you steering?51:01 — Where to find Erik

  6. Apr 22

    Breaking the Legacy Pattern | Why You're still Enslaved to Your Business

    Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ --------------------------------- Working harder isn't the problem; here's what's actually keeping you stuck. In this episode of The DoneMaker Podcast, Zivko sits down with Razmig Malkhassian, CEO of BDH Growth Strategies, to break down why most entrepreneurs plateau, not because they're lazy, but because they're running on legacy patterns that were never built for freedom. You'll discover the 5 levels every entrepreneur moves through on the way to real financial and time freedom, why effort without the right system just creates a better-dressed version of your old job, and what it actually takes to stop being a slave to your own business. In This Episode, You'll Learn:- Why "working harder" is the most dangerous trap in entrepreneurship- The 5 levels of entrepreneurial growth, and which one is silently keeping you stuck- What legacy patterns are, and how your upbringing is running your business decisions today- How to reframe every complaint into a revenue opportunity- Why school trains you to fail at entrepreneurship (and what to do instead)- The negotiation mindset shift from Chris Voss that changes how you close deals- How to build a vision so clear that setbacks become fuel instead of stop signs Razmig brings a rare combination of mindset depth and business development precision that applies directly to B2B lead generation, LinkedIn strategy, and building a business that doesn't require you to be in it every hour. This is the kind of CEO advice that changes the way you show up. Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro: Why Entrepreneurs Lose Everything After They Win00:00:58 - Guest Introduction: Razmik Malkhasian, BDH Growth Strategy00:01:18 - A Problem Without a Solution Is a Complaint (Or Is It?)00:02:43 - Why Business Leaders Run Away From Challenges00:04:30 - The Trap of Accepting "Q1 Is Going to Be Slow"00:05:12 - Carol Dweck's Growth vs. Closed Mindset in Business00:06:25 - The Real Difference Between a Job and Entrepreneurship00:08:03 - The 5 Stages Every Entrepreneur Goes Through00:11:39 - The Inner Game Architect: What That Actually Means00:12:05 - Zivko's Personal Story: Becoming a Slave to the Job00:16:00 - Legacy Patterns: Why Your Parents' Advice Is Holding You Back00:19:06 - How AI and the Industrial Age Are Reshaping Identity00:20:44 - When You Achieve Everything and Still Feel Lost00:25:44 - The Framework for Finding Your Path in Chaos00:27:35 - Life Is a Balance Between Destruction and Creation00:30:19 - How to Know You're on the Right Path (Not Just Pivoting)00:31:48 - How Razmik Used AI to Build a System That Runs Without Him00:33:24 - The Hidden Cost of Every New Tool We Adopt00:35:02 - Complaints Are an Opportunity to Make Money00:37:50 - How One Question Turned Into a 6-Figure Multi-Year Deal00:40:02 - Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference, and B2B Sales00:43:07 - Why Chris Voss Tactics Don't Directly Apply to B2B Committees00:44:55 - The Cost of Inaction: How to Sell Without Sounding Salesy00:48:14 - How to Deploy Cost of Inaction Without Triggering Resistance00:49:33 - How to Work With Razmik + Where to Find Him00:50:43 - Closing Thoughts: Living on the Edge of Your Comfort Zone#DoneMakerPodcast #LinkedInOutreach #B2BLeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurMindset #ScalingYourBusiness #CEOAdvice #BusinessDevelopment #LeadGeneration #SalesStrategy --------------------------------- Guest’s contacts: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razmigmalk/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep.

  7. Apr 13

    The #1 Mistake Killing Your Search Rankings in 2026

    Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-callFree Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ --------------------------------- In this episode of The DoneMaker Podcast, Zivko sits down with Nicholle Stacy, CEO of Altitude B2B, to dismantle the myth that AI is replacing SEO. You'll discover why Google is actively de-ranking AI-generated content that sounds like everyone else, how to optimize for Google's AI Overviews without abandoning traditional SEO fundamentals, and the exact content planning framework that turns your website into a qualified lead machine, not just a traffic counter. In This Episode, You'll Learn:- Why 80% of searches still run through Google — and what that means for your B2B growth strategy- How AI tools like Perplexity and Gemini still source from SEO — and which platforms prioritize which content- Why asking AI to "write in your tone" is the #1 mistake killing your search rankings- What Google's E-E-A-T framework actually requires — and how to use it to outrank competitors- How to optimize for Google AI Overviews using fresh, structured, factual content with clear data points- The Local SEO basics most businesses ignore: Google Reviews, Google My Business, and strategic CTAs- How to find your highest-converting page and turn it into a landing page before spending a dollar on ads If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur trying to generate B2B leads without burning budget on ads, SEO done right is still your highest-ROI channel in 2026. This episode gives you Nicholle's full framework, from content planning to site performance to social media integration, so your organic LinkedIn strategy and website are working together, not in silos. Whether you're building a sales pipeline from scratch or fixing a site that's getting traffic but not converting, this is the episode to send to your entire team. --------------------------------- Guest’s contacts:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholle-stacey/Website: https://www.altitudeb2b.com/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep.

  8. Mar 18

    Your onboarding sucks ( and it's not about training )

    Get clients from LinkedIn: https://tidycal.com/donemaker-sales/donemaker-referall-call Free Resources to build a sales pipeline: https://donemaker.vista.page/ --------------------------------- Did you know that over 50% of the time, an employee struggling at work doesn't actually need more training? In this episode of The DoneMaker Podcast, we sit down with Marci Araki to uncover why traditional job shadowing fails, why "forced fun" is ruining remote culture, and the 4-step feedback framework every leader needs to know In this highly actionable episode of The DoneMaker Podcast, I am joined by Marci Araki, the Chief Learning Officer at Clearest Course Consulting. She helps companies align learning strategies with business and performance needs. We break down the massive difference between onboarding and training. We also explore why watching someone do the work is a passive activity that leaves new hires overwhelmed and lacking context. Whether you are a business owner, a manager, or building a remote team, this episode gives you the exact blueprint to stop relying on videos as a one-size-fits-all solution and start giving feedback that actually drives results In this episode, you will learn: - Why the best onboarding is about relationship building and organizational culture, not just knowledge and skills.- The negative impact of scheduled informality and "forced fun" in a remote workplace.- How to work backwards from your vision of success to design effective training.- A powerful 4-step framework for delivering constructive feedback: Empathy, Specificity, Impact, and Positivity.- The immense value of letting your team make mistakes and how to properly debrief their thought process. First impressions count, especially when it comes to employee onboarding. Making new hires feel excited and valued from day one is crucial for their long-term satisfaction and integration into the workplace culture. This goes beyond typical employee training, focusing on a positive initial experience that sets the tone for their journey. Learn how to create an engaging process that makes your new team members eager to contribute. 👇 --------------------------------- Guest’s contacts: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marci-araki-8b588b/ Website: https://www.clearestcourse.com/ --------------------------------- ABOUT DONEMAKER: Make easy business decisions by filling your sales funnel with LinkedIn Organic Outreach. No data scraping, no outreach automations, no AI messages. The entire process is done manually + weekly strategy call with a dedicated account rep.

About

The DoneMaker Podcast invites guests who are business experts, from marketing to scaling a business, to how to develop a strong leadership team. In every episode, our guests dive deep into business growth strategies, productivity improvements, marketing and social strategies, and personal or leadership development techniques. Your entrepreneurial journey doesn't have to be a lonely one - we're all in this together. New episodes launch every week.