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As businesses grow, what once worked starts to strain.
Not because people stop caring—but because everything still depends on the owner.

In this episode of Business Growth Made Simple, we continue the CLIMB Blueprint series with “M” for Methodization.

This conversation focuses on why growing businesses need repeatable systems, not more effort—and how methodization creates consistency, reduces stress, and protects progress.

You’ll hear:

• Why memory becomes a bottleneck
• What happens when every employee does things “their own way”
• How methodization supports leadership instead of control
• Why sustainable growth requires structure

This episode is for business owners who want their companies to work without everything running through them.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

Most small business owners don’t struggle because they lack skill or effort.
They struggle because, in a crowded market, they look and sound just like everyone else.

In this episode of Business Growth Made Simple, we continue the CLIMB Blueprint series with the third letter: “I” for Innovation.

Innovation isn’t about technology, trends, or chasing the next new thing. The reality is, for small businesses, innovation is the discipline of standing out clearly enough to be seen—by the right customers, for the right reasons.

Steve breaks down what innovation really means in practical terms, what happens when it’s missing, and why businesses that fail to differentiate are often forced to compete on price. You’ll hear a real, verifiable example of how focus—not complexity—created long-term advantage, and how the same principles apply to service businesses, local companies, and growing firms today.

This episode will help you evaluate whether your business is truly distinct—or simply blending into the noise—and how innovation fits into the larger CLIMB framework.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

Climb Blueprint "L" (Part 2 - external language)

Most business owners don’t lose customers because they’re bad at what they do — they lose them because their message isn’t clear.

In this episode of Business Growth Made Simple, we continue through The CLIMB Blueprint with Letter Two: Language (Part Two), focusing on how to talk to your ideal client in a way that builds trust, clarity, and confidence.

You’ll learn why the words you use matter more than your credentials, how customers decide whether a business “gets them,” and how clear language reduces hesitation, price resistance, and confusion. This episode breaks down practical, real-world communication principles that help small business owners connect with the right clients and move conversations toward a confident “yes.”

If you’ve ever felt like prospects compare you to everyone else — or walk away without a clear reason — this episode will help you understand why and show you how to fix it.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why clear language builds trust faster than experience or credentials
• How customers decide whether a business understands them
• The biggest communication mistake most small business owners make
• How to speak from the customer’s perspective instead of your own
• Why clear messaging reduces price objections and comparison shopping
• How better language improves both marketing and sales conversations

Who This Episode Is For:

This episode is for small business owners, service-based businesses, and entrepreneurs who want to improve their sales conversations, marketing messaging, and customer communication without sounding scripted or salesy.

Join us weekly to discuss business growth and answer some of your questions. Start the week with this powerful hour.

Join the Weekly Front Porch: Coffee Q&A here

Looking to go deeper and join the BGMS Cohort? We intentionally keep this group small (no more than 10 people) We want to make sure we are a good fit for you. Click here to schedule your call with us.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

CLIMB Blueprint – L Is for Language (Part 1: Internal Language)

In this episode of Business Growth Made Simple, Steve continues the CLIMB Blueprint series by breaking down the second letter: Language — starting with the language we use inside our businesses.

You’ll learn why most team misalignment isn’t a people problem, but a communication problem, and how vision, mission, and purpose—when spoken early and often—help teams make better decisions in the field.

Steve also shares a humorous but powerful story about why “saying it once” doesn’t work, and how repeated language becomes the filter your team uses when leadership isn’t in the room.

This episode is for business owners who want:

• Clearer team alignment
• Better decision-making
• Less stress and second-guessing
• A business that feels stable instead of fragile

Next up in the CLIMB series: Language Part 2 — how to speak to customers so they feel, “That company is speaking directly to me.”

Front Porch: Coffee, Q&A click to join

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

Clarity is the first step in the CLIMB Blueprint—and for good reason.

In this episode of Business Growth Made Simple, Steve breaks down why most small business owners feel stuck, overwhelmed, or scattered—not because they lack effort, but because they lack clarity. Using the story of the Wright Brothers vs. Samuel Langley, you’ll learn how clarity of purpose creates focus, resilience, and momentum, while chasing recognition leads to distraction and burnout.

This episode explores how clarity helps business owners prioritize the right work, filter out noise, and build momentum in the right direction—before tactics, systems, or growth.

If you’re busy but not making progress, this episode will help you reset your focus and take the next right step.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

The CLIMB Blueprint: A Practical Framework for Business Clarity

• Introducing The CLIMB Blueprint — a practical framework developed through years of 1:1 coaching
• Why most small business owners feel busy, overwhelmed, and stuck
• The real problem isn’t effort — it’s focus, priority, and sequence
• How working on the right things in the right order reduces stress and creates momentum
• What CLIMB is (and what it isn’t):
  • Not motivation or theory
  • A clear framework for decision-making and execution
• Real outcomes business owners have experienced using CLIMB:
  • Reduced stress
  • Clearer priorities
  • Improved margins
  • More predictable cash flow
• What to expect as each part of CLIMB is broken down in upcoming episodes
• Invitation to the January 60-Day CLIMB Cohort
  • Small group
  • High connection
  • Execution-focused
  • Limited seats by design

Who This Episode Is For

• Small business owners
• Entrepreneurs and founders
• Service-based businesses
• Leaders seeking clarity and focus

Next Steps

• Listen for upcoming CLIMB Blueprint breakdown episodes
• Apply for the January 60-Day CLIMB Cohort

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

Today we’re tackling one of the hottest topics inside every entrepreneur Facebook group right now: how to start a business without going broke, going into debt, or going crazy. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need a loan, investor, or pile of cash to get your next business off the ground—this episode will bring clarity, relief, and maybe a good laugh, too.

Steve breaks down the real data behind start-up failure rates, why 82% of businesses collapse due to cash flow problems, why debt-funded businesses fail more often, and why the most successful small businesses today are the ones that grow at the speed of cash instead of drowning in payments and pressure.

Packed with relatable stories, lightly faith-rooted principles, and practical how-tos… this episode is designed to calm your nerves and sharpen your strategy. You don’t need a giant loan. You need clarity, discipline, and a plan.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why “I need start-up money” is usually a myth
• The real failure rates small businesses face
• How debt creates pressure that kills young businesses
• Why cash-funded businesses survive longer and grow stronger
• The mindset shift that separates scrappy winners from overwhelmed borrowers
• How to start lean and smart—no matter your industry
• The truth behind those “$36 to $300K” success stories

Key Stats & Insights:

• 82% of businesses fail due to cash flow issues (U.S. Bank)
• 65% of businesses that start with debt fail within 10 years
• 20% fail in year one, 50% by year five (SBA)
• Businesses started with personal savings last longer (MIT/Kauffman)
• Owners spend 2–3x more when spending borrowed money vs. cash (HBR)

Episode Highlights:

• “Money multiplies whatever you already are. If you’re disciplined, you’ll get more disciplined. If you’re sloppy, you’ll get sloppier—with nicer equipment.”
• “Debt demands perfection on day one. Cash allows you to learn.”
• “You don’t need a loan. You need clarity.”
• “Grow at the speed of cash, not the speed of pressure.”

CTA:

Steve’s 90-Day Accelerator kicks off in January — and every seat is already taken. If you want early notification the moment the next cohort opens, join the waitlist today. Spots fill fast for a reason.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy

Send us a text

In today’s episode of Business Growth Made Simple, Steve breaks down the five essential KPIs every residential service business must track if they want predictable growth, real profit, and peace of mind. We dig into Revenue, Profit Margin, Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Close Rate, and Cash Reserves — what they mean, why they matter, what they reveal when they’re off, and how ignoring them can wreck a business faster than a broken van in July.

This is a straight-shooting, humorous, deep dive into the numbers most contractors avoid… but absolutely need to understand. Get ready to stop guessing, stop using the force, and start leading your business with confidence.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Revenue is the “speedometer” of your business
• How Profit Margin reveals the truth about your pricing and efficiency
• The real cost of getting a new customer (CAC)
• Why your Close Rate determines whether you grow or grind
• How Cash Reserves keep your business alive in slow seasons
• What happens when you don’t track these numbers
• What each KPI tells you when the numbers go sideways
• How to start using these KPIs immediately

Who This Episode Is For:

• HVAC, plumbing, electrical, painting, landscaping, handyman, and other home-service contractors
• Owners tired of working hard and still feeling broke
• Businesses stuck in chaos and looking for clarity
• Anyone serious about growing profitably and sustainably

Resources Mentioned:

• Contractor studies from ServiceTitan, SCORE, and JP Morgan
• SBA small business financial benchmarks
• Harvard Business Review research on KPI-driven growth

Call to Action:

Ready to build a business that runs on data instead of drama?
Book your Free Strategy Call and let’s get your KPIs dialed in so you can scale with confidence.

When you are ready to move forward with help, here are some ways you can work with us.

• Schedule your 60 minute serve call
• Get your 2 minute quiz to see if your business is ready to run without you
• Support the channel (coming soon)

Topics include:

• Small business growth
• Service business coaching
• Business Growth Consulting
• Time management for small business owners
• Leadership for small business
• Small Business Growth Strategy