The Business Game

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Andrew Sparks, Founder of exyt® and creator of Exit OS — a practical operating system designed to help founder-led businesses remove owner dependence, build stronger leadership teams, and scale without the founder becoming the bottleneck. After leaving school at just 15 to become a plumber, Andrew built multiple successful businesses before studying psychology and performance, combining decades of real-world business experience with human behaviour to create a framework that helps founders reclaim their time and build businesses that can run without them. We asked him about the "Second Stage Squeeze" that traps so many business owners, why working harder eventually stops working, how to build accountability into a growing company, hiring great leaders, creating systems that scale, and what it really takes to build a business that gives you both time and financial freedom. Let’s dive in, with Andrew Sparks: Why leaving school at 15 became the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey The "Second Stage Squeeze" that traps founders as their businesses grow Why working harder eventually becomes your biggest bottleneck How to stop being the person every decision depends on Building leadership teams that actually take ownership Why most businesses accidentally create a prison for the founder The psychology behind scaling a business without losing control How Exit OS helps founders reclaim 10-20 hours every week Why hiring exceptional people is the closest thing to a business cheat code What true success looks like beyond revenue and growth If you're a founder, business owner, or entrepreneur who feels like your business can't function without you, this episode is packed with practical lessons on leadership, delegation, systems, accountability, hiring, and building a business that creates freedom instead of burnout. Connect with Andrew Sparks: Website: myexyt.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theandrewsparks The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Sahil Nijhawan, CEO of Nexus DMC Oceania and an entrepreneur who has spent more than 20 years building businesses across travel, real estate, construction, AI, and consumer brands. LEVEL 5: $30M-$100M: Executive Layer and Divisions When COVID brought the global travel industry to a complete standstill, Sahil lost the business he had spent years building. With no income and no clear path forward, he went from leading a thriving company to stacking shelves at Coles at 4am, working in supermarkets, teaching short courses, and rebuilding his life one step at a time. Today, Sahil leads Nexus DMC Oceania, helping power a global travel platform supporting 190,000 travel agents across 18 countries, while simultaneously building and investing in AI-native businesses designed for the future. We asked him about overcoming failure, scaling multiple businesses at once, using AI to multiply your time, why community matters more than ever in an AI-driven world, and what it really takes to become fearless as a founder. Let's dive in, With Sahil Nijhawan: How COVID wiped out his business almost overnight Why working in a supermarket became one of the greatest lessons of his life The mindset shift that made him fearless as an entrepreneur How Nexus supports 190,000 travel agents globally Why founders must stop being the bottleneck How his AI assistant "Nova" helps manage multiple businesses Why persistence matters more than talent or timing The importance of building community in an AI-first world How to scale businesses without losing local trust and relationships The lessons he learned from building, losing, and rebuilding everything If you're a founder, business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur looking for a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and building businesses that can survive almost anything, this episode is packed with practical insights and hard-earned lessons. Connect with Sahil Nijhawan: Website: https://www.nexusdmc.com/cp/oceania-dmc-21557 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sahil-nijhawan-2018aba The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Jonathan Aberman, Founder and CEO of Hupside, a venture capitalist turned entrepreneur who has spent more than 25 years helping launch over 40 technology companies and advising founders on what separates good businesses from truly exceptional ones. LEVEL 2: $1M-$3M Dollars. First Teams, First Systems After decades investing in innovation, Jonathan returned to the founder's seat with a bold mission: to prove that in a world increasingly powered by AI, the greatest competitive advantage isn't artificial intelligence, it's human originality. We asked him whether AI is really replacing people, why originality is becoming the most valuable business asset, the common traits shared by successful founders, why self-awareness matters more than confidence, and what it takes to build a company that stands out instead of blending in. Let's dive in,  With Jonathan Aberman: Why AI is becoming a "sameness engine" for business Why originality will become the biggest competitive advantage of the AI era The founder trait Jonathan says every successful entrepreneur shares Why self-awareness beats confidence every time The biggest reason great business ideas never become great companies Why timing matters just as much as execution Why entrepreneurs need people who tell them the truth The hidden downside of wealth that nobody talks about Why building on top of AI platforms could be a dangerous strategy How Jonathan is trying to build a company that changes the future of work If you're a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone trying to understand how AI will reshape business over the next decade, this episode is packed with practical insights, thought-provoking ideas, and a refreshing perspective on why humans still matter most. Connect with Jonathan Aberman: Website: https://www.hupside.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanaberman/ The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Miranda McLennan, Founder of Those Who Dare Agency and what many would call the queen of reinvention. Level 1: STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGE: $0M – 1M  After spending more than 15 years building businesses across hospitality, fashion, aviation, construction and business consulting, including co-founding an award-winning restaurant in the Italian Dolomites, Miranda has built a career by saying yes to opportunities, trusting her intuition, and reinventing herself whenever life called for it. Today, she's launching Those Who Dare Agency, helping creators, brands and media personalities build meaningful long-term commercial partnerships while proving that sometimes the biggest opportunities come when you take the leap before you're ready. We asked her about pivoting careers, walking away from successful businesses, building community, launching a business prematurely, and why having great people around you matters more than having the perfect plan. Let's dive in,  With Miranda McLennan: Why Miranda has reinvented herself time and time again throughout her career How a 12-month trip to Italy turned into five years and an award-winning restaurant The lessons she learned from building a business in Europe and working with luxury brands like Porsche and Audi Why saying no can be just as powerful as saying yes in business How ChatGPT helped her discover the business she was meant to build Why nothing in business or life is permanent The biggest advantage of surrounding yourself with great people What founders need to hear before launching their next big idea Why community involvement has become one of her greatest passions What it really means to be one of "Those Who Dare" If you're a founder who's considering a pivot, waiting for the perfect time to launch, or wondering whether it's too late to reinvent yourself, this episode will give you the confidence to back yourself and take the next step. Connect with Miranda McLennan: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/miranda-mclennan-2039b6166 The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Darragh de Stonndún, CEO of Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR), a global automation company with more than 550 people across the US, UK, and Ireland. Darragh is doing business at Level 7: $500M-$1B - The Global Expansion Stage Over the past 25 years, Darragh has helped transform AIR from a collection of regional engineering businesses into a global automation platform. Today, he’s leading the company through its next phase of integrating acquisitions across multiple countries, embracing physical AI, and preparing for a future where the data generated by industrial robots could become more valuable than the robots themselves. We asked him about scaling a company across borders, why AI doesn’t scare him, the biggest mistakes businesses make when adopting new technology, and how leaders can build organisations that thrive without them. Let’s dive in,  With Darragh de Stonndún: Why staying a regional business would have cost AIR everything The leadership shift required to manage teams across three countries Why physical AI and humanoid robotics will transform manufacturing The real reason AI should excite, not scare, business leaders Why taking shortcuts with AI could become incredibly dangerous How Darragh built an iPhone app in four hours without writing a single line of code Why industrial data may soon become more valuable than the machines themselves The advantage smaller companies have over billion-dollar competitors How AIR maintains agility while scaling globally What winning in business looks like when you're no longer the person making every decision Connect with Darragh de Stonndún: Website: https://industrialrobotics.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/darraghdestonndun  If you're a founder, business owner, leader, or simply curious about where AI, robotics, and manufacturing are heading, this episode is packed with practical lessons on leadership, innovation, and scaling a business on a global stage. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today's episode of The Business Game, we're sitting down with Yega Kumarappan, Founder and CEO of Paperflite, an AI-powered sales enablement platform helping enterprise sales teams close deals faster through intelligent content, conversation and deal insights. Over the past eight years, Yega has built a global SaaS company by staying ahead of rapid technological change... and he's convinced that in the AI era, your product is no longer your competitive advantage.As artificial intelligence makes it possible for almost anyone to build software in days instead of months, Yega believes the real winners won't be the companies with the best technology – they'll be the ones who can distribute it the fastest. He shares why founders need to stop obsessing over features, embrace the "boring work" of execution, and build organisations that can move as quickly as technology itself. We asked him about scaling a SaaS company in the AI era, why distribution has become more valuable than product, how leadership changes as companies grow, and why the future belongs to founders who can execute faster than everyone else.Let's dive in,with Yega Kumarappan: Why AI has made technology the easiest part of building a business  The reason most SaaS products can now be copied in minutes  Why distribution has become the biggest competitive advantage  How AI is compressing 50 years of innovation into just five  Why founders need to stop chasing shiny objects  The "boring work" that actually creates billion-dollar businesses  Why great governance should feel like freedom—not control  The leadership mistake that cost his company valuable time  Why hungry teams outperform large teams  His definition of winning in business and lifeConnect with Yega Kumarappan: Website: https://www.paperflite.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yegakumarappan/The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial:https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Simon Bowen, founder of The Models Method and creator of the Genius Model, a visual thinking framework used in more than 30 countries to help founders, leaders and organisations make complex ideas simple, scalable and impossible to ignore. After growing up in small country towns in Western Australia and spending decades consulting on billion-dollar infrastructure projects, military operations, government initiatives and corporate strategy, Simon discovered that the fastest way to align people, influence decisions and scale ideas isn't through more words... it's through better models. We asked him about visual thinking, why most businesses struggle to communicate what makes them valuable, how founders can make their thinking scalable, and why the future belongs to leaders who can simplify complexity in a world increasingly dominated by AI. Let’s dive in,With Simon Bowen: Why every great business idea starts as a drawing  The visual thinking framework that's influenced hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue  How he secured a $20 million funding commitment with an eight-minute presentation  Why PowerPoint is failing founders and business leaders  The psychology behind models that change minds and drive decisions  How to communicate complex ideas in a way people can never unsee  Why founders are often the biggest bottleneck in scaling their businesses  The role AI will play in making businesses either irrelevant or irreplaceable  How visual models create alignment across teams, customers and stakeholders  The communication skill Simon believes will define the next generation of leaders  If you're a founder, business owner or leader trying to communicate more effectively, scale your thinking, or build a business that isn't dependent on you being in every conversation, this episode is packed with practical lessons on influence, leadership, communication and making your genius visible. Connect with Simon Bowen:Website: modelsmethod.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial:https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailStarting a business with $200 is impressive.Rebuilding it three separate times after devastating setbacks is something else entirely.In this Throwback Thursday episode of The Business Game, Dave Feinman shares the lessons behind scaling his video editing business Viral Ideas into a global creative venture with more than 90 employees. From losing 80% of his revenue overnight to building systems that allow creativity to scale, Dave explains why operational complexity – not finding customers – is the real challenge of growth.If you're building a team, creating systems, or learning how to lead through increasing complexity, this conversation is full of practical advice you can apply immediately.Let's dive inwith Dave Feinman:How to scale a creative business without sacrificing qualityWhy every business is only as strong as its biggest bottleneck Building systems that allow creativity to flourish Leading a global remote team Why founders must stop working with people and start working through people The leadership lesson Dave lives by: be the person you needed in your darkest momentConnect with Dave FeinmanWebsite - https://www.viralideamarketing.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-feinman-7a069255/ The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial:https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLevel 5: $30M-$100M Executive Layer and Division Growth On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Robert Indries, Managing Partner of Elkridge Advisors. Robert is an engineer turned powerhouse entrepreneur who has generated more than $500 million in business value, built a diverse parallel portfolio of companies, and successfully executed an eight-figure exit from an AI venture.  Robert’s path wasn't built on the typical "Instagram entrepreneur" fantasy. From growing up on a small Transylvanian farm to hitting absolute rock bottom, eating one Subway sandwich a day with only $100 left to his name. Robert learned the hard way that business operates on cold, hard math, not wishful thinking. Today, he looks at the world like a motherboard, designing systems with absolute redundancy so businesses can thrive entirely without him.  In this episode, Robert cracks open the playbook on Level 6 business growth, sharing why he views life and operations through a binary lens: it's either a one or a zero, there is no gray area.  Lets dive in, With Robert Indries: Why 96% of businesses never hit seven figures, and why true statistical wealth is actually built through careers.  How treating business like a motherboard eliminates key-person dependencies and systemic collapse.  How losing all his savings in a disastrous early venture completely revolutionized his rule on getting paid upfront.  The precise criteria Robert uses before doing business with anyone, including why it must make money, make the world better, and feature people he actually likes.  Why high-level founders focus exclusively on the upside of an investment rather than the price tag.  Why Robert prefers stepping back as a "support character" or "tank" rather than chasing fame, finding his joy in watching his team win.  A candid look at the emotional toll of high-stakes business, navigating internal turmoil, and taking action anyway.  Whether you’re looking to untangle your operations, transition from operator to true owner, or figure out how to scale dozens of cross-border acquisitions a year, Robert’s unfiltered, mathematical approach to business excellence will fundamentally change how you view your company.  Connect with Robert Indries Website - https://elkridgeadvisors.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertindries/ The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. #TheBusinessGame #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #SystemsEngineering  #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ScalingBusiness #FounderMindset #AssetManagementSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0M-$1M START UP AND SURVIVAL STAGE In this episode of The Business Game, we sit down with Matthew Nowell, founder of MPAC Property Group, RentFinder Australia, and a new building company focused on cashflow positive investments.  Matthew shares how he had a $250,000 leadership role in the mining industry before making the life-changing decision to leave it all behind at 39. He opens up about the mindset that helped him embrace uncertainty, why he believes failure is one of the greatest teachers in business, and how networking, integrity and a long-term approach have fueled the rapid growth of his business. We also dive into the changing property investment landscape, why Matthew believes cashflow-positive investing is the future, and the lessons he's determined to pass on to his children about backing yourself and creating your own path. Whether you're thinking about changing careers, building a business from the ground up, or looking for a fresh perspective on property investing, you don't want to miss this episode.Let’s dive in, With Matthew Nowell: Walking away from a high-paying career to start a business Why failure is essential for long-term success Building a business through networking and relationships The importance of staying true to your values Creating cashflow-positive property investments Balancing entrepreneurship with family life The mindset required to reinvent yourself at any stage of life  If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to The Business Game and leave us a review. New episodes every week featuring founders and business leaders sharing the lessons they've learned at every level of the game. Connect with Matthew Nowell: Website: https://www.mpacpropertygroup.com.au/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthew-nowell-93a05491  The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLevel 3: $3-$8M DELEGATION AND EARLY LEADERSHIP On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Phil Ohren, Founder and CEO of Intender, a growth marketing agency on a mission to make advertising useful, not annoying. Like many founders, Phil spent years chasing growth, building teams, serving clients, and pushing for the next milestone. But behind the scenes, he found himself facing something he never expected: burnout so severe it left him with writer's block, strategy block, and a growing realisation that his identity had become tied to external validation. In this episode, Phil shares the lessons that came from that experience, including why he believes many entrepreneurs are unknowingly people-pleasers, how learning to let go transformed his leadership, and the advice from a mentor who told him he was operating like "a genius with a thousand helpers". A mindset that simply doesn't scale. Let’s dive in, With Phil Ohren: • Why founder burnout often starts with seeking validation from others  • The leadership shift required to stop being the bottleneck  • Why Phil would build a CRM before writing vision and values  • The power of accountability frameworks inside growing businesses  • How being "neuro-spicy" became one of his biggest strengths as a founder  • Why curiosity is a competitive advantage in business  • The future of AI and why Phil believes robots will transform advertising  • How small, consistent wins compound into massive growth over time Whether you're trying to scale a business, build a stronger leadership team, or avoid the mistakes that lead many founders to burnout, this conversation is packed with practical insights and honest reflections from someone who's lived through it. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 4: $8M - $20M GROWING PAINS AND OPERATIONAL COMPLEXITY On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Skye Blanks, Chief Operations Officer at the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) and founder of Herman Todd Consulting Group, to unpack what it really takes to grow a business beyond founder hustle and into something that can scale sustainably. At this stage of the game, the challenge isn’t just getting customers or staying busy, it’s about building systems, delegating effectively, creating strategic partnerships, and turning a founder-dependent business into one that can operate without you in the room. In this conversation, Skye shares how he built credibility as a young executive operating on the global stage, what small business owners consistently get wrong when they hit a growth plateau, and why the businesses that scale fastest are the ones willing to think beyond their industry, their local market, and their own four walls. Lets dive in, with Skye Blanks: Why most growth plateaus are strategy problems, not market problems The role SOPs play in scaling without chaos How strategic partnerships can unlock growth faster than more marketing Why founders need to stop building businesses that collapse without them What Skye has learned from advising businesses across industries and countries The mindset shift from doing everything yourself to leading through trust and delegation If you’re a founder trying to move from being the person who does everything to the person who leads a business that can grow, this episode will give you a clear look at what needs to change next. Connect with Skye Blanks: Website: https://icsb.org/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/skyeblanks The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 3: $3M - $8M  DELEGATION AND EARLY LEADERSHIP  On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re joined by Mark Vange, founder and CEO of Autom8ly, a serial tech entrepreneur who has built and sold seven companies, holds more than 100 patents, and has spent decades building at the edge of software, gaming, fintech, and now AI. In this episode, Mark unpacks what founders are getting wrong about AI, why most businesses are still using it far too narrowly, and how leaders should think about implementing AI as a true productivity partner rather than just another shiny tool. From the rise of “cooperative AI” to the risks around security, compliance, and trust, this conversation is a practical look at what business owners need to understand if they want to stay competitive as AI reshapes the way companies operate. Let’s dive in, With Mark Vange: Why Mark believes AI should be treated like a new team member, not just a piece of software The biggest mistakes businesses make when trying to adopt AI too quickly How founders can use AI to remove friction and reclaim time without losing the human element Why trust, compliance, and security are becoming the real battlegrounds in AI adoption What Mark has learned from building, scaling, and exiting multiple tech companies across different industries  Connect with Mark Vange: Website: https://autom8ly.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markvange  If you’re trying to work out how AI fits into your business in a practical, strategic way, and what the next wave of innovation might mean for founders, we made this episode for you. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 6: $50M – $150M GOVERNANCE, DATA & SERIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Barry Patel, Founder and CEO of Galt Pharmaceuticals, a company redefining how pharmaceutical businesses are built, scaled, and distributed. Starting with no outside investors and bootstrapping his way through one of the world’s most heavily regulated industries, Barry shares how he built a pharmaceutical company using an unconventional franchise model, why he believes founders should avoid raising capital for as long as possible, and the surprising leadership lessons that came from realizing he had become the bottleneck in his own business. We also dive into the realities of scaling in healthcare, navigating FDA regulations, building systems that create competitive moats, and what it takes to lead a company where every decision carries significant financial and human consequences. Whether you're building your first business or leading a company through rapid growth, Barry’s insights on leadership, resilience, systems, and long-term value creation offer a masterclass in playing the business game at a high level. Let’s dive in, with Barry Patel: • How Barry bootstrapped a pharmaceutical company without investors • The unconventional franchise model powering Galt Pharmaceuticals • Why founders often become the bottleneck to growth • The hidden challenges of scaling in highly regulated industries • Building systems, structure, and competitive moats • Why creating value matters more than chasing money • Barry’s philosophy on leadership, stoicism, and long-term success If business truly is a game, Barry Patel’s approach to winning might surprise you. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 2: $1M – $3M FIRST TEAM, FIRST SYSTEMS Most founders think scaling is about working harder... but Michael Barbarita learned the opposite. In today's episode of The Business Game, Michael shares lessons from more than 30 years building and operating businesses across retail, manufacturing, finance, and service industries. From growing a retail company from $2.5 million to $8 million in under five years to serving as a CFO, Treasurer, board member, and business advisor, he's seen what actually drives sustainable growth. We discuss delegation, systems, the 80/20 Rule, strategic partnerships, and why many founders accidentally become the biggest obstacle to their own growth. Whether you're building your first team or trying to create a business that can grow without relying on you for everything, this episode is packed with practical insights. Let’s dive in with Michael Barbarita: • Why most founders struggle with delegation • The 80/20 Rule in business • How to stop being the bottleneck • Systems that support growth • Strategic partnerships and joint ventures • The biggest scaling mistakes business owners make • Lessons from building and advising multiple companies Connect with Michael: Website: www.nextstepcfo.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbarbarita/ Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the best software developer for your business isn't an agency, a freelancer or even an employee? According to Paul Salvage - Chief AI Officer & founder of Productly - the best developer for your business is... you. In this episode of The Business Game, Paul explains why AI is fundamentally changing software development, why traditional agencies are becoming obsolete, and how founders can now build products themselves with the help of tools like Claude.With over 30 years of experience in product development, Paul has seen every major technology shift firsthand. He shares how AI has compressed development timelines from months to weeks, why owning your technology is becoming critical for startups, and how business owners can use AI to gain a competitive advantage.  Let's dive inwith Paul Salvage:Why agencies are being disrupted by AI  The new "build with you" model for software development  How founders can create products without coding  The role AI agents are playing inside modern businesses  Common mistakes businesses make when adopting AI  What happens to companies that fail to adaptIf you're building a startup, running a service business or simply trying to keep up with the pace of AI innovation, this is the episode you want to hear!Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL TWO: $1M to $5M FIRST TEAMS, FIRST SYSTEMS STAGE On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Robyn Anderson, Founder of JAM AI and creator of Club JAM. One of the fastest-growing AI communities helping small business owners actually understand and implement AI into their day-to-day operations. After building 17 different AI courses around tools that quickly became obsolete, Robyn realized the real opportunity wasn’t selling information… it was building a community that could evolve alongside the speed of AI itself. Now, with hundreds of members inside Club JAM, Robyn helps entrepreneurs use tools like Claude, ChatGPT, NotebookLM and AI agents to save time, streamline operations, and scale smarter, even while balancing motherhood, consulting, speaking gigs, and building the business mostly between 4:30AM and school drop-off. If you’re trying to understand AI without getting overwhelmed, build smarter systems, create leverage in your business, or simply keep up with how fast technology is changing...  this episode is for you! Let’s dive in, with Robyn Anderson: • why she almost gave up trying to keep up with AI • the biggest mistake she made building 17 AI courses too early • why Claude is becoming the go-to AI tool for business owners • how she creates custom AI-generated podcasts for herself every day • the simple prompt every business owner should try immediately • how AI can help build systems, SOPs, marketing, and operations • why community became more valuable than selling courses • the truth about AI “slop” and fake AI content online • why personal brands should stop relying on AI avatars • how she built a growing AI business while raising two kids • the hidden challenge of hiring people into AI-powered businesses • how she uses AI to save massive amounts of time every single day • the emotional AI interview process that made members laugh and cry • why speaking for free became the growth engine for her business • how to start using AI without feeling overwhelmed The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 3: $3M – $8M DELEGATION & EARLY LEADERSHIP STAGE On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Chad G. Bauer, owner of SR&B Advertising, a second-generation agency leader navigating the pressure of modernising a 60-year family business without losing the legacy that built it. After stepping into the company founded by his father, Chad realised the biggest bottleneck wasn’t the market... it was himself. In this episode, he shares the hard lessons around delegation, building a leadership layer, letting go of control, and evolving from founder-operator into a true CEO. From difficult conversations with his father to creating systems that allowed the business to run without him being involved in every decision, this episode is packed with practical insights for founders stuck in the messy middle of growth. Let’s dive in with Chad G. Bauer: Why self-awareness changed Chad’s leadership style  The moment he realised he was the bottleneck  Building managers and leadership structure for the first time  Hiring systems that filter out the wrong people fast  The pressure of inheriting a family legacy business  Why “scaling isn’t about doing more”  If you’re trying to step out of the day-to-day, build a stronger team, and grow without carrying the entire business on your back... this episode is for you. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial:https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0 – $1M  STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGE On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Laura Campbell, Founder of Hip Surfer, the Australian baby product brand transforming how parents carry their children. What started as a side hustle during maternity leave quickly became something much bigger. After struggling with chronic pain and finding existing baby carriers uncomfortable, Laura decided to create her own solution. Three years later, Hip Surfer has grown into a seven-figure business stocked in airports, theme parks, resorts, and retail locations across Australia and beyond. We asked Laura about building a product business while raising young children, scaling from a simple idea into a nationally recognised brand, and the realities of being a solo founder when every department still runs through you. From late-night Meta ads and manufacturing challenges to viral social media moments and stock shortages, Laura shares the highs, lows, and lessons from building a business that's helping thousands of families around the world. Let’s dive in, with Laura Campbell: • Why a personal health challenge led to creating Hip Surfer • The customer feedback that proved she had more than just a baby product • How she went from a $30,000 goal to blowing past $100,000 in her first year • The reality of doing your own marketing, manufacturing, accounting, and operations • How leveraging relationships opened doors into airports, resorts, and theme parks • The viral reel that generated millions of views, and a stock crisis • Why investing in coaching and business communities accelerated growth • The hidden challenges of being a solo founder • What it takes to scale a product business while raising a family If you're building an e-commerce brand, launching a product business, balancing entrepreneurship with family life, or trying to turn a side hustle into something bigger, this is the episode for you.The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses 🚀 High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - click here for your 14-day free trialSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0 – $1MSTARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGEOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Ian Stephens, one of Australia’s leading sales psychologists, speaker, author, and performance coach who has worked with businesses in 29 countries around the worldBefore becoming an internationally recognised sales expert, Ian spent years fighting to keep his business alive — borrowing money from his parents, selling his car, and even selling his house to stay in the game. Along the way, he learned some hard truths about cash flow, mindset, systems, and what really happens when business owners get desperate.We asked Ian why sales often get harder when you need them most, how limiting beliefs quietly sabotage business growth, why most founders focus on goals instead of systems, and the lesson every entrepreneur needs to hear about building a business that doesn't rely entirely on them.Let's dive inwith Ian Stephens:• 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 in a season where things feel tighter than usual, this episode will give you clarity on what’s actually going on... and what to do next. Connect with Ian:LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/ianstephensspeaksWebsite - enrichacademy.com.auSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 2: $1M – $3M FIRST TEAM, FIRST SYSTEMS STAGE On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Dustin Snyder, Founder and Chief Advisor of WayForward, the company helping organisations uncover the hidden behavioural systems driving turnover, disengagement, low performance, and leadership problems inside teams. After leading a 600-person manufacturing turnaround, Dustin realised something most leaders never see: employee behaviour isn’t random, it’s the rational output of the systems leaders create around people. That insight led him to build SWIM (Strategic Workforce Insight Mapping), a framework designed to help executives diagnose the real root causes behind workforce problems instead of treating surface-level symptoms. In this episode, Dustin breaks down why most engagement surveys fail, why frontline behaviour almost always traces back to leadership, and why companies spend far more time understanding customers than they do their own employees. He also opens up about the difficult transition from founder-operator to CEO, the painful lessons of scaling beyond himself, and why “killing your ego every morning” became one of the biggest unlocks in his growth journey. Let’s dive in, with Dustin Snyder: Why employee turnover creates hidden financial damage most businesses never measure  The leadership behaviours teams subconsciously copy  Why fear-based decisions are almost always the wrong ones  The scary process of niching down and saying no to revenue  How documenting his process led to writing his book Sink or Swim  The system-thinking cheat code founders can use to scale faster  If you’ve ever struggled with culture, delegation, leadership bottlenecks, or building a business that can grow beyond you, this episode is packed with insights you’ll want to hear. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL THREE: $3M to $8M:  DELEGATION AND EARLY LEADERSHIP On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Melanie Warner, founder and CEO of Defining Moments Press. After rebuilding from $3.6 million in debt to multi-millions in just 18 months, Melanie has turned personal adversity into a scalable business model that helps entrepreneurs turn books into client acquisition systems. What started as a frustrating battle with traditional publishing evolved into the Seven Figure Book Method. A system that helps experts turn authority into scalable revenue. We asked her how she rebuilt after losing everything, why most founders build personality-driven businesses that can’t scale, and what it really takes to transition from being the face of the company to building systems that grow without you. Let’s dive in, with Melanie Warner: How she rebuilt from $3.6M in debt to multi-millions Why traditional publishing failed her The real business model behind a “book funnel” Why personality can only build the first million The systems required to scale beyond founder-led growth How to stop selling to strangers and attract ideal buyers The transition from solopreneur to CEO Why systems beat hustle at every stage of growth What building authority really looks like in 2026 If you’re building an expertise-based business, trying to scale beyond yourself, or looking to turn your knowledge into a real growth engine... this episode is for you. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL FOUR: $8M to $20M GROWING PAINS & OPERATIONAL COMPLEXITY On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Melissa Drew, Founder and CEO of InSite BUILD, a construction management firm delivering complex government and institutional projects across the Mid-Atlantic. After a 20-year career leading large-scale construction projects for national contractors, Melissa launched InSite BUILD and landed a $53 million project almost immediately, forcing the company to operate at a level most businesses take years to grow into. Melissa shares the realities of scaling inside the construction industry, why relationships became the foundation of her business, and the leadership lessons she learned after losing key team members during a difficult growth phase. She also explains why empathy has become one of her greatest advantages on job sites, and how she’s building a culture that prioritises both accountability and humanity in a traditionally tough industry. If you’re trying to scale a business, build strong culture, lead teams under pressure, or grow without compromising your standards? This episode is for you!  Let’s dive in, with Melissa Drew: • how she landed a $53M project at the very start of the business • the leadership mistakes that cost her valuable team members • why relationships matter more than anything in construction • what “bonding capacity” really means — and why it limits growth • how empathy improves safety, performance, and accountability • the realities of leading in a male-dominated industry • why culture matters most when money is on the line • the systems and structure she invested in from day one • how to keep startup teams motivated during difficult growth phases • why treating people like humans creates better performance Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL TWO: $1M to $3M:  FIRST TEAMS, FIRST SYSTEMS, FOUNDER LED In today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Mark Story, construction consultant, turnaround specialist, and founder of Commercial Construction Services LLC. For nearly 40 years, Mark has worked on high-stakes construction projects across government infrastructure, stadiums, data centres, and large-scale commercial developments, often stepping in when projects were already heading off the rails. In this episode, Mark breaks down why most project failures begin long before construction starts, the hidden dangers of weak systems and poor planning, and why compliance becomes unavoidable as businesses grow. He also shares the realities of running a founder-led consultancy, the pressure of carrying accountability on major projects, and the lessons he’s learned helping teams recover when timelines, budgets, and trust are all under pressure. If you’re building a service business, managing complex projects, or trying to scale without becoming the bottleneck yourself, this episode is packed with practical lessons. Let’s dive in, with Mark Story: Why most project failures begin before the work starts The hidden cost of weak systems and poor planning Why compliance becomes unavoidable as you grow How founders accidentally become the bottleneck Lessons from rescuing failing projects under pressure What Level 2 founders should implement earlier Leadership, accountability, and managing chaos at scale Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 6: $50M – $150MGOVERNANCE, DATA & SERIOUS INFRASTRUCTUREIn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Jesse Vidrine, Founder of Vidrine Pharmaceutical Group and President & Co-Owner of Boudreaux’s New Drug Store, a pharmacist-owned compounding pharmacy that has exploded from a small local operation into a national business licensed across 45+ U.S. states. After buying the pharmacy just weeks before COVID hit, Jesse and his wife Kylie faced what sounds more like a disaster movie than a business journey: denied by 9 banks, a Category 4 hurricane, floods, ice storms, and moments where payroll nearly didn’t get paid. Somehow, through all of it, they scaled the company over 800% in just 24 months. In this episode, Jesse breaks down what it really takes to scale inside one of the most tightly regulated industries in the world, where there’s no room for mistakes, compliance is everything, and growth only happens if your systems, people, and leadership evolve fast enough to survive it.If you’re building a business under pressure, navigating rapid growth, or trying to scale without breaking the machine, this episode is for you.Let’s dive in, with Jesse Vidrine: how they survived COVID, hurricanes, floods & near-bankruptcy  why patients, not doctors, changed healthcare forever  how they grew from 6 employees to 100+  the real reason most founders fail under pressure  why “risk it for the biscuit” became their business philosophy  how AI and automation are transforming modern pharmacy operations  why peptides could become bigger than the GLP-1 boom  the leadership lessons that come from scaling in a zero-mistake industrySupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0 – $1MSTARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGEAndrew Whittle is the Co-Founder of Being Wear, a gender-free, sensory-friendly underwear brand inspired by his daughter’s experience with ASD and ADHD.In this episode, Andrew shares how a personal family challenge turned into a startup, the lessons he’s learned building an early-stage brand, and the realities of trying to grow without massive resources or outside capital.From product simplification and repeat customers to founder burnout and financial pressure, this episode is an honest look at what Level 1 of business really feels like.Let's dive inwith Andrew Whittle: Sensory-friendly clothing & underserved markets  Starting a business from personal experience  Bootstrapping a brand  Startup pressure & uncertainty  Product-market fit  Early-stage growth challenges  Founder mindset & resilience If you're building a brand, testing product-market fit, or looking for practical insights from someone making it work, this is the episode for you.Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0 – $1M STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGEIn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Andrea Tortella, Founder and CEO of Thrad – the company building advertising infrastructure for AI, placing ads directly inside conversations with large language models.After working at Perplexity and becoming obsessed with the shift from browsing to answers, Andrea realised the internet was changing fast — and that traditional advertising models might not survive the AI era. Now, Thrad is already serving millions of ads globally, working with everyone from startups to Fortune 500 brands.Building from the centre of Silicon Valley’s AI boom, Andrea shares why advertising inside AI conversations is inevitable, how conversational AI is completely changing the internet, and what it’s really like building a startup in one of the fastest-moving industries on earth.If you’re building in AI, marketing, SaaS, or trying to understand where the internet is heading next… This episode is for you.Let’s dive in, with Andrea Tortella:• why the internet is shifting from browsing to AI answers• the real reason AI products will need advertising to survive• what ads inside ChatGPT-style conversations actually look like• why “bad ads” ruined advertising’s reputation• how conversational AI could completely change marketing• building a startup at the centre of Silicon Valley’s AI boom• the challenge of creating a category that doesn’t fully exist yet• why speed is becoming one of the biggest advantages in marketing• the unconventional marketing stunt that helped put Thrad on the map• how AI could change the relationship between brands and customers foreverSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL ONE: $0 to $1M: STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGE In today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Lori Ana Valentin, analytical chemist, former forensic scientist... and Founder of Radiant Journey, where she helps scientists, engineers, and high-performing professionals navigate burnout, leadership pressure, and the hidden psychological cost of high-stress work. After years working inside the State Police Crime Lab analysing homicide and criminal cases, Lori began noticing the emotional toll that exposure to trauma was having on professionals behind the scenes – and decided to do something about it. Now building a business while balancing full-time work and single motherhood, Lori shares what vicarious trauma actually looks like, why high performers silently carry emotional pressure for years, and how emotional intelligence became the unexpected skill that transformed both her leadership and her business. If you’re building a business, carrying pressure behind the scenes, or trying to perform at a high level without burning yourself into the ground… This episode is for you. Let’s dive in,  with Lori Ana Valentin: • what vicarious trauma actually is — and why most people miss it • how working homicide cases affects people behind the scenes • why burnout often isn’t the real problem • the hidden psychological cost of high performance • how COVID exposed emotional pressure people were already carrying • building a business while working full-time • balancing entrepreneurship and single motherhood • why emotional intelligence became her biggest advantage • the leadership side of stress nobody talks about • how to recognise when pressure is silently affecting your life Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL FIVE: ORGANISER $20M to $50M On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Tim Vipond, Co-Founder and CEO of Corporate Finance Institute, a global education platform training finance professionals in over 200 countries. After building a $20M+ business off the back of SEO and digital distribution, Tim shares how he turned content into a global growth engine, and why scaling an education company is far more complex than it looks from the outside. If you’re trying to scale your business, expand globally, integrate AI, or build something that doesn’t rely on you day-to-day, this episode is for you. Let’s dive in, with Tim Vipond: • how SEO became the growth engine behind a global business • why certifications outperform traditional online courses • what actually breaks when you scale into 200+ countries • the real challenge of pricing a product globally • how AI is changing both the way they operate, and what they sell • the leadership shift from operator to CEO at $30M+ • what founders get wrong about scaling digital education • how to think about distribution before product • the hidden complexity behind ‘simple’ online businesses • what could stall the next phase of growth – and how to avoid it Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL SEVEN: GLOBAL LEADER $150M to $500MOn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Jay Aldebert, Chief Growth Officer at International Services Inc, and a profit strategist who has analysed more than 80,000 privately held businesses over the past 25 years. Having generated billions in consulting outcomes, Jay shares why most business owners don’t actually understand how their company makes money...  and how focusing on growth instead of profit is quietly destroying businesses at every level. If you’re trying to scale your business, improve cash flow, increase profitability, or build something that creates real long-term value - this episode is for you! Let’s dive in, with Jay Aldebert: • why most businesses struggle with profitability (even at high revenue) • the truth about cash flow, debt, and working capital • why growth alone won’t fix your business • how to design profit instead of hoping for it • the biggest financial mistakes founders make when scaling • why accounting is a lagging indicator — not a control system • how to build a business that actually creates value • what determines the real worth of your business • why selling more won’t solve underlying problems • how to think about profit, structure, and long-term wealth Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL FOUR: SCALE BUILDER $8M to $20M On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Ben Gilliland, Founder of Future Proof Property Intelligence, a business tackling one of the biggest and fastest-growing threats facing homeowners today: the collision of climate risk and insurance. With over 37 million homes already at extreme risk, and $22 trillion in real estate on the line, Ben breaks down what’s actually happening behind rising premiums, insurers pulling out of entire regions, why most people still don’t see it coming - and what his company is doing to help. If you own property, are scaling a business in a complex market, or are trying to build something that requires real-world behaviour change… This episode is for you! Let’s dive in, with Ben Gilliland: • why climate risk and insurance risk are now the same conversation  • what’s really happening when insurance companies pull out of neighbourhoods  • how millions of homes could become uninsurable over the next 20 years  • the real reason most homeowners aren’t taking action yet  • how AI is being used to assess and fix property-level risk  • why this problem is bigger than construction – and requires system-level thinking  • the tension between homeowners and insurers (and why both sides are right!)  • what breaks first when you try to scale across multiple industries  • how this could trigger foreclosures, housing instability, and mass migration  • what needs to happen now to prevent a much bigger crisis Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL TWO: $1M to $3M: EARLY BUILDERIn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Sarah Forrai, Co-Founder of Contour Cube, the viral tool designed to make facial icing easy and accessible for everyone. With organic endorsement from Kendall Jenner, over 1 billion views on social media, and features in GRAZIA and the Daily Mail, Sarah breaks down for us how she created the viral moments that skyrocketed her brand - and the reality behind the scenes of trying to capitalise on that momentum.If you’re building a product, hiring your first team, or trying to turn attention into predictable revenue… This episode is for you!Let’s dive in, with Sarah Forrai:• how a 3D-printed prototype turned into a $3M+ business • what actually happens when your product goes viral overnight • why views and demand don’t guarantee stability • the moment they had millions watching… but no product to sell • how they collected 20,000 emails while out of stock • why supply chain nearly broke the business • the reality of scaling with a lean team • what most founders misunderstand about “demand” • how social media can build or break a product business • what it takes to turn momentum into something sustainableSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL FOUR: SCALE BUILDERWhat does it actually take to build a business when capital is tight, competition is high, and every mistake gets amplified as you grow?In today's episode of The Business Game, we're chatting with Justin Giuffrida, co-founder and CEO of Citizens, a rapidly growing Australian café brand redefining coffee culture in the United States.In this conversation, we’re talking with Justin about what happens when you push past the early wins and start dealing with real complexity. From opening a café in New York with just $74,000, to scaling across multiple cities, to now preparing for major expansion, Justin tells us all about the shift from scrappy startup to structured growth.From learning how to hire properly, to building systems that remove the founder as the bottleneck, to managing culture and consistency across locations, Justin breaks down what it actually takes to scale without breaking the business.If you’re building a business, managing a growing team, or navigating the challenges of scaling operations, this episode is for you.Let’s dive in with Justin Giuffrida:• why most founders get hiring wrong• why Citizens runs 123 interviews (!) to find the right hire• how to build systems that scale beyond the founder• why founders become the bottleneck and how to fix it• how to maintain culture while scaling across locations• what it really takes to raise capital and expand• the leadership shift from operator to CEO• how to use mentors to shortcut years of mistakes• the biggest risks when scaling too quickly• what changes when complexity starts to compoundChapters00:00 – Building a Café with $74K 03:30 – Spotting the Opportunity in the US 06:10 – Opening with No Money 12:50 – From Launch to Line Out the Door 17:30 – Knowing the Model Would Scale 22:30 – Systems Behind Multi-Location Growth 29:20 – Why Hiring is So Hard 36:30 – Raising Capital and Scaling Fast 49:00 – The Founder to CEO Shift 01:02:00 – Mentors, Growth, and Long-Term VisionSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL TWO: EARLY BUILDERWhat does it actually take to build a business where the biggest risk isn’t your product… but people? In today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re talking to cybersecurity expert Robert Siciliano to break down what’s really happening as AI reshapes fraud, deception, and trust – and why most businesses are completely unprepared for it. Robert tells us the risks now that AI has removed all the obvious red flags of scams, making deception feel completely real – from voice cloning to deepfakes – and why the biggest vulnerability in any business isn’t its technology, but its people who can fall victim to these scams. And on top of that, we go deep with Robert on what it actually looks like to build a business around your own expertise. From operating as a solopreneur, to learning how to sell your knowledge, to navigating the collapse of income during COVID, Robert shares the reality of stabilising a business when you are the product. Let’s dive in, with Robert Siciliano: Why AI has made scams almost impossible to detect  The dangerous gap between security awareness and real behaviour (and the need for a strategic human firewall) How apathy exposes both individuals and businesses  What it really takes to build systems when you’re still doing everything  How to start scaling expertise beyond yourself  If you’re in the early stages of building a business, hiring your first team, or trying to turn your expertise into something sustainable… This one is for you!  Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL ONE: STARTUP & SURVIVALWhat does it actually take to build a business where execution isn’t the problem… but you are?In this episode of The Business Game, Rachel Losser, founder of Losser Consulting Solutions, shares what it really takes to build a consulting firm focused on one thing most businesses struggle with: getting things done.In this conversation, we're chatting with Rachel about about what happens when you realise that not every client is worth keeping, that growth comes from saying no more than yes, and that the biggest bottleneck in your business… is often you. From learning how to fire the wrong clients, to building systems that don’t rely on the founder, to creating accountability across teams, Rachel breaks down what it actually takes to move out of chaos and into control - and how to get out of your own way in the process.If you’re building a business, hiring your first team, or trying to stop being the bottleneck in your own company? This episode is for you!Let’s dive in, with Rachel Losser:• why bad clients don’t get better… they get worse • the moment she realised she was the bottleneck • how saying no leads to better opportunities • why “ready for change” and actually changing are different • how to build trust while still holding accountability • the simple system that keeps projects moving forward • why most founders delay the conversations that matter • how to scale without turning into a micromanager • the real reason projects fail in growing businesses • what it takes to move from doer to leaderChapters00:00 – The moment Rachel knew she could do it better02:02 – Firing clients and why it changed everything03:25 – How to spot bad clients early06:23 – Why clients don’t actually want change08:26 – “I am the bottleneck”10:15 – Training a team without losing control11:42 – The “reverse micromanager” problem13:22 – Turning custom work into scalable systems16:00 – Why founders hold onto work under pressure39:00 – The real shortcut: good work gets more workSupport the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL TWO: EARLY BUILDERWhat happens when your business is growing… but your fundamentals are quietly breaking underneath you?In this episode of The Business Game, Carla Penn-Kahn, co-founder of ProfitPeak, shares what it really takes to build and scale a company in one of the fastest-moving spaces in business, AI-driven and agentic commerce.This isn’t just a conversation about growth; it's a conversation about what happens when the numbers look good on paper, but the reality behind the scenes tells a very different story. From making $200K in revenue but not being able to pay payroll, to hiring the wrong people because they were the best available at the time, Carla breaks down the moments that most founders do not talk about, but all eventually face.Carla shares the reality of building from zero for the first time after previous successful turnarounds, this time in a new category and a new market with no brand awareness, as well as her personal lessons from building from scratch. From learning (the hard way!) that you can't run a company like a family, to shifting from earning trust to giving it first, Carla talks us through how her leadership style has evolved across multiple businesses... and what it takes to build a team that can keep up with the speed of an AI-first world.If you're building a business, hiring your first team, or trying to move out of the chaos of early growth... This episode is for you! Let's dive in, with Carla Penn-Kahn:• why making revenue does not mean you have cash • the $200K payroll mistake that changed everything • how unclear messaging can stall growth and how to fix it • why problems in business happen hourly, not daily • hiring the wrong people and why it is often unavoidable early • the role of resilience in surviving constant setbacks • the leadership shift from “nice founder” to real CEO • why trust is given first, not earned over time • how AI is changing e-commerce and decision-making • what founders need to build now to stay competitiveFollow The Business Game for more real conversations with founders building across all levels of business. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL THREE: EMERGING CEO What does it actually take to build a company where mistakes have real-world consequences? In this episode of The Business Game, Ryan Hawley shares the story behind Odin Industries, a global organisation operating across healthcare, insurance, and legal systems in some of the most complex and high-stakes environments in the world.  This isn’t just a conversation about scaling a business. It is a conversation about what happens when you scale inside systems that are regulated, international, and unforgiving, where decisions affect people’s health, claims, and livelihoods – and there is no margin for error.  Ryan talks openly about building in war zones, navigating global operations, and the reality of growing fast without breaking the machine. From learning how to delegate as a self-confessed control freak, to managing risk across multiple countries, to keeping a team aligned under pressure, this episode reveals what it actually takes to operate at a global level.  If you are scaling a business, building across borders, or trying to step into true leadership, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons.  We cover: •  how Odin Industries was built from frontline medical experience •  the moment Ryan chose to build systems instead of stay inside broken ones •  scaling quickly without letting operations collapse •  why delegation is the only way to buy back time • managing risk across international and regulated environments • what almost broke during rapid growth and global expansion • the leadership shift required to run a high-stakes organisation Follow The Business Game for more real conversations with founders building across different levels of business.  Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 2: EARLY BUILDERWhat 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: OWNER OPERATORToday’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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailNeil 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailMost 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailRobby 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 RobbyLinkedIn - linkedin.com/robertcobbsWebsite - techmyschool.orgSponsor 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailCustomer 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailYega 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.comSponsor  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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailDavid Feinman, co-founder of Viral Ideas, shares the real story behind scaling a $200 startup into a 90-person global creative agency, including losing 80% of revenue overnight and rebuilding from scratch. In this episode, we unpack: • Scaling productized creative services • The theory of constraints in growing companies • How to avoid bottlenecks at 30+ staff • Manager vs maker schedules • Public scorecards and performance culture • Building systems that scale creative output • Why ego kills growth • The leadership shift from doer to CEO This conversation is essential listening for founders scaling creative agencies, media businesses, or global service teams. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailJulian Goldie (Goldie Agency, AI Profit Boardroom) explains how he used AI systems and automation to scale a global agency to multi-million revenue, build a 30+ person team, and grow a second business to over $1M/year in under 12 months. This episode covers the real founder mechanics behind scaling: AI content engines, lead generation systems, delegation, sales playbooks, and the uncomfortable realities of cash flow, profit margin, and hiring mistakes that slow growth. You’ll learn: • How AI search (ChatGPT/Perplexity) is changing SEO and customer acquisition • Why AI search often sends less traffic, but higher-converting clicks • The content automation strategy Julian uses across multiple platforms (YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, X) • The leadership moves that unlocked growth: account managers + sales systems • The hard cash lesson: payroll bounced when cash flow wasn’t tracked properly • When founders should hire accounting/finance support • Why hiring “hypothetical roles” kills margin and creates chaos • A Level 1–2 cheat code: time tracking for delegation and quality control • Tools Julian relies on: GoHighLevel CRM and system consolidation If you’re scaling an agency, building a service business, or trying to transition from founder doing everything to CEO building systems, this is an actionable conversation on automation, revenue operations, and sustainable growth. Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailLearn how founder and M&A advisor Patrick Rogers (Elkridge Advisors) helps small and mid-sized business owners buy businesses, source off-market deals, and scale faster through acquisitions in 2026. Patrick Rogers, Managing Partner at Elkridge Advisors and host of the High Performance CEO Podcast, joins The Business Game to explain how small and mid-sized founders can scale through acquisitions, without needing a $100M balance sheet. Elkridge Advisors helps owners access strategies traditionally reserved for large corporations, and in 2024 surpassed $500M in value generated for clients. In this episode, we break down: Why acquisitions can outperform organic growth How to build your acquisition “buy box” Why off-market deals beat public listings The most common mistakes first-time buyers make Why SBA underwriting kills momentum (and how to prevent deal fall-through) The truth about “funny money” and what banks actually lend against How AI is changing which businesses are safe to buy in 2026 Patrick’s predictions: biggest opportunities and biggest traps for buyers  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!  Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailYou Don’t Need Higher Standards; You Need Lower Ones. In this episode, we unpack the counterintuitive mindset shift of “sustainably low standards” and why trying to leap from fear to love, is what’s keeping so many founders stuck. Todays guest is Joe Pane. Joe is degree qualified in psychology and sociology and has worked in the field of human behaviour since 2006. He is the creator of the Emotional Fitness Formula, a practical framework for mastering uncertainty, and has trained more than 7,000 mindset coaches over the past 20 years. This episode covers: • Founder burnout and identity collapse • The three pillars: money, relationships, health • Why sustainable growth requires emotional stability • The psychology of fear-based decision making • Rebuilding standards without self-sabotage • Becoming who you were meant to be If you’re navigating pressure in multiple areas of life while trying to grow your business, this conversation offers clarity without cliché motivation.  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! 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailHolly Fowler, founder and CEO of Wable, shares the real story behind building a neurodivergent-first social networking app from scratch — without a tech background, without a blueprint, and while navigating the mental pressure of startup life. What began as an idea during lockdown turned into Wable: a platform designed for the neurodivergent community that connects users for dating, friendship, inclusive jobs, and accessible venues. In this episode, Holly breaks down how she validated the idea, built her first MVP offshore, rebuilt the entire app, raised multiple rounds of capital including a Series A, and expanded into the US market. We also unpack the realities of raising money as a young female founder in tech, handling investor rejection, learning to pitch, scaling internationally, and building with limited marketing budget , including the Times Square billboard strategy that triggered global press. This is an honest conversation about startup anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, leadership growth, and what it really takes to build a mission-driven tech company. Topics covered: • Startup founder mental health • Building and rebuilding an MVP • Raising capital in Australia • Series A funding • Neurodiversity in tech • Social networking app development • Startup marketing and PR strategy • Scaling into the US market • Leadership lessons for first-time CEOs If you're a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or building a purpose-driven tech company, this episode will give you practical insights and a realistic look at what scaling actually feels like. SponsorTala 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!____________________________________________________________________________________________Have questions or suggestions? Reach out to us at www.thebusinessgamepodcast.comStay 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 showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level. 

Send us Fan MailMost founders chase “freedom”  then accidentally build a job they can’t escape.In this episode, Joe Rare, founder of Level 9 Virtual and a serial entrepreneur, shares how he builds and scales businesses by systemising operations, delegating fast, and refusing to be the bottleneck. Joe breaks down his philosophy of building businesses around lifestyle (not the other way around), why the founder usually slows everything down, and the key hires that buy back your time, especially an Operations Director and an Executive Assistant who removes email from your life entirely.We also get into: outsourcing realities, building repeatable back-office architecture across companies, why “reinvest everything” keeps owners stuck, and how Joe thinks about building wealth through assets outside the business.Find Joe: JoeRare.com | [email protected] 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__________________________________________________________________________Want to clip long-form content into shorts in one click? Receive 25 % off OpusClip, the same tool we use to turn episodes into shareable clips. support the show and save: : https://www.opus.pro/?via=93d640 The Business Game is proud to be an official OpusClip affiliate.Support the showThank 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.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level.