Podcast
Above The Business
Hosted by Bradley Hamner · EN
What if you could step out of the day-to-day and see your business from a whole new perspective? Welcome to Above The Business, where we empower you to rise above the daily grind and embrace a higher way of business ownership. It's time to build your business by design.
www.abovethebusiness.co
62episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#587: Growing a Business Without Hiring with Jonathan Stark
3d ago00:39:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Jonathan Stark, a former software developer who now helps consultants escape hourly billing. Jonathan shares the moment he realized his firm made the most profit on its most junior developer, and how that single observation pushed him to abandon the time for money model entirely.They discuss productized services, value-based pricing, and why selling your hours puts an artificial ceiling on your income. Jonathan makes the case for growing a business without hiring, explains the difference between automation and delegation, and shares how AI agents now handle the dozens of micro steps buried inside his own workflows.This conversation moves beyond pricing tactics and into how you want to spend your day. What do you actually want your business to give you? Is hiring the only way to grow, or the default you never stopped to question? And where does AI create real leverage instead of noise? If you want to build a business around the life you want rather than the size you think you need, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Pick up the book Jonathan referenced on growing without hiring, Company of One by Paul Jarvis: https://a.co/d/0gDK3OOW Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.
Transcribe →#586: Sales Process - Introduction & Discovery
6d ago00:20:09Tap to summarizeBradley Hamner closes out the sales playbook series with the third and final part, moving from belief and sales systems into the sales process itself. This solo episode focuses on the first two phases of that process: the introduction and the discovery, or information gathering, phase.Bradley lays out the full architecture of a sales process, then goes deep on the front end. He explains why rapport building has to stay short so the rep keeps control of the call, where the FORM framework fits and where it does not, and the two objectives of discovery: finding out if and how you can help, and eliminating objections before the close. He also walks through both approaches to information gathering and why he leads with the prospect's current situation before their desired one to create buying tension.This conversation moves beyond scripts and closing tactics and into where sales calls are actually won. Are you rushing rapport and losing control of the conversation? Are your questions deep enough that the prospect feels understood rather than processed? And what becomes possible when the selling no longer depends entirely on you? If you want to build a sales process your team can learn, repeat, and eventually run without you, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.
Transcribe →#585: The Case for Simplifying Your Business with Scott Grates
1w ago00:59:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Scott Grates, insurance agency owner, author of Referrals Done Right, and sales trainer for Coach P Consulting, to talk about simplifying a business, delegating almost everything, and growing through relationships instead of cold outreach. Scott shares how selling his company sharpened his focus and why he now runs every decision through one filter: does this help him recruit, train, and develop his team.They discuss the inverted delegation funnel that starts with declining work rather than doing it, why checking your ego is the real prerequisite for handing anything off, and why the shift toward AI leaves no room for B and C players. Scott also breaks down how he trains salespeople foundation-first, grades customers A, B, and C, and has built a referral engine that produces more than a thousand introductions a year.This conversation moves beyond delegation tactics and into how an owner decides what actually deserves their time. What could you decline instead of do? Are you protecting production at the expense of the culture your team works inside? And what would it take to build customer acquisition around relationships you already have? If you want to simplify your business, raise your standard for who stays on the team, and grow through referrals, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Scott Grates: scottgrates.comPick up Scott's book, Referrals Done Right: https://a.co/d/0e5SXQ30 Check out Scott's podcast, Referrals Done Right: scottgrates.com/rdr-podcastThanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.
Transcribe →#584: Sales Systems - Implement Visible Tracking
2w ago00:12:38Tap to summarizeBradley Hamner continues the sales playbook series with the second of three parts, following an opening episode on sales belief and conviction. This episode focuses on one component of a strong sales system: visible tracking.Bradley explains why most owners already know how to fix a sales problem but struggle to confirm whether they have identified the right one. He walks through building individual scorecards, making performance visible to the rep, their manager, and the wider sales team, and tracking leading indicators, lagging indicators, and results so decisions rest on data rather than guesswork. He also covers why weekly tracking usually makes the most sense.This conversation moves beyond sales tactics and into diagnosis. Are you solving the actual problem or the one that feels obvious? When a rep is on track, can you name what is working well enough to repeat it? And when they fall off, do you have a plan or are you guessing? If you want a clearer and more honest view of how your sales team is actually performing, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.
Transcribe →#583: Designing a Business That Runs Without You with Jason Henneberry
2w ago00:41:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Jason Henneberry, founder of Tango Financial and creator of the Dependency Design framework, to talk about why so many successful businesses quietly become dependent on the founder. Jason built a solo mortgage brokerage into a support platform now serving more than 600 agents across Canada, and he shares the transition that nearly stopped him: moving from driving his own revenue to being responsible for everyone else's.They discuss the difference between accidental and intentional dependency, why adding systems and people creates momentum but rarely creates ownership, and the signal that tells an owner when a person or process cannot carry the weight. Jason explains why strong businesses design backward from outcomes instead of building forward from goals, and why the leap from producing team lead to owner architect is the one most entrepreneurs never make.This conversation moves beyond systems and delegation and into how a business actually earns its owner's freedom. What is your business quietly depending on you for? Are your people executing tasks, or do they truly own the outcome? And what would have to change for the work to stop landing back on your desk? If you want to build a company that runs without your constant involvement, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Download Jason's free book, Dependency Design: https://dependencydesign.comThanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.
Transcribe →#582: Sales Belief
3w ago00:09:38Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner opens a three-part series on building a sales playbook, the master document that defines how a company sells. He explains why founder-led sales makes sense from zero to half a million in revenue, and why owners who want to move from rainmaker to architect eventually have to offload the selling without losing what made it work.Bradley makes the case that belief and conviction sit underneath every script, asset, and sales meeting. He breaks down the three things a rep has to believe in: the product, the company, and the culture. He also explains why owners should build the reasons a customer should choose them directly into the playbook, training reps on a handful of clear talking points instead of leaving them to guess or invent their own.This conversation moves beyond scripts and tactics and into the foundation underneath them. Can you clearly answer why a customer should do business with you? Can your reps answer it the same way you do? And what happens to your results when they cannot? If you are getting ready to hand off sales and want it built on belief instead of guesswork, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.
Transcribe →#581: Leading Through the AI Shift with Caroline Stokes
3w ago00:38:04Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Caroline Stokes, executive coach, founder of The Forward, and author of Aftershock 2030, to talk about what actually determines whether a business succeeds as AI reshapes how teams work. Caroline shares her path from launching PlayStation as employee number nine to coaching CEOs through reinvention, and why she became convinced early on that organizations rise or fall on their people.They discuss why human connection becomes more valuable as AI automates more of the work, how one AI-avoidant CEO became a superuser in fourteen months, and the cost of hesitating while competitors move. Caroline also explains the "mission is the boss" principle, the discipline she calls mental sovereignty, and why short, intentional experiments with AI beat chasing every new feature.This conversation moves beyond AI tactics and into how leaders carry their teams through change. How do you build a culture where people feel safe to speak up and challenge direction? How do you adopt new tools without losing focus on the business in front of you? And how do you bring curiosity and play back into the way you lead? If you want to lead your people well while the ground keeps shifting, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Caroline Stokes and her books: www.theforward.coThanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.
Transcribe →#580: Dealing With Toxic High Performance
4w ago00:12:55Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner addresses a problem almost every business owner eventually faces: the top producer who performs at a high level while quietly damaging the culture. He describes the golden handcuffs that keep owners from acting, and the resentment that builds on a team when everyone can see the problem the owner will not confront.Bradley calls it the Dez Bryant syndrome, using the talented but disruptive athlete as a lens for the toxic high performer in business. He shares what happens when owners finally make the call, why teams often respond with relief instead of loss, and why a company built around one irreplaceable person carries more risk than most owners admit. He also makes the case for documenting what that person does so the business runs on systems rather than dependence.This conversation moves beyond the tactic of simply removing the person. Are you protecting production at the expense of your culture? Have you had the honest conversation, or stuck your head in the sand? And if that person left tomorrow, could your business carry the work forward? If you have ever felt handcuffed to a talented employee who is hurting your team, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.
Transcribe →#579: Building a Business That Doesn't Need You with Jason Swenk
Jun 2900:39:55Tap to summarizeJason Swenk built a digital agency from scratch to over 100 people and eight figures before selling it twice. He now coaches agency owners through Agency Mastery and has codified the journey into five identity shifts inside his book, Operator to Owner.Bradley and Jason walk through each shift: operator, manager, architect, CEO, and owner. They cover the rubber band effect, the 1-3-1 decision-making method, delegating outcomes vs. tasks, and what separates a CEO from a true owner.This conversation goes beyond tactics and into identity. What happens when your self-worth is tied to the business? And how do you build a company around yourself rather than sacrificing yourself to build it? If you want to move from stuck inside the work to building a business that runs without you, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Jason Swenk and pick up Operator to Owner: https://www.swenk.comThanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.
Transcribe →#578: Google Maps & Your Business
Jun 2600:08:35Tap to summarizeIn this Friday solo episode, Bradley Hamner uses a tool everyone already trusts to make a point about direction. Every time you open Google Maps, it needs two coordinates: where you are right now and where you are trying to go. Bradley argues your business requires the exact same two points, a clear point A and a clear point B.He walks through what happens when obstacles appear between those two points. Maps reroute without ever touching the destination, yet business owners often do the reverse, pulling the vision back the moment things get hard. Bradley explains why a three-year vision should function as a fixed destination, why you keep an old vision as an artifact even when your thinking changes, and how 90-day priorities, one-year objectives, and a long-term picture work together as a roadmap.This episode moves past the metaphor and into how you actually navigate. Do you have a clear picture of where your business sits today across revenue, profit, team, marketing, and systems? Do you know where you want it to go over the next 90 days, 12 months, and three years? And do you have a plan you follow when you get off course? If you tend to move the destination every time the road gets difficult, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.
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