Why Working Harder Is Making Your Business Worse with Brad Poulos

EPISODE · Mar 23, 2026 · 51 MIN

Why Working Harder Is Making Your Business Worse with Brad Poulos

from Experience Leadership - The Small Business Podcast · host Marc Haine

How Leaders Accidentally Become the Bottleneck with Brad Poulos Most business owners are exhausted—not because they’re lazy, but because they’re trying to carry a business that was never designed to support them. In this episode of Marc Haine Live, Canada’s Small Business Professor Brad Poulos explains why many of the problems owners obsess over aren’t real problems at all—and why stepping back can sometimes be the most profitable move you make. You’ll learn: • Why most businesses fail from small mistakes, not big ones • How decision overload destroys scale and cash flow • When growth is actually the wrong goal • Why letting go is a leadership skill—not a risk This episode is a must-watch for founders, operators, and managers who want a business that works for them—not one they constantly rescue. Need to brainstorm aspects of your business? Book your complimentary 30-minute brainstorm with Marc. Schedule a time that works for you at https://meetwith.marchaine.com About Brad Brad Poulos—known as Canada’s Small Business Professor—helps entrepreneurs think clearly about hard decisions. He’s not a theorist. He’s an operator. Brad has started businesses, sold some, closed others, and scaled a startup to #8 on the Profit 100 list. He has raised capital as a public company CEO on both Wall Street and Bay Street. In other words, he’s lived the pressure, the payroll anxiety, the growth excitement—and the occasional “what was I thinking?” moment that comes with building something real. For the past 16 years, Brad has taught entrepreneurship, strategy, and small business at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he also launched Canada’s first Cannabis Essentials course series. He is the author of Most Problems Solve Themselves and The Small Business Operator’s Manual, and co-author of From Pitch to Payoff. Brad’s philosophy is simple: Build a business that is profitable, focused, and built to last. No startup theatre. No jargon. Just practical operating principles that work in the real world. Connect with Brad 📍 Website: bradpoulos.com 📧 Email: [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradpoulos/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.poulos ----more----About Your Host, Marc Haine Need to brainstorm aspects of your business or talk to Marc about speaking at your upcoming conference or staff retreat? Book your complimentary 30-minute brainstorm with Marc. Schedule a time that works for you on Marc's online calendar. Get your copy of Lights! Camera! Action! Business Operational Excellence Through the Lens of Live Theatre on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PFj8a2 or directly from the publisher Author, Speaker, Facilitator and Coach Marc Haine will help your teams ignite their passions. Working with him, you can support your leaders to recentre their focus and drive continuous improvement through connected and engaged employees. You will realize your competitive advantage with a connected purpose and consistent customer experience across your brand. Tap into Marc’s 35 years of operational excellence experience and imagine a world in which the majority of us put more love and care in being of service. Tap into Marc’s 35 years of operational excellence experience and imagine a world in which the majority of us put more love and care in being of service. Dare to be the exception™ Connect with Marc +1 (780) 729-4932  🗓️  https://meetwith.marchaine.com [email protected] http://MarcHaine.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/marcjlhaine FB: https://www.facebook.com/MasterofExperiences IN: https://instagram.com/MarcJLHaine TW: https://twitter.com/MarcHaine2 LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchaine/ YT: https://www.MarcHaineLive.com Looking for more quality content? Check out Marc's catalogue of video and audio podcasts here.

NOW PLAYING

Why Working Harder Is Making Your Business Worse with Brad Poulos

0:00 51:02

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

MG Show MG Show The MG Show, hosted by Jeffrey Pedersen and Shannon Townsend, is a leading alternative media platform dedicated to uncovering the truth behind today’s most pressing political issues. Launched in 2019, the show has grown exponentially, offering unfiltered insights, comprehensive research, and real-time analysis. With a commitment to independent journalism and factual integrity, the MG Show empowers its audience with knowledge and encourages active participation in the political discourse. The Game Radio Popolare Soldi, lavoro, avidità, disoccupazioni: il grande gioco dell’economia smontato ogni giorno da Raffaele Liguori. Photo Breakdown Scott Wyden Kivowitz Photo Breakdown is a podcast in which we explore the world of photography with a trusted guide, host Scott Wyden Kivowitz. His expertise and passion bring the industry to life as we explore the stories, trends, and ideas shaping it today. Join us as we dissect everything from incredible photographs and creative techniques to the latest gear releases and hot topics in the photography community.In each episode, we break down what’s happening behind the scenes - whether it’s making a powerful image, a candid discussion on industry trends, or a reflection on the tools and technology changing how we make photographs. You’ll get insights, expert opinions, and a fresh perspective on what’s top of mind for photographers right now.Anticipate short, engaging episodes brimming with ideas and inspiration. Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts, voice notes, and comments. Your participation is what makes our community vibrant and dynamic.It’s more than just photography - everyth The Last Outlaws Impact Studios at UTS In a History Lab season like no other, we're pulling on the threads of one of Australia's great misunderstood histories, moving beyond the myths to learn what the Aboriginal brothers Jimmy and Joe Governor faced in both life and death.Australia's budding Federation is the background setting to this remarkable story, that sees the Governor brothers tied to the inauguration of a 'new' nation and Australia's dark history of frontier violence, racial injustice and the global trade and defilement of Aboriginal ancestral remains. This Impact Studios production is a collaboration with the Governor family, UTS Faculty of Law and Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research.The Last Outlaws teamKatherine Biber - UTS Law Professor and Chief InvestigatorAunty Loretta Parsley - Great-granddaughter of Jimmy Governor and the Governor Family Historian Leroy Parsons - Governor descendant, Narrator and Co-WriterKaitlyn Sawrey - Host, Writer and Senior ProducerFrank Lopez - Writer,
URL copied to clipboard!