034 - Official Re-Launch as Startup Systems!

Jake Huntley relaunches his show—now “Startup Systems”—with co-host Chase Budge. They outline a weekly format focused on building SMBs that run without the founder. Jake recaps growing two units to ~70 employees, stepping into an executive chairman role, and why most managers were promoted internally. They discuss frameworks for deciding what to delegate, the path from specialist→manager→executive, Jake’s 5-hour workweek, and his decision to skip VC and keep bootstrapping, plus resources like Kiyosaki and ChooseFI. (generated by AI) Discussion Points [00:02]: Why relaunch now; moving to weekly episodes and a new focus. [00:18]: From “Strategic Aspirations” to “Startup Systems.” [00:44]: Five-year gap explained: business growth, marriage, deprioritizing the pod. [01:13]: Today’s snapshot: two business units, ~70 employees; Jake now executive chairman. [01:42]: The Chipotle lunch that sparked the new format. [02:21]: New premise: helping founders build systems/processes so companies run themselves. [02:39]: Meet co-host Chase Budge (UVU marketing; age context). [03:18]: Kiyosaki’s influence: Rich Dad Poor Dad & Cashflow Quadrant. [04:11]: How Chase connected to Jake and the show. [06:07]: Core question: “How can 70 people be managed without the founder?” [07:01]: Origin story: from wedding florals to two businesses (managed marketplace + preservation). [09:25]: Fully managed marketplace model: sell, pair vendors, subcontract fulfillment. [09:30]: Preservation unit: mail-in bouquets; press frames as top product. [10:46]: “In vs. on” the business—Katie handles fulfillment; Jake builds systems. [13:07]: Three layers to systematize: fulfillment (ICs) → management → executive. [14:49]: Mapping every step: lead gen, sales, pricing, payments, production, shipping. [16:40]: Alternative path if funded: hire senior leaders earlier; trade-offs. [19:01]: Choosing what to delegate first: time audit + leverage/energy (Dan Martell’s framework). [21:15]: First hire example: customer service to own comms/follow-ups. [24:19]: Why promote internally (Good to Great insight); success of homegrown leaders. [26:11]: Identifying manager potential vs star individual contributors; trial projects. [33:13]: Promotion pacing: months between role jumps as needs emerge. [34:41]: Example path: PA → sales/design → Director running a business unit. [28:55]: Jake’s current load: ~5 hrs/week on the company; optional deep dives. [37:01]: Revenue tripling ≠ profit; years of reinvestment and fixed-cost buildout. [39:38]: Why he passed on VC: cultural fit, team profile, 10-year commitment not aligned. [53:20]: Resources & CTA: ChooseFI for FI basics; invite listener feedback and questions. View Episode Summary + Transcript: https://startupsystems.softr.app/episodes-details/official-podcast-re-launch-as-startup-systems/r/recRocR8ynNabtHTB