The Growth Focus Podcast

Most founders think growth stalls because they're not selling enough. Sean Miles built RGX — a two-sided marketplace for enterprise asset disposition — landed AT&T as a client, tripled revenue, then deliberately hit the brakes. Not because things weren't working. Because they were working too well, and the infrastructure underneath couldn't hold the weight. That decision — to flatline intentionally, rebuild the platform, and absorb the short-term cost — is one the vast majority of founders in any sector won't make. They'll keep pushing deals through a system that can't deliver them, and wonder why churn follows growth like a shadow. Sean has 25 years in sales and built RGX from a cold idea into an enterprise platform handling multi-site asset disposition for some of the largest organisations in North America. He coined the term "enterprise asset disposition" deliberately, because language shapes what buyers think is possible. He evolved from pure SaaS self-serve to hybrid managed services to a sell-through white-label model — not because it was the plan, but because the market kept telling him what it wanted and he listened. In this conversation: what it actually takes to land and keep enterprise clients, how to pilot without giving everything away, when to say no (and why most founders are still struggling with it), and the $15M deal that didn't land on schedule and what it taught him about time-boxing every pipeline opportunity — even the ones that look like slam dunks. If you're running a tech business and your pipeline feels healthy on paper but fragile underneath, this is the conversation to have. 00:00 — Introduction: Sean Miles and RGX 02:25 — Why language matters: coining "enterprise asset disposition" 04:44 — Landing AT&T as a first major client through pilots and relationships 07:32 — The water balloon pipeline: managing growth pressure without breaking delivery 09:37 — Land and expand vs. freemium: what actually works with enterprise clients 11:38 — How the marketplace evolved: from self-serve SaaS to managed services 13:38 — Pivoting from sell-to to sell-through: the white-label opportunity 15:43 — Tripling revenue then flatlineing deliberately: the rebuild decision 18:30 — The MVP reality: selling before you've built it and the delivery gap 20:06 — When sales outpaces delivery: what that costs you 22:12 — Learning to say no: the discipline most founders are still lacking 25:00 — The $15M deal that didn't land: time-boxing your pipeline 27:29 — What most founders in the e-waste space are getting wrong 29:07 — Where to find Sean Miles Sean Miles Co-Founder and CEO, Recycle GX (RGX) Website: recycledgx.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-miles-5717952/ Gary Lafferty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Website: growthfocus.io =============================== Book your Revenue Leak Audit In 30 minutes, you will find out exactly where the holes are in your revenue and how to fix them. growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit SEO KEYWORDS Primary: enterprise asset disposition, B2B SaaS growth, e-waste marketplace, founder-led sales Secondary: enterprise sales cycles, pilot strategy, marketplace business model, revenue scaling, sell-through model HASHTAGS #B2BTech #FounderGrowth #EnterpriseSales #GrowthFocus #CircularEconomy Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Grow Your MSP Business With Growth Focus(00:01:33) - Recycle GX: The Enterprise Asset Disposal Marketplace(00:06:16) - In the Elevator: How to Build a New Enterprise(00:08:45) - How To Manage Your PIPES(00:11:18) - Pilot Programs: How Do They Work?(00:13:44) - WSJD Live: The Future of Enterprise Asset Disposition(00:18:16) - Deliberate Breaks in the Sales Cycle(00:23:28) - Apple's Lessons Learned From The Palm(00:24:22) - How to Say No to Business(00:24:55) - Say No to Businesses(00:27:05) - What was the biggest deal You Lost?(00:28:37) - Gavin Walsh on Looking Outside Your Industry(00:29:01) - Growth Focused: What's Working In Your Business? With(00:32:25) - A Revenue Leak Audit(00:34:10) - How to Find a Revenue Leak

There is a gap that sits quietly inside most tech products. It is not a feature gap or a funding gap. It is the gap between the user you pitched and the user who actually shows up. Courtney Poulos has been a real estate broker for over two decades. She runs Acme Real Estate in Los Angeles and Acme Florida in Orlando. She has also become one of the most honest and direct testers of PropTech products in her industry - reviewing platforms publicly, giving founders unfiltered feedback, and watching what breaks when theory meets the actual working day of a professional in the field. This conversation is not about real estate. It is about what happens when a founder builds a product for the person they imagined rather than the person who will use it. It is about the IKEA effect, the way proximity to a problem warps how clearly you can see the solution you have built. And it is about what AI actually costs a business when the quality control sits with the human operator, not the platform. If you run a tech business and you have ever wondered why churn comes earlier than the numbers predicted, or why "user friendly" is the most expensive phrase in your product documentation, this episode gives you the answer from someone sitting on the other side of the sale. 00:00 — Introduction: Who Courtney Poulos is and why her perspective matters to tech founders 01:35 — What 21 years across a disrupted industry actually teaches you about business survival 03:55 — The competitive reality: being out-teched while you are still building 05:50 — Why most PropTech is not informed by the people it is supposed to serve 07:20 — The Real Estate AI Coach channel and what honest product testing reveals 08:42 — How rare it is for a founder to actually respond to criticism and what that tells you 10:07 — Why Perplexity is replacing specialist platforms and what that means for your moat 10:31 — The holistic approach: sitting with the user for a full working day before you write a line of code 11:31 — The pitch deck user versus the actual user — a live example from the dot-com era 13:36 — The VC-driven AI bolt-on problem: what it costs when AI is added without accountability 15:02 — AI hallucination in regulated industries and the liability gap nobody has solved 16:30 — Is AI actually saving time or creating a new layer of quality control? 17:48 — Why some buyers respond better to an AI voice than a human one — and what that means 18:36 — Where AI integration genuinely works and where it is still being oversold 20:28 — The fireplace analogy: why AI is making human expertise more valuable, not less 21:47 — The case for keeping the human in the loop — and what happens when you do not 25:28 — What the best PropTech products are getting right that most are still missing 27:00 — AI and fiduciary responsibility: who is accountable when the consumer loses? 29:14 — The one thing tech founders consistently get wrong about their end user 30:37 — Why human customer service is still the most underrated retention tool in tech Guest contact Courtney Poulos — Broker Owner, Acme Real Estate Instagram: instagram.com/theclosedcloses YouTube: youtube.com/@AcmeRealEstate Real Estate AI Coach Channel: youtube.com/@AcmeRealEstate Host contact Gary Lafferty — Growth Focus Partnerships LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/garylafferty Website: growthfocus.io =============================== Book your Revenue Leak Audit In 30 minutes, you will find out exactly where the holes are in your revenue and how to fix them. www.growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit Hashtags: #GrowthFocus #TechFounders #PropTech #AIinBusiness #ProductMarketFit Chapters (00:00:00) - Courtney Polis on Tech Recruitment & Growth(00:01:16) - Real Estate Broker Courtney Polis on CNBC(00:02:19) - How to Survive a Career With a Unique Brand(00:04:22) - Real Estate Business Owners vs Tech Founders(00:12:11) - Pitch Deck and Proptech: Overvaluing What They(00:14:39) - Real Estate: The Impact of AI on Business(00:19:31) - The Future of Telemarketing Is AI, Not Humans(00:21:42) - Will Real Estate Jobs Go From Computers to Humans?(00:26:16) - Does AI Make Real Estate Jobs Harder?(00:29:57) - Real Estate AI Coach: The Human Customer Service(00:34:07) - What Every Tech Platform Needs to Know

Most IT services companies trying to grow through partnerships hit the same wall. The partners are on board, the reseller agreements are signed, and nothing moves. Missy Trumpler, CEO of Agile AI Labs, built her growth engine almost entirely through IT services channel partnerships -- and she knows exactly why most of them fail. The answer is not a better partner programme. It is not better sales enablement materials. It is making the partner use the product themselves before they sell it to a single customer. If they do not own the knives, they cannot sell the knives. That one shift is what turned Agile AI Labs from a company with partners into a company with a channel that actually produces. This episode covers how she got there -- and the harder growth problem underneath it. Her company solves a problem the software industry has normalised so completely that buyers feel genuine shame admitting it exists. Getting a prospect to acknowledge a problem they have quietly decided to live with is one of the most difficult sales and positioning challenges any B2B tech founder faces. Missy has found a way in. What is in this for you: How to land your first real partners. Not warm contacts who agree to resell, but partners who use what you built, understand it from the inside, and can speak to it honestly in front of their own customers. Why most partnerships fail even when both sides want them to work. The problem is almost never the relationship. It is that the partner is selling from the brochure rather than from experience. How to sell into a problem your buyer has normalised. The conversation does not open in the first meeting. It opens about 20 minutes in, once the shame fades. Understanding why -- and how to get there faster -- applies to anyone selling a product that solves a problem the market has quietly accepted as the cost of doing business. What AI is actually doing inside software development teams -- and why plugging it into a broken process makes the damage arrive faster rather than fixing anything. The one piece of advice for IT and MSP leaders heading into the next quarter. Agile AI Labs: agileailabs.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missy-trumpler-08779611/ Gary Lafferty | Growth Focus Partnerships Find out where your growth gap sits: https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: Agile AI Labs and Partnering(00:01:56) - Agile Software Development: The Future of Learning(00:03:19) - In the Elevator: The Shift to IT Strategy(00:08:22) - Wastage in a Software Company(00:09:50) - What is Technical Debt?(00:13:01) - What's the Primary Growth Engine for Your Company?(00:15:43) - How did you land your first AI Partner?(00:19:30) - IT Services Producers on Partner Relationships(00:26:36) - The secret of the porn industry(00:27:13) - Is AI Coding a Gift for Your Company?(00:31:09) - WSJD Live: What to Do For the Next Quarter(00:33:57) - How to Get Involved in Agile AI Labs(00:35:33) - Revenue Leak Audit

WeWork changed the industry. Then it nearly destroyed it. Alex Passler spent 30 years inside Regus, CBRE, and WeWork — and left to build the thing they all got wrong. WeWork changed the flexible workspace industry forever. It made co-working a household concept, built community into the office, and grew faster than almost any real estate business in history. Then it collapsed. Alex Passler watched all of it from the inside — at Regus, CBRE, and WeWork — and in 2021 he walked away from the corporate world to build Valest: a hospitality-driven co-working business that works the way the hotel industry has operated for decades. The model is different by design. Instead of signing long leases and betting on arbitrage, Valest partners with landlords on management agreements — sharing upside, removing lease liability, and aligning incentives from day one. It means slower growth than some investors would like. Alex is fine with that. In this conversation, Alex breaks down what WeWork genuinely got right (the community model, the cultural shift, the industry legitimacy it created), what it got catastrophically wrong (the lease risk, the growth-at-all-costs mentality), and how he's built Valest to take the good and leave the bad. What makes this conversation worth your time is that Alex thinks about growth the way very few founders do. He built his CRM, accounting systems, and tech infrastructure for the company he wants to be in five years — not the company he is today. He turned down deals because they were the wrong landlords. He resisted occupancy targets because launch discounts are almost impossible to unwind. And he hired an operator to run the business the day he admitted he didn't know how to do it himself. This is a founder who has watched what happens when you move too fast, and made a deliberate choice to do the opposite. Key points from this episode: The management agreement model: why aligning with landlords rather than taking lease risk is more resilient in any market downturn, and why very few operators have made the switch. Why WeWork was right about community and wrong about leases: the industry needed WeWork to exist. It didn't need to grow the way it did. The flight to quality in office space: companies are reducing their footprint but demanding more from what remains. Smaller, better, premium — and a gym is no longer optional. Hospitality as a competitive edge: knowing what a client needs before they ask for it. Not coffees and croissants. Actually understanding the person who walks through the door every morning. Building infrastructure ahead of growth: why switching CRM systems in a 500-person company is a six-month disruption — and how to avoid ever having to do it. The one thing Alex says he got wrong: ignoring marketing until the product was already built. If no one knows about it, it doesn't matter how good it is. If you're building something in flexible workspace, commercial real estate, or any capital-intensive business where lease risk and investor pressure are both live problems, this one is worth 30 minutes of your time. - CONNECT WITH ALEX -- Website: https://vallist.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexpaessler/ Email: [email protected] - - THE GROWTH FOCUS PODCAST -- Hosted by Gary Lafferty | Growth Focus Partnerships Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube If you want to find out where your revenue gap actually sits get your complimentary Revenue Leak Audit: https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Focus: Alex Pasler's Flexible Workplace(00:01:32) - How to Start Your Own Business(00:03:33) - No Lease Risk, No Vacancy(00:04:55) - What Did WeWork Get Right?(00:07:26) - PEOPLE on Growing At Speed(00:10:23) - Leading the way in the commercial property market(00:12:53) - What is it that you look for in your landlords?(00:16:07) - What's Actually Working for Your New Locations?(00:17:37) - What Makes Companies Choose Premium Office?(00:19:01) - Employment conditions have changed(00:20:02) - What is a small detail that you personally, Alex, you obsess(00:21:39) - What Makes Hotel & Casino Scalability?(00:23:51) - Lease Owners and the Office Building(00:25:15) - Growth Lessons for Startups(00:28:27) - What Would You Build First?(00:31:22) - Lightning Round: Best Decision of the Last 12 Months(00:32:26) - Alex Vallastrian on Where and How People Work(00:33:38) - Growth Focus: The Podcast(00:34:19) - Revenue Leak Audit

Richard Branson has millions of personal followers. Virgin has hundreds of thousands. That gap is not a coincidence — and it is sitting between most founders and the growth they want right now. Richard Branson's personal following dwarfs his company's. Alex Whitelaw noticed that gap and built his business around it. In this episode, Gary Lafferty sits down with Alex — former construction operations director, now AI consultant and founder — to talk about what it actually takes to grow an SME in a world full of AI-generated noise, fragmented tech stacks, and founders who are still hiding behind their business brand. Alex made the move from 25 years in construction operations to partnering with Valenta, a global UiPath automation provider, and now runs AI literacy training and consultancy for SMEs. His argument: the technology is the easy part. The visibility problem is what is actually holding most founders back. What you will hear in this episode: Why most businesses do not have a growth problem — they have a fragmentation problem. Different departments running different software that does not talk to each other, and the hidden cost that creates. The authenticity gap. In a world where nobody knows what is real and what is AI-generated, being a genuine human on camera is becoming a competitive advantage — not a nice to have. Personal brand versus business brand. Alex breaks down why your personal following will almost always outperform your company page, and what most founders are getting wrong by staying invisible. What actually happened when Alex stopped posting AI-generated images and started recording himself straight after client meetings. The shift in traction was not gradual. The five-day content plan for founders who know they should be doing video but keep finding reasons not to. Why AI is creating jobs in sectors people assumed it would replace — and the specific work Alex is doing in construction and with job seekers through his Basecamp literacy platform. The seven-touch reality. By the time someone contacts you, they have already watched your content, visited your page, and mostly made up their mind. The question is whether you gave them anything to watch. Key takeaway: Founders who are hiding behind a business logo are becoming invisible at exactly the moment when being visible is cheapest and easiest it has ever been. Connect with Alex Whitelaw: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexusmind-ai-consultancy/ About Growth Focus Partnerships: Gary Lafferty works with MSP owners, VAR and IT leaders, and B2B tech companies whose revenue should be further ahead than it is. The Revenue Leak Audit is a 30-minute no-pitch conversation. Book it at https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction and Alex's background: from apprentice to board-level in construction 01:44 — Why operations experience translates across every industry 02:35 — The moment Alex decided to leave construction and move into tech and AI 04:32 — Why AI feels complicated when it does not have to be 05:12 — The hardest personal shift when moving into entrepreneurship 07:19 — What founders actually come to Alex with when they first reach out 10:26 — What is working for Alex right now to generate leads and conversations 13:42 — The authenticity gap on LinkedIn and why AI slop is making it worse 15:30 — What Alex tried that did not work: magazine advertising, static images, and the lessons 17:13 — Why video content has replaced thousands of pounds of production... Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: AI & Building a Business(00:01:43) - How to Build a Tech Company with a Background in Construction(00:06:40) - What was the hardest shift you had to make personally when you moved(00:09:25) - Have You Helped Startups Get Started in AI?(00:12:08) - The Best Way to Generate Leads and Conversations(00:15:30) - The importance of building a personal brand(00:17:16) - How to grow your business on the flip side(00:20:18) - How to Stand Out in a Crowd(00:21:13) - What other pieces of content is important for founders to consume?(00:26:53) - What's The Biggest Myth About Growing a Business With AI?(00:29:52) - What Do Startups Need To Know To Grow Their Business?(00:30:47) - #4: One growth channel(00:32:43) - Alex Whitelaw(00:34:31) - Growing Your Business(00:35:06) - Revenue Leak Audit

Most businesses are jumping between 15 open tabs, uploading their most sensitive data into three different AI platforms, and wondering why nothing sticks. Mark Heynen built Knapsack to solve exactly that — private, compliant AI agents for financial services, running on your machine, leaving no trace. Mark is a five-time founder with two exits. His most recent company before Knapsack was Payjoy, a device financing firm. When Payjoy tried to implement AI and ran into data security walls, Mark saw the gap — and built the solution. In this episode we cover what it actually means to run AI agents privately in a regulated industry, how Mark validated the financial advisor ICP, and what desktop agents doing half your workday looks like in practice. Key points from this conversation: Financial advisors carry 120 clients on average, buried in fragmented tools, under heavy regulatory scrutiny — and increasingly open to change. That made them a sharp early ICP: acute pain, ability to buy independently, and a behaviour shift already underway. Most businesses fragmenting their AI context across OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini are solving the wrong problem. Context is the most valuable asset. It should travel with you, not with the platform. The desktop app runs agents locally, leaves no cloud trace, and has since been open-sourced — for security transparency and to let enterprise clients build custom versions. On growth: podcasting works. LinkedIn cold outreach is declining. As AI-generated noise floods inboxes, the premium on a specific, authentic, technically hard-to-replicate message increases. Closing advice for founders: AI has created an abundance of capacity. The question is no longer how to focus — it's whether you're optimising a local maxima when you should be thinking about your global one. 00:00 Introduction 00:58 Origin story: building private AI from a compliance problem 03:00 Financial advisor ICP validation 05:46 Making privacy a commercial differentiator 08:33 Context as the most valuable business asset 09:31 Selling into a conservative industry 13:00 Desktop agents in practice 17:32 What's worked for growth 20:38 What hasn't worked 22:10 Authenticity in an AI-slop world 25:02 2026 focus: enterprise and open-source desktop 28:02 Closing advice for founders Mark Heynen | knapsack.ai | https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheynen/ Find out where your revenue gap actually sits. The Revenue Leak Audit is a 30-minute no-pitch conversation with Gary Lafferty. Book at https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: AI and Lead Generation(00:01:19) - Mark Knapsack on Growth Focus: Financial Services(00:04:14) - When Did Wealth Management Find the Right Client for Our AI? Financial(00:10:31) - Will Financial Advisors Accept OpenClaw?(00:13:40) - Desktop Agents: They're Doing Half the Work(00:17:34) - What's Been a Good Lead Generation Strategy for Your Company?(00:19:16) - Beyond the Noise: The Challenges of AI(00:22:06) - What's Working For Your Business?(00:24:02) - TurnKey Software: Future of Enterprise Solutions(00:26:47) - WSJD Live: What to Do Differently this Quarter(00:28:13) - Have You Reached Your 'Local Maxima'?(00:29:11) - Growth Focus: How to Get a Coaching Interview(00:30:28) - How to Prevent a Revenue Leak?

Most growth problems aren't growth problems. They're positioning problems sitting one layer underneath. Michael Baer, fractional CMO at Tech CXO with nearly 40 years of experience, on why strategy without story always breaks. Most businesses that hit a growth ceiling don't have a lead generation problem. They have a story problem. If your pipeline is inconsistent, your website sounds like everyone else's, or your sales team can't articulate what you actually do for customers — this episode is for you. Michael introduces "stratocution" — what happens when companies treat strategy and execution as two separate activities. The result is always the same: activity without momentum. The conversation covers what he actually does when a founder says growth is stuck (it's almost never pipeline), why product-led companies lose the positioning battle to customer-led ones, the expensive mistake of saying yes to ICP calls you shouldn't take, and when founder-led marketing matters versus when it's just the founder getting in their own way. Key takeaways: — The most expensive ICP mistake: taking calls outside your target because you don't want to say no — The number one sign your value proposition is weak: it's about your company, not your customer — Meeting conversion is the GTM metric that tells you whether your story is actually working — Two weeks of strategic foundation work makes every execution decision faster and cheaper — Ask a salesperson what the product positioning is. That's your alignment test. Connect with Michael Baer: LinkedIn: [URL] Email: [email protected] | techcxo.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction 00:44 — Who is Michael Baer and what does he do at Tech CXO 02:12 — What working with companies from pre-revenue to public taught him about growth 04:47 — Stratocution: why strategy and execution keep failing separately 06:19 — Product-led founders and the business they forget to build 09:00 — "No one cares what you do — they care what you do for them" 10:02 — The first thing Michael does when a founder says growth is stuck 12:17 — Why "move fast and break things" is mostly an excuse to avoid hard thinking 14:06 — Authenticity, standing out, and why story beats product in the age of AI 15:39 — Mission vs purpose vs vision: cutting through the nomenclature clash 18:00 — Real example: finding purpose in a physician practice management company 21:01 — How to find real positioning — not the slide deck version 23:27 — Mapping value chains: who are you actually enabling, and to do what? 25:22 — Founder-led marketing: when it matters and when to let it go 30:25 — On founder stories: more powerful than most, less necessary than everyone thinks 31:21 — Quickfire: GTM metric Michael trusts most 32:16 — The most expensive ICP mistake founders repeat 33:12 — The number one sign your UVP is weak 33:46 — Best question to test if sales and marketing are truly aligned 34:10 — One principle to steal and apply this week 34:57 — Where to find Michael Baer About the show: The Growth Focus Podcast — MSP owners, VAR and IT leaders, and B2B tech founders sharing what actually works in growing a business today. Hosted by Gary Lafferty, Growth Focus Partnerships. Revenue Leak Audit — 30-minute no-pitch conversation: https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit #GrowthFocus #B2BMarketing #GTMStrategy #FractionalCMO #Positioning #FounderLedGrowth Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Fix Your Company's Growth Problems(00:01:33) - What Really Drives Growth in Companies?(00:10:05) - How to Get Out Of Growth Trap(00:14:19) - In the Elevation of Startup Authenticity(00:15:13) - Mission statements and their purpose(00:20:53) - How to help a company find its unique value proposition(00:23:03) - Understanding the Value Chain of Events(00:25:00) - Reasons for Founder Led Sales and Marketing(00:30:05) - Growth Focus: The Most Expensive Mistake Companies Make(00:33:58) - The Need for a Strategic Plan(00:35:05) - ICP Point Strategy

One MSP lost his two biggest clients on the same day. No contracts in place. 60% of turnover gone before the month was out. This is the kind of moment that should never be a surprise - but for most MSP owners, it is. Ian Luckett co-founded the MSP Growth Hub alongside Stuart Warwick. They work with over 50 MSP businesses across the UK, coaching founders and their senior teams on what it actually takes to build a business that runs without them and sells for a number worth selling for. Why 90% of MSPs were built by techies who never planned to run a business - and why that creates a very specific set of problems as the business grows The Owner Not Needed principle - and how one client achieved an eight times EBITDA multiplier by making himself completely optional Why high-growth MSPs invest in people and process before adding AI, not instead of it The niche question: why MSPs that try to serve everyone end up competing on price with everyone The backpack method for choosing a niche from your corporate background Why trust-based marketing takes 12 to 18 months — and what that means for when you should have started Client concentration risk: why one client at 30 to 50% of turnover is a liability, not a flagship account What actually triggers an MSP owner to change — Ian's honest answer Ian Luckett | MSP Growth Hub: mspgrowthhub.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianluckett/ If this episode made you wonder where your own growth gap sits — the Revenue Leak Audit is a 30-minute no-pitch conversation to find out. Book at https://growthfocus.io/revenue_leak_audit Subscribe to The Growth Focus Podcast for peer-to-peer conversations with MSP owners, IT leaders, and B2B tech founders on what is actually driving growth. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction and Ian's background 01:00 Leaving corporate and finding the MSP niche 03:26 Building the MSP Growth Hub with Stuart Warwick 04:18 What MSP Growth Hub does — the nine accelerators 07:36 What high-growth MSPs are doing differently in 2026 10:23 Owner Not Needed framework and exit multipliers 11:37 Founder-led sales vs building a marketing engine 14:51 Why trust-based marketing takes 12 to 18 months 16:17 Sales and marketing as the fuel for acquisitions 18:07 How to stand out when every MSP sounds the same 18:48 Niching: the single best move an MSP can make 20:58 Creating a blue ocean rather than fighting in a red one 21:27 AI: what MSPs should focus on and what to ignore 24:49 The moment an MSP founder decides to change 27:06 Client concentration risk and the 60% turnover story 28:43 One thing to do in the next quarter if you feel stuck 31:13 How to find Ian and the MSP Growth Hub GUEST LINKS Ian Luckett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianluckett/ MSP Growth Hub: https://mspgrowthhub.com MSP Growth Hub Buyer's Guide: available via mspgrowthhub.com Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Focus: MSPs(00:01:07) - Growth of Focus: The MSP Growth Hub Interview(00:05:18) - MSPS: Helping MSPs Scale their Business with Conf(00:08:08) - What is actually driving growth in MSPs?(00:12:50) - MSP Marketing: Founder Led Content(00:17:58) - The New World of Trust(00:18:55) - Go into a Niche(00:20:27) - Deep Dive: The Low-Langing Fruit(00:21:28) - In the Elevator With AI(00:21:57) - MSP Network: The future of AI(00:24:46) - MSP Co-op: The Time to Step Up(00:27:41) - What's Your Plan for the MSP?(00:28:21) - A Loaded Question for MSPs(00:29:20) - MSP Growth: Where Do You Want to Go?(00:31:55) - Revenue Leak Audit

Most tech leaders are not struggling because they cannot buy technology. They are struggling because the buying process is rigged for vendor outcomes, not business outcomes. In this episode, Dean Gartelos breaks down how to silence the noise, run a client-requirements-first selection process, and often uncover 10 to 30 percent savings without trading down on capability. IN THIS EPISODE Dean explains his vendor-neutral model and why it changes the dynamic of tech buying, including why his clients are typically not billed directly for the work. We dig into why relationships and trust matter more now, not less, and where AI actually helps versus where it quietly dehumanizes the process. Dean also shares a real-world story where a team spent months negotiating, then used a vendor-neutral benchmark to force an additional 15% reduction at the last minute. If you are modernizing infrastructure, renegotiating telecom or managed services, or simply trying to make calmer, more confident vendor decisions, this one is built for you. Subscribe for more conversations on growth, leadership, and practical tech decisions that actually move the business forward. LINKEDIN Dean Gartelos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-gartelos Gary Lafferty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome + who Dean is 00:12 Vendor-neutral tech buying and the 10–30% savings reality 02:37 The irresistible offer and why clients may not pay directly 08:19 Why relationships matter more now, plus the authenticity shift 10:43 When the latest tech is the wrong move for the culture 12:36 AI in the real world: what to automate vs what to keep human 14:27 Calm vs rushed vendor decisions, and why neutral advisors matter 16:38 The negotiation story that forced another 15% reduction 20:45 What gets implementations stuck, and how good teams get unstuck 24:14 One-quarter focus: optimism, open-mindedness, accountability 26:32 Tech focus: security and pragmatic AI 27:40 How to reach Dean (succeedwithdean.com) Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Business: The Growth Focus Podcast(00:00:57) - Technology Consultant Dean Gartellos on Seamless Technology(00:04:08) - Dean Akerman on How We Do Business(00:08:29) - WSJD Live: The Need for Authenticity in Client Relationship(00:13:54) - Deciding on a Vendor?(00:16:11) - Clearing the Noise(00:19:50) - Where Do We Get Out Of Hiccups?(00:23:00) - Leading With More Alignment and Accountability(00:27:37) - DWON'S ON

Is your technology slowing your business down - and you don't even know it yet? If your CEO or CFO is still "owning" the IT decisions and the wheels are starting to come off, this episode is for you. In this episode What happens when your business outgrows the person running its technology? For most mid-sized companies, the answer is chaos - misaligned tools, wasted money, manual processes eating up hours every week, and leaders too deep in the weeds to see the real problem. In this episode, Gary Lafferty sits down with Monica Swanson, Founder of Monroe Business Solutions, who brings Fortune 500-level technology leadership to companies of 25–250 employees as a Fractional CTO/Tech Leader. Monica breaks down what fractional technology leadership actually means, why so many growing businesses are unknowingly sabotaging their own growth with the wrong IT decisions, and how she walks into "messy" situations and turns tech chaos into strategic clarity - fast. Whether you're a founder still wearing the IT hat, a CEO frustrated with vendors that never deliver, or a leader wondering if AI is actually right for your business - this conversation will change how you think about technology in your company. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST & HOST Monica Swanson - Founder, Monroe Business Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicaroeswanson/ Website: Monroe Business Solutions Gary Lafferty -  Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Website https://www.growthfocus.io ⏱️ CHAPTERS Timestamp | Chapters | 00:00 | Introduction — Who is Monica Swanson?  | 01:17 | The Moment It All Clicked — From Corporate to Fractional  | 03:41 | Fractional vs. "Just Between Jobs" — How to Tell the Difference  | 05:17 | The Ideal Client Profile & The Problems That Show Up First  | 08:26 | The First Thing Monica Looks For When She Walks In  | 09:59 | The Quickest Win — Choosing the Right Vendor  | 11:09 | Real Client Story — Payroll, Manual Processes & the Hidden Cost  | 13:50 | Telltale Signs You Have a Technology Problem  | 15:22 | AI in the Real World — What's Hype and What's Actually Useful  | 17:38 | What to Bring to a First Conversation with Monica  | 19:46 | One Piece of Advice for Every Founder & Leader  | 21:27 | Where to Find Monica  KEY TAKEAWAYS You don't need to know the problem to ask for help. Most leaders can't fully articulate their tech pain — Monica's job is to ask the right questions and peel back the layers. Fractional tech leadership isn't a gap-filler — it's a strategy. A real fractional professional has a company, a brand, and a long-term commitment to the model. Ask directly. The real cost of manual processes is hiding in plain sight. If your HR team spends two days every pay period just running payroll, you're already paying for a better system — you just haven't bought it yet. Don't solve today's problem without knowing where you're going. Before fixing the CRM, ask: what are we trying to accomplish in the next two years? The answer changes everything. AI isn't magic — it's an accelerator. Good data and documented processes come first. As Gary puts it: “It's like going from a bicycle to an electric bike. If you can't ride the bike, you'll just crash faster.” Leaders are often the biggest blocker to their own growth. The hardest but most important question: Are you the one holding your company back? If this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you never... Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: The Technology Lead(00:02:02) - The Search for a Full-Time Consultant(00:05:33) - The Type of Companies That Work Best for You(00:10:07) - The Right Vendor Product for Your Business(00:11:09) - WSJD Live: What broke the HR department?(00:15:24) - How Is AI Integining Into Your Work?(00:17:29) - What is the First Conversation You Should Have With Your Doctor?(00:19:01) - Monica Swanson on How to Grow Your Business(00:21:42) - Veronica on the Oprah Interview

If you are a tech founder saying we need more leads, this episode cuts straight through the noise and shows what is usually hiding underneath that sentence: weak positioning, fuzzy ICP, and a pipeline you cannot see clearly enough to manage. Alan Gold, Partner at TechCXO, lays out a practical way to diagnose stalled growth, sharpen your story, and stop wasting money on activity that looks busy but does not move revenue. In this episode Gary and Alan break down what Alan looks for first when he walks into a growth company, why most early sales efforts fail without air support, and how to spot weak positioning fast by looking at lead mismatch. They get into founder-led sales and the point where it stops scaling, plus the hard conversation leaders avoid: your offer may be ordinary in the market even if it feels special internally. They close on AI with a clean rule of thumb: use it as leverage for research and execution, not as a shiny feature that distracts from customer value. LinkedIn Alan Gold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanegold Gary Lafferty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus Chapters 00:00 Intro: who Alan is and what TechCXO does 01:47 The first growth diagnostic: strategy before tactics 06:10 We need more leads: the three problems underneath it 08:14 What strong positioning sounds like in plain English 10:53 Founder-led sales: where it breaks and how to transition 15:42 The hardest conversation: your baby may be ordinary 18:31 AI in growth companies: leverage vs distraction 22:01 How to reach Alan Chapters (00:00:00) - Alan Gold on Growing Tech Companies(00:01:34) - What is the Growth Strategy for a Startup?(00:05:34) - As a Founder Says We Need More Leads,(00:07:20) - What Does Strong Positioning Mean for Tech Companies?(00:09:41) - Where do you see most founders and leaders get stuck?(00:14:05) - What is the Hard Talk You Have With Your Leadership Team?(00:16:32) - What Smart Leaders Are Doing in the World of AI

You do not often hear a tech founder talk about AI like an economist, a builder, and a realist all at once. Nishantha went from economics and law to self-taught coding, then built an early AI platform in maritime and learned the hard lesson most founders dodge: the market does not care how smart your product is. This conversation gets into what actually creates growth in tech right now, why deep client relationships are still a competitive advantage, and how AI agents could reshape buying behavior faster than most companies are prepared for. If you want more conversations like this on how tech leaders grow real companies, subscribe on YouTube and follow the show for weekly episodes on sales, positioning, and scale. In this episode Nishantha shares how he moved from non-tech into building real products, why listening to the market matters more than personal conviction, and what he has seen work best in scaling a tech company over time. We dig into how tech firms can stand out when everyone sounds the same, what failure teaches when you are actually paying attention, and why AI agents may change the structure of markets, not just workflows. We also cover how founders can stay ahead of the curve by thinking clearly, staying specific, and keeping the human side of leadership intact as AI accelerates. Connect on LinkedIn Nishantha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishantha-ruwan-15b301b2/ Gary Lafferty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Growth Focus Podcast 00:27 Nishantha’s story: from economics and law to building in tech 02:22 What Nishantha’s company does and why it matters 03:21 Economics + technology: why both lenses matter right now 05:50 What has driven growth in his company 07:55 How to stand out when tech companies all sound the same 10:13 What has not worked: failure, rejection, and learning fast 14:12 AI agents: what changes when agents can transact and coordinate 17:48 How founders stay ahead of the AI curve 19:55 The next 12 to 24 months: what Nishantha is preparing for 21:38 One piece of advice: remain human 23:38 Best way to reach Nishantha Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: Gary Knows(00:02:29) - In the Elevator With Intuit CEO(00:03:19) - How economics and technology are affecting society(00:05:27) - MR Nish on Accelerating Growth(00:07:06) - What Makes Your Tech Company Different From Others?(00:09:29) - What's It That You've Learned From Your Failure?(00:13:21) - The Power of AI Agents in Running a Business(00:18:06) - Top Tech Companies' Future Plans(00:19:37) - Deepak On The Need to Remain Human(00:21:38) - Growing Focus: Learning From Giants

In this podcast epidsode, Gary Lafferty and Margee Moore discuss the challenges and strategies for competing with AI in storytelling and content creation. They emphasize the importance of personal engagement and practical tactics for creating meaningful content that resonates with audiences. Takeaways Competing with AI requires a unique personal touch in storytelling.Recording short videos can effectively engage your audience.Identify common questions from sales calls to create content.AI can generate content, but personal stories are irreplaceable.Utilizing simple tools like an iPhone can enhance content creation.Consistency in content creation is key to building an audience.Engagement through video can differentiate you from AI.Understanding your audience's needs is crucial for effective messaging.AI noise can be overwhelming, focus on authenticity.Small, actionable tactics can lead to significant results. Titles Navigating AI in StorytellingAuthenticity vs. AI: The Content Challenge Sound bites "How can I compete against AI?""There is a lot of AI noise out there.""Start recording short little videos." Chapters 00:00 Intro and what this episode is about01:36 Margee’s background and why she started Big Orange Marketing03:39 What’s changed in visibility because of AI search05:20 AI search vs Google search and what that means for buyers07:29 What the data is showing on AI driven traffic and lead quality08:18 How to make your site more AI searchable (long tail, proof, differentiation)11:47 Why results often take 6 to 9 months and what to do in the meantime15:59 StoryBrand and the biggest messaging mistakes in tech and MSPs18:29 The real leak: follow up, conversion, and asking for the sale21:06 What’s working now: outbound plus nurture and intent signals Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Your Company(00:01:04) - Meet Margie Morse(00:02:24) - How to Gain More Insight in the AI Era(00:05:13) - Marcus On Becoming Solution Provider Aware(00:06:04) - What is AI Search and How It Affects Your Marketing?(00:08:06) - How to Make Your Website More AI Searchable(00:09:48) - What Do MSPs and Industrial Businesses Understand Most About Modern(00:10:35) - MSP Marketing: Consistency and the Modern Marketing(00:11:40) - SEO 101: Giving it Time to Get It(00:13:31) - Should an MSP Search Nationwide or Only in Ohio?(00:14:52) - What is Storybrand and How to Tell Your Story?(00:17:05) - What is the biggest leak in your company's sales and SEO(00:17:38) - The Biggest Leak in Companies Funnels(00:19:25) - Outbound, Outbound Sales: New for 2020(00:22:44) - In the Elevator With Steve Jobs(00:23:15) - How to Tell Authentic Stories in an AI World(00:25:56) - Growth Focus: New Year, New Direction

In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Nadav Schnall, CEO and co-founder of ProSentry, about founder-led growth and the integration of AI in building management. They discuss Nadav's background in real estate, the challenges of scaling a tech startup, and the importance of educating clients about technology adoption. Nadav shares insights on effective growth channels, the role of regulation, and the future vision for ProSentry as they expand their offerings and reach. Takeaways Founder-led growth requires identifying and solving real problems.ProSentry offers a risk mitigation platform for building management.Regulatory changes can create significant growth opportunities.Educating clients is crucial for technology adoption.Understanding client pain points leads to better solutions.Building relationships through educational events enhances engagement.Adaptability is key in scaling a startup.Technology adoption in building management faces resistance.AI can enhance predictive maintenance and analytics.Confidence and persistence are essential for entrepreneurial success. Titles Unlocking Founder-Led Growth StrategiesNavigating the Challenges of Startup Scaling Sound bites "We set out to solve a problem.""We try to educate our clients.""Helping clients save money is key." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Founder-Led Growth01:18 Nadav Schnall's Background and Journey03:15 Identifying Pain Points in the Industry05:05 ProSentry: Solutions for Risk Mitigation06:02 Effective Growth Channels for ProSentry07:55 Establishing Authority Through Education09:59 The Importance of Educating Clients12:11 Challenges in Scaling the Company13:58 Overcoming Technological Hesitance16:57 Integrating AI into ProSentry's Solutions19:14 Future Vision and Expansion Plans21:44 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs23:56 Growth Focus YouTube Video Intro (1).mp4 Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Focus: Founder-Led Growth(00:01:03) - Meet Pro Sentry's Founder and CEO Nadav Schnall(00:03:15) - Pro Sentry: The Problem of Water Leaks(00:04:58) - What is Pro Sentry and Who Is Their Ideal Client?(00:06:03) - What's Been the Most Effective Growth Channel for Your Company?(00:07:43) - Exploring the future of insurance with technology(00:08:40) - The Value of Compliance in Your Business(00:10:29) - Exploring the gray areas of insurance and AI(00:12:05) - What's Been Harder Than Expecting in Scaling Your Company(00:13:35) - Why Is Property Management So hesitant to Adopt Tech?(00:16:53) - What Does AI Do In Your System?(00:19:07) - Pro Sentry CEO on the Future(00:19:35) - What's the Challenge of Expanding Your Reach?(00:21:23) - Grow For Focused: Advice To Young Nirav

In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Haiphie Hua, the Head of Strategic Partnerships at CodeCloud. They discuss the importance of storytelling in business, the role of strategic partnerships in growth, common mistakes in e-commerce setups, and the impact of AI on business operations. Haiphie shares insights from her journey in performance marketing and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to e-commerce, highlighting that success requires more than just a good product. The conversation concludes with advice for young entrepreneurs to enjoy their journey and embrace the challenges ahead. Connect with Haiphie - https://www.linkedin.com/in/haiphiehua/ Connect with Gary - https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Key Takeaways Storytelling is essential for standing out in business. Understanding the 'why' behind a business is crucial. Building strong relationships leads to successful partnerships. E-commerce requires a complete infrastructure, not just a website. AI can enhance business operations but won't replace jobs. Success in e-commerce depends on knowing your target demographic. The future of e-commerce is bright and full of opportunities. Customer experience is key to retaining clients. Young entrepreneurs should enjoy the journey and not stress too much. A good product is just one part of a successful business. Sound Bites "There's a system and a process." "You just have to do it right." "E-commerce is not gonna go away." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast 01:12 Haiphie Hua's Journey and Background 02:57 The Importance of Storytelling in Business 04:04 Role of Strategic Partnerships in Growth 06:53 Common Mistakes in Forming Partnerships 08:35 Building a Complete Business Infrastructure 10:52 The Impact of AI on Business 12:13 Future of E-commerce 15:14 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing a Company in Tech(00:00:57) - Meet Code Cloud's Guest Haifi Hua(00:01:26) - How Did I Get Started In What I Do?(00:02:33) - How to Tell a Story in a PowerPoint(00:03:46) - Head of Strategic Partnerships(00:04:49) - How To Grow Your Company Overseas(00:06:41) - What is the biggest mistake made by a business?(00:08:50) - How to Start and Grow a Business on Shopify(00:10:30) - Gorgeous on E-Commerce's Future With AI(00:12:52) - E-Commerce: Growth Prospects(00:14:32) - Enjoy The Journey

In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with entrepreneur John LeRoy about his journey in building Realay, a referral application aimed at improving the real estate industry. They discuss the myth of 'if they build it, they will come,' the importance of advisory boards for bootstrap companies, and the challenges of user adoption in the real estate sector. John shares insights on creating a trustworthy referral system and emphasizes the human element in technology. He concludes with valuable advice for founders navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Connect with John on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-leroy-160562278/ Connect with Gary on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Takeaways The myth of 'if they build it, they will come' is prevalent. Advisory boards are crucial for startup success. User adoption is a significant challenge in tech. Referrals are essential for business growth. Building trust is key in referral processes. Technology should enhance human connections. Perseverance is vital for entrepreneurs. Success is defined by the entrepreneur's character. Creating a network of trusted professionals is important. Focus on user experience to drive success. Titles Breaking the Myth: Building for Success The Power of Advisory Boards in Startups Sound Bites "You can't do it alone." "User adoption is extremely difficult." "Perseverance is key for entrepreneurs." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast 01:05 Meet John LeRoy: Entrepreneurial Journey 02:08 The Drive to Build: Leaving Retirement Behind 05:10 Core Lessons from Past Exits 07:52 The Importance of Advisory Boards 11:33 User Adoption Challenges in Real Estate 14:20 The Referral System Gap in Real Estate 18:42 Building Trust Through Technology 22:18 Advice for Founders in the Messy Middle Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: If They Build It, They Will Come(00:01:34) - John Leroy(00:05:26) - John Walsh on Lessons Learned From His Past Exits(00:08:11) - Bootstrapping: The Importance of Advisory Boards(00:11:40) - John Feuerstein on Real Estate(00:14:05) - Real Estate: The Referral System(00:21:40) - Perseverance in the Business(00:24:41) - Growth Focus: Episode 40

In this episode of the Growth Focus podcast, host Gary Lafferty interviews Holly Mack, a fractional CMO and marketing leader for tech companies. They discuss the common marketing mistakes made by tech founders, the importance of having a clear marketing strategy, and the foundational work needed for successful marketing. Holly shares insights on effective marketing strategies, the significance of founder-led marketing, and hard truths about the marketing landscape. The conversation emphasizes the need for clarity, focus, and consistent execution in marketing efforts. Takeaways Holly Mack is a fractional CMO with 10 years of experience in tech marketing. Many tech companies struggle with unclear messaging and differentiation. Founder-led chaos often leads to inconsistent marketing execution. Chasing shiny new marketing trends can dilute focus and effectiveness. SEO and referrals are key channels for generating leads. Foundational work is essential before launching marketing campaigns. Outsourcing marketing without internal accountability often leads to failure. Consistency in marketing efforts is crucial for success. Engaging on LinkedIn can significantly enhance visibility and networking. Focusing on one or two marketing channels can yield better results than spreading efforts too thin. Connect with Holly https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollymack/ Titles Unlocking Marketing Success in Tech The Common Pitfalls of Tech Marketing Sound Bites "SEO is our highest ROI channel." "Start with foundational work." "Post something on LinkedIn." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast 12:25 The Importance of Founder-Led Marketing 21:18 Growth Focus YouTube Video Intro (1).mp4 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ You already invest time and money getting prospects to the table. The real leverage is in what happens once they are on Zoom with your team. If you would like a clear view of how well your sales conversations are working today, the next step is a Conversion Audit. It is a focused twenty minute session where we plug in your real numbers, stress test a few recent “good calls” and identify the one or two changes that could lift your win rate. If there is a strong case for working together, I will show you what that could look like. If not, you leave with more clarity than you have now. Book your Conversion Audit here: https://calendly.com/growth-focus/conversion-audit Explore the Podcast Channel and other episodes - https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthFocus Chapters (00:00:00) - Interview(00:00:56) - How to Get to Know Your CMO(00:01:52) - The Most Common Marketing Mistakes in Tech and MSPs(00:05:08) - Have Tech Founders Tried This?(00:07:02) - Why Marketing Isn't Working For MSPs(00:08:41) - What Works to Generate Leads?(00:11:16) - What Makes Your Business Different?(00:12:59) - How to Remove the Founder from Marketing?(00:14:58) - No Agency Will Save You From Marketing(00:15:48) - 5 tips for getting out of your Rut(00:17:38) - What Would You Do If You Were Active on LinkedIn?(00:18:55) - Growth Focus: One takeaway for business owners

What if your hiring bottleneck isn’t a talent shortage but a decision-making problem? Macie Fellows unpacks the biggest hiring mistakes growth-focused companies make and explains how blending AI with human expertise creates faster, smarter, and more reliable hiring outcomes. Full Description In this episode, Gary sits down with Macie Fellows of Axiom Path and Cognified to explore the challenges companies face when trying to scale their teams. From over-automated workflows to inboxes flooded with resumes, Macie explains why so many leaders still waste time, money, and energy trying to solve hiring problems with the wrong tools. She shares how her team blends staffing, advisory services, and AI automation to streamline hiring and give companies real clarity. Instead of drowning in options, leaders get better insights, faster decisions, and stronger long-term team performance. We also dive into Macie’s transition from hospitality to tech, her passion for relationship-driven partnerships, and her predictions for how AI will reshape hiring in the next three years. If you lead a growing company, this conversation may change how you think about talent, tools, and the role of human connection in the AI era. Connect with Macie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maciefellows/ Website: https://axiompath.com Connect with Gary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Email: [email protected] Chapters 00:00 Opening 00:43 Who is Macie Fellows 01:33 Axiom Path + Cognified explained 02:51 Over-automation and the limits of AI tools 03:53 How hiring problems show up in fast-growth companies 04:47 Why leaders struggle to find the right people 05:21 The hidden cost of sifting through 400 resumes 06:47 The blend of AI + advisory that makes them different 07:49 Avoiding bad hiring decisions 08:33 Macie’s unexpected path into tech 09:32 What’s coming next in the industry 11:16 AI's role in hiring for 2026–2027 12:40 Why training and human oversight matter 13:23 One piece of advice for every founder Takeaways • Your next best hire comes from insight, not volume • AI accelerates the process but human judgment drives success • Over-automation creates blind spots that stall growth • Bad hiring decisions compound faster than leaders realise • Saying yes to expert help moves a company forward Check out more podcast episodes at Growthfocus Podcasts Thank you for tuning in! Hashtags #HiringStrategy #AIEnabledTeams #LeadershipGrowth #GrowthFocusPodcast Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus Podcast(00:00:51) - In the Elevator With Cognified's Chief Innovation Officer(00:01:31) - In the Elevator With Axiom Path's CEO(00:02:40) - What is the biggest problem that your company solves?(00:03:28) - What Is Your Ideal Client?(00:05:43) - WSJD Live: What Makes Your Firm Different?(00:06:39) - In the Elevator With ROI(00:07:30) - Macy's Day in the Tech Industry(00:08:28) - How AI Is Affecting Your Clients' Business(00:11:36) - Growth Focus: On Leading With Passion

What does it really take to grow a tech consulting studio 10x in two years? KD reveals the strategy behind his rise and why most founders approach sales and UX completely wrong. Short Description This episode dives into KD’s journey from UX leader to founder, exploring how he built a fast-growing design studio through word-of-mouth, smart sales conversations, and AI-powered delivery. Full Description Gary sits down with KD Singharneja, founder of Neza Solutions, to explore the real story behind his rapid growth. KD grew his UX and design studio 10x in under two years by focusing on clarity of positioning, relationship-driven acquisition, and a high-speed delivery model powered by AI. They talk about the shift founders must make from practitioner to business owner, and why mastering buyer psychology is more important than mastering your product. KD outlines how he approaches discovery calls, how to lead conversations with questions instead of pitches, and how to close clients without feeling like you’re selling. Finally, KD explains how AI is reshaping the UX industry and why agencies must deliver at 10x speed to stay competitive. This conversation is packed with insights for tech founders, consultants, and anyone who wants to grow without adding complexity. Connect with KD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanwaldeep/ Website: https://www.nezasolutions.com/ Connect with Gary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Email: [email protected]

In this episode of the Growth Focus podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Rick Schott, an experienced executive in the SaaS and startup space. They discuss the challenges founders face when trying to grow their businesses, particularly when hitting growth plateaus. Rick shares insights on the importance of hiring the right team, creating a clear vision for the future, and leveraging AI to optimize business processes. The conversation also touches on customer acquisition strategies and the significance of reducing churn to ensure customer success. Rick emphasizes that founders must perceive the value of their product and be proactive in their approach to growth. ✅ Timestamps / Chapters 02:15 – Rick’s journey 05:12 – Why founder-led sales works (when it works) 09:34 – The real risk in enterprise buying 13:45 – Anatomy of a successful sales conversation 19:26 – Handling long sales cycles 23:14 – Signs of early product-market fit 26:41 – Positioning mistakes founders make 30:10 – Rick’s advice to new founders 32:00 – Final thoughts & wrap-up What You’ll Learn The sales playbook Rick used to win enterprise clients Why founder-led selling beats traditional outbound early on How to build credibility when you're still unknown The biggest mistake founders make when pricing enterprise services How to scale from scrappy startup to credible authority Key Takeaways Enterprise sales is not about charm. It’s about risk reduction and strategic framing. Most consultancies pitch too much and position too little. Selling $100K+ deals starts with one thing: authority. Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus Podcast(00:00:54) - Startups and Early-Stage Growth(00:03:47) - What challenges have you faced as a founder?(00:05:00) - When do you think it's the right time to separate roles?(00:07:09) - When to Hire a First Hire?(00:08:23) - What Do SaaS Companies Need to Do to Grow?(00:10:20) - Bootstrapping: The Leapfrog Feature(00:13:57) - What Excites You About Drip Jobs and Route.ai(00:14:56) - How To Differentiate With AI in Your Company(00:18:45) - Will Google's Randomize Assist Companies' Schedules?(00:22:39) - How To Acquire Customers Through Digital Marketing(00:24:39) - Be the best kept secret in the business(00:27:04) - How to Stop SaaS Churn(00:31:09) - Steve Jobs on the Future of Software(00:32:43) - Rick Rickshaw on Breaking Through The Glass Ceiling(00:34:22) - Growth Focus: Episode 3

Summary In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Will Mazola, COO of Graytitude, about the importance of strategic partnerships in business growth, the nuances of mainframe modernization, and the launch of a new AI product. Will shares his journey from staffing and consulting to leading tech businesses, emphasizing the significance of relationships and the lessons learned from growth mistakes. The conversation also touches on the importance of founder-led visibility and the future goals of the company.   Takeaways Strategic partnerships are essential for business growth.Mainframe modernization is a niche but necessary service.AI can help small businesses manage missed opportunities.Building strong relationships is crucial in the tech industry.You can't rely solely on one strategic partner.Maintaining relationships requires effort and consistency.Staying lean is important for cash flow management.Founder-led visibility can enhance brand recognition.Learning from mistakes is key to sustainable growth.Entrepreneurs should act on their ideas without hesitation.   Titles Unlocking Growth Through Strategic PartnershipsThe Journey of Will Mazola in Tech Leadership   Sound Bites "Missed calls are truly missed opportunities.""If you're thinking of it, get in it.""Stay the course, if you're thinking of it."   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast01:21 Will Mazzola's Entrepreneurial Journey06:04 Understanding Mainframe Modernization07:32 Innovating with AI Solutions11:39 Growth Strategies and Sales Systems16:13 The Importance of Relationships19:48 Learning from Growth Mistakes21:43 Founder-Led Visibility and Brand Growth24:28 Future Goals and Priorities26:46 Final Insights for Tech Founders30:03 Growth Focus YouTube Video Intro (1).mp4 Chapters (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: Strategic Partnerships(00:01:13) - How I Went From Consulting to Co-Leading Three Tech Companies(00:06:04) - IBM's Mainframe Modernization(00:07:33) - WSJD Live: Our New AI Product(00:11:18) - WSJD Live: Lead Generation and Pipeline Growth(00:12:30) - Channel Partners: How Strategic Partners Drive Growth(00:13:57) - Are Strategic Partners Necessary?(00:15:57) - Exploring the Need for Relationships in the Industry(00:16:29) - Relationships in the Digital World(00:19:48) - Reasons to Stay Lean and Expensive(00:22:48) - Marathon Engineering: Standing Above the Noise(00:24:45) - Top Executives(00:26:30) - Growth Focus: One Insight that I Wish More Tech Founders Would

In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Biju Ashokan, founder and CEO of Radius Agent, about building a fast-growing tech company without relying on cold outreach. They discuss the importance of white labeling, the unique value proposition of Radius, and effective growth strategies. Biju shares insights on the significance of having the right team, the role of founders in sales, and how to build trust with clients. The conversation emphasizes the need for profitability, efficiency, and the continuous evolution of products in the tech space. Biju Ashokan is the founder and CEO of Radius Agent, focusing on empowering independent real estate brokerages. Radius Agent aims to provide tools for team leaders to grow their own brands and brokerages. Takeaways Biju Ashokan is the founder and CEO of Radius Agent, focusing on empowering independent real estate brokerages. Radius Agent aims to provide tools for team leaders to grow their own brands and brokerages. The real estate tech market is crowded, and Radius differentiates itself by helping entire brokerages, not just individual agents. White labeling allows clients to take ownership of the software, enhancing their brand and trust. Building a good product is essential for growth and requires the right team in place. Founders should be involved in sales, especially in enterprise sales, to build trust and credibility. Cold outreach is less effective in the real estate industry; referrals and word-of-mouth are more powerful. Client success stories are crucial for marketing and growth strategies. Profitability, efficiency, and time are key values that Radius emphasizes to its clients. Continuous product development is necessary; there should always be a 'next 30%' to work on. Titles Building a Tech Company Without Cold Outreach The Power of White Labeling in Tech Growth Sound Bites "Build a good product." "Your gut is always right." "You need to protect your idea." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast 01:15 Biju Ashokan's Journey in Tech and Real Estate 02:48 Understanding Radius and Its Unique Value Proposition 06:20 The Role of AI in Real Estate Tech 09:05 Building Trust and Credibility in Sales 13:21 Growth Strategies and Lessons Learned 17:59 The Importance of Founder-Led Sales 25:20 Future Goals and Vision for Radius 28:11 Final Insights for Founders Chapters (00:00:00) - Growing Your Tech Company(00:01:06) - In the Elevator With Radius Agent and AI(00:01:57) - In the Elevator With Radius CEO Adam Levine(00:02:48) - How Radius Helped Real Estate Agents Start Their Own Firm(00:06:24) - Gary Real Estate Tech: White Labeling(00:10:13) - How We Made Real Estate Companies Profitable(00:13:06) - What's Driving Tech's Growth?(00:15:14) - Hiring the Right Team(00:17:53) - Radius Real Estate's Growth Strategy(00:21:08) - In the Elevator: Founder Led Sales(00:25:11) - Excelerating Growth: What's Your Goal(00:26:15) - What's the Missing Piece to Get to Growth?(00:27:26) - White Label and the 30%(00:28:15) - Sustaining a Tech Startup(00:29:59) - Growth Focus: The Podcast

What happens when a former Uber engineering leader takes on real estate? You get Radius Agent - an AI-powered platform transforming how agents grow, close, and scale. In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, I sit down with Biju Ashokan, Co-Founder and CEO of Radius Agent, to talk about building a tech-driven real estate platform, leading through uncertainty, and why his team is betting big on community-powered growth. Biju previously led mobile engineering at Uber and has now raised over $19 million to reshape real estate for the modern agent. This is a candid, insight-rich conversation for tech founders, agency leaders, and startup execs looking to scale fast, without losing their soul. Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Build a Fast-Growing Tech Company(00:01:06) - Interviews with Radius Agent Bijou(00:01:57) - In the Elevator With Radius's Founder(00:02:48) - How Real Estate Team Leaders Got Involved at Radius(00:06:20) - Gary Real Estate Tech: White Labeling(00:10:13) - Bijou Real Estate: The Value of Our Solution(00:13:06) - What's the Growth Strategy for Your Company?(00:15:14) - Hiring the Right Team(00:17:53) - Radius Real Estate's Growth Strategy(00:21:08) - Reasons for Founder-Led Sales(00:25:11) - Excelerating Growth: What's Your Goal(00:26:15) - What's the Missing Piece to Our Growth Plan?(00:27:26) - On the 30% of Product Growth(00:28:15) - Sustaining a Tech Startup(00:29:59) - Growth Focus: The Podcast

In this episode, Gary Lafferty talks with Biju Ashokan, CEO of Radius Agent about scaling a platform business, leading in chaos, and building a mission that matters.Radius Agent is on a mission to empower real estate professionals by giving them the tools, support, and AI-driven systems they need to grow, without sacrificing independence.This episode is for any founder serious about team leadership, platform thinking, and tech-powered growth.Inside this episode:Lessons for startup foundersWhy building trust is harder than building featuresHow Radius Agent blends SaaS, services, and communityThe psychology of early-stage scalingWhat startup CEOs really need to focus onWhy time is the most overlooked startup assetLinks:Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedInBiju Ashokan: radiusagent.com | LinkedIn

Referrals aren’t magic. They’re a system.On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty sits down with Jeff Ernst, CEO and Founder of SlapFive, to explore the mechanics of building a predictable, referral-powered growth system for tech-based consultancies.If you’re a founder or CEO still relying on “word of mouth” without a clear ask, this episode could unlock thousands in hidden revenue. You’ll LearnWhy most referral programs flopHow to make the ask without sounding desperateWhat tech consultants must do differentlyHow delivery → trust → pipelineWhere to start if you’re a solo founder LinksGary Lafferty – growthfocus.ioJeff Ernst – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffernst/referral engine, tech consulting podcast, B2B growth, client referrals, consultancy marketing, founder marketing, B2B referrals, service business growth, how to grow tech business, referral sales tips

Churn is the silent killer in SaaS. In this episode, Gary Lafferty speaks with Nick Fogle, co-founder of Churnkey, about why most subscription-based businesses lose customers faster than they grow—and how to fix it.You’ll learn:The psychology behind why users cancelHow to stop involuntary churn (failed payments)Why personalized retention flows work better than generic onesWhat most founders miss about real LTVFor founders and CEOs of tech consultancies and SaaS companies looking to grow sustainably, this episode breaks down how to stop the revenue leak.Links:growthfocus.iolinkedin.com/in/growthfocuschurnkey.colinkedin.com/in/nickfogleSaaS growth, customer churn, churnkey, subscription retention, B2B podcast, tech CEO advice, reduce churn, tech founder strategies, cancel flow optimization, LTV growth

In this episode, Gary Lafferty talks with Will Mazola, COO of Graytitude, about building a bootstrapped tech business that thrives on relationships, not just revenue.If you’re a founder or tech executive trying to figure out:How to build channel partnerships that actually convertHow to grow without overspendingWhat it really takes to launch an AI productAnd how to scale while staying lean......this episode gives you straight answers.Will shares lessons from starting three tech businesses, the trap of chasing booths and paid ads, and why showing up as a founder is still the best visibility strategy out there.Why listen:→ Learn how Graytitude is modernizing mainframes and building a new AI platform→ Hear practical tactics for forming channel partnerships→ Get honest insights on founder mistakes and growth lessonsLinks:Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedInWill Mazola: graytitude.com | LinkedIn

Gary Lafferty sits down with David Slavich, co-founder of iCustomer, to explore how tech founders can break early-stage revenue ceilings by combining data-driven decision-making with creative go-to-market strategies.If you’re a founder or CEO of a tech consultancy, SaaS company, or enterprise IT firm, this episode will give you actionable insights into:Pivoting products to unlock new marketsLeveraging LinkedIn content that actually generates interestScaling smarter with decision intelligence platformsOvercoming founder bottlenecks and avoiding the “Field of Dreams” trapWhy Listen:Discover how real-world experience across finance, global infrastructure, and tech startups led David to create a composable decision intelligence platform that transforms complex data into actionable growth strategies.Key Links:Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedInDavid Slavich & iCustomer: iCustomer.ai | Email: [email protected], learn, and turn conversations into clients with The Growth Focus Podcast.

Want to grow your tech consultancy to multi-7 figures without hiring a huge team? Isaac Hicks shares how he uses AI workflow automation, smart networking, and small speaking gigs to drive real growth.Summary:In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty speaks with Isaac Hicks, CEO of Autonomy, about how tech founders can:Streamline operations with AI to free up 30–40% of wasted timeBuild meaningful LinkedIn relationships that generate warm leadsAvoid the $2M to $5M growth plateau caused by operational chaosTurn conversations and small networking events into high-value clientsIf you’re a founder or CEO of a tech consultancy aiming to scale with fewer headaches and higher profits, this episode will show you the roadmap.Key Takeaways:Focus on automating proven, working processes onlyRelationship-first outreach outperforms cold sellingSmaller, paid networking events deliver higher ROI than vanity stagesPayroll inefficiencies are often the hidden growth killerLinks & Resources:Guest: Isaac Hicks – LinkedIn | AutonomyHost: Gary Lafferty – GrowthFocus.io | LinkedIn

This week on The Growth Focus Podcast, I talk with Jeremy Boudinet, VP of Growth at Textla - the fastest-growing SMS platform in North America.We dive into how Jeremy helped Textla scale from zero to thousands of users using Reddit, YouTube listicles, and some of the scrappiest growth moves I’ve seen. You’ll hear how they ranked on Google without waiting years, used PR stunts to get backlinks and press, and why outbound completely flopped.If you're a founder or CEO of a tech-based consultancy or SaaS firm and you're serious about growing through insight - not just hustle - this one’s for you.What You’ll Learn:Guerrilla marketing defined (and how you can use it right now)SEO tactics that work even without a big domainWhy outbound failed - and how to know when it’s time to pivotThe power of reviews, case studies, and customer languageJeremy’s go-to content strategy for B2B tech in 2025Guest: Jeremy Boudinet, VP Growth @ Textla → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyboudinet → https://www.textla.comHost: Gary Lafferty → https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ → https://growthfocus.ioListen now if you want real strategies - not recycled fluff.#growthfocus #techfounders #consultancygrowth #smsmarketing #seo #b2bmarketing #garylafferty #jeremyboudinet #authoritymarketing #clientacquisition #scaleyourconsultancy #ibmchampions

In this episode, Gary Lafferty sits down with Ned Fasullo—multi-exit founder and CEO of Apex Technologies—to deliver a blunt message for MSPs, VARs, and IT leaders: if your business is still relying on box sales or break/fix, you’re in trouble.Ned shares what most MSPs get wrong about recurring revenue, why Tier 1 helpdesk is about to disappear thanks to AI, and how smart founders are building businesses that are both profitable and sellable. You’ll also hear the truth about vendor licensing traps, why so many PE rollups fail, and how to stay relevant in a commoditized market.If you're a tech founder building toward an exit—or just trying to grow more predictably—this episode is essential listening.What We Cover:Why box selling is a race to zeroReal-world examples of MSPs transitioning to recurring modelsThe future of Tier 1 support (spoiler: AI is coming)Profitability tactics that clean up your P&LWhy PE rollups often backfire for clientsHow to win deals without racing to the bottom on priceWhat buyers actually value in your MSPConnect with Ned: apextech.itHost: Gary Lafferty – growthfocus.io

Gary Lafferty speaks with Paul “Gravey”  -  founder of The Data Group and trusted data coach to enterprise CEOs. In this powerful episode, Gravey shares how to stop outsourcing your data leadership, why clean data fuels AI success, and how building real relationships (not selling platforms) drives long-term growth.This episode is a must-listen for founders and tech CEOs who want to:* Increase their company’s valuation with first-party data* Escape spreadsheet chaos and own their data strategy* Build a competitive edge using AI + clean data* Attract enterprise clients without relying on ads or spammy funnelsHighlights Include:* How Gravey went from digging ditches to leading multiple data companies* Why most leaders believe the lie that they can't lead their own data* The real power of founder-led authority marketing* Clean data = AI success* What separates The Data Group from the SaaS noiseConnect with Paul Gravey: https://thedatagroup.cloudEmail: mailto:[email protected] with Gary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/Visit Gary’s Site:https://growthfocus.io

How do tech consultancies grow when the market is crowded and noisy?In this episode, Gary Lafferty speaks with Mackenzie Ostrem, VP at Shift Interactive, about how they successfully transitioned into “startup mode” after separating from their parent company. Mackenzie reveals the sales, marketing, and AI strategies that are helping Shift grow—plus candid lessons from what didn’t work.️ Topics covered include:AI for sales and marketingFounder-led and human-centered marketingUsing Sales Navigator to target smartlyBuilding partnerships with referral multipliersAvoiding common tech marketing mistakes Gary’s links: https://growthfocus.io | LinkedIn Mackenzie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzieostrem/ Shift Interactive: https://shiftdsm.com Listen now to learn how to sharpen your niche, increase your pipeline, and market with authenticity.

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty chats with Jessica Caudill, COO of PlanningPod, about scaling a global SaaS company without venture funding. Learn how a focus on customer education, trust-building, and operational excellence turned a small team into a powerful inbound growth engine.This episode is a masterclass for SaaS founders, COOs, and tech leaders who want to:Create systems that scale trust and reduce churnBuild brand authority through educational contentEmpower ops and CS teams to drive revenueStand out in a noisy, feature-heavy SaaS market Key Takeaways:Why being curious with your users drives product growthHow to balance user autonomy with expert guidanceWhat really works for inbound lead gen in niche SaaSHow referrals and Google reviews were scaled—without a formal system Guest Links: Website: planningpod.com LinkedIn: Jessica Caudill Host Links: Website: growthfocus.io LinkedIn: Gary Lafferty Follow The Growth Focus Podcast for more conversations with tech leaders and growth-driven CEOs.

What does it take to scale a GovTech startup in today’s competitive environment? In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty interviews Adam Zucker, CEO of Cloverleaf AI, on how they are revolutionizing government sales with intent data—and how a founder’s mindset shift from tech obsession to outcome obsession can drive business growth.Listen in as Adam shares: The shift from engineer to CEO and leader How Cloverleaf AI identifies early government buying signals Why founder-led sales and marketing still matter The mistake most tech founders make when trying to grow The real cost of inaction in today’s noisy marketplaceWhether you're selling into government, B2B, or just looking to scale a tech company with authority, this conversation is packed with practical insights and powerful growth strategies.Key Takeaways: Focus on outcomes, not products Build trust with real curiosity Marketing isn't optional—it’s passive income Start small, stay consistent, scale smartConnect with Us: Gary Lafferty: https://growthfocus.ioLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus Adam Zucker: https://cloverleaf.ai️ Subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!

In today’s episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty speaks with Noah Landow, the founder and CEO of Macktez, a technology consulting firm with nearly 30 years of success. Noah shares how he built a durable business by untangling complex tech challenges without needing massive teams — and why education, thought leadership, and building trust matter more now than ever for tech leaders.What You’ll Learn:Why curiosity is the secret to long-term tech successHow to grow beyond referrals through visibility and thought leadershipThe importance of simplifying complexity for scalingReal-world examples: Turning chaos into clarity for high-stakes clientsThe role of education-based marketing in building trust and pipelineKey Topics:Untangling complex IT issues without large teamsGrowing a tech consulting business in a noisy marketplaceWhy tech founders must prioritize visibilityThought leadership strategies that outperform hypeBuilding a durable pipeline with trust-based marketingChapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - From Architecture to Tech Consulting 08:00 - The True Secret to Longevity in Tech 14:00 - Real Client Case Studies: Little Island and MakerBot 22:00 - The Visibility Challenge for Tech Leaders 28:00 - New Growth Strategies: Events, Podcasts, and Books 36:00 - Noah’s One Piece of Advice for Founders 38:00 - Closing RemarksConnect With Us:Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedInNoah Landow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahlandow/Learn more about Macktez: https://macktez.com/Follow The Growth Focus Podcast for more conversations with tech leaders on building authority, growing revenue, and scaling sustainable businesses.#TechConsulting #FounderAuthority #BusinessGrowth #ScalingStrategies #B2BMarketing #LeadershipDevelopment

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty sits down with Dennis Underwood, founder and cybersecurity innovator, to discuss how to scale a tech company without VC funding.Dennis shares:How he bootstrapped his company to $2M in salesWhy founder-led marketing beats traditional adsThe power of authentic thought leadership on LinkedInStrategies for B2B tech founders to build trust and authorityWhy organic growth wins over ad spend in a noisy cybersecurity marketLearn how tech founders, MSPs, SaaS leaders, and consultancies can grow faster and smarter by leveraging their expertise and authority — not their ad budgets. Connect with Dennis Underwood: LinkedIn Connect with Gary Lafferty: Growth Focus Website | Gary’s LinkedInFollow The Growth Focus Podcast for expert conversations on founder-led business growth.#Bootstrapping #FounderLedGrowth #Cybersecurity #LinkedInMarketing #AuthorityBuilding #B2BMarketing #TechFounders #GaryLafferty

What if the biggest tech growth lever wasn’t tech? Discover how Isabel Lugo scaled across continents without a tech degree—and what she believes most tech CEOs are missing. Episode Overview:On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty welcomes JT Tech COO Isabel Lugo for an honest and strategic conversation about scaling fast, selling smart, and building influence as a non-technical founder.Isabel shares how she landed a £2.5M healthcare deal without a tech background, her method for breaking into new markets in Asia and Latin America, and why hiring juniors led to explosive growth. You’ll also learn how JT Tech leverages webinars, content, and personal branding to win new clients globally.Whether you're a tech CEO, founder, or consultant, this episode will challenge your assumptions and inspire your next move. Connect with Isabel Lugo:https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellugoalvarez/ Connect with Gary Lafferty:https://growthfocus.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ What You'll Learn:How to break into tech without being technicalThe one mindset shift that unlocks global growthWhy B2B sales are human-first, not product-firstThe case for hiring juniors vs. industry veteransBuilding visibility through LinkedIn & webinarsUsing rejection as a strategic feedback looptech business growth, founder-led sales, LinkedIn lead generation, startup scale strategy, global expansion for consultants, tech COO insights, JT Tech podcast, strategic B2B partnerships

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Mike Goulis, COO of Inedo - a bootstrapped software company competing globally with DevOps giants like JFrog and Sonatype.Mike shares what it's like transitioning from a VC-backed startup back to a founder-led business, the pros and cons of each model, and how Inedo's tools (ProGet, BuildMaster) win over developers with simplicity, value, and direct developer-led support.You’ll learn:How bootstrapped tech firms can still grow globallyWhat founder-led marketing and support really looks likeWhy aligning operations to cash flow—not just projections—is keyWhat Inedo’s inbound strategy looks like and how they’re evolving itPerfect for founders, COOs, and revenue leaders in tech consultancies, SaaS, and engineering-led businesses. Connect with Mike Goulis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegoulis/ Company: https://inedo.com/ More from Gary Lafferty: https://growthfocus.io https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/

Rob Drake, founder of Synchronized Solutions, shares how he scaled his MSP past $1M in just 9 months—not through ads, cold emails, or hacks—but by building authentic relationships.On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast with Gary Lafferty, Rob breaks down: The hidden power of community-based lead generation Why empathy and simplicity are his sales superpowers How “Let's Sync Up” helps clients achieve business goals The biggest mistakes MSPs make in marketing Strategic planning for doubling revenue in 2025 Rob’s Website: https://www.synchronized-it.com Rob’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-drake-a059b2184 Gary’s Website: https://growthfocus.ioGary’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/Insight: Being known, liked, and trusted outpaces any cold campaign.Share this with a founder who’s sick of pushy sales tactics and wants to grow the right way.

On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty interviews Dr. Shannon J. Gregg, founder of Cloud Adoption Solutions, a Salesforce consultancy laser-focused on the life sciences space.You’ll discover how Shannon built her business by choosing clarity over complexity, ditching spray-and-pray lead gen, and becoming a true authority through YouTube education and founder-led marketing. She opens up about battling imposter syndrome, hiring with intention, and the campaigns that flopped before she found her groove.Takeaways:Why narrowing your niche accelerates growthHow CRM myths kill sales team efficiencyA better way to do founder-led contentHow improv helped her tech team communicate betterWhat tech founders should really be focusing on to grow Connect with us: Dr. Shannon J. Gregg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonjgregg/ Gary Lafferty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Podcast website: https://growthfocus.io Ideal For: Tech founders, Salesforce consultants, MSP/VAR leaders, CRM implementers, B2B SaaS advisors, RevOps leaders, and anyone looking to build an authority-led consultancy that actually converts.

Can you sell your SaaS before it exists? Anand Chaturvedi did—and turned Caryfy.ai into a trusted platform helping Medicaid care providers streamline admin, save costs, and scale with confidence.In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty digs into Anand’s founder story—from leaving a corporate role to building a purpose-driven healthtech platform through empathy, deep market insight, and smart execution. Hosted by: Gary Lafferty More from Gary: [https://growthfocus.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/ Connect with Anand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anandcogent/https://anandchaturvedi.com Topics Covered:Building Caryfy through customer observationPre-selling MVPs without fundingFounder-led culture vs. premature groupthinkAI’s role in ethical, human-centered careScaling content-driven SaaS in niche marketsCaryfy.ai, Medicaid SaaS, AI healthtech, founder-led SaaS growth, pre-sell SaaS, healthcare automation platform, bootstrapped SaaS, AI-powered Medicaid software, niche B2B SaaS, startup founder podcast, authority marketing for SaaS

If your CRM and go-to-market systems aren’t aligned, you're losing growth. Kathryn Castle explains how RevOps helps tech founders scale without chaos.Summary:On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty (GrowthFocus.io) welcomes Kathryn Castle, founder of CandyBoxCRM, to discuss how Revenue Operations (RevOps) is helping B2B tech consultancies scale cleanly and sustainably.Kathryn shares:Her journey from the UK to building a RevOps firm in MexicoHow tech partnerships and founder-led marketing fuel pipelineThe hidden costs of misaligned sales and marketing systemsPractical frameworks for turning chaos into clarity using RevOpsKathryn Links: Website: https://candyboxcrm.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryncastle/Gary Links: Website: https://growthfocus.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/RevOps, CRM strategy, B2B SaaS growth, tech consulting, founder-led growth, revenue operations, sales and marketing alignment, lead generation, GTM enablement, CandyBoxCRM

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Ryan Seaberg, the founder of EIR Systems, a groundbreaking EMAR software provider serving drug treatment and behavioral health centers.Ryan shares his powerful journey from injured pro athlete to mission-driven tech founder. With no formal tech background, he taught himself to code and launched a startup tackling one of healthcare’s most underserved problems: safe, compliant, and efficient medication management. In this episode:Why Ryan sold his first startup to pivot into a bigger opportunityHow he built trusted relationships with EHR platforms from scratchWhat it takes to win enterprise clients without any track recordHow he’s standing out in a noisy HealthTech marketReal-world growth strategies for founder-led B2B businesses Hosted by Gary Lafferty, founder of Growth Focus Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rseabergeir/Connect with Gary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/#Startups #HealthcareTech #EMAR #SaaSGrowth #FounderLedSales #Entrepreneurship #TechFounders #EHRIntegration #AddictionRecovery #B2BMarketing

Gary Lafferty, founder of Growth Focus and The Authority Engine, sits down with Rob Harles, founder of DigHuman, to explore how trust, relationships, and customer context still win in a world flooded by AI, data, and digital noise. In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, you’ll discover:How Rob built teams and strategies at Bloomberg, Accenture, and now DigHumanThe overlooked human elements that drive growth for tech firmsReal stories that prove why personalization and context still matterTactical ways to break through noise and build lasting customer relationshipsWhat founders must do now to gain trust in the enterprise space Guest: Rob Harles on LinkedIn Book: Human-Driven Experience on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/People-Driven-Experience-Battle-Trust-Digital/dp/1119812984 Host: Gary Lafferty – growthfocus.io | LinkedIn

What does it take to stand out and scale in cybersecurity? Gary Lafferty sits down with Bogdan, a Romanian tech founder who built and sold a cybersecurity company serving MSPs—without the hype, without the fluff.This is a must-listen episode for founders, CEOs, and tech consultants who want to grow smarter, build a sustainable business, and lead with real authority in a saturated market. We cover business strategy, customer-led development, the dangers of chasing tech trends, and how to build trust through outcome-driven solutions. Key Topics Covered:Why most cybersecurity tools fail SMBsHow to position around problems, not platformsScaling a lean SaaS team with real customer feedbackWhy tech founders must market themselvesLessons from being acquired by PDQ Keywords: scaling MSP, cybersecurity SaaS, B2B tech podcast, tech startup founder story, outcome-based marketing, MSP integrations, cybersecurity tools, MSP acquisitions, SaaS growth strategy Follow & share the episode with anyone growing a tech consultancy or product-driven business. Subscribe at https://www.growthfocus.io

Mat Myers, COO of SYSTEMSEVEN, joins Gary Lafferty on The Growth Focus Podcast to reveal why customer satisfaction isn’t enough—and how their MSP scales by putting people first, even if it means walking away from easy revenue.We dive into how SYSTEMSEVEN has created a unique culture-driven model that prioritizes employee and client happiness, why trust is the new sales currency, and how founder-led marketing builds loyalty in the IT services space.Perfect for founders and CEOs of tech-based consultancies and MSPs looking to grow smarter—not just faster.Links & Resources:Mathew Myers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-myers-5b36a44/Gary Lafferty’s Authority Accelerator: https://www.growthfocus.ioKey Topics Covered:Building a values-first MSP businessReal talk on sales cycles and trustCulture as a competitive advantageWhy “okay” customer service is not okayThought leadership for technical founders Follow the show for more episodes on how to scale your tech consultancy with authority, authenticity, and precision.

Want to stand out in a crowded tech market? It starts with thinking differently.On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty interviews Ted Harrington, ethical hacking expert, author of Hackable, and leader at ISE.Ted shares his journey of using founder-led marketing, educational authority building, and problem-solving over selling to grow his cybersecurity business—even in one of the most competitive fields.Learn how writing a book, delivering a TED talk, and thinking like a hacker can help you grow your tech consultancy faster, stronger, and with more authority. Links:Ted Harrington’s Website: https://tedharrington.comGrowth Focus: https://growthfocus.io️ Chapters:0:00 Introduction2:00 What is Ethical Hacking?5:00 Standing Out in Crowded Markets9:00 Writing Hackable and Delivering TED Talks12:00 Changing Mindsets and Breaking Industry Norms16:00 Overcoming Fear in Founder-Led Marketing20:00 Why Founder Stories Drive Growth24:00 Scaling Talent in Services27:00 Solving vs Selling: The Big Growth Shift30:00 Final Advice for Tech Founders Takeaways:How to use education to differentiate your servicesWhy founder visibility matters more than everHow to reframe fear and step into authorityLessons in real-world growth vs. theoryFollow The Growth Focus Podcast for weekly interviews with tech founders and CEOs on business growth, leadership, and scaling in today's noisy markets.#growthfocus #authorityaccelerator #foundermarketing #techconsultancy #businessgrowthpodcast #tedharrington #ethicalhacking #foundersales #b2bconsulting #scaleyourbusiness

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty interviews David Young, founder and CEO of Federated Computer. They discuss why offering free users can destroy startup growth, how to build a focused tech product, and what truly drives scalable success in SaaS today. If you're a founder or CEO of a tech consultancy or enterprise, this episode offers essential strategies for scaling without wasting time or resources.Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to David Young 01:00 - David’s Unusual Journey into Tech Startups 03:50 - Founding Federated Computer: Solving SaaS Fragmentation 06:40 - Why Price Beats Privacy in Customer Messaging 11:00 - Founder-Led Growth: Real-World Strategies 15:00 - Why Free Trials Can Kill Your SaaS Startup 19:00 - Optimizing Funnels and Paid Acquisition 26:00 - Affiliate Marketing Pitfalls for Startups 29:00 - Building a Scalable Startup Team 33:00 - Final Advice for Tech FoundersTakeaways:Why you should avoid free user models earlyHow to craft a winning, repeatable customer messageThe biggest mistake founders make in early growthHow to market tech products when budgets are tightLinks:Federated Computer: https://federated.computerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpaulyoung/Contact David Young: [email protected] Focus Partnerships: https://growthfocus.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocus/

Are you tired of competing on price? Wondering how to stand out in a sea of tech freelancers and service providers?In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, Gary Lafferty interviews Tarek, the founder of Tecziq Solutions, who scaled a tech company by ditching low-cost competition tactics and doubling down on authority positioning and relationship-based growth.If you're a tech consultancy founder, this episode gives you a playbook on:Replacing cold email with credibilityScaling via automation services in niche verticalsWinning high-value clients without racing to the bottomMastering event ROI and long-term partnershipsPerfect for: Tech leaders, IT consultants, B2B SaaS advisors, and automation experts.Connect with us:Authority Accelerator: https://www.growthfocus.ioLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthfocusLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariq-kamal/Highlights:Why Tarek left freelancing behind to build a companyHow automation drives client ROI in under-optimized industriesThe secret to getting ROI from conferences every timeFinding your niche by reverse-engineering your best clients