The Business Game

The Business Game
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The Business Game The Business Game is not another highlight reel of overnight success. It is a structured, honest breakdown of what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a business at every level. We built The Business Game around a simple truth: business changes as revenue changes. The problems at $500K are not the problems at $5M. The mindset at $5M is not the mindset at $50M. That is why every conversation is grounded in our 10-Level framework, from Level 1 Startup and Survival through to Level 10 Legacy and Exit. If you are: • Trying to get your first consistent revenue • Building your first real team • Breaking through the messy middle • Scaling toward eight or nine figures • Or preparing for exit There is an episode that meets you where you are. Hosted by Steve Plummer and Kalena Stano, who speak to founders operating at every stage of the game. No gatekeeping. No hype. No recycled advice. Just real numbers, real mistakes, real strategy, and real decisions that moved the needle. Each week, we publish two episodes every Monday and Thursday at 6pm AEST, featuring global founders, operators, and investors who break down what actually works at their level and what does not. The Business Game exists to give you clarity. To help you identify your current level. To show you the moves required to reach the next one. Because scaling is not random. It is a game. And every level has different rules. Find your level. Play it properly. Then level up. Watch video episodes on YouTube and explore more at thebusinessgamegroup.com

  1. 13H AGO

    Interior Design Founder: Architectural Digest, Walmart, and Building a Premium Brand

    Send us Fan Mail LEVEL 2: EARLY BUILDER What does it actually take to build a premium product business?  In this episode of The Business Game, Lindsay Scherr Burgess shares the real story behind Green Wallscapes, from early side hustle beginnings to becoming a trusted supplier for major commercial clients across North America.  This is not just a conversation about design or product.  It is a conversation about what founders really face when they try to build something premium: pricing, systems, quality control, people issues, operational pressure, client delivery, and the constant tension between growth and protecting the brand.  Lindsay talks openly about the bottlenecks that nearly broke the business, the importance of process, the reality of hiring, and why the next phase of growth depends on getting the right operator into the company.  If you are building a premium brand, product-based business, or founder-led company, this episode is packed with practical lessons.  We cover:  how Green Wallscapes began when the business started to feel real the credibility that came from major clients the hidden pressure behind scaling a premium offer why systems changed everything hiring frustrations and founder bottlenecks the next level Lindsay is building toward Follow The Business Game for more real conversations with founders building across different levels of business. Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    1h 2m

  2. 3D AGO

    Sales Psychologist: Why Sales Get Harder When You Need Them Most

    Send us Fan Mail LEVEL 1: Owner Operator What actually happens inside a business when cash flow gets tight?  In this episode, Ian Stephens breaks down the real reason sales feel harder, decisions get rushed, and performance drops when pressure rises.  With over 30 years of experience across 29 countries, Ian shares lessons from building his business from the ground up, navigating difficult periods, and creating a model designed for long-term sustainability.  This conversation covers mindset, behaviour, systems, and the hidden patterns that show up when revenue slows down.  This episode covers: Why sales feel harder when you need them most How pressure shifts your behaviour (and costs you deals) The link between mindset, cash flow and performance Why systems matter more than motivation The mistake most business owners make under pressure How to stay effective when everything feels urgent The shift from operator → scalable business model What’s coming next with AI and customer expectations If you’re building a business and feeling that pressure – this episode will help you understand what’s happening and how to respond.  Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    50 min
  3. Preventative Medicine Doctor: Why You Only Get 10 Minutes of Medical Care

    MAR 26

    Preventative Medicine Doctor: Why You Only Get 10 Minutes of Medical Care

    Send us Fan Mail LEVEL 1: OWNER OPERATOR Today’s episode is a conversation with Dr Avinish Reddy, founder of Elevated Medical, on building a premium healthcare practice around longevity, preventative medicine, and proactive patient care.  Avi explains how traditional healthcare is mostly reactive, while his model is focused on helping patients improve their long-term health before disease appears. He also shares what it takes to turn medical expertise into a high-trust, high-touch business.  This episode covers:  Building a preventative healthcare business The meaning of Medicine 3.0 Creating a premium concierge model Shifting from doctor to founder Pricing, trust, and integrity in a noisy health market Why time and capacity are the biggest growth bottlenecks How AI could reshape healthcare operations The business case for personalized care If you’re a founder, operator, doctor, consultant, or premium service provider, this episode is packed with insights on trust, positioning, and building a business around expertise.  Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    44 min
  4. Marketing CEO: Get 9-Figure Clients Without Breaking

    MAR 23

    Marketing CEO: Get 9-Figure Clients Without Breaking

    Send us Fan Mail Neil Ateem, founder of Multiplier Agency, joins The Business Game to break down what really happens when an agency starts scaling and the founder becomes the bottleneck.  After generating more than $300 million in client revenue, Neil shares the real mechanics behind crossing into 7 figures, building a delivery team, handling the pressure of fixed costs versus variable income, and learning that more clients does not always create a better business.  This episode is not about surface-level marketing talk. It is about the real founder decisions that shape whether an agency becomes scalable or stays fragile.  In this conversation, we cover:  The journey from freelance-style delivery to a real agency model What changes when you move from sub-$1M to 7 figures The first hires that made scale possible Why perfectionism keeps founders stuck too long What nearly broke Neil during growth The decision that changed the business model Why recurring revenue and subscriptions matter so much The mistake founders make when they chase short-term projects What it really means to become a CEO instead of the doer The cheat code for agency owners stuck two years behind the next level If you are building an agency, scaling a service business, or trying to step out of founder overload and into true operational growth, this episode will give you a practical look at what actually breaks, and what actually works, when agencies scale.    Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    54 min
  5. The Systems Playbook: How Owner-Operators Stop Being the Bottleneck

    MAR 19

    The Systems Playbook: How Owner-Operators Stop Being the Bottleneck

    Send us Fan Mail Most business owners start their company for freedom — but end up building something that only works if they are there holding it together.  In this episode of The Business Game, Wayne Hutchison breaks down why so many owner-operators become trapped inside their own business and what it actually takes to build systems that remove the founder as the bottleneck.  Wayne has spent more than 20 years helping founders shift from working insane hours to building businesses that generate profit without problems — where systems, leverage, and better decision-making replace hustle and burnout.  This conversation explores the real mechanics of scaling a business beyond the founder.  In this episode you’ll learn:  • Why the “hero owner” mindset traps founders in their own business • The difference between working harder vs building leverage • What “profits without problems” actually means in practice • The simple experiment Wayne used to expose the real bottlenecks in his business • Why systems — not motivation — create sustainable growth • The biggest myth around work-life balance for entrepreneurs  • Why many founders unknowingly recreate the same job they tried to escape  • How AI is becoming a new form of leverage for business owners  • Why most business advice pushes founders into burnout instead of scale  If you’re an owner-operator trying to move from doing everything yourself to building a business that runs, this episode is packed with practical insights on systems, leverage, and sustainable growth.  Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    51 min
  6. Nonprofit Founder: THIS Is How You Scale For Good

    MAR 16

    Nonprofit Founder: THIS Is How You Scale For Good

    Send us Fan Mail Robby Cobbs, founder of Tech My School, joins The Business Game to break down the founder mechanics behind scaling a nonprofit.  After moving to Puerto Rico, Robby discovered schools operating without libraries, computers, or modern systems. What started as helping one school quickly turned into helping dozens.  But scaling a nonprofit creates a unique challenge for founders. Demand grows faster than funding, every new school adds cost, and relying entirely on donations can create long term instability.  In this episode we discuss:  • The moment Robby realized the system was broken  • How Tech My School scaled from one school to dozens  • The fundraising realities of running a nonprofit  • Why donations alone cannot sustain growth  • Building service based revenue alongside the mission  • Leadership lessons from running a lean mission driven team  • The systems required to modernize education  If you're building a nonprofit, social enterprise, or mission driven organization, this episode breaks down what it actually takes to scale impact sustainably.  Contact Robby LinkedIn - linkedin.com/robertcobbs Website - techmyschool.org Sponsor Tala Offshore connects businesses with top tier remote talent across admin, customer service, and SaaS development. Build a stronger team without adding stress. Visit talaoffshore.com  We're excited to be able to offer our Business Game community an affiliate link for their HubSpot sign ups! HubSpot is the #1 CRM tool on the market - making managing clients and customer details easier than ever! Using our link to get started on Hubspot helps to support our work here at The Business Game: http://go.try-hubspot.com/Z6Eq50 start your free trial today!    Stay tuned for more exciting episodes!   This post contains affiliate links. By clicking and purchasing through these links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work. Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    1h 3m
  7. Theme Park CEO: Good Reviews Mean More Revenue

    MAR 13

    Theme Park CEO: Good Reviews Mean More Revenue

    Send us Fan Mail Customer experience is often misunderstood in business.  Many founders think it simply means good service, but true customer experience is the sum of every interaction a customer has with your brand-  before, during, and after a purchase.  In this episode of The Business Game, former theme park CEO Mark Shaw explains how businesses can turn customer experience into a powerful growth lever that drives higher reviews, stronger loyalty, and long-term revenue.  Drawing on his experience transforming Adventure World from one of the lowest-rated theme parks in Australia into the top-rated attraction in the country, Mark shares the leadership decisions, systems, and cultural changes that made the difference.  In this conversation you’ll learn:  • Why customer experience drives measurable revenue growth  • The connection between employee experience and customer loyalty  • How improving review scores directly impacts profitability  • The leadership role required to build a customer-first culture  • Why recruitment is the most powerful lever in customer experience  • How small operational details create unforgettable experiences  • How AI will impact customer experience without replacing human connection  If you're building a service business, managing a growing team, or trying to improve retention and brand reputation, this episode offers a practical look at the systems behind great customer experience.  Sponsor Tala Offshore connects businesses with top tier remote talent across admin, customer service, and SaaS development. Build a stronger team without adding stress. Visit talaoffshore.com We're excited to be able to offer our Business Game community an affiliate link for their HubSpot sign ups! HubSpot is the #1 CRM tool on the market - making managing clients and customer details easier than ever! Using our link to get started on Hubspot helps to support our work here at The Business Game: http://go.try-hubspot.com/Z6Eq50 start your free trial today!    Stay tuned for more exciting episodes!   This post contains affiliate links. By clicking and purchasing through these links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work. Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    1h 3m
  8. Leading SaaS Founder: "You Can Copy Any SaaS Product In 5 Minutes"

    MAR 9

    Leading SaaS Founder: "You Can Copy Any SaaS Product In 5 Minutes"

    Send us Fan Mail Yega Kumarappan, Co-founder and CEO of Paperflite, joins The Business Game to explain how AI is reshaping the SaaS landscape and why the traditional advantages of software companies are disappearing.  Paperflite is a sales intelligence platform that helps sales teams close deals faster through prospect intelligence, content intelligence and conversation intelligence.  But in today’s AI driven world, building software is no longer the hard part.  Yega explains why distribution, industry depth and high performance teams are now the real competitive advantages.  In this episode we discuss:  • The true meaning of SaaS and why it is simply a billing model  • How Paperflite helps sales teams convert deals faster  • Why AI is compressing decades of innovation into years  • The shift from creator economy to distribution economy  • Why verticalisation is becoming essential for SaaS products  • The leadership evolution founders must go through as they scale  • The mistake founders make when they step too far away from their companies  • Why the boring operational work is where real business success happens  If you are building a SaaS company, launching a startup or scaling a technology product, this episode provides a clear look at the real mechanics behind modern SaaS growth. LinkedIn - Yega Kumarappan Website - Paperflite.com Sponsor  Tala Offshore connects businesses with top tier remote talent across admin, customer service, and SaaS development. Build a stronger team without adding stress. Visit talaoffshore.com  We're excited to be able to offer our Business Game community an affiliate link for their HubSpot sign ups! HubSpot is the #1 CRM tool on the market - making managing clients and customer details easier than ever! Using our link to get started on Hubspot helps to support our work here at The Business Game: http://go.try-hubspot.com/Z6Eq50 start your free trial today!    Stay tuned for more exciting episodes!   This post contains affiliate links. By clicking and purchasing through these links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for su Support the show Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

    1h 4m
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About

The Business Game The Business Game is not another highlight reel of overnight success. It is a structured, honest breakdown of what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a business at every level. We built The Business Game around a simple truth: business changes as revenue changes. The problems at $500K are not the problems at $5M. The mindset at $5M is not the mindset at $50M. That is why every conversation is grounded in our 10-Level framework, from Level 1 Startup and Survival through to Level 10 Legacy and Exit. If you are: • Trying to get your first consistent revenue • Building your first real team • Breaking through the messy middle • Scaling toward eight or nine figures • Or preparing for exit There is an episode that meets you where you are. Hosted by Steve Plummer and Kalena Stano, who speak to founders operating at every stage of the game. No gatekeeping. No hype. No recycled advice. Just real numbers, real mistakes, real strategy, and real decisions that moved the needle. Each week, we publish two episodes every Monday and Thursday at 6pm AEST, featuring global founders, operators, and investors who break down what actually works at their level and what does not. The Business Game exists to give you clarity. To help you identify your current level. To show you the moves required to reach the next one. Because scaling is not random. It is a game. And every level has different rules. Find your level. Play it properly. Then level up. Watch video episodes on YouTube and explore more at thebusinessgamegroup.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Business Game
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    122
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Business Game
  • Show Website
    The Business Game