Are you struggling to maintain your team's alignment and focus in today's unpredictable business environment? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Simone Janssen, founder of Bulletproof Business Growth, to explore how effective leadership can create internal certainty even when the external world feels chaotic.  The biggest hurdle isn't external pressures—it's the gap between what's clear in a leader's mind and how they convey that information in a way that their team truly understands. While leaders are laser-focused on growing the business, the best teams may be working without the clarity they need to deliver results. When vision doesn't translate into actionable direction, talent becomes wasted potential, and growth stalls regardless of market conditions.   Simone reveals her powerful "5 C's" framework and shares business growth tips that help entrepreneurs move from being the bottleneck to becoming the strategic leaders their companies need. Whether you're managing 10 employees or 50, this conversation offers actionable strategies for overcoming the leadership challenges that often prevent small businesses from reaching their full potential.  Key Takeaways:  The 5 C's Framework: Clarity, Context, Communication, Certainty, and Consistency—the non-negotiable foundation every high-performing team needs to thrive in chaos.  Leadership = Certainty Creation: Stop managing tasks. Start creating unshakeable certainty that empowers your team to execute without you.  Communication Flows Down, Not Around: Information must cascade through your chain of command—bypassing managers destroys accountability and undermines leadership.  No Accountability Chart = Business Failure: Without crystal-clear ownership of responsibilities, even your best people will underperform and burn out.  Slow Down to Speed Up: Building proper systems and leadership structures now prevents the expensive mistakes that come from reactive scaling.  Clarity Reveals True Performance: Give people clear expectations and consistent feedback—you'll instantly separate your A-players from those who need to go.  Learn more about Simone: bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com (http://bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com)   🔗 Connect with the Experts:   Learn more about Simone: bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com (http://bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com) ·   Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire ·   Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess  Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock   Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:corey@keyhire.solutions)    Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Are you a small business owner dreaming of a successful exit strategy? In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with serial entrepreneur Eric Grafstrom, founder and CEO of Exit Guide, to tackle one of the most critical challenges facing today's business owners: how to properly package and prepare your business for sale to maximize your return.  Eric defines the core problem plaguing small business management today: most business owners are completely unprepared for the complex exit process, leading to failed sales, collapsed deals, and significantly reduced returns. This isn't just about poor planning—it's about years of hard work potentially going unrewarded due to avoidable mistakes that savvy entrepreneurs can easily prevent with proper preparation.   This episode delves into the often-overlooked realm of small business exits, examining why businesses with revenue under $5 million are frequently overlooked by traditional advisors, despite representing a substantial market share. You'll learn about the crucial timing considerations, essential documentation, and common emotional pitfalls that can derail otherwise profitable exits. The discussion also includes innovative tools and strategies that make professional-level exit planning accessible to everyday business owners who have not previously navigated this complex process.  You'll uncover the critical timeline for preparing a business for growth, the essential documents every serious seller requires, and why having a post-sale plan is just as crucial as the exit strategy itself. Eric shares real-world examples illustrating what distinguishes successful exits from costly failures, offering practical business growth tips that every scaling small business owner needs to hear.  This isn't your typical business growth discussion, it's a roadmap for transforming your life's work into the financial freedom you've earned. Whether you're planning to exit in six months or six years, the insights shared in this episode could be the difference between a successful transition and a devastating disappointment.  Thanks for listening! Learn more about Eric: https://ericgrafstrom.com Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content." Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:contact@podcastemail.com) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Have you ever tried to lead your team, only to be met with disappointing results? The problem might not be your leadership skills but rather the different ways your entrepreneurial brain operates in comparison to your team. In this insightful episode of the KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes Marina Morgan, founder of the Morgan Group, to discuss the neuroscience behind entrepreneurial thinking and its impact on small business leadership growth and workplace culture. The Core Problem: Neurological Disconnects in Communication The central challenge for entrepreneurs is a biological disconnect when communicating with teams. Entrepreneurs possess unique neurological traits, with more neural pathways between their brain's reward and planning regions, enabling them to perceive possibilities that remain invisible to others. Marina explains, "The first and most important, in my opinion, is the entrepreneur's sensitivity to the dopamine system. Your experience, the wave of dopamine, your pleasure, your enjoyment that you can feel when you achieve some results, is much higher than the average population." This fundamental difference affects how entrepreneurs communicate with their teams and sets expectations that may seem obvious to founders but not to employees. Common Leadership Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurial Minds Expecting the same level of motivation: Entrepreneurs experience a higher dopamine rush from achievement than the average person. This neurological difference leads them to anticipate the same enthusiasm from team members who do not receive the same chemical reward for their accomplishments. Speed of thought and decision-making: Entrepreneurial brains typically process information at an accelerated rate. This can create frustration when leaders fail to recognize that team members require more time to visualize paths forward. Misalignment between expressed values and actual leadership behavior: When organizational values don't match leadership behavior, team members receive mixed signals. This can erode trust, a critical factor in creating a positive workplace culture. Call to Action 🔗 Connect with the Experts: ·         Learn more about Marina Morgan: https://themorganimpact.com/ ·         Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire ·         Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Thanks for listening! Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content." Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:contact@podcastemail.com) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Are you struggling to take your business to the next level? What if the very team you've built is now holding you back from scaling to the next growth milestone? In this transformative episode of the Key Hire Small Business Podcast, Corey Harlock and Neil Katz dive deep into the most critical yet often overlooked challenge facing growing businesses: leadership capacity. Listeners will discover the truth about leadership limitations, learning why the team that helped start a business might be the same team preventing future success. The discussion reveals how leaders who excel at managing 5-10 employees often struggle to lead teams of 100 or drive revenues from $1 million to $50 million.   The episode provides a compassionate yet strategic approach to managing challenging leadership transitions. These actionable insights provide a roadmap for strategic talent development, prompting entrepreneurs to reassess their approach to leadership and team building. Whether you're a small business owner feeling stuck or an entrepreneur planning your next phase of scaling, this episode promises to provide the clarity and direction you need to transform your leadership team and accelerate your business growth.  The Core Problem: Outgrowing Your Current Talent  Neil Katz defines the central issue: "What got you here won't get you there." As businesses scale, the harsh reality is that the leadership team that helped you start often lacks the skills to take you to the next level. Katz explains that "when you have five or 10 employees, that same leader, in many cases, does not have the capability, skills, or background to take you to 100 employees or 1,000 employees, or from $1 million in revenue to $50 million."  🔗 Connect with the Experts:  Learn more about Neil Katz: www.exceptionalhrsolutions.com (http://www.exceptionalhrsolutions.com)  Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire   Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess  Thanks for listening! Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content." Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:contact@podcastemail.com) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This week on The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Corey Morris, President of Voltage Digital Marketing, for an in-depth conversation on how small business owners can build a powerful and effective online marketing strategy. As part of our ongoing small business management podcast series, this episode focuses on real-world marketing strategies for small businesses that drive growth. From understanding your audience to choosing the right channels and measuring success, Corey breaks down the essential components every entrepreneur and business leader needs to know in today’s digital landscape. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to sharpen your current approach, this episode delivers practical business growth tips and actionable steps to help you grow a small business and generate measurable results online. Learn more about Corey Morris: voltage.digital (http://voltage.digital) Connect with Corey Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymorris/ Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Thanks for listening! Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content." Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:contact@podcastemail.com) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This week on The KeyHire Podcast, Corey Harlock dives into the growing trend of Boomerang employees—former team members who return after time away. He unpacks what makes them unique, how they can support your business growth goals, and the right way to bring them back into your team. From hiring challenges and the hiring process to organization design and talent acquisition, Corey shares real-world insights that help you make smarter, more strategic decisions. He also breaks down common mistakes—like assuming loyalty or cultural fit—that can hurt your efforts to grow or scale a small business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for small business lessons, trying to improve your hiring strategies, or focused on how to build culture and team alignment, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice. Tune in to strengthen your workforce and support sustainable, smart growth. Whether you're considering bringing someone back or just curious about the dynamics, this episode will give you the insight you need to make smarter hiring decisions. Thanks for listening! Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content." Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions (mailto:contact@podcastemail.com) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Clear communication can make or break a business. In this episode, host Corey Harlock sits down with Dr. Robert Johnson, Founder & Managing Partner of Shoreline Partners, to explore powerful strategies leaders can use to enhance communication within their companies. Dr. Johnson shares insights on why being “100% right” isn’t always enough in a world where multiple perspectives and interpretations exist. Learn how to navigate complex conversations, align your team, and create a culture of clarity and accountability. Tune in for expert advice on strengthening leadership communication and fostering a more effective workplace. Learn more: https://teamtransformationmethod.com Connect with Dr. Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbobjohnson/ Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, Corey dives into the latest findings from the 2025 National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Report and unpacks what they mean for hiring in today’s tough economic climate. With labor shortages, rising wage expectations, and increased competition for top talent, Corey explores the realities business owners are facing right now—and more importantly, what they can do about it. You'll hear practical strategies for attracting and retaining great employees, even when the market feels stacked against small businesses. From refining your hiring process to shifting your mindset about what makes a strong candidate, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you build the team you need to grow your business in 2025. Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We're sitting down with Eric Malka, CEO of Strategic Brand Investments and Founder of The Art of Shaving, to explore the crucial distinction between building a business and building a brand. Eric shares his journey from launching and scaling a premium grooming company to becoming an expert in brand strategy and investment. He explains why a strong brand is more than just a logo or marketing campaign—it’s a powerful asset that drives long-term growth and customer loyalty. Corey and Eric discuss the mindset shifts entrepreneurs must make to create brands that stand the test of time, the pitfalls of focusing solely on short-term business success, and the strategies that separate great brands from forgettable businesses. Whether you're a business owner looking to elevate your brand or an entrepreneur just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to help you build something truly lasting. Learn more about Eric: https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com Read On The Razor's Edge: https://www.amazon.com/Razors-Edge-Story-Art-Shaving/dp/B0D6HRR1JX Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Xan Hong, Founder and Principal Consultant of Drive Phase Consulting, to explore how small businesses can leverage no-code software to streamline their operations, improve efficiency, and build custom tools without the need for a developer. Xan shares real-world insights on how no-code solutions empower business owners to take control of their processes, reduce costs, and scale smarter. Whether you're looking to automate workflows, manage data more effectively, or create custom apps tailored to your needs, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways. Tune in to learn how no-code technology can be a game-changer for your business. Learn more about Xan: https://www.drivephase.co Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.