Can You Leave—And Win? | James Winters | Ep. 10

After 23 years of building and running his company, James Winters has reached a new crossroads. His business, focused on stove installation, chimney cleaning, and home services, has grown through hard work, strong values, and a loyal team. But like many founders, James has discovered a difficult reality: when the owner carries everything, the business can’t truly run without him. In this real-time coaching conversation, Zach Wise sits down with James to tackle a question many entrepreneurs quietly wrestle with: How do you build a business that thrives—even when you’re not there? Together, they unpack the systems, leadership habits, and mindset shifts required to move from being the center of the business to building a team that owns the mission alongside you.  Resources: Book: The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran & Michael Lennington Concepts discussed: Scorecard accountability Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Delegation and leadership development Stress-testing systems through intentional time away   Schedule a free 15-minute chat with Zach - https://calendly.com/surthrival/chat-with-zach Apply to be coached on The Surthrivalist Podcast - https://smallbizsurthrival.com/podcast   Connect with The Surthrivalist: Website: https://smallbizsurthrival.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallbizsurthrival LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjwise YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@smallbizsurthrival